Family, Snow and Power....

Late last night at 10:25 pm my middle sis and her two kids arrived at our local train station. I had braved wet slushy snow and a slick freeway to rescue them and take them to my home. When we woke up the next morning this is what we were greeted with.

Eight inches of snow!

To make life even more interesting at 3:10 last night we lost power! Yay!

Not.

Power was finally restored at noon and we were very relieved as it had started to get rather cold in here.

Not to cold mind you, I was rather proud of how my home had retained the heat.

I am also very relieved and happy that the water pipe was fixed two days ago as now it would be put off until spring.

I made it by two days!

More pictures to follow, we are safe, happy and together!

Our water is fixed!

Easiest way to tell this story is to show it!

They needed to dig really deep so they could tunnel underneath the sidewalk to the city water line.
And then continued digging. Normally they like to pull the pipe through, however our pipe was original to the house sixty years old and had more holes than you can imagine.

This is a small eight inch section proving to me that our main line has been leaking for years and the previous owners just paid the  high water bills. Six weeks in the house (today) and we have already taken care of it.
No way on earth I am paying 300.00 a month and risking my foundation and yard for something that only took 1500.00 and half a day to fix.

70 feet of pipe 4 - 6 feet deep of dirt and a huge pile of rocks later and I have new non leaky pipe!

What it looks like when it was done - lots and lots of dirt. Next summer we are going to have to reseed the yard - not that it was great when we moved in.

They even redid our stopnwaste for the sprinkler system as they didn't like how it was set up. White is the old black is the new. Best of all seeing the water meter NOT moving!

Sunchip project day 35

Sorry with all the house repair and snow I haven't run out to take photos as you can see they still look the same.

200th post full of economy predictions and house news

Many people over the last few years keep saying that the economy is only going to get worse. 
I myself have laid the blame on both the gas companies and the banks for how they have handled their business over the last few years. I don't apologize or change that view in the slightest. 

What I am doing is saying that while the naysayers and many want to continue to predict bad times ahead I am saying that the bad times are almost over.
What causes me to say this?

My 401K 

That's right our 401k is the best guide I can use to show the state of the economy. My husband puts 7-8% into his 401 and is matched 5% by his company creating a fast growing pile of money. The first year in a half we accumulated 11,000. Then the economy hit bottom and our account dropped to 9,000 and stayed low for several months while we continued to buy.

The next year it went up to 15,000 and this year we are still on a comfy 24,000. As predictions go this is fairly easy to see that the market is up, moving selling and people are no longer holding tight to their pennies.

This does not mean that the housing market has recovered and I am sure it will take several more years for that market to balance back out again - I can attest that its a buyers mar

Concerning our house and our finances this is what is going on.
 
We have had the line inspected and have received a bid for 1500.00  to fix the main line coming into the house. We were able to get the credit card, (4,000 at 9.2% and a 15.00 annual fee have to love credit unions) but we have decided to take some of the money from our 401 to pay for the repair as we repay it at 4% to ourselves. I rather like the idea of repaying the money to myself and not to someone else.

My prediction is that the slump is at an end. People are shopping, celebrating, hiring and happy again. Fear can after all only last so long.

Have a happy and wonderful holiday and remember Christmas is about our savior Jesus Christ rejoicing and being with family. Not what presents we give each other, but being thankful for the present of the baby Jesus.

Homeownership woes and Veterans day

I love my home. I really really do. I have 9 days until Mid Sis arrives. I have the bedrooms ready, I still have to clean floors, walls, put away cloths, toys and books not to mention finish fixing the kitchen. These things will be done in time.

But like many other new homeowners things crop up that were unexpected and unforeseen. Things that come with $200.00 water bills. One day of inspecting and turning things off we have determined that we have a major leak from the main pipe coming into the house. The expected repair bill for this (our friend Shayne did the same repair a few years ago) is $2,000! OUCH!!!

This has caused us to look into different alternatives as it HAS to be repaired quickly. For the first time in our 8 1/2 year marriage we have applied for a credit card. P.S No matter how many times people tell you that you can't buy a house without a credit card - don't believe them - WE DID!

So until we are approved for this or some other form of loan we have taken to turning the water off from the main at night so at least we won't be wasting extra money and water then. What makes this extra fun is today is Veterans Day! I thank God for all those men that have willingly put their lives on the line to protect my family, and my country. This year, however, it also means that we have to wait another day before we can do anything official about our problems. AHHHHHH!!!!!

Have I mentioned that I love my house? I really really do. Its just really really old.

Wordless Wednesday

close up

Fire!

Last night my empty next door neighbors house burnt up!

This was my attempt to get a photo of the smoke coming from the house before the fire trucks set up and got going. Didn't work and within the next few minutes the smoke was so bad that we were forced inside our home.

For the next few hours smoke poured from the home next door and into mine, we ended up holding handkerchiefs across our noses to keep from chocking. The smoke was so thick it looked like a fog bank rolled in.

A few hours later three teams of fire fighters had the fire out and the air clear again. I don't believe the house is reparable even if the fire didn't damage it too badly the water was sure to. Not to mention that its been empty for the past three years. From what we have been told the woman who lived their is in a care center for the elderly and her family is holding the property until she passes.

This was the side of the house that had the most amount of smoke.

And this is where they cut multiple hole to climb into the house.

Funny thing is they went through the side window before the cut the door off of the garage.

Now we are safe and our home is safe, and I am left with an inhabitable home next to me.

I will keep everyone posted on the repair, tear down or abandonment of the home.

For me this story is just starting.

Cleaning

I have been hard at work cleaning. Cleaning ever since I moved in.
Cleaning the floor from the residue of yucky old carpet and years of abuse.
I have been cleaning beer stains and smoke tar stains from the walls, doorways and windows.

I have been wrestling with laundry and figuring out where to put it all since the kids cloths are still piled in huge piles in my room, until we can get their rooms fixed.

I have been cleaning unpacking and wrestling with potty training my son and a new baby puppy that likes to poop on my floors.

Do I get any form of slack for the fact that we are in the middle of seven major remodels as well as unpacking, cleaning and settling in?

NOPE!

Instead I get a host of snarky rude comments from several different areas that think I should magically be able to finishing putting things away into spaces that don't exist.

Here is my response it will be done by Thanksgiving if you have issues with my home before then - DON'T COME OVER!


I am way to tired and grumpy to deal with this on top of everything else I have to do.
So if any of my other posts, responses or comments have been equally snarky and rude I apologize.