Closing... :-(

Closing is paused.  The government has decided that we have to have flood insurance on every building on our property.  Our house is not in a flood plain, but part of our land is - the part on the opposite side by the creek.  Go.  Figure.  And our barn is on the far side of our house - even further from the creek.  So we have to insure each building separately.  Steve did the house today for a mere GRAND.  You read that right - $1000 freaking dollars.  And apparently has to do the same for his dirt floor barn.  *sigh*  He went and talked to a neighbor that said he didn't have to do that a couple of years ago... let's see, what happened in the last couple of years that changed the rules... 

SO, while Steve is trying to whittle through that mess, we are on hold for the closing.  

Life is such an adventure.

I think I will go out and watch the THREE raccoons eat Princess Cost-A-Lot's food.  Yep, I finally found out who she shares with - right outside our bedroom door.  Nice.

I am still so tired I cannot think.  Be back when I have recovered.  Or when I can crawl to the keyboard.

Mounds and Mounds

... of boxes. Every where we look - boxes.  And what we have unpacked is strewn all over the house.  I am getting overwhelmed quickly.  This coming from the person who has to unpack suitcases after flying 24 hours... these boxes are driving me freaking NUTS!  Steve would say it is a short drive - and he is probably right. 

I couldn't do it without Raelee and Steph's help.  Yes, punkin' helps a lot - and she always does it without one complaint.  Isn't that amazing?  More about the kid later - but just suffice it to say, she is incredible.  If I ask her to do something, she does it until she is finished.  If you ask her to do something else, she asks if it is ok to finish the previous job first!  Great kid.

Steph is great at helping me get re-focused when I crash.  Thank God she is here.  I am so in over my head it is unreal.  SOooooo much stuff and soooo many boxes!

And in the evening, Steve and Steph mow.  They say they are working, but I know better - they are having a blast WHILE working if that is the case.  I was told tonight someone didn't want to go to Lowe's because I was cutting into her zero turn time... lol... and she still went out and mowed.  Thankfully, unlike her dad, she came in when it was dark.  Dad has a headlight - he kept right on moving until he got the section done he wanted done.  And he saw a HUGE bullfrog hop to get out of his way!  I am a happy camper... frogs and I are friends.

I think we finally have all the stuff done for the closing on Thursday.  I can't believe it is coming up!  Steve had to get an elevation certificate and finally figured that one out today.  He also hired a trash man to come pick up our garbage once a week.  Trash trucks don't run in the country... lol... you gotta find your own.  He did.  Sooo glad - it was a bit stinky!

I am bushed.  Off to bed now.  Will be back soon.  If moving doesn't make me croak.  

 Ribbitt!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

We have been busy as bees! 

We found out Thursday night that we could take early possession of our new house.  Friday the moving van came in to bring our stuff - they were confused as to where to bring it, but finally figured out it was not at the campsite, and it was not at storage, but at the place we are in the process of buying.  

With the help of some gorgeous muscle riddled guys and gals we got our stuff moved into the house:

You BET they are gorgeous - they moved ALL of our stuff!  They were super!  Gotta love 'em!  Thanks to each and every one of you!  Oh, and we found the missing glasses that were lost right where she left them - hanging in a truck in the MIDDLE of all of our loot!  Unscathed to boot!

On Sunday we moved from the campground to the place we bought:

As soon as we took possession of the house, Steph made arrangements to get up here to help us unpack.  Thank God she did - I would be unpacking for the rest of my life!  Liz and Jacque helped me the first couple of days and beyond that - Steph, Steve, Raelee and I have done it.  Of course Steve has been working during the day and playing... errr... bush hogging the land at night.

We have unpacked boxes until we are sick of them - and we still have a ton left to unpack...

We have found stuff we forgot we had:

Put the kid to seriously exhausting work compacting trash:

We even lost the kid but thankfully we found her:

Steve bought a tractor:

And he bought a zero turn - but sadly has had little chance to use it:

She even follows Steve around the yard mowing after he does!

And he has had even less little chance to drive it.

And when he did, he lost (the race) big time:

And he just doesn't get it - he lost every time.  In fact, it never happened  :-( 

But Raelee has had a blast trying to make him earn a win!  You shoulda heard her GIGGLE!


She has had a blast riding in the fields:
 

And to think she asked mommy if papa and granny had enough room!  Nearly 19 acres, kid! Yep, I think so!

I know you are wondering, yes, I got a few toys too!  Check this out:

We got a new living room set!  It is butt ugly, but super comfy in only the way a Lazy Boy set can be - and yes, it is a Lazy Boy.  The smell of the leather is intoxicating.  We love the set!

Punkin' thinks the table is the neatest ever!  I cannot seem to keep the top down on it:

It is a beautiful table - you gotta agree.  Well, maybe you will when she leaves and I can take a picture of it with the top down...  for now, we will just say it is a 'unique' table... lol...

I went to the Salvation Army a few days ago looking for lamps - Steph and I have a vision for some lamps and they cannot be new ones so we went there looking.  While we were there I found this great dresser to use as a buffet.  I sent Steve by later to pick it up and he called me and said, "Babe, are you busy?  Can you come by here for a few?  I went over to SA and he had found a better china hutch and buffet - antiques!  He KNEW I would love it and indeed I did - we bought them:

Aren't they super?  He told me after we got home they had the matching table... I just may have to go look at it.  Well, it is a shame to break them up, isn't it?

Steve even bought me TWO tractors!  Check one of them out:
 

The other one matches this one exactly.  What more could a girl ask for?

And Steph is like the Energizer bunny;  she has gotten super fast at playing... errr... mowing the lot:

She keeps going and going... I know it is because she doesn't want her dad over worked.  Man, I cannot believe how dedicated she is!

Jacque gave me a beautiful flower bouquet as a housewarming gift:

And punkin' gave me a frog:

I love them both.  The frog is setting outside the front door, right by Steve's foo dogs:

Guess you can tell, those foo dogs made it fine!  Yippeee!

Well, I have caught you up a bit on what is going on.  I am going to pull poor Steph off of the mower and make her get some rest:

Life is tough on the farm - I guess you can tell.

Have I said I love country life?

No Internet

I will have no internet until the end of next week.  All of our furniture has been delivered.  I will spend the time unpacking.  Be back soon!

It is OURS!!

I don't have time to tell the details, but the realtor called and the cat... errr... the house... IS OURS!!   We move in tomorrow.  Got a million calls to make for it to happen.  Sorry I don't have time for individual e-mails... insurance, moving company, utilities... lots to do!

Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers - THEY WORKED!

Later Gator   :-)

'Hiccup' in the Plan

We would appreciate your thoughts and prayers everyone.  Steve came in yesterday and said we have a 'hiccup' in the house buying process.

It is not a problem on our end, but since the roof inspector axed the roof, (it says on his report "due to severe hail damage" - and you sure cannot see it from the ground) we put a clause in the contract that it needed to be replaced to which the owner agreed if it is indeed damaged. Our insurance agreed to insure the house with a clause in the paperwork that says the roof will be changed by the owner's insurance company. However, the owner wants his insurance adjuster to look at it first - but it seems every single State Farm adjuster is in Joplin. They said it may be weeks or months before they can look at it... who knows when? 

We are not going to wait weeks or months. We have no idea what to do next except drop it and move on... he is not budging :-(

Our furniture will be arriving tomorrow - this all arranged because it looked like early occupancy was a go.  We found out yesterday that the owner had made this decision to wait on his adjuster.  Any good roof person could confirm or deny our reports to ease his fears, but he wants his insurance company to make that call.  Since this decision was made yesterday, our furniture was already being loaded in Houston so there was no turning it around.

We are securing a storage facility to put our stuff in.  However, once it is in that storage unit, as far as I am concerned, we can just drop the deal and look for another place.  We will have to move the furniture anyway, by ourselves, so that urgency is gone.

I cannot imagine moving the furniture into a unit and then 'when his agent gets here and confirms the damage' finish the proceedings and haul the equivalent of a 50' truck of furniture to the house... 2 weeks after it was delivered to a storage unit.  At that time we will have no professional movers, no man power, no huge truck to deliver it and no trailer to get it with.  Frustration doesn't even BEGIN to cover it.

If it is meant to be, it will happen.  If not, God needs me somewhere else, right?

Off to get a storage unit or two.  

And that is all I have to say about that...

Just an Update

All the inspections are finished!

*Structure is outstanding - the inspector couldn't believe this house had been on the market since April

*Dwelling is outstanding - house has two things we wrong; (1) a/c units needed to be serviced (has already been done) and (2) the garbage disposal had locked up.  Neither affected the dwelling, just the comfort  ;-)

*Roof was condemned due to hail damage, owner is going to replace and has already contacted his insurance company.

*Septic passed with flying colors

*Termite Inspection showed termites had been on one stake - we will have to have the place treated, but he said there was no structural damage and it was very, very old with absolutely no activity.

The appraisal was done, but we have heard nothing about it.  We are not expecting anything bad to come back on it either.

Financing cleared and bank is ready to loan us money.

They are in the process of doing a title search.

Princess Cost-A-Lot eats a lot.  I feed her about 6 cups of food every day and a fresh bowl of water.  She greets me at the barn door saying she is hungry and thirsty the next day.  It is too far for her to walk to the pond because she is keeping the mice away from the barn.  So she says.

All of our ducks seem to be in a row...

We have had our agent contact the owner's agent and ask for early occupancy - waiting on word about it now.  Cross your fingers and say a few prayers for us please?  I need to get out of this camper - I am done with camping.

No, it is not yet beginning to feel like ours yet for me.  Seems to be for Steve though.  I don't think I will feel that way until I have a key.

Off to get checks ordered, to get boric acid for the mounds of roaches we are sure to find in the storage boxes, do some shopping - and find a washer and dryer.  (And I am not looking for a Barbie washer, either!) Oh, and I want to take a picture of a great chicken coop I want - I think Steve can build it, but I want the picture to go by.

Sure wish I had company, but I know I can do it myself.  It is always much more fun with a friend.  Missin' you Peggy.

Oh, and I must feed Princess Cost-A-Lot.

And I will sign off with a picture of a wild rose on the property:

Be back soon!

Do You Think...

Look at this picture and tell me if you think Princess Cost-A-Lot knows I love her?

Steve says she is already spoiled, but I say she is just loved.  She is tiny like my Sassicat, and loves the swing like my Lady Lu... Yeppers, she is loved!  Soon to be an indoor cat... I hope.

Our news for today?  We found:

We have minnows in the pond

We saw a fish roll in the pond

We have a brazillion turtles in the pond

The grass is waist deep (on me) out in the fields

We found wild hog tracks

We found deer tracks

We found coon tracks

We found coyote tracks

We found a snake

We found BIG CAT (bobcat?) tracks... not Princess Cost-A-Lot tracks but how in the heck is she still here? tracks!

We found SOMEONE knows how to chew off and break lids on Rubbermaid containers and eat all the cat food out of them.

We found out our roof was officially condemned today - but it is hail damage the owner probably never knew about.  It does not leak, but will have to be changed out before our purchase.

We found out our company has sent inspectors for everything possible - they are taking very good care of us!  Thank you!

And we found we are ready for this to all be over!  Lol...

But itsa comin'!  Right?

'Our' Pond...

Things we learned about 'our' property today:

Our pond 

Is 22 FEET deep!  WHOOT!  And they have already starting stocking it with large mouth bass, perch and sunfish!  

Princess Costs-A-Lot comes with the house for sure - and she is an old barn cat.

The neighbor across from us here in the campground introduced us to our neighbors at the house - 22 miles away!  They are good friends - our 'new house' neighbor is a pediatrician and his wife is a nurse - and a horse lover.  They have 7 horses right now - and are our back door neighbors.  Steve talked to "Doc" a bit ago and he is going to stop by and meet us face to face tomorrow during the inspection - I am sure it is an "US" inspection while the inspectors and inspecting the house... lol...  But how weird is it that our camper neighbor introduced us to our house neighbor?  I think God is working here...

There are only four families on our "county section" (1 square mile) of land!  The Amish farm the land next us (soy beans) the Dr lives behind us, a wheat farmer lives on the other side of us and guess who the fourth family is/will be?  It will be US! 

More pictures coming - tomorrow we have two inspections:

Structure and Termite Inspections

And while I am there I will take some great pictures so I can remember what I can't remember... lol... funny, we looked at so many houses we don't know if what we are getting was in this one or another one.  I have a house photo album so I can remember it all now.  Pictures to be added - and I will share more on here too.

And that is all I have to say about that... except we are getting excited!

I guess I should mention that Steve went looking at Harley's today.  I told him house first, bike later.  Let's see how long that lasts... lol...

And no Mike, he cannot buy one yet - no encouraging.  Lol...

Trees and Cats and Other Things

Princess-Cost-A-Lot sure does... well, she costs a lot!  

We went out to the house a few days ago and she meow-ed enough that she convinced us she was hungry.  I think she had caught all the mice and rats in the barn and was down to bugs - and they were not very filling she said.  I made Steve drive 6 miles to the nearest store to buy our princess a bag of cat food and something to store it in.  We drove back the 6 miles to feed her and made her a happy cat:

Yes, Princess-Cost-A-Lot has a beautiful pink bowl of water too - she even looked like a princess eating and drinking on her workbench.  Isn't she adorable?

Yesterday, I drove to Muskogee to see my sister and niece.  On the way back, I decided to check Princess-Cost-A-Lot's bowls and be sure she still had food.  I had figured she had so much food I would only need to feed her every other day.  Boy was I wrong!  She was so hungry she had eaten every last nibble of food and drank every single drop of water!  Steve said I was feeding the critters, so I looked all around the barn and decided he was wrong - the only critter there is Princess-Cost-A-Lot.  So I fed her again and will go back every single day until we move in to be sure she is not having to eat bugs again.  Unless she wants to...

I figure by the time we move in she will be about 20 lbs - right now, I doubt she is even 5 pounds.  She is very thin - I was finally able to pet her and I can feel ribs and a sunken tummy.  She also has a lot of mats  :-(  I cannot wait to move in so we can become buddies and I can take her into a vet to get her on the road to healthy.  Remember my Sassicat?  Princess-Cost-A-Lot is about the same size as Sassi - she is a very tiny cat.

While I was out there, I sat in the swing for a couple of hours just listening to the birds and trying to figure out what kind of birds are there.  We have swallows, purple martins, sparrows, a wood pecker, and BLUEBIRDS!  No, not blue jays, honest to God bluebirds - my favorite bird in the world!  How exciting!  I cannot wait to watch and enjoy these little guys...

Now I am trying to identify trees on the property - just on the house side.  I am going to show pictures and tell you my best guess.  If you know the correct name or are willing to guess, please feel free to do so.  I will try to have them all named by the time I move in.  There sure are a lot of trees on that property - I won't be able to guess them all, but I would love to know the ones around the house.

Here goes:

Is this (picture #1) a Sawtooth Oak?

I am clueless about (picture #2) this one:
 

I think this one (picture #3) is a Shumard Oak:
 

Can't find this one (picture #4) either:
 

I suspect this (picture #5) is an oak of some kind as well, but I can't find it either:
 

This one (picture #6) has got me puzzled:
 

Is this (picture #7) an elm?
 

So, can you help me name them?

I didn't even begin to really take pictures - I bet I still have a dozen trees left.  When I go back I will take some more - well, if the wind isn't blowing.  Yesterday, the wind was not-so-gently blowing the trees, so taking good pictures was darned near impossible.  Wind in Oklahoma - imagine that!

Speaking of Oklahoma weather - there is something I am having a difficult time getting used to...  I blow dry my hair and walk outside and it stays fairly straight!  My hair is not kinking up and frizzing the moment I walk outside!  It actually looks decent all day long - well, almost decent.  The wind blows it around, but I just brush it right back in place and it is fine - can you imagine that?  Very little humidity is wonderful!

We can also sit outside in the evening and enjoy the cool nights - and this after high 95+ degree days!!  And I gotta tell you, 95+ degree days here is NOT 95+ degree days in Singapore and south Louisiana!  It is fairly comfortable - hot, but not steam bath hot.  Last night I was listening to the news - they said it was 96 degrees with a feel like 98 degrees... ummm... k... ?  Lol... such a huge change from what we have known for years and years, but I am not missing the humidity!  Gonna be tough I tell ya...

We have two inspections scheduled for Sunday afternoon at 2pm!!   Here are all the inspections we have to have in order to buy the house:

Home Inspection Buyers

Wood Infestation Report

Septic Tank Open Test

Roof Inspection

Siding Evaluation

Structural Inspection (Professional Engineer)

I think we are having the Wood Infestation Report and the Septic Tank Open Test done Sunday.  It has only just begun... but things are rolling!  I am getting excited now!

Steve has a tractor and a zero turn lawn mower picked out.  (No Mike, he cannot buy the Harley yet!)  I have picked out a sofa and... a cat.  Other than that, I don't have a thing done.  Oh, I am researching trees... lol... and what we have to do to stock the pond.  The first thing we have to do is see if it is already stocked, anyone got a fishing pole?

So now you are caught up - I have to go feed Princess-Cost-A-Lot.  She probably ate all her food last night again - she is a very hungry kitty - cause I know there are no other critters in that barn.  Right?  

Wonder if I have a cat bed lying around the camper somewhere...

It Seems...

That we finally have a contract.  

Faxed.  

Holding my breath... could it really be happening?

I sure hope so.  Just think

A house...

For my hubby's birthday.  

Can't get any better than that, can it?

Thank goodness 

We have a great real estate agent!  I will tell you all about her soon.

But today, I am going to sit back and watch things start to happen.

Maybe instead of being on hold... and waiting... we will be moving forward now.

My happy dance may be breaking through

Don't watch.  

Don't wait.

Dance with me!

Not now... 

But soon.  

Really, really soon.

La di da and toodle di do!  :-)

Frustrations...

We have an agreement on the house.  

But.  

The people left for Florida on the 25th anniversary celebration before signing the paperwork, so now we are in a holding pattern until they sign and return the SIGNED offer on the house.  We are once again in a holding pattern.  That is what our life seems to always be.  On hold waiting on something, someone or someplace. 

Everyone is waiting on them:
 

The real estate agent is.

The finance company is.

The relocation office is.

The inspectors are.

And we are.

And so we wait... 

I hope they have a wonderful anniversary.

But.  How freaking long does it take to sign a piece of paper and return it via FAX?  

It is always in the back of our mind... do they really want to sell? 

Will the house be ours?

Or is this a serious bump in the road?

We have other places on a list to look at - do we go look at them?  

Maybe it was not meant to be...

Or maybe

I am still being taught patience.

You KNOW we are ready to get out of the holding pattern

And move on.
 

But we must wait.

How long is long enough?

And when do we say "kiss our grits - the offer was last week" and finally

Move on?

Why must something spoil the excitement?

The Specifics

Well, now that that is all said and done, I will tell you all the details of the house... This is what it says in the listing:

"Here it is!  Enjoy a peaceful country setting with room to roam in this immaculately maintained 4 bedroom 3 bath home on nearly 19 acres m/l.  30x48  barn with attached 12x48 lean to.  Pond with fishing dock, creek, mature trees; pipe and cable fencing, new storm shelter... too many amenities to list!"

It has:

1.5 stories

built in 1998

2549 sq ft + 2 car attached garage (not included in sq footage)

Electric garage door

A fireplace 

A great room - (a second living room)

Master bed/bath is downstairs for when we grow old

Walk in closets in 3 bedrroms (wow!)

Only one bedroom/bath upstairs

Insulated windows and doors

Extra insulation...
Full brick

patio

barn

pond

creek (with water in it this time of year - must mean something - most are bone dry!)

storm cellar

floored attic

security system owned

propane tank owned

2 sets deer tracks (we assume they belong to real deer!)

1 set of raccoon tracks

Evidence of beavers... fun now, but not later, right?

Doesn't it sound wonderful?  I can't believe it will be ours soon!

Going shopping now - where are the kids when I need them to encourage me.  I don't wanna!

I sure do miss having kids.  Really.  I do!  Enjoy them while you have 'em.  Need mine right now.  I miss you all tons!  Love you!

Cha Ching!

We are buying the cat.

IF she comes with the house - which we still don't know...

But if she does, I am going to name her Princess Cost-A-Lot.

Because Raelee said, "Granny, buy the cat!  Buy the house with the cat!"

And we are!  We are buying the cat - the house and 20 acres comes with her. 
She is such a sweetie!

And can you tell that we finally reached an agreement on the house?  Thank God all of that mess is out of the way.   I do NOT like negotiations - don't those people know they should just accept the first offer so I don't have to deal with the mess?  Lol... 

Tomorrow, Steve gets to start the ball rolling good... Soon, if all goes well, we will have a house.

YIPPPEEEE!!  *she wonders if she should start the happy dance yet...*

Well, No Word Yet, SOoo...

We haven't heard a rejection or acceptance from our final offer on house #1.  Since have haven't, we got up and started looking at more places online, so today, while we wait, we are going to look at them and mark them off - or mark them to make appointments to see.  Another adventure ahead, right?


Since I don't have time to blog much because we are racing to find our house, I remembered I had not shown you the pavers Raelee painted for her mom for Mother's Day.  Check them out:

Aren't they all adorable?

Now tell me you would not love to have them...  I need her and the boys to paint some for ME!  I LOVE them!  (I wonder if I snuck them out, would mommy notice?)

Out the door - either a call will come saying they accepted, or we make a call to go see the new places we find. 

Will today be the day?