Let's hope this isn't completely accurate

Made an offer

I signed a contract today on a house. It needs loads of work so I'm asking for closing cost help and a small reduction in price, not even five percent I think, which for me, the bargain hunter, is kind of hard. I like things to be steeply discounted, esp when they're damaged.

When I say it needs a lot of work I'm not saying I can't stand the appliances (there aren't any), I'm saying that it would be impossible to live there right now because of the damage pets did to the home. All of the carpet needs to go. It's literally stiff with urine. Severely gross and a health hazard.

So we need to do that before we can move, assuming our offer is accepted.

I'm making a mental list of things we need to do and it's getting a bit daunting. Maybe I should just chill until a) I find out if our offer has been accepted and b) the home is inspected.

Signing papers

Cullen and I went back and looked at a house again today, for the second time. If all goes well I'll be making an offer on it this week.

It needs work - the prior owners had pets that apparently had no idea about house training so all the carpets will have to go and the dog(s) dug up the woodwork in various rooms but it could be very nice once the work is done. So we'll see.

The backyard is perfect for a greyhound so that's a big plus.

Eyes too big for my mortgage

When I was a girl my mom took us around to various homes and missions in California. Later she became a docent for the California Historical Society and a member of City Guides and used to write what she called baby books for houses, where she would trace the history of your home. All of this had a strong influence on me and I've been disappointed by the vast majority of rentals available in my price range in my area.

There are an awful lot of cookie cutter condos and apartments that are just squares stuck together, quite dull. I think it was this house that ruined it all for me...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Carson_Mansion_Eureka_California.jpg

This is terrible

An absolutely horrifying story about what happened to a man whose son got involved with a scam. I've heard of people who lost their finances but never anyone who was held prisoner and tortured.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8315027.stm

Rules from the FTC

In case you haven't seen the new rules for bloggers from the FTC you can read them here:

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/10/endortest.shtm

It's really weird that they're worrying about this kind of thing with everything else that's going on. It's like they never even heard of an ARC.

The birds, the birds

A cute picture

I went to the doctor after work and didn't get home until ten so I offer you this little fellow as a gift.

http://i.imgur.com/puu2Z.jpg

Fave Desciption of the Day

Here's my favorite description of a home today. Not mind you my idea of a place, to live, just how the text gets worse and worse.

Great opportunity to build on this Franklin Manor waterview lot. Home is bank owned and value is in the land. Note key is located at the office and agents must sign disclosures prior to entering house. No need to call to view property. Home roof and flooring may be unstable and discoloration may indicate environmental issues.

Exterior: Asbestos

Go go go go go!

Every time I start to do some research I always end up finding something about slavery. I started off trying to find out about a house in Baltimore and ended up at the MD Historical Society where I went a few pages further and found some ads for runaway slaves. I know I shouldn't read them, because they break my heart, but I do anyway and I find myself chanting go go go go, like encouragement from the 21st century is going to do them a bit of good.

http://www.afrigeneas.com/library/runaway_ads/balt-1842.html

I hope this lot got away. There were so many of them, one an infant, that the heart trembles for their safety.

Freakazoid

Courtesy of MJ.

The power of Twitter

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/oct/13/trafigura-tweets-freedowm-of-speech

????!!!!!!!!

I sleep fitfully for four hours and wake up to this. No wonder my brain has an injury. Can you blame it?

Interesting concept

I went to see a specialist today and she suggested I get a PDA because they're considered neural prosthetics for brain injured people. Fascinating, huh?

A Few More Thoughts On Healthcare

I'm still (!!) sick and was just watching Robin Hood, an awful show on BBC America, which had a c0mmercal where two elderly people say they waited three years to get married. The message is supposed to be good things come to those who wait.

But it put me in mind of more than one elderly couple I knew who had to get divorced in order to afford nursing home care. The nursing home required all assets of the patient in order for the patient to be admitted. The couples didn't have enough assets between them but once they divorced and split everything they were qualified. how sad to be married all of your adult life then have to get divorced for financial reasons as you're dying.