Growing VERY Impatient.

     It is the 25th of July, and I was supposed to be completely moved by today. I had a closing date of May 18 for the first house, then June 18th for the same house, and that's when we were told it wasn't going to happen. We weren't going to close on the original house. So on June 19, I was out looking for new houses, and I only had until July 21 to get out of this one. That's not great. I don't know about you, but I like to take my time when I'm looking at an investment; after all, your house is the most expensive thing you'll probably ever buy.

    I had 31 days to find and close on a house. That's what we were told, and that is how we operated because it just made sense to do all we could do as fast and as effectively and efficiently as we could. The first house I looked at was wonderful. It met all my needs, but the seller was unwilling to sell it for what it was worth. He was holding out for what he wanted, and the difference was too great for me to consider. We wasted almost a week with that house—we were losing precious time. Thankfully, the landlord allowed us to stay until we close. 

    My realtor found the one we're going to move to. It was on the MLS list, but didn't pop up when I pulled houses up using the same criteria she used. I don't know, but I think realtors have secret gems they and they alone know about. Anyway, she showed us this one, and it was too expensive, but it would have to do.  The difference is, it would appraise for what the sellers were asking for. It did, in fact, appraise for $9000 more, and that's what I ended up paying - $9000 more than an already expensive house. Don't ask me why - it's complicated.

    "Creative financing" is what it is called. The lender did his thing in order to force the sellers to come up with a lot more money at closing than I needed to bring. It was all about credits, not cash, so yeah, I had to buy the house for more, to essentially get the credits, so I didn't have to drum up $$$ at closing. It works, but there is a catch. I am paying more for about a year, then I'll refinance and lower the payment. Geez...no one tells you these things when you set out to buy a house. They smile and help you bend over every other step of the way.

    Every weekend for the past four weekends now, I've driven by the house to look at it. I check out the neighborhood, see if anyone is walking around. I check the garages, the porches, and the yards of the people around me to see what type of neighbors I have. I am so happy that no one is a junk-car collector, nor do they have 6 or 7 cars up on ramps in their front yards. Everyone seems to be respectful of others. We have a lot of American flags, garden gnomes, potted plants, and porch benches. I'm about to buy a porch bench myself.

    If I'm in town looking at my house, I always swing by S&S Bargains on Bickford so I can browse and see what I can't live without. I found two things today: the bench I was telling you about, and the queen-sized tribal blanket. I asked Steve (co-owner with his wife Shelly) if he knew who made the blankets and which tribe they are from. He said they were basically representative of Native cultures, but not necessarily one or two individual tribes. They can't be called a Navajo print, or a Chickasha print. They are just simply beautiful, colorful, and have a really nice vibe. I bought one.

    I bought the bench too. As I was writing this blog, I realized that if I don't buy the bench, someone else will, and I'll have to buy one, and Laura will have to put it together. The same bench online is $149, and she'd rather I didn't make her put it together, so yes, I got back into the car, drove back to S&S, and paid $100 for the bench. Since Steve is the one helping me move, he'll keep it at his place until he brings the trailer over to move my household to Oliver.

    I know it sounds crazy, but I do prefer naming a house rather than just living in it without giving it a name. I pray over it. I'd rather say "Lord, please watch over Oliver" than "please watch over my house." It's a personal thing.  I decided I'll put a lot more time, effort, and money into keeping Oliver pretty, decorated, maintained, and protected. I'm getting cameras for the four corners of the house, a Ring doorbell, and maybe a really cool projector for my bedroom so I can lie in my bed with my dogs and watch the ocean, the planets, or something else all around me. I think at least one of the dogs will appreciate it.

    We are waiting for FHA to pull the trigger. All of my paperwork is done. I've signed everything; they've checked my employment, bank statements, taxes, and credit. All of the boxes are checked. I'm literally just waiting for them to have time to meet us for the closing. We were told it was Friday, then we were told it was Monday. Now, we're being told it will be this coming week - but no exact date. It makes it hard to call the utility companies and have things put into my name, but I decided to just do it, and it won't make a difference if it is just a few days. The one I can't have go ahead is the fiber for the internet - they need to go inside my attic.

    My hauler, Steve, is very patient. He'll be available when I need him, and that's wonderful. I try to buy what I can from him if he's got it. I don't need new things all the time. I will say that my linens and blankets, and such, will be new, but I buy furniture from Steve.  I think I'm good - I think I have just about all I need.  We will have to keep a better eye out for the Amazon drivers because we're not in the country, and there could be porch thieves. I'm hoping the cameras will deter them. We'll see.  We haven't had anyone steal anything even when we lived in the middle of the urbanized city we moved from, so hopefully there will not be an issue now.

    It's hard to wait—it is so very hard to wait. All of the rooms in my house are boxed up. I have only a few clothing items out and have washed them because the rest are packed. Things are packed; they are in the way, in the hall, in the center of each room, and just waiting to be loaded, then unloaded, and eventually unpacked. It will happen. I know it will happen, but I am not waiting patiently. I'm just waiting - trying to smile.  Knowing what I am going to do soon keeps me going. Driving by Oliver is both helpful and sad. I want to move, and I know it will be soon, but it isn't happening just yet.

    At least now that Oliver will be home to a permanent family instead of all of the rental families he's been a house for, he'll be loved, cared for, and decorated. He'll stand out, and he'll be welcoming. He'll be the house in the corner with the bright porch, the happy lights, and the barking dogs -- yes, we do have those, but others do too. I spoke to my neighbor's dog today, as a matter of fact. I thought it was a husky, but it's a husky and collie mix - so pretty. I told him/her to wait—just a little longer.

Photo Credit: Me. I bought it. S&S BARGAINS in El Reno, OK.

Closing Date is SET!

     Last year at this time, I was living in Oklahoma City in a nice little house, but it was not in the best of areas. It was the only house in the Lake Stella complex; every other residence was an apartment. I lived in the Lake Stella apartments for 9.5 years (the last time), and then Laura and I moved to the house in July 2024.  I remember thinking I would probably never leave; they'd have to carry me out and bury me. I thought I had found my forever home. 

    Well, as it turns out, driving around the City of El Reno for no reason whatsoever other than I liked the drive from the city, and I liked the city of El Reno, ended up giving me the feeling that I could actually buy a house in El Reno, and probably be just as happy as I was in my new little rental. I had lived in the house one year, and it was nice, but it had issues. We couldn't let our dogs out for more than 10 minutes at a time without neighbors complaining of their barking. Hello, we have dogs! It's allowed!

    I got in my car, drove to El Reno, and began looking at places to live in my mind. I found dozens of places I really liked, and after I got home, I looked them up on Zillow and found out I could own a house for about what I was paying in rent. There would be other costs associated with moving; I knew that, but I was working, and I knew if I saved for 6-10 months, I could do it. I needed to have been on my job for two years, and that would happen in about 8months, so yeah, I made a plan in my head to do just that - move to El Reno, Oklahoma, and buy a house of my own choosing! (That didn't happen)

    Did I mention I have a daughter who lives with me? She has always, since the day she was born, planned my life. I don't really have to think about anything - she has it all worked out. I just have to fork out the money -- again, it's always been that way. Laura didn't want just a house. She wanted land. She wanted to start a horse rescue, and if we were moving, we may as well do it for the last time -- good plan. We found a place, and since neither the realtor nor the lender said it wouldn't work, we put a contract on the house in October -- 6 months before my two-year anniversary at work. (We should have waited)

    As time went by, I regretted the contract in so many ways. It was too expensive when it came right down to it, and then there were the other expenses, the horses! We put far (well, I put far too much) too much money into the livestock, the fencing, the accessories, the tools, the equipment, and it added up very, very quickly. I was flat over my head, but I kept telling myself it would all work out - some day. It didn't work out. I was stuck. Late into the contract, after we had a closing day set, my lender told me that FHA would not fund the house; not the way it was. The horse ranch part of it needed to be cut away from the house part of it, because there were oil operations too close to every part of the back acreage. It was a no-go.

    I can't tell you how upsetting it was. I can't tell you because if I get started, I'll really let out the wildcat inside of me, and it won't be pretty, and I'll end up cussing, cursing, sending damnations out, and it wouldn't look good for a Christian woman to do that; it just wouldn't be good. I'll stop myself before I start myself. We couldn't buy the house, and the sellers refused to split it so we could at least have a house and 3 acres to have a couple of horses for Laura's sake - nope, they said no, and flat refused. We had to leave. Leaving meant selling literally everything I had sunk my hopes into and everything Laura had wanted - gone.

    We were given just 26 days to find a house and to have it inspected, and to have it worked on, and closed before our rental agreement came to a close - an abrupt close. The sellers of this house did finally concede to allowing up enough time to find the house we needed and to close, but trying to find one that would pass inspection, FHA appraisal, and our own preferences was going to be really hard. So, what did we do? We picked the one my realtor said would appraise for what they were wanting. There are and have been too many houses for sale that silly sellers think will appraise for more than they are worth. Did you know, the bigger a house is, the more likely it is to appraise because the price per square foot is lower? Crazy!

    We ended up with a bigger house than we have ever lived in. It is 2148 sf, and that's not including the basement. It has a real basement with its own sub room -- not kidding. The new house was not the one we would have picked, but we love it. It's massive, but we'll survive. It's expensive, but again, we'll make it happen. The thing is, we were told we have to close by July 24 and this was AFTER I had sunk another $839 for inspections and $1500 for earnest -- they told me I had to close by July 24 or lose that money too...just like I lost it when I put down $640 for inspections, and $1500 earnest on the house I live in now...not to mention over $13,000 in livestock and fencing.

    The lender saved me. He has saved me a few times. He had the wherewithal to ask me to buy the house for what it appraised at so we could ask the sellers to bring far more money to the table than they wanted to. They didn't want to fix anything, but they had to. It was in the contract, and what needed to be fixed were things that FHA wasn't going to allow anyone to buy/loan unless they were fixed. Too many sellers think their older homes will go "as is," but FHA doesn't do "as is," and more than 80% of homes are purchased by people needing a loan. (I didn't know that and about 99 other things until I found myself swimming in all the muck I've been swimming in during the two sales of these two houses.)

    To say I've been through the wringer would be a better experience than what I've been through. I promised God I wouldn't lose it when I wrote about it, but He knows. He's the one who had to scrape me off the floor a few times, and wipe my face after I'd been bawling for hours over nearly everything that could go wrong, and a dozen things no one expected would or could go wrong. They all happened. They all happened one right after the other, and then the lender came in and saved me again and again and again. I really love that man!

    Friday - it happened FRIDAY of last week. Josh DeBlase of The Money Store texted my realtor and me, telling us it was done. We had a closing date. He believed it was going to be July 24, but he spoke too soon. We did have to amend it because the sellers haven't been able to get the electrician in to do what they need to do in order to meet FHA standards. I will now meet with Josh, my realtor, the sellers, and the Title people at The Chicago Title Company on Monday, July 27, 2026, and we will close the house! There is just something extraordinary about that -- and I thank God for the result.

    Josh worked the numbers and made it possible for me to come to the closing with only $1971 out of my pocket since I've been out so much already for this and the new house, and though I will never get back what I spent on the livestock and fencing, I know never to do it again - and I know that the experiences we had here were not bad - 99% of them were really good. I would have stayed if I were allowed to stay. It felt like home.  

    A new chapter. The last house, I hope. I do hope this is it. If Laura has to have a horse rescue in the future, she'll have to carry the burden alone. I can't do it anymore. I just can't. I know she knows, and I know she understands and respects my decision. Our house will be better than accommodating; it will be a bright, bold, beautiful place to live. We'll decorate the front yard for several holidays, mingle and get to know the neighbors, and be really active in the community. That's not something we could do in the country - we're city folk now.

    We went over the facts, and one of them is that even though we lived around children, we didn't see children at the apartments or at the little house. We haven't had children running around the house and neighborhood since 2014. It will be nice to see them again -- there's a park right behind our house, and I know we'll get a load or twelve of them on Halloween. We now live in that sort of neighborhood. We now live in a hood that flies the American flag, rocks the porch decor, has impromptu block meetings in the cul-de-sac, and the school bus comes by our house too -- every day.

    It's a good day. Monday, July 27, 2026, will be a great day. The utilities are scheduled to be switched, the internet will be transferred, and my good friend is moving me with his 16-foot trailer - I don't even have to get a U-Haul. I love our community. I love that I just had to ask, and people were willing to be there -- I know I will be there for them as well. One year ago, I wanted to be here. I'm here, and I am not going to leave.

AI fun.

New Bed (Soon)

     Two years ago, when I moved to the little house on the Lake Stella complex, I gave up my queen-sized bed. It was big, heavy, very heavy in fact, and it was imposing in the smaller space that I had. The new room was actually one foot shorter, and I knew the bed would be overpowering for the room. I gave it up, and I bought a full-size bed. At that time, I had four dogs, and three slept with me. I had Rose, Kiah, and Ginger in my bed until about 4:00 in the morning, when Rose would leave me for Laura, and her dog Kiba would replace Rose.

    Well, these days (and we don't know why), Kiba, Rose, Kiah, and Neo sleep with me. Ginger had her place; it was between my knees, and she'd lay her head on one or the other. Neo prefers to sleep against my side, and the only problem with that is that he invades Kiah's lower side space. He kicks around until she's uncomfortable, and she leaves me. She leaves me to sleep on the couch in the living room, where she is forced to sleep alone! Can you even imagine how that must feel? I know, I can't.

    Well, Rose still has her large portion, of course, seeing how she is the larger dog. She chooses to sleep on the left side of the bed, mostly in the middle, which, if she were considerate, she'd move up closer to my head to give Kiah space. She is not really all that considerate. Kiba sleeps under the covers and in a tiny space wherever he can hide and fit, that is, until Laura comes in and steals him from me. She's the jealous type, you know. She could have a perfectly good black dog from the couch, but no, she has to take my ankle warmer. 

    There is a solution. It will only cost me $300 and the loss of my current bed. I'm going to buy a bed from my good friend Steve, who has for the past nine months supplied me with literally every piece of furniture I need, including a really nice used refrigerator. Today, since we're talking about it, I bought a little table to put my microwave on when I move because, as big as the kitchen is, it doesn't have the counter space for the extra appliance. 

    Steve has a new queen-sized mattress and spring set that are actually very nice, and at $300, very reasonable. The price actually includes the bed frame and headboard - they are not new. I think they were new at one time, sometime in the middle of the 20th century, but the fact that I can have a Sealy mattress and springs with the bed and box spring delivered and set up for only $300 is great. I'm just going to give my set to Steve to sell to someone else. If I tried to find someone, I'd have to let them into my house, and I wouldn't get more than $200 tops. I'm OK with it -- the dogs will benefit.

    Of course, when you switch bed sizes, you have to buy new linen, comforters, pillows, shams; you know...the works. I'm looking forward to that. In fact, Steve's shop has new Native printed quilts and covers that will look exceptionally good - very brightly colored. The mixture of animal textures, such as Rhodian Ridgeback-Pitty, a Schnauzer-Collie, a Dachshund, and a Chihuahua-Pom, is welcome. I can see it now. I'll go use AI to make it happen, and I'll add it to the bottom so you, too, can live my dream.

    The AI didn't capture the style of the bed perfectly, but you get the gist. The bed I have now just doesn't make sense to try to squeeze myself into and rest on if my dogs can't be comfortable. I don't want to worry about Kiah every night and whether she's having bad dreams because no one is there to snuggle with her. I mean, she has the white kitten, but it's not the same. Neville thinks she's a good pillow and he's content to stay with her most nights, but again, it's not the same.

    The new house has a new room for me, and it is bigger. It's a lot bigger in fact. I could get a king-sized bed and maybe even get another dog, but the city limit is four, so I'll probably just keep the four I have.  Some people will live their entire lives without ever sleeping with dogs. I won't call her out, but I have a best friend who doesn't allow her dog to sleep with her - and for the life of me, I just don't understand that reasoning. How can you feel safe without four heads vying to kiss you at the same time when the alarm goes off? (The joy she's missing out on just makes me cry a little inside.)

    So, the plan is: Move next week, and when Steve brings his trailer to move my stuff, he can bring the new bed, pick up the old one when we're done, and bam! All is well in the Stringfellow home when it comes to creature comforts -- you did know that's what the turn of phrase means, right? You're supposed to keep your creatures comfortable! I'm just doing my part.

AI generated.

It's Official. I am Moving!!

     If you haven't been keeping up with my roller coaster of a time about whether I'm moving, you wouldn't be alone. I have probably lost a few good friends over the stress I've been under and what I've put on others because of what has been put on me! It's a vicious, ugly cycle, and I don't recommend it for anyone. You don't lose weight with this sort of stress; instead, you pack it on! I'm not happy about much of what has been going on, but THANK YOU, JESUS...I am officially signed and ready to close.

    The appraisal on the house needed to come in at a higher level so that the sellers would or could bring more to the table. They were literally not wanting to give concessions - even though every single seller I have ever met or known has given their buyers tons of concessions. My lender came to the rescue on that one; it was both a miracle and a lot of creative financing. He is a great man, and if I haven't sung his praises enough, I will do so now. Josh DeBlase of The Money Store! If you need a home loan or a refinance, call Josh!!

    The appraisal came in. It appraised for about $ 3,500 more than we needed it to, so it's a great thing. We were able to get the sellers to bring in a few $$ for concessions. This makes it easier for me to close. I've already sunk close to $ 3,000 into the house with earnest money, inspections, and the cost of the appraisal.  For them not to bring in a little of their own was a bit discouraging, to say the least, but they have agreed to do so, so I'm very happy. Now, they have to fix what needed fixing about 20-25 years ago, and do it before we close next week.

    The main issues with the house, as you can imagine, because it is a 1971 model, are electrical. The HVAC needs a tune-up. I'll end up replacing it next year. It has breaker panels that will have to be removed and replaced, and there are a few plugs and outlets that are not working and have to be repaired. There are one or two smaller issues that can all be handled by the same professional when he/she comes to do the work this coming week.  I think the only thing they didn't want to pay for was the piers, but I don't think the house needed them. I think the pier guy just said it did to get a little something - well, no. I don't play games.

    Once the breakers and electrical issues are fixed and the HVAC is tuned up, I'll be able to sign the papers, exchange my closing costs, pick up the keys, and meet the movers at my old place. I'll have the garage set up and ready to be packed into the U-Haul -- we're doing that all weekend and the first part of next week. I'll get as much out as I can the first day, and whatever is left will be hauled off to donations and/or the trash bins. I'll sweep, mop, steam-clean, and have the front lawn mowed by a really cool guy (a veteran) who runs his own little business. He's been amazing these past 4 months.

    I've already scheduled the electric, gas, water, and internet transfers. All I need to do now is put all the things I own in this house into the new house and set it up so I can sleep in my new house with my dogs -- and wake up ready to hit that big, bold, beautiful shower with 8 shower heads built into the front of it. I'm not even sure I will be able to figure it out, but I will give it my best. It has been a long, arduous, difficult road to walk, and most of the time, I felt as if I was crawling up that road backward, but finally, we are at the end.

    Not immediately, but close to it, we'll have to put in a gate so Laura can go to the park that is literally behind the house. She'll want to walk her dogs there, and so will I. I'll add a small kitchen island, and probably get Christmas lights before they go up in price - I plan on really taking full advantage of the curbside beauty of my little house with seasonal decorations. First comes Autumn, then Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Summer, and the Fourth of July -- I think I'll put things away after that until Fall again -- but it will be fun. It will be pretty. It will be home.

    I can't say enough about how God has helped me in my times of crying and rejoicing. He has just always been there, keeping me somewhat sane. This past week, you would not have thought I was keeping much of it together. Learning to fully trust God is difficult, but since we end up doing it more and more these days, it isn't that hard to do. My timing is never good - His is always perfect. Let go, and let God!

A little AI fun.

Conditionally Approved.

     My loan is conditionally approved. It will need to go through an appraisal, but that's it. I just have to get the sellers to sign off on the TRR, a list of things that I've requested they repair or fix before we close, and we're good. The TRR is a standard practice, of course, but it varies and can be used as a tool for leverage in most cases. In my case, because I was sort of thrown into the mess and didn't have the luxury of choosing the exact house I wanted, the TRR is a way of saying, "Hey, I realize there are some issues, but I'm willing to do what I can do, and you guys do the rest."  There are two things on the TRR that I simply can't do - they must be handled by the sellers.

    Believe me, after I close, I'll be much more forthcoming about my true feelings about all that has happened. In all of this, there has been one good, strong, positive ray of light: I chose the right lender. I picked him. He was not picked by my realtor. I found Josh DeBlase of The Money Store, and I will sing his praises from this day forward. It's been a great honor and privilege to work with him. He was lied to, he was lied about, and I'm sure he could tell you I was too. It's not going to let either of us blink an eye -- we know we're good.

    Today, Josh sent up my paperwork for approval by the underwriters, and it was approved. The email states "Your loan has been conditionally approved", and that means I need to fulfill the remaining duties and tasks that are required, and then we close. The main thing will be the appraisal. As soon as the sellers agree to the TRR and send out their electrician to do the repairs, the appraisal can take place. They'll go in, tell me I need to install a railing in the basement, and I'll order one on Amazon and have it delivered the next day. Laura can put it in. I may even do that now, just to have it ready. (pause)

    I just now ordered it on Amazon for $78.00, and of course, there's tax, but that's not bad for a good, strong rail that Laura can install and that will get us in compliance. We'll put it in as soon as they allow us to. It's one of those things where yes, 9 times out of 10, the buyer asks the seller to do, but again, a dollar here or there is not going to stand in my way of closing. I have very little time left and need to use my time wisely. I volunteered to screw in the loose electrical fixture, but they told me it had to be done by an electrician. There are a few little electrical things they have to address; I'm not allowed. I didn't make them pay for piers because I don't think the house needs piers. If it does, I'll pay for it later - it's something that the sellers will put up on credit so they don't have to dish out a bunch of money up front.

    I've asked them to tune up the old HVAC and provide me with a 1-year warranty for the entire house. I've asked them to address the old breaker panels because they are no longer insurable. They were insurable until the house was sold, but now that it's being sold, those panels will have to be replaced. I think the sellers were aware of that fact. They'll have to replace or repair a bib spigot outside, and I'll do the rest. The house is basically move-in ready, but the insurance carriers will make them fix the breakers first - I think they can maybe even get away with giving a letter of intent and putting up the money into an escrow holdback to satisfy the contract.

    Conditionally Approved!! That means once the sellers sign off on the TRR, they'll order the repairs, and the FHA will give them a few days to do that before we can close. I think we have the 24th blocked out for the close, and then Laura and I will return to clean once the big stuff has been taken to the house. She and I will do 10-15 loads in my car since it's literally 1.2 miles from where we live now. It will be easy enough to just take what we can and then do one big load in the moving truck -- I've hired a great man to help with that too. I assume he'll have help, but he's apt to just do it himself.

    It's been a roller coaster for sure. I'm glad it's almost over, and if things were my way, it would already be over. My best friend likes to remind me that only the strangest things happen to me -she's not wrong. I wouldn't wish this mess on anyone. If I can do it, I'll do it. I'd rather go through it and suffer than let someone I love muddle through it -- then again, Laura has been the most hurt. We'll survive. God is too good. In just under two weeks, we'll be home - truly home.

Photo Credit: The Money Store (ask for Josh)

Complete Wuss! (Me)

         It's so stupid, so dumb, so annoying, and so unnecessary, but it is absolutely true; I am (or have become) such a wuss in my old age. I am in the middle of packing up my house so I can move again, and I get maybe 10 minutes into it and have to quit. It has come to the point where I have to plan in my head exactly what will take place in those precious 10 minutes of energy, and then, around the 11th minute, my mind is still working, but a nerve in my back begins to twitch, and my chest forgets to expand.

    This aging thing isn't easy; I can tell you that. We have to move again, and what makes me so very angry is that we knew in our hearts that the last time we moved would be our last time to move. It wasn't, and the entire time since we found out, we've had nothing but anxiety mixed with being upset about it, and all that causes lower gut issues, not to mention heart and mind issues. I'm finding myself having to (or getting to) pray more and more about it, because I'm not able to stop myself from conjuring ways to torture those I feel are to blame.

    The truth is, it's not just one thing that caused all this mayhem. It was a few small things that a couple of trusted individuals caused.  Both share the blame, but if I'm honest, I know which one I attribute most of the blame to. I won't say now, but believe me, the characters in my next book, "The Trust," will have no reason to hold back any of their emotion. I have to hold my tongue (or keyboard) for now because the deal isn't closed. I'm in the deep middle of the upset and just can't wait to sit in my new home, in my new office at this very desk and type my hurt and feelings away - right into the pages of the 10th installment of the Nick Posh thrillers.

    So, I got up a while ago and had two boxes ready to go. I unfolded them, taped up the bottoms, and faced the pantry in my hallway to unload the things I don't use, don't need, shouldn't have brought with me this time, and will not be taking to the next house. Why in the world I thought I had to have a small deep fryer and a tortilla press, I don't know. I used the deep fryer exactly one time. I never even opened the tortilla press - they will both be donated. They'll be donated, as well as the little screw thing that you put a potato in, and it makes curly fries - used it twice for zucchini, and that's it. 

    I'm also giving away my old juicer. It was used a great deal. It is too big, too bulky, but still works just fine. Someone may like it. I'm also giving away the old glass kettle with the base. It's larger than we wanted. It works. Hopefully, someone will say "OMG! I have always wanted one of these!" That's the hope. Meanwhile, after packing just two boxes, my back aches, my breath is labored, and I'm almost sweating. Damn! It's only 70 degrees in my house. It has to be me.

    Earlier today, I did the same thing with the two boxes (it seems to be a limit now), and I faced my office closet. I had already packed most of the closet last week, but I finished the last two boxes today. No donations there.  One box was all of my books, notebooks, and extra paper that I use for writing my novels. Each book is thought out first in a little tartan-covered notebook. Most of the time, two of my novels will share a notebook. The book "Shadow" has its own. I have lots of notes for that one.

    Later today, when I can muster another 10 minutes to do something, I'll go into my bathroom and pack what I need. I'll leave out a single towel and wash it every third or fourth day until we move. I'm doing the same thing with my bedding. I am using just one set of sheets, but they get washed every Saturday. By Friday, the amount of mud clots from the dog's paws is rather amusing. I end up shaking the sheets onto the floor and vacuuming the next day. Maybe I should leave out two sets of sheets -- nah!

    The hallway will be done tomorrow. That will conclude all the packing I have to do. The rest of the house will be Laura's responsibility, and she has the weekdays to pull it off. I have to work during the week, but it's all good. We'll get it done. I couldn't do more than I can anyway—it's the saddest of sads, really —to see yourself in the mirror and wonder who the old lady is and why she's in your bathroom.  If she's just going to stand there, she may as well be useful. 

Photo Credit: Wheaton Moving Company 

The Dachshunds

     I'm a big-time Dachshund fan. I've loved the breed since I was knee-high to one of them; that's been a while. I'm 64 now, and in my life, I have been privileged to be the best friend to at least four Dachshunds, and there were two or three more who crept into my world for only a very brief stay, but I loved them fully and completely.  My first one? Well, it's true, my first one was my first pet ever; a "Rover named Brown Dog" is what I remember the most about how we got him.

    My sister Andie was about three years older than me, which put her at about four years of age when she heard about brown dogs. She wanted one. She wanted to name it Rover. We don't know why. The story goes (and there is absolutely no way to verify this) that she begged my parents for a dog she could name Rover, and it had to be brown. She got mixed up at some point and told them she wanted a Rover named Brown Dog. My parents, being absolute suckers for animals themselves, found a way to make it happen. I'm thinking a "dog pound" was involved.

    Well, one thing led to the next, and the Stringfellows had a dog. We had a little brown dog, and my sister named him Rover. Try as she might, and I'm sure she did, the dog did not follow her. He did not sleep with her. He didn't walk with her. She didn't pay him that much attention (as far as I remember), but I did. Rover became my dog. Even though he shared my other sister's middle name (Rover Kay), he was my dog. No one in the family would or could say otherwise - he was and will always be my dog. 

    Rover was mostly Dachshund. Mom liked to say he was part terrier, but as I grew up and learned more about dog breeds, it became clear he was most likely a mix with another hound or a working sport dog like a Beagle. He was about 20-22 pounds, tri-colored, mostly brown and tan, but had a swath of white on his chest. He was never "fixed" because it wasn't done in those days. Rover probably made a few babies as he ran around quite a bit - both on his own and with me. He was never on a leash, but always by my side. He'd even walk me to school, wait outside for a while, go home, and come back to get me when it was time to go home.

    Though there would never be another Rover in my life, I'm more than positive that God chose to send a few more Doxies to help my mental and emotional state; He knew I'd need it. There were two others who stayed with me a little while, who kept me happy, sane, and centered. Matrix was my love. I found him in 1999 just after the first of the year, and he loved me until his death in 2012 from cancer. He was, as I always tell anyone who will listen, a perfect dog. He was both a Dachshund and a Beagle. His mother was not supposed to mingle with those outside her own breed -- but what can you do when a very handsome 15-inch Beagle strolls into your pristine kennel for a sleepover?

    The story goes that Matrix was one of two puppies who came out with both black and white nails - they were outcasts. They were literally taken to the vet and left when they were very young; they were not registered, nor would they be. I was the lucky one - I only wish I could have found his sibling, too. Matrix was black, tan, and white - and so so so very regal. He was my heart, and I still mourn for him at times. Matrix was the guard dog, my sleeping companion, my headrest, and often a footstool. He was there; always there, and when I had to leave him to tour the world with Faith, he understood his role. I love that dog.

    Then, literally days after Matrix visited with Jesus, I got a phone call from an animal caregiver in the state next to mine. She had a full-blooded Mini Dox who had been rescued from a breeder farm. He was a boy, being raised to make babies. He hadn't made them yet; he was too young, but he was poised to do it - and had very little social manners whatsoever. He was brindle colored, long, gorgeous, and quite the clown. I named him George before I met him - when I did meet him, the first thing he ever did was bite me. 

    George forgave me for whatever it was he was upset about, and we spent the next eight years together before he injured himself jumping from the couch. It broke me. It utterly gutted me, and there was nothing I could do for him but to let him go and check up on Matrix and Rover. Rover, by the way, was born around the first of December in 1962, and died January 18, 1978 - he was a good boy. When George left, I cried just as hard as I had ever cried over a dog in my life. Why I didn't get another Dachshund, I won't know. I just didn't. When George was still young, I brought home a friend for him. She was a girl! She was a pug mix - probably with a Chihuahua. She was another star in our galaxy of love. The two were inseparable. 

    Then, this year, when George's girlfriend Ginger grew older and quite feeble, I was called again by a friend whose mother dog had given birth at the start of March. Ginger was the dog I found for George - it was my plan that they should grow old together, but he left too soon. I loved her until she could no longer remember me - and it was time to let her go as well. Just before she did, I told my friend I'd take one of her pups. I knew he was a full-blooded Dachshund, and because he was black and tan, I couldn't say no.

    Neo came to live with us about two weeks before Ginger was taken to the vet. He was tiny. He was just about six weeks old. His mother, a standard Dachshund, is also black and tan. His father, a miniature, is dappled black and silver, I think. If you saw Neo, you'd know he took after mom in more ways than one. He's a mammoth!  At just over four months old, he weighs in at 20 pounds. If you do the puppy-weight challenge —doubling his weight at 4 months to see what he'll weigh as an adult—he'll be 40 pounds!

    At 20 pounds, he stands more than a foot tall at the shoulders, and his head is big, thick, dense, and dark. His nose is longer, thicker, and stronger. His crown is wide-brimmed, making him look much more serious than he really is. Like George, the little guy is a clown for sure, but he's already so possessive of literally everything, and that includes the kitten. He's rarely without his kitten, and I'm not sure Nevelle really appreciates being held captive as often as he is.

    Neo is going to be a force. His paws are twice the size of those of an ordinary Dachshund or a miniature. He's a power digger, which, of course, goes with the job description of being a Badger Dog, but he's also a bed hog, blanket thief, food grabber, treat hoarder, and snuggle buddy. He's genuinely perfect -- and I'm in my own little heaven loving on him as much as I possibly can. I don't think I could ever go a day without one now - I know I can't. I don't want Neo to leave, but I could actually see myself finding one or two more of these dense sausages and just tucking them up under my armpits if I needed to.

    A day without a Dachshund is simply something I never want to ever experience. I pray I never have to. When I get to heaven -- it will be...well, heaven.

Photo Credit: Neo at 4 months.

Inspections (I had two)

 The man who did the inspection of this house before we moved in was so thorough, and he was really easy to work with. His online report was very simple to use and read. He had color-coded charts for everything. You can glance at it and know it's either a low, medium, or definite concern. Rather than using green, yellow, and red, he used blue, orange, and red.  He had many photos for each issue, and he explained them in very simple terms. I have to tell you, it was really nice to not have to wonder about anything in particular. He told it like it is.

    So, when we got the report, my realtor and I went over what she believed the sellers should take care of and what I could handle. She wrote it up into a contract, and we both signed. I agreed not to be too picky, but he did need to fix the obvious or more hazardous issues. I didn't mind doing the lighter things - or I could be more honest, and say that Laura didn't mind doing the lighter things. She's the handywoman I always knew she could grow up to be.

    Well, we aren't staying here; we're moving. So I called the same man, and he did the inspection of the new house. While there are only a couple of big-ticket items, I think there are a few more little things that Laura will have to tackle. She's ready. If she needs anything, we go to Home Depot, and we make it happen. (That's not true, we go to Ace Hardware now.)  The new house has the following big-ticket items that are wrong: things I can't fix.

• Trusses need to be shored up in the attic. 

• HVAC is considered at the end of life, but will survive another 2 years

• The breaker box is old (1971) and has been outdated for years. It will need to be rewired or replaced, and the fuses need to be labeled. That's a big thing, but the seller has to handle it.

• There are wires that need to be terminated, closed off, and relocated in the basement.

• Some receptacles are loose, one is broken, and one has an open ground. Some plugs need a GFCI fix.

• The dryer prong is a 3-prong and needs to be a 4-prong.

• The garage door will need an adjustment to be sure it is 100% on track.

Other than that, I can replace some door handles on the closet, lightbulbs in a few places, and the furnace filter. Laura can caulk two bathroom corners, and I can buy 4 smoke detectors. They have to add a rail for the basement, and I will end up Googling how to turn on the stove and my shower. Both need a manual downloaded, I'm sure.

    I also had a termite inspection done today. That was one of those things that you do to make sure you're good. I paid $129 to be told it's all good and nothing has to be done, but you do need that peace of mind. You do. If you don't know, you wonder about it, and it's just something that I don't mind paying for up front. The house inspection included a sewer scope and a lovely 7-minute video. It's not that exciting, but it's good to know that there is nothing wrong or needing to be repaired. There are no trees for their roots to get stuck in my sewer lines, so that's a plus.

    All in all, I'm a happy camper. If my realtor can get the contract in place on Monday so they can fix what needs fixing before we move in, that would be lovely. I'm OK with them coming after we move in; I just don't want to pay for anything that they need to pay for. As for the HVAC, I'll save $5000 and finance the rest in about a year. I want to finance it to build Laura's credit. I think that will be a good thing. We may be out a few dollars on the other repairs, but the HVAC is the biggie. I should be OK with a year's warranty, and then I'll try to find the best unit possible with the best warranty and the best options.

    There's always something that needs to be fixed, repaired, remodeled, or replaced in a new or used home. There is no such thing as perfection - if it were, it wouldn't be perfect anymore if I moved into it. I trust the plan. I will be just fine. God is just so good to us. 

Photo Credit: Pinterest.com

The Insurance Trap

     When you buy a new home (and, you know, when you get anything that needs insurance), you have to call your insurance company to either switch your current policy to a new one or just update it. I know it's very important, and it's something you simply can't buy a house without. Today was that day for me. We had found a great home insurance company for the house I am currently in, and even the other house I was going to get, because they were both smaller. When it turned out that I had to buy the larger home (because it would appraise for the asking price), it was imperative that I have an insurance policy lined up to go with the escrow. That's been my fun for the day.

    Farmers was the company I was going with for the current home, as well as the first new home. For just over 1320 sf, one of the houses was $2300 while the other was $2210. The differences are minute, but the biggest difference is their location. The more expensive policy was for the house that was a few feet smaller and in the urban area. Now, because I'm buying a larger home, the same company couldn't get me anything remotely close to that price. The house is 2150 sf, so it makes sense that it would be more expensive, but $3890 was just too high for me to consider. I decided to look outside the standard big-box companies.

    I went with a company called Kin.  Though it's a very young company, founded in 2016, it is reputable and stable. It provides insurance in a slew of locations, and they even insure homes in risky areas as well as simple suburban living spaces like mine. They have an A+ rating, which, if you know anything about insurance, is a good thing. They have a lower-than-average customer complaint rating, which is good, and they have a good response rate. There is a big difference in price -that was the most important thing to me, and it's the most important thing to just about everyone.

    For my new house, I am paying $2817, not $3890. It's the exact same coverage down to the last feature on the declaration page. Literally every line item is the same. It just makes me question why Farmers is $1073 more. I know why - advertising. Well, I couldn't care less if my insurance company has a mascot, a funny jingle, or a catchy commercial presence. I want good insurance from a good company at a lower rate. I chose Kin.  My guy is Alexander Vega. You can find him at 855-717-0022. Tell him I sent you. He'll love that.

    I will be so happy when all of the selling and buying part of this is over, and I can just be inside my new house with all my stuff, and I don't have to worry about jumping through hoops anymore. I've been waiting to close for nearly nine months. First, it was on the house I'm currently living in. When that fell through, we put a contract on a house only to find out the seller wanted more than it would appraise for, and I'm not willing to just throw money away - too many houses to choose from. Now, with the new house, I have three weeks before we actually move - so the packing has started, and I'm ready for it to be over.

    At least now I know that when I do move, the insurance will be in place. Next year, when I can control things a bit more, I can lower the rate by increasing my deductible and paying the whole thing upfront. It will take about $240 a month off my mortgage, and I'll have the coverage I want, rather than the coverage they tell me I have to have to close. I'm just so tired of everyone else telling me what I need or have to do - when it's all over, I swear, I won't move again. Nope. This is it! Done!

Photo Credit: Kin.com

New New House

     So, yes, I wrote a blog just yesterday or the day before about the new house we looked at, and we even put an offer down on it. The seller was uneducated, or at least unwilling to listen to the knowledge and expertise of a "REAL" realtor. He has it in his head that the house will appraise for what he's asking simply because he wants it to. That's not how it works. Besides, the house had extensive pier work done less than a year ago, and it hasn't been appraised since. It hasn't even been inspected since that time. It will not appraise for what he wants, and he's unwilling to accept what we offered. Next!

    My realtor has more than twenty years of experience in the business, and she knows what she's talking about. She is dead-straight with people and doesn't sugarcoat or over-exaggerate. She doesn't make you feel good just because it could help her get a sale. She is honest, and that's what we need. We literally have under 4 weeks to move. You can't find a home, put in an offer, expect it to be accepted, and then get the finances in order, have the inspection, and do the close in less than 27 days, usually. We're trying to make it happen sooner.

    As you know, the house I was supposed to buy didn't qualify with FHA, and the man who owns it, like the man with the new house we looked at, will not agree to my paying what FHA will appraise and loan. His stubbornness has caused us a great deal of disappointment, not to mention all the mental and financial pressure it is putting on us. We have to start over with escrow because we can't get the other check back in time. We have to do the inspection on my dime as well. I will have to pay movers again - it's just not a lot of fun, but my realtor is a great asset. She has found us one that we strongly believe will pass the FHA appraisal and inspection.

    The house is larger than I'm used to. I've never lived in a large house before, other than when I babysat mansions in the 80s...(which is another story).  The house is 2148 sf and is a one-story ranch-style house. It is "sprawling," as they say. It has two living areas, one right behind the other, in an open-concept style. You can stand at the front door and see the back of the house, and in the middle are the kitchen, dining, living, and second living. There is a fireplace in the middle with a supporting beam.

    There is a full-sized basement in the house, and Laura thought she would like to be down there to work, but decided she'll be upstairs in the second living area, and I'll keep my doors closed if she gets too loud - she is just so freaking loud, you know! (I think it's me that gets loud, and she needs to close my doors so I'm not being heard by her friends or co-workers.)

     Then, there's the walk-through office - mine. It's really cool. It has two doors and a closet all at one end, and the rest of it will house the two desks that I have, one for work and one for play.  There is a basement under the living room. I'll need to get a rail for that wall. The basement has vents to keep it from smelling, and it has a new sump pump and... if you know, you know, it has a Gary England Room! (This is Oklahoma! This is vital) 

    Laura's bedroom is 10x10 or so, and nothing too spectacular, but her bathroom is very nice. It's a new setup with a new tub, toilet, and sinks. The tile, backsplash, and shower components are new as well.  There is storage in the hall, and that leads to my room, which is about 14x12, I think. It has a cutout in the ceiling where the fan is, and a double walk-in closet. 

    There is another bathroom in it, and you'd think you've stepped into the Jetsons. It's really cool. The bathtub is really deep, wide, and it's a whirlpool. The shower is glass-doored, has tile all around it, and has a bench -- the shower itself has several knobs, sprays, and gadgets - I love it. I will have to read up on how to use it, but I love it.

    There is another room, maybe 8x12, behind the garage. That is our gym. The garage is a standard two-car garage with an opener. The laundry and water heater are in the garage. The gym area has an egress to the back door. There is no patio. I think they took it out to make the extra space for the gym area. I'm OK with it. I can add a deck if I need to, but I don't think I'll need to. Jeannie and I can sit outside on the front porch if we need to, or we can rough it in our patio furniture out back without a deck this year, and maybe I'll have one installed by next summer.

    The dogs will love the yard. I will need to get 6 fence panels and 1 gate. There is a park literally behind my house, so I'll get another gate for that area so Laura can go out that gate with Rose when she's walking her dog.  The whole thing is really very nice and in a wonderfully patriotic neighborhood with no less than 15 American flags flying around! LOVE IT. Mine will be just fine. Can't wait to start the process and hopefully unload my things in about 4 weeks. 

    I will, of course, keep you posted. The fact that the house is in a cul-de-sac really makes me happy. It's quiet, less traffic than the other house, and it feels really good. Today is a Sunday, and I saw people cutting their lawns, walking around, and talking to each other. It just looks like it's going to be a great place to live - prayers!

The Gary England Room in the basement.