As I've mentioned before, our tiny house has eight huge trees in the back yard. Four are shade trees, four are pine trees.
One week ago, the dog and I narrowly escaped death when a huge pine branch plummeted to the ground, just after we had been in the yard. Initially, I thought it might have been a random rotten branch.
No more. We have had thunderstorms nearly every day this past week, and with every storm, more large, rotted branches are coming down. Thankfully, none have done any damage to the house, the electrical wires, or the AC unit.
One huge branch is hanging precariously above the back door, even as I write this. This one's a monster, and it will definitely produce the big bang when it falls.
When we moved in, the landlord mentioned that he should "do something" about the trees, but he never did. Now nature is taking its course, and the branches are coming down about us, and, with the house being foreclosed upon, the landlord isn't about to spend the money now to address the tree situation.
The forecast for this afternoon is for more thunderstorms with high winds. Hopefully, when the hanging branch comes down, it will clear the house as the others have...
Senin, 30 Juni 2008
Sabtu, 28 Juni 2008
They're Finally Here!
From left, Maria, Sofi, Jennifer, and Haley.
Today we went to the MOSH for Sofi's ninth birthday party. The Birthday Girl is sporting a tiara and holding a Webkinz that Jen gave her. A wonderful time had by all.
Jennifer and I cut out of the festivities a bit early, because my mother and sister flew down to see us. They were supposed to come in April, but a family emergency forced them to cancel the visit the night before they were due to arrive. They'll be here until Tuesday. Jen has already decamped to the hotel, as she's a girl that has always liked a good hotel room.
Funny, everyone will say to me that this gives me time to myself. All I seem to do is rattle about the house, chatting to the pets, while trying to figure out what to do with my free time. Well, I did live large and paint my fingernails. Yes, it's great living the glamorous life!
I always tease Jen prior to the visits and say to her, "Let the spoiling begin." And so it has...She's already got her back to school wardrobe, courtesy of Mom-Mom, and two new bathing suits, thanks to Aunt Diane. Yes, two...one that's left at Uncle Paul and Uncle Ken's house. while the other stays at ours.
Tomorrow it's off to St. Augustine, our traditional trip every time the family visits, then back to the hotel to get in some swimming before the afternoon thunderstorms.
It's SO good to see my mom and sister. Now if we could just persuade everyone to move here...
Jennifer and I cut out of the festivities a bit early, because my mother and sister flew down to see us. They were supposed to come in April, but a family emergency forced them to cancel the visit the night before they were due to arrive. They'll be here until Tuesday. Jen has already decamped to the hotel, as she's a girl that has always liked a good hotel room.
Funny, everyone will say to me that this gives me time to myself. All I seem to do is rattle about the house, chatting to the pets, while trying to figure out what to do with my free time. Well, I did live large and paint my fingernails. Yes, it's great living the glamorous life!
I always tease Jen prior to the visits and say to her, "Let the spoiling begin." And so it has...She's already got her back to school wardrobe, courtesy of Mom-Mom, and two new bathing suits, thanks to Aunt Diane. Yes, two...one that's left at Uncle Paul and Uncle Ken's house. while the other stays at ours.
Tomorrow it's off to St. Augustine, our traditional trip every time the family visits, then back to the hotel to get in some swimming before the afternoon thunderstorms.
It's SO good to see my mom and sister. Now if we could just persuade everyone to move here...
Kamis, 26 Juni 2008
Gone, Baby, Gone -
- That would be the furniture we put out for the Dumpster Divers to help themselves to. Yes indeed, as of 4pm today, it's ALL been carted away. I made some woman in a blue SUV very happy...she snatched it up. And she made me happy as well. That's fewer items we'll have to move, once we find our new place.
She also spared our tender and delicate trash collectors. They are very choosy in their trash pickup. If they deem an item or a can too heavy, they won't take it.
Every Thursday finds me at the curb, lovingly staging my trash to make sure it gets picked up the next morning. Though I have three large trashcans, with wheels, I only put one bag in each of them. Any remaining bags, should there be any, are placed neatly beside the cans.
You see, it's too much of an effort for the collectors to wheel the cans five feet from the curb to the back of the truck. They would rather take the lids off the trashcans, throw them down into the storm drain, then lift the bags out of the cans one at a time and carry them over to the truck. Then, as a parting gift, they'll give the trashcans a toss, sending them into the storm drain with the lids. Occasionally, they'll surprise me, and just toss the lids and cans in the near vicinity of the driveway.
I've already staged the trash for tomorrow morning. I'm on a roll. Hmmm...what can I put out next for the Divers?
She also spared our tender and delicate trash collectors. They are very choosy in their trash pickup. If they deem an item or a can too heavy, they won't take it.
Every Thursday finds me at the curb, lovingly staging my trash to make sure it gets picked up the next morning. Though I have three large trashcans, with wheels, I only put one bag in each of them. Any remaining bags, should there be any, are placed neatly beside the cans.
You see, it's too much of an effort for the collectors to wheel the cans five feet from the curb to the back of the truck. They would rather take the lids off the trashcans, throw them down into the storm drain, then lift the bags out of the cans one at a time and carry them over to the truck. Then, as a parting gift, they'll give the trashcans a toss, sending them into the storm drain with the lids. Occasionally, they'll surprise me, and just toss the lids and cans in the near vicinity of the driveway.
I've already staged the trash for tomorrow morning. I'm on a roll. Hmmm...what can I put out next for the Divers?
Bon Jovi - Living on a Prayer
Just because it's time for an 80's flashback and because Jon Bon Jovi is still so darn cute!
Rabu, 25 Juni 2008
Go Figure...
The Big Purge has started. Now that we know we definitely have to move, we're starting to get rid of things we don't want to take with us.
Early this morning, I hauled several items to the curb. Our trash pickup is every Friday, but we have a lot of Dumpster Diver traffic that passes through the neighborhood, so I figure most of the goodies I'm putting out will be long gone by the time the trash truck rolls through on Friday morning.
Today I put out two small wood tables, two chairs that were used in the back yard, and the kitchen chairs. Nice stuff, but I just don't want to move them yet again. This time, we're traveling with only what we really want and use. Oh, I also put out a stack of broken flowerpots...about 6 of them.
The flowerpots were at one time quite lovely. I had sealed, painted, and decorated them. Then a neighbor hit them with his lawn mower. Don't ask; you don't want to know the details. So you could say they were basically a pile of painted terracotta chunks that had once been flowerpots.
I was sure the furniture would be gone by now. Just a few minutes ago, I looked out the window. The only thing missing from the pile is the flowerpot shards! Yeah, yeah, one man's trash is another man's treasure; I KNOW that. But go figure...
Early this morning, I hauled several items to the curb. Our trash pickup is every Friday, but we have a lot of Dumpster Diver traffic that passes through the neighborhood, so I figure most of the goodies I'm putting out will be long gone by the time the trash truck rolls through on Friday morning.
Today I put out two small wood tables, two chairs that were used in the back yard, and the kitchen chairs. Nice stuff, but I just don't want to move them yet again. This time, we're traveling with only what we really want and use. Oh, I also put out a stack of broken flowerpots...about 6 of them.
The flowerpots were at one time quite lovely. I had sealed, painted, and decorated them. Then a neighbor hit them with his lawn mower. Don't ask; you don't want to know the details. So you could say they were basically a pile of painted terracotta chunks that had once been flowerpots.
I was sure the furniture would be gone by now. Just a few minutes ago, I looked out the window. The only thing missing from the pile is the flowerpot shards! Yeah, yeah, one man's trash is another man's treasure; I KNOW that. But go figure...
Oh, NO! A Sequel Is Coming!
Late yesterday, after work, I was feeding my mind and reading People magazine online. To my horror, I read that Disney is planning a sequel to the dreadful "Camp Rock". Thankfully, it won't be released until sometime next year.
The first one was bad enough...and that stinkeroo is going to be eventually released on DVD!
Selasa, 24 Juni 2008
Family, Foreclosure, and the Big Branch
We had a relaxing, restorative weekend.
Friday night, I suffered through "Camp Rock" on the Disney Channel (okay, "restorative" didn't enter the weekend until Saturday). Jen had been counting down to the airing of the movie for months, thanks to the propaganda commercials touting the movie that have run on Disney for months.
Yes indeed, what more could a 9 1/2 year old want? A Hannah Montana marathon, snd then a movie with the Jonas Brothers! I had my marching orders that all I had to do was to be wrapped up by 8pm so we could "enjoy" the movie together.
The movie stunk to high heaven. "High School Musical" it ain't. But whichever Jonas played the male lead in the movie could've stood there and read a menu...it wouldn't have mattered to Jen.
After the movie, I was ready to go to bed and sleep off the bad taste in my mouth. Jen was bouncing about the room, prattling away about the film, and anticipating...
Saturday, and getting together with Sofi for the afternoon. Pam and I got a chance to catch up with each other face to face, instead of our scattered calls that have marked the summer thus far.
Then two happy calls on Saturday night. My mom's call to let us know that she and my sister are flying in this weekend for a visit. Then Paul calling for a Sunday morning beakfast invitation to meet his brother, sister-in-law, and nephew, who came down for a visit.
We all met up met at the Golden Corral at 9am, then went back to Paul's to swim before the afternoon thunderstorms rolled in.
Woke Monday morning to glorious sunshine. At about 9:15 am, I took the dog outside briefly, then headed to my office to begin work. As soon as I shut my office door, there was a loud noise I couldn't quite identify, but it sent the cats scrambling and the dog barking madly. Then I head Jen's voice saying, "Mom, you should see the big branch that just fell in our back yard!"
We have eight huge trees in our back yard...well over 100 feet high. All of them need to be cut down, as they're rotting. Lying in the yard, in the exact spot where Lucy and I had been standing not three minutes before, was a branch about 15 inches in diameter, and about 30 feet long. The branch somehow cleared the roof and the satellite dish. It was a scant two inches from the AC unit, as well.
When I looked up, I could see the branch had fallen from about 50 feet up. There was another huge branch that had been knocked loose and was now hanging by a thread as well. On its trek to the ground, the branch had knocked down a bunch of smaller branches. I picked up what I could, but the big branch wouldn't budge.
Then it hit me...had that branch come down while Lucy and I were outside, it would have killed us both. Really. That realization made me suddenly queasy, so I wandered back into the office to collect myself.
After telling Jennifer that the back yard is off limits from now until we move, I called the landlord. No, not to get some help getting the tree removed. My landlord doesn't do repairs or maintenence. Never has. Plus he's the slowest moving cuss in the South. I was just calling for an update on the foreclosure.
I spoke to his office manager, and got the answer I expected. He's letting all of his rental homes go to foreclosure. The twenty days he had to respond has passed. The next step is waiting for his court date. Once the house is officially foreclosed upon, we'll all get served again, and an auction date for this house will be set.
So, we've got about 90 to 120 days to find another place to live while this all plays out. Time to pack...
Friday night, I suffered through "Camp Rock" on the Disney Channel (okay, "restorative" didn't enter the weekend until Saturday). Jen had been counting down to the airing of the movie for months, thanks to the propaganda commercials touting the movie that have run on Disney for months.
Yes indeed, what more could a 9 1/2 year old want? A Hannah Montana marathon, snd then a movie with the Jonas Brothers! I had my marching orders that all I had to do was to be wrapped up by 8pm so we could "enjoy" the movie together.
The movie stunk to high heaven. "High School Musical" it ain't. But whichever Jonas played the male lead in the movie could've stood there and read a menu...it wouldn't have mattered to Jen.
After the movie, I was ready to go to bed and sleep off the bad taste in my mouth. Jen was bouncing about the room, prattling away about the film, and anticipating...
Saturday, and getting together with Sofi for the afternoon. Pam and I got a chance to catch up with each other face to face, instead of our scattered calls that have marked the summer thus far.
Then two happy calls on Saturday night. My mom's call to let us know that she and my sister are flying in this weekend for a visit. Then Paul calling for a Sunday morning beakfast invitation to meet his brother, sister-in-law, and nephew, who came down for a visit.
We all met up met at the Golden Corral at 9am, then went back to Paul's to swim before the afternoon thunderstorms rolled in.
Woke Monday morning to glorious sunshine. At about 9:15 am, I took the dog outside briefly, then headed to my office to begin work. As soon as I shut my office door, there was a loud noise I couldn't quite identify, but it sent the cats scrambling and the dog barking madly. Then I head Jen's voice saying, "Mom, you should see the big branch that just fell in our back yard!"
We have eight huge trees in our back yard...well over 100 feet high. All of them need to be cut down, as they're rotting. Lying in the yard, in the exact spot where Lucy and I had been standing not three minutes before, was a branch about 15 inches in diameter, and about 30 feet long. The branch somehow cleared the roof and the satellite dish. It was a scant two inches from the AC unit, as well.
When I looked up, I could see the branch had fallen from about 50 feet up. There was another huge branch that had been knocked loose and was now hanging by a thread as well. On its trek to the ground, the branch had knocked down a bunch of smaller branches. I picked up what I could, but the big branch wouldn't budge.
Then it hit me...had that branch come down while Lucy and I were outside, it would have killed us both. Really. That realization made me suddenly queasy, so I wandered back into the office to collect myself.
After telling Jennifer that the back yard is off limits from now until we move, I called the landlord. No, not to get some help getting the tree removed. My landlord doesn't do repairs or maintenence. Never has. Plus he's the slowest moving cuss in the South. I was just calling for an update on the foreclosure.
I spoke to his office manager, and got the answer I expected. He's letting all of his rental homes go to foreclosure. The twenty days he had to respond has passed. The next step is waiting for his court date. Once the house is officially foreclosed upon, we'll all get served again, and an auction date for this house will be set.
So, we've got about 90 to 120 days to find another place to live while this all plays out. Time to pack...
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