A slight reprieve

The paperwork was finally completed on Tuesday, after my agent received the back-dated document. Initially, I had decided not to sign it, and let the deal die, but after some discussion about the legalities, it was decided I'd best sign and let the matter run its course. The buyers have until September 15 to sell their house - which means they'll need to have a conditional sale agreement no later than September 8. If they don't they won't have enough time to complete the process. 

C did not make an offer on the house we saw on Monday, as he'd found another place he wanted to see first. It was a smaller house but with a basement, with a yard that would require less work, and space to build a garage. He contacted the city on Wednesday to verify that a garage could be built in the future. We went to look at it on Thursday and discovered two things: it has a concrete block basement and the furnace was originally installed in 1995. Although it was cute, it was a no go. He's decided against the other property too, now that he's seen that the funds he has can get him something nicer. Unfortunately there isn't anything in the area he wants to live so we'll continue to keep looking.

It's been a quiet week with no showings. I've been keeping up with the housework, watering the containers, and doing a bit of knitting. I pulled all the tomatoes this week as they were looking past their prime, and cut back the ferns in the front flower bed as they were dying back. One can readily see the hostas now, though the bergenia takes center stage. 

I did get out to Stitch and Chat on Wednesday, there were just the three of us there. I took along a small plate of zucchini loaf. My SIL had given me a small zucchini and a cucumber on the weekend. I grated up the zucchini and made the loaf earlier this week. It tasted so good, that I was eating far too much of it, so I thought I'd let the other ladies help me with it. (They didn't eat much agreed it tasted good.)

After the disappointment of Thursday's viewings, C had spent some time on the realtor website looking for other options. He told me about one property that would need quite a bit of work - mostly painting, but is a decent size. He couldn't recall the address though, so I spent an hour Friday morning, looking through the various listings. It took me awhile but I found it, along with several other properties. 

I decided to do a drive by the list of ten properties, and was able to cross off five of them for various reasons, either a bad location or too run-down based on the exterior. In a couple of cases, both issues were true. He and went through the remainder and reduced the number to three or four.  Of those, I think we'll try to see a couple next week. It's the long weekend here, and with the need to wait on the buyers for my property, waiting a few days won't likely be an issue. As three of the properties have been on the market for over 90 days, so there might be a deal to be had. We'll see.

Earlier in the week, my realtor had mentioned about talking to other realtors who had clients who had been through the house, or who were interested in seeing it, in the hopes of a possible back-up offer. Basically, that simply means, if the first deal falls through, whoever has the first back-up offer in place has first dibs. I didn't hear anything more, so assumed that wasn't likely to happen. However, on Friday evening, he texted me to say a couple from Calgary would be in the city this weekend and wanted to view the house on Sunday afternoon. Of course, I said yes! Apparently they lived in Regina previously, in a house with a similar lay-out. I'd love to post on Monday that we have a back-up offer, but there is no guarantee. Their nostalgia for another house may not translate into liking this one enough to make an offer that might never come to fruition. Time will tell.

This morning, I've got more housework to do, a lawn to mow, and a good watering of it to be done. We're back in the heat (33C/91F) today and only slightly cooler on Sunday. I'll do the outdoor chores early this morning before the heat gets too much for me. 

Have a great week ahead everyone!

#(*&#*!$^#

It's after 7 p.m. here and the buyer's realtor has yet to respond to my realtor's request for a response on whether the conditions on the house sale can be lifted. As you can tell by the title, I'm not happy.

Let me back up a bit. As of Friday, I had done everything I needed to do, and they had arranged for and received the information on the house inspection. Our/their last hurdle was financing. Sunday evening I had a call from my realtor saying he'd heard from Josh (the other realtor), and an offer had come in for their property.

Woohoo, that means the financing should be a slam dunk! They wanted to know if I would agree to a change of the possession date to October 1st, rather the the 16th. I said no, because that would only give us a short window to find a place and arrange the move. As my realtor said, he didn't think that would affect the offer they were getting, they'd simply need to counter with the date. They did, and by the time I headed for bed, we'd heard they had a conditional offer in place.

But the morning brought the news that their buyers were unable to get a mortgage. As my realtor said, "how does a realtor sign an offer on Sunday night and then Monday find out his client has no money?" 

The deadline for lifting the conditions remained the same, that is today. So, at this point they are in breach of contract, and the offer they gave me is void. I can walk away now, or sit on it and hope they get another offer soon. They do have a nice property and there has been some good interest but.... 

In the meantime, we visited three more properties this evening. The first was alright, it's an older home that has been fairly well maintained. The electrical panel would need to be updated, there is no flooring or insulation in the basement - though it is a good solid basement - and, something I've never seen before, the eavestrough are drained into a pipe in the basement. On the other hand, the house is elevated and the likelihood of water is the basement is low. However, it has a huge yard and is a corner lot. More than C wants to take on.

The second property was a dud. We looked at it because it would have been a short walk to C's work, and has had a number of price drops. We found out why - the basement is a mess, the upstairs has serious structural issues, and that's as far as we went.

The third property is a contender. While it has no basement - it's built on a crawl space, it is a decent size, the kitchen was updated in the last 20 years or so, and there are three bedrooms. There are also two bathrooms, though the second one is simply a two piece tucked into the laundry room. It appears they moved the laundry to a stackable pair to put in the sink and toilet. It's a wee bit odd, and would be something C could have returned to the former layout. The bedrooms are a good size, though someone tried to be creative with the paint colors. Out back is a single garage that needs shingles on one side - it's clear there was an issue at some time because the plywood has been replaced. It needs eavestroughs too. For storage, there is a large new shed that was built not long ago. With a window and proper door, it reminds me of your bunky, Patsy. I think it is smaller though.

Again the yard is a bit bigger, but it wouldn't take much to remove what grass (and weeds) currently exist and have it xeriscaped. It does back onto a commercial building, so the chain link fence needs to be changed out for a better privacy fence. What really captured C, was the neighbour's homes are well maintained, it's in area of the city he likes, and there is a Tim Horton's within walking distance. :)

He's going to think about it overnight, and I have a feeling we'll have the realtor look into a valuation for the property, as we think it is slightly overpriced. I won't be surprised if we aren't into an offer by this time tomorrow night. Unlike the buyers for this property, we have a realtor who knows how to do things right.

Week 4 - an end in sight

I'm referring, of course, to the painting I've been doing in the house.  The main portion of the basement is now complete. Along with my son's bedroom there is a back area, mostly for storage, that needs to be done but I'm in no rush.  I've made up my mind I won't be listing the house this year.  At least for the foreseeable future, open houses are a no-no, and I certainly don't want a bunch of strangers wandering through the house with the potential of spreading the virus.  Further, all signs would suggest that house prices will fall this year due to the financial fall-out of this pandemic.  On a positive note, I have a variable mortgage and with the lower interest rate my payment has been reduced by $50 every two weeks.  I

Sadly, there is no end in sight for the Covid-19 virus and the forecast models so many reporters and individuals were clamoring for would suggest we're in this for the long haul.  Here in Canada we haven't seen the spread to the extent that many other countries have but I expect with the warmer weather coming the number of cases will increase.  I understand that many people will want to be outdoors especially those who live in apartments and condos - they may decide the risk is worth the opportunity to escape the confined spaces.  Then there will the folks who simply decide they've been cooped up long enough and "gosh darn it no gov'ment is going to tell me" what to do.  It's the latter I fear the most. I'm fortunate to have a deck out back, a patio in the front, and a large sun room (for cooler days) so I can get the fresh air I crave.  Just this morning, I stood out on the deck listening to the birdsong. For a few minutes I can think that all is right with the world. 

I did go out on Thursday for groceries and to pick up a prescription for my daughter.  The two stores I went into had arrows on the floor to direct traffic, however there were a number of people who apparently don't read arrow.  Even so, it was fairly quick getting out of both stores.  Getting into the drugstore took a little longer.  I waited about 15 minutes for my turn as they were limiting the store occupancy to 50 people, including staff. I went back later in the day to mail the parcel to Eli and D with the flock of ducks I made for him for Easter, her prescription and some other items.  The wait wasn't quite as long getting in, but there was a woman at the postal outlet counter who ensured the rest of us waited for at least 10 minutes before she stalked out the store, angry that she wasn't able to do what she came to do.  (No fault of the clerk - this person ought to have gone to the main post office).

Looking at the photo, it's clear the momma duck's beak is a little off but it didn't look that bad in person. :p  D sent me the felt for the eyes, and without a hole punch I had to try cutting circles by hand.  They're not perfect, nothing I make ever is, but they were made with love.  Besides he's three and won't care at all - there's chocolate in them there ducklings. Each of the little pooping ducks holds five wrapped chocolates.  D says she'll put one out every day so that the little stinker doesn't get too many.

Currently I have another crochet project on the go, a tote bag and I'm trying to decide what my next knitting project might be.  I like to have one of each - the stitches are different so I don't get confused switching from one to the other.  I sorted through my yarn stash a week or so ago...I probably have enough to keep me knitting/crocheting for most of the year!  I did find a pattern for a sweater that I really like - we'll see whether I get it on the needles or not this weekend.

On Friday, I went to my nephew's home (I know, I know) to help him with his income tax filing.  I felt fairly secure in that he hasn't been working, and other than his parents and sister (my SIL who tested negative) he hasn't had contact with anyone for nearly three weeks.  He is in the reserves and is expecting to be called up shortly so his mother was insistent his return needed to be filed asap.  I could have completed the return myself, but she was also insistent that he needs to know how to do it himself.  Rather than cause more family dissension I walked him through the forms.  We managed to physically distance ourselves fairly well throughout the process and I made certain to change clothing and wash up well when I got home. 

The weather has been fairly cold all week, with lots of wind and even some snow.  Friday the temperature reached 11C (52F) so the last of the ice on the front patio and in the backyard disappeared.  Then, of course it cooled down and our forecast suggests we're in for chilly weather until next Friday.  Pfft! I was hoping to get out and started cleaning up the patio and deck.  The birds and at least one squirrel have been cleaning up the birdseed every day.  The other day I was able to sneak into the sun room and catch the squirrel getting his feed on.

I chuckled when I saw the result of the second photo. It has its eyes closed - is it thinking?  "yum, yum, good?"  

I've read a couple of blogs where the author has come up with a list of things they want to do when this pandemic is over.  Some as many as 50!  I thought I'd try to come up with 10. Except for number 1 they are in no particular order.

1. Hug my daughter and grandson in person.  
2. Have lunch at a local restaurant with my friend K.
3. Visit my brother and family at the farm. 
4. Allow the painters to come in and paint the living room/kitchen/foyer.
5. Visit the garden centers and purchase plants for the containers.  I think this year I'll try growing some vegetables as well.
6. Attend the stitch and chat at the library.
7. Go for coffee with a friend.
8. Take a trip out to the island to see my cousins and uncle.
9. Book a cruise - October 2021 is a possibility.  It gives me an opportunity to visit J in England.
10. Continue to express my gratitude to all who have worked through this pandemic, the health care professionals, the support staff, grocery clerks and those who stock the shelves, truckers, police and fire personnel, and even our politicians who have done so much to ensure we are kept informed and the appropriate safety measures are in place.

I'd love to see your lists, either in the comments or on your own blogs.  Take care and stay well!

Reality

It sure doesn't take long after returning from vacation to get back into the routine of home, does it?  After doing my laundry and putting away the suitcases, there was the rest of the house to tackle.  My son did a good job of keeping things tidy, but the floors needed a vaccum and a wash.  Quick, somebody invent a self-cleaning house!  I'd have to win a lottery to afford it but a girl can dream can't she?

However, I didn't totally focus on the house.  Monday was election day here in Canada.  Even though the campaign only lasted 40 days it seemed much longer.  The rhetoric was histronic with personal attacks rather than policy announcements. Our media made no attempt to refocus the attention, and in some cases even stoked the fear and division. Reminds me of another election a few years ago in a neighbouring country.  I spent Monday evening and well into the next morning, watching the results roll in.  For those who don't follow Canadian news the Liberal government was re-elected but with a minority government.  It's a result I thought was likely to occur, and as a progressive myself, I'm grateful for the result.  It will require cooperation and stronger communication to govern....attributes that I believe are truly important for any government.  

Tuesday was a back to normal busy day.  I met my friend K for lunch - she had a birthday last week so it was my treat.  I'd dropped the car off next door at Kal Tire to have the tires changed over for the winter, so we met at Mr. Greek.  We both enjoy their gyros, and with coupons it was a good price.  After lunch, the car was still on the hoist, so I walked over to the Safeway, to their pharmacy, to get my flu shot.  It's the first time I've had the shot so they asked me to stay in the store for 30 minutes to ensure no adverse reaction.  Other than a sore arm, there was none and when I walked back to Kal Tire, the car was ready to go.  Reminder to self: check the trunk for the replaced tires.  I got home, went to unload and discovered they hadn't put them back in the car!  So a return trip was made to pick up the summer tires. 

I had coffee with my friend C on Wednesday morning, then made a trip to Costco for furnace filters and a Google Home Mini.  The mini was $25 off it's regular price and the filters were $10 off three.  I use the kind that are supposed to filter out pet hair.  They seem to work reasonably well, as every time I replace the filter it is covered in fur!  While Costco is a bit further away than it once was, the savings were sufficient to make going there worthwhile.  

After dropping off my purchases, I headed over to the library for stitch and chat. A couple of ladies weren't there, one has left for Arizona, the other was playing bridge, but there were four of us plus a new woman.  Although we don't know each other well, there never seems to be a shortage of topics to discuss.  From crafts, to weather, to family health, and even curling.  As a result of the latter topic I realized the Grand Slam of Curling's first event is being played this weekend.  Thursday morning was the first televised game....can you guess how I spent most of the weekend?  Add in a Rider game and I was in my happy place.  


Then on Sunday, Eli and his mom are coming for a visit as she has appointments tomorrow in the city.  They will spend the night, and I will spend the days following their visit cleaning up after them.  But I wouldn't miss the time I get to spend with the little guy.  

We'll be spending our time indoors, I imagine because I woke to this this morning!  This looks worse than it really is, but we do have about an inch on the ground.  We have a couple of days in the next week where temps will be above or near freezing so it may disappear.  But I suspect winter has truly arrived.  :(

As for the house, I've heard nothing from my agent so I assume it was a no go.  That's okay, I'm quite enjoying not being quite as strict with my cleaning regime.  Speaking of which, I'd best get the cat litter cleaned before Eli gets here.  Talk about reality!

Have a great week everyone!

Looking forward

The snow we got on Wednesday was pretty much gone by Thursday morning though it was still cold.  In fact, the temperature when I got up at 7 a.m. was -6C (21F).  Brrr!!!  Time to book my appointment to have the tires on the car changed over to winter tires.  It used to be that my local Kal Tire did not take appointments and one had to arrive early in the morning and hope to make the list. They opened at 7 a.m. and it wasn't unusual to see a line up outside the door.  An appointment is so much more civilized!

It did get above freezing in the afternoon so I spent about a half hour outdoors removing the last of the annuals from the containers, tucking the containers out of the way, and emptying and putting away the bird bath. It was full of ice!  I had stopped and picked up bird feed in a large bag earlier in the week, so I transferred that to a container and filled the bird feeder.  I also put out the suet feeder.  I suspect they'll find the feed soon as the natural sources will be disappearing due to the frost and cold. 

Friday morning was even colder, with an early morning temperature of -9C (16F).  I hope this weather doesn't last, the forecast is for more normal temperatures in 10 days or so.  I'll miss a few of those days, thankfully.  

I'm packed and ready to go to Vegas!  Just a few last minute items to toss in (chargers for phone and Fitbit, moisturizer, etc.).  I had thought I might be able to manage with a carry-on but I've decided to take my camera which takes up half the carry-on so I'll be paying for a checked bag.  And if I decide at the last minute not to take my camera, I'll have room for my winnings (ha!) or any shopping I might do.  We will be going to the M&M shop and the outlet malls for sure.  I likely won't be able to stop myself from bringing something back.  Actually we're unlikely to do much gambling - I'll probably toss a few dollars, less than $20, into a machine and see where it takes me.  The last time I was in Vegas, I did that and walked away with $60.  At least until I spent it at the mall.  Hopefully I'll do as well on this trip.  

My friend S flew out of Inuvik on Wednesday with the plan to fly to Winnipeg on Friday to spend part of the weekend with family there at a resort.  Unfortunately those plans had to be cancelled because there was a ugly storm brewing with freezing rain, snow, and wind.  Those are the vagaries of fall in the prairie provinces. First it's autumn, then winter, back to summer, and then autumn again...or maybe straight into winter. You can bet I checked the forecast for Sunday and Monday for Edmonton.  It's looking just fine so I'm not worried about flying out.

This week, I'm putzing around with some leftover yarn from earlier projects.  This will be pillow cover and I'm pretty sure I have just enough yarn to make a second one.  For the back of the pillow, I'm going to use leftover fabric from Eli's Superman costume.  It isn't quite as red as the red in the pillow cover but should work fine.  The pillow forms cost $10 a piece, so with a little time and some leftovers I'll have new Christmas pillows for the couch.  

I'm also crocheting Christmas ornaments....because I'm need more than project at a time. :p  Years ago, I made snowflake ornaments for my tree and in my clearing up last winter I found the pattern book again.  I'm hoping I can get enough done to use them with gift tags for family and friends.  If not, they're small and I'll tuck them away for next year.  The thread I'm using this time is much finer than what I used years ago, so I'm finding them a little more difficult.  Just started the second one, a different pattern, and finding it a bit easier, but in any event, my eyesight is not what it once was so I can't work on them as long.

Friday evening, I went for dinner with my friend C.  She's just returned from her trip to California.  It wasn't easy with all the memories but I think she did enjoy some of it.  She shared a few photos from the air show, the Safari park, and the Zoo.  Looked great to me, and someday I hope I get a chance to visit.


As the week went on I had thought (and frankly had hoped) there would be no showings this week, but I got a call for a showing on Saturday afternoon. In and out in 15 minutes so I'm doubtful there will be any further communication.  Unfortunately the house down the street that was put on the market recently, I believe an estate sale, has sold for a price $35K under what I'm asking.  That does not bode well for me.  

I had talked to my agent last weekend about doing a price drop for this week, but he delayed sending me the paperwork so I left the price where it was and will be allowing the current listing to lapse next Wednesday.  Once I'm back, I'll start the process of looking for a new agent and that will determine when I will list again.  I've pretty much decided I'll wait until January or February, so that we get through Christmas and New Year's without the hassle.  

I definitely want to ensure that it's not on the market, one way or another, by early June.  I have the U.K. cruise booked and I am so looking forward to it.  My travel agent alerted me to a seat sale on WestJet this weekend, so I was able to get airfare of $1080 return!  For perspective, five years ago, on our TransAtlantic cruise, I paid $650 for airfare to return to Calgary from London, and another $150 for the return flight to Regina.  So a very good price!  

Since I'm flying out on Sunday to Edmonton to meet S, my adult children and I won't be getting together.  D and Eli are at home - she told me they're having Thanksgiving pizza tonight. :)  C and I will have grilled "mom" burgers, probably the last of the season.  It's pretty cool out there to grill. 

To all my Canadian readers,  Happy Thanksgiving!  Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend wherever you are.