The Housing Crisis

Alright, this post is not about the real housing crisis, just ours.

Nope, no problems with the mortgage.  Amply qualified, not over-buying either.  The problem is with the market.  When we moved back south from Michigan, we planned to buy a small ranch 5-10 acres with a modest house, up to 35 minutes from work.

There’s the rub.  What is available was overpriced, run down, or the land not useful.  BUT, we finally found something promising in Vidor.  It was built by George Jones for his mother.  And would have been lovely.  But, the owners were not completely forthcoming with their disclosure.  At the last minute they remembered a major problem, but, none of the details.  Scratch that.

I canceled the deal just before we evacuated for Hurricane Ike.  The following Tuesday, my boss called me back to work.  I got up at 3AM to drive into Beaumont so I could pass through my rent house on the way to Orange.  Open the door and electricity is on.  No problems in the foyer.  Great!  Until I get to the living room.  The ceiling and insulation are on the floor.  The chimney top is in the back yard.  I’m still walking around a rain pail in the living room.

Then we decided to look exclusively in Louisiana.  Found one – 12 acres, smallish house, but 4 stocked ponds.  Sign us up.  All was going well until the title search started dragging out.  The owner had a list of problems as long as my arm that prevented the sale.

But, we are finally onto a great house.  Just under 5 acres, a nice sized home, a barn, and an air conditioned shop just minutes from my dad in Sulphur.  The sellers are going to build next door.  And as we got to know each other better, the husband has been friends with my wife’s family for decades.  Should close in a few weeks – oh please oh please oh please.

Final Destination . . . Louisiana

I just signed a purchase agreement for a house in Louisiana.  Still a 40 minute commute to work.  But, 5 minutes from my father’s house, 25 minutes from my wife’s grandmother.  12 acres, 4 stocked fishing ponds, and plenty of pasture for a couple cows, a horse and some chickens.

Did I mention the fishing ponds?  Closing in 2 weeks and my webbed toes will be back on the promise land.

It’s alive

Yep.  I’m still alive.  Hard to keep the blog going in the middle of a move – much less keep up with the news.

We’re settling into our rent house, high speed hooked up today.  I hope to get back into the swing of things soon.

We’re already seeing the benefits of the move back – a couple of birthday parties, all the aunts and uncles have seen our newest family member, Baptism, and unfortunately a funeral.  We were in a mad rush to get out of Michigan to see one of my wife’s grandmothers.  We missed a last visit by two days, but, we did make the funeral.  Which is somewhat comforting for my wife.

More later.

I know an old lady who swallowed the Karner Blue Butterfly

At lunch today, my kids were singing “I know an old lady.”

I did a little research. The fine for disturbing a bald eagle – which is on the endangered species list is $20000.

If the little old lady had the misfortune of swallowing:

1. The Karner Blue Butterfly

2. The Meshweaver spider to catch the fly

3. The Short Eared Owl to catch the spider

4. The Gray Wolf to catch the bird

5. And the cougar to catch the wolf

She’d be looking at a $100000 fine. Ouch. Might be a good idea to keep her mouth closed.

I found this on Boortz

My wife says it is silly. Sometimes silly is good.

Hilling has another perspective

He has a new blog – Another Perspective.  I check on his other site every week or two.  I don’t go to his church – not even the same religion.  I’ve never met him.  He has left me a comment or two.  He seems like a nice person.  We need more nice people.  Stop by his new site.  The worst that could happen is that you get another perspective.

Removing Christianity from your life

The next movement . . . BCE/CE instead of BC/AD.

http://www.religioustolerance.org/ce.htm

Satellite shot down

Yep. It was cool. Hitting a moving target at about 150 miles away. Not bad. When the Chinese did it, they were aiming at a target that was essentially stationary – in orbit. Our target was re-entering the earth’s atmosphere, with the missile fired from a ship at sea.

Very impressive.

This will be Cool! Shooting a Satellite

Even the Chinese can shoot a satellite in orbit.  But, if the Navy demonstrates that it can shoot a satellite re-entering the earth’s  atmosphere, they will have demonstrated why the US is still the superpower.  Watch for it on Thursday.
Wait for the outcry from Russia.  They’ve already started whining.

These Decisions should be left to Parents

My guess is Ron Paul will side with me on this . . . Parents should be left the decision on whether their children should get the HPV shot.  This is a relatively new vaccine that I don’t want to give my children.  And for Rick Perry to assert that his decision is a Pro-Life decision is asinine.

We already know that Rick Perry casts aside that issue – he supported Giuliani.  You can’t have it both ways.  Either, Pro-Life is important to you or it isn’t.  When will politicians AND voters recognize that?

Back to HPV and letting family make important decisions.  Let’s allow more data be collected before we mandate all girls get the vaccine.  I’m not taking the time to investigate whether or not Perry has taken donations from the pharma companies.  But, I sure wouldn’t bet against it.

Rick Perry is about to term limit out.  If McCain closes this thing out, he better think twice about picking up this moron to round out his ticket.