Listing to one side

Well, we have finally done it.  The house is listed for sale and on the internet.  You can do a search and find it.  Then tell someone to buy it.

It took more work than I imagined.  I am sure that most readers know all the ins and outs of house preparation.  I did not going in.  Like most things, doing this made us have to do that.  Hopefully, we will get the price we are asking for.  In this area, our asking price is not bad.  It should meet the in-between market.

A few people have talked to us about the house.  Mostly that they know someone who is interested in a house.  As Wendy has said, "It is all talk, until they bring the money."

So pray we sell our house quickly and close to want we are asking.  Then the pray we find a house that meets our needs and budget.

Tickled pink

Over the weekend Wendy and I took the girls to see a live musical of Pinkalicious.  Ava and Joy love the book the musical was adapted from.  I think Wendy has read that book so much she knows the words, Joy knows the words, and Ava knows the words.  It is always "Read, read."

So when I saw that the musical was being performed I told Wendy we had to get tickets.  So the big day arrived and we all wore our pink.  We did not tell the girls what we were doing until the morning of.  And only then to get them moving so we could leave.

It was a pretty good auditorium.  We found reasonable parking.  Five dollars instead of seven and it was close enough for the girls to walk.  Joy and Ava did better than we expected.  They seemed to enjoy the performance.

Of course we had to get a souvenir.  I bought Joy a tiara and Ava some kind of headwear with attachments. I am sure there is a proper term, but I do not know it.  Joy wanted a Pinkalicious doll, but that was $50.  Too much for me. 

Along with a ticket, there was the opportunity to get a VIP package.  This was a front row seat and goodie bag.  I did not opt for the VIP package, but I thought hey it is the last day of the show I will check and see if they have they want to get rid of.  I did not get a goodie bag for the girls, but I did score some swag.  I saw some people walking around with wands after the show.  A mom whose child had one said they were handing them out.  Apparently that was part of the VIP package.  While we standing around two extremely nice ladies working the desk called us over and gave Joy and Ava each a wand.  They were thrilled.

Then we went to lunch at Cracker Barrel.

Perhaps we can do more activities like that since the girls enjoyed the show.

Delay on the delay

First let me say that the decision of the county school system does not really affect me.  It might have a small factor in my employer's decision.  Second, I am glad that I am not the one in charge to make the decision.  However, that being stated I have some comments and questions about it.

Wake county was ready to let students go early before the snow, yet with snow on the ground they dragged their feet.  I know that everyone will not be happy.   There are those who say in a blizzard, "Oh the kids can go."  Then others who want nothing to do with the snow.

I never understood the makeup days and having to go for a required amount of days.  I thought makeup days were already in the calendar or there was a grace period of three days.  I can show to something every day and not do a thing.

Why wait until nine at night to make a decision?  What difference is there between five in the afternoon and ten at night?  Odds are it will only get colder.

My main point is make the decision early.  If you goof and there is no severe weather, which has happened, so what.  It is a school system, it is supposed to be hated.

Feeling flaky

Well it did happen.  The snow that is.  I am not sure if it is as much as the weather forecasters were anticipating.  It started sometime last night.  Most of the schools and my place of work were looking for it earlier.  It did snow enough to give me the day off.  I wanted it all or nothing.  I did not want to see any precipitation or I wanted enough to close the building for the day.  I do not like the delays because I have to get out in it.

Early this morning everything was covered in white powder.  The moon made it look bright outside because of the reflection.  That is the snow to enjoy.  I am not much on snow.  I have played in it some when I was young.  Now as an adult I would rather not see it.  It only becomes a complication.

I enjoy the snow when I am not affected by it.

If you have to get out, then be careful.  Or at least send me some snow cream.

Bi polar doors

We have throughout the house bi-fold doors to the closets.  I really despise those doors.  It is so easy to get them off track.  I do not want any in the next house.  Fixing them is always beyond my ability.  I usually have to rely on someone else's expertise.  I think recently we had three that were not working right.  One was fixed by the floor installers.  I am not sure how they did it.  The other the handle was loose.  I did figure that one out.  The last door is still not working properly.

The door I referenced is our coat closet door by the front door.  Awhile back, I guess it is called the top pivot came out.  I noticed the piece on the floor.  I tried a momentarily repair, but was not successful.  So I put the piece aside.  Now I cannot find it.  So I have been to Lowes several times to get the piece.  I cannot get it right.  The first piece seemed too small.  It would not stay in the door.  Plus I had trouble get the cap on it.  I wonder now if it would have worked.  Currently the bi-fold door opens like a regular door.  There is nothing keeping one side in the track.  So I got a bigger piece.  Too big.  It barely fits after several minutes of forcing it in.  However, it will not slide, one of the main functions I need.  So I will have to take that piece back to Lowes.  Hopefully the third time is the charm and it will be just right.

At this point I am ready to get back on track and have it adored again.  If I do not get it this time I may have to fold and hope someone with more knowledge will be available.

Hi Handsome

My hands seem to always been in a rough condition.  During the cold weather especially.  My knuckles dry out and will crack.  Of course there is discoloration. It looks like I have been in a fight.  I always seem to get nicks from something I doing.  I know I have washed and scrubbed my hands plenty of times, yet I still have some paint residue right on the knuckles.  I guess in seeing all the trouble I am having, it is my knuckles.

I have always marveled how people can have such soft hands.  Even most men.  My hands looks scaly and dry.  Yesterday I was putting on a tie for church and could hear the scratching as my hands were moving along the material.

Lotion would help.  I think about putting some on, but often do not.  It would benefit me to grab some and then I would not have such a touchy situation.

Where did it go?

This has been a bizarre week.  Monday was a holiday.  Tuesday early dismissal.  Wednesday a delay.  Thursday was staff days.  Friday was a somewhat normal day.  I am glad the week is over.  Now I have really work.

The main thing that made it a bizarre week was the home improvement.  We had the floor installation guys here Monday installing carpet.  Then back on Tuesday installing the laminate flooring.  I had to lit the pilot light for the furnace two days in a row.

Thursday morning I get up and try to get online.  No connection.  I creep into Ava's room where the router is to reset it.  Nothing happens at the computer.  I try again.  Nothing.  I check the phone.  No dialtone.  I turn on the tv.  I am met with a blank screen.  Of course without the internet I have no way of contacting my cable company.  I know I have a bill somewhere with the information, but it is early in the morning and I do not want to wake anyone up.

I head to the Y and use the internet to find the phone number.  I finally track it down.  Note to companies who provide service, how about putting your contact information on the home page or readily accessible so I do not have to spend ten minutes looking for it?  I call the cable company and get an automated female voice tell me there is a service disruption in my area and engineers are working on it.  OK, I think, that will be resolved.

I tell Wendy when I get home the cable, internet, and phone are out.  The woes of bundling.  The positive news is that Wendy is working that morning and then heading to an eye appointment.  So she will not be home all day.  I am at work myself and think not much of the lack of contact to the outside world.  The problem is that no one was home to call service and get the problem fixed earlier.  I get home that afternoon before Wendy.  Problem, still no phone, no internet, no cable.  I call and get the automated reply the modem needs to be reset and if still nothing call back.  I reset and nothing.  So I call service.  The service tech tells me to completely unplug, which I have done, and that in case she will set up a service request.  The options 10-11, which no one will be home and 2-3, usually nap time.  I take the 2-3 because at least Wendy will be home.  This of course will be on the following day.  And of course I am on the cell phone and the reception cuts out and drops the call.  So I call back.  Fortunately the service call is set.  I am told this time that the signal from the outside is not getting to the equipment, so rebooting will not help.

I report this back to Wendy, who had a long day of her own.  Without the interaction of outside world our house is dull and chaotic at the same time.  After the girls were sent to bed, I pass out and Wendy even goes to bed earlier.

Friday morning, Wendy goes to work and the technician comes in the afternoon.  I get a text from Wendy saying she is "back on the grid."   Apparently an amp from the outside burned out and was not providing the power to the boxes.  Problem solved.  Thankfully.

So after a day and half or more of no internet, phone, or cable we have returned to the land of the electronically living.  I am grateful it happened at a time when we were all away from the house for the most part.