Saturday, August 30, 2008
Dustan turns 30
What more can I say? An uneventful day of cooking and football, everyone came over for crabs and hot wings for lunch while Rebecca and I cooked a turkey dinner. It was lots of fun. We got Dustan group gift for a flying lesson. He was surprised and owned up to the fact that he has to get some cahones before he goes up. Otherwise, all is the same and he doesn't look any worse for the wear. Happy Birthday Sweetie!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Nature
These are some pics I took around the house this afternoon while I was waiting for Ariels' return from school. Quiz questions: What color do you think the zinnia is? And what kind of tree do you think it is?
Home Again
And she's back! And what a smile! She was so proud of herself for going to the big school and making new friends. She was all smiles coming off the bus and Nathaniel was so excited he ran down to greet her and they hugged. It was so cute!
She brought me lots of paperwork and when I asked about her her day she said it was great but couldn't tell me many details unless I asked her specific questions. They are now happily in the bath and getting ready for dinner and an early bedtime to make up for last night's late hour.
First Day of School
Today is Ariel's first day of school. First grade already, and I can hardly believe it. She was so excited to finally be able to ride the big yellow school bus. It was fun and yet a strange feeling to send her on her way.
There was a bit to do in the way of preparation for school this year. We had to register her a month ago and update her shots. We have been doing homeschooling all summer, just to be sure she is up to par with her grade. She had to learn her current address and phone number, her school's name, teacher, bus rules and classroom rules that you normally learn in Kindergarten. She also had to memorize her lunch number, which is a new feature for today's schools. They do it electronically so the kids don't lose their lunch money.
All in all, she was more than ready to go, and now Nathaniel is lonely. And it's only her first day. Poor thing. Just as I started to write this, he was downstairs and started to cry. I went down to see what was the matter, and he said he was scared to be alone and that he didn't want to play by himself. It's going to take some getting used to. For the both of us.
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Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Not your normal day
Yesterday, being Monday, I was drudging the fact that I had to clean, as it's my self-appointed day to be sure the house is in order so I can spend time doing other things throughout the week. Well, Romona got a phone call around 9am from Pa saying he was at the doctor's because of abdomen pain. The doctor wanted him to go immediately to the hospital for tests, so she had to go pick him up and take him there. Awaiting news of this unusual course of the day had anxiety underlining everything I did (or didn't) do that morning. I managed to pay bills, get Ariel to do her schoolwork, clean the bathrooms, eat and serve breakfast, do dishes, laundry, lunch, and vacuuming upstairs before I heard anything from Romona. She called to say that he had a hernia and to call everyone else and let them know what was going on. Later she called to say that they were discharging him and had scheduled an appointment for the doctor to discuss what needed to be done.
Whew. So, meanwhile, Dustan had taken a half day off work to accompany the home inspector while he preused the premises of our soon-to-be home. They found a few things that need to be fixed- including the broken glass in the window in the kitchen (still), a leak from the furnance, faucets that aren't working up to par, and I think that's about it. All fixable things, so now we just have to see how cooperative the sellers are about getting it done.
Well, you might think the story of the day ends here. Nope. After I had swept and mopped the floors, I had dinner to make and after dinner was finally break time for Mommy. It was about 6:30pm and I was sitting at the bar having a snack when Nathaniel came over and said he was hungry and asked for a snack too. Well, I asked him what kind he wanted and I couldn't understand him, and so I told him to look at me when he talks to me, and he wouldn't. He usually is very obliging when asked to do this, as his speech is still not up to speed and he often has to repeat things for others to understand him.
I told him again, and again he wouldn't look and said nothing. *Note to self: this is not normal.* So, I reached down to turn his chin towards me so I could understand him better, and I noticed that his neck seemed to be swollen. So, I felt it. On the side of his neck was a lump and so I checked the other side. Another lump. His neck was so tight. There was severe tension from the back of his ears to his shoulders and all his glands seemed enlarged under his throat and along his neck. I immediately made Dustan feel his neck, who in turn, made Romona come immediately feel his neck. We were all stumped. She called the nurse hotline. They were stumped. She then called our family doctor and left a message. I called the peditrician and left a message. Romona called Aunt Pat, who is a nurse, and she said that perhaps it was related to the mumps, but obviously he needed to be looked at.
We waited more than an hour before the family doctor called back to say he had no idea and that we should go to the emergency room. So we packed up a few things and left. It was 8pm. By this time The swelling had noticeably gotten worse and on the left side the swelling had spread to his jaw, under his chin and down the front of his throat. It was very odd. I was majorly concerned that the inside of his throat might be swelling too, and cause problems with swallowing or even breathing.
When we arrived at the hospital, I relayed the information to the triage nurse, and they got us in to see a doctor within a half hour- hour's time. (Anyone who's ever been to an ER knows that this is very quick.) The doc thought that a CAT scan would be the best idea to see of perhaps there was something lodged somewhere or a cist. I thought that was silly because so many glands were affected, but I also thought it'd be nice to be thorough. So, in came the nurse to give my brave boy his first IV. He did very well with it and only cried a little bit, which is fantastic, especially given the fact he was in pain, hungry, scared and VERY tired as by then it was nearly 10pm. The took 2 vials of blood to be tested for white blood cell count among various other things.
A bit later we were called back for the CAT scan itself and we had already explained how it works to Nathaniel, but he was really scared. He even said so in his little whimpering voice and clung to Dustan. It was so sweet and heartbreaking. They finally convinced him that lying down and taking a ride on it would be fun, and it was. He got a couple of giggles out of it as the nurse took him in all directions before actually putting him in.
He laid perfectly still for the pictures. Everyone thought he was sleeping- including Dustan and me, but when it was done, his eyes immediately opened and he was ready to get out of there. We still had awhile to wait for the test results, so we were shown a room with a bed this time instead of a waiting room, and we nestled down and played the little portable Nintendo. It was midnight when the doctor came in to tell us that the CAT scan showed nothing and that they really weren't sure what was causing it, so they were assuming it was some kind of viral infection. We got a script for a steroid and told to see our peditrician in 3 days or to come back immediately if it got worse.
So we stopped to get the new medicine and then home and in bed at nearly 2am. Dustan thought he was Superman and that he could get up at his usual time of 4:30 for work, but when that alarm went off, he turned it off and back to sleep he went. I, on the other hand tossed and turned after that. Ah well, such is the little annoyances of sharing a room with someone.
As of this morning, Nathaniel could move his head, but not 100% and he said it didn't hurt anymore. As of this evening, after 2 doses of meds and a long nap, he is just fine and running around like the energetic happy little boy that he is. Praise be to God!
Whew. So, meanwhile, Dustan had taken a half day off work to accompany the home inspector while he preused the premises of our soon-to-be home. They found a few things that need to be fixed- including the broken glass in the window in the kitchen (still), a leak from the furnance, faucets that aren't working up to par, and I think that's about it. All fixable things, so now we just have to see how cooperative the sellers are about getting it done.
Well, you might think the story of the day ends here. Nope. After I had swept and mopped the floors, I had dinner to make and after dinner was finally break time for Mommy. It was about 6:30pm and I was sitting at the bar having a snack when Nathaniel came over and said he was hungry and asked for a snack too. Well, I asked him what kind he wanted and I couldn't understand him, and so I told him to look at me when he talks to me, and he wouldn't. He usually is very obliging when asked to do this, as his speech is still not up to speed and he often has to repeat things for others to understand him.
I told him again, and again he wouldn't look and said nothing. *Note to self: this is not normal.* So, I reached down to turn his chin towards me so I could understand him better, and I noticed that his neck seemed to be swollen. So, I felt it. On the side of his neck was a lump and so I checked the other side. Another lump. His neck was so tight. There was severe tension from the back of his ears to his shoulders and all his glands seemed enlarged under his throat and along his neck. I immediately made Dustan feel his neck, who in turn, made Romona come immediately feel his neck. We were all stumped. She called the nurse hotline. They were stumped. She then called our family doctor and left a message. I called the peditrician and left a message. Romona called Aunt Pat, who is a nurse, and she said that perhaps it was related to the mumps, but obviously he needed to be looked at.
We waited more than an hour before the family doctor called back to say he had no idea and that we should go to the emergency room. So we packed up a few things and left. It was 8pm. By this time The swelling had noticeably gotten worse and on the left side the swelling had spread to his jaw, under his chin and down the front of his throat. It was very odd. I was majorly concerned that the inside of his throat might be swelling too, and cause problems with swallowing or even breathing.
When we arrived at the hospital, I relayed the information to the triage nurse, and they got us in to see a doctor within a half hour- hour's time. (Anyone who's ever been to an ER knows that this is very quick.) The doc thought that a CAT scan would be the best idea to see of perhaps there was something lodged somewhere or a cist. I thought that was silly because so many glands were affected, but I also thought it'd be nice to be thorough. So, in came the nurse to give my brave boy his first IV. He did very well with it and only cried a little bit, which is fantastic, especially given the fact he was in pain, hungry, scared and VERY tired as by then it was nearly 10pm. The took 2 vials of blood to be tested for white blood cell count among various other things.
A bit later we were called back for the CAT scan itself and we had already explained how it works to Nathaniel, but he was really scared. He even said so in his little whimpering voice and clung to Dustan. It was so sweet and heartbreaking. They finally convinced him that lying down and taking a ride on it would be fun, and it was. He got a couple of giggles out of it as the nurse took him in all directions before actually putting him in.
He laid perfectly still for the pictures. Everyone thought he was sleeping- including Dustan and me, but when it was done, his eyes immediately opened and he was ready to get out of there. We still had awhile to wait for the test results, so we were shown a room with a bed this time instead of a waiting room, and we nestled down and played the little portable Nintendo. It was midnight when the doctor came in to tell us that the CAT scan showed nothing and that they really weren't sure what was causing it, so they were assuming it was some kind of viral infection. We got a script for a steroid and told to see our peditrician in 3 days or to come back immediately if it got worse.
So we stopped to get the new medicine and then home and in bed at nearly 2am. Dustan thought he was Superman and that he could get up at his usual time of 4:30 for work, but when that alarm went off, he turned it off and back to sleep he went. I, on the other hand tossed and turned after that. Ah well, such is the little annoyances of sharing a room with someone.
As of this morning, Nathaniel could move his head, but not 100% and he said it didn't hurt anymore. As of this evening, after 2 doses of meds and a long nap, he is just fine and running around like the energetic happy little boy that he is. Praise be to God!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Happy Birthday...
.... to my mother-in-law! Yesterday was her birthday. We started the day off sleeping in from the late night before. Then she rode with me to go to Chambersburg to pick up some furniture. On the way there, at the light at the Target in Carlisle- we got rear-ended. A guy behind us in a Ford Ranger had let his foot slip off the brake and RAM! The bumper on the van now has 2 holes in it and the hatch will have to be replaced (can I mention that the van has only been on the road a week here since bringing it back from Germany?). So, we waited awhile for the police to come and when we got that all squared away we headed off to get the furniture.
The people we met there were really nice, and had some old cars they'd bought to redo. One was a Model A and the other was a truck- currently painted orange and green. They loaded up the stuff for us and we went on our way. We stopped at the Sheetz to get a drink, and I'll just mention that something funny happened there when I couldn't get my bottled water opened.
In the evening everyone came over for some carrot cake from Brown's Orchard (yum!) and we had a nice time. Oh yeah, and Wayne blew out all the candles instead of Romona. hahaha very funny stuff.
The people we met there were really nice, and had some old cars they'd bought to redo. One was a Model A and the other was a truck- currently painted orange and green. They loaded up the stuff for us and we went on our way. We stopped at the Sheetz to get a drink, and I'll just mention that something funny happened there when I couldn't get my bottled water opened.
In the evening everyone came over for some carrot cake from Brown's Orchard (yum!) and we had a nice time. Oh yeah, and Wayne blew out all the candles instead of Romona. hahaha very funny stuff.
Knoebels
Friday we went to Knoebels Family Amusement Park- the only park left that is free to enter and enjoy. For those who'd like to, there is a pay -as- you- go plan or a handstamp plan for rides. It had been a Yergo family tradition to do this every August, but in the last few years it hadn't worked out. This year we made it back, and it was great fun with the kids. We sure wore them out. They got to ride everything they wanted all day long. No limits to the fun unlike the visits to festivals where the prices are unreal.
Ariel decided that her favorite was the little roller coaster. That is a favorite of everyone elses too. Nathaniel really loved the Whipper rides- both the cars and the helicopter ones. They didn't ride any of the rides that went up and down in the air. They stuck to the carousels, ball pit, bouncy ring, slides, roller coaster, autos, and bumper cars. We didn't venture into the water park section and we didn't make it to the wet rides like the flume.
When the kids took their turn on the bumper cars, it was hysterical. Ariel was getting too easily frustrated with it and constantly flipped between smiles and laughing to crying. On the other hand, Nathaniel just literally went around in a circle. And more circles. And more. Everyone was telling him turn the wheel the other way- even on the P.A. system. lol He would start to turn the wheel the other way, but not enough to make the car change direction, and so he'd continue to circle round and round. He had lots of fun though!
My brother-in-law Daniel got to experience the thrills of the roller coasters. They have 2 there- both wooden, and they are great fun. He's not fond of coasters, but he eventually got into it and decided he really liked the Twister, which happens to be the fastest one I've ever been.
Ariel and I finished the night off with a ride on the big carousel. She rode the pinto pony and I rode the grey beside her. It was a nice way to finish the night. We then met everyone back at the pavilion and packed up the crew and headed home.
Ariel decided that her favorite was the little roller coaster. That is a favorite of everyone elses too. Nathaniel really loved the Whipper rides- both the cars and the helicopter ones. They didn't ride any of the rides that went up and down in the air. They stuck to the carousels, ball pit, bouncy ring, slides, roller coaster, autos, and bumper cars. We didn't venture into the water park section and we didn't make it to the wet rides like the flume.
When the kids took their turn on the bumper cars, it was hysterical. Ariel was getting too easily frustrated with it and constantly flipped between smiles and laughing to crying. On the other hand, Nathaniel just literally went around in a circle. And more circles. And more. Everyone was telling him turn the wheel the other way- even on the P.A. system. lol He would start to turn the wheel the other way, but not enough to make the car change direction, and so he'd continue to circle round and round. He had lots of fun though!
My brother-in-law Daniel got to experience the thrills of the roller coasters. They have 2 there- both wooden, and they are great fun. He's not fond of coasters, but he eventually got into it and decided he really liked the Twister, which happens to be the fastest one I've ever been.
Ariel and I finished the night off with a ride on the big carousel. She rode the pinto pony and I rode the grey beside her. It was a nice way to finish the night. We then met everyone back at the pavilion and packed up the crew and headed home.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Flabergasted
Yesterday that's what Ariel said she was. I had just gotten on the telephone and she walked in the room and sat down hard on the chair and said, "Mom, I'm flabergasted." She had such a look on her face. You knew she was waiting for a reaction. And she got one alright. It was hysterical! I started cracking up and she was so pleased with herself.
I then asked her if she knew what that means, because you know you should never use words unless you know what they mean. She said (sigh), "It means you just don't know what to think or do. You're just flabergasted." Very good.
And where did she learn this from? I couldn't tell you and she wouldn't say. She is learning new and bigger words everyday from a story book I'm reading to her- things like responsibility, generous, charity, and perserverence but certainly not flabergasted. But adjectives can be so much fun, so why not? These moments are great entertainment!
I then asked her if she knew what that means, because you know you should never use words unless you know what they mean. She said (sigh), "It means you just don't know what to think or do. You're just flabergasted." Very good.
And where did she learn this from? I couldn't tell you and she wouldn't say. She is learning new and bigger words everyday from a story book I'm reading to her- things like responsibility, generous, charity, and perserverence but certainly not flabergasted. But adjectives can be so much fun, so why not? These moments are great entertainment!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Ariel's Big Performance
Last Friday evening Ariel had her first performance ever. It was so great! She was adorable and did very well. She was in the Jump Company down at a church in town that held a summer camp all week long. It was 2.5 hrs everyday, and so they had the chance to learn moves to four different songs. The performance also included the other classes the camp had held also, including puppeteering and ballon making.
Ariel's group opened the show with a fun song. The pastor was praying as the kids all got into position. They were standing still and quiet, and then there was Ariel. She was in the middle in the front and she was jumping up and down waving and smiling with the biggest smile I've ever seen on her face. We were all waving and trying to shush her at the same time, and trying not to laugh. She was so cute and so excited!!
She did very well with her dancing- she got all the moves right, and seemed to be the leader for a lot of the kids. Some of them weren't concentrating or something and missed a few spots. The funny thing was that only her and one other kid (her new girlfriend, Annika) were in the first grade. Everyone else was a lot older than her- 3rd grade to 5th grade.
Those of us who witnessed this will forever remember this night for her and that contagious smile and energy. What a perfectly satisfied and happy little girl she was up on stage.
Ariel's group opened the show with a fun song. The pastor was praying as the kids all got into position. They were standing still and quiet, and then there was Ariel. She was in the middle in the front and she was jumping up and down waving and smiling with the biggest smile I've ever seen on her face. We were all waving and trying to shush her at the same time, and trying not to laugh. She was so cute and so excited!!
She did very well with her dancing- she got all the moves right, and seemed to be the leader for a lot of the kids. Some of them weren't concentrating or something and missed a few spots. The funny thing was that only her and one other kid (her new girlfriend, Annika) were in the first grade. Everyone else was a lot older than her- 3rd grade to 5th grade.
Those of us who witnessed this will forever remember this night for her and that contagious smile and energy. What a perfectly satisfied and happy little girl she was up on stage.
Monday, August 18, 2008
The House
A little bit of a delayed announcement; we got the house we wanted! It is the one I posted about a couple of weeks ago. We had made a second offer on it a week ago, and they finally accepted it after conceding that they've not had anyone else even come look at the place, let alone put a bid on it. Consequently they didn't get what they wanted for it, but we were satisfied with the result. It is by far the best deal we've come across in our months of house hunting.
We don't have any photos of the inside, but I'll get around to posting some after we get settled in. All the paperwork is done and we are just waiting on getting it appraised and then we will schedule a home inspection. As of now the settling date is October 6, which is a Monday, so we will have all that week to prep walls for painting-- which will just be Nathaniel's room and the half bath and office in the basement-- for now anyway.
We don't have any photos of the inside, but I'll get around to posting some after we get settled in. All the paperwork is done and we are just waiting on getting it appraised and then we will schedule a home inspection. As of now the settling date is October 6, which is a Monday, so we will have all that week to prep walls for painting-- which will just be Nathaniel's room and the half bath and office in the basement-- for now anyway.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Housing Crisis
I just thought that the following article I found this morning was interesting;
Foreclosure fallout: Houses go for a $1
Ron French / The Detroit News
DETROIT -- One dollar can get you a large soda at McDonald's, a used VHS movie at 7-Eleven or a house in Detroit.
The fact that a home on the city's east side was listed for $1 recently shows how depressed the real estate market has become in one of America's poorest big cities.
And it still took 19 days to find a buyer.
The sale price of the home may be an anomaly, but illustrates both the depths of the foreclosure crisis in Detroit and the rapid scuttling of vacant homes in some of the city's impoverished neighborhoods.
The home, at 8111 Traverse Street, a few blocks from Detroit City Airport, was the nicest house on the block when it sold for $65,000 in November 2006, said neighbor Carl Upshaw. But the home was foreclosed last summer, and it wasn't long until "the vultures closed in," Upshaw said.
"The siding was the first to go. Then they took the fence. Then they broke in and took everything else."
The company hired to manage the home and sell it, the Bearing Group, boarded up the home only to find the boards stolen and used to board up another abandoned home nearby.
Scrappers tore out the copper plumbing, the furnace and the light fixtures, taking everything of value, including the kitchen sink.
"It about doesn't make sense to put the family out," Upshaw said. "Once people are gone, you're gonna lose the house in this neighborhood."
Tuesday, the home was wide open. Doors leading into the kitchen and the basement were missing, and the front windows had been smashed. Weeds grew chest-high, and charred remains marked a spot where the garage recently burned.
Put on the market in January for $1,100, the house had no lookers other than the squatters who sometimes stayed there at night. Facing $4,000 in back taxes and a large unpaid water bill, the bank that owned the property lowered the price to $1.
$1 sale to cost bank $10,000
While it's not unusual for $1 to be exchanged when property is transferred for legal reasons, listing a home in the Multiple Listing Service for $1 was surprising and unsettling to Kent Colpaert, the listing real estate agent for the property.
"I've never seen a home listed for $1," Colpaert said.
"But it's been hit hard: It's just a shell."
On Tuesday, Realtor.com listed one other single-family home, one duplex and one empty lot at $1 in Detroit.
Dollar property sales are the financial hangover from the foreclosure crisis, said Anthony Viola of Realty Corp. of America in Cleveland.
Lenders that made loans to unqualified buyers during the height of the subprime market now find themselves the owners of whole neighborhoods of vacant, deteriorating homes.
"No one has much sympathy for these banks that made subprime loans," Viola said. "And in some cities like Cleveland, judges aren't letting them sit on the properties -- they're ordering them to tear them down or sell them."
So desperate was the bank owner of 8111 Traverse Street to unload the property that it agreed to pay $2,500 in sales commission and another $1,000 bonus for closing the $1 sale; the bank also will pay $500 of the buyer's closing costs. Throw in back taxes and a water bill, and unloading the house will cost the bank about $10,000.
"It doesn't make sense in some neighborhoods to keep paying costs and costs," Colpaert said. "It can make more financial sense to give it away."
Buyer calls it an investment
Colpaert declined to provide the name of the prospective purchaser, because the deal had not been through closing. The agent did say that the buyer agreed to pay the full list price of $1, and planned to pay cash.
The buyer, a local woman, considers the home to be an investment property and will not live there, Colpaert said, though exactly how soon the buyer can expect to recoup her four-quarter investment is questionable. Replacing the guts of the house will costs tens of thousands of dollars, and the owner will have trouble keeping scrappers from stealing the improvements as quickly as they're installed. Home demolition costs about $5,000, Colpaert said.
Meanwhile, the new owner will owe $3,900 in property taxes in 2009 on her dollar purchase unless she challenges the tax assessment.
While selling a home for the amount of change most people could find between their couch cushions is unusual, some abandoned homes in Detroit sell for $100; vacant lots can be purchased for $300.
"My 14-year-old son could buy a block of Detroit property," said Ann Laciura, senior servicing specialist for the Bearing Group.
You can reach Ron French at (313) 222-2175 or rfrench@detnews.com.
Foreclosure fallout: Houses go for a $1
Ron French / The Detroit News
DETROIT -- One dollar can get you a large soda at McDonald's, a used VHS movie at 7-Eleven or a house in Detroit.
The fact that a home on the city's east side was listed for $1 recently shows how depressed the real estate market has become in one of America's poorest big cities.
And it still took 19 days to find a buyer.
The sale price of the home may be an anomaly, but illustrates both the depths of the foreclosure crisis in Detroit and the rapid scuttling of vacant homes in some of the city's impoverished neighborhoods.
The home, at 8111 Traverse Street, a few blocks from Detroit City Airport, was the nicest house on the block when it sold for $65,000 in November 2006, said neighbor Carl Upshaw. But the home was foreclosed last summer, and it wasn't long until "the vultures closed in," Upshaw said.
"The siding was the first to go. Then they took the fence. Then they broke in and took everything else."
The company hired to manage the home and sell it, the Bearing Group, boarded up the home only to find the boards stolen and used to board up another abandoned home nearby.
Scrappers tore out the copper plumbing, the furnace and the light fixtures, taking everything of value, including the kitchen sink.
"It about doesn't make sense to put the family out," Upshaw said. "Once people are gone, you're gonna lose the house in this neighborhood."
Tuesday, the home was wide open. Doors leading into the kitchen and the basement were missing, and the front windows had been smashed. Weeds grew chest-high, and charred remains marked a spot where the garage recently burned.
Put on the market in January for $1,100, the house had no lookers other than the squatters who sometimes stayed there at night. Facing $4,000 in back taxes and a large unpaid water bill, the bank that owned the property lowered the price to $1.
$1 sale to cost bank $10,000
While it's not unusual for $1 to be exchanged when property is transferred for legal reasons, listing a home in the Multiple Listing Service for $1 was surprising and unsettling to Kent Colpaert, the listing real estate agent for the property.
"I've never seen a home listed for $1," Colpaert said.
"But it's been hit hard: It's just a shell."
On Tuesday, Realtor.com listed one other single-family home, one duplex and one empty lot at $1 in Detroit.
Dollar property sales are the financial hangover from the foreclosure crisis, said Anthony Viola of Realty Corp. of America in Cleveland.
Lenders that made loans to unqualified buyers during the height of the subprime market now find themselves the owners of whole neighborhoods of vacant, deteriorating homes.
"No one has much sympathy for these banks that made subprime loans," Viola said. "And in some cities like Cleveland, judges aren't letting them sit on the properties -- they're ordering them to tear them down or sell them."
So desperate was the bank owner of 8111 Traverse Street to unload the property that it agreed to pay $2,500 in sales commission and another $1,000 bonus for closing the $1 sale; the bank also will pay $500 of the buyer's closing costs. Throw in back taxes and a water bill, and unloading the house will cost the bank about $10,000.
"It doesn't make sense in some neighborhoods to keep paying costs and costs," Colpaert said. "It can make more financial sense to give it away."
Buyer calls it an investment
Colpaert declined to provide the name of the prospective purchaser, because the deal had not been through closing. The agent did say that the buyer agreed to pay the full list price of $1, and planned to pay cash.
The buyer, a local woman, considers the home to be an investment property and will not live there, Colpaert said, though exactly how soon the buyer can expect to recoup her four-quarter investment is questionable. Replacing the guts of the house will costs tens of thousands of dollars, and the owner will have trouble keeping scrappers from stealing the improvements as quickly as they're installed. Home demolition costs about $5,000, Colpaert said.
Meanwhile, the new owner will owe $3,900 in property taxes in 2009 on her dollar purchase unless she challenges the tax assessment.
While selling a home for the amount of change most people could find between their couch cushions is unusual, some abandoned homes in Detroit sell for $100; vacant lots can be purchased for $300.
"My 14-year-old son could buy a block of Detroit property," said Ann Laciura, senior servicing specialist for the Bearing Group.
You can reach Ron French at (313) 222-2175 or rfrench@detnews.com.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Lady Hips
We went swimming again the other day at Aunt Lori's house. This time though, Aunt Rebecca had bought the kids swimsuits with the floating devices in them so to help them swim. Or at least not sink. So, I helped Ariel get hers on. The only problem was that while even though it was as open as it would get, it would not budge any higher than her hips.
Then she said to me, "Mom! It's stuck! It's just not going to work. It doesn't fit!"
So I said, "Well it looks like its because your hips are already grown up."
Ariel replied, "Yeah, I have lady hips now!"
So the rest of the day whenever anyone asked her why she wasn't wearing her new suit, she told them it's because she's grown up and has lady hips! It was so funny. But at 6 years old? Good grief. I hope nothing else 'grownup' happens with her for a very long time!
Then she said to me, "Mom! It's stuck! It's just not going to work. It doesn't fit!"
So I said, "Well it looks like its because your hips are already grown up."
Ariel replied, "Yeah, I have lady hips now!"
So the rest of the day whenever anyone asked her why she wasn't wearing her new suit, she told them it's because she's grown up and has lady hips! It was so funny. But at 6 years old? Good grief. I hope nothing else 'grownup' happens with her for a very long time!
Murdered
Here is an article clip of recent events in my hometown of Battle Creek, Michigan.
A Battle Creek man was critically injured Saturday when he was beaten in what might have started as a road rage incident, Emmett Township police said.
The victim, Shane Parker, 30, was taken to Battle Creek Health System by Lifecare Ambulance and later transferred to Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. Police said late Saturday he remained in very critical condition.
Police said one of two suspects in the incident turned himself about an hour later, was questioned and arrested. Police were searching for a second man, Patrick J. McKeever, 33, of Ceresco.
Anyone with information about McKeever is asked to call Silent Observer at 964-3888.
Several witnesses to the incident also were being questioned, police said.
The assault was reported at 4:04 p.m. at Emmett Street near Dick Street, two blocks east of Raymond Road. Emmett Township Department of Public Safety Director Frank Post said three 911 calls first reported a hit and run accident, then that someone was being chased in a vehicle and finally that a man was down on the side of the road.
Two women in a Jeep were eastbound and told officers they saw Parker stagger from the yard at 946 Emmett St. and into the road. The women stopped their vehicle and the man fell onto the hood of the Jeep and then fell to the pavement.
The incident might have started as a road rage dispute east of where Parker was found but police said the victim of the beating was not originally involved. Parker apparently was injured during a confrontation near where he was found.
Lt. Tony Geigle said witnesses have told officers that everyone involved in the incident knows each other.
The two suspects fled westbound in a vehicle after the incident and Emmett police issued a broadcast to other police agencies to begin searching for the men.
Police said Parker was beaten with fists and a weapon was not believed used. Calhoun County sheriff deputies were assisting.
Trace Christenson can be reached at 966-0685 or tchrist@battlecr.gannett.com.
The followup story to this ends like this: Shane died of his injuries 10hours later in the hospital, leaving behind a girlfriend who is the mother of his 3 daughters.
I do not know how to express my feeling over this in words, as it could be misinterpreted by some. You see, I used to go to school with Shane- starting in Kindergarten. He was my hero. And I think I might have been his only friend besides Jimmy, who passed away several years ago now too. Shane was the kind of kid who got a bad wrap for his older brothers' bad behavior and so everyone saw him through a dirty lense so to speak. And because of all the adults in his life looking down on him and always expecting the worst, he gave it to them with a passion. He was exactly what you saw. The adults saw trouble; I saw a friend who would fight for you till the end; someone who wasn't afraid to be sad with you or put in a lot of effort to make you happy- but only if he liked you. ; ) I think he was the precursor to my obsession for passionate, ambitious men.
He had a hard life growing up, but in no way do I believe this ever gives people a reason to make bad choices themselves- it only explains that they're continuing the cycle of what they've been taught. I'd much rather see them break the reckless chain and make something of themselves-- if only to prove to others that they're better than what everyone else thought of them at one point...
I think Shane did this in some ways-- he stuck with his family as some certain others had not.... he had a softness to his voice and manner that you could tell there was gold underneath; he was a kind person in some ways, but he had an untameable temper, attitude, maybe even paranoia and distrust so inset in him that you just knew his life would be short and end in this violent sort of manner. Thus it was no surprise to me to hear the news, but I am still frustrated that he never came around to the 'good' side of life. I had always secretly had high hopes for him.
In some ways maybe this is a good thing, giving the mother of his children a chance to be raised without the violent moods and harsh, uncaring attitude and provide them with a more stable environment. This is definately a blessing in disguise. I just hope she will take every opportunity this life change has offered her and make her life better and especially make the girls' lives better for it.
Maybe they will remember Shane thru a rose-colored glass, masking the blemishes and be satisfied enough to know that because of him they exist in this world, and I prayerfully ask God that they will find this world full of His glory and grace instead of the violence and frustration so many others find instead.
A Battle Creek man was critically injured Saturday when he was beaten in what might have started as a road rage incident, Emmett Township police said.
The victim, Shane Parker, 30, was taken to Battle Creek Health System by Lifecare Ambulance and later transferred to Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. Police said late Saturday he remained in very critical condition.
Police said one of two suspects in the incident turned himself about an hour later, was questioned and arrested. Police were searching for a second man, Patrick J. McKeever, 33, of Ceresco.
Anyone with information about McKeever is asked to call Silent Observer at 964-3888.
Several witnesses to the incident also were being questioned, police said.
The assault was reported at 4:04 p.m. at Emmett Street near Dick Street, two blocks east of Raymond Road. Emmett Township Department of Public Safety Director Frank Post said three 911 calls first reported a hit and run accident, then that someone was being chased in a vehicle and finally that a man was down on the side of the road.
Two women in a Jeep were eastbound and told officers they saw Parker stagger from the yard at 946 Emmett St. and into the road. The women stopped their vehicle and the man fell onto the hood of the Jeep and then fell to the pavement.
The incident might have started as a road rage dispute east of where Parker was found but police said the victim of the beating was not originally involved. Parker apparently was injured during a confrontation near where he was found.
Lt. Tony Geigle said witnesses have told officers that everyone involved in the incident knows each other.
The two suspects fled westbound in a vehicle after the incident and Emmett police issued a broadcast to other police agencies to begin searching for the men.
Police said Parker was beaten with fists and a weapon was not believed used. Calhoun County sheriff deputies were assisting.
Trace Christenson can be reached at 966-0685 or tchrist@battlecr.gannett.com.
The followup story to this ends like this: Shane died of his injuries 10hours later in the hospital, leaving behind a girlfriend who is the mother of his 3 daughters.
I do not know how to express my feeling over this in words, as it could be misinterpreted by some. You see, I used to go to school with Shane- starting in Kindergarten. He was my hero. And I think I might have been his only friend besides Jimmy, who passed away several years ago now too. Shane was the kind of kid who got a bad wrap for his older brothers' bad behavior and so everyone saw him through a dirty lense so to speak. And because of all the adults in his life looking down on him and always expecting the worst, he gave it to them with a passion. He was exactly what you saw. The adults saw trouble; I saw a friend who would fight for you till the end; someone who wasn't afraid to be sad with you or put in a lot of effort to make you happy- but only if he liked you. ; ) I think he was the precursor to my obsession for passionate, ambitious men.
He had a hard life growing up, but in no way do I believe this ever gives people a reason to make bad choices themselves- it only explains that they're continuing the cycle of what they've been taught. I'd much rather see them break the reckless chain and make something of themselves-- if only to prove to others that they're better than what everyone else thought of them at one point...
I think Shane did this in some ways-- he stuck with his family as some certain others had not.... he had a softness to his voice and manner that you could tell there was gold underneath; he was a kind person in some ways, but he had an untameable temper, attitude, maybe even paranoia and distrust so inset in him that you just knew his life would be short and end in this violent sort of manner. Thus it was no surprise to me to hear the news, but I am still frustrated that he never came around to the 'good' side of life. I had always secretly had high hopes for him.
In some ways maybe this is a good thing, giving the mother of his children a chance to be raised without the violent moods and harsh, uncaring attitude and provide them with a more stable environment. This is definately a blessing in disguise. I just hope she will take every opportunity this life change has offered her and make her life better and especially make the girls' lives better for it.
Maybe they will remember Shane thru a rose-colored glass, masking the blemishes and be satisfied enough to know that because of him they exist in this world, and I prayerfully ask God that they will find this world full of His glory and grace instead of the violence and frustration so many others find instead.
Friday, August 1, 2008
House news
So, we heard the other night from our realtor that the sellers were not interested in our offer. The conceded that they would accept the intial amount we offered, but refused to pay closing costs in the deal. So, there is no agreement and we are back to the drawing board in our search for a home, as the other 2 houses that were at the top of our list had been vetoed off the list altogether.
Today we are scheduled to go look at another place in the same neighborhood as the 1st house. It's in the Sherman Oaks development, next to John Rudy Park in Mt. Wolf. We are excited because although it appears that the basement isn't finished, it is significantly less in price. We shall see why that might be in comparison to others in the neighborhood.
Today we are scheduled to go look at another place in the same neighborhood as the 1st house. It's in the Sherman Oaks development, next to John Rudy Park in Mt. Wolf. We are excited because although it appears that the basement isn't finished, it is significantly less in price. We shall see why that might be in comparison to others in the neighborhood.
Happy Birthday to me
So, yesterday was my 29th birthday, and lots of people gave me a hard time. About being old? What are they possibly talking about when they are all twice my age?? Maybe they have suffered memory loss themselves from old age....
The day was a bit on the slow side. Nathaniel still was not feeling himself, and was having his 3rd day of a fever. So we took it easy for awhile. Romona brought Dominic over to play for the day and we took a short visit to Ashcombes for some parsley and ice cream. Nice mix, eh? We then picked up some BK for lunch and went home for naps.
Last night everybody came over for some games, pizza, stromboli and cake. We had lots of fun celebrating.
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