Our final week before taking our first really big step toward living more sustainably and more proactively with all that's going on in the world.
Moving to Ely from Las Vegas does feel like a very proactive move, at least to me. Less of our energy (work) will go toward the same expenses (rent, utilites, gasoline, etc.) We'll have more energy and time to put toward learning the million things we need to learn in order to be prepared for the difficult times that I can smell coming.
It's such a daunting, overwhelmingly huge task to think about preparing for what could very well be a total upheaval. Dick Cheney said something once along the lines of 'the American Way is nonnegotiable.' That statement is so startlingly arrogent it's hard to know where to start. Is our vice-president honestly suggesting that American over-consumption--using far far more than our fair share--is non-negotiable?
It seems to me that Americans have lost their sense of rebellion. There is this prevasive mindset that has caught most of us up--the idea that the individual person can't make a difference. It doesn't matter if I take the bus, since everyone else is driving SUVs. It doesn't matter if I eat organic, since the majority of food sold in my grocery store is still conventionally grown. Why should I recycle when there are only a tiny handful of bins out in my neighborhood on recyling day?
What we need is a movement. Organization. We need to make it cool to live a different way. And for God's sake, we really need our leaders to stop suggesting that change is actually unamerican. Our president has been saying over and over that limits on emmissions won't happen--that the ingenuity of a few will save us all. Hogwash. We're in this together. It will take the ingenuity of our entire nation to fix things here--and the rest of the world will notice, and with any luck, follow suit.
I got a call today about a job interview in Ely, for a position as a special education teacher's assistance. The pay isn't fantastic, but the benefits are, and that's important since Kevin's job doesn't offer any. The interview is Friday--keep your fingers crossed for me, eh?
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Thursday, March 22, 2007
House--still
We made the offer day before yesterday. Hopefully we'll hear something today. Waiting is driving me insane, but I guess it's a good exercise in patience.
Another house came on the market yesterday, on the same street just a block down. It's newer, bigger, (five bedrooms vs. three in the one we made an offer on) and in better repair. They're asking $165,000 and offering $5,000 cash back if you pay the full price. That's effectively $160,000. Makes me feel better about the price we offered, and shores up our decision about what price we won't go over.
I found a bunkbed on Craig's List for a hundred bucks including the mattresses. The little apartment we're renting is so tiny, Adrienne and Nick are going to have to share a room for a couple of months. They're both going to hate it, and I don't blame them, but we have to do what we have to do. So they'll use the bunks and then when we move into a house Nick can have them in his room. Or Ruby can.
I have a lot to say about a lot of stuff, and I'm sorry that I haven't gotten into much beyond my own housing situation yet. I will, I promise. Just as soon as I have a second to think about something beyond where my family will live.
Another house came on the market yesterday, on the same street just a block down. It's newer, bigger, (five bedrooms vs. three in the one we made an offer on) and in better repair. They're asking $165,000 and offering $5,000 cash back if you pay the full price. That's effectively $160,000. Makes me feel better about the price we offered, and shores up our decision about what price we won't go over.
I found a bunkbed on Craig's List for a hundred bucks including the mattresses. The little apartment we're renting is so tiny, Adrienne and Nick are going to have to share a room for a couple of months. They're both going to hate it, and I don't blame them, but we have to do what we have to do. So they'll use the bunks and then when we move into a house Nick can have them in his room. Or Ruby can.
I have a lot to say about a lot of stuff, and I'm sorry that I haven't gotten into much beyond my own housing situation yet. I will, I promise. Just as soon as I have a second to think about something beyond where my family will live.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Not My House--Yet
Kevin and I found some pictures I took in August of the house I've been talking about. I haven't seen it since November (expect driving by it when Nick and I were in Ely last month.) I'm in love with it all over again, which is not good. I need to back off and not be so emotionally attached. I need to stop saying "my house." Even if it does feel like my house, and I can't imagine anyone else living in it.
I tried to call the realtor today and somehow ended up dialing a different realty office. I strongly believe there are no mistakes in the universe. I spoke to the woman I accidently dialed. She was very nice, even though she knew I couldn't hire her after letting the other realtor show us houses for a year she gave me a good twenty minutes of her time.
Anyway, this woman, Cherry, said that she knew the house and the people who own it. They are difficult, she said. If they have the idea that their house is worth a certain amount, it will be hard to negotiate them down. She said was shocked at what they are asking. She also said that in the seven months it's been on the market, not one of her clients has wanted to see it. As proof that the amazing wonder-yard is totally private, she had no clue at all it was back there. When I mentioned it, she said "maybe we aren't talking about the same house."
So tomorrow I'm calling our realtor to arrange a verbal offer, so that we can sign the papers when we're up there in two weeks. We'll offer $120,000 and I'm going to have faith that if they won't realize how fair that offer is, for a house they would have been happy to sell for $80,000 just two years ago, then it isn't my house after all.
This is so nerve wracking.
I also went to the dentist today, because one of my temporary caps fell off. I'm having the permanent ones put in on Monday next week, before we move. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to get thee to the dentist. The world is in obvious turmoil. Who knows what services will be available in a post Peak Oil world? When I think about it, visions of Tom Hanks and an ice skate give me the heebie jeebies. Better to go into the great unknown with a healthy mouth and good oral hygine habits. Floss, baby. A lot. (But not if you have temporary crowns that might just pop right off.)
I tried to call the realtor today and somehow ended up dialing a different realty office. I strongly believe there are no mistakes in the universe. I spoke to the woman I accidently dialed. She was very nice, even though she knew I couldn't hire her after letting the other realtor show us houses for a year she gave me a good twenty minutes of her time.
Anyway, this woman, Cherry, said that she knew the house and the people who own it. They are difficult, she said. If they have the idea that their house is worth a certain amount, it will be hard to negotiate them down. She said was shocked at what they are asking. She also said that in the seven months it's been on the market, not one of her clients has wanted to see it. As proof that the amazing wonder-yard is totally private, she had no clue at all it was back there. When I mentioned it, she said "maybe we aren't talking about the same house."
So tomorrow I'm calling our realtor to arrange a verbal offer, so that we can sign the papers when we're up there in two weeks. We'll offer $120,000 and I'm going to have faith that if they won't realize how fair that offer is, for a house they would have been happy to sell for $80,000 just two years ago, then it isn't my house after all.
This is so nerve wracking.
I also went to the dentist today, because one of my temporary caps fell off. I'm having the permanent ones put in on Monday next week, before we move. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to get thee to the dentist. The world is in obvious turmoil. Who knows what services will be available in a post Peak Oil world? When I think about it, visions of Tom Hanks and an ice skate give me the heebie jeebies. Better to go into the great unknown with a healthy mouth and good oral hygine habits. Floss, baby. A lot. (But not if you have temporary crowns that might just pop right off.)
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Keeping Me Up At Night
There is a house I love in Ely. This is a problem for me, because I have this tendancy to set my mind and heart on something and get it--regardless of whether or not I should.
The house is unusual, which is what I love about it. In Las Vegas nearly every house looks the same--white stucco and a red tile roof. It's hideous. There is no character. The house I love (I'm struggling not to type 'my house') has a pink 50s kitchen, seriously just out of I Love Lucy with metal cabinets and a turquoise formica counter. It has this weird living room that currently resembles a car show room--huge and cold with three big sliding glass doors facing the front of the house. With some work it will be an amazing room. The backyard is magic to me. It's totally unexpected--a half acre yard that you can't tell is there from the front of the house. It has a barn, inside the barn is a wagon! It has another building, perfect for a chicken coop. It's utterly overgrown, wild. I love it.
Also the house has a history that I like. The same couple lived in it for sixty years, and loved it. It went into disrepair over the last ten years, without anyone taking care of it. It has a good vibe, if you know what I mean. It needs someone to love it again.
No one has made an offer on the house, or even looked at it seriously, since it's been on the market (about seven months.) Two years ago the owners had it on the market for $80,000, and were unable to sell it. Now they want $189,000. It's way over priced, considering how much work it needs (a new furnace, some wiring work, carpet in one room.)
So I was up until 2 a.m. tossing and turning and thinking about this house. I want to offer $80,000 and see what happens. Or maybe $100,000. The housing market is in decline, and I don't want to buy the last overpriced home sold before it tumbles. I don't want to spend $160,000 or $170,000 on a house that in two years is going to be worth $80,000--even after all the work we'd put into it.
The positives about this house are:
1. It's one block from Adrienne and Nick's grandparents and their school.
2. The yard is huge, plenty big enough to grow a lot of food, and utterly private. No one would know what we were doing back there, or even that we could do anything back there, from looking at the front of the house. There is also no way into the backyard from the front of the house.
3. It's an unusual house.
4. It's two blocks from Kevin's work.
The cons:
1. It's not in good repair and needs significant work, including major landscaping in the back.
2. It's overpriced by quite a lot.
I want to be sure. I want a crystal ball that will tell me whether or not this house is a good house to be in when TSHTF. Will we be able to hold on to it, afford it, when worse comes to worse? Will I feel sick knowing we paid too much when the prices come back to Earth, or will I not care because it's my house? If we can get them to lower the price significantly, will we be able to keep up with the declining market by making the house more desireable? Does it matter, since the bond loan we're getting requires us to stay in the house for nine years or face a stiff tax?
Honestly, this stuff is enough to drive a girl crazy.
The house is unusual, which is what I love about it. In Las Vegas nearly every house looks the same--white stucco and a red tile roof. It's hideous. There is no character. The house I love (I'm struggling not to type 'my house') has a pink 50s kitchen, seriously just out of I Love Lucy with metal cabinets and a turquoise formica counter. It has this weird living room that currently resembles a car show room--huge and cold with three big sliding glass doors facing the front of the house. With some work it will be an amazing room. The backyard is magic to me. It's totally unexpected--a half acre yard that you can't tell is there from the front of the house. It has a barn, inside the barn is a wagon! It has another building, perfect for a chicken coop. It's utterly overgrown, wild. I love it.
Also the house has a history that I like. The same couple lived in it for sixty years, and loved it. It went into disrepair over the last ten years, without anyone taking care of it. It has a good vibe, if you know what I mean. It needs someone to love it again.
No one has made an offer on the house, or even looked at it seriously, since it's been on the market (about seven months.) Two years ago the owners had it on the market for $80,000, and were unable to sell it. Now they want $189,000. It's way over priced, considering how much work it needs (a new furnace, some wiring work, carpet in one room.)
So I was up until 2 a.m. tossing and turning and thinking about this house. I want to offer $80,000 and see what happens. Or maybe $100,000. The housing market is in decline, and I don't want to buy the last overpriced home sold before it tumbles. I don't want to spend $160,000 or $170,000 on a house that in two years is going to be worth $80,000--even after all the work we'd put into it.
The positives about this house are:
1. It's one block from Adrienne and Nick's grandparents and their school.
2. The yard is huge, plenty big enough to grow a lot of food, and utterly private. No one would know what we were doing back there, or even that we could do anything back there, from looking at the front of the house. There is also no way into the backyard from the front of the house.
3. It's an unusual house.
4. It's two blocks from Kevin's work.
The cons:
1. It's not in good repair and needs significant work, including major landscaping in the back.
2. It's overpriced by quite a lot.
I want to be sure. I want a crystal ball that will tell me whether or not this house is a good house to be in when TSHTF. Will we be able to hold on to it, afford it, when worse comes to worse? Will I feel sick knowing we paid too much when the prices come back to Earth, or will I not care because it's my house? If we can get them to lower the price significantly, will we be able to keep up with the declining market by making the house more desireable? Does it matter, since the bond loan we're getting requires us to stay in the house for nine years or face a stiff tax?
Honestly, this stuff is enough to drive a girl crazy.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Me and mine
I heard about Peak Oil six months ago. My life hasn't been the same since.
I guess I'm starting this blog as a way of feeling my way through the strange changes the next few years surely hold.
I have a husband, Kevin. Three kidlings--Adrienne is 14, Nick is 13 and Ruby is 2. Today we live in Las Vegas. In two weeks we'll be living in Ely, a rural Northeastern Nevada town. We're renting a tiny two-bedroom apartment for the kids and I. Kevin is staying for three months in Vegas with his parents to work and put away a little money before his job starts in July.
There is a house I love in Ely. One with a magical backyard that calls to me. I'm way too emotionally attached to it, and I'm working on being over that before we get to Ely and make an offer on the house. We're planning on offering half of what they're asking. That's $95,000 for a house they want $190,000 for. Two years they wanted $80,000 and were unable to sell it.
So welcome to the ride.
I guess I'm starting this blog as a way of feeling my way through the strange changes the next few years surely hold.
I have a husband, Kevin. Three kidlings--Adrienne is 14, Nick is 13 and Ruby is 2. Today we live in Las Vegas. In two weeks we'll be living in Ely, a rural Northeastern Nevada town. We're renting a tiny two-bedroom apartment for the kids and I. Kevin is staying for three months in Vegas with his parents to work and put away a little money before his job starts in July.
There is a house I love in Ely. One with a magical backyard that calls to me. I'm way too emotionally attached to it, and I'm working on being over that before we get to Ely and make an offer on the house. We're planning on offering half of what they're asking. That's $95,000 for a house they want $190,000 for. Two years they wanted $80,000 and were unable to sell it.
So welcome to the ride.
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