Of Clampettes and Maui

The Clampettes are movin to Maui.  OK not really but close (ish).

We are in a CONTRACT..  and the peasants rejoice (yea)..

On Saturday we finally entered into a contract on a nice little house. A bit smaller than what we are in now but to my liking and in a MUCH better neighborhood.  Close to what will be Kaylee's new school (she starts kindergarten in August) within walking distance.  And work is now only 1.4 miles (according to google) away.  So with that whole math thing.  I "should" be able to go almost an entire month on 1 tank of gas.  Yea right and pigs might fly out my butt.. I mean if I never went anywhere other than work and home.  Which for the next few months might be the case.  I can feel the vacuum that is a home purchase already taking effect on my bank account.

This is what I can't believe.  We found a selling agent with morals.  WHAT????  Yup, they do exist.

They looked at our offer which was for asking (and what the house will actually appraise at) and accepted it within hours of submission. A lovely little 4bdr 2.5 bath 1435 sqft home.  with REALLY nice landscaping.  Kim and I get separate offices (BONUS).

We even managed to do a little recon after the office was accepted.  The owners wanted to go through with the open house they had scheduled for Sunday.  So we went.  Why not.  The selling agent had never met us, so we went in undercover to see what would happen.  To our surprise Mr. Morals was just that.  We were greeted at the front door with a pamphlet  and the statement "We are currently under contract as of yesterday"  YES!!  " But fell free to look around".  So I started chatting with Chad (agent) and told him our tale of constant outbidding on all of the previous housing purchase attempts.  He informed me that the offer they accepted was for asking and if they had had a bidding war offer (you know those 20-30k over asking to "get in" offers) that they would have turned it down as the house wouldn't appraise for that and they didn't want to have to re-negotiate the contract.  You Go Mr. Morals!! 

See..  Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus.

So, now I can stop pouring over listings every waking hour of the day.  Am I sleeping any better?  NO.  Not until my posterior is sitting on my couch looking through the screen door my puppy is bound to destroy (I have faith in her) in our new home.

We are to close on July 1.  When I know for sure it's going to happen I will post the new address as well as sending out change of address cards.  I there any of my readers out there with a letterpress that wants some work???

Derrick

And the hunt goes on

So, yes I'm still hanging around.  Yes, I'm still sending our stuff albeit at a much slower pace right now.  and YES house hunting is the most time consuming and frustrating thing I have done in YEARS.

Child rearing is not this frustrating.  I'm not sure how many of you guys have gone through this process but for all the stories in the press stating the housing market sucks, they should try to be out there searching for one.

While the NEW construction sector might be in a downturn, the existing market is BOOMING.

We live in the Sacramento area which is fairly spread out.  Much like any urban/suburban area all over the country.. out instead of up in the city.  There are good and bad areas like anywhere.

Now one would think that your spouse, who has lived in this town/city/area for the past 30+ years would know the city.  Might even know how to get from point A to point B  (yes I'm making a sexist remark here).

So here is the problem when you are having your significant other searching for houses using various real estate searches on the internet or ipad app.  While she is finding houses, she is neglecting to actually look at the MAP on the SAME PAGE and zoom out a bit to actually show where that house is.

Ooooo  Look at this one..  Dear that house is at the end of the runway..  Oh.

Ooooo Look at this one..  How fond are you of backyard train sets.  Because it's going to seem like we have one in our room at 2 am.  Oh.

Oooooo... Look at this one.. Fan of helicopters??  Cause I can guarantee you be hearing them at least 3 times a week with a loud speaker yelling GET ON THE GROUND..  Oh..

So this has been my life for the past 2 months.  So while I have not been posting much lately, I have been busy :)

So bear with folks, I can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Hopefully it's not an officer shining a light in my face asking me to step back from the ledge.

And with that, I promise to at least keep ya'll up to date on my pending mental trial (I think it's scheduled for mid July) on my ongoing housing saga.

more to come..  getting ready for another mass mailing (think horseys and indians)

Of AWOL and Hunting

Just a quick note to let you know I haven't fallen off the edge of the earth (it's round silly).

House hunting (Adventure is out there).  I would never wish this process on my worst enemy.

For those of you who have never had the "pleasure" of house hunting (buying) you are in for a taste delight like no other, or smells delight for that matter.

So with that - update coming this weekend - new mail. 

Kim and I are off to Reno this week for our 10th wedding anniversary. Hopefully in a housing contract :)

Till Next time

Derrick

Of Taxes and Winners

So here we are on lovely tax Sunday, April 15th.  Yes I know that it was pushed until Tuesday because it fell on a weekend.  Doesn't make it anymore pleasurable.

We are still recovering from that lovely year and a half of out of work time for me.

So with that cheery note.  Bring on the WINNER for the baseball giveaway.

There is one big winner and I have a bunch of the lapel pins that I will be sending out to the folks that actually sent me in letters with baseball memories.

This was a fun contest for me, as I really enjoyed the incoming stories that people wrote about.

So without dragging this our further.  The Winner is..  SHANNAH!!

Random.org number pull from everyone in the contest.  13 people eligible (out of 80 cards sent, not bad really).

So, what did Shannan win?

20 prestamped cards

A full sheet of one of the 2 stamps below.  The Rube Foster sheet is a .44c and the Take Me Out To the Ball Game sheet is .42c (now why couldn't they make THESE Forever stamps?)

And lastly, the stamp above was also made into a lapel pin and she will get one of those as well.

So here is the BIG question.  I have 4 things in the hopper for future giveaways.  All based on time tables.  As well as when ever the move happens (have I mentioned before house hunting sucks).

1. Something to do with cowboys (this will happen around Sept.) to coincide with the end of the Pony Express.  To include some REALLY cool stuff.  Postcards, book, poster and a bunch of Pony Express stuff.  

I live in Sacramento, the end of the line for the pony express.  During the fall, we have Gold Rush days.  During which, they hold a running of the pony express through town, ending at the Wells Fargo office in Old Sacramento.  I will be getting a whole bunch of mail with the pony express cancellation on them at that time.  

Going to have to make this one interesting as the giveaway is a good one.

2. Halloween.  I'll leave your imagination up for that one.  I have all of the pieces in place for that.

3. Field Notes Brand.  I am a big fan of these little notebooks and have been purchasing them for the past 2 years.  They just came out with a new box set for spring and I will be sending this out to someone sometime in May/June me thinks.  Still have to put it together with something else and figure what the mailing will be. 

4.  My regular "Box/Tube of Krap/Movie" Giveaways that will be a rolling thing as I purge for the move.

With that, do you guys have anything you would like to see up for grabs.  I'm game :)

Of Zombies, Mail and Housing

Well greetings campers!  It's a great day here at Camp Little Big Mosquito.  Hope everyone got a good nights sleep.

Things here have been rolling along and the house hunting continues.  I can't wait till this is all done as the mileage is killing the bank account.  Driving to homes that are no longer available and unknown until you get back to write an offer.."I'm sorry, we sent you there to see a house that was already off the market because we could".  Is it still illegal to shoot people?

Until the housing situation settles, I may be a bit slow in responding.  I assure you though if you write, I WILL write back.  Campers honor.

So with that on to MAIL CALL!!..  No Johnny, you still haven't gotten anything from your mom!

First up DODSON, D!!

From Ms Patty (who emerges from the ashes like the recycling phoenix) , who reminds us to never totally throw out that junk mail.  And SEE.. I was Pre-Selected! cause I'm special..

DODSON, D !!.. Another..  Stop whining you'll get something janice.

This is from a new sender Ms Marie, this is one of her drawings which was also on the letter she sent me. Quite nice.  She wants a hand made postcard from me.  So let it be written, so let it be done!  See how I worked in that whole ten commandments thing.. Subtle huh?

DODSON, D!!

This one comes from Elle (mental).  I wish I could show you the other side.  Alas it did not fair well in the mail.  There must have been some rain somewhere (it's all Limners fault).

DODSON, D!!  (I'm starting to make the other kids kinda mad)

This one comes from Lainey.  It's my first card from Jamaica (she sent 2).  Both cards were very scenic and both with Mr. Marley on them but different stamps.  I'll post the other card next time.

DODSON, D!  STOP IT.  He has people that like him.  Maybe if you stopped putting worms in the girls sleeping bags.

From Ms. Rebecca in London (GMD) another notebook/paper fan.  Working on her reply this week.

DODSON, K (HA Gotcha, thought I was just gonna run it into the ground!)

These next few were for Kaylee, Now how can you go wrong with swimming pigs.  The first thing both she and I thought of was Nanny McPhee Returns.

From The Netherlands (postcrossing).

From Ms. Keli, (GMD) with whom I am sharing a Circle Journal.

From Ms. Juli (GMD).  On a recent trip to the Postal Museum.  From the Titanic and Hindenberg Exhibit.  Going on from March 22, 2012 - January 6, 2014 (You've got time)

From Ms. Sharon.  Really like the Owney stamp (not cancelled)

From Ms Bean.  And my absolute favorite this round and hanging on my wall from my baseball mailing.  The "card" is a round cut and decorated on both sides.  Came in a clear plastic cd case.  Ms. Bean lives in Reno.  They also have a triple A team there (Reno Aces) that play in the same division as the Sacramento Rivercats (also triple A).  She writes to tell me of the memories she has of watching the Detroit Tigers (MY TEAM!!) play ball with her dad and grandfather.  

Like I said.  Take your kids to the ball park folks.  It is a memory they will NEVER forget.

Well  I hope ya'll had a great zombie day yesterday and don't forget that the drawing for the baseball giveaway is this weekend.  I have to get that out of the way t start on the next one and it's gonna be HUGE..  Hint.  cowboys.  That's all you get till you start seeing the cards coming in.  I "almost" have enough.  Stamps in possession, cards are getting there.

So remember campers.  Keep that mosquito repellent handy and lights out at 10..  

Movie 3 pack winner

And the winner of the movie 3 pack is Limner.  Congrats.  I have emailed the codes to you.

Have some fun this weekend away from the drawing board.

So.  The rules were.
1. Follow
2. comment on this question/statement.  "You must finish this line in your comment: Jack be nimble, jack be quick, jack___."


Of the folks that commented 5, were eligible.

On to random.org

And there ya have it.   Winer, Winner, junk food for dinner.  Happy movie viewing Limner.

I will be doing these every 2-3 weeks when I have enough certs for at least 2 movies.  Stay tuned..

Get ready, Get set, Movie TIME!!

It's movie giveaway time.  I have a 3 pack for this weekend.  I will send a PDF with the codes to the lucky winner.


But Derrick, you say.  How can you offer us such great deals??  There must be a catch.

If you buy NOW, I'll toss in not one, not two but THREE movies.  all for the low low price of NADA!!


NO, it can't be that easy.. But it is!  NO, Really.. Yea really..

You must finish this line in your comment: Jack be nimble, jack be quick, jack___.

As always, follow the blog and comment.

Behind ethernet connection 1 we have Tower Heist.  Starring Ben Still and Eddie Murphy.

When a group of hard working guys find out they've fallen victim to a wealthy business man's Ponzi scheme, they conspire to rob his high-rise residence.

Behind switch connection #2 we have Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.  Starring Gary Oldman

In the bleak days of the Cold War, espionage veteran George Smiley is forced from semi-retirement to uncover a Soviet agent within MI6.

And on Nic 3 (see  geeky guy) we have HOP.  Starring Russel Brand.

E.B., the Easter Bunny's teenage son, heads to Hollywood, determined to become a drummer in a rock 'n' roll band. In LA, he's taken in by Fred after the out-of-work slacker hits E.B. with his car.

This is a VERY cute movie and on a re watch scale I give it a 4 out of 5 with the kiddies.

Answer to the question.  "jack missed the candle stick and now must find a proctologist."

Contest entry ends on Friday March 30 at midnight.  This way you will have your codes on Sat morning for your weekend movies marathon.