W2R
Moderator Emeritus
+1
I selfishly enjoy the holiday stuff that others put up, and do zero of that myself.
I figure I've BTDT, when my daughter was a little girl and now that I am older, I have a "pass", so to speak.
What did you do today? 2016 version
- Thread starter Huston55
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+1
I selfishly enjoy the holiday stuff that others put up, and do zero of that myself.
I figure I've BTDT, when my daughter was a little girl and now that I am older, I have a "pass", so to speak.
Souschef
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Railroad
I will be working the caboose on a local tourist railroad. We put people up in the cupola for the trip and they love it
http://www.fwry.com
I will be working the caboose on a local tourist railroad. We put people up in the cupola for the trip and they love it
http://www.fwry.com
W2R
Moderator Emeritus
I had a guest bedroom like that, that was hardly ever used, at my last house, which had 3 bedrooms (so I had a guest bedroom and a study). It took up well over 10% of the square footage at my home, and really wasn't something that anybody particularly needed when visiting me. So, even though it is conventional to maintain a guest bedroom, in my case it seemed pretty useless.
The new house is a 2 bedroom, so I set up the extra bedroom as the study and eliminated the guest bedroom. I decided that guests can either stay at a nearby motel, or I can offer them a nice, comfy blow-up air mattress in the study. It's not the wild west and there are several nice motels within walking distance of my home.
Hermit
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
My old motor home living space is roughly 8x32 feet or 256 sq ft. I've been living in it for going on to two years. That is pretty small for just one person.
Had two house guests last night. That meant the sofa and dinette were both folded down into beds. That makes for very tight quarters, but when it is below zero outside, anywhere that is heated is comfortable!
harley
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Finally had decent weather (no rain, warm temps) so I went kayaking on the Estero River. Found a nice beehive on a branch about 20 feet over the river. It was about 5 feet across on a large branch.
It was hard getting a decent picture since the river was running so fast from the big storm yesterday. I need to get an anchor.
It was hard getting a decent picture since the river was running so fast from the big storm yesterday. I need to get an anchor.
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I bet that's fun to do. A bit far for me though so I'll have to pass.
Wow, I've never seen a beehive that big!
Souschef
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I volunteered on the Filmore and Western Railway in the caboose. Had passengers go up into the cupola for a better view. It was in the mid 60's here. One of our passengers was from Minnesota and said it was like summer here
http://www.fwry.com
http://www.fwry.com
Philliefan33
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Most days I think I take my good fortune (being ERed) for granted. But just now, as I look out at the snow and hear the forecast for tomorrow morning (bitter cold windchill), I am very happy that neither one of us has to go out tomorrow. I'm getting ready to cook a nice dinner and we will nestle in for the night without having to think of an alarm clock or a cold commute.
Lisa99
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It's been a long weekend. Dad's memorial service was yesterday and today I've been working on getting our post-job health insurance.
We are off exchange for this year so I was able to get a UHC PPO HSA plan for about $675 and our current doc is on it.
I'm ready to sleep now... maybe for a couple of days
We are off exchange for this year so I was able to get a UHC PPO HSA plan for about $675 and our current doc is on it.
I'm ready to sleep now... maybe for a couple of days
It's DHs birthday weekend - so I've been cooking. We have a pork roast in the crockpot, Italian Cream cake in the fridge, and bread is rising. Tonight we're having family over for a nice birthday party.
traineeinvestor
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Rounded out the last few weeks of my forties by doing the Hong Kong marathon yesterday. Slow (very slow) and wet but great to be out there again after a three year absence for one reason or another. 
Ronstar
Moderator Emeritus
Rounded out the last few weeks of my forties by doing the Hong Kong marathon yesterday. Slow (very slow) and wet but great to be out there again after a three year absence for one reason or another.
Congrats! Taking it slow is ok - it's a great accomplishment just to finish.
Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum
W2R
Moderator Emeritus
Did some retail shopping after the market plummeted Friday, ended up buying a townhome. That's one way to re-allocate my assets I lost more in the market since Jan than this house costs... that's hard for me to wrap my head around. If nothing else it will keep me busy for the next few months.
I lost more in the market since Jan than this house costs... that's hard for me to wrap my head around. If nothing else it will keep me busy for the next few months.
W2R
Moderator Emeritus
Did some retail shopping after the market plummeted Friday, ended up buying a townhome. That's one way to re-allocate my assets
Congratulations on your new townhome! What is it like? Where is it relative to where you live now, nearby or in another community? When will closing be? When will you move? Mortgage or cash? Bigger or smaller than your present home? I am SO excited for you.
Congratulations on your new townhome! What is it like? Where is it relative to where you live now, nearby or in another community? When will closing be? When will you move? Mortgage or cash? Bigger or smaller than your present home? I am SO excited for you.
Thanks for asking, I'm excited. Closing Feb 28th. Will move in as soon as we replace the tub for a large shower. Its 10 minutes from where we live; closer to Coscto/Trader Joes/Farmers markets/Downtown/walking trails, etc. I'm putting 25% down, and my boyfriend is getting 2.75% financing (basically free money) on the rest. At 1266 sq ft, its 1/2 the size of the house I had in Chicago but 200 sq ft bigger than the place we are renting and its 2 bed, 2 1/2 bath. It should save us ~$500+/month in cash flow and I figure 18 months to break and we plan to stay for 5.
I'll just be glad to get back to hardwood floors and a large kitchen with nice maple 42 inch cabinets. I miss having a pantry. The kitchen, master and living room are all 14x14 or bigger so decent size and the only 3 rooms we really will use. Tons of storage for a tiny house as they have an attached storage shed, walk up attic and storage under the stairs. The funny thing is my honey is probably most excited that the new place has new fancy washer/dryer. He does the laundry and I was always too cheap to buy the fancy units but these came with the sale so win/win.
The weirdest thing I learned about NC is that houses here are priced solely by liveable SQ FT. Appraisers are basically ignoring upgrades completely as "designer choices" and they ignore storage. So you can find sweet deals on fully upgraded houses. Like next door the 3 bedrooms are $60k more for what amounts to a finished basement they put a bed/bath in. I personally wouldn't pay for a basement bedroom unless it was a walkout, but again "designer choice". My family was like but if we want to come stay for a week. umm for $60k I can put you up at a very nice hotel for over a year straight and I don't have to clean that.
Another replacement credit card from Fidelity. This has now become a yearly event. This time they called and gave two weeks warning, but then shut the card down this morning, with one bogus charge for $900. With the possibility of some foreign travel ahead, I think it's time to look into a new card.
Good thing most of my autopays are on a different card.
Good thing most of my autopays are on a different card.
W2R
Moderator Emeritus
Woo-hoo!
Thanks for answering my many questions. I am SO excited for you and really happy to read that your closing will happen so quickly. Keep us updated. I am SUCH a real estate junkie and love to read about other peoples' real estate adventures and moves. Woo-hoo!
btw, they claimed you can close in 7 days here... I found that insane but the agents said it was totally doable. Real estate is crazy here with houses lasting only 2-5 days on market. I would have pushed closing out, but was told I'd lose the house if I did.
W2R
Moderator Emeritus
Wow! The real estate market has been really "hot" here lately, too, though maybe not as hot as in your location. Still, I had my present house under contract before it ever even hit the realtors' MLS, or I might never have got it (last summer). Closing in 7 days sounds tough, with the title search and inspections and repairs and so on.
I went too Costco this afternoon. Now I remember why I never go to Costco in the afternoon. 
I also briefly considered getting gas while there, but the wait was at least 45 minutes. The difference in gas prices here is greater than I've seen anywhere else. Costco charges $0.40 per gal less for regular and $0.50 less for premium vs the next less expensive gasoline in this area.
I also briefly considered getting gas while there, but the wait was at least 45 minutes. The difference in gas prices here is greater than I've seen anywhere else. Costco charges $0.40 per gal less for regular and $0.50 less for premium vs the next less expensive gasoline in this area.
REWahoo
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give
"Here" being...?
Made a library run and grocery run in preparation for the snow that is probably going to hit Friday. Dang it's cold! High was 24° but the wind made it worse. I had to put on gloves to load the groceries in the car.
We are, of course, smack dab in the middle of the forecasted snow map. But I'll have eight quarts of beef stew for comfort food.
We are, of course, smack dab in the middle of the forecasted snow map.
But I'll have eight quarts of beef stew for comfort food.
Sunny South Florida
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