what did you do today? (2008-2015) (closed)

[freebird5825]

I let Mr B talk me into getting a car starter for our recently purchased 2011 Ford Escape. It will be installed today.
I'm usually too cheap to buy something like that when I am perfectly capable of removing snow from the vehicle glass surfaces.
He pointed out that I am always on his case not to go out in bitter cold and exert himself. I am usually in my PJs when he leaves for his morning coffee clache at the Legion.
Bottom line...do I really want to bundle up and do the snow removal or get a car starter ?
The Martian (men are from Mars...) cleanly won the debate.

He's getting way too good at outwitting me. Time to change my tactics.

 

[ls99]

Got a USB DVD player for DW's 'puter. Plugged it in, XP found it. She is happyly browsing trough about 1200 photos.

Lit off the woodstove, scheduled to be in single digits F overnight and the next few nights.

 

[FIREd]

After reviewing our finances over the weekend, I spent the morning on the phone canceling various services. I've already cut about $1,000/year and I still have to tackle the big one.

 

[Original Wally]

Well... it is just after 1PM out here on the left coast. DW is shopping w/ Ex DIL and G/daughter for some ballet stuff, and I am fixin to take a nap!

 

[travelover]

.......I've already cut about $1,000/year and I still have to tackle the big one.

Better check with your lawyer. Sometimes it is cheaper to keep her.

 

[FIREd]

Better check with your lawyer. Sometimes it is cheaper to keep her.

 

[MichaelB]

DW and I went to pick up her new car this afternoon. We left the dealership the same as we arrived - with only one car. Seems we have a misunderstanding with regard to the meaning of "take delivery". To say DW was unhappy would be a big understatement.

 

[Telecaster]

Had one egg, one piece of toast, half a strip of bacon, and coffee. Picked up the last minor part I needed to finish replacing 4 MacPherson struts (a big job for a retired person). Invited some people to lunch tomorrow (unfortunately, they still work, so we have to go during cram-time). Getting ready to take a nap.

 

[Walt34]

Wheee!

Have a full-price contract on FIL's house! The only contingencies are the appraisal and home inspection.

 

[REWahoo]

Wow, that was quick!

 

[Bestwifeever]

Wheee!

Have a full-price contract on FIL's house! The only contingencies are the appraisal and home inspection.

Some people would say the price was too low. The rest of us say yay, mission accomplished!!!

 

[REWahoo]

Some people would say the price was too low. The rest of us say yay, mission accomplished!!!

+1

Sold our last two houses the week they were listed. I say the price was dead on...

 

[braumeister]

Home pricing is more an art form than a science.

My neighbor put his house on the market about 2 1/2 years ago. After six months, he dropped the asking price by about six percent, where it remains today. I don't think he has had any offers, since it's still by far the most expensive house in the neighborhood.

 

[Meadbh]

Wheee!

Have a full-price contract on FIL's house! The only contingencies are the appraisal and home inspection.

That is wonderful news, and it suggests two things. First, you did a good job of preparing the house for sale and pricing it. Second, the rapid sale may be one more sign of a recovering US housing market.

 

[Moemg]

Wheee!

Have a full-price contract on FIL's house! The only contingencies are the appraisal and home inspection.

Congratulations !Way to go !

 

[NW-Bound]

Congrats to Walt for a quick sale.

RE market where I am has been inching up. We were one of the epicenters of the housing market crisis. Prices are still far from where they were at the top of the market in 2005-2006, but have bounced far off the bottom.

Out of curiosity, I just looked at Zillow's info on my daughter's town home, which she bought 2 years ago. There are very few homes on the market now, same situation as in my own area. The one on the market close to hers is listed with an asking price of 60% higher than what she paid, and it was nowhere as nice. I really do not know how Zillow estimates home prices, but it priced my daughter's place at more than 2X what she paid. It could not be right. I would not pay that. Still, I guess she feels really rich now.

A friend of my daughter just bought a house, and had to buy further out from our more convenient location because there were nothing on the market. A recent article on the Web said investors from out of state had snapped up all the good deals.

I pushed my daughter into buying her place because when I looked at it, I could not see how one could build a new home for that price. It was priced far below replacement cost. Yes, you snooze, you lose.

 

[freebird5825]

I lazed around in a nice warm bed until noon, waking up, dozing off, rinse and repeat.
Mr B and I cut up and froze 2 huge racks of pork ribs for future Chinese sparerib dinners. I listened to mellow music on the Soundscapes digital cable channel while I did a few indoor projects.
Mr B had volunteer duty to do tonight, so I opted to hang out at home and putter around.
I had a contact on FB from a nephew, the son of a brother with whom I have no contact. I've never met this young man. He seems eager to get to know me, so I will encourage that. He told me he has no contact with his father (my brother), so perhaps I can help fill a gap in his life. It's all good.

 

[MBAustin]

It's been a busy few weeks. That plus the annual attack of the cedars that makes me a miserable sniffling idiot for most of December and January means I'm feeling a bit crabby.

Tuesday I had the first meeting of a task force at church I agreed to chair. Wednesday I did make it to yoga class before spending the afternoon at a charity where I volunteer to help them with their new phone system installation (it went well, fortunately), then went to prayer group and choir practice at church. Yesterday I learned how to do the cable stitch at our prayer shawl group meeting - that will be fun to try out for real. Then had lunch with someone for another volunteer project. Bunco with the girls in the evening (I won!).

Today was week 3 of our winter 6-week seminar program for retired folks at the university. One session is an introduction to Judaism and they had a rabbi as the guest speaker, explaining the role of the synagogue both historically and currently - very interesting. The other is architecture of temples, synagogues, churches, and mosques through the ages - we covered the Byzantine period today. Both excellent. Headed to lunch at a favorite little Thai place only to find they are closed "for a few months" for vacation and remodeling, bummer. Ended up at a totally average pan-Asian restaurant - we were hungry. Spent the afternoon scoping an RFP for a consulting contract I landed - that's a topic for a thread on it's own someday. Since it was in the high 70s today, I did a little fish pond maintenance. Now catching up with the boards here with a glass of wine

 

[ls99]

Skated. Ice was great, only three of us in the rink.

5-10" snow prognostication for SW PA.

Drove to the favorite auto repair/tire shop, had them remove 245/75/16 tires and swap to 235/85/16 on the pickup truck. Works better in snow.

 

[GT1 Doug]

Went fishing today. Temperature was in the 70s. Invited 4 dolphin home for dinner. The first one was very good.

 

[powerplay]

Wheee!

Have a full-price contract on FIL's house! The only contingencies are the appraisal and home inspection.

That's great news! I bet it will be nice to have that wrapped up and done.

 

[Walt34]

Home pricing is more an art form than a science.

Apparently so. The RE agent said she initially listed it for $3k more than was realistic but wanted to "test the market" for a week or so before lowering it. Evidently the market is improving at least in that area.

Things in favor of a quick sale are that there are only two others in that zip code priced lower and they look "trashy" in the online photos, and we've spent the last four years and close to $50k in improvements on it. More than that if you count the labor that I, DW, and one BIL did.

So it wasn't like we just planted a sign out front and expected top price.

As the RE agent said "You did your homework."

 

[ls99]

........

So it wasn't like we just planted a sign out front and expected top price.

As the RE agent said "You did your homework."

Similar to what we did selling the Maryland house 5 years ago. It was neat, clean spotless and empty save for a dining room table and chairs.

That was a method to the madness, have a place to sit and discuss, with a good view.

House had three folks in a bidding war, sold for 3K or somore than the asking price. It was on the market for three days. As in your case the comparables looked trashy in pictures.

Doing homework propoerly always pays off.

 

[freebird5825]

I decided to quit lazing around in bed all morning and got up at 0730.

I was going to drive up north to my friends' beach camp on Lake Ontario, but the weather forecast stopped me in my tracks. A wintry mix does not make for a safe drive, especially along the routes I take. So I will go tomorrow and stay for a few days. I'm bringing my snowshoes instead of my xcountry skis. If it's not too windy, I'll go tromping along the shore for exercise and do some driftwood hunting.

Mr B is busy doing taxes for some of his veteran buddies at zero or very low cost. Most of the returns take less than 45 minutes since they are repeat "customers". I admire him for his generosity. He gets free tickets to dinner events and lots of free drinks from these buddies, most of whom hold officer positions at either the Legion or VFW, so it all evens out.

Light snow is falling now...so pretty to watch from inside my nice cozy house.

 

[missedearly62]

cards

Another year of cardmaking has begun! Next up: Valentines for the grandkids. Each will be unique. I used to spend a couple of hours every year in the card aisles picking out $50 or so stack of cards for birthdays, anniversaries, etc. Now I spend hours on each card, but the message is always personal and (I hope) close to perfect for them. I know how much I think about now-gone dear aunts and grandmas and, with matured insight, remembering all the effort they put into family reunions, picture taking, sending packages, writing letters, and just being with me. If my card adds to a special day, wonderful, but I really hope that they are a small part of tying the family together, sticking to their values and roots, when I'm not here as the old watchdog.