2010 year in review

January - Exciting for me as I got a new job! I started on the 19th. Hubby to Toronto for meetings. My car in the shop with a not so cheap repair. And we mourn the loss of a (very) loved one.

February - New owners to the house that we rent an apartment in, but they didn't kick us out. People who lived upstairs (and who were insanely inconsistent with the heat) moved out. New owner moved in, and minus some extra noise from renos, all in all, not too bad. We also decided we were ready to start house shopping. My sister and her family visited us. Finally got $$ back from the Province from damage to my car on the 401 last August.

March - Lots, and lots of houses were looked at... All the ones in town were too expensive for what you get, so we started looking further out. Not much else exciting happened. We found the house we like! First offer basically rejected, so we offered more than we were hoping to have to pay, but still a good price and a good value.

April - Offer accepted, money arranged, house inspection done, gave notice to landlord... everything ready. Now begins the packing! Went to Sudbury for Easter, cousin's daughter's baptism. Some more car repairs, not too bad this time. Boo (kitty) got spayed, no more "Goopy Boo!"

May - Didn't actually do any packing in April, started this month. At least 1/3 of our stuff was still packed from the move last October. Hubby in Toronto again for meetings. Later in the month we took possession of the house, scrubbing and cleaning, ripping out carpets, and a week later we moved in! Got help from my brother and two guys from the church. Took about 4 hours to load/travel/unload, not too shabby! Went to Sudbury for Mother's Day - 'little' bro was in town too!

June - house set up, yard work, more house set up, more yard work. Fun! Got new hours at work, so I no longer work Mondays.

July - pretty much settled in and just living. My (not so new anymore) job going great. Hubby gets a raise! Spent a day at the beach with yet another sister and her boys.

August - just living... My sister from another province visited us, twice! AWESOME. We started a puzzle while she was here, which started my puzzle-a-holic-ness. Also spent a day boating with another sister and her family. I actually went knee-boarding too!

September - Went to Sudbury for our good friends' 10th anniversary vow renewal ceremony, was nice! Hubby in Toronto for meetings. This time I went with him and visited my sis and family, and some friends. Good time. I started teaching Sunday School at church. Sad that an Uncle passed away.

October - Our good friend got married on Thanksgiving. Visited my brother and his family. Furnace guy came to clean/service our 40 year old boiler... almost shut us down for good, but thankfully he got CO emissions back down, and we're good for (hopefully) another year. Hubby's got benefits now, so to the dentist we both go.

November - Hubby super busy with work. Levi (our almost 13 year old cat) died near the end of the month, still miss him. To take my mind off it I decorated and put up our Christmas tree - the earliest ever (too early!)

December - Busy with Christmas parties, extra activities and the like. Got a new kitten, she's cute, cuddly and crazy! Both of us had time off at the end of the month, lots of visiting of family here and there. Oh, and we may FINALLY have a family doctor.

All in all, a good year! Looking forward to 2011, and hopefully not so busy! House renos... here we come!

irony of the e

Last month I wrote an entry about our fiasco with ING and our mortgage. Jeff had said something to the supervisor at ING that made me chuckle.

The issue was the fact that we deposited more than one item at a time. Jeff had said "to save paper, no?" Apparently she didn't appreciate that comment. Then Jeff said to her, "you know, I do good work, I try and be good to the earth, and this is how I am rewarded?" I don't think the lady had a response for him.

But the thought did strike me that he had a point. ING is a bank that is mostly paperless, and branch-less unlike traditional banks. One might think that for such an e-forward (as in digitally, or electronically forward) they would appreciate the savings and efforts, but no. Thankfully God appreciates it, and after all, its done for Him and for that reason alone its worth doing!

the un-unmortgage

Business can be tough... Take the business of getting a mortgage, or house insurance. Here describes two interesting, yet equally incomprehensible (if you ask me) decisions made by two companies.

First came the issue with house insurance. Lets rewind for a moment to August 2005 when we first purchased our home down south. We had house insurance through Allstate. We sold the house Sep 30, 2009. We (unfortunately) do not have tenant's insurance.

In April of 2006 we got vehicles and insured both of them with Allstate. We have had this policy ever since.

We asked Allstate for a quote on house insurance for the new house we are buying. Their decision? Declined. Why? Well, basically they told us that we have no history or loyalty with them. You see, from closing date to closing date, over 6 months will have passed, so we are apparently brand-new disloyal customers. No amount of discussion was going to change their minds, and the lady's attitude wasn't very friendly or helpful to the situation. (I will not name the specific lady, but I do not mind naming Allstate itself, as I believe these are Allstate mentalities and methods of practice, and not necessarily the "fault" of the individual, they were just doing their jobs).

Second issue came with Mortgage. We applied with ING Direct (and a couple of other places: A mortgage broker, and RBC). We were pre-approved by all 3 sources - nice! ING had the best rate, so we decided to go with them. We sent them all the paperwork they requested.

Then they asked for additional paperwork, provided. Then some more, again, provided. We were declined. Why? You see, my husband works for a not-for-profit organization. He is a regular salary-paid full time employee just like anyone else who works there. Just so happens that he is also one of the founding members, and just so happens that his brother is the President & CEO.

This was a problem for ING. Somehow this translated into them not being able to verify his income (even though we provided pay stubs, deposit records, letter from employer, etc...). They classified him as being self-employed. No amount of discussion was getting anywhere, their decision was final.

There was another slight problem too, a silly thing if you ask me. We both get paid via an actual cheque that we have to deposit. Because we can't have the funds be held, we have to deposit at the teller. We deposit both at once, and they show up as one deposit on the transactions. ING could not confirm that the deposits matched the pay stubs, even though all but a few were provided (and the few could easily have been provided). Apparently they didn't want to do the "math" to add the two pay stubs together and see they matched the deposit.

(I make note that I do not hold any ill-will towards our account rep, he did everything he could and we appreciate that. I disagree with the organization.)

We are fortunate though. These two experiences (that in my opinion should not have happened), could have broken the deal of buying the house, we'd be in trouble! But we had those other approvals, and we have other insurance connections. Nice to say that we have an almost equal mortgage rate from RBC, and we have a property insurance policy and a much better vehicle insurance policy with another organization (its great to have family in the business).

As for ING and Allstate, they do not get any of my business. Our 11+ year old savings account with ING will be closed (all the money transferred out, waiting to close it until they pay current interest earned). Our vehicles will no longer be insured with Allstate. Their business policies are not acceptable to us, and we will not do business with them.

year in review

It has been a pretty eventful and stressful year. But also a year filled with blessings, many of them unexpected and a couple of them quite sudden. Here are the highlights of 2009.

January

January was a tough month. I was temporarily laid off (seasonal work) and was expecting only part-time work when things resumed next door. Jeff had been doing some temping in December, but January brought along a halt to that. Jeff ended up taking a telemarketing job, certainly not his favorite and way out of his comfort zone. But we needed the money, and I am happy that he did what needed to be done for us. I started job searching, more for a second part-time job, but had applied to some full time jobs as well.

January also brought on the somewhat humiliated feeling of having to borrow money from someone. I wasn't sure if this person would do it, but they came through, and that was a blessed surprise.

There were a couple house showings in January, but no interest. January brought month 3 of the FOR SALE sign out front.

February

Jeff's telemarketing job continues and I am back to work part-time at the greenhouses next door. But things there are busier than expected, and full time work is available to me. However, in the meantime I had been interviewing and was offered a part-time job with more pay. Jeff and I worked some things out with our current employers, and we both ended up working two part time jobs which had us both at work 6 days a week. We "job-shared" at the greenhouse next door (Jeff there when I wasn't, and vice versa). It took a bit to get used to the schedule but more money was coming in.

Again a couple of showings, but no interest in the house. Month 4.

March

March was a better month. First, all our T4s and tax stuff was ready, so I filed taxes. Jeff got a nice chunk of money back, which allowed us to pay off 2/3 of the money we borrowed in January.

Both of us working, me liking my new job much better than Jeff likes his telemarketing one...

March was the end of our listing agreement on our house. We lowered the price, signed for another term, had an open house. Still no interest.

April

Things are running quite well with each working two jobs. More money was coming, bills were being paid, and some back log was being eaten away. We still weren't quite sure where we were going to get the rest of the money owed from what we borrowed in January.

A few house showings, and... no interest :( 6 months!

May

The Spring weather brought on more house showings. Some more detailed interest, and towards the end of the month we saw our first offer! It was a pretty good offer, but conditional on the other people selling their house. We also continued to have other showings, and would have entertained other offers if there were any.

May also brought us a new/renewed contract for a website we had designed and been maintaining for years. This overhaul came with a price, money up front, and the rest upon completion. The upfront money paid the rest of our "loan." And now we just had typical credit card and regular bills.

Work was going well, though Jeff was getting pretty tired of things at the call center, and who can blame him.

June

Well, Jeff finally had enough and decided to leave his telemarketing job. We had done the math and knew that financially we would just squeak by. Especially if our house sold soon, because we had that offer after all.

But the other people's house didn't sell, and they decided not to ask for an extension. So, no offer, back to the house being plain old for sale. We had some showings, and a new offer! Well, don't get too excited yet, it was a pitiful offer that we rejected.

Then the month turned from okay to worse... We were both laid off from our greenhouse job, and were replaced with students when they finished school for the summer. We were grateful to have the job while it lasted, and I will leave it at that.

July

Jeff begins some serious job hunting, and tries to keep busy. I still have my other part-time job and am still working 3 days a week, and its a job I love.

July brought a new offer! Again, this one was conditional on the people selling their house. But our agent was their agent, and we were kept up-to-date on how things were going with their house, and we continued to show ours.

One day at my work I noticed a job posting for "warehouse person" at another branch. I thought that it was something Jeff could do, and gave his info to that branch manager. Jeff was interviewed and was hired, and by the end of the month he had his first pay cheque. In the meantime he had interviewed and even tried out a few other things, but this warehouse job was the one that just worked for us.

The only downside was that Jeff had to get his car back on the road. It was an issue with the catalyst converter, plus he needed an oil change, some brake work,and an e-test. And we needed to renew the sticker. We still didn't have a lot of money up front. But we have retired mechanic friend down the street, and long story short, he and his son (a professional welder) repaired the damage for free! All Jeff had to do was the brakes, which was a struggle (and a long story in itself) but finally done.

August

Things were going well with both our jobs. I was enjoying my two days a week off and getting stuff done at home, and we settled into a routine. There was more money being earned then previously, so we were more comfortable and less stressed.

But the people who offered on our house, nope, their house didn't sell either, and they didn't ask for an extension. Our house was back to being regularly for sale... for a short term... The very next day we had a new offer! This one was conditional only on financing! It was a bit lower than we had hoped for, but still, this was the best overall offer yet! Remember that rejected pathetic offer I mentioned in June? Well, these were the same people with a reasonable offer. It took 5 days, they confirmed their financing, and YES!!!! Jeff and I put up the SOLD sign, a very happy moment indeed. And then the fun began, with just 6 weeks to pack up and move out! This was nearer to the end of the month, closing date Sept 30th (which would be 11 months from the day we initially put it up for sale).

A lot needed to happen in those 6 weeks, as our plan always was to relocate up north. Jobs were needed, and so was a home. Jeff spoke to someone about working from home (telecommuting) for an organization he helped to found. The assumption (based on past experiences) is that it would be a long process, and just hopefully he would be able to start close to our relocate date. The very next day, far less than 24 hours later he received a call and was offered a position! Talk about timing. He then had to resign from his current warehouse job, and in less than a week begin his new job.

The following weekend we made a 1 day trip to up north and looked at 6 apartments. By Monday afternoon we received the call that we got the one we wanted. Now all was left was for me to resign as well, which was tough, because I loved working there.

All of this, and still 1 week of August was left. I began job hunting and we began the process of sorting and packing.

September

What a busy month! I was still working 3 day a week til the end of the month. We sorted the house, I did most of the packing (which is okay, because I had the most time). We had 2 yard sales. We sold stuff on Kijiji and we gave stuff away on Freecycle. We made a trade with our neighbor, they would dispose of all our junk, and we would give them furniture that didn't sell.

Moving day came. No hiccups. It was a busy couple days. Load up on Wednesday, drive up north, Jeff drove the rental, I drove my car with the kitties. Spend night in motel. Unload on Thursday, then drive all the way back down south to return the rental truck. Then drive all the way back to our new home in Jeff's car.

October

The month started out with a whirlwind. The Thursday mentioned above where we unloaded then made the return trip was actually Oct 1st. The first week saw all the boxes unpacked (well, all that were going to be unpacked) and the entire apartment scrubbed from top to bottom. Everything was done in about 5 days.

Then we made a trip to see Jeff's family for Thanksgiving. It was a nice weekend, and such a short drive compared to when we used to do it from down south.

The rest of the month consisted of Jeff working, me job hunting, and trying to keep busy. I did a lot of baking that first month! We also dealt with Cogeco a couple more times than desired, but in the end got a new modem which has been flawless since.

We took advantage of the nice fall weather, explored trails, admired the colors, and saw some wildlife. Beautiful town!

November

Jeff continues to work away. The end of the month marked the end of his 3 month probationary contract, and we are happy to report that they didn't can him and he now has the standard 1 year contract.

I continued job hunting, and trying to stay busy. I scanned all 14 reels of my grandmother's slides, a daunting but rewarding task. I did some more baking. I cleaned twice a week. I made arrangements with the landlord for $100 off rent if I cleaned the common entry way. Boredom and a loss of purpose starts to set in, but I am not discouraged.

November was also the month where I did something very out of the ordinary - I set up the Christmas tree and decorated the house, and it wasn't even December yet! I don't know what I was thinking...

December

This was a month spent chasing kitty away from the Christmas tree. I did Christmas cards, more baking, more job searching, more walking, more trying to stay busy.

I tried, but failed, to see my sister. Failed because the car failed. Had to get some work done to it, and spent a bit of money, but not to bad when all things are considered. The following week was (a successful) second attempt to go see my sister, and it was a wonderful day.

I had a close call with my poor oak tree. :(

Christmas was quiet, with just Jeff and I and a 12lb turkey - lots of leftovers! Presents consisted of us shopping together. We both got some pants and sweaters, I got new winter boots, and Jeff got a new coat.

New Year's Eve will be spent with my sister, then off to see Jeff's family for a few days on New Year's Day. Holidays wrap up and end on my birthday!

See you next year!

the little things

I am pleased to say that as we approach 3 months in the clean and friendly city up North that we are still loving it here. There are so many things about it here that are good for us.

But not everything has turned out how I had planned/hoped. Mainly, I am not working yet, despite my diligence in applying for positions. I guess its just not in the plans... yet anyway.

In the meantime I try and keep busy, though some days I find myself bored, and late afternoon naps at my desk with the kitty on my shoulder have become common, so have early mornings in bed reading with a hot cup of tea (and a kitty very nearby, often on top of the book!) I enjoy the freedom and the time that allows me such luxuries... for now anyway.

A lot of little things get done, mainly cleaning (and cleaning up after kitty). Its not a very big apartment, doesn't take long to clean, and with a messy kitty its a good excuse to clean several times a week.

A lot of walking gets done. Little steps, and when we first got here, those little steps (oh, I should say about a hundred little steps up a steep hill) hurt so bad! Oh my, I had to rest nearly 5 minutes at the top. Now we can do that hill a couple times of day and say, thats not so bad.

This little summary of the Northern life is just that: a summary. One that I hope gets the point across that I (we) are happy here, and despite a few little things, it is such a positive change for us. A long time coming, and we are enjoying the rewards of many years of patient anticipation.

its just a tree

It happened a few weeks ago... One of the people who live upstairs knocked on our door and asked about the tree outside (small, pathetic looking oak tree in a 35 gallon black nursery pot that was sitting near the front door). She wanted to warn us, in a way.

Here is what she told me: The people who own the house next door saw her and asked if the tree was hers, she told them it was ours. The neighbors then proceeded to tell her the tree was ugly and 'dead.' To which she indicated again that it was not hers and they should talk to us. The neighbors then mentioned our landlord's name, saying they were going to complain to him.

She wanted to tell us just in case the tree went "missing" and we were wondering what happened to it. I thanked her then put a note in the pot and moved the tree to the side of the house.

I find a few faults with the entire scenario:

1. As soon as they were told they should talk to us, they should have. They did not.
2. The ugly part is debatable, but "dead?" Its winter, all coniferous trees look dead, were they thinking of cutting down the woods too?
3. What business was it of theirs anyway? Its my tree in "my" yard...

I guess no matter where you live, sometimes neighbors are a thing you can do without.

Oh, the note I put in the tree basically said that it belongs to me, is not dead, rather its dead appearance should be attributed to the fact that its winter. And I politely asked that no one disposes of my tree.

One might think its just a tree, what's even the big deal if they got rid of it? First, its a living tree, why destroy a tree if you do not have to. Second, it wasn't their tree to do anything with. And third, the tree actually has a bit of sentimental value to me.

When I was in elementary school I came home with this little sapling spruce tree. My Mom helped me to pot it and care for it, trimming here, fertilizing there. This little oak tree I now have started out as a tiny little stem with 1 leaf. I remembered Mom's teachings and wondered if I could bring this desperate little oak sapling to life. Sure enough, within 3 years its grown to about 3 feet tall, and (in the summer) looks very much alive.

happenings of late

The focus of life lately has consisted mostly of work. Working during the day, working during the evenings. Motivation is low, its hard to get motivated to do a whole lot. Its much easier to be motivated to sit around and watch TV. Its easy to forget our problems and frustrations when we are watching someone else's on TV.

If we aren't working, we are trying not to be frustrated and impatient with our house not yet being sold. We seriously didn't think it was going to take this long. But when we set this whole thing in motion late last summer / early fall, we certainly didn't know the market was going to tank and the whole economy was going to crash.

Is it still the right time to sell? Who really knows. Some properties are selling, others are not. Ours is a bit unique as opposed to people who live “in town.” Rural properties appeal to less people, and especially a property that is located right next to a (small) greenhouse operation. I wish potential buyers would believe it when I say that you really don't notice the fans and noise after a week or so, it just becomes part of the environment.

But which is worse? Traffic, honking, cars, people... or the hum of fans that are there to moderate the temperatures in a greenhouse that holds thousands of beautiful plants? I would take the fans any day. But that's what makes the property a bit unique. Not everyone wants to live out in “the sticks” in the first place.

We still think that selling is the right choice for us. Our original goals are still on the table. Other than our house not yet selling, there is nothing to indicate that these goals should not be our goals. We are not receiving any clear (or unclear) messages that we should be pursuing anything else.

In the meantime, patience is a virtue, and we are sure gaining experience in that regard. We are doing our best to make things work, to make ends meet, and to be content. Our relationship is stronger because of it, and our commitment to each other has not faltered. Its interesting how struggles can bring people together, just like sometimes struggles can push people apart.

All I can say is that without the strength and support of my husband, I would never be able to do this – this “game” of wondering and waiting. The support and encouragement we offer each other is something that I will not trade for anything.

changes

We have done so much work around this place over the last couple months. Its hard to believe some of the things we accomplished! Many of the projects were fun, and some of them provided some reward and a sense of pride. However, its hard to enjoy it all as a whole when so much around here has too much negativity attached to it.
So rather than having all those projects done for US and our quality of living, those projects have turned into a resale enhancer - we are selling!

just getter dun

This is the motto of late, just get things done! There are so many projects, its hard to know where to start. We've tried some different methods of determining a starting place - mostly models and ideas that work (somewhat) only in the business world.

But this is life. And life projects done together should be yes, about getting things done, but more importantly, about enjoying things while you do them! Enjoy working alongside someone!

So, rather than apply all these corporate business ideas, lets approach it from a life point of view... Categories/Ratings in priority as follows:

1. Is it absolutely necessary?
2. Is it fun?
3. Is it somewhat necessary?
4. Is it somewhat fun?
5. Is it boring?
6. Is it unnecessary?

By applying these 6 questions (seems silly to ask #6) we've found that its not only a single choice, the key is combining them. Some absolutely necessary tasks might also be the most boring - but you have to do them, so have some kind of fun! Its not always easy, especially when racing against the clock that is the sunset, but it can be done.

I try to be a bit of a comedian, when things don't quite go right (after getting a sense of the "mood") I might throw in some kinda joke about the best way to learn is to do it over and over. Sometimes I get a laugh, sometimes not, but the key is trying!

My sister once told me to follow everything up with a positive - so that's what I'm trying to do in every situation, even right in the middle of things. Its overall affect seems to be positive, so I will keep it up!

should i bother?

I got a response from the organization I used to work for. Apparently getting all perspectives of a situation is always a good idea. Hmmm. So, its up to me if I send something or not.
I kinda new that already. Was thinking there might be some hint at addressing the part where I said I've been ignored before, or the part where I said their systems seemed to have failed me. No hint at all. So that is why I wonder if I should bother.

Anyway, typing right now is not so easy, as my left index finger is injured! LMAO, an incident with the pruning shears, in my OWN gardens, not even at work, where I used them all day. My oh my...

drip, drip, drip... no more!

I'm super happy because the plumbing leak is fixed! What an awesome job this particular person did. I took pictures just to prove it!
Its unfortunate they needed fixing in the first place, as back in August we needed to re-route a couple lines when we got our water softener and UV filter... The person who did that plumbing used compression fittings, and I watched over and over as they over tightened them without listening, seriously, I bought like 10 of them, and went to the hardware store too many times.
Anyway, one of the fittings finally gave way and we had a drip, a little one at first, a normal pail took a day or two to fill. Then spring came, and I needed the outdoor hose, that pressure created problems and the leak got bigger, finally up to almost 2 buckets a day!
So, its fixed... Mr Handy-Man, also known as my husband, did the work! AWESOME!


(with the exception of a bit of burnt wood, you can see it in the first pic, thats funny)

a beast of a machine

I am very happy that the push mower is working. Its a beast of a machine, so finicky. It is a miserable task to try and get it started.

But, I did it, I managed to start it, several times!

I am pretty happy about that, in case you didn't notice. It was nice to be outside most of the day, mowing, other yard work. Best part, I don't really remember thinking about anything during those hours of walking behind "the beast." Its great!

I am so "at peace." (to use terminology that a lot of others are using - asking me, are you "at peace" with your decision... why yes, YES I AM).

Here's to a great day.

Lawn Mower image courtesy of Wikipedia.

yay storage!

Who new having an empty shed could be so exciting!

Its not the shed itself that is exciting, but the fact that it is empty, the fact that my father actually came last Saturday to empty it.

This after, the NOTE, the somewhat ultimatum I gave him on paper and left in his mailbox. But he showed up, and we helped him load his van, twice. It was kinda weird at first, but then it seemed to go pretty good, and ended well. That's good.

And now that the shed is empty, I could finally move my things in it! Big question remains - what to do with the 90 percent empty space because I own basically nothing!

all grown up?

After some discussions, thoughts, number crunching, but (surprisingly) no arguments, we came to an agreement to buy out my father, since he is moving out by June anyway. We are refinancing. Its exciting, a relief that we are not getting screwed (again...hmm). But it's a bit scary too, I mean sole owner of 'my' very own house...
Gulp, does this mean I am all grown up now?

It's coming along

So awhile ago I wrote about the greenhouse. We are making some progress. I just want the project to be done, but this needs to happen before that, which is waiting for this... Not well planned out - but that makes sense based on the fact that no one actually did any planning!
But, it will get done. The neat part - my husband and I have been spending time together, outside, working on the same project - cool!
See for yourself...

This is the "floor" but still at the neigbor's

The frame is almost done...

It's a park, it's a forest, it's...

You would likely never guess, but it's the inside of a greenhouse. Yep! We bought this off our neighbor, for a decent price, but the "hidden" cost of dismantling it.
On that note, another good thing came out of my trip to GR last week - my husband and my father took down the greenhouse - together! Now, this is rather surprising on many levels:

1. We made arrangements and paid for the greenhouse months ago - and never did any work!


2. My father has an interesting, unprecedented opinion of my husband and his abilities.


3. There was a lot of work!

But, they apparently had a good time, and worked well together - is this the beginning of attitudes-a-changin?