Her

We talk daily - either in email; IM's or on the phone.
My phone has unlimited long distance, so calling her doesn't cost me anything.
I have never seen her, I know that from her self descrtiptor she is on the heavy side but has been steadily losing weight for some time.
Her home is situated in the forest, her property adjoins National Forest land.
She has 2 dogs and has a great career.
She has lots and lots of friends.
She determined that she wanted to try and find someone that wasn't related to the company she is working for.
I wrote an ad on Craigslist, she, along with a LOT of other ladies responded.

Hers stood out to me. The reply was genuine. It was long and detailed - nothing different than the way I write and really, what I like to read. I'm into the details of things, and I like reading people's blogs and things that go into details.

We talked at length today - the connection kept getting cut off, there was a storm coming through where she lives and her cell reception cuts out periodically when that happens.

Of course, the inevitable has occured. We want to meet each other in person. I'll take depth of character and personality over looks anyday. Not that I have any clue what she looks like - but I never want to get involved with the wrong person, ever again. I have taken steps to ensure that we get to know each other as much as possible via electronic communications LONG before I ever thought about a meeting in person.

I can't possibly think of going up there and spending a night in a hotel or whatever right now - it would have to be a day trip. Up, visit, back. I have had some pretty miserable results with the CL ladies I've met or talked to online so far - but I feel so much better about the potential here just because of our back and forth communication for a couple of months now.

If you think I've been distracted lately, well, here's a portion of that equation. That with the issues with Mary and the probability that the other lady tenant will be moving out sooner or later - she's trying to buy her own house as far as I can tell. Not that I blame her - if you can get a place and afford it, nice.

Speaking of that, allegedly, within the next half hour or so, the next potential tenant is showing up. The only thing I know so far about this person is she proclaims to be Christian and was going to go to church before coming over here. Fast forward - planted 2 plants, watered them, waiting for this person to arrive: no-show.

BUT, she just called. She said she got caught up after church talking with people and hanging with her son who is with her on the weekends. She now wants to come over tomorrow. I have no other leads right now, just endless emails with people who are half serious but make no commitment to at least come and view the property. That's the way it is with Craigslist - on most things, not just renting out rooms - I've learned to tolerate it. One guy just wrote a while ago saying a garage was a necessary apportionment to his renting out a room, and even agreed to pay more money for the use of it.

I have no garage. I am not building one any time soon. Sorry.
Next?

Oh, and I'm attempting to work out my summer visits to people. My dad - I want to go down there even if I really shouldn't be taking time off of work. I can show up for July 4th weekend if he's open for that and spend a couple of days. I can do an overnight at mom's place and I can now do an overnight at my lady friend's house. NO, it's NOT going to be doing THAT!!! We are both on the SAME page, thank God Almighty. She has guest rooms - she already eluded to that a while back - that I could stay in overnight. I think I would fall in love with the place, if not with her as well - it sounds like a dream property. I'm just a guy - I don't want to grow old alone and I definitely AIN'T gettin' no younger!

Umm, and I pulled out that giant plant today. It has nice looking flowers - but the rest of it looks like a giant weed. It got to the point I couldn't stand looking at it - I now believe it IS a weed - whatever the case, it came right out and I immediately planted one of my potted plants in it's place.

That's it, really. Considering it's almost bedtime, that's definitely it!
G'nite!
ben

The Things That Mary Left

I was assessing the things Mary left behind.
She still has to come for those storage units and the dresser, but it's the rest of the stuff that is intriguing.
Note that Mary was in here, looking at everything, and chose to leave the items.
1. A weaved basket type thing with a blanket in it that Comet, my lil' Rat Terrier loves to sleep in.
2. A dust pan with a long handle on it - like you might see a janitor using to sweep up debris off the floor.
3. Broom
4. A hefty amount of silverware. She declared she was just leaving it for me. The police were standing right there when she said it - I wanted her to take all of her stuff so that there would be no room for - whatever she might start - be she just left it. Lots of spoons, knives, forks and also cutting tools.
5. Several bowls and cups.
6. A Spider plant.
7. A collander - I was going to go buy one when she left, but - she left it in there. It was in the same place as the rest of her kitchen stuff was, so I guess she left it in there for "my" use?
8. Fake flowers. My mother gave me a nice little outdoorsy type of teapot - something you would plant a flower or plant in - a long time ago. One of the few remnants from the fire now almost 2 years ago. Mary had put fake flowers in it - she left the flowers but took the table the flowers were sitting, lol.
9. Over 60 holes in her room's walls. I know that sounds weird to say she "left them behind", but really, that is exactly what she did. As I said before, a few small holes for nails or screws is one thing, this situation is outrageous. Whatever Mary left behind, it most certainly does not equal the amount of money it will cost to have someone come over and fill all of that. And because there is so much of it, I have to believe the only way the wall is going to look right is to retexture it. I can fill the holes with putty or spackling I guess it is, but - it will still look gawdy because all those blank spots will be left without texturing.

I do not have a mud sprayer or an air compressor to spray it with. I have no intention on buying a setup like that, either. The only way I would ever consider doing that is if I had several rental properties. Then one would be prudent to have such machinery in their possession because it would be imminent that a wall would have to be repaired at some point or another. I do believe they sell some sort of texturing that comes in a spray can, however. I dunno, I just don't think it right for her to do all that damage to those walls and not receive the compensation from her that is necessary to have them fixed. OTOH, taking her to court yet AGAIN would be another pain in the butt. And then, I would probably have to garnish her wages to get that money, which would be even more legwork and money out of my pocket. I'm sure that it will cost hundreds of dollars even just using a handyman off of CL to come over and do the job.

Dunno. I'll have to sit on that one for a while - if I had to go that far to get compensation for negligent damages, I would also go after her for unpaid rent.

Dunno, but that 401k loan money is starting to look more and more appealing. Get that stuff fixed, and then dump the money into a savings account and let it sit there until this economic crisis is over. I continue to have this same thought, over and over: what if the AC breaks down? I don't have the money to fix it and the "bumper-to-bumper" warranty has expired. Sure, the compressor is covered for 5 years, but there are a LOT of other things that can go wrong with an AC unit. I wouldn't have the money to fix it and - I would have one heckuva BAD situation sitting here. If just about anything else broke - I could replace it and not have too huge a financial disaster going. Well, take that back, anything right now would be teetotalling on the brink of economic disaster. A refrigerator goes out/washer-dryer/water-heater. I also have this pervading thought of what if the car breaks down?

Dunno, but as it stands right now, I could pay the loan off over the phone, have to wait a couple of days for it to clear and then be open for another loan. It would be about a week before the check actually arrived. Yes, I tend to think things out - the what-ifs, the Murphy's laws, the things that go wrong in life that you have absolutely no control over. A week without any of those things listed would be - a nightmare. Certainly the AC. Plan? Right now - pay it off next paycheck. That's this coming Friday. I will only owe like $50 after they deduct the next amount off. Then, if something happens, at least the first step - which is a bridge that would take a while to cross - would already be done. Don't take out a loan - yet - just have it available. Takes 2 days to have that check sitting at your doorstep.

Okay, standing down. That's my plan as I just came up with it and I'm going to pursue it. One thing's for sure, I'm definitely missing that third tenant payment. I'm hopeful that this person will show up today, that no red flags are raised, and that I can get the room occupied, even if at a reduced rate. I'm not going to ask for the full rate with the walls like that.

Oh heck, I guess I should just go out and buy a bunch of spackling - like a gallon bucket, get in there and at least fill in the holes. Ummm, take pics of all of it first.......ummmm.........okay. Sounds like a plan. If the person wants the room, I can have Caleb and Michael take those 3 remaining pieces of furniture out of there, stuff it into the storage shed and it will be ready to go.

????????
Don't ask - I just got to thinking about all of this and logic started kicking in, I think it's logic, anyway.
ben

Sunday

The tree is in the ground. Whether it lives or not - matter of time. Going this morning to get more Vitamin B to put into the ground at it's trunk to help the roots/tree survive the shock. Mom says she's never had luck at having them survive, but I got the whole root ball and I am at least hopeful. Otherwise, it's just a giant Christmas tree in May, dry up, whither away, heaped into the junk pile.

Yesterday was not a particularly productive day for me in terms of weekend projects, I'm hopeful today will be a little different. I finally got a good bite on a person needing a room. In fact, this person appears to be in a bind. I listened to her story - it all sounded well and good - but I had no "instincts" jumping up at me to say yes or no internally. She is allegedly coming over today, which is when I will press the situation and get some details. When people are making up stories, many usually fail the details department. They cut their own throat by going on, and on, and on and finally, the story starts falling apart.

I need the money, yes, but I don't need another nightmare. I would rather let it sit empty until the right person comes along than give into "desperation" and get the wrong person in there that you are then going to have to force to leave, anyway. As it stands, at least a portion of any new rent money coming in is going to have to go to buying some sort of closet set-up - probably from Ikea, as that room has no closet. I could build one, but - it would take too long as I'm not exactly the best carpenter in the world and it would take me a while to get the finished product to my liking. I mean, a closet is nothing more than 2X4's/drywall/door with texturing and trim.

Well, anyway, already started on my Sunday cleaning rituals in scrubbing down the kitchen, sweeping the floor and now off to the mop race.
C'yall later.
ben