For those with a sense of humor, courtesy of Dina--

"Cindy .... for your blog:
Separated at Birth?

The wardrobe, the color scheme, and the unalloyed malevolence may explain why Maleficent and the Bitter Half have never been seen in the same place at the same time...".

Awesome!

Who doesn't need to laugh a little more.

Master Bath

Second Bathroom

Kitchen

We looked at several more condos on Sunday. First we revisited one we liked last weekend and after seeing it for a second time, although we like it alot, have decided against it. It is just a one bedroom, one bath unit with only 710 square feet. The cons with that unit are that to access the bathroom, you have to go into the bedroom and being on the fifth floor, the balcony overlooks apartment buildings in the back. With apartment buildings come renters and most likely the 'beep beep' of car horns as they lock the vehicle. There is no view to speak of except the tops of trees.

Moving on to another building and a brand new listing, we looked at a two bedroom, two bath unit, 1131 sq. feet on the 11th floor. That unit are the pictures above. Someone had gone in and completely renovated the unit, with granite counter tops, travertine floors in living, dining and hall, new appliances and all new bathrooms. The view from the balcony in this unit is very nice.

We didn't make an offer on it.....for only one reason. The HOA dues are astronomically high as they have just assessed a special assessment on all units in the building adding an additional $295 per month on this unit. The special assessment is to replace all windows and doors in the building which will be a great asset to the building (unlike the other building), however, when you add the monthly HOA's on top of a mortgage payment, you're looking at a pretty hefty payment, that we are not willing to take on. The seller says he's motivated and wants all offers, so we may see how serious he is. There are a lot of short sales and bank owned properties on the market, but unfortunately, the lenders sitting on the properties drag their feet in considering offers, sometimes taking 3-6 months in making a decision. My thought on that is, guess they don't mind sitting on the inventory, and therefore, I would just as soon not even consider a foreclosed property.  Their red tape and procedure is preventing the real estate market to move at all, which is certainly not good for the area, realtors or buyers, and especially the local economy. The same lenders responsible for the housing crisis are continuing the problem by not moving these properties.

As to our RV....we've got a couple flying in from Minneapolis on Friday to take a look at it, so that could be promising. We shall see what happens.

Thank you to those that Sacrificed.

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY. Please thank a soldier, shake his hand or pick up his tab the next time you see an opportunity. ---The freedoms we enjoy each and every day is because a soldier somewhere, at one time, sacrificed his or her life.

May God Bless America.

Puppy Love

I posted Mason's story HERE a few days ago, so this is an update and picture of him after surgery. Mason is doing well and will return home to be with his family after they've gotten their house in order following the tornado.

Happy ending to a sad story

More Condo Shopping

Lobby and elevators

The building, all 29 floors of it. Eek. I would never want to be above the 10th floor, and even that is too high if you're close to the balcony railing. Vertigo, big time.

This weekend we're going out on Sunday to look at several units in just one building. That would be one of the buildings we looked at last weekend and several weeks ago. We find ourselves drawn back to this particular building, so there must be something to that.

It's called Preston Towers and would be perfect for us. The building offers everything we need, including a barber shop, at least three hair salons, a chiropractor, attorney's office and more. The commerical businesses are on the first two floors and the condo. units occupy the remaining floors.

This is a high rise building, but we are looking at lower level units, like no higher than the tenth floor.  This particular building's HOA dues include everything, meaning all your utilities, and the typical exterior maintenance.

There is a pool and a fitness center. Can't really see ourselves using either one, but hey, you never know. We might decide we better whip ourselves into shape.....and I may even learn how to swim. Hmm...no, probably not. But, I would enjoy hanging out at the pool with a good book. Anyway, we've got several units lined up to look at on Sunday, including the one we fell in love with last weekend.

This is Memorial Day weekend, so let's remember and honor those men and women who sacrificed their lives that we may enjoy our freedom.

It's still Friday, right? Ok, good! More humor!

Democrats on an escalator. Thank you, Renee!

How about a little Friday Fun?

Hahaha. Classic. Thx, Dina.

Memorial Day Weekend Prelude

PALIN TO HIT THE ROAD Thur May 26 2011

Sarah Palin will hit the road this Memorial Day weekend on a tour of the Northeast —with a stop in New Hampshire — aboard a red, white and blue bus emblazoned with the words: “One Nation Under God, Indivisible, With Liberty & Justice For All.”

click on the image to really appreciate Palin's love of God and Country

Love her or hate her, ya have to admit, the lady's got some guts and does not back down.

Poor Mo. Just not going her way in England, or Ireland.

flashback

Thanks to my friend Dina for finding THE BEST!

A Wedding and Fun With Friends

Our beautiful daughter (on right) and her friend Kendra at the wedding

Photo scavenger hunt-'get a picture of  yourself with a fireman' As you can see, the firemen were more than happy to oblige. Great photo! Our daughter, on far left.

bachelorette party-girls night out

and later in the evening. Looks like fun!

Our daughter just returned from a week in Alaska attending her best friend's wedding. She organized and hosted the bachelorette party, which looks like it turned out to be a blast. She was also the maid of honor, so the few days she had up there were hectic and flew by quickly. She is now back home looking forward to the holiday weekend so she can relax....until the next wedding this summer that she will attend in Idaho for another friend.

Remember 'Where's Waldo'?

This tornado, one that tore through Oklahoma last night

Joplin, Missouri tornado devastation
death toll so far, 130
1500 people missing

Thank God for the countless volunteers bringing in food and clothing to the people in these towns who have lost everything. Volunteers in St. Louis organized a donation drive and ended up with four semi trucks full of items for the people of Joplin. The spirit of the American people is still beating in this country. We all need to keep the people that have been affected by these deadly storms in our prayers.

~~~~Oh yes. Where's Waldo. I loved that back in the day.~~~~

drinking ale in Ireland



playing table Tennis in England

and sipping $1,000 wine with the Queen

No worries though. He announced two days after the EF-4 tornado in Joplin that he will personally travel to Missouri....on Sunday. Thank goodness.

Sorry, I couldn't resist

The wind in Ireland caught MO's hair doing a high five, and a friend of mine found the PERFECT companion picture. Hilarious!

Near Katy Trail and a Near Miss



Remember this building? The unit was awesome! It was different and had lots of character. From the funky little balcony, to the original creaky hardwood floors. A second floor unit with almost 1500 square feet. Parking is on the first floor, through the garage doors, and at the back of the buildingis a large grassy, fenced area for the dog. Now, if we could simply transplant the building and unit to a better part of the city, we'd be all set! And, that was the drawback on this one.

 There are plenty of condos. on the market and they range in price greatly, so inventory is not an issue. I think we've narrowed down the buildings we prefer, and have even found a unit we especially like. It is a small one bedroom, one bath on the 5th floor. The current owner completely renovated the unit and did an amazing job. The kitchen is perfect, and the balcony........Here, take a look.

See what I mean??? Pretty cool! One thing that does not show up in the pictures and was a pleasant surprise is the little office tucked into a large entry closet. The unit has plenty of closets and storage, so the office was a great idea and who doesn't need space for a computer, books and a little clutter you can close a door on??
As to our near miss yesterday. Holy cow. We were almost home yesterday, driving around 30 mph, right hand lane with a green light. From out of nowhere and in front of the pickup truck to the left of us, came a little blue car, turning right in front of us. Fortunately, Henry's reaction time and quick thinking, he not only slammed on the brakes until the tires were squealing, he had to steer sharply left and then sharply right to avoid missing the car. What a crazy end to our mellow day. It would have been even worse though if we'd had hit the guy, because for sure our car would have been totaled, and more than likely someone would have gone to the hospital. Not to mention, it'd be fair to say, the guy probably had no insurance.
But, by the grace of God, and the quick thinking on Henry's part, all was okay.

To all Dog Lovers. Unconditional Love

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (KABC) -- Almost three weeks after deadly tornadoes tore through Alabama, an incredible story of survival has emerged about a dog that crawled home to its family on two broken legs.

Mason, a terrier mix, was picked up and swept away by a tornado. His family searched but could not find him.
Then Monday, two and a half weeks later, they came back home to sift through the debris and found Mason waiting for them on the porch.
"They've not been able to be in alignment so neither one of them have healed, so he had to crawl on two broken legs to get home," said veterinary Dr. Barbara Benhart.
"This is probably the most dramatic we've seen as far as an injury in an animal that's survived this long," said Phil Doster, an animal-shelter worker.
A veterinarian has volunteered to take Mason in and nurse him back to health.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
What a great story, and the perfect end to another week.

Saturday Shopping

We will be looking at a unit in this building, 'top floor, end cap' is how the ad reads, but from the pictures it looks
pretty nice and it is a smaller building which means fewer neighbors

This building was built in 1922 and called the Eagle Apartments. A few years ago, a developer bought the entire building and did a complete renovation, but turned it into just eight condominium units, with a parking garage being on the first floor. The unit we will be looking at is on the second floor, so a neighbor above. If nothing else, it will be interesting to check out the building.

 

We've got a whole list of places to look at tomorrow. Should be fun!

The Hunt for A Job

This is not going well at all. I have sent my resume to so many places related to to Title, and am now resorting to applying for receptionist positions.
There are tons of jobs advertised in this area, so I'm not understanding why I am not getting any replies. Unless, with each position available, hundreds of people are applying? Possibly.
It's kind of a catch 22 anyway though. If I found a job in Lewisville and we end up living in downtown Dallas, that would be an awful commute. The ideal situation would obviously work close to home, but how likely is that? So, maybe I see where we're going to land, then focus my search in that area.

Henry's into his third week at the new job and seems to like it alot. Yay! His commute is no picnic though, so we have learned the area we are in right now, is not where we want to be. Again, working as close to home is the way to go. It's all going to come together in time.

That's the latest from Dallas.

Prices UP...and sizes Down



4 oz. - a year ago it was 6 oz. I was going to pitch the larger one because it is basically gone, but now I think I will try to squeeze some more out of it. We are being duped.



A simple can of tomatoes. The one on the left is 14.5 oz, purchased some time ago. The one on the right is obviously Walmart's Great Value brand, which I seriously try to avoid purchasing, but did so because it was cheaper. That didn't work so well, I am getting 4 oz. less. The can weighs in at a measly 10 oz.

I was frustrated while at Wal-mart today as I noticed yet another increase in the cost of food.

First, I headed towards the pharmacy area to get all my non food items. One of the items was my moisturizer. To anyone that knows me, you know I do not really do makeup, and I've always used the cheapest Olay mositurizer out there. It has always run between $4-5 dollars and lasts forever. Today I had a $1.00 off coupon for it....thinking I'm so clever I find it on the shelf, but guess what? Now they want $6.87 for it!! What the heck! Even with my $1.00 off, it still cost me more than I've ever paid. But, that's not all. When I got home and took it out of the box, I was like 'what?' It was smaller, too! Sure enough, a whole 2 oz. smaller. So, I've paid more money and got less! ---frustrating.
Back to Wal-mart.  I wheeled my cart down the coffee and bread aisle and noticed the coffee Henry drinks is $2.00 higher today than it was two weeks ago and the coffee I drink was not even on the shelf.
Then, I was scouring the bread, looking for the least expensive white bread when a gentleman that works there asked if he could help me. I just laughed and told him 'no, I'm just looking for the cheap stuff.' He said, 'well, here, maybe this will help' and he pulled out a .55 cent off coupon for Mrs. Bairds white bread. I thanked him and accepted the coupon. The $1.78 loaf was now $1.23. I can handle that and it was quite nice of him.
You can see from the picture of canned tomatoes above the difference there. Less in quantity, higher in price.  We have all known for a long time this has been going on as far as shrinking sizes, but as of lately, the prices are going up rapidly which is concerning.  No wonder 1 in 7 Americans are on food stamps. We get to buy our own groceries and theirs, too!
I was glad to be out of Wal-mart today! With the shock at some of the prices I am sure I was talking to myself....and that's never a good thing when you're alone in pubic.

Love Walgreen's!

Maybe if you click on the image to enlarge, it may be readable

Total cost-$4.05

Yesterday we picked up the Sunday paper so I could grab all the coupons and check out the weekly deals at Walgreen's and CVS. Henry likes the TV guide, so we pulled it out, and pretty much the rest of the paper is trash. What a waste of paper....or trees, right? In a progressive's world anyway,not in mine.
So, I found the deals on items I needed, cut the coupons to go along, and off I went. I mentioned the mayonnaise special under 'Deals', and today I was able to take advantage of it. Walgreen's had the Hefty ziploc bags at a buy one, get one free...and I had a $1.00 off coupon I'd been waiting to use, so it worked great. The M&M's were on sale at .39 cents each, so Henry can satisfy his sweet tooth, plus I needed two filler items. I was using 2 Register Rewards and 4 coupons, but only had 4 items, so I was short two items. At Walgreen's the 'filler items' can be anything at any price, hence the M&M's at .39 cents each.
Bottom line....I saved $16.29 and spent just $4.05. I'm getting the hang of it!

More Condo Looking

The main entrance

The building

                                                               





Yesterday we met our realtor downtown at The Renaissance on Turtle Creek. You can see the building itself above. We actually looked at three units in this building, ranging just a little in price, however, one unit comes fully furnished with beautiful furniture and a huge flat screen television...ideal for us considering we have no furniture.

The units we looked at it were on floors 3, 5 and 9. Heights make both of us nervous and even the unit on the 9th floor balcony was pushing it a bit. We absolutely love this building, because of its location for one. It would be a short commute, 7 miles compared to 27 miles, which means 20 minutes instead of 1 hour each way. Second, the homeowner fees are reasonable compared to many of the others we've looked at. Third, no outside maintenance to contend with.
There are always drawbacks, and a condo. definitely has some. Like, would you always hear your neighbor's TV, do they have loud parties at night? It's not like at an RV park, where if you don't like your neighbor, you leave. Lots to consider for sure.
Today, there are some open houses on other units downtown, so we'll take a look at some more for comparison. Fortunately, we don't have to rush into a decision. :)

Bedford

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The old school bell at the Bedford school



Freaky Friday....eek

Just what every little boy wants, or needs....or something...I think. An Obama SEAL Team 6 figurine. What an absolutely scary thought, Obama holding a weapon. I'm not sure he'd have a clue what to do with it, let alone know what it's actually for.  Well, there you have it. A freaky thought to end your week with!  :))

Problems with Blogspot

Apparently, blogspot (host) has had some issues which has caused everyone's posts from two days ago to disappear, and not allowing any new posts. Now that they are back up and running, I see the formatting has been altered and I've yet to figure out how to restore it. The entire thing seems to have drifted into la-la land.
As time permits, I will attempt to fix it, or hope that 'they' get their act together. It's a bit frustrating, but hey, it's free, so I'm not complaining too loudly.

JACKSON

Today, we dropped Jack off at the groomer, and then we took a drive to Bedford. Oh, wait. First stop was Sonic. I LOVE Sonic. Did you know you can get one Jr. burger and 1 order of tater tots for just $1.00 each? That would be $2.00 for lunch. Can't beat it.
Anyway, after lunch at Sonic, we took the drive to Bedford. If we end up buying a house, it looks like Bedford and surrounding area would be an easy commute. There was an open house that we checked out, but at 2200 sq. ft and two stories, not ideal for us.

We drove around several neighborhoods, nearly ran out of gas, and four hours later, returned back to where be began and picked up our dog from the groomer. They did a great job on him, don't you think?? :))

Freaky Friday

Now I've seen it all. Defective toilet paper? Lawsuit. Colorado. For real.

Oh Oh.

This is the perfect example of why you do NOT want to leave your awning out when you take off for the day. The wind may not be blowing when you leave, but ya never know when she's going to start. Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened to this camper today. At the time I took the picture, almost 5:00 p.m., the owners had not yet returned. Not a very nice end to their day I would say.

Off To Work

It's barely 7:00 a.m., but he's on his way out the door to begin his 30 minute commute.

Picture as promised. :)

The days of internet are quite nice when you're job hunting. Go to the website of a company, and many have the option of submitting your resume right there. So, I've done that for three companies today. I have had one reply already...'Thank you, however, we don't have any positions available right now.' --On a lighter note though, she did comment that I have impressive qualifications, and she would be forwarding my resume on to someone else for their review. Encouraging, right? I thought so.

I Forgot!!

I completely forgot I had promised to take a picture of H. leaving for work all dressed up! He did start his new job yesterday, and looked quite dashing in his new duds... :)
I promise I will have camera in hand tomorrow morning and post him here for you to see!

We have been through some terrible thunderstorms here...rain, hail, thunder, lightning and wind. Thankfully, today, the sky is blue and the sun is shining again. Jack does NOT like the stormy weather. It is almost impossible to coax him outside, and he jumps when the thunder crackles. Poor thing.

Tomorrow, I will begin searching for a job for myself. ---I'd love to seek out something I've never done before but always wanted to....like bartending! But, obviously I have zero experience and who in their right mind would hire someone with no experience to mix martinis or blend margaritas? Yeah. Alright, guess I'll look for something in what I know. Good thing we're in Dallas, because I hear there's a whole lot of need for Title Researchers. And that is right up my alley! I know it will pay extremely well, so when I land the job, we will be finding another car and doing a little clothes shopping again. It's like deja vu.

Ding, Dong.

With the news of Bin Laden's death, I felt it appropriate to pay tribute to our Navy SEALS for a job well done! Courtesy of the red, white and blue, say goodnight Osama.