Breaking the Law

Not us you'll understand, someone else. While Baby C was arriving in to this world, our other world of trying to buy a house was falling apart. We found out that our buyer has accepted a second higher offer on the house that we're we under contract to buy. Because it's a short sale the final decision has to go to the lender to agree and both offers have been submitted.

We're furious at this as our contract with the the seller stated that he wouldn't submit other offers to the lender and would no longer continue to market the property. He's now claiming that he couldn't read the line but as he's signed it any way that doesn't count. The listing agent is a BITCH and denies doing anything wrong, but as she's representing the seller and conveniently the other buyer she would get to keep the entire commission if she sells it to her buyer rather than half of it if she sells to us. Any how glad it's the most litigious country in the world as we're about to unleash the hounds of the legal system in their direction.

It's a.....

....a girl! Charlotte Louise was born at 08:04 on Tuesday 10th February and weighed in at 7lbs 8oz. I know it's cliched and everyone says it about their own kids but she is the prettiest and cutest baby I've ever seen.

Everyone is very happy with the new arrival and Mrs P and Baby C left the hospital and came home on Thursday. I'll post some pictures as soon as I can but it won't let me at the moment. The pictures will show you how happy I am much better than anything I can possibly write.









Mrs P is recovering slowly from her operation but she's up and about and doing way too much around the house. She thinks I'll get annoyed with her calling me all the time. I won't but I do get annoyed when she's up and about doing stuff she shouldn't be! I even rigged up a wireless doorbell so that she can chime me from the bedroom whenever she needs something. Only the very rich and famous can say they've got an English butler!

With President's Day today it's been a 4 day weekend and the kids haven't been to school. With that and a new baby at home it's been a mad mad mad mad time.

Crazy just crazy

Not really sure where to begin, it's been a crazy few weeks around here. Kate is totally to blame as she notified us of a foreclosure house for sale that was a steal at under $270,000. Mrs P LOVED the house and we set about getting mortgage arranged. Although we offered full asking price, the bank unfortunately decided to go with a cash offer and so we missed out. However things didn't end there and we decided to see what else is on offer at the moment. We discussed our options with the mortgage advisor and they told us how much we could borrow, but this was contingent on our current house being on the market for sale. I spent most of January (that's every evening and weekend) sanding, filling, priming and painting the house. I've repainted the master bedroom ceiling and the skirting boards door frame and window frames. Painted the ceiling in the hall, kitchen, second bathroom and dining room. Filled, primed and painted the crown molding, skirting boards, door frames and doors in the kitchen, hall second bathroom and dining room too. Outside of the house I've cut a forest of overgrown stuff out of the back yard.

You can see the virtual tour of the house here


We listed our house in the middle of all this decorating (and before it was really ready) but a couple of weeks later we had an offer. After much offer/counter offer/counter counter offer we all agreed on a price and we're closing on March 25th. We've no place to move into yet but we've offered on a house that's going to short sale. That means that the mortgage lending company has to agree to sell the house for less than the current mortgage and forego the difference. This process takes a long time and there's no set time scale for them to make a decision. In the mean time we'll look for short term rental properties.

Next week is the big event and the baby is arriving on Tuesday morning. Yes time has FLOWN by and we're all systems go here. We think we've agreed on names but that could all change in last couple of days. Mrs P has finished work now for the next 12 weeks and I've only got one day left then I'm off for a week. We have to be at the hospital at 5am on Tuesday with the baby arriving by 8am. Mrs P has a comedy belly at the moment and looks like she's swallowed a basketball.

It's been very cold here for the past week with temperatures near record lows, that's in the 20's F which is about -5C. Still things are improving and it's supposed to be back to the 70s tomorrow. Hopefully that's winter over with for this year.

I'll try and get online next tuesday with some news and pics of the baby, like its name, sex and weight. Who says you can't have a baby and move house at the same time??? Pah, I'll show you how it's done!