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!

Fanfare!

The Beast is back! The new fan turned up today but once again it had been damaged in transit. This time it was only a small piece that had broken off so I accepted it and brought it home. Stuck it on the car and got nothing, a big fat nothing. Car started fine and the temperature gauge gradually rose and rose and rose but the fan didn't kick in. I checked the fuse box and the 60 amp fuse had blown so a quick trip to the auto store for a new one and now everything's working fine.

Can't wait to drive it to work tomorrow

That's it for another year

It was kind of odd taking the Christmas decorations down today as the weather here at the moment is fantastic, upper 70s and sunshine all day. It so doesn't feel like Christmas at all but more like summer is just around the corner.

We had a new bed delivered yesterday and it's massive being a full 16 inches wider than a UK king size!! Mind you I still only get the same amount of room (on the edge of the bed) to sleep in as Mrs P has collared the rest.

The Beast is still out of action and the part is due in between 6th and 9th January. It's now started leaking transmission fluid where it's been sat idle for the past 3 weeks so once the fan arrives I'll set about getting a new gasket and filter set.

We're down to the last few weeks now before baby arrives and picked up a bargain of a mattress for the crib. Originally priced at $110 and then marked down to $76 in the sale, we picked up a new Sealy mattress for $54 at the checkout.

I must get on and finish my bike and get it back out on the road, it's fair to say that I've got my "winter insulation" on at the moment having gained 6lbs. I blame Mrs P as she's the one that has ice cream every night and when I'm fetching her's I might as well get myself a bowl too.

Diary of a madman

Well Christmas has come and gone and it's back to work for me. It's the first time ever that I've worked between Xmas and New Year. Everyone had a great time over the Festive period and think everyone got the presents they wanted from Santa. Mind you he needs to have a word with the Elves in the packing dept and tell them to stop using so many wire ties to hold them in the box.

I got a satnav system for the car which I've yet to install as the Beast is still grounded. I did get the new part from the stealership last friday but when I got home and opened the package up the new fan shroud was completely shattered. A new one is on order with an unknown delivery date.

Mrs P and I are now only 6 short weeks away from the newest member of the family joining us. We've still not discussed names very much although if it's a boy I want to call it Luke. This is purely for selfish reasons as I want to say "Luke, I am your father"

No smoke without fire

The Beast is temporarily 'dead' as I wait for a new part. Wednesday night on the way home from work it nearly caught fire when the electric cooling fan seized. Luckily I noticed smoke coming from the radiator and a strong burning smell just as I pulled into the driveway at home. I opened the hood and smoke poured out along with the horrid acrid smell of burning plastic. I dumped a watering can over it to cool it down before any flames started. The new part is dealer only as it's unique to this model car (and beacuse they didn't make many of this model there are no aftermarket parts) and costs a lovely $700 for a new one. They are on back order but they expect to be able to get me one within a week. Til then the Beast will remain sat in the front yard. I took the old one out this morning and I could hardly turn it by hand.

We almost bought a new house this week when we put in an offer on a 4 bedroom house that was foreclosed on. Mrs P scrambled round to get us a mortgage offer and we submitted this to the seller but they chose another buyer who had a cash offer. Mrs P is distraught but there will be others.