Bad day - not just for us!
We're having a bad day - some bad family news and hassles on the house hunting front. All a little depressing. But not as depressing as it was for this guy apparantly... saw this on this mornings news. YUK! (Don't read if you're particularly squeemish)
http://www.ktvu.com/news/14317455/detail.html
Fleet Week
Its been a fantastic couple of days to work at Lucas - we're right by the bay and this weekend is Fleet Weekend which is a huge celebration in the bay with ships, boats, events, and an air show around the bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. The "Blue Angels" (basically an over-powred Red Devils!) have been practicing half of the week and flying right above our office - the noise that 5 low flying F-18's make is quite incredible!!!!
A few links for you to read about it
http://www.kcbs.com/Mixed-Feelings-on-Return-of-Blue-Angels/1051125http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimgoldstein/1495679218/http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=local&id=5690043
Birthday season
Karina is going to her friends birthday tomorrow - the start of Birthday Season. Another friend has hers in a few weeks then both Karina and Kyle in November. HOW MANY PRESENTS do we need to buy?!?!?!!! ;-) All at the same time as moving house... joy!
"On the Move, On the Move, We're On The Move Again...!"
Go on then - name that TV theme tune... I throw down the gauntlet! I have no idea why, but that awesome theme tune form (I think) a Sunday morning BBC TV show from the 70's called "On The Move" came to mind. Probably because of the beer. Anyway - does anyone remember it? Damn, I don't even really remember what it was about.. probably a programme for the deaf or disabled or something, there were a lot of those shows on in the 70s ('See Hear' anyone?). Anyway, I digress..... the real point of this post is... as is customary each year for the Stephensons... WE'RE MOVING HOUSE AGAIN!!!!!!!
Top and bottom of it is that out a-hole landlord, as we knew all along, bought into a money pit at the wrong time and now is foreclosing (the bank is taking back the house and probably his house too if he doesn't play ball). He will owe $200,000 still after the sale, assuming he gets his target price which is under market value and $200,000 under what he paid when you take upgrades and renovations into account.
So all the last 2 weeks we're been house hunting and theres NOTHING suitable for us. Too small, too cold, crap area, too pricey, no garden etc etc. Anyway... we're working on it. All last Saturady I drove around the north of us looking at 7 or 8 places. Nothing. All week at lunch time I drove around the city. Nothing. Today I drove all around the south. Nothing. OK there were some OK places but nothing just "right". We'll see a place tomorrow AM and then probably repeat again next Saturday. Its very very tiring.
So the landlord wants us out realistically by the end of the month (its complex, but thats basically what it comes down to). He had an open house on Thurs and we had dozens of rude knob heads around dirtying up the place and being obnoxious. Still didnt sell. Now he wants to do the same again and Shauny is awaiting the "negotiating" phone call - I'm gonna enjoy this! How many ways can you tell someone to "go away and leave us alone"? (Yes, you know I will be that polite - especially as we have the law on our sides this time).
Ahhhh... life is never easy, but always colourful for The Stephensons! ;)
YAWN!
I need to update this thing. I'm tired. I'm working too much. But I have beer and football at present and so I'm negotiating with my brain about allowing me to recall any updates we may have to post. Right at the moment, its being un-cooperative. Expect a few updates ... 'in no particular order'.....
