Thanks Lucky, I hope so too!

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“I am neither especially clever nor especially gifted. I am only very, very curious.” ~ Albert Einstein

"A smooth sea never made a skillful sailor." ~ Unknown

i have been dying to see brave, we just got it here yesterday, and i know there will be kids there so im waiting a few days. i have seen a lot of clips on you tube and i can see that it will be a new fav of mine.

I love our new place. I feel like a ton of weight has been lifted off my shoulders, moving here. It's great not feeling like you have to watch your back every moment. At my last place, our daily ritual was to hide our ID and ATM card in our clothes (mine in my bra) before we left the apt, or entered the neighborhood. I'd hide my purse under my coat on my arm, cell phone in a concealed pocket on silent, and walk with keys in one hand and pepper spray in the other. There are no bars on the windows here. People stroll the streets, they jog, parents walk with their kids, people carry their bags without worry.
It's great! I just have to work on not being scared when people talk to me on the street. I'm still a bit defensive.

Wanna swap? It was 108 here yesterday... so hot my tomato plants have stopped setting fruit! I could do with a couple of cool wet days (although my hair wouldn't thank me). Still, I'm grateful we don't get snow in the winter....

selfishwoman - glad to hear your move went well and you're liking your new neighborhood!

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80% of success is showing up - Woody Allen

Selfishwoman, that sounds like a considerable upgrade. I'm glad to hear that you're happier there.

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Rating: Awesome
We found your keys, so if you want 'em, you better come and get 'em.
WWWYKI
There's no sense crying over every mistake. You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.

Sounds awesome SW!

I have zero motivation at work today, which is unfortunate because I have a lot to do
My boss is gone for the day already, so I might be able to leave early, but I do have to get some work done...how unfair!

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"Children are the future...today belongs to ME!" Lindsay Naegle ('The Simpsons')

I know that feeling very, very well.

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Rating: Awesome
We found your keys, so if you want 'em, you better come and get 'em.
WWWYKI
There's no sense crying over every mistake. You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.

Wow SW, I can't believe that anyone would choose to live in a neighborhood like your old one! Glad that you got out (although sad in the conditions that caused you to leave). Something that just clicked with me WRTO you and houses. You said (many pages ago in this thread), to "watch out for foreclosed houses when looking to rent". Is that what you are currently renting? If you want to buy it try going to the owner with a deal like this: I will sign a 2 year lease at $X per month, at the end of the lease I will have an option to buy the house at a price we will establish now (housing prices should come back in the next 2 years), and you will accept 50% of the rent I have paid you as a down payment. This is a win-win --they get income stability from the property for the next 2 years, with the possibility that they will be able to unload it, you get to "test drive" the neighborhood and have a "forced savings" plan for your down payment. Given the givens, it is a deal they might take (and could really work out for you if prices recover). You could also tell them that you might be more likely to do permanent (or semi-permanent) fixups and improvements to the house if you thought you were going to buy it.

I don't know how this fits into your plans or what not, but remember that if prices recover, you can buy the house from them (at today's depressed price) and sell it immediately (effectively doing a "no money flip").

Just something to consider.

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WWTLD --- What Would Tyrion Lannister Do?