Happy New Year everyone! A New Year brings with it a chance for new beginnings, new projects, and new directions. Due to a "real estate deal gone bad" that is exactly where I am today.
The man that had bought my mobile home on an installment contract decided not to honor the contract and has moved out. The mobile home has reverted back to me to rebuild the whole inside which he completely gutted on the way out. All that's left is the shell. Definitely not resalable.
This is a picture of what used to be the kitchen, going into the living room. He took everything including the kitchen sink. LOL. The first time we were able to see inside the mobile and start to assess the damage was Friday, December 31st, which for a lot of people was essentially a holiday. We weren't able to get in as we need to get a locksmith to open and re-key the locks. I half expected this, but my boyfriend and partner in this project, was devastated. He could not believe anyone with any conscience at all could do something like this. I posted "No Trespassing" signs so if he should come back to do any more damage, I can call the police.
Normally, I would not be able to pursue a deficiency judgment against the buyer, but because he damaged the mobile home, it opens the door for me to sue him. It won't do much good as far as getting what he owes me, but it will be on his record for a minimum of the next 10 yrs.
All kinds of thoughts have been swirling around in my head. I need to look over my Homeowner's policy, which he never paid me for, and see if they will cover anything. We, like a good portion of America, have no savings so we will be doing this as cheaply as possible. This blog will be a record of our journey.
On Friday, just to ad insult to injury, I received a 3-day notice from the park owner for this man's past due rent and utilities. If I didn't pay it, the park owner could demand I move my mobile out of the park. This is just another $560.00 added to what he owes me.
Of course Saturday was New Year's Day and Sunday locksmiths and police non-emergency are closed, so we spent the weekend in the planning stages. We have decided in order to move our stuff out of the place we are in, we will need to put down flooring first. I had found free laminate on Craig's List, but didn't move fast enough. That is my first lesson learned.
Today I am giving my 30-day notice to the landlord, setting an appointment with the locksmith, setting an appointment with the police, and contacting my lawyer. Today I will find out if he took the toilet and shower along with everything else.
A New Year, A New Project, A New Direction
"Ditch Your New Year's Resolutions" Day- Pt 2
Always January 17th- I love this! I think everyone should have a "plan B". I don't have any to ditch today, even tho one of my resolutions is to quit smoking (I don't know if there's enough drugs in the world), but it is to 'quit smoking this year' so I still have plenty of time to work on it. LOL.
For those of you who would like some inspiration for your resolutions outside of the normal “Top 10”, here are some we should all probably consider. It is never too late or never too early to make a fresh start.
1.) Call an old friend you haven’t been in touch with for awhile. It’s amazing how people love to know you’re thinking of them. Heck, call more than one.
2.) Stop and tell the people the people you love, you love them, or how much they mean to you. It’s so easy to say “I love you” automatically. Instead, take the time to actually say it so you know they feel it. We have a tendency to take so much for granted.
3.) Don’t blow molehills into mountains. As they say “this too shall pass”, (whoever “they” is). We all have challenges. Sometimes it’s the way we think of them that make them large or small. Keep moving toward the light at the end of the tunnel.
4.) Grow your sense of humor, it’ll help with #3 above. Remember what it was like the last time you really laughed? Try looking at things from a “funny side”.
5.) Be encouraging to yourself and those around you. It’s so easy for us to be discouraging, sometimes without even knowing it. Try looking at things like a child who believes anything is possible.
And for those who are hell-bent on keeping some resolutions, here are a few that would be easy to keep. (Some of these are sort of ‘borrowed’ from Mike Douglas over at Buzzle.com, with my commentary thrown in).
1.) I want to be plump, beautiful, and look like the actresses of yesterday instead of the anorexic Barbie dolls of today.
2.) Assert yourself. Never surrender the control of that TV remote to anyone in the house.
3.) Be more self-absorbed: All me, all the time. (How To Win Friends and Influence People) LOL
4.) Buy your husband a cookbook. One can't always eat in a restaurant. It’s time he learned how to cook some decent food. His cooking was hopeless last year. (If you’re a man reading this, it’s probably not that she can’t cook, she probably just doesn’t want to).
5.) Procrastinate forever. Why do today what you can postpone for how long?
(I know this is 6, so this isn’t ‘symmetrical’, so to speak, but I had to add in my favorite)
6.) Last but not least, get your husband or boyfriend to take on exercising in a big way. You deserve someone hung like Brad Pitt. (Once again, if you’re a man reading this, don’t try it the other way around. No matter how hard you try, you’ll never turn us into all boobs and butt and no mouth). LOL
I think that’s enough to think about the New Year for now. Have a great day and “get rid of the guilt”.
'Ditch Your Resolutions' Day- Pt. 1
When : Always January 17th
Yep, believe it or not they have come up with a day to help us out of our New Year’s Resolutions. You read that right. It’s “help us out of” not ‘keep our’ resolutions. For many of us, even tho it’s barely 2 weeks after New Year’s, there are probably a few resolutions we made that we have broken and feel guilty about already (especially if they were made after a few glasses of champagne). If you haven't accomplished, broken, or given up your New Year's resolutions, tomorrow is your chance to get out from under them.
In honor of the day, I thought it would be fun to pass on this bit of New Year’s Trivia.
These are the ‘Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions’ people make. Any of these look familiar?
New Year’s Eve Tradition Beginnings
The first New Year’s Eve ball to drop in Times Square happened in 1907.
The New York's Waterford crystal ball is 6ft dia. and weighs 1070lbs.
Did you know that in Flaggstaff, AZ they drop a pinecone on New Year’s Eve?
Bangor, Maine dropps a purple beach ball decorated with Christmas lights.
Seattle, WA. does their countdown with an elevator.
The first ‘Tournament of Roses’ parade was in 1890.
The baby to signify the New Year was first used in Greece in approx. 600BC
If You Want An Extra Special New Year’s Eve
The largest annual New Year's Eve celebration happens in Sydney, Australia.
The Aussies set off approximately 80,000 fireworks off of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. (if you decide to go, don’t forget to book online thru All About Travel).
For Celebrating With Our Jewish Friends
I must admit, I am not Jewish and do not know a much about this. If anyone would like to add something, please feel free to comment.
The Jewish New Year is called Rosh Hashanah. While most of us know that much, did you know that Rosh Hashanah means “head of the year”?
Apples and honey are eaten to symbolize a “sweet new year”.
Rosh Hashanah, which actually lasts for 2 days, is considered to be ‘one long day’.
For 2008 Rosh Hashanah begins from sundown Sept. 29th and ends at night on Oct. 1st.
For Those Who Celebrate the Chinese New Year, Gung Hay Fat Choy!
The Lunar New Year’s first cycle of the Chinese zodiac dates as far back as 2600BC.
The first day of the year can fall anywhere between late January and the middle of February.
In 2008, on the Western calendar, the start of the New Year falls on February 7th.
This year is The Year of the Rat, and if you were born in 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, or 1996 you were born under this sign. If you weren’t born in these years but would like to see what Chinese Zodiac Sign you were born under, go to http://www.chinese.astrology.com/
And Last But Not Least
Did you know that a raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will bounce up and down continuously from the bottom of the glass to the top?
Before I Start On New Year's Resolutions...
I am one for making New Year's Resolutions. We all usually pick the things we dislike about ourselves and try to give it up (sort of like 'lent' only instead of 40 days, we hope it's permanent). Before I make my resolutions, I like to look at last year's and see how I did and what I still need to work on, sort of my own "2007 in Review". I thought I would post the following "2007 in Review" for you. No, it's not my year in review, but I think you'll enjoy this much more! A special thanks to our friends at 'Jibjab.com'.