Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Starting to look good!
Sarah and I went by the house after I picked her up yesterday afternoon, and it is starting to look good. I am very excited! Here is a preview...
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
A Blast from the Past
I have mentioned before that Ken's family really have no grip on their family roots. He knows his grandfather is from England, living in Florida, but still a UK resident. But other than that there is no real sense of roots.
In my family we have several very enthusiastic genealogy researchers, mainly some of my aunts. They have been doing this for over three decades now! This has, needless to say, amassed great knowledge about our family and where we came from. Most of the research have been done on our maternal side, and it reach as far back as there are records.
My mother was born on Gotland, but she was actually a Danish citizen (that is how I became Danish). My grandfather is from Denmark, and he has both Danish and German roots.
Sarah, this is for you:
Your maternal ancestors (that we have pictures of):
This is your grandmother Anna with me on her lap. This picture was taken about 3 months before she died. She was born 1950 and passed away in 1975.
This is your Great Grandmother Wivan, which you have been lucky to meet, and hopefully will meet again soon! She was born 1931.
This is your Great Great Grandmother Ester. She was born 1899 and passed away 1974.
This is your Great Great Great Grandmother Albertina. She was born 1881 and passed away 1967.
And this is one of my favorite pictures, with all of them together!
In my family we have several very enthusiastic genealogy researchers, mainly some of my aunts. They have been doing this for over three decades now! This has, needless to say, amassed great knowledge about our family and where we came from. Most of the research have been done on our maternal side, and it reach as far back as there are records.
My mother was born on Gotland, but she was actually a Danish citizen (that is how I became Danish). My grandfather is from Denmark, and he has both Danish and German roots.
Sarah, this is for you:
Your maternal ancestors (that we have pictures of):
This is your grandmother Anna with me on her lap. This picture was taken about 3 months before she died. She was born 1950 and passed away in 1975.
This is your Great Grandmother Wivan, which you have been lucky to meet, and hopefully will meet again soon! She was born 1931.
This is your Great Great Grandmother Ester. She was born 1899 and passed away 1974.
This is your Great Great Great Grandmother Albertina. She was born 1881 and passed away 1967.
And this is one of my favorite pictures, with all of them together!Tuesday at the hotel
Just sent Sarah and Ken off. Sarah actually went by free will, I was afraid she was going to give us a hard time again! The bad thing is I forgot to make and send a lunch with her! She is a super picky eater, and she rarely will eat anything they serve in school. I feel really bad, she has a long day today! Luckily she ate a good breakfast...
Got lots of work to do today. Luckily I slept much better than the first night. It looks like it might be some rain clouds out there, perfect for working... Bob and Stan decided to make one of the little couches into a dog bed, and they are both bedded there underneath the covers.
I went buy our house at lunch yesterday to pick up the mail and water my plants, and what I saw through the window it looks like they had tore up the tile in the hallway. The carpets are easy to get out, but the tile require some jackhammering. We will see this afternoon how the progress is going!
Got lots of work to do today. Luckily I slept much better than the first night. It looks like it might be some rain clouds out there, perfect for working... Bob and Stan decided to make one of the little couches into a dog bed, and they are both bedded there underneath the covers.
I went buy our house at lunch yesterday to pick up the mail and water my plants, and what I saw through the window it looks like they had tore up the tile in the hallway. The carpets are easy to get out, but the tile require some jackhammering. We will see this afternoon how the progress is going!
Monday, April 28, 2008
Empty house!
Yesterday was a long day. We started out by having breakfast out, and then it was non-stop for about 5 hours. The dogs were not happy about all the furniture disappearing, one piece at a time. They figured something big was going on!
When it came to the last pieces, the office desks, we had to ask a neighbor for help, I just couldn't lift one of those desks if I tried all day! Unfortunately the guy was a bit too old and weak as well, they dropped one of the pieces and damaged it. Next weekend when it is time to put the stuff back, we will ask a younger, more muscular neighbor for help ;-)!
I shot a short video of the before look, and will add another video after everything is all done.
The floors were horrid. And all that weird stuff we found underneath the couches! So glad to see that nasty carpet go. And the not so wonderful teal tile.
We checked in to the hotel around 5:30 PM last night. Everything here has recently been remodeled, so that entire place has a very fresh, almost Scandinavian feel to it.
I am not so happy to be crammed into a small hotel room with two dogs all week, but all for the sake of new floors.
I have a lot of work to do this week, and first I was very upset when there was no outlet to hook my regular computer up to. They had told me over the phone that there would be. We still had our laptop, but all my work stuff is on the big computer... Ken was luckily able to tap into the wireless Internet with his portable router, so now I am all set (though at a tenth of the speed I am used to from home!).
Here is the before video:
(Sorry about the "upside-down" sections, I thought the camera follows the movement like it does when taking pictures, still learning how to use my new camera!)
When it came to the last pieces, the office desks, we had to ask a neighbor for help, I just couldn't lift one of those desks if I tried all day! Unfortunately the guy was a bit too old and weak as well, they dropped one of the pieces and damaged it. Next weekend when it is time to put the stuff back, we will ask a younger, more muscular neighbor for help ;-)!
I shot a short video of the before look, and will add another video after everything is all done.
The floors were horrid. And all that weird stuff we found underneath the couches! So glad to see that nasty carpet go. And the not so wonderful teal tile.
We checked in to the hotel around 5:30 PM last night. Everything here has recently been remodeled, so that entire place has a very fresh, almost Scandinavian feel to it.
I am not so happy to be crammed into a small hotel room with two dogs all week, but all for the sake of new floors.
I have a lot of work to do this week, and first I was very upset when there was no outlet to hook my regular computer up to. They had told me over the phone that there would be. We still had our laptop, but all my work stuff is on the big computer... Ken was luckily able to tap into the wireless Internet with his portable router, so now I am all set (though at a tenth of the speed I am used to from home!).
Here is the before video:
(Sorry about the "upside-down" sections, I thought the camera follows the movement like it does when taking pictures, still learning how to use my new camera!)
Friday, April 25, 2008
Yikes
Had the dryer looked at. The problem with fancy modern equipment is of course that there are more sensitive components that can brake. In our case it turned out we needed a new control board. It pretty much looked like inside a computer when he took the cover off.
It is going to take a week to order the part and it costs all in all $306!!! I could get a low-end dryer brand new for that... Grumble... But it is a $1,000 dryer, so I am not giving up on it that easy. Half the cost is labor, the other half is parts. The control board is essential a mother board, just like in a computer, therefore the high price...
So that was the money I had planned to use for a new grill. I guess that will have to wait!
The worst thing about this is I was planning on doing lots of laundry, since we will be in a hotel all next week. I am doing one big load of the essential stuff this morning, and then I will take that stuff over to L's place and use the dryer there, they have a coin operated laundry room. It is for residents only, but since we lived in that apartment complex for 8 years I don't feel too bad about using one of their dryers...
It is getting down to the minute here: only today and tomorrow left to pack everything up! A huge benefit is that I haev been forced to empty all drawers and what nots, and there is STUFF everywhere right now. But this also means I have had a golden opportunity to weed out stuff that really isn't needed. I have been dropping off load after load at Goodwill. It also turned out to be a great opportunity to teach Sarah about donations and why I am doing it. Well, to get rid of a lot of crap, naturally, but in doing so actually benefiting someone less fortunate. She was really thinking about the concept yesterday after our visit to Goodwill, and the fact that everyone else is not just like her. That there are people who need to seriously pinch their pennies.
I better keep packing now. It is going to be a loooong weekend with a lot of work. I will try to take some pictures on Sunday after the house have been emptied, so we can get some before and after pictures. Very exciting though!
It is going to take a week to order the part and it costs all in all $306!!! I could get a low-end dryer brand new for that... Grumble... But it is a $1,000 dryer, so I am not giving up on it that easy. Half the cost is labor, the other half is parts. The control board is essential a mother board, just like in a computer, therefore the high price...
So that was the money I had planned to use for a new grill. I guess that will have to wait!
The worst thing about this is I was planning on doing lots of laundry, since we will be in a hotel all next week. I am doing one big load of the essential stuff this morning, and then I will take that stuff over to L's place and use the dryer there, they have a coin operated laundry room. It is for residents only, but since we lived in that apartment complex for 8 years I don't feel too bad about using one of their dryers...
It is getting down to the minute here: only today and tomorrow left to pack everything up! A huge benefit is that I haev been forced to empty all drawers and what nots, and there is STUFF everywhere right now. But this also means I have had a golden opportunity to weed out stuff that really isn't needed. I have been dropping off load after load at Goodwill. It also turned out to be a great opportunity to teach Sarah about donations and why I am doing it. Well, to get rid of a lot of crap, naturally, but in doing so actually benefiting someone less fortunate. She was really thinking about the concept yesterday after our visit to Goodwill, and the fact that everyone else is not just like her. That there are people who need to seriously pinch their pennies.
I better keep packing now. It is going to be a loooong weekend with a lot of work. I will try to take some pictures on Sunday after the house have been emptied, so we can get some before and after pictures. Very exciting though!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Great day and secret stash
Yesterday turned out to be a great day. After picking Sarah up we grabbed some lunch and went over to L's house. After helping her with some software, we headed to the pool. It is still a bit too cool for me, but I heard the ocean is actually 75F/24C now, and that is not bad! Maybe we will have time for a beach visit on Saturday...
I put my old Sony camera up for sale, they seem to be pretty popular on eBay. It was $800 new, so I was hoping to get something out of it. It still takes good pictures, but it just wasn't keeping up with me anymore. The auction has 5 more days left and it is already up to $70, not bad! The Mavica has a rewritable mini CD-rom instead of a memory card, and that is apparently an attractive feature for some. It can store huge amounts of pictures in there! And this is a high end model, so even if it only has 4 mega pixels, it has a lot of cool features.
This morning I was driving around looking for boxes, but nothing. Nada, Then I had a brilliant idea! What is one place that receives lots of boxes all the time? Goodwill! And they always load all their donations in large bins for shipping. So where do all those boxes go? Well, they go into a huge stack of boxes kept for people like me that comes by and asks for them! I was so happy I could have hugged the donation center lady!!! I will surely come back with a few of the boxes full of donations here soon anyway...
Lots of boxes!
But life is not always all great. Last night I had washed a load of sheets, and the stuff had been in the dryer for a while. To my surprise the dryer was spinning, but there was no hot air! Most likely just a fuse somewhere, but I am not going to fiddle with that, so a repair man, at a minimum fee of $65, is coming out to look at it between 1PM-5PM.
The washer and dryer are the nicest set I have ever used. Ken got me the extra nice once as a present when we moved into the house 4 years ago. I really, really love my washer and dryer!
My beloved Whirlpool Duet washer and dryer
I put my old Sony camera up for sale, they seem to be pretty popular on eBay. It was $800 new, so I was hoping to get something out of it. It still takes good pictures, but it just wasn't keeping up with me anymore. The auction has 5 more days left and it is already up to $70, not bad! The Mavica has a rewritable mini CD-rom instead of a memory card, and that is apparently an attractive feature for some. It can store huge amounts of pictures in there! And this is a high end model, so even if it only has 4 mega pixels, it has a lot of cool features.
This morning I was driving around looking for boxes, but nothing. Nada, Then I had a brilliant idea! What is one place that receives lots of boxes all the time? Goodwill! And they always load all their donations in large bins for shipping. So where do all those boxes go? Well, they go into a huge stack of boxes kept for people like me that comes by and asks for them! I was so happy I could have hugged the donation center lady!!! I will surely come back with a few of the boxes full of donations here soon anyway...
Lots of boxes!But life is not always all great. Last night I had washed a load of sheets, and the stuff had been in the dryer for a while. To my surprise the dryer was spinning, but there was no hot air! Most likely just a fuse somewhere, but I am not going to fiddle with that, so a repair man, at a minimum fee of $65, is coming out to look at it between 1PM-5PM.
The washer and dryer are the nicest set I have ever used. Ken got me the extra nice once as a present when we moved into the house 4 years ago. I really, really love my washer and dryer!
My beloved Whirlpool Duet washer and dryerWednesday, April 23, 2008
Boxes?
I am slowly realizing we now have a signed contract, that the floors actually are coming in on Monday!
I have to pack! The entire house (except for the two bathrooms which will be a later project) is being tiled. That means the entire house has to be emptied! We have a hotel waiting for us on Sunday, so that is the day the actual emptying will take place.
I am trying to pack up all loose items (a lot of stuff!) in boxes, so just the furniture is left. But I can't get boxes anywhere! I am not willing to pay $3 each for boxes.... It seems like most stores now a days compact all their boxes after they are unpacked. No more going behind a grocery store to get a bunch of sturdy banana boxes...
I asked at Wal-Mart, and they said I could get as many boxes I wanted. If I came in when their trucks unload. Which is between midnight and 4 AM. So not so interested in those.
We have an Office Depot just around the corner, and it seems like they just fold their boxes and place them outside in a recycle container. We were able to get a few there over the weekend. I think I will stop by there today and ask if they have a good stash hidden inside. Just in case! Anyone have any good tips on how to get free boxes?
After picking Sarah up we are getting some lunch and then heading over to our friend L's house. She needs some help figuring out a new software she needs to use for work, and then we are going to hang at their pool for a while. I got a new pool float I can't wait to try, I am like a big kid that way! :-)
I have to pack! The entire house (except for the two bathrooms which will be a later project) is being tiled. That means the entire house has to be emptied! We have a hotel waiting for us on Sunday, so that is the day the actual emptying will take place.
I am trying to pack up all loose items (a lot of stuff!) in boxes, so just the furniture is left. But I can't get boxes anywhere! I am not willing to pay $3 each for boxes.... It seems like most stores now a days compact all their boxes after they are unpacked. No more going behind a grocery store to get a bunch of sturdy banana boxes...
I asked at Wal-Mart, and they said I could get as many boxes I wanted. If I came in when their trucks unload. Which is between midnight and 4 AM. So not so interested in those.
We have an Office Depot just around the corner, and it seems like they just fold their boxes and place them outside in a recycle container. We were able to get a few there over the weekend. I think I will stop by there today and ask if they have a good stash hidden inside. Just in case! Anyone have any good tips on how to get free boxes?
After picking Sarah up we are getting some lunch and then heading over to our friend L's house. She needs some help figuring out a new software she needs to use for work, and then we are going to hang at their pool for a while. I got a new pool float I can't wait to try, I am like a big kid that way! :-)
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Do I need a degree for this?
I just (finally) got the camera, Not counting the user manuals in Spanish, there are 4 different manuals! One regular, one advanced, one for direct printing and one for the software. This camera is a bit different than my old Sony Mavica CD400, so I might need some time to figure out all the mind boggling options and things this little power house can do! Can't wait for the battery pack to be charged...
Monday, April 21, 2008
What the...?
As you know from below I finally sold our entertainment center yesterday.
I had a posting on Craigslist.org, but hadn't really had more than inquiries. I had previously had it listed for a higher price, with only one offer lower than what we were asking. Now when we had decided to go down in price, I emailed the guy who had offered the lower payment previously.
He said he was still interested, but that he would not be able to pick it up until the following week. He asked if he could come by to look at it and decide if it was what he wanted, and then let me know if he wanted to buy it or not. I said sure, if you come by and decide you want it I will hold it. He was suppose to come by on Thursday, but he never came, called or contacted me in any other way. People change their minds all the time, so no big deal. This other lady called, and they came and looked at it and took it on the spot.
Now a few minutes ago the guy emails me and asks when he can come by and take it. I informed him someone else got it.
I get this email back:
I am not sure what he means with "poor reputation on CraigsList, since it doesn't have any feedback like eBay have. Stuff like this really gives me a bad taste. Fia, you if anyone would know, is this a problem for me? Yeez, now you can't even sell your own crap without anyone going postal on you... Creepy!
I had a posting on Craigslist.org, but hadn't really had more than inquiries. I had previously had it listed for a higher price, with only one offer lower than what we were asking. Now when we had decided to go down in price, I emailed the guy who had offered the lower payment previously.
He said he was still interested, but that he would not be able to pick it up until the following week. He asked if he could come by to look at it and decide if it was what he wanted, and then let me know if he wanted to buy it or not. I said sure, if you come by and decide you want it I will hold it. He was suppose to come by on Thursday, but he never came, called or contacted me in any other way. People change their minds all the time, so no big deal. This other lady called, and they came and looked at it and took it on the spot.
Now a few minutes ago the guy emails me and asks when he can come by and take it. I informed him someone else got it.
I get this email back:
You broke a verbal contract which is the same in U.S. law as a written contract. I could take you to Small Claims Court. Aside from that you earned yourself a poor reputation on CraigsList and showed what you are really made of.What? We never agreed on anything other than I would hold it IF he decided he wanted it AFTER he looked at it! Which he never did. That really pisses me off, threatening me like that.
I am not sure what he means with "poor reputation on CraigsList, since it doesn't have any feedback like eBay have. Stuff like this really gives me a bad taste. Fia, you if anyone would know, is this a problem for me? Yeez, now you can't even sell your own crap without anyone going postal on you... Creepy!
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