Or, "The Quest for a (Semi?) Permanent Residence."
Monday's house-hunting brought on sort of an epiphany for Mitch and me: we want new construction.
We checked out a house that is for sale by owner and substantially out of our price range, but since it had been on the market for a long time, we thought he might deal. Of course, we fell in love. The guy built it for himself and his wife, but once he got it framed in she decided it was too small. So he finished it, right down to brand new appliances, and has been trying to unload it for a year. It has three bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a roughed-in basement, a gorgeous kitchen, a fireplace, a nice little deck, a two-car garage, and three acres of land. Wow!
None of the existing homes we visited later that night even held a candle to this place. I've seen many people make beautiful renovations to existing homes with some issues, but we've pretty much decided we would rather not take chances on somewhat of a "fixer-upper" (which is all we've really found) that could end up being more trouble than we bargained for.
So what now?
1. Find out if we can afford to make him a reasonable offer. We had a budgeted amount for a house when we were searching in Mt. Pleasant, but we think we can afford a bit more because of Mitch's new job. We are also prepared to make some lifestyle changes, whereas in Mt. P we didn't really think about that possibility. So we need to get our budget set and find out how much the owner owes on the house. If those figures match up, we'll make an offer. If he wants to get rid of it badly enough, he'll settle for breaking even.
2. If we can't afford to make a reasonable offer, we will officially abandon house-hunting and shift gears to apartment-hunting. Once we're settled, we'll begin actively looking for land, purchase at least an acre when we find something we like, increase the contributions to the house fund, and plan to build our own place in a year or two.
It makes me feel good to have a plan when our situation has been up in the air for so long. If course, I know my plans make God (and everyone else) laugh, but they get me through and I've proven to be flexible with them. I think I just need a place from which I can flex, rather than adopting a "go with the flow" attitude. That type of an outlook is admirable, to be sure, but too stressful for me!
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Done in the Yoop
I survived another year of the UP Swing after logging over 1500 miles in just five days. Yikes! Now I'm down at my parents' house, hanging out and preparing for travel in my real territory.
You know, I like being down here with my family, but I really don't like this part of the state. All the traffic, people, buildings, noise, money...I mean, when the mall at which you generally shop puts in an Armani store with a real DJ spinning in the front window, you know the area is rich enough to support such folly. And after checking out some of the "new" (read: recycled 1980s) fashion trends, I think I'm going to be doing my fall clothes shopping at REI.
Mitch has been staying with my parents all week because the commute to Mason is shorter from here than from Mt. Pleasant. Plus, my dad offered up the motorcycle on nice days, so Mitch has been saving a ton of money in gas. He'll continue to stay here until we find a place in St. Johns, which brings me to the next topic: when we'll find a place to live.
We're going to see three, maybe four, houses tomorrow after work. The consensus is that if nothing really grabs us this week, we'll more thoroughly explore the apartment option and make our permanent residence plans more long-range: i.e. look for land and plan to build our dream house (or a practical version of it) in a year or two. I'll keep you posted!
You know, I like being down here with my family, but I really don't like this part of the state. All the traffic, people, buildings, noise, money...I mean, when the mall at which you generally shop puts in an Armani store with a real DJ spinning in the front window, you know the area is rich enough to support such folly. And after checking out some of the "new" (read: recycled 1980s) fashion trends, I think I'm going to be doing my fall clothes shopping at REI.
Mitch has been staying with my parents all week because the commute to Mason is shorter from here than from Mt. Pleasant. Plus, my dad offered up the motorcycle on nice days, so Mitch has been saving a ton of money in gas. He'll continue to stay here until we find a place in St. Johns, which brings me to the next topic: when we'll find a place to live.
We're going to see three, maybe four, houses tomorrow after work. The consensus is that if nothing really grabs us this week, we'll more thoroughly explore the apartment option and make our permanent residence plans more long-range: i.e. look for land and plan to build our dream house (or a practical version of it) in a year or two. I'll keep you posted!
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Good question.
Tim asked a good question in his comment on my last post: whether it's difficult to be hands-off at this point in the week, and whether I feel like I don't really have a role in our travels. I thought I'd address it in the ten or so minutes before we go to dinner.
In short, the answer to both is, "Not really." Now that the week is closing out, college fairs only take up about two hours of the day. For those two hours, while I let the new reps man the table on their own, I get that coveted "me" time. I can answer emails from work and take care of my other tasks, or just spend some quiet time browsing the web.
I feel like I've done my job this week. At first, I did most of the talking at the fairs, and would listen to their conversations with families to determine where they needed some assistance. I talked about conversation techniques, questions to ask to keep them at the table longer, ways to connect with them, and demonstrated a number of them. After the first fair, I let them take more of a center stage role, eventually fading into the background and just jumping in when they asked. I feel they have a very good grasp of what to do and say, and now they need time to hone their skills without being self-conscious. And let's face it: this is not rocket science. Most of the time these kids won't remember anything you say in the two minutes you get with them. They will, however, remember a smiling face who expressed genuine interest in them, which is what I hope I've instilled during this training week.
In short, the answer to both is, "Not really." Now that the week is closing out, college fairs only take up about two hours of the day. For those two hours, while I let the new reps man the table on their own, I get that coveted "me" time. I can answer emails from work and take care of my other tasks, or just spend some quiet time browsing the web.
I feel like I've done my job this week. At first, I did most of the talking at the fairs, and would listen to their conversations with families to determine where they needed some assistance. I talked about conversation techniques, questions to ask to keep them at the table longer, ways to connect with them, and demonstrated a number of them. After the first fair, I let them take more of a center stage role, eventually fading into the background and just jumping in when they asked. I feel they have a very good grasp of what to do and say, and now they need time to hone their skills without being self-conscious. And let's face it: this is not rocket science. Most of the time these kids won't remember anything you say in the two minutes you get with them. They will, however, remember a smiling face who expressed genuine interest in them, which is what I hope I've instilled during this training week.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Mah-nah-mah-nah!
(Do-doo-do-do-do)
Muppets, anyone?
Yes, I am in Menominee, hanging out at a college fair and letting one of our new reps man the table solo. It works out nice: we've done three fairs together, and the last one I basically stood in the background and came to the rescue only when needed. Since MHS brings in three distinct groups of students (juniors, sophomores and seniors) at separate times, Matt's on for the juniors, we'll all have fun watching the awkward sophomores, and Megan will take the seniors. That gives me time to blog, especially since I found a wireless connection in the school!
So the UP week has been pretty fun. Last night we went out for a late dinner with the U of M and Adrian reps, and tonight there will probably be a slightly larger crew at one of the only restaurants in Ironwood. I have to admit, my natural tendency to be an introvert is really at odds with the role I'm playing this week. I would like nothing more than to curl up with a book, all alone, and spend a few hours recharging (and resting my voice - it's about gone). Maybe this evening I can have some "me" time.
I was asked to be a medical school reference for my intern, so I think I'll get started on that. I don't know how well I'll be able to answer some of the questions specific to his qualifications, but I can soundly attest to his work ethic and sense of personal responsibility. I'm guessing that's what he's hoping for from me!
Muppets, anyone?
Yes, I am in Menominee, hanging out at a college fair and letting one of our new reps man the table solo. It works out nice: we've done three fairs together, and the last one I basically stood in the background and came to the rescue only when needed. Since MHS brings in three distinct groups of students (juniors, sophomores and seniors) at separate times, Matt's on for the juniors, we'll all have fun watching the awkward sophomores, and Megan will take the seniors. That gives me time to blog, especially since I found a wireless connection in the school!
So the UP week has been pretty fun. Last night we went out for a late dinner with the U of M and Adrian reps, and tonight there will probably be a slightly larger crew at one of the only restaurants in Ironwood. I have to admit, my natural tendency to be an introvert is really at odds with the role I'm playing this week. I would like nothing more than to curl up with a book, all alone, and spend a few hours recharging (and resting my voice - it's about gone). Maybe this evening I can have some "me" time.
I was asked to be a medical school reference for my intern, so I think I'll get started on that. I don't know how well I'll be able to answer some of the questions specific to his qualifications, but I can soundly attest to his work ethic and sense of personal responsibility. I'm guessing that's what he's hoping for from me!
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Swingin' in the Yoop
Well, travel season has officially begun, and I'm writing from a lovely hotel in Iron Mountain, Mich. This week, I am traveling around the Upper Peninsula with Alma's two newest admissions reps, taking part in the "UP Swing," a series of six college fairs. It's a lot of fun, because you get to know reps from other schools and hang out after the fairs, but of course, travel is my least favorite job function so I'm kind of bummed that this means I have to start all of that again.
See, I really hate being away from home for so long. Mostly I miss Mitch, but I also miss the physical space I call home. This year is even more challenging, because we're trying to find a new place to live, too. Don't ask me how that's going...I don't really know. Mitch is going to look at a couple of houses this week, and he'll also check out apartments. I kind of want someone else to make the decisions and tell me what to do. It's overwhelming to think of it now.
And yes, Mitch begins his new job tomorrow. I'm confident he'll enjoy the new challenges it presents and I hope he's as fulfilled by it as we anticipate.
Now I have about 45 minutes until it's time to get some dinner before our first fair, so I'm going to curl up on my comfy bed and read for a bit. More updates should come throughout the week!
See, I really hate being away from home for so long. Mostly I miss Mitch, but I also miss the physical space I call home. This year is even more challenging, because we're trying to find a new place to live, too. Don't ask me how that's going...I don't really know. Mitch is going to look at a couple of houses this week, and he'll also check out apartments. I kind of want someone else to make the decisions and tell me what to do. It's overwhelming to think of it now.
And yes, Mitch begins his new job tomorrow. I'm confident he'll enjoy the new challenges it presents and I hope he's as fulfilled by it as we anticipate.
Now I have about 45 minutes until it's time to get some dinner before our first fair, so I'm going to curl up on my comfy bed and read for a bit. More updates should come throughout the week!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Rained Out
This seems to be the summer of aborted vacations. Last week, I took Thursday and Friday off and we packed up for a hiking trip at Pictured Rocks. We knew it would be rainy, but we thought we'd give it a try anyway. Here we are at the trailhead, bound for Mosquito Falls:
One hundred yards later, we donned garbage bags over our packs and kept moving, only to discover - a mile later - that we'd left our pass in the car. So Mitch went back to the car (he says running is for suckers, but he jogged anyway) and then we continued on to Mosquito Falls, where we posed for photos despite the rain.
We made it out to Lake Superior, had lunch, and paused quickly for the only shot of the cliffs we could manage, given the swarms of mosquitos that descended every time we stopped moving. And yes, we had bug spray, but it didn't help much because the rain kept washing it off.
After a couple of miles of hiking along the shoreline, we gave up. It was getting miserable and it was very likely that nothing would dry out even if the rain stopped. So we turned around and trudged back to the car. We thought we might still be able to salvage a night of camping elsewhere, but about half a mile from the car, the sky opened up with a soaker. The trails became little rivers, gushing around our boots, and the wind whipped sheets of rain right through us, it seemed. Looking like a couple of drowned rats, we threw our packs in the trunk and headed for the nearest (cheapest) motel we could find. We tried to maintain a bit of our budget, though, by cooking Raman in the parking lot and eating dinner out of our backpacking cookware:
Here's what our room looked like when we spread all our wet things around:
After a night of relative luxury, we awoke to still-wet boots (and almost everything else). Though the sun was shining, rain was in the forecast for the evening, so rather than try to navigate the trails in our sandals, we packed up the car and headed home, stopping along Lake Michigan to play.
So, while it wasn't the trip we planned, it was still fun and we still enjoyed the time we spent together. This will be Mitch's last vacation until after Christmas, because with his new job, he doesn't get any time off until after the first of the year. And speaking of his job, he starts next Monday (Sept. 17) and is really looking forward to it. I am, too, but I've kind of gotten used to having my "house husband" do all the cooking and cleaning!
One more thing unrelated to hiking or new jobs: Mitch and I just got the new Caedmon's Call CD, Overdressed, and really like it! I'm still going through my usual pattern of listening to it over and over until I start to identify my favorite songs, but so far I'm very pleased. Everyone reading this should go check it out!
One hundred yards later, we donned garbage bags over our packs and kept moving, only to discover - a mile later - that we'd left our pass in the car. So Mitch went back to the car (he says running is for suckers, but he jogged anyway) and then we continued on to Mosquito Falls, where we posed for photos despite the rain.
We made it out to Lake Superior, had lunch, and paused quickly for the only shot of the cliffs we could manage, given the swarms of mosquitos that descended every time we stopped moving. And yes, we had bug spray, but it didn't help much because the rain kept washing it off.
After a couple of miles of hiking along the shoreline, we gave up. It was getting miserable and it was very likely that nothing would dry out even if the rain stopped. So we turned around and trudged back to the car. We thought we might still be able to salvage a night of camping elsewhere, but about half a mile from the car, the sky opened up with a soaker. The trails became little rivers, gushing around our boots, and the wind whipped sheets of rain right through us, it seemed. Looking like a couple of drowned rats, we threw our packs in the trunk and headed for the nearest (cheapest) motel we could find. We tried to maintain a bit of our budget, though, by cooking Raman in the parking lot and eating dinner out of our backpacking cookware:
Here's what our room looked like when we spread all our wet things around:
After a night of relative luxury, we awoke to still-wet boots (and almost everything else). Though the sun was shining, rain was in the forecast for the evening, so rather than try to navigate the trails in our sandals, we packed up the car and headed home, stopping along Lake Michigan to play.
So, while it wasn't the trip we planned, it was still fun and we still enjoyed the time we spent together. This will be Mitch's last vacation until after Christmas, because with his new job, he doesn't get any time off until after the first of the year. And speaking of his job, he starts next Monday (Sept. 17) and is really looking forward to it. I am, too, but I've kind of gotten used to having my "house husband" do all the cooking and cleaning!
One more thing unrelated to hiking or new jobs: Mitch and I just got the new Caedmon's Call CD, Overdressed, and really like it! I'm still going through my usual pattern of listening to it over and over until I start to identify my favorite songs, but so far I'm very pleased. Everyone reading this should go check it out!
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Ew!
So we went to see the house last night and, with the help of our parents, discovered some major problems with the kitchen floor (rotting underneath) and the septic system (standing sewage). Gross! Obviously that means we won't be buying this one. Luckily, we have some time to look because it doesn't make a ton of sense to force a move before travel season is over for me, which for all intents and purposes is the end of October.
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
She takes a deep breath...
...and revels in the relative calm of the day. Last week was a busy, stressful week but the long, wonderful weekend with my family made everything better. That and Preterm is over, so my obligations to the Orientation Committee are significantly scaled back.
Last Week's Stresses:
Last Week's Stresses:
- The OCs: Oh my goodness. In addition to just having to supervise them and help them plan three off-campus trips, we had two major communication breakdowns that resulted in program changes and cancellations. I literally took two whole mornings to straighten things out. The lesson: as much as they may chafe against it, I'm going to be shortening the leash even more this year and requiring formal reports from them at the end of each day. Ugh...
- Publications: They're pretty much done now, but last week was a flurry of hasty revisions and "I-need-this-now" projects. Whew.
- Travel planning: I probably have half my appointments for this fall confirmed, but it's always challenging to juggle appointments around when things don't work out according to my plan!
- We stayed at my aunt and uncle's cottage in Boyne City and had a great time at the festivities surrounding the Red Fox Regatta on Lake Charlevoix.
- The wind was crazy on Sunday, so we went to Petoskey State Park to play in the huge waves. I even tried surfing and was semi-successful!
- Mitch and I had rode two good mountain biking trails: Hanson Hills in Grayling (actually, I rode that one on my own because Mitch bent his rim a mile and a half in and had to walk out while I finished) and Aspen Park in Gaylord. We tried Hartwick Pines in Grayling on the way home, but it wasn't a good trail so we turned around.
- Tonight Mitch and I are taking both sets of parents to look at a house in St Johns that we really like. I'll take lots of pictures and will try to post them. Unless something is seriously wrong with this place (and we don't think there is, because we've already been to see it once), we'll probably start the process of putting in an offer later this week!
- I requested some vacation time at the end of this week, and Mitch and I are hoping to take a trip up North for some hiking. Rain is in the forecast, but we're still planning to go and then make adjustments as needed.
- It's apple season in Michigan, and the U-Pick orchards are gearing up. Right before I start fall travel, Mitch and I always go pick a nice big bag of apples; I know it's a funny thing to look forward to, but I always love those afternoons!
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