what are you doing right now?

[countrygirl2]

Families can be a mess.

They said the airport would be packed, they said TSA backed up because of construction and vacation travel. This is the least crowded I've ever seen it. We were way early and to the gate way early. But it's ok and we had dinner. They took DD's wheelchair and you never know if she can walk very far or not. So I went to a restaurant called The SKillet and got to go dinners. I had a cobb salad and she had a cheeseburger and fries. The food was very good actually. We have until 9:45 to leave and it's 20 after 8, so it's not bad at all.  Today we are in row 6 so easy boarding too since they took her chair.

We are fed, watered, and dewatered, so all is well.

Little guy was crying when we left, I felt sorry for him. He wants us to come back and stay longer and grandpa too. DIL was looking down too, she wants us to move here.

[zibazinski]

Aug 29, 2023 4:47:31 GMT -5 giramomma said:

Sounds like a wonderful trip, Zib.

It was but I was sure ready to go home. Idalia messed that up.

[finnime]

Good morning, fierce and feisty invispeeps, defending your selves, your loved ones and your homes from the grabbers and me-firsters out there. Welcome to Wednesday. I hope your day is peaceful and satisfying in the best ways.

DH is so far doing very well. The urologist sent him home with (TMI, maybe) a screen to pee on to catch the stone. It's looking like Saturday was the worst it will be for him. I'm grateful.

We've been getting on and off rainy periods for the past couple of days. Looks like today will be the same. I need to do household and business bookkeeping this day and some prep for September, That looks like another doozie of a month.

Yesterday morning was deeply foggy. Although I saw a Great Blue Heron I got no good shots of it; they were all blurred at least a bit. I did get this one of seagull sentries guarding against the end of the world from the jetty:

[ners]

Pink Cashmere


Did not sleep well last night.  Need to drink coffee.

[giramomma]

Well. I just informed DH that I thought it over, and I wasn't  going to lie during my job interview today.

I understand that means I also likely will not be considered for a second interview.

[susana1954]

Aug 29, 2023 20:25:26 GMT -5 andi9899 said:

I went to look at another rental today. It's a big hell no. My house is in way better shaped than this one is. The landlord has some serious balls trying to rent this house out. It is falling apart. There are also no appliances. I would literally have to supply my own fridge, stove, washer and dryer and maintain the yard. There is no place for a dishwasher. They had the gall to try and charge $1200/month. I noped right on out of there. I could get a 2 BR apartment with all the amenities for that or not much more.

Have you seen the cost of pet fees lately?  $400 - $500 here with additional pet rent as well.  And I want to say that the weight limit was 30 pounds although I barely paid attention to it since Penny weighs 11-12 pounds.  I just remember wondering if Abby would have qualified.  

And don't get me started on rents! I kept wondering if I was making the right decision when my housing costs were going to double.  

I don't see how renters are doing it.

[taz157]

Aug 30, 2023 6:45:39 GMT -5 giramomma said:

Well. I just informed DH that I thought it over, and I wasn't  going to lie during my job interview today.

I understand that means I also likely will not be considered for a second interview.

What would you have lied about? Good luck with today.

[daisylu]

Landed in Kansas around 3pm yesterday, to find that my corporate cc was maxed so had to use personal to get the rental car and hotel secured. Both put a hold until limit is raised today and will replace with the corporate card. Just a hassle.

Had to fly to Denver to switch planes. Looking out of the airplane window they sure like straight lines around here. So many roads made prefect squares around land!

Don't have to be at work until 10, so I'm lazying it up.

[giramomma]

Aug 30, 2023 7:00:29 GMT -5 taz157 said:

Aug 30, 2023 6:45:39 GMT -5 giramomma said:

Well. I just informed DH that I thought it over, and I wasn't  going to lie during my job interview today.

I understand that means I also likely will not be considered for a second interview.

What would you have lied about? Good luck with today.

One of the questions is about workplace conflict and how it's handled.

We don't have workplace conflict because of organizational culture/management styles. I knew we didn't have conflict last year, already when I was asked on an interview. I just thought we didn't have conflict for good reasons.

It's a no -win situation. If I make up some fictitious conflict and resolution, that's not good.

I also can't be in a position to throw my workplace under the bus. References and all that.

So, I think I can craft a response that is honest, uses the right buzz words, and doesn't throw folks under the bus.

I'm just not sure if that will be good enough for a second interview.

[giramomma]

Aug 30, 2023 6:58:33 GMT -5 susana1954 said:

I don't see how renters are doing it.

My DS knows that communal living is just what it's going to have to be when you are starting out.

If he wants to live by himself, then he has to decide to give up space for solitude.

It's not all that different than the housing choices I faced at his stage of life, 30 years ago.

[andi9899]

Aug 30, 2023 6:58:33 GMT -5 susana1954 said:

Aug 29, 2023 20:25:26 GMT -5 andi9899 said:

I went to look at another rental today. It's a big hell no. My house is in way better shaped than this one is. The landlord has some serious balls trying to rent this house out. It is falling apart. There are also no appliances. I would literally have to supply my own fridge, stove, washer and dryer and maintain the yard. There is no place for a dishwasher. They had the gall to try and charge $1200/month. I noped right on out of there. I could get a 2 BR apartment with all the amenities for that or not much more.

Have you seen the cost of pet fees lately?  $400 - $500 here with additional pet rent as well.  And I want to say that the weight limit was 30 pounds although I barely paid attention to it since Penny weighs 11-12 pounds.  I just remember wondering if Abby would have qualified.  

And don't get me started on rents! I kept wondering if I was making the right decision when my housing costs were going to double.  

I don't see how renters are doing it.

Around here I've seen $100 deposits and $35/month pet rent. There are place with weight restrictions, but also plenty of places with no weight restrictions. Those are the only places I'll consider.

[daisylu]

Aug 29, 2023 20:25:26 GMT -5 andi9899 said:

I went to look at another rental today. It's a big hell no. My house is in way better shaped than this one is. The landlord has some serious balls trying to rent this house out. It is falling apart. There are also no appliances. I would literally have to supply my own fridge, stove, washer and dryer and maintain the yard. There is no place for a dishwasher. They had the gall to try and charge $1200/month. I noped right on out of there. I could get a 2 BR apartment with all the amenities for that or not much more.

Weird how different areas can be. $1200 a month won't get you much around me. You won't be able to find a one bedroom, 800 square foot, clean (read:bug infested) apartment outside of the "hood" anywhere around.

And that is an area where the median household income is under $35,000/year. Most jobs in the area pay around $15/hr.

[cooper88]

Rental houses pop up in my Facebook feed sometimes. I'm seriously glad we bought when we did, because a similar house would rent for twice our mortgage payment.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

$1200 is about what they are renting the house next door to me for.  The thing is you can still get houses in certain areas for less than that so they have struggled to keep tenets.  That house is not worth $1200/month IMO.  

[minnesotapaintlady]

I took today off to mow and do some random things, but I'm obsessed with finding my Fitbit that fell off sometime last night and am wasting too much time looking.  I did make a run to the farm supply store and got a new furnace filter and light bulbs to replace a bunch of burnt out ones in the garage.  I swore I replaced my filter earlier this spring, but yikes...it was from June 22!

[Deleted]

Pink Cashmere  I'm sorry to hear that Mr. Messy has gone back to the hospital and I will pray for him and the family 

[susana1954]

Aug 30, 2023 8:31:56 GMT -5 daisylu said:

Aug 29, 2023 20:25:26 GMT -5 andi9899 said:

I went to look at another rental today. It's a big hell no. My house is in way better shaped than this one is. The landlord has some serious balls trying to rent this house out. It is falling apart. There are also no appliances. I would literally have to supply my own fridge, stove, washer and dryer and maintain the yard. There is no place for a dishwasher. They had the gall to try and charge $1200/month. I noped right on out of there. I could get a 2 BR apartment with all the amenities for that or not much more.

Weird how different areas can be. $1200 a month won't get you much around me. You won't be able to find a one bedroom, 800 square foot, clean (read:bug infested) apartment outside of the "hood" anywhere around.

And that is an area where the median household income is under $35,000/year. Most jobs in the area pay around $15/hr.

Same here.  $1200 is about the going rate for a 1-bedroom apartment in a 50-year-old building.  Remember that my neighbor wants to rent my old house for $1875 plus $250 lawn maintenance, and we live in an area with failing schools.  The ones I was looking at were $1500 for a 1-bedroom.

I was checking out apartments again just for the fun of it.  There are a few in those 50-year-old buildings with $300 pet deposit + $30 a month pet rent.  My favorite (for kicks and giggles, not to live since they've been in the news because they've had no a/c during this heat wave) had a $100 pet deposit and 100 pound weight limit for CATS.  I am sure they just cut-and-pasted the dog requirements to the section for cats, but I wouldn't want to live in a community with 100-pound cats.  Those belong in the zoo.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I did not get the Associate Microbiologist position. 

That being said they are going to regroup and want me to seriously consider taking the open Micro Tech II position.   I am interested but I am not sure.   Several of my lab mates down here think it is a no brainer I should move and they've been here awhile so they said they are speaking from experience there.

It would get me closer to where I want to be career wise compared to how things are starting to head here where I am currently at.  Even if I get out of my current position with the insistence we become a QC lab there is not a lot of room for me to grow.  My heart is in R& which is more what the Micro lab does.  

I went for it and asked if it would come with a small salary bump.   I don't know what the range is for this title because like most of corporate America they refuse to openly advertise it.   A pay bump even if it small would definitely sweeten the deal.

But even if it is a no I lean towards this would be better for my future.  BUT then again I thought moving into that histo tech trainee position would be good for my future and I have not forgotten what a spectacular mistake that was.  I don't want to go blindly charging in again and lose my footing.  I've been floundering for almost four years now because of that.

Thoughts O Wise People of YM?

[lurkyloo]

Aug 30, 2023 8:44:06 GMT -5 cooper88 said:

Rental houses pop up in my Facebook feed sometimes. I'm seriously glad we bought when we did, because a similar house would rent for twice our mortgage payment.

Right?!?

Our neighbor is currently renting and looking to buy.  Our mortgage from 2015 purchase date is well under $3000 a month including taxes and insurance.  Her rent is $3400ish and I don’t see any chance that she could buy a similar place for less than $4500, which I don’t think she can afford, even with 20% down (which I’m not sure she has).  And that’s also assuming she can find a place- anything in this neighborhood tends to spend less than a week on the market.

The local townhouses are cheaper but not by that much when you take the HOA fees into consideration.

[CCL]

Drama, I'd go for it. You said it will get you closer to where you want to be. Perhaps you can negotiate a pay raise or better benefits or hours? Sometimes you just have to take a chance.

Good luck, whichever way you decide!

[andi9899]

Second flipper just left. I've come to find out that you can get way more house for the money on the MO side, so I've expanded my search. I can always just have my mail sent to my parents house. That's what T1 does, except she sends it here. Since I WFH it doesn't really matter where I live.

[countrygirl2]

Well, not good news. Hubs told me he had blood work and his PSI is 11. He had an ultrasound at a urologist and has to see his heart doc to see if he can get off blood thinner for a few days so he can get a biopsy.

I said why didn't you tell me? He said why and have you worry all time you were gone instead of enjoying yourself. I am worried but we will see how it goes. He sees the heart doc this week and the urologist next week so will know more than. I have been reading, if its localized and not spread he may be ok with treatment.  No matter I told him I will take care of him. Have spent my life doing that. Just hope he is ok, says even with it 98% a chance of 5 year survival depending on extent.

We have been beyond fortunate so neither of us is complaining, sadly, its a part of life.

[countrygirl2]

The cats weren't really friendly when I first came in. But Smoke has been on my chair and purring and lay beside me and flipped on his back. He will come around quickly. But Tigger has kind of snubbed me and walked away when I petted him, so he is not happy with me right now.

Hubs doesn't have things messy but the cleaning, well that is deferred. I cleaned the kitchen countertop and I'm getting ready to mop the kitchen floor. I'm pretty tired but want to do that. I also cleaned my I robot cleaner, so going to try it and see if it runs better.

If we hadn't taken a blanket on the plane, DD and I would have froze. I saw lots of people with shorts on and short sleeved shirts and even the guys looked like they were freezing. If they had a jacket they had it on. I have never been so cold. DD and I cuddled and did ok. Finally we realized the seat where I was was getting warmer so I let DD sit there. We were ok. But we had on shirts and fleece tops over them. And I had jeans and she sweat pants. But it was a very quiet smooth flight.

I am really tired but want to mop the kitchen. Then I'm taking a warm bath and may lay down.

The landscaping is a mess. I have a tree grown up beyond the kitchen window and a weed in front of DD's that is taller than me, LOL!  Hubs said you might want to water out there before you start trying to pull them out. Yeah, I think so.

He said Tigger won't go out anymore. I tried to get him too but something seems to have scared him. He was very leery and stood looking at the door and twitching his tail and kind of looking down and up. What I don't know, maybe a snake or raccoon or something??

We stopped and I picked up a few things from out local grocery. I told hubs the prices there are higher than in Washington. Crazy

[seriousthistime]

Aug 29, 2023 20:49:19 GMT -5 andi9899 said:

Aug 29, 2023 18:19:53 GMT -5 seriousthistime said:

You're getting lots of good suggestions here.  

I'll add my two cents... if you can get your grandma convinced she'll move too, you might mention it to the flipper. Sometimes they like to be working on two properties close to each other.  It minimizes travel time and makes deliveries easier if they can find multiple places close together and the convenience factor could result in a slightly more generous deal for both you and grandma. 

YMMV.

I talked to her again today and she wasn't having it. She is determined not to move. My mom and siblings say it's only a matter of time before she doesn't have a choice.

Grandma's house is turnkey. Her children have been splitting the cost of maintenance in their adulthood. If there was 5 of me working, my house would be turnkey too. It makes a bit more sense to find an individual buyer or use a realtor for her house.

Given this information, I agree.  A flipper would not be interested in a turnkey place. 

[busymom]

Prayers for those of you affected by Hurricane Idalia.  Apparently after hitting land, she went over Valdosta, and is continuing to move NE, towards Waycross.  

[giramomma]

Aug 30, 2023 9:53:39 GMT -5 countrygirl2 said:

Well, not good news. Hubs told me he had blood work and his PSI is 11. He had an ultrasound at a urologist and has to see his heart doc to see if he can get off blood thinner for a few days so he can get a biopsy.

I said why didn't you tell me? He said why and have you worry all time you were gone instead of enjoying yourself. I am worried but we will see how it goes. He sees the heart doc this week and the urologist next week so will know more than. I have been reading, if its localized and not spread he may be ok with treatment.  No matter I told him I will take care of him. Have spent my life doing that. Just hope he is ok, says even with it 98% a chance of 5 year survival depending on extent.

We have been beyond fortunate so neither of us is complaining, sadly, its a part of life.

Country, I am sorry, And I guess I wouldn't worry yet. Yes, a higher chance of cancer, but doesn't mean it's cancer.

I know the waiting to know exactly what you are dealing with is the worst part.

I'll be thinking about you.

I'm betting it's caught early, if there is something there.

[seriousthistime]

Also, if you are going to rent, make sure the lease is specific about animals.  Someone I know was evicted from his apartment because the lease specified two cats allowed, and that if he exceeded that number for however short or long a time, the lease would be terminated. He overlooked that and agreed to watch a friend's cat temporarily (he said).  Of course, that was the time there was an emergency inside the unit and the landlord had to get in without notice.  

The landlord probably inserted "however long or short a time" so that people wouldn't bring in new pets and say it was just a short-term thing.  I know you have other pets at your place from time to time. 

Anyway, many people are able to avoid restrictions on pets and fees by getting them certified as emotional support animals. 

[giramomma]

NomoreDramaQ1015

Go for it.

I wish I would have realized a lot sooner that these sorts of decisions about jobs aren't permanent.

Life is fluid.

(I'm not discounting the fact that job hunting is a PITA. Because it is. But it shouldn't be a barrier..That was the mistake I made).

[TheOtherMe]

At my last apartment in Boulder, I paid a non-refundable pet deposit of $300 because I had two cats.  Pet rent was about $50 per month for two cats--$25 each.  They wanted me to bring them to the office for pictures to be taken.  I told them I wasn't doing that and took them photos I had taken.

Their rules today:


A veterinarian certificate must be provided verifying the pet’s age, weight, and current vaccinations.



A maximum of two (2) dogs and three (3) total pets per apartment are allowed with a $300 refundable deposit per apartment due prior to move in.



A photograph must be provided for each pet. Pets must be interviewed by the management for temperament.



A dog under the age of 12 months will be accepted $300 refundable deposit per apartment due prior to move in.



A monthly pet fee/rent of $35.00 will be charged for the term of the lease while the pet(s) occupy the apartment. Pets must be registered and are not allowed to visit the property.



Pet waste removal charge of $250.00per occurrence if found not disposing of pet waste properly.

The following dog breeds are not allowed: American Bull Terrier aka Pit Bull, Chow, Doberman Pinscher, Rottweiler, Staffordshire Terriers, and mixed breeds that include one of the listed restricted breeds.

For the style of apartment I was living in, rent starts at $2455 with a $400 non refundable, cleaning on move out deposit.  Water is shared to it is added on to your monthly rent.  I was paying right at $1200 when I lived there.  My house payment now is less than that.

[snapdragon]

I am shouting out the Ryan Hall, Y'all YT channel. They have storm chasers in FL and the surrounding states informing people about the weather situation. They have set up a non-profit for immediate recovery after the storms. I have donated in the past and will start to do so again. I swear a lot of the times, he and others are better than the regular weather news people.

Tornados are happening in South Carolina and Georgia now so be aware.