A foreclosure + an FHA loan + an appraiser named Mr. Tickle = more than 100 days of homelessness for the Michauds. Fortunately, we aren’t really homeless. We have friends that have fostered us and family that have allowed us to literally “make ourselves at home.” We’re extremely grateful to them, but we’re still homeless in our hearts.
We can’t help but be annoyed seeing as we started this whole process on January 9th. We were excited, anxious and nervous but with each month that has passed, so have those emotions. Now we’re just irritated. Our original closing date was February 15th, followed by our first extension request, followed by an early March closing date and another extension request, followed by an end of March closing date and another extension….I think you’ve figured out the pattern. Had we known the process would take this long, we would’ve started it prior to our Costa Rican adventure.
With each weekend of lounging on couches that aren’t ours, cooking with borrowed pans, and picking clothes from stacks or suitcases – our irritation grows. Our someday-to-be home needs some cosmetic work and the minutes wasted waiting to get it done just frustrate us. We’ve contemplated breaking in just to get a head start.
And so now we wait for our next (and hopefully final) closing date of May 2nd. While it looks like we’re really reaching the homestretch this time, I just can’t bring myself to get excited anymore. Seems like each time we’ve rounded third base, we’re tripped up and have to go back. I’m now of the same opinion as Mike has been all along, “I’ll be excited when they hand me the keys.”
Until we drop them in the sewer before we reach the door…
Monday, April 25, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
The coolest thing I've done since I've been back
So, the title's a stretch. But really, would you have read this entry if it was called My Day at Jury Duty? I didn’t think so. I think I can correctly assume that no one really enjoys their own jury duty, never mind reading about someone else’s. You probably wouldn't have made it this far yet. But now you're committed so why not just finish reading.
Seeing as this is the fourth time I’ve been randomly selected to perform my civic duty – I think I’ve served my share. I'd prefer they give someone else a shot. But even though I wasn’t enjoying any moment of my day, I actually was hoping to get selected for a trial. The $20 a day reimbursement sounded pretty nice to an unemployed struggling writer. It was $20 more than I made yesterday and $20 more than I’ll make tomorrow. And if I was lucky enough to get a really long trial (anywhere past 5 days) it’d be $50 a day. Sign me up.
But I waited. And waited. And wrote a blog entry. Started an article. Wrote a cover letter. Texted some peeps and checked FB about 14 times. In between all that, I just watched other people – the most fascinating of which was the guy who didn’t do anything the entire day (he beat out the one that practiced yoga moves at the front of the room that resembled a slow motion version of the Staying Alive dance). He literally brought nothing to keep him entertained. No phone, no iPod, no laptop, no iPad, no book, to crosswords, no walkman, no paper or pencils. Heck, he wouldn’t even check out the free newspapers or magazines. I was mesmerized by him while he was mesmerized by the Restroom sign. I almost asked him to proofread for me just to give him something to do.
At the end of the day, neither he nor I got hired as a juror. I got teased by being called into the interview session only to be dismissed after a settlement was reached. Eh. You win some, you lose some. Guess it wasn’t really my dream job anyways. Maybe next time...cause I have a feeling there will definitely be a next time.
Seeing as this is the fourth time I’ve been randomly selected to perform my civic duty – I think I’ve served my share. I'd prefer they give someone else a shot. But even though I wasn’t enjoying any moment of my day, I actually was hoping to get selected for a trial. The $20 a day reimbursement sounded pretty nice to an unemployed struggling writer. It was $20 more than I made yesterday and $20 more than I’ll make tomorrow. And if I was lucky enough to get a really long trial (anywhere past 5 days) it’d be $50 a day. Sign me up.
But I waited. And waited. And wrote a blog entry. Started an article. Wrote a cover letter. Texted some peeps and checked FB about 14 times. In between all that, I just watched other people – the most fascinating of which was the guy who didn’t do anything the entire day (he beat out the one that practiced yoga moves at the front of the room that resembled a slow motion version of the Staying Alive dance). He literally brought nothing to keep him entertained. No phone, no iPod, no laptop, no iPad, no book, to crosswords, no walkman, no paper or pencils. Heck, he wouldn’t even check out the free newspapers or magazines. I was mesmerized by him while he was mesmerized by the Restroom sign. I almost asked him to proofread for me just to give him something to do.
At the end of the day, neither he nor I got hired as a juror. I got teased by being called into the interview session only to be dismissed after a settlement was reached. Eh. You win some, you lose some. Guess it wasn’t really my dream job anyways. Maybe next time...cause I have a feeling there will definitely be a next time.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Could it be?!?!?!
Could the self-proclaimed “unsettled” couple actually be settling down? It’s true…
It only took a few days of apartment hunting for us to realize that renting a small home we can’t call our own will be ridiculously expensive. After some advice from our gracious friends (who are fostering us until we find a place), we decided to look into owning. Heck, if we’re gonna spend a boatload, why not own the boat?
So we searched and, rather quickly, found the place we hope to call home. I don’t want to jinx it so I’m not giving any details. Let’s just say it’s a house that’s made for us – a little different, a lot of character, in good condition and has loads of potential. I’m just asking you to keep your fingers crossed. Real tight. Like, almost break them if you can.
Who would’ve thunk huh? The unsettlers are settling. To be honest, we can’t wait. We’re more excited than we ever thought we’d be at the prospect of owning our own home. Regardless, settling is a state of mind. So while we’ll be settling into a home (hopefully), I’m sure there will still be plenty of unsettled moments…stay tuned.
It only took a few days of apartment hunting for us to realize that renting a small home we can’t call our own will be ridiculously expensive. After some advice from our gracious friends (who are fostering us until we find a place), we decided to look into owning. Heck, if we’re gonna spend a boatload, why not own the boat?
So we searched and, rather quickly, found the place we hope to call home. I don’t want to jinx it so I’m not giving any details. Let’s just say it’s a house that’s made for us – a little different, a lot of character, in good condition and has loads of potential. I’m just asking you to keep your fingers crossed. Real tight. Like, almost break them if you can.
Who would’ve thunk huh? The unsettlers are settling. To be honest, we can’t wait. We’re more excited than we ever thought we’d be at the prospect of owning our own home. Regardless, settling is a state of mind. So while we’ll be settling into a home (hopefully), I’m sure there will still be plenty of unsettled moments…stay tuned.
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