Lent Me A Hand

I do not believe in New Years Resolutions.  Rather, I do not believe in them for me because I find that I rarely stick to them for more than a week.  Besides, as a practicing Catholic I have a much more effective tool when it comes to self-improvement:  Lent.

For some reason (and I am guessing that it is because the fear of God is added into the mix) I do much better at Lenten sacrifices. In the past, I have done things such as giving up meat (pre-vegetarian days) and sweets. I also have done things that would make a positive impact in my life such as adding a weekly mass in addition to Sunday.   I even took on my most challenging, yet rewarding conquest:  Resolving to say nothing but positive things about others....for 40 days....no matter how much they might annoy me.  The reason that I chose this is because I think that every so often I find myself indulging in conversation that is non-productive and contributes to a negative environment.  I don't think of myself as a gossip by any means, but I think that we are all a little guilty of venting from time to time. To quote Eleanor Roosevelt:  "Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people. "  It was a challenge that I feel made me a better person.  It was also a challenge that stretched my vocabulary as I found that I was apt to use a little creative wording from time to time. (Hey, I'm only human.)

So here I am wondering what to do/ give up for Lent this year.  I am open to repeats. Any suggestionss???

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Before getting to the topic of this post, I would like to thank Erin Nelson for helping me with it.  Erin is someone that I have had the pleasure of meeting since moving to Ann Arbor.  Our guys are in the same program at U of M and we have all had the chance to hang out together on a couple of occasions.  Last Friday, we met up with them at the Jolly Pumpkin and I found out that we both have blogs (and knit!).  I mentioned a small problem that I was having and she solved it in about 2 seconds flat!


You see, my friend Ashley had an inventive notion.  After reading my entry about Hostess Donettes, she crafted the idea of issuing each other random topics as a way to keep up on our blogs and to stimulate a little creative thinking.  The idea is that we will do this twice a month and that we are required to post within 3 days of receiving our topic.  I am now posting approximately 1 and a half weeks after so I automatically get an "F" Given the topic that I was assigned, perhaps it would be more appropriate to say that I get a Zzzzz
My word is:  NAP


Quite honestly, I have been stuck.  It is strange to think that I could have an absolute writers block when the topic is about something that I love and adore so very much, but outside of stating my desire for a good nap, I had: nada.  When I mentioned this to Erin she quickly replied that I should think outside the box and perhaps I could even write about the places that I would like to nap.  Erin, you are brilliant!  Here it goes...


1.  A Beach
Okay, this is where everyone wants to nap, is it not?  I am not a beach person by any means.  I am a sunscreen addict that would never go anywhere near a bathing suit, but the idea of laying in a hammock while the waves crash nearby is just too dreamy. 
I have an alarm clock that has a series of relaxing sounds designed to provide a source of white noise.  Even though there are 6 different options, the only one that Mick and I can agree on is the ocean feature.  I don't like the options that sound like inclement weather and he doesn't like the "Outdoor" option because there are grasshoppers in the background. ("Bugs of Death," he calls them) and he doesn't like the Rainforest feature either ("Birds of Death").  In any case, I sleep on an imaginary beach every night.  I would just like to do it in the sun for once. 


2. Mexican Pavilion  in EPCOT 
If you have been to Disney World and gone on the "El Rio Del Tiempo" boat experience, you know that this is one trippy ride.  I don't really know why I have always been a little obsessed with this outdated and rather non-sensical attraction.  You board your boat under a starry sky near a volcano gently float under Mayan ruins where... well... just watch the video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cymfShhs9mY
Yes, I know that it makes no sense but something makes me want to grab a pillow and a blanket. 
Honorable mention:  The Jungle Cruise at night or on the couch in the lobby of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.


3.  A Park 
Simple, I know, but I would be too self conscious to lay out in a public place.  I think that I will jazz it up by saying a National Park.


4.  Under the Eiffel Tower
It was beautiful when I went there, but under the advice of the guy that worked at the crepe stand near the tower, I would not bring my wallet with me when doing this. 


5. Dalkey, Ireland   
This is a suburb of Dublin that we went to in 2006.  It was, in a word: Enchanting. I would like to sleep in a garden of an estate on the Irish Sea. We later found out that Bono lives there.  Needless to say, I would like to sleep in the garden of Bono's estate on the Irish Sea.


6. Niagara Falls and Niagara on the Lake
A few years ago, we went to a wonderful town about 10 miles down the road from Niagara Falls on the Canadian side.  It is called "Niagara on the Lake"   The town boasts historic B& B's world class theaters and wineries galore.  It is just a beautiful environment. 
I would also like to nap at Niagara Falls, but preferably not on the side with all of the wax museums.  


7. My couch or my bed
After everything that we went through in order to get into our home, I don't know that there are many places that I would rather sleep! 


So there you have it, Miss Ashley.  I am sorry for the delay and next time, I will stick to the 3 day rule.  Thanks again for helping me out Erin, and for everyone else... where would YOU like to nap? 

You're An Animal!

I have no idea who reads this little blog of mine.  I am sure that there is a way to track it, but quite honestly I think that you should be able to come and go as you please without me checking it out.  That being said, when I do find out that someone reads it, it makes me downright giddy.  On that note I would like to give a shout-out to Nick Hill who I just found out reads this from time to time!  (sorry Nick)  Nick is the husband of my dear friend Ashley http://familyhillosophy.blogspot.com/ and is a swell guy.  He is also a new addition to the marathoners club and just the Memphis Marathon in a freakishly fast time for a first marathon. (Really dude... how did you DO that????) Welcome to the club and congratulations Nick!  Oh, and I vow to never, never do this to you again, so you can continue to read without fear.  :)

On to the topic of the post...

In December I reached a landmark that quite frankly baffles me.  I have been an "accidental vegetarian" for 11 years now.  I say "accidental" because I never expected or planned to be one.  A rather gruesome and yucky incident prompted me to go this route (I will spare you the details).  Suprisingly, the lifestyle has just stuck!

I think that the reason that I have never regretted this move is that the benefits of going vegetarian were apparent almost immediately. Just prior to the transition, I had been to the doctor several times because I was feeling inexplicably fatigued most of the time.  They had even tested my thyroid to determine if this could be the problem, but alas it was not.  In a relatively short period of time after giving up meat my energy levels returned  and I experienced other benefits such as weight loss (that needed to happen) and a genuine appreciation and desire for a well rounded diet.  I did make the mistake that most vegetarians make at first of substituting cheese wherever I had been using meat which raised my cholesterol for a smidgen of time, but I was able to correct this quickly by learning to appreciate a variety of veggies.

I have always been sensitive about some of the stereotypes that I fear will be assigned to me with this choice. It seems that there are those that assume that vegetarians are hippie, free-loving, Athiests that put the needs of animals before those of people.  Things that I am not:  A hippie, an Athiest, or someone that puts the needs of animals before humans. If you are any of these things, no offense.  I just don't enjoy having assumptions made about me just because I don't eat meat.   (Just to clarify on the last point:  I love animals! I just happen to get a little annoyed when people place the needs of their pets before the needs of the people in their lives.  I am definitely not one of those.  Sorry Murphy and Maisie! ) I do this mostly because I feel that there have been some very concrete health benefits in my life.

Lately I have noticed that yet again I am not feeling my best (and of course that pesky weight is creeping back on) and I have been considering upping my commitment to the vegetarianism by going completely vegan.  This may feel a little out of left field but it is something that I have actually considered for some time.  When I first moved to Missouri I gave it a try for about a month, but found that it really wasn't feasible because there was really only one store in town where I could get some of the specialty foods that I needed.  Here in Ann Arbor, I live 1/2 mile from Whole Foods and 1 mile from Trader Joes.  Between the two of them I should be more than okay.

This might seem a bit extreme, but frankly, the health issues that have plagued my friends and family in the past few years have been extreme in their own right.  I will admit that I am frightened and at this point am willing to consider drastic measures in order to increase my chances of good health.  I know that I am not alone in the desire to explore the affects of diet and environment on health as my sister and I have had numerous discussions on things of this nature.  It seems that we are on a mission to reduce the use of as many chemicals as possible in our lives.  (Hey, she is the Mom and caretaker of a kiddo with cancer.  We are entitled to be a little paranoid!) I even stopped using my microwave because... let's face it... there is nothing natural happening in there!

Needless to say, when I read that studies have shown that veganism reduces the risk of cancer and other diseases, my interest piqued.  It is also shown to be rare that a vegan would ever develop heart disease, which makes sense given that cholesterol only comes from animal products.  (Risk of death from heart attack by average American man: 50% Risk of death from heart attack by average American vegetarian man: 15%
Risk of death from heart attack by average American purely vegetarian man: 4%  http://www.soystache.com/environm.htm)  The fact that livestock are very rarely fed a vegetarian diet anymore also just creeps me out.  Again... not natural.   I just don't want to eat that!!!


Naturally, I have concerns.  First and foremost, I worry how a decision like this would affect those around me, especially my wonderful, yet carnivorous husband.  I never, never, never want to inconvenience anyone with a choice that I make.  It is, afterall, my choice!  I try to be as easy going of a vegetarian as possible but I always secretly worry that I am making things difficult for others and that they are just not telling me.  (Feel free to use the comment section for an airing of grievances.  I need to hear it!)  I think that if I do this, I will confine it to my own home.  If I come to your home for dinner, I will eat the cheese and consider it a lovely treat for the evening! Let's order a pizza!  People have already made allowances for me as a vegetarian and I just don't think that I could ask them to take this extra step. It just wouldn't be fair, and I would feel guilty.

I was worried at first about getting sufficient vitamins, protein, iron, calcium etc., but over the past few weeks I have used an on-line tool that tracks the nutritional value of everything that I eat and I have found that almost consistently I have ingested more in each of these categories than I need before I even take my vitamins.

Mostly I am worried about the sacrifice that comes with giving up certain items.  They are making decent replacements for cheese in terms of mozzerella and cheddar, but what about the more pungent cheeses like feta?  I love feta!   I also love candy and was shocked to find exactly how much of it involves gelatin and egg by products.  I guess that the point here is that I should be eating less candy, though.  :)

Along the lines of candy, I did worry about baking because I love to do it, especially on the weekends.  I will be testing different options out in the coming weeks.  I did, however, figure out how to make a vegan version of  my Raspberry Truffles and I swear to you that they are superior to the originals!  (No really, I did a blind taste test with Mick!)

The last concern of course is the perceptions that come with being a vegetarian being increased with being a vegan.  I even read that some people consider vegetarianism to be anti-Christian! (I don't get it.) When I see statistics such as these:

• Human beings who could be fed the grain and soybeans eaten by U.S. livestock: 1.3 billion
  
• Percentage of food grown in United States eaten by human beings: 20
  
• Percentage of food grown in United States eaten by livestock: 80 
• 
  
  • Number of people who could be adequately fed by the grain saved if
  • Americans reduced their intake of meat by only 10%: 60 million
  
  

I cannot think of anything more Christian than to give up animal products.

So there you have it.  All of my reasons for becoming a vegan, and none of them have to do with animal rights. I have not made a decision yet, and if I do, I think that the transition will be gradual.  I may not even tell you.  Afterall... you may be my cheese connection!!!

Do"nots"

My friend Ashley just updated her blog after a long period of neglect which got me thinking about how I should be a little better about it myself. So this evening, while Mick and I were mindlessly watching television, I pointed this fact out, but admitted that I didn't really have then energy or a topic. As luck would have it, a Kroger commercial (that's a Dillon's for you Springfieldians) happened to air at that very moment. The special of the week? Hostess Donettes. Mick absentmindedly muttered "you should blog about doughnuts" We had a brief laugh and then he uttered: "No. Not really. Not enough meat. Besides, you couldn't possibly create a blog post about doughnuts." Oh really, buddy??? I accept your challenge!!! Here we go:

I love doughnuts more than most things in life. They are tasty, sweet, occassionally crispy and fat laden, which for me is an absolute bonus. I somewhat secretly loathed the bagel craze of the mid nineties and rejoiced in the Dunkin Donut rise that occurred about 5 years ago. Sure, it was the coffee that made it happen, but the increased doughnut availability was an added bonus to be sure. And really bagels... flavored cream cheese? It is adequate for breakfast...but crave-worthy? Are you kidding me?

This brings me to a story that occurred just this past Easter. Usually for Easter I try to do something of a positive nature. I very rarely give anything up. Last year, I made an exception, and gave up desserts. I, as deemed acceptable by the Catholic Church, did allow myself limited sweets on Sundays. If you know me at all, you know that this is a very difficult thing for me to do. As I write, there are the now remnants of what was a half of a cake this morning sitting on my kitchen counter.

So yes, I did it! It was Easter morning. I had just completed my 40 day journey and I was craving one thing...D-O-U-G-H-N-U-T-S!!! Mick was going out that morning. (I can't remember what for) and knew of my strong cravings. He very sweetly offered to bring some back for me. Oh joy! What luck! What a swell guy!

The entire time he was gone, I dreamed of the treat that I was about to experience. I just knew that it would be a cake variety, so fresh that the grease would practically squirt with the first crispy bite. Mick arrived in a shockingly short period of time with a plastic grocery style bag in hand. Hmm... not the bakery box that I had expected, but clearly there was some type of box in that bag. Perhaps the bakery had just bagged it for him.

"I have something for you!" Mick cooed. I was practically salivating as Mick opened the bag and pulled out....

Ummmmm....yeah.... Hostess donettes.... from the gas station

Now before I come across as an ungrateful wife, (or worse,) I do want to stop and tell you what a wonderful husband Mick is. Truly, there was no act more selfless than to throw my silly little craving into the morning that he had planned. It was beyond sweet and he had no idea that I had such a certain image in my head. Thank you honey for being so thoughtful!

I realize that this is my "sickness" and I can't expect others to understand or adjust to my silly whims.

Here is the issue that I have with these miniature "doughnuts."

1. They are not the correct consistency

2. They do not go stale...indicating that they are just circular, sweet, chemical compounds (This point of contention may be extended to all Entemans products as well.)

3. The coating is disgusting no matter which one you choose. Really, your options are: powdered sugar mustache, or chocolate tinged paraffin

4. If I am going to waste the calories, I want them to be quality. These little greasy puckets are calorie bombs with little to no return on flavor.

5. People think that they are doughnuts

So there you have it. A full blog entry on doughnuts/ donettes. Oh no. I just realized that this is my 2nd entry on doughnuts. I think that the real problem here just might be me.

On a completely unrelated note, the tax season is upon us and I am sure that many of you are looking for a reputable place to have yours done. This commercial is airing in Detroit, and the place looks like a winner to me! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuMuedrV2qs

A New Old Tradition

Every so often I get an urge to watch a really good movie. Oddly enough, this desire rarely drives me toward the nearest cine-plex. The first place that I always look is: The Redford Theater in Detroit. Many, and I would guess, most Detroiters have never heard of the Redford theater. They don't advertise that I know of, but rather build their business by word of mouth. Somehow or other, my parents have known about it since I

was a kid and took us there from time to time.

The theater originally opened in 1928 and when you walk into it today, you feel as though it were still that era. A group of dedicated volunteers have managed to preserve and restore the theater right down to the Japanese courtyard decor surrounding the front of the theater and starry sky ceiling. This group of volunteer also belongs to the Motor City Theatre Organ Society which is housed in the theater. As you may have guessed, the theater has an old, working organ. (That I will get into later.) While I am certain it has not maintained it's original ticket price, I would still say that the $4.00 admission that they charge is about the cheapest movie in town!

The other part of the Redford Theater that I love is that it only shows old movies. In fact, as you will see, they are dedicated to giving you an old movie experience. I think that as a kid, I was oblivious to the fact that most people hadn't gone to the theater to see Laurel and Hardy in "Sons of the Desert" (my favorite!) "You wax eater!!!"

While I realize that you can turn your television to Turner Classic Movies at any given time to catch much of the Redford Theater lineup, there is really something different about seeing these movies on the big screen with an audience. The first time that I took Mick to the RT, we went to see "Blazing Saddles." It was very different to hear a room full of strangers cracking up at the humor that Mel Brooks was doling. Only at the Redford Theater

will you get a balcony full of college students cheering at the mere mention of Gene Kelly during an introduction of "Singing in the Rain". (They always do an introduction.)

The theater also has an intermission with all of the movies, just as an old theater would have. They have a 50/50 raffle during the intermission. I won it when I went over the summer to see Mary Poppins. I walked away with $68, so factoring in the cost of the tickets and concession stand for all of the movies that I have gone to, I would say that I have made about a $55 profit going to the Redford this year.

This brings me to a new tradition for my family... "A Chistmas Story" at the Redford. I have always loved this movie. Actually, I love any movie which allows my parents to reminisce about their childhood. The Woody Allen movie "Radio Days" is a great example of this. The little known, but brilliant "Avalon" is another. "A Christmas Story," always seems to extract

the exclamations from my parents such as "Oh my goodness! Do you remember those snow suits?" "Look Matt! Look at the stove that she's using in the kitchen!" More than anything though, it conjures up a good laughing spell from my Dad which is an unforgettable thing.

"A Christmas Story" is shown every year at the RT because it is quite popular with their audiences. We went as a family once a couple of years ago, and sure en

ough, I began to get the itch to go again. I randomly put something on Facebook and quickly found out that my sister had gotten the same itch and had been planning to go. My brother Mike jumped on board. Everyone (in Detroit) was able to go except for my parents, who already had tickets to the symphony. Sorry Mom and Dad! It is a tradition now, so we will plan better next year!

It was so much fun to hear everyone laugh as the Dad pronounces "Fra-gee-lay. Must be Italian!" The audience cheered as Ralphie takes a stand against Scott Farkis the bully. "Yellow eyes! Yellow eyes! So help me God, he had yellow eyes!" The theater even threw in an additional raffle for a leg lamp!

So let me take you on a tour! (But bear with me. While these photos were supposed to be in an order that made some sense, Blogger does not seem to want to let me shift them around.) Get ready for some nostalgia:

This is looking at the overall scene from the balcony. Unfortunately with my camera, there is no good way to catch the starry sky, but there are twinkling stars above this already fantastic scene.

Some of the evenings participants: Mike with his girls, Madeline and Natalie

Check out the Santa Bears behind the tree. I totally had the 1986 bear!

Mick, my nephew Vinnie and my brother in law, Steve.

Here is an example of some of the detail above the lights that was preserved in the middle lobby. I am taking this from the stairway that leads to the balcony:

The theater is always decked out for Christmas:

This was as close as I got to the organ.

I believe that it is original, and yes, there is an organist playing as you walk into the theater and during intermission. Usually the tunes relate to the movie that you are going to watch and in this case he was playing Christmas music. See how the organ is up on the stage? As the movie is beginning, the organ sinks slowly begins to sink until it is below.

At Christmas, they have an elaborate train set at the front. Wow. Whatever happened to train sets? I kind of want one.

Detail of some of the decor to the left of the stage:

Before every movie the curtains open and the National Anthem is played on the organ. I like to imagine that they have been doing this since World War II. (Who knows? Perhaps they have.)

This is a view of the middle lobby with the snack bar. What? I didn't mention the snack bar? $1.50 popcorn with real butter!!! Other inexpensive classics may be found such as Vernors ginger ale and Chuckles. (When Mick ordered Chuckles this time, the volunteer behind the counter responded "Chuckles! Ho Ho Ho!"

You can also see the other staircase going up to the balcony

Before most of the movies, they will usually show a "short" of some kind. Most of the time it is a Bugs Bunny cartoon, but in this case, we were treated to a silent Laurel and Hardy film that I had never seen before (accompanied by the organ of course.)

Here is a detail above one of the staircases. I am afraid that my flash made it appear a bit gaudier.

To the right of the stage

What photos did I not take? The entrance or the main lobby! Fortunately, you may find some on the Redford Theater website: http://redfordtheatre.com/index.htm

While you are there, you may just want to check out their Calendar of Events for the movie schedule. I will see you there!

The Digs- Christmas Edition

Welcome Avid Reader, to the

McCulloch Family Christmas Home Tour!

Yes, Mick and I now have the ultimate Christmas gift... a roof over our heads. Several of you have been asking for photos, so here they are!

As I write this, I am imagining the reactions that people will have based on where they know me from. The Detroit crowd will surely think..." Wow! This is a lot bigger than her last place!" The Springfield crowd might think: "Whoa! Their house they just sold was twice that size!" Well, you are all correct. We have landed right in the middle, which I think is pretty good for a non-profit employee and a student. We really love this little place, and we are happy to share it with you. (Too bad I can't funnel you some celebratory Christmas cookies via the internet.)

This is the entry way to the condo. Cute, no? They look like little Snow White cottages to me. One thing that I love is that no two buildings are the same and that the landscaping is quite fabulous. The building across the street is forest green with yellow trim. The one next to ours is beige with orange trim. I enjoy the variety because it doesn't make it seem like a "condo" (By the way, some of these photos were taken this summer. It is just kind of icky out right now, so I pulled from the archives. Plus, all of my recent shots were taken at night.)

Let us start with the main floor: First up is our living room. I never thought that I would go for yellow walls. In fact, I had very specific plans to paint the one wall a bright orange, but there is just something very homey about the yellow. Oh, and I am just a little more than lazy in this particular area. Next up? Curtains!

Here is another shot from the living room looking upstairs:

And our dining area, which is open to the living room. I really wish that we had brought my old light fixture, because this chinese lantern has got to go!

Here is a shot of our kitchen:

And another. I don't know why, but I went a little ga-ga over the little pantry off of the kitchen. These were built in the 40's and this just seems so appropriate for that time period. I also really dig the retro gas stove and like to pretend that it is from the 40's as well, but the reality is that it is probably from the 60's.


This door leads to the most treasured part of the home: our basement! We went without one in Springfield and I am going to cherish having one more than you can imagine. Unfortunately, it is so jam packed with moving boxes that you can't even walk through it yet, so I will not be posting a photo.

I am excited to say, however, that I will have my own sewing area down there. Oh yeah!!! I also enjoy this door, because conveniently, there was a cat door waiting for us despite the fact that the previous owner did not have a cat. I did measure the cat door during our inspection and measured Murphy as well. I concluded that there was no way that he would fit through it, but wouldn't you know that the crafty fella figured out a way to manuever his girth! Nothing comes between Murphy and his food dish in the basement!




Moving upstairs: This is our office. We decided to treat ourselves to a new desk and bookcase and we are so glad that we did given the amount of time that Mick spends in there and the fact that I work from home at least once a week now.



This was my grandfathers desk:
Our bedroom was the one room that I actually bothered to paint. It was formerly a peachy pink color and I just couldn't imagine myself relaxing in that space. Again, I imagine the difference between Springfield and Detroit... Detroit: Oh that wall behind the bed is really different! Springfield: Really Carrie? The grid again?

Well, I couldn't help it. We've never had a headboard and our bed needed something behind it. It is a Chicklet orginal.

Here is our deck. Well... our deck with the previous owners furniture. We didn't bring ours from Springfield as we anticipated living in an apartment. Have any that you want to get rid of?



The condos are all situated around areas of green space. Ours is one of the smaller spaces, and yet it is still a good size. Looking to the right from our deck:

Looking to the left from our deck:



Condo fun facts:

1.The buildings are arranged so that no two windows line up. You will never look out of your window and directly into someone else's.

2.These were built to house World War II veterans

3.Our condo accepts and encourages guests!!!

If Patience Is a Virtue, Then I Am One Virtuous Chicklet

Before I get to the topic of this post, I first want to thank everyone for their continued prayers, phone calls and support. My Dad is doing fantastically well. After the two heart attacks that he had in 1995 he was just worn out and it took a very long time for him to recover. We were expecting worse than that given his medical history this year. Within a day or two you would not have believed that my Dad had just been in the hospital at all! He has much more energy than he had before the heart attack. In fact, he looks better than I have seen him look all year! The only theory that we can come up with is that perhaps due to the stents that they put in that he has more oxygen than he has had in a long time. In any case, we are so grateful!

While my Dad is doing great, Vinnie could use a few prayers right now. He is in the hospital yet again with a virus. Not only did he have to miss Halloween in his neighborhood, but his doctor said that he was not even well enough to go on the trick or treat outing in the hospital. (And of course where did they gather all of the kids? Right outside of his window where he could see them!) He was understandably upset. Anyway, if you could keep those prayers coming, we sure would appreciate it. A week without visiting the hospital sure would be a treat for my family.

Now on to the main event: Condo Craziness!

Yes, 4 months later, we are still waiting on this to happen and living with my parents in the meantime. I think that one thing that we have believed all along is that once we were at the point that we were ready to close, we would just do it. We knew right off the bat that we weren't going to have a ton of say in when it would happen as we were instructed that they would assign us the closing time. Naturally, we assumed that when it came time to close, that they would be ready to go (given that they were dictating the timeline). How silly of us.

Keep in mind that the closing has been delayed from week to week or month to month, but here is what happened this week alone: We are told that we are required to close on Saturday, October, 24th. We don't believe them at first, but finally Friday night, we allow ourselves to get excited as we have not heard anything to the contrary. I get up on Saturday morning in a great mood! My great mood is ruined the second that Mick checks his e-mail only to discover that we have been delayed until Monday. (I have a migraine Saturday and Sunday). Monday we are delayed until Tuesday at 11 am. On Tuesday we are walking in to the closing at 10:45 and Mick's cell phone rings. Yep. Delayed again. We talk to the CEO who declares that he can close us that day at 4:00. At 2:00 we receive a call delaying us until Wednesday morning. At 6:00 we get a call delaying us until Saturday, October 31st. Saturday, we get a call delaying us until Monday at 6pm.

So, that is where we are now. Do I think that we will actually close tomorrow? Um. No. I won't allow myself to get excited until we put our last signature on the documents.

"So, why is this happening?" you ask. Well, I am sure that you are able to determine on your own that to achieve this level of frustration that there are going to be a large number of idiots involved. But to be fair, the situation would be difficult for anyone to manage. Long story, short: These are co-ops that are converting into condos. We cannot move in until they are condos (because that is what we are financing it as), but the conversion is actually what has been delayed over and over again. This week, there are 422 units closing, so it is understandable that there are going to be errors. But really? Moving us 6 times in one week? How on Earth is this acceptable?

The one saving grace comes in the form of a co-worker of mine. She already lives in the complex and has for 10 years, but has to go through the entire conversion process as well. After they moved her several times, she finally did close last Wednesday. There is hope!

The funny thing is that you must be thinking that what we have been waiting for is a fancy, large and grandiose condo. It isn't. We love this complex. The location is just amazing, the grounds are beautiful and the condos themselves are so charming! (Honestly, they look like Snow White's cottage!) The truth is that they are also smallish and older (which if you know me at all, you know that I consider old an asset.). They are not fancy, they are not large, but they are perfect for us.

This condo is just what we need. It is not too big, it is not too small, but it is just where we want it, and just how we want it. After all of the frustration that we have experienced, we were reminded of this when our sellers real estate attorney took pity on us and gave us the code to the lock box so that we could go visit yesterday. It was really what we needed and it reminded us of what will come with patience.

So cross your fingers and say a prayer that this happens tomorrow. It is what we need and more importantly, what I am sure that my parents need right now. As an added incentive, there is likely to be a celebratory gathering at the new place once this is all over. While I am not much of a drinker, at this point it is also likely that this party will include large quantities of alcohol.

UPDATE: Vinnie got to come home from the hospital! Hooray! He told my sister that he was actually a little sad to be leaving and that she must be too since it "is kind of like a little vacation for her" Uh... right, kid. (Though it is very thoughtful of him to consider that she doesn't have to cook, clean, etc. while they are in the hospital.)

Condo: Delayed again. No surprise.