Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)–No, It’s Not Really Mexican Halloween

Some people think that El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is something like Halloween because it falls so near that holiday that was brought to America by European immigrants.
From what I’ve learned, it has more in common with Memorial Day than Halloween.  I suppose the connection between these two “dark” holidays comes [...]

Sunday Musings: Hand-washing the Dishes Gets the Paint from under the Fingernails

Why would anyone paint a laundryroom the color of a military jeep?  Not the Desert Storm sand-colored variety of jeep, but the traditional dark olive green.
I primed the walls twice with two coats of Kilz so far and the green still wants to come through.
This has been my first project in my new house.  I [...]

Lessons on Buying a House: The Big Day–It’s Mine!

The funny thing is last night I slept better than I have in a long time.  I’m not sure why exactly; I guess I expected that it would all work out OK.  Yesterday, I had the final walk-through with my agent, and I thought that I would have the closing papers in my hand, or [...]

Lessons on Buying a House: The Final Countdown to Closing

“Scurrying” and “a tiff” might be how I’d describe some of the goings-on today related to the final steps before closing.
The corrections asked for by the VA-approved appraiser appeared to have been made. My agent had talked to the appraiser and then made arrangements for the contractor (small-time, not big-time) to get everything [...]

Lessons on Buying a House: The Inspections and the Appraisal

It’s only one week until I close on the house.  Finally, I’m feeling that this is really going to happen and I’m getting anxious–the good kind of anxious.  The nervous kind of anxious I’ve been havin’  for so long that I can’t wait until I can sleep a whole night without waking up thinking about [...]

Preview Night at the Houston International Quilt Festival

Today was a crazy day, but I had already made plans to go to Preview Night at the Houston International Quilt Festival with my niece, and my sister, who is in town this week especially to attend the event.  I hadn’t been for two years, and it felt like it was time to go again.   [...]

Funeral for a Pine

I’m not religious and I don’t mind admitting it.  I’ve never had any meaningful conversations with god or felt any kind of emotion enveloping me when I enter any kind of church, temple, or mosque, be they a small roadside chapel or a huge medieval cathedral.
On the other hand, I can feel a spirit in [...]

Lessons on Buying a House: Another Big Day–Signing the Papers for the Finance Company

It looks like this is moving along.
Today was a big day in many ways.  First, during a break at work, I walked the three blocks down to the county tax assessor’s office to renew my car registration.  It’s gotten hot and muggy again in Houston, more like August than October.  We’re supposed to get some [...]

Lessons on Buying a House: The Latest Update, and Even Better–A Mortgage Calculator!

This is going to be short; it’s past bedtime, but here’s where everything stands.  Last Thursday, the offer contract finally got the buyers’ signatures and my final signature on one point that I finally caved in on–the number of days on the termination option.  I wanted 14, but they only would go for 10.  As [...]

Lessons in Buying a House: The Process Continues . . .

Acquiring a house takes up a lot of energy–mental energy that is.  There are emotional highs when you find a place that you really like, lows when barriers get in the way, and there’s lots of waiting, which gives you time to think even m0re, which can be almost all-consuming.
This coming week will be a [...]