The Periphery of the Mind

Maryanne got an offer for her house 24 hours after listing, and sold it to them for full price and a home warranty 24 hours after that, and got two back-up offers 24 hours after that. Luck or brains? Either way, I'm jealous and hoping to do at least half as well.

My yard is now butchered beyond all recognition. Not sure if the lady who did it will finish the job or what, but it'll do anyway.

Tomorrow the hot tub should be repaired. At some point a guy's supposed to come out and look at my floor. Need to find out when that is. I think he said Friday.

Still looking for a house to buy, and starting to work out how we need to approach wedding plans. I'd still like to elope, but that's not going to be an option. We'd piss off too many people, and really, isn't this day supposed to be about them.

Ah well, they better bring gifts.

The city of Elkins sent me a letter saying I had to mow my property. It's apparently considered a health hazard.

I'd say it's more of an eye sore myself, but whatever. Finding someone to mow the lot, and come out to Elkins, is trickier than I'd imagined, but I think I've got it covered now.

Other than that, work continues.

On the burner right now are many things, many projects.

Perhaps the biggest, immediate project, is the selling of two houses. Mine in Elkins, and Maryanne's in Rogers. Hers is coming along superbly, and she'll likely be all done this weekend, and listed Monday.

Mine....

I think I can get a guy to come out and brushhog the lot, but he'll likely want armed escorts or something. I think there's a tribe of cannibal pygmies or something living under the deck, and they've got poisoned darts. It's that scary right now.

Fortunately once her house is done, I can focus more on mine. Tonight I'll play with the drywall mud some more, and see if it'll work for the window trim.

Went to Lowe's yesterday and picked up some toys to fix my house with. Got one of those long paint rollers, which suck the paint out of the bucket and into the roller. Not sure how well it'll work, but I needed something to reach the high points of my ceiling. And it may not even be enough. Also got some drywall mud, spackle, and knockdown, to fix the textured walls. That all seems good for the job.

Currently trying to get the hot-tub fixed and cleaned up. Probably cost me close to a grand for the repairs and new cover, but will increase the sale value of the house considerably.

I hope.

A whole lot of trouble to sell a house and be with a girl, but she's worth it.

And I'll soon have a spiffy hot-tub to play in!

Went and spoke with the bank about a loan Friday for a new house. Looks like we can get a $157,000 loan pretty easy, and live in it pretty easy. Provided we sell one of the houses first. Since we didn't have a house sold yet, the one we wanted slipped through our fingers. And I'm okay, since I know we'll find something we like better.

Maryanne got her dress and veil Saturday, and she and her mother really like it. Don't know anything about it other than the veil cost more than the dress. Sounds like they didn't spend much, but I hope she really likes it rather than likes it because it's cheap.

I took Sunday "off" to come home and putter around. I felt bad leaving her to work on her house by herself, but this was the first time I'd been home in days it seemed. She got her mom's boyfriend and one of his buddies to help her put up trim board. With their nailgun and previous experience, it took them no time; I know it would have been a day-long project for the two of us.

Progress is being made, and things are coming together. She'll list the house next Monday no matter what!

And then we get to focus on fixing up mine....

I'm now engaged to one Maryanne.

Now comes the wedding and the meeting of extended family....

I don't have the answers, and I don't know anyone who does. What brings one person closer to their beliefs, drives another away. There either is no one true way, or else only a handful of people in human history have ever been close to the truth. And in the end, after all the philosophical debating and scholarly research and temper tantrums and empty patience, nothing is changed.

I'm not going to worry about it anymore. Because in the end, whether there's a God or a heaven or an afterlife, doesn't change the fact that I need to do what I can to appreciate and marvel in this life, this world, this moment. If God wants me to worry about the differences between Exodus 20 and Exodus 34 and Deuteronomy 5, He's got more problems than me.

Now I see why the Crusades were so popular.