Updated Blog and Steam Blowing

As you can see, I'm making a few changes to the blog - basically changed the name from "From Mom & Me" to Meanderings, etc.  Just thought it was time to update as Mom's story has been finished for over two years now so no sense in staying with that title.  I actually thought about an entirely new blog, but when I looked at all the stuff I'd already done on this one - pictures, recipes, posts, info, etc. - I decided it would be more work to try to start over than to just revamp this.  So, here we go meandering.

I've been on Facebook for over a year now.  You can see the link to my profile page on the blog homepage.  I enjoy Facebook immensely as I get to keep up with friends and people that I really wouldn't be in contact with at all if it wasn't for this avenue.  I'm friends with cousins there whom I haven't seen since I left high school.  And, that's a long, long, long time ago.  :)

So, to do a little updating on where we are and what's going on.  We thought we had our land sold where the barn is and the horses and the pond.  A doctor from Cleburne, TX came up and made us an offer, and we decided to take it.  Was time to let it go.  Bill spent a couple weeks cleaning out the barn, the area around the barn, the little barn, hauling brush off, and generally policing the whole place.  It really was looking good.  The good doctor, Robert N. Smith, Jr. to be exact, came up a couple times to see it, decided where to have a well dug, made arrangements for that to be done a couple weeks down the road, called the electric company and requested service there, sent a deposit to them to get that done.  We got the 911 address established on the property, and all was going according to plan.  When he first made the offer, he asked us if we wanted any money down or would we be willing to work on a handshake because "that was the way he'd always done things. He was from the old school where a man's handshake was as good as a contract and his word was his bond.  As far as he was concerned, it was a done deal."  Those were HIS words. So, being from the old school of honor and integrity himself, Bill agreed and they shook hands and that was that.

Anyway, the good doctor called Bill to tell him on Friday that he had the certified check and was ready to get this done, so plans were made to meet in Poteau Monday afternoon to file the Warranty Deed and transfer the funds.  We got up Monday and were on our way to Smithville to sign and get the deed notorized when Bill's cell phone rang and it was the good doctor.  Basically, he said, "I don't feel right about this so am going to have to back out of the deal."  No real reason, no alternative requests, just backed out.  We were, as you can imagine, it total shock and actually, STILL are in shock.  We don't know why.  We don't know what happened.  We don't know what we did or didn't do to make this happen.  All we do know is that the word and handshake of Dr. Robert N. Smith, Jr. of Cleburne, Texas is as worthless as a piece of used toilet tissue.  We found out what big fools we were to trust someone because he was a doctor and was reputable and believable.  I hope no one else ever gets stung by this sorry excuse for a reputable doctor, because the sickness in the pit of our stomachs is still there and still upsetting.

AND then to top it all off, we get a bill for $150.00 from the lawyer that HE wanted to go see to get an opinion of the transaction.  Our only part in the matter was setting up the appointment for him as Bill knew the lawyer and had dealt with her before.  SOOOOOO - we get the bill and we get the shaft!!!!   Are we still a little bitter????????  NO, NOT AT ALL!!!!!

There, now aren't you glad that I re-did the blog?  Don't imagine you really wanted to hear all this "blowing off steam" but if I could figure out a place to post a big notice to let people know what kind of a person the good doctor really is, I'd be sorely tempted to do it.  Maybe someone else will avoid the turmoil that this has caused us.

AND, it's not that we really even want to sell the property - we just NEED to sell the property.  Since the government so nicely decided against a cost of living raise for social security recipients for the next three years so that they can have the money to:

THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION IS FUNDING TWENTY FOUR MILLION DOLLARS-- LET ME REPEAT THAT AMOUNT... SO YOU UNDERSTAND IT $ 24,000,000.00 DOLLARS FOR NEW ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS PROCESSING FOR OUR CONGRESSMEN AND SENATORS !! THEY ARE OBTAINING THESE FUNDS And  I QUOTE DIRECTLY FROM THE SOCIAL SECURITY WEBSITE... "THIS MONEY WILL BE COMING FROM THE SAVINGS TO BE GENERATED FROM WITHHOLDING "COST OF LIVING INCREASES FOR 2010 & 2011 In SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS FOR THE ELDERLY AND A $2.00 INCREASE ON ALL MEDICARE RX BENEFIT CO-PAY"

Now isn't that a piece of work.  So, that's one reason we wanted to sell our property.  But, perhaps it will have to be the house that goes.  It's too big for two of us anyway, but we just love it so much.  We built it and all this stuff that everyone keeps asking about is remembrances of family or friends who gave it to us. How do you throw that stuff in the trash or put it in a garage sale?  I guess we're both just too sentimental for our own good.

OK, that's enough meandering for today.  BUT, I'll be baaaaaack!!!!!!!  :)
Joan