Dear Realtor

Yes, I realize there is a For Sale sign in front of our house, and we are listed in the MLS. This means that you can come and show our house to your clients. I also realize that this is a tough time to sell a house, and we should welcome any buyer that wants to take a look.

However

because we still live here, is it asking too much to:

1. Leave a card if you come by? It's obvious you are here because doors are closed that are usually left open and lights are turned off/on that weren't off/on when I left earlier. This allows us the peace of mind that it was you and not a complete random stranger with no permission at all to wander through our house

2. Leave the key in the lock box and not in the door itself? Enough said on that one.

3. Call before you come instead of just showing up at our front door? We'd like for it show it's best, and since we do live here, sometimes it's just not good to randomly stop by.

4. Come if you are going to say you are going to come by in a set time frame? If you say you are going to come, we leave and find something to do. It can be frustrating to pick up and leave and then you don't even come in (or maybe you did, see #1).

Thank you,
Owner who is really getting fed up with points 1-4.

Read more!

What I'm Pondering About

is over at DC Metro Mom's today.
What's your thoughts on it?

Read more!

April Showers Bring May Flowers

But what do May showers bring?

Read more!

Lyme Disease Update

The test came back negative. But we are to retest in 6-8 weeks as sometimes it can take a while to show. So, if it wasn't Lyme Disease, what the heck was it?!?

Read more!

Rain, rain, go away!

Anybody nearby want to help me build an ark?

Read more!

Stamp Out Hunger

Get your food ready,

It's Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive

Join us Saturday?

I remember when I was growing up my Mom was 'in charge' of mission work for the homeless in our church. Her job was to find congregants to donate prepared food once a month and also servers once a month. Starting in 3rd grade she took me to the shelter to help serve. It was a shelter for women and children. I stood on one side and served food, often their only meal that day or for days, to kids just like me. Driving home my Mom always told me, "Don't think for a minute they are different than you because they don't have a home. We could be in their shoes in a matter of paychecks, broken bones and a really bad month." She's right. So many of us are closer to being homeless than we think.

When I was a teacher I always had some snack packs and cereal bars in my room. Not for when I was hungry. For my students that didn't have breakfast. Or even dinner the night before. A huge portion of our population doesn't qualify for free/reduced breakfast/lunch for their kids in the public school. But that doesn't mean they can always afford 3 meals a day for their children too. My son knew what the food was for, and eventually figured out which kids it was for too. I have passed on that same speech my Mom raised me with. "Don't think for a minute you can't be in someone else's shoes real fast. It doesn't take much. And you'd want someone to help you and be there for them."

Tomorrow is such an easy way to help. All you have to do is take 5 minutes to look through your pantry for some perishables and take them to your mailbox before your mail carrier comes. They'll make sure it gets to your local food bank.

It's what you would want someone to do if you needed a meal.

Read more!

Brain Dead

I just finished my online final for my first ABA class towards my BCBA.

My brain is dead. My stomach is growling.

And my husband is cooking an Italian dinner with wine for dinner.

He's home. I'm done with class for a month.

It's a good night :)

Read more!