A comparison of what we had at our old life in Kentucky and what we have now:
Kentucky Oakwood
* 5 acres * enough space for a swing set
*dial-up internet * high-speed internet with WiFi
*satellite T.V. * Instant Netflix
*2100 sq. ft house *1900 sq ft.
* 25 foot rock fireplace in vaulted ceiling * 9 ft ceilings, gas fireplace
*surrounded by woods * surrounded by houses
*20 minute drive to EVERYTHING! *walk just about everywhere
* couldn't see our neighbors house * all we can see is our neighbor
*shed/barn * garage
* school buses * everyone walks/ ride school SUV
*taxes $1250/year *taxes $3500/year
*3 story playset * mega playground: block away
*gravel/dirt drive *paved driveway
*creek *Community pool
*septic *public sewer
*metal roof *shingle roof
*very quiet *cars, sirens, and kids
*no sidewalks (rural route) *sidewalks and lots of walking
* okay school system *school ranked 577th in nation
*hunting *mega squirrels that taunt you
*Great radio stations * Ipod use suggested!
*Wal-Mart or Kroger *Kroger, Trader Joe's, Meijer
*great temperatures/seasons *winter or construction
*room to store recreational vehicles *boat & trailer still in KY
*close to family *has adopted a second family
*McDonalds *decisions, decisions!
*clean air *smokers galore (odd, huh?)
*wrap around deck *full front porch
*everyone knows everyone * all outsiders
* gun range in backyard * "Run! They have a gun!"
*University of Kentucky (Go Cats!) *Ohio State
(yes, I left off "THE"...deal with it!)
Friday, March 25, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Accomplishment
I used to think that packing everything up to move was the biggest pain about relocating. I have since changed my mind. Unpacking is the biggest pain! We have lived in our new house for over 2 months now. We are still living out of boxes. My frustration levels are reaching an all time high. I do not like chaos. I do not like having things out of place or no place at all! And that, my dear friends, is the crux of the problem!
Moving into a new home requires taking all your old stuff that fit perfectly in your old house and finding a location for it in your new house. Sounds easy enough, but unless you just walk into your house and plop it down, claiming: "Here is your new abode, dear lamp!" it doesn't really work. Especially when the lamp is sitting on the dining room floor beneath a chalkboard easel, like mine. (Though I think this technique would work for my husband.) No, you have to check your surroundings. What area of the room really needs a lamp? What part needs more lighting? Is there a plug available in that corner for the lamp? Is there something to sit it on? Oh, the questions are endless.
Okay, yes, I am being overly dramatic, but I am having some "vicious cycle" moments here. I painted my son's bedroom without any furniture in it. It was fast and easy. I puffed my chest with accomplishment when gazing upon the white and University of Kentucky blue that donned the walls. I put up the peel-n-stick Wildcat decals and rejoiced to see progress in our journey of settling in. But that was pretty much where our progress stopped. A few weeks passed before I could no longer take stepping around the sea of boxes. In a feverish rush, I broke out the paint that I was contemplating using in the kitchen. It was a full gallon of blue left over from our kitchen at the old house. I put it on one wall....and fell in love all over again. I was pumped! I finished the kitchen in another day or so. Then, I unpacked my blue and white kitchen decorations. My heart sighed in contentment at seeing the place settled. The only thing left for the kitchen is the curtains I am sewing.
But the rest of the house is a mess. I finally moved the boxes out of the living room and stacked them up along a dining room wall. I rolled out the area rug in the living room (an area rug that I bought new for $65 though it was regular priced $325) and smiled with accomplishment. Really? Accomplishment from rolling out a rug? Yes, that is what my wonderful, anal sense of structure and organization has been reduced to. I also put together the two new end tables I bought. Those and a few chairs is all that sits in my living room since I am waiting to make a trip to IKEA to buy a couch. I also need a piece of artwork for over the fireplace. And I cannot decide where to hang the stuff I currently have.
I am mid-process of painting my oldest daughter's bedroom. And my youngest two daughters are still living among cardboard boxes like homeless children. Our bedroom is not much better since all the questionable items (where should we put this?) have been quarantined in one corner there. Just like the dining room. And the garage. And a room in the basement. In fact, most of the stuff we had at the old house doesn't really fit in well here. I guess I will sell most of it at a yard sale this spring and take the money earned to buy new stuff.
But then I have to wait for better weather....see? Vicious cycle. I have to wait to unpack until I paint. I have to wait to hang this until I paint or figure out where it goes. For those of you who know me well, you know that I can create some beautiful rooms. This house, though, has been seriously trying my decorators spirit. I will prevail, though. I just need to shut up all the chaos of clutter and get busy! Today, I opened my new bedding set and put it on my bed. Yep, another accomplishment!
Moving into a new home requires taking all your old stuff that fit perfectly in your old house and finding a location for it in your new house. Sounds easy enough, but unless you just walk into your house and plop it down, claiming: "Here is your new abode, dear lamp!" it doesn't really work. Especially when the lamp is sitting on the dining room floor beneath a chalkboard easel, like mine. (Though I think this technique would work for my husband.) No, you have to check your surroundings. What area of the room really needs a lamp? What part needs more lighting? Is there a plug available in that corner for the lamp? Is there something to sit it on? Oh, the questions are endless.
Okay, yes, I am being overly dramatic, but I am having some "vicious cycle" moments here. I painted my son's bedroom without any furniture in it. It was fast and easy. I puffed my chest with accomplishment when gazing upon the white and University of Kentucky blue that donned the walls. I put up the peel-n-stick Wildcat decals and rejoiced to see progress in our journey of settling in. But that was pretty much where our progress stopped. A few weeks passed before I could no longer take stepping around the sea of boxes. In a feverish rush, I broke out the paint that I was contemplating using in the kitchen. It was a full gallon of blue left over from our kitchen at the old house. I put it on one wall....and fell in love all over again. I was pumped! I finished the kitchen in another day or so. Then, I unpacked my blue and white kitchen decorations. My heart sighed in contentment at seeing the place settled. The only thing left for the kitchen is the curtains I am sewing.
But the rest of the house is a mess. I finally moved the boxes out of the living room and stacked them up along a dining room wall. I rolled out the area rug in the living room (an area rug that I bought new for $65 though it was regular priced $325) and smiled with accomplishment. Really? Accomplishment from rolling out a rug? Yes, that is what my wonderful, anal sense of structure and organization has been reduced to. I also put together the two new end tables I bought. Those and a few chairs is all that sits in my living room since I am waiting to make a trip to IKEA to buy a couch. I also need a piece of artwork for over the fireplace. And I cannot decide where to hang the stuff I currently have.
I am mid-process of painting my oldest daughter's bedroom. And my youngest two daughters are still living among cardboard boxes like homeless children. Our bedroom is not much better since all the questionable items (where should we put this?) have been quarantined in one corner there. Just like the dining room. And the garage. And a room in the basement. In fact, most of the stuff we had at the old house doesn't really fit in well here. I guess I will sell most of it at a yard sale this spring and take the money earned to buy new stuff.
But then I have to wait for better weather....see? Vicious cycle. I have to wait to unpack until I paint. I have to wait to hang this until I paint or figure out where it goes. For those of you who know me well, you know that I can create some beautiful rooms. This house, though, has been seriously trying my decorators spirit. I will prevail, though. I just need to shut up all the chaos of clutter and get busy! Today, I opened my new bedding set and put it on my bed. Yep, another accomplishment!
Sunday, March 13, 2011
The Police (and I'm not talking about the band)
The entire 5 years I lived in our house in the boonies, I never once had the police come to my house. A few helicopter fly-overs checking acreage for illegal substances, yes, but no actual physical contact on my property. I liked it that way. I savor my privacy. I also like to know they are there if I need them, but I do not need them in my face as a reminder.
Having said that, I would like to note that tomorrow will be exactly 2 months to the day that we moved into our house in Oakwood. And we have had contact with the police 4 times already. I seriously hope that this is not a pattern that will continue throughout the year. I think there are more cops in Oakwood than all of Nelson County back in KY. Every time I go out, whether driving or walking, I see a patrol car. Many times, there is one parked down the street near the park. A part of me likes the fact that the neighborhood is well patrolled. Oakwood is supposed to be the safest area to live in Dayton. In fact, most of the transgressions posted in The Oakwood Register deal with driving incidents. There is an occasional burglary report or a stolen bicycle reported, but mainly they are all speeding tickets or the like. (If you come to visit us, please observe the posted speed limits.)
Rabbit Trail: One of the burglary reports was of $200, a laptop, and an iphone taken from an UNLOCKED Expedition. All the items were laying on the seat in plain view. C'mon, people! Use some common sense!
Another part of me, however, dislikes the fact that the police traffic the area like the Gestapo. The first day we moved in a police officer stopped and was checking out our truck which was parked on the street in front of our house. I say the officer and immediately thought, "What's wrong?" There were other cars parked on the street, so I knew that was legal. But our truck was parked in front of our house against the flow of traffic. I told Brian to run out and talk the officer so we wouldn't get a ticket. He ran outside and moved the truck. The officer was not very welcoming. He told Brian, "That isn't allowed around here." Okay, fine. Lesson learned. (But what was the big deal anyway? Were they afraid someone driving down the street would suddenly forget which way the traffic flowed and follow the parked cars? If so, they shouldn't be driving anyway. Simple driver's ed...drive on the right side of the road.)
The three other incidents with the police all involved the situation with the little girl (previous post). I am so hoping that is an isolated occurrence and not a trend in my life as an Oakwood resident. So, while I am glad to have the protection, I am also a little ruffled by the lack of privacy too. I suppose that is just what goes with the territory. I moved from the boonies to an urban neighborhood. Just another little adjustment to be made.
Having said that, I would like to note that tomorrow will be exactly 2 months to the day that we moved into our house in Oakwood. And we have had contact with the police 4 times already. I seriously hope that this is not a pattern that will continue throughout the year. I think there are more cops in Oakwood than all of Nelson County back in KY. Every time I go out, whether driving or walking, I see a patrol car. Many times, there is one parked down the street near the park. A part of me likes the fact that the neighborhood is well patrolled. Oakwood is supposed to be the safest area to live in Dayton. In fact, most of the transgressions posted in The Oakwood Register deal with driving incidents. There is an occasional burglary report or a stolen bicycle reported, but mainly they are all speeding tickets or the like. (If you come to visit us, please observe the posted speed limits.)
Rabbit Trail: One of the burglary reports was of $200, a laptop, and an iphone taken from an UNLOCKED Expedition. All the items were laying on the seat in plain view. C'mon, people! Use some common sense!
Another part of me, however, dislikes the fact that the police traffic the area like the Gestapo. The first day we moved in a police officer stopped and was checking out our truck which was parked on the street in front of our house. I say the officer and immediately thought, "What's wrong?" There were other cars parked on the street, so I knew that was legal. But our truck was parked in front of our house against the flow of traffic. I told Brian to run out and talk the officer so we wouldn't get a ticket. He ran outside and moved the truck. The officer was not very welcoming. He told Brian, "That isn't allowed around here." Okay, fine. Lesson learned. (But what was the big deal anyway? Were they afraid someone driving down the street would suddenly forget which way the traffic flowed and follow the parked cars? If so, they shouldn't be driving anyway. Simple driver's ed...drive on the right side of the road.)
The three other incidents with the police all involved the situation with the little girl (previous post). I am so hoping that is an isolated occurrence and not a trend in my life as an Oakwood resident. So, while I am glad to have the protection, I am also a little ruffled by the lack of privacy too. I suppose that is just what goes with the territory. I moved from the boonies to an urban neighborhood. Just another little adjustment to be made.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Robbing the Bank
The closing on our house in Kentucky went super easy, right? Yes. When we put the money into the bank, they told us that it would be released in time for our closing. Yes, that sounded about right considering we had a certified check. They said that there would be a 7 day hold. We put the check in on the 3rd and we closed on the next house on the 14th. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the hold should be off when we needed it.
So, why did the teller at the bank refuse to give me the money (in form of a certified check, of course) when I went to get it the day before our closing? Good question. Apparently, those hold days do not include weekends or holidays. So, according to their calculations, we could not withdraw our money until the Monday after our scheduled closing in Ohio.
I went into Panic Mode. I explained my situation fervently. The teller took pity on me and called the manager out to see what could be done. I did not want to lose the house! Or our interest rate that was locked in only until the day of our closing! The manager reviewed the hold on our check. She agreed that it couldn't be released until after our closing. But...she would talk to the regional manager and see if they could trace the check to make sure it had cleared. She said that she would call me when she knew something.
As soon as I left the bank, I was in prayer. While I was driving, I was in prayer. While I was at my parents house, I was in prayer. While I texted my husband and friends, I was in prayer. Help! Help! Help! We had to have that money! How could we get all this way and then stumble on something so silly? We had the money. It was in the bank. We couldn't touch it though because of a stupid "red-tape" hold???? There was NOTHING I could do about the situation. It was totally and utterly out of my control. And aren't most things? Even things that us mortals like to think we control, isn't it all out of our control? Humans tend to set up this guise of taking care of things, of protecting ourselves, armoring ourselves, etc. But it doesn't matter if you have Superman on your side because you aren't in control! Our choices affect the outcome, most definitely. I should have checked with the bank and scheduled the closing dates differently. But I had a certified check. I didn't see a reason for the hold. And someone I know that works at a bank said that their company only puts a 3 day hold on certified checks. Yes, I should have made a better choice, but the situation I found myself in was out of my control. The funds could have been lost (happened to my friend once when the bank accidentally deposited it into the wrong account) or my identity could have been stolen and my account wiped out. Looking on the bright side, I guess the whole "hold" thing wasn't so bad. Much better than the other frustrating ways to not be able to get ahold of my very OWN money. Hmm, I do own guns. Is it against the law to rob the bank for just your OWN money? Eh, probably. I had better make a wiser choice and not try to handle this on my own. I needed help. Big time!
I was asking for help. Again. I could not do this on my own. I needed help. "Help!" I called to God.
I also called the bank back. God answered in the voice of the bank manager, "It has been taken care of. We have lifted the hold on your check, Mrs. Gaskin. When you come in, we will have the certified check for you." And once more, I was in prayer. A prayer full of thanks, ever so humbled by His love for me. The bank did not have to remove that hold. They had every right legally to not give a damn and hold my money until the next week. Matthew 21:22 reads, "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” I am sure most non-believers and especially believers would say that this didn't apply to modern times. How many believers had done so and had not been given what they asked for? Well, I won't dive into that can...all I can say is, "It is true! I can bear witness!" Hallelujah! Amen!
And I skipped all the way to the bank (and left my handgun at home.)
So, why did the teller at the bank refuse to give me the money (in form of a certified check, of course) when I went to get it the day before our closing? Good question. Apparently, those hold days do not include weekends or holidays. So, according to their calculations, we could not withdraw our money until the Monday after our scheduled closing in Ohio.
I went into Panic Mode. I explained my situation fervently. The teller took pity on me and called the manager out to see what could be done. I did not want to lose the house! Or our interest rate that was locked in only until the day of our closing! The manager reviewed the hold on our check. She agreed that it couldn't be released until after our closing. But...she would talk to the regional manager and see if they could trace the check to make sure it had cleared. She said that she would call me when she knew something.
As soon as I left the bank, I was in prayer. While I was driving, I was in prayer. While I was at my parents house, I was in prayer. While I texted my husband and friends, I was in prayer. Help! Help! Help! We had to have that money! How could we get all this way and then stumble on something so silly? We had the money. It was in the bank. We couldn't touch it though because of a stupid "red-tape" hold???? There was NOTHING I could do about the situation. It was totally and utterly out of my control. And aren't most things? Even things that us mortals like to think we control, isn't it all out of our control? Humans tend to set up this guise of taking care of things, of protecting ourselves, armoring ourselves, etc. But it doesn't matter if you have Superman on your side because you aren't in control! Our choices affect the outcome, most definitely. I should have checked with the bank and scheduled the closing dates differently. But I had a certified check. I didn't see a reason for the hold. And someone I know that works at a bank said that their company only puts a 3 day hold on certified checks. Yes, I should have made a better choice, but the situation I found myself in was out of my control. The funds could have been lost (happened to my friend once when the bank accidentally deposited it into the wrong account) or my identity could have been stolen and my account wiped out. Looking on the bright side, I guess the whole "hold" thing wasn't so bad. Much better than the other frustrating ways to not be able to get ahold of my very OWN money. Hmm, I do own guns. Is it against the law to rob the bank for just your OWN money? Eh, probably. I had better make a wiser choice and not try to handle this on my own. I needed help. Big time!
I was asking for help. Again. I could not do this on my own. I needed help. "Help!" I called to God.
I also called the bank back. God answered in the voice of the bank manager, "It has been taken care of. We have lifted the hold on your check, Mrs. Gaskin. When you come in, we will have the certified check for you." And once more, I was in prayer. A prayer full of thanks, ever so humbled by His love for me. The bank did not have to remove that hold. They had every right legally to not give a damn and hold my money until the next week. Matthew 21:22 reads, "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” I am sure most non-believers and especially believers would say that this didn't apply to modern times. How many believers had done so and had not been given what they asked for? Well, I won't dive into that can...all I can say is, "It is true! I can bear witness!" Hallelujah! Amen!
And I skipped all the way to the bank (and left my handgun at home.)
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Catching Up
Okay, I know I haven't posted in almost 2 weeks, but to be honest I thought it would be difficult to top the last post. I reminded myself that this blog is about my life here in Oakwood, so if there are boring days then there will be boring posts. But sometimes the things that I find boring or mundane may be exciting to others and vice versa....so, you can be the judge.
I haven't finished the telling of our story that lead us to Oakwood. After everything went into the works (closing on our house/loan approval & closing on the new house), our budget became drastically tight. We were pretty much living off of savings since the transition from Brian's old job to his new job did not mean an immediate paycheck. The extra expenses of buying a home, i.e. home inspections, "good faith" deposit, appraisals, etc. also cut into that money. There was one week when we didn't have enough money for groceries. Really. But, I did some heavy praying. Like...face on the floor praying. Afterwards, I had no immediate answer, but I was calm and knew God would provide. How, I didn't know, but I knew He would. And He did, by revealing a creative way to work our finances....I had an epiphany! Once again, I asked for help and He answered.
Closing on our house in Kentucky went very smoothly. It only took ten minutes. We signed about two papers and then chatted with the couple who purchased our house and land. They paid cash, so we didn't have to sign a billion papers. And we skipped all the way home.
I haven't finished the telling of our story that lead us to Oakwood. After everything went into the works (closing on our house/loan approval & closing on the new house), our budget became drastically tight. We were pretty much living off of savings since the transition from Brian's old job to his new job did not mean an immediate paycheck. The extra expenses of buying a home, i.e. home inspections, "good faith" deposit, appraisals, etc. also cut into that money. There was one week when we didn't have enough money for groceries. Really. But, I did some heavy praying. Like...face on the floor praying. Afterwards, I had no immediate answer, but I was calm and knew God would provide. How, I didn't know, but I knew He would. And He did, by revealing a creative way to work our finances....I had an epiphany! Once again, I asked for help and He answered.
Closing on our house in Kentucky went very smoothly. It only took ten minutes. We signed about two papers and then chatted with the couple who purchased our house and land. They paid cash, so we didn't have to sign a billion papers. And we skipped all the way home.
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