These weekends go by way too fast for me. Just about the time I feel like I’ve rested enough to do some serious project around the house, it’s Sunday afternoon and time to get ready for Monday. I have so many things on my "to-do" list that a weekend isn’t enough time anyway. Most of it may have to wait until retirement.

This morning I think I was able to teach Greyson that he does not get the "choice" canned tuna food every time that I walk in the kitchen. He’s got that whole Pavlov’s response thing going on right now. Kitchen/Mom=Tuna! Now! (Note to self…I need to get Steve to put up my new doorbell. It says "The cat and his household staff live here!) The expensive kitty food is piled high in the bowl for the kittens to eat at will, but they’d much rather eat that wet stuff. They get that each morning and a little before bed. The way Greyson’s eating now, it looks like he’ll be catching up with his brother in no time.

It looks as though Greyson is going to make it. We give him a laxative every 12 hours and I think we’ve got him past the "rough" parts. Pun intended. His little bum is feeling much better and at least he’s not stopped up like he was before. The Vet didn’t really ever figure out what was going on with his little digestive system, and for awhile, we both considered it "failure to thrive." His little system may have been shocked by a change in diet when he first came home. Heaven only knows what he was eating before he came home to us. While he’s not exactly well yet, he’s eating, eliminating with out my help and moving around pretty good. I am sure the Vet’s suggested change in his diet may have helped too. Now if we could just get Thorn to leave him alone when he doesn’t want to play. We couldn’t have a better name for that wild thing!

Yesterday, Steve and I went to Home Depot and Lowe’s to get some building supplies and then to Carpet Outlet Plus to pick out carpet and linoleum for my Alan Ave. house, which is nearly ready to be placed back on the market. It’s going to be such a nice house now. The kitchen is awesome! I wish it was that way when I lived in it all those years ago.

Right after Papa died and I was visiting my family up north, my listing agent called and said that she had an offer coming in on the property. Well, that fell through, and then several weeks back, she said she had another offer coming. We decided on a 45 day escrow, and I never heard from her again. So, I called her last week and asked about the "offer." She said the people couldn’t qualify and that was that. I was pretty disappointed in the way that she handled that situation. Seems to me that it would have been appropriate to call me and let me know what was happening, rather than for me to call her weeks later.

During our conversation that day, she mentioned that my contract had expired and I would need to come in to sign a new one. Hmmmmm. We discussed the "new listing price" considering the drastic increase in housing prices in our town and the unavailability of houses right now. I’ve been watching the newspaper and I don’t see anything under 160 thousand and mine was listed at 150K. She said that we could list it now for $154, 900.

I mentioned to her that some friends of mine recently, very recently, had their rental house appraised for a refinance, and it appraised at 154K. That house is 3 bedrooms to my 4, about 300’ smaller and not in great condition. It’s also within the "comp" distance. My Alan Ave. house has been totally remodeled. Everything is new, or will be when we are finished. Her reply was, "Well they always appraise a little high for a refi." Hmmmmmm again. I distinctly recall her saying just the opposite when the house I’m living in was appraised a few months back. It came in much lower than I thought and she told me then that they "always come in lower for a refi." So, which is it? The cranky side of me wants to say forget it, and either go with one of those "Help-U-Sell" deals, or maybe even hang on to it for a few more months. I don’t know. I just hate to hurt anyone’s feelings and I am sure if I didn’t give her the listing, we’d certainly be on the outs. But I also know that I’d much rather put the realtor’s fee in my pocket and it’s a seller’s market right now. If I held on to the house, it would be financially advantageous, but I hate the thought of EVER renting it again, because of the previous MAJOR problems with damage that I have had with renters.

What to do, what to do? Decisions, decisions.

Well, I am off to get ready for the little ghosts and goblins that will be here in a couple of hours. Happy Halloween! Oh, and one more thing…You have got to try the Reese’s Inside Out candy! It’s peanut butter on the outside, with chocolate on the inside! Exactly opposite from the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups! They are soooooo good!