Burr Under My Saddle #4

I just don't get it!

Since there is a Burr #4, it stands to reason there was a burr #1, #2, #3. I don't get these burrs very often, but now and then I have to stop, dismount my normal blogging life, and yell removing the burr from my nerves.

I've had several reasons in my life to use Home appraisers - house appraisers. (Whatever they choose to call themselves). I've decided as they seem to have no rule of measure, no variables, no way of judging a home other than their likes for the day, that maybe, just maybe I could go into the business and call myself a home appraiser.

One measures my house and says it is 1550 sq ft. When we bought it we were told it was 1600sqft. We are paying taxes on 1475 sqft. That is just the beginning.

I asked the Mortgage people at my bank how the present value of my home was determined, she couldn't give me an answer. I did elicit a response from her when I asked, "Why is it that when a realtor does a cost analysis and he comes up with a fair figure to work when (when/if )we want to sell). Then when the bank has a need to appraise the figure is much more different."

"Well" she started with exuberance. "They want to inflate the value so they can get a greater commission."

"But" I interrupt. "Why would there be two different end results. If it is worth "x" amount of $s, it is worth "x" amount of dollars, regardless of who appraises it, or who they appraise it for!"

She didn't like my questioning her so I dismissed it. However I still wonder how five different people can come up with five different figures.

Today another business man told me that "it is the difference in people. When I come in and see your home I like what I see and would give you a high value. Whereas someone else come in behind me and they weren't impressed with - say the kitchen for example, then he would knock some off.

"Wooooeh there now" I protest. "What school did they go to (if that is indeed the case) that told them to go according to their feelings or likes and dislikes of the day?"

Isn't there a set of guidelines that everyone goes by? Do not they all use the same 12" numerical ruler and not centimeters? Doesn't it make sense for one who holds a title or licenses of "appraiser" to have an idea the cost of building materials? My oak cabinets through out my house should have a higher value than if I had cabinets of another lesser wood.

I'm not sure I am explaining my questions - that is probably why Ive not had any satisfying answers yet. But I'll keep asking. So when and if I ever need an appraisal they will not set their foot in my yard until I know their guidelines, and whose rule of law they answer to.

Is there not a state agency? Does the federal government care? How about the city who issues building permits. Does the man who built the house in the beginning say what the value of the house is determined by the costs he has incurred? Or does he have to wait until the "un-named appraiser" comes on a morning after a binge the night before and decides according to how he is feeling at the moment?

I just don't get it. Who is the expert on home appraisals. And where is he? Who does he work for? The one who hires him or the man whose house he is appraising? According to who is paying for it? - that could makes sense. But that doesn't work. I pay the bank, the bank hires an appraiser with my money - yet he isn't working for me - he is working for the bank who got the money from me. I just may have to come back to this one. I ain't quiet got this burr out of my saddle!

Sorry - I just don't get it.

Grammyof13 over and out.

Hen Apples!

I have a splash of memory overwhelm me occasionally. Like words that hit my brain firmly reminding me of something my Mother said, or was a phrase more common in those days of the 1940's or 50's. Mother was full of them and I think that part of her still lives in me. I remember best some of her antics that gave us a good laugh, (which I think I've shared over these past two years).

Speaking of Mama, the day of her birth is coming up on the 28th. We remembered the date of her death on the 10th of this Month.

She had a brother whom I looked up to and revered. I enjoyed his teasing me about a hug when I was pre-teen and even though I was moderately shy, he always managed to find me and give me a hug and a few kisses all over my face to my delight. He brought me laughs also with his stories of early years in the ministry during those pioneer days of the 20's and 30's. Anyway, one of the words he used to describe eggs was "hen apples". I've not thought of that term in years until this week when my daughter called to tell her Dad and I a funny story".

"Hello Mom? Can Dad get on another phone so I can tell you a funny?" she was laughing all during her initial salutations.

"Dad"! I yelled throughout the house, not knowing exactly what corner of the house he was in. "Can you get on the other phone, Janean wants to tell us something"

By the time he gets on the phone she and I have already passed some pleasantries between us.

To preface her story I'll tell you a little about Preston her little soon to be seven year old boy. From early years of maybe even three years old, he has loved Animals. His toy box is filled with farm animals in great quantities, along with a barn, fences, farm equipment, trucks, tractors etc. etc. etc.

He has left no place for us to question him about what he wants to be when he grows up. A farmer. Period. Dot. He will own a farm, he says and have lots of animals. Once we passed a tractor on the side of the road with a for sale sign. He happenedto be riding with Dad and I that day and immediately he raised up and said, "I could use that on my farm"! I think he was only 5 at the time. So that lets you know he has been so focused that his parents are trying to give him a feel of the responsibility that goes with having farm animals.

First duty to learn was taking care of puppies. With Mom and Dad's help, that went OK.

Second responsibility was chickens. The little Banty, Bantum, Banti, chicks (however you recognize them). From babies, they were placed in a pen where Daryl had made this marvelous chicken coop with roost and everything they'd need to feel at home, grow and thrive.

Eventually Preston got busy and was failing to feed them, leaving his mother and father the chore of getting it done.

My daughter pulled him aside one day, and informed him that "it is your responsibility to feed the chickens remember? If you keep failing to do so, there will be no other animals in your future" (or in words similar)

Today they are building a barn for a goat that will be delivered in April for his birthday.

But that story can wait.
"After I talked with him about doing his chores, he left his playing and went to feed the chickens. It didn't take him long to return and say 'Mommie! one of the chickens has an egg hung in his boodie'." My daughter could hardly tell the story for laughing.

Dad and I did our best to stay silent while she regained her composure to continue. I'm sure she tried to tell him that was where eggs came from. He didn't understand why the hen couldn't just "bring the egg out of its mouth!"

She tried to explain the way God made them was to lay the eggs through its boodie. (as he had used that word).

Anyway, she could hear him telling his friends who had come to play about what he saw. Next morning she prepared he and Parker's breakfast,(Parker being his little brother)_before going to school. They usually enjoy breakfast for being little boys they are always hungry.

Preston looks down at his breakfast, and with his stomach churning, he spoke while trying to keep down yesterday's lunch, face turning white, "I don't think I can eat eggs ever again Mommie. I just keep seeing that egg hung in its boodie."

Now I'll have to think of something else I can feed him for breakfast when he comes next month during spring break!

Grammyof13

Special Day!

Today is a special day for several reasons. This is the day on a cold February day that my second Daughter Sandy was born. In those days we were surprised on the day of the birth not knowing ahead of time whether the expected one was a boy or girl. Well this little 7lb 2oz girl was blond and so tiny and proved to be very fragile for the first few years of her life.

To welcome her home was her little 13 month old brother who wanted to poke her eyes, and kiss her cheeks as well as take her bottle for himself. We eventually got through the years of babies and diapers, and even though Sandra (Sandy) was not well she did thrive on our love and care.

Happy BD 1st Daughter - I pray you have a wonderful Day.

The Brother who greeted her that day, chose to get married on her birthday years later. I truly don't think he planned it that way, it just happened. So on an icy, rainy, snowy night we carefully, I mean ever so carefully. slip and slid to the little church a few miles away to witness the marriage of my first born son and his high school sweet heart.

They happened to be on a Cruise today celebrating their 30th anniversary.

Happy Anniversary Greg and Debbie.

To all of you - Dad and I are so proud of all you have become, all you've accomplished, the children that came from your union - Sandy's still little ones, Greg & Debbie's grown ones. For the sake of repeating myself I'll say again, "you give my heart rest. This is what mothering is all about to see a job well done."

Happy Birthday Sandy.
Happy Anniversary Greg & Debbie

Grammyof13

Please Feed the Birds

Last spring and into the summer, I tried unsuccessfully to keep bird feeders on my deck as well as in my front yard. As a reminder I'll say my yard has 50-60 trees and for most of the day the yard is very shady - which has nothing to do with nothing. However the trees being the most natural habitat of the over grown rats with long furry tails, who feel free to help themselves to anything they see. Including food that belongs not to them, but to my feathery friends who grace my deck and yard with their most welcomed song and array of colours and species.

I'm really looking forward to trying again this spring hopefully armed with new information on how to make the bird food distasteful to the critters who think they are kings of the yard. So far I've had suggestions from,

"get a bee bee gun and take 'em down one at a time!"

"get statues of raccoons to place around the feeders to scare the squirrels away."

"use squirrel away - that'll do it every time."

"You know they do make feeders that are squirrel proof?!" (they didn't tell me they cost a fortune)

Come to think of it, I guess I've spent enough on the medium prices ones to have owned several "squirrel proof" ones by now. I am still opened to suggestions from all you gardeners and bird watchers out there.

In the mean time, one of my sympathizing sisters and her daughter thought of my plight and sent me this. Isn't this the most adorable little fellow you ever saw?


When I called her to try my best to say how much I appreciated it, she almost had me sympathizing with the little creature as she finds joy in feeding them and watching them scurry to her back deck to see what she has left them for the day.

That feeling didn't last long however, as we laughed at how he "had my name written all over him" Here is another view of him from the side.

Sure enough, if you should have a tried and true remedy for gently and kindly, but ever so sternly getting the message to them to stay away from my bird feeders - I will gladly give you a hi-five, or a koodo or a kiss, 0r whatever you think is suitable for your advice - when I see if it works on these educated squirrels in my yard!!!

Grammyof13

My Special Valentine!

In the Writing group today, I met a dear lady who was a poet lauret in her day. She performed her poetry as well as "read" it. I hope the following poem she gave me permission to post today will bring back memories for you as it did me. Almost painful memories of those years as a fifth grader, and wanting so desparately to get a special valentime from a boy. I always had my mind on one particular one, but he always had a way of walking past me without seeing me. Now I wonder if he even knew my name?

MY Special Valentine by Verna Lee Hinegardner

Within that eight-grade one-room school,

held hidden in secluded nooks

the valentine deposited

with giggles, grins and backward looks.

Our teacher handed one by one

the artwork of our hearts. Although

my name was called quiet often, there

was nothing from my special beau.

Deep anguish choked my tortured soul,

my brown eyes burned with unspent tears,

when Teacher said, "That's all" but I

faked nonchalance beyond my years.

I died a dozen deaths as I

flipped "I don't care" and tossed my locks

Then Teacher teased, "What have we here?

There's something else inside this box!"

He lifted the embellished lid,

I crossed my fingers as he read

the message on a tiny box:

"To Verna Lee from Me" he said.

My face aflame, I stumbled forth

to claim the treasure that was mine

a heart-shaped box of Red Hot Hearts

which pleaded, "Be my Valentine"

I never spoke one word of thanks.

How could I know which words to use?

I ducked my head to hide my blush

and buckled up my overshoes.

* * *

We got all dressed up today with nowhere to go, (as my mother would say). The TV people never showed up, and believe me we looked sharp. Everyone of us. Now we have to wait for a sick one to get better so they can make another appointment. Ah Well, I guess it didn't hurt for me to go the extra mile in my preparation.

Grammyof13

Happy Valentines Day!

These are for you!
Happy Valentines Day!

I took time today to send out the Valentines I had chosen for my little rug rats, and curtain climbers and baseball players. My husband had to go to the post office to mail them, as my stamps were few. Bless him. He always finds ways to help me.

Now for the roses on the left of my journal entry, they are meant for you. If you happen to be reading this right now, then accept this vase of flowers as my way of saying, I hope you feel loved today.

Tomorrow (Friday) we will be filming the TV program I spoke of a few weeks ago. I'll let you know how it goes. I promised my daughter tonight that I would do my nails (in case there is a closeup of my hands), I would make sure there was no chocolate on my teeth, my hair in place, and clothes not wrinkled. I think she was afraid I would wear clothes I had drooled on or something. I thought about wearing a skirt with my knee hose rolled down my leg half way. I'll erase that real fast before you get the picture. My children would die of natural causes, and tell God I killed them - I just know it. So I'll opt for being dignified and demure. Then again, my family wouldn't recognize me.

Too much to concern my brain with tonight - so I'll just play it by ear. I'm not a worrier, so I'll do what comes naturally - get me self all dressed up with a smile and walk into the group as though it was a job I went to each day about 1:30pm.

I'll let you know.

Grammyof13

A New Venture!

Don't you just love those days when life is going great, the world is on its axis, no jolting or swaying, the sun is in the heavens high above the earth and for once only minor pains reminds me that I haven't died and gone to Heaven - which is my ultimate goal.

All that said, leads me into sharing a new venture I'm attempting by way of a new blog. I've tried many times over the years to write a story that needs to be written, but get so far and stall. However I think I have it this time.

I'm having a delightful time with this journal, from which I glean many laughs from all the fellow bloggers who let me get a glimpse of their world. Who share their down times and up times that encourages me they are no different than I regardless of where under the sun they live.

I maintain my thinking that "we all have a story". Some more exciting than others it goes without saying. Mine? Mundane! However the difficult times of the 1930's-40's-50's are slowly fading from history, and I feel compelled to tell our part of survival during those years of poverty, family and togetherness.

My father who is still alive to tell the story at age 100 1/2 once said, "We didn't know we were poor, until television came into our homes to let us know there was prosperity in other parts of the world."

Everyone was "almost" equal in their poverty. Some a little better off than others, but neighbor and neighbor held nothing from each other. Sharing was the norm. Borrowing a couple eggs to make bread for supper meant just that "borrowing", for it would be repaid the next day. Or borrowing a cup of sugar from Grandma, meant a trip to her house later when our supply was replenished from the peddler who came on Thursdays each week.

Come visit me sometimes at http://thewhippoorwillssong.blogspot.com

Let me know what you think.

Grammyof13

Definition of Old!

Oh My!!

Grammyof13

Best Surgeries.

This is bad. I can't believe that I am passing this one on. It is from my sister.

********************************************************************


Five surgeons are discussing who makes the best patients to operate on.



The first surgeon says, "I like to see accountants on my operating table, because when you open them up, everything is numbered.



The second surgeon responds, "Yeah, but you should try electricians! Everything inside them is color coded."



The third surgeon says, "No, I really think the file clerks are the best; everything inside them is in alphabetical order."



The fourth surgeon chimes in, "You know, I like construction workers. Those guys always understand when you have a few parts left over at the end, and when the job takes longer than you said it would."


But the fifth surgeon shut them all up when he observed, "You're all wrong. Lawyers are the easiest to operate on. There's no guts, no heart, and no spine, and the head and rear end are interchangeable."

Git Cho Mama!

Passing on another e-mail I received today. If you have read this, forgive me until I can do better. Glad to see Judy posting again, and all the others who have been iced in.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

A redneck family from the hills was visiting the city and they werein a mall for the first time in their lives. The father and son were strolling around while the wife shopped.

They were amazed by almost everything they saw, but especially by two shiny, silver walls that could move apart and then slide back together again.

The boy asked, 'Paw, what's at?'

The father (never having seen an elevator) responded, 'Son, I dunno.I ain't never seen anything like that in my entire life, I ain't got no idea'r what it is.

While the boy and his father were watching with amazement, a fat old lady in a wheel chair rolled up to the moving walls and pressed a button. The walls opened and the lady rolled between them into a small room. The walls closed and the boy and his father watched the small circular number above the walls light up sequentially.

They continued to watch until it reached the last number and then thenumbers began to light in the reverse order.Then the walls opened up again and a gorgeous, voluptuous 24 year-oldblonde woman stepped out. The father, not taking his eyes off the young woman, said quietly to his son, 'Boy..................go git cha Momma...............'

Grammyof13

New Windows!

This doesn't compare to some of the funnies that Kate from Shambles Manor posts, but I just had to share my laugh for the day. This was sent to me by a niece. Enjoy

Last year I replaced all the windows in my house with that expensive double-pane energy efficient kind, and today, I got a call from the contractor who installed them. He was complaining that the work had been completed a whole year ago and I still hadn't paid for them.

Hellloooo,...........just because I'm blonde doesn't mean that I am automatically stupid. So, I told him just what his fast talking sales guy had told me last year, that in ONE YEAR these windows would pay for themselves! Helllooooo? It's been a year! I told him. There was only silence at the other end of the line, so I finally just hung up. He never called back. I bet he felt like an idiot.

I've decided to bleach my hair - I like her logic!

Grammyof13

Obsolete Indeed!

Well it is Thursday again, and the day I read weird News of the world. Occasionally I like to share with you some of the less than bright escapades of people anywhere in the world. Today is one of those days. Bear with me...

"A father took his 20 year-old son to an Islamic court in Bauchi, Nigeria, in October demanding he be jailed for idleness, which he said has shamed the family. (The court immediately sentenced the boy to 30 lashes and six months in prison.)" (Reuters)

If I'm ever asked for advice from a parent of a lazy kid I know what I'll suggest.

"In December, a court in Seoul South Korea, fined the parents of a teenage rapist, the equivalent of $60,000 for their negligence in raising the boy badly. (For the 18 year old himself. He is serving a 10-year sentence for the crime.)" (BBC News)

And this one takes the prize. "In December, Britain's Oxford University Press, announced the latest changes in its Junior Dictionary - find room to add dozens of words which included trapezium, {mathematics a quadrilateral that has no parallel sides} alliteration - [ a poetic or literary effect achieved by using several words that begin with the same or similar consonants, as in "Whither wilt thou wander, wayfarer?"] and incisor - {flat sharp front tooth}."

So far I see no problem as to classify the article as weird. However....."in order to incert these into the Dictionary, several words had to be eliminated. for example - bishop, chapel, christian, minister, monk, nun, parish, psalm and saint. The publisher said the changes reflect Britain's 'multicultural multi faith' society!"

Say What???!! I remember studying about obsolete words in Literature, and I find a few in the Bible that are better translated using another word, but I'm not ready for words like Bishop, Minister, Nun, Psalm or Saint to become obsolete. I understand this was in Britain, but let's face it - we have a way of picking up examples from around the world - to better fit in? I'm not sure. I wonder if that was on God's mind when he told the Israelites, (after leaving Egypt) to make a record of all the things God did for them. Write in on their foreheads, or in their hands, but remember - and then when their children began asking questions of their past and the meanings of their traditions, they could easily tell them or show them. But for sure don't let these words disappear from our dictionaries. It may be generations before they are totally forgotten, but eventually.....

I don't know - I guess this disturbed me in a way. Maybe because of the similarity of each words meaning. Can you see the pattern? Obsolete.

Grammyof13

Ground Hog Day!

I remember Ground Hog Day. I always thought it was something Daddy came up with during the years when he was trapping. I dreaded his report on whether or not the animal saw his shadow, for I was more than ready for spring. Now when he - if he - ever started listening to Punxsutawney Phil and taking his word I'm not sure. And from the article below I found on the Internet, it seems Punxsutawney's predictions are the truest most accurate.

* * *

As there seems to be many legends of Groundhog Day the first is based on an old Scottish couplet: "If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there'll be two winters in the year."

Then According to the old English saying:

"If Candlemas be fair and bright,Winter has another flight.

If Candlemas brings clouds and rain, Winter will not come again."

From Germany:
"For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day, So far will the snow swirl until May.
For as the snow blows on Candlemas Day, So far will the sun shine before May."

And from America:
"If the sun shines on Groundhog Day; Half the fuel and half the hay."

Candlemas Day, I learned, was a day in February when all the candles that were used in church during the coming year were brought into the church and a blessing was said over them - so it was the festival day or the Mass of Candles. (British Life and Culture - )

There were other facts and traditions concerning February that are worth repeating. I'll come back to them later. As for now - I need to start supper!

Grammyof13