Finally! Something solid!

We're going to buy our house! Yes, my father has agreed to let us buy it for the payoff price instead of the payoff price PLUS the $5,500 we "owe" him, as originally planned. We changed our plans because we now realize that he has realized thousands of dollars in tax breaks using our money--OK if he was actually our landlord, but not OK according to the loose terms of our verbal agreement. So he's acting like a landlord, but a landlord who pays NOTHING--not even taxes and insurance--and does NOTHING in the way of upkeep, but is suddenly Mr. Landlord when it comes tax time, claiming that he has a right to keep the tax proceeds because it's "his" money. Ah, it's a long and tedious story. To make matters simple for you, dear reader, we've decided that he should subtract the proceeds from the taxes from the amount we owe him. If he's only realized $4,000 in tax breaks, then we owe $1,500. If he's realized more than $5,500, then we're off the hook and he can keep the rest pinched tightly in his little fingers. Whatever.

ANYHOO, we are finally buying the house--OUR house!!! We are going to celebrate by installing the new front door that we bought, the two solid-wood interior doors that replace the two remaining ticky-tack plywood things, installing the new dark bronze doorknobs and hinges, and finishing the bathroom remodel. And, since we plan on staying in the house for a few more years at least (plans change), we're also moving ahead with plans to redo the roof, fix the porches, landscape, add skylights to the living room, and maybe even put on a bedroom addition. Whew!

We also bought more chicks--13 of them! My nephews were visiting me yesterday and they got to pick out a total of 6 chicks to be "theirs". It was fun. In the way of full-size birds ("heavy breeds"), we got 3 Barred Rocks (we have 4 now), 2 Red Sex Links (a cross of Barred Rocks and Rhode Island Reds), and 2 White Leghorns (excellent white egg layers). The other 6 are all Bantams (little chickens) of some sort, but we think there are at least a few Araucanas in there, which means we'll have tiny little green and blue eggs come fall. Unless they're roosters, of course. Then they get sent to the nephews!

So one of the up-in-the-air situations is mostly resolved. (We still have to negotiate the $5,500 problem, but at least it's not tied to the house.) I still don't know about the job, though I feel very confident, and we still don't know about Anthony, the little boy we want to adopt. Soon. Breathe.