UPDATE: A Few Things Some People Some People Don't Seem to Realize

Just in case you may be among those who don't take a staff infection or type 2 Diabetes seriously, you may learn something from the following information.

Did you know that Hypoglycemia (or low blood sugar) is a warning and precursor  to diabetes?  Well, it is.  It doesn't mean you need to eat more sugar, but less, even possible removing sugar from your died entirely.  If you don't believe that, do some research, and find out for yourself.   Have your doctor explain how it works.  Many years ago, I was also diagnosed as being Hypoglycemic.  I learned about it all, and since then, I very seldom eat sweets, but I do eat plenty of healthy vegetable, as well as sea foods, such as shrimp, calamari (squid), octopus, as well as fish that is considered the most healthy.

Making needed dietary changes can and does add years of life and keeps you feeling much better than when you are eating things which contain processed things such as HFCS (high fructose corn syrup), GMO (genetically modified organisms) in such things as most corn produced in the United States, and almost all soy beans and soy products, including protein derived from soy.

Presently, I know of at least two persons who have lost parts of their legs, and one of those is about to have her third surgery to amputate a portion of her leg, from the effects of diabetes.  She loves sweets, and apparently likes sweets better than live itself.

Irresistible Sweets?

A neighbor who is suffering from gangrene refuses to have her leg amputated to save her life, so they are still attempting to treat the infection, though this lady is in her nineties, she most likely not survive.  I suppose she would rather die with her leg intact than to live without it.

Another extended family member chose to keep eating her sweets, and go blind, lose kidney function, and to die than give up sweets. She died needlessly, in her mid fifties.

If you had to give up something you love to eat in order to stay alive, or to save a limb or organ, would you, or could you give that up?

I have another family friend who was born a Type 1 diabetic.  This man is now in his sixties, and he has always been very careful of his diet.  His wife is like a she bear when someone shows lack of consideration with him and his medical condition.  She makes sure he has a safe, and healthy diet, for which he is eternally gratefully.  He has also had many surgeries in his lifetime, even on his back, as well as other serious health issued.  This man is loved by all who know him, and he is always ready to do whatever he can to help others, too.

Educate yourself, and enjoy a longer, healthier and happier life, as well as the extra energy that comes with the changes to your diet and exercise program.

My Friend's Leg Yesterday Morning

Same Injury After Morning Cleansing

I also have a friend who got a staff infection some twenty years ago while undergoing surgery.  Recently, she got a bad bruise on her leg.  At first, it just seemed to be a bad bruise, but even though it at first appeared to be healing, it turned into an open wound.  It has been more than a month now, and it is now an open wound.  She has been taking prescribed antibiotics, as well as almost daily antibiotic injections, with only limited and temporary improvement.  She has also been to the Emergency Room on at least one occasion.  She finally was referred to a wound management doctor, and we are going there this morning.

Take good care of your health, and be sure to eat a good diet, limiting sweets, as well as foods which contain additives, and artificial colorings, etc., as these things can and do affect one's health and ability to recover from injuries and illness, as well.

Going into Surgery?

Take Care of Your Health!

Good Health To You

Update: May 21, 2010

My friends leg is finally nearly healed.  She last saw the wound specialist Tuesday last, and there are only a couple more layers of skin to re-grow to completely close the open wound she has been nursing for close to three months.  She is still wearing a waterproof covering to shower, as well as an ACE bandage to help prevent swelling.  Any swelling could cause the newly healed wound to tear open again, creating more complications, and taking even longer to fully heal, and allow time for the newly formed skin to strengthen, so it will be as strong as the surrounding area.

When I get a chance, I will take new photos to show what the fully healed wound looks like.  There should be little if any scarring, since the wound healed from the inside out.

Update on Sunday Afternoon's happenings... Lab/Chihuahua

Black and Yellow Labrador Dogs
similar to the dog in the story

Sunday morning my sister and I had breakfast, went to Walmart, and as I started to take my sister home, I decided to once again drive by the area where Colista and I had seen the large Labrador mix attempting to mate with  a small chocolate long-haired female Chihuahua yesterday (Saturday).

As we drove the same way I went on Saturday, and made a turn on the same street where the Lab lived at the corner house, and the Chihuahua lived a couple of doors down, and across the street, there, once again, was the little Chihuahua, heading toward the property where the Labrador lived.  This time the gate was closed, but it also had a wide gap, which allowed the Chihuahua to trot right onto the property, again.

There was a smaller white female Chihuahua also on the property, and it appeared to belong there, although we did not see that dog the day before.

Immediately, I drove to the home where they brown Chihuahua's owner lived, and again, began to honk the horn repeatedly, until the mother of the lady I spoke with Saturday lived.  I let her know that their little brown Chihuahua was in the other yard again, and again offered to pay to have their dog spayed, even if it was more expensive while she was in season.  This time, they were more calm and not as defensive.  Up trotted the little Chihuahua which was the cause of all the excitement, and again she entered her own yard.

Cocoa or Brown Long-Haired Chihuahua
similar to the one in the story

We talked again for several minutes, and I offered to bring some pieces of fencing to at least keep her from sliding between their gate and the post to which the gate attached.  Again, she said she would bathe the little dog, and keep her inside, and provide her with a litter box or wee wee pads until she was out of heat.

I cage her my E-mail address, and told her to contact me if there was anything more I could do to help keep her dog safe, and/or get her spayed.  I also told her about Actors and Others for Animals, who will usually help pay the vet bills for altering pets.

I now need to take some fencing to her, so she can at least secure the gap between her fence and gate, and she can get some rocks or a railroad tie to lay against the bottom of the gate, so the little female can no longer crawl under the gate to get herself in more trouble, again.

I will be following up on this incident, as these two dogs owners appear to either be totally ignorant, or just don't care about the safety of either dog, or for the local code on unaltered pet dogs and cats being allowed to rome freely.   In any case, it certainly isn't either dogs fault, but the fault and responsibility of the dog owners to keep their dogs behind secure fences, and to have them vaccinated land licensed.

My Day Off From Moving

I started my day this Saturday having breakfast with my friend, Colista at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants in town.  We both had a lot of laundry to do, so had decided to get it all done as quickly as possible by going to a local laundromat.  However, our plans changed with my seeing a posted ad for a nice fifth-wheel for sale about ten miles away, up in the Cleveland National Forest. 

We decided to see the RV, and then do the laundry.  Our plans were quickly changed when we were driving toward the area which lead into the mountains.  We happened upon a couple of loose dogs attempting to mate alongside the road.  Of course, since we are both animal lovers, and rescuers, the thought of more unwanted puppies really goes against the grain, but this situation was actually an emergency, as the male dog was a very large mixed Labrador, weighing in at eighty pounds, if not more.  The female was a little Chihuahua that weighed approximately seven pounds, and would die a horrible death, should the Lab actually be successful in his attempts to mate with her.

After trying repeatedly to get the smaller dog away from the large Lab, some people came outside of the corner house.  We asked a couple of times if they knew who owned the dogs, to which no one replied, at first.  Finally the woman said the Lab was theirs, and that someone apparently failed to close the gate securely, allowing the Lab to escape.  Then, she as well as a man who appeared to be her husband, and a young teenaged boy about sixteen years old, just stood around watching us trying to keep the Chihuahua alive, by at lease keeping the two dogs as separated as possible.  They just continued to do nothing.

I finally got angry with them, as all they could do, was to watch and do nothing. Finally, I practically yelled at them, to get their dog, as we had already called the pound. Finally, they got in their car, followed the dogs, and eventually got their dog on a leash and took him home. 

That left us still trying to get the little female Chihuahua, as she was still in heat, and running amok all over an area of about half a square mile, in and out of several streets, and up and down one that often has vehicles traveling pretty fast. The Chihuahua was still loose and running, heading farther, up a dirt road just this side of the freeway.  We got her cornered in a large semi-fenced area of some people's property. They also did nothing, even though they had large dogs which were fenced in an area that the little dog could have gotten into.

Eventually, the Chihuahua managed to get past us, and ran again down the dirt road, and headed again down the roads we had already been on.  She would have kept on running, except for the fact that by then, I was using my car to head her off.  She then went under a driveway gate into her own yard.  I honked the horn several times, so I could get the attention of the people inside. It was her yard, and they were also stupid people, who have had the dog for four years, and still didn't have her spayed.

I told the woman what had been going on, and she was pretty much not concerned over her little dog almost being killed.  She said she had gotten the dog from her mother, and her mother had the mother of her dog.  I asked why she allowed her little dog to be in such danger, and why had she not had her fixed, and she had a zillion excuses.

I offered to help pay for the surgery, and to even take the dog to the vet some thirty-five miles away for her.  Many rescuers and even the local animal shelter uses this vet, as his fees are much cheaper than any vets in our area, and he also does a very good job.

Two more stupid and unconcerned families living just a few doors apart, with obviously unlicensed dogs, since licenses for intact dogs is $50 per year, and getting that little one fixed would be cheaper than paying one years license.

I will be going back in a few weeks, and will also report her address to animal control. They already know the address of the people who have the intact, unlicensed Lab.

I also had to get some kitten formula for David, the man I have written about from time to time, as another of his cats had four kittens, and then something happened to the mama cat, so now the kittens have to be hand raised, if they live at all.  These kittens are now about two weeks old.  There are two males and two females. One male is black with a white chin.  The other male is marked somewhat unusual.  He is a tiger striped, with two stripes going down his back, much as the white stripes go down the back of a skunk.  I call that one L'il Stinker.  The females are as follows.  One is all black, and other one is a black tabby.

David realized how angry I was at the irresponsibility of his continued lack of taking his cats in to be fixed, so he asked me to go to PetSmart for formula, which must have nearly killed him.  He will buy food for them all, but he just refuses to get them corralled or altered. They all run all over the neighborhood, using people's yard for a litter box, and reproducing more coyote food.

I worked with this man about two and a half years ago, to get some thirty cats altered.  There were two or three kittens that were too young to get done at the time, so he promised he would follow through. He didn't get them fixed, and they are all dead, but not before reproducing.  I did go get the food, and showed him how to feed the babies, etc., but I also let him know that I am very close to never speaking to him again, since I care more about what happens to those cats than he does. 


Tens of millions of wonderful pets are destroyed annually just in the United States alone. Don't think that just because they are cute, someone will want them.  There simply aren't enough homes for all the cats and dogs that are born. Some are drowned, others are used as bait for fighting dogs, others are infected with upper respiratory illness, and die, or lose their eyesight, while others lose their eyes altogether, and if they survive, they cannot see, and again are at the mercy of whatever they have to face or starve, and they can't even fight for survival.

When a coyote hunts, whether domestic or wild animals, they approach from downwind, so the unsuspecting prey cannot even smell them approaching, until it's too late.  The coyote grabs them by the neck, or the back, paralyzing them, and carries them off, to be torn apart and eaten.  

PLEASE, don't allow your pets to breed and produce more unwanted creatures that will only be killed either by predators or starved and picked off by off by hawks, owls, or killed on the road or at an animal shelter because they couldn't place them all.

Hog Panels Going to SCAMPP.org

Farm Hogs
Note the height of the larger pigs in the photograph, in comparison to the height of the man.
These are nearly grown hogs.  Many are much larger than these. 

Some of the people from S. C. A. M. P. P., (Southern California Association for Miniature Potbellied Pigs) are coming to get several hog panels which will be used for rescued Pot Bellied Pigs, as well as other rescued pigs that are taken in from animal shelters, as well as from people who were taken in on scams, getting tiny piglets under the misinformation that they will never get larger than from twenty to fifty pounds.  Many unscrupulous breeders sell these tiny babies, telling people that they are about a month old, when in reality they are usually only a week or two old.

Miniature pig with two piglets which
are about two months old

Miniature pigs of many breeds do exist, but there are precious few that never grow larger than fifty pounds, with most of them maturing in four to five years at closer to one hundred fifty pounds, and some even larger.  You may wonder why anyone would call an animal a miniature when they get about the size of a lager Rottweiler.  Actually, when compared to a fully grown farm hog, or as some call them, market hogs.  A fully matured farm hog can easily weigh in at seven hundred pounds, to as much as half a ton.  All thing being relative, a one hundred fifty or even a two hundred pound hog is a miniature when compared to their half ton cousins.

Fully matured Miniature Potbellied Pig
She weighs about 200 pounds

This pet pig was rescued when her owner was no  longer able to keep her, due to local ordinance did now allow what they considered farm animals.  Some localities are slowly changing their laws to allow people to have their pet pigs if they are spayed or neutered, while others only allow pets pigs if you have at least half an acre or more.

If anyone tells you that they are breeding "Tea Cup Pigs," or "Micro-Mini pigs," don't believe it, not for a second.  All pig rescue organizations will tell you the truth, that all pigs grow for up to five years, and while they are absolutely tiny at birth, they do grow, and they don't stop until they
 reach their genetically full size, with some getting larger than others.  Adopt, if you really are certain that you can manage a pet pig, and are dedicated to keeping it for it's lifetime, which can be up to seventeen years, or possibly even a bit longer.

Teaching school children about Potbellied Pigs

A pet pig also needs its hooves trimmed, as well as its tusks (if its a male). They also need vaccinations, and a veterinarian qualified in caring for pigs.  Pigs are also very intelligent, and if allowed to be bored, they can get into trouble.  Pigs need mental stimulation, toys and games are readily accepted.  You can easily teach a pig to dance, shake your hand, and even give kisses.  Actually, pigs are second only to the whale in intelligence.  They can learn and understand several hundred words and commands, too. Pigs thrive on attention and love, and can quickly become part of the family, including the family pets.

Josh, a four month old rescued Potbellied Piglet
recovering from surgery to neuter him.
He was just one of the several hundred pigs
which were rescued, hand raised and placed in
forever homes. 

The photo on the left is just one of some three hundred Potbellied Pigs which were rescued from certain death, when a local man, out of love for animals, took in a few pet pigs which some people were no longer able to keep.  They were not spayed or neutered, and he ended up with more than three hundred adult pigs, and more than one hundred little ones, which were all finally placed in private homes.  The adults which were not pets, were also spayed or neutered, and while some were placed with families, many were placed in sanctuaries, all across the United States, from  Washing to New York, and from California to the Canadian Border.

I actually was involved in this rescue effort, hand-raising about one hundred newborn piglets, which, I am happy to say, were all placed in wonderful homes of pig lovers located across the length and breadth of California.

One happy piglet, which is
about three months old.

See, under the right circumstances, pigs can be wonderful pets, or they and the uneducated owners of pigs can all be miserable, depending on love, dedication, and accurate knowledge, as well as the ability to properly care for and train a pet pig.

Now, about these hog panels which are being donated to S.C.A.M.P.P. (Southern California Association for Miniature Potbellied Pigs).  The hog panels are fencing materials which are specially made to contain pigs of various sizes.  They are very sturdily constructed and welded and are very durable.  Pigs, you see, are not only smart animals, but, being pigs, they root, using their snout. It's just what pigs do.  They can disassemble a chain link fence easily, while hot panels are rigid and don't give like chain link fences.  If pigs are on suitable terrain and have plenty of area where they can play, sleep, and root into the soil, following their noses, so to speak, they dig up bugs, roots, and eat just about anything they find there.  This is another reason to keep your pet pig contained when it is outside.

If you are proud of your landscaping, and want to keep in intact, then you certainly don't want to leave your pig on its own in that area, as it will soon destroy the whole area, searching for yummies here and there.

Sow and piglets, happily munching out, and rooting for nibbles

Pigs also need a place to wallow in mud and/or a pool with cool water in which to cool of in the summer time, as pigs do not have sweat glands, so cannot perspire cool itself and can easily die from overheating if not provided with shade and a way to cool off.

"One Cool Pig"

Home Sales, HUD Homes and the FHA Mortgage Situation

All That Glitters is Not Gold

If you don't understand why construction of more new homes is progressing, while so many repossessed homes are sitting, unsold, at practically any price, read on, and maybe you will understand it better.  I didn't understand it either, that is, until the last few days of really concentrating my search on HUD homes for sale.  Most of these places that are being sold are going for less than half of the original asking price, if they sell at all.

Why, you ask? Because there are homes that sold with the loans  guaranteed by FHA, only to be lost  in the mortgage debacle.  Therefore, the Federal Government had to pay the mortgages to the lenders, when millions of people either just abandoned them, when they discovered that they owed more than what the homes are presently worth, and others lost their means of income, and had to walk away.  Also unfortunately, the public's tax dollars are what it used to fulfill that guarantee.  Now, with many homes, both stick houses and manufactured homes sitting empty, many just plain abandoned, many of them listed for sale, and not selling at any price, others are selling, but for only a fraction of what the original mortgage was, while the FHA is having to back up the guarantee that they agreed to, when people defaulted in their mortgages.  Many of these people ripped out all of the appliances, as well as carpeting, crown moulding, and practically everything else that they can remove that was in the home when they bought it.  They are leaving these places in such a mess, they just don't sell, or they have to be sold at a drastic reduction of the remaining mortgage contract.  It's a vicious circle, and so far, it seems to have no end in site.

Evicted?

A friend of mine has been renting a  place for the past fifteen years, and suddenly finds that her landlady defaulted on a loan she took out about five years ago.  The woman lead the lender to believe that she lived on the property in question, while she has not lived there at all.  Now, she has lost the property, and my friend will have to move, after constantly paying her rent on time for fifteen years.  The lender tells her that she can either buy the place or rent it for three to four time the rent she has been paying.  However, the place was never kept in repair, with the ceiling in the bathroom actually falling into the tub at one point.  The heater hasn't worked in more than seven years, and the water pipes are so old that the water doesn't even get into the water tank on the toilet to flush it.  To flush the toilet, she has to use buckets that she fills in the tub and pours into the toilet.  The house looks cute, from the street, but it is a real hovel, and should be bulldozed over.  There really is no way to save the place, but my friend would rather live in it, than to move, since she has privacy, and it has been a peaceful place to live for her and her pets.  The landlady only paid for materials, while all labor was free for her, for the entire time my friend has lived there.

For Sale But Not Selling

Even after being served with legal papers, my friend was repeatedly told that the place was not in foreclosure, as were her family members on repeated calls to the landlady.  My friend actually was subpoenaed, and appeared in court a few months ago, to testify against her landlady on behalf of the mortgage lender.  The landlady failed to show up at all in court.  Still, this woman continued to say she  was only a month behind, when she had not paid the mortgage payment since August 2010.  This woman (the landlady) also had told the financial institution, and FHA that she lived in the house where my friend has been renting from her for the past fifteen years. That loan is only about five years old. Fraud afoot?  It will be interesting to see what happens in this case.

Soon, one of my friend's family members went online, and did an in depth search, and discovered that the landlady had been lying since day one, and the place was indeed foreclosed on.  She did not even own it any longer.

Now, my friend is looking for a place, and may actually move in with me, as we can both do better together than separately in today's housing market.  She also recently had a fall, and can barely walk, and still must move.  If she waits for the natural progression of legal events, she will have possible ninety days before she will officially have to move.  That does buy her some time, and will allow her to save a little that will come in handy in getting another place.

We have known each other for about twenty-seven years, and get along well, and understand each other pretty well, with our children growing up together, and living just around the block from each other.  Since we are both retired and disabled, it appears that we would both benefit from living together, rather than on our own, we are looking for a place which we can own together, so that should something happen to either of us, the other one would inherit the place, and not have to move again, hopefully.

What A Day!

Ready To Move,
No Place To Go

It seems that many people wonder why I'm so tired after shopping for another house, or a travel trailer or a 5th wheel, or even just  a tent, if that's what it takes to relocate and keep my three dogs and my cat, and still have a place that feels like home again.

Just today, I had breakfast with my older sister, and then, I dropped her off at home and continued on my way to search again for another place, which would be somewhat smaller, and still have the room I need to do my computer work, photography, and keep my critters, and still not have so much to do around the house or in the yard that I don't have time for much else.

I have had my eye on a place not too far from my present home, one that is a HUD repo.  It sits on an ell shaped lot, with a nice long concrete driveway, and a gated entrance, with the house all the way toward the rear of the property.  The house actually sits beyond the neighboring property, which certainly provides some privacy, and would discourage people who don't know who lives there.

Sequoia Dawn

I have called about this place on at least two separate occasions, leaving a message.  No one ever returned my call.  I sat out front of the property this morning, and called again, using my cell phone.  This time, some actually answered the phone, and even transferred me to someone else, who said the place was already sold, and was about to close escrow.  I asked how much it sold for.  I was shocked to learn it sold for less than half the price that was listed on the MLS.  This place would have been perfect for me, my dogs, and Buddy Cat, too.

Snow Bear

After that, I began searching in earnest for more like homes, with HUD signs on them.  There is a community only a few miles away that has hundreds of home, many also for sale.  I discovered several other homes which were also HUD repos.  So, I started calling each real estate office that had their signs up on these places.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that many of them were no longer listed for totally unreasonable prices, but were actually listed for less than half of prices I have seen only a few weeks ago.

Then, I got a call from a friend who said that her sister and brother-in-law were looking at another place which is in a low mountain area, and that it looked great from the outside, and had four acres, with a wonderful view.  We planned to drive out there tomorrow morning to take a look with her sister.  I went to CostCo, filled the gas tank, and prepared to relax and get to bed early, so we could go there tomorrow to see the wonderful place where we could both share expenses and keep out pets.

Peanut

Then, she called again, only this time, she said that her sister had just called again, but that they had met with the real estate agent this afternoon, and were able to go inside to look around.  I guess the place was a real mess inside.  Of course this is the case with many repossessed homes, as many people who are about to lose their home are inclined to remove all the appliances, as well as drapes, and crown moulding, as well as anything else they can cart off.  This of course will cost the new buyer a lot, just to replace the missing items, and of course it devalues the homes, as well.

Possibilities?

Then, while I was absorbing this news, I happened to be at the place of business of another friend.  While we were talking, another acquaintance walked in, and over heard the topic of conversation.  He said that there was a very nice place just down the road from one of his properties, which had originally cost in excess of $300,000, that was abandoned when the buyers discovered their property was now only worth less than 1/3rd of what they paid for it.  So they left, and purchased another home, and just left this one sitting empty for more than a year.  It was for sale for some time, and now just sits empty.  We attempted to make telephone contact with this man, who told me about the place, after we drove around looking for it.  If it is the place I think it is, it would be a real possibility, with plenty of room, and three bedroom and three bathrooms, a two car garage, and property large enough to allow my pets as well as the pets of my possible roommate.  We could also plant some fruit trees, and even have room for a vegetable garden.. With three bedrooms, I would have room for my office, and we would each have our own room, at opposite ends of the house, so we each could have our privacy, which is important, since we both have been living alone for more than twenty years.

If this is the place, it doesn't need paint, just weed abatement, big time. along with some landscaping, and a few nice touches, to make it a home again.  Of course, when one goes inside, everything could change, as has been the case with many homes that are on the market that now exists.



The search goes on.  Maybe tomorrow will bring more opportunities, and better options.  I certainly do hope so, as the people who bought my home are expecting an addition to their family, and they are certainly anxious to get started with the upgrades they have planned for their new place, which unfortunately, I still occupy.

Another Day House Hunting and Breakfast Out

Happy Little Cottage

Well, here we go, shopping again, looking for another home.  I actually did find a relatively new and smaller manufactured home that would fill my needs.  The only problem is to find the right lot on which to set it up.  This little cottage is small enough to maintain easier than the home I just sold, and it is only a few years old.  It is well built and much better insulated than most homes in the area, as well.  This one only has one bedroom, but the rooms are large enough so that I wouldn't feel cramped, as most smaller places seem to feel.

It is one that has been removed from it's original location, and it presently sitting on a sales lot.  It is cute, and in very good shape, so that it's almost like new.  Now, I just have to locate the perfect place for it, at a price that isn't out of reach, or that isn't overpriced for today's economy.

This morning, my sister and I plan to have a good breakfast out, and just relax a bit before jumping into searching for a lot for the little cozy manufactured cottage I just discovered mentioned earlier.  The people who bought my present home have been so very nice, and I really do need to be out in just a few days.  I may have to stay with a friend for a while until I can get everything else setup, and prepared for living.  I really like the place I saw, and just need the perfect place to put it.  My old property is more than 8,200 square feet, and though I do like plenty of space, I also need to take into consideration the fact that I can not maintain such a large piece of property any longer.  Still, I don't like being crammed onto a place where neighbors can be heard talking or arguing, either.

I also need room for my dogs to be able to run and play in a well fenced in yard, and with the front yard also enclosed, even if it's a cute picket fence, or even chain link, as long as it is nice looking and a place that I can have a presentable yard in front, and maybe some fruit trees in the rear, and maybe even an area to grow some vegetables, too.

Wish me well in my search, and if you happen to know of something that may fit my wants and needs, please, feel free to let me know in the comment area of this post.

Happy day to you all, and I hope you all are finding just the place you are looking for if you are home shopping, as well.

Sorry to have been missing my postings for so long

Depressed Housing Market

I really do apologize for not posting more to my blog of late, but I have been so busy looking for a place to move.  So many people seem to think that if they hold out for higher prices, their place will sell for what it used to be valued at, and not according to today's market.  Things are really depressed in S/W Riverside County, and even rents are way out of proportion to the actual marked.  If a person really needs or wants to sell, then, they must be willing to sell much cheaper than what market values of even ten years ago, and even more drastic if they bought or refinanced in the time period of 2004 to 2006.

Neglected, Abused and Abandoned Pointer

I recently visited our local shelter with a friend
who stopped to pay her dogs current licenses, and had occasion to look around to see the available pets for adoption.  There were even two Chihuahuas wearing matching pink collars, that had been turned in.  Some of the pets were so traumatized by the process, that they huddled in the corner of their indoor glassed in display pens.  It really tugs at one's heart strings to see so many lovely animals that people have either allowed to run loose, or bring in to the shelters, when they are usually told that owner turn ins are usually destroyed, since there are so very many lost and abandoned pets available for adoption.

Searching, High and Low

Back to my searching for a new home:  I have now put some 1,100 miles on my Scion, just looking over areas and neighborhoods, in search for a place that is suitable, and in a price range I can manage, living on Social Security and Widow's Benefits.  One place not for from the one I sold, had three small houses on an acre.  It was obvious they needed some attention, and some upgrades. The place would have allowed on place for me, and two to rent out, which I could have easily rented to to ladies I have known for many years, too.  However; only one was built legally, while there were never permits for either of the other two homes.  This place is an acre in size, which would have also allowed some of the property to be used to generate more income.  So far, it's fallen out of escrow at least six times, due to two things.  1- The mortgage holder, refuses to sell at a reasonable rate. 2- Since the price is out of line with the norm for the area, and the fact that whoever buys the property will have to demolish two of the houses, and most likely, also the third one, since it was built in the 1930s, and was not  really upgraded.