I Warned You This Would Be Boring.
It's no secret that my priorities are a bit skewed, but I have NOTHING on the people who process VA loans. For those who are unfamiliar, if you're a military veteran (like Mr. Husband), you can get a loan guaranteed through whoever at whatever rate, blah, blah, blah. The catch is that they are the manufacturers of hoops and they like to toss them around at an alarming rate, fully expecting that you'll jump through them, including the ones that are on fire and splashing flesh-eating bacteria all over the place.
Anyway, we were using a VA loan when we bought this house a year ago last Saturday. (Which, ZOMG! Where the hell did a year go so quickly?) We had a whole bunch of things that we were required to do before the VA would approve the loan, though. Now, while I would have said that the horribly tacky brass light hanging over the front door would be a Major Safety Priority, the VA didn't even have that on their list. I don't know what could possibly be more dangerous than the world's ugliest light fixture, especially given that I shoot my Just Die Already Laser Eyes at it every time I walk past it. It's going to fall down and crash on top of someone's head one of these days, and THEN what will the VA say? Huh?
One of the things that was on the VA's list was something just totally ridiculous. I actually sort of thought it was one of the best things about the house. This house initially came complete with the Stair of Death designed to keep small children inside.
It was a 21-inch drop from the door to the first wobbly step, and then that was followed by a whole bunch of other wobbly steps. Those were not important, though, because there was simply no way Alexis could get down that first step. She would try and try, but never could figure out a way to balance and climb down at the same time.
It was pretty fantastic.
But, nooooo. The VA thought it was hazardous and dangerous and listed it as a priority to have it fixed or we couldn't buy the house. The nerve!
So we did a temporary fix because I'm sorry, but I'm not pouring money into a house that I may or may not end up buying. That's not an exaggeration at all because we very nearly tore up the contract a couple of days before closing. The drama! It kept on going on!
But then we DID buy the house and my skewed priorities and the VA's skewed priorities collided and somehow that stupid fug light is still upstairs making me crazy, but we managed to do a good chunk of the landscaping in the front of the house last year, including putting in a real sidewalk.
So.
One year ago:
And now:
There is still a bunch of stuff to be done in the front yard, including getting actual grass to grow. There are also about 20 plants/trees/shrubs missing, as well as a dire need for more topsoil (we brought in over 10 yards last year) and mulch, but none of that is on the immediate priority list.
More before:
More after:
And now you understand why I get all hot and bothered when I think about Real Stairs. *happy sigh*
In our next installment of This Is How I Spent My Year, exciting things like paint! and light fixtures! and nothing! because that's about all we've done inside. Paint and light fixtures.
It's more of an achievement than it sounds like. Promise.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Reader Comments (32)
lucky lucky lucky girl!
Congratulations on your one year anniversary!!
What you have done looks beautiful. Looking forward to the other post(s).
Jackie
I can't believe it's been a year... that means it's been almost a year for us! HOLY CRAP!
We never remember to take before or even during pics and then afterwards, have to rely on comments like, "did you take out a wall or something?" from the neighbors. (It was a wall of clutter that the spectacular new light wood floor refuses to have reimposed upon it, K? That wasn't really a real wall.)
*sigh* this would all be much better if I were quicker with the camera, or my Sweetie was slower with the gung-ho-ed-ness to git r dun.