Ancient & Medieval Historical Fiction discussion
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Gretchen wrote: "Margaret wrote: "Kimber wrote: "I'm a tchotchke addict. Tchotchkes, knick-knacks, collectibles...whatever you choose to call them. I don't have a ton of furniture but every shelf is covered. I coll..."Never thought I would ever see those 4 mentioned in a sentence. Lols
I have lived in this house since we married 40 years ago. You think you have a junk pile, please come see me. I have junk inside the house and outside. I keep thinking I will cull clothes that do not fit, appliances that do not work, 15 TV sets that out of date, my son's toys that they left behind when they moved out, a collection of French cook books, old coats, my wet suit, vinyl records, 3 vacuum cleaners, my law school skinning, old office equipment, clocks that do not work--get the picture? I wake up thinking I will cull the junk, but I look around and realize the job is too big for me. So I go back to bed and put a pillow over my head.
Linda, you don't have to do it all at once.Just tell yourself, the first thing I will do is get rid of the old electrical goods, for instance. Electrical goods can be recycled. So you are doing something positive as well as providing work for people, and clearing some space.
When you have done that, you can look around and pick something else. Or pick one room to start.
I really hope this helps, because if the clutter is bigger than you can cope with you don't get to lead a happy life, and it's not healthy.
Linda wrote: "I have lived in this house since we married 40 years ago. You think you have a junk pile, please come see me. I have junk inside the house and outside. I keep thinking I will cull clothes that d..."Wow, 40 years. Good wicket there!!
So we couldn't come to an agreement about the house we put the first offer on. We put in an offer on a second house and the owners accepted but now there's suddenly an issue with back taxes owed and the current owners are trying to say that if we buy it, we have to pay. Our realtor is working on it. She's amazing. Today while we were in the local home improvement store, Mr. Gretchen's aunt told us her new husband's house is for sale and it's right down the road from the house we most recently made an offer on. We're looking at it tomorrow night. At least we seem to have options but we are running short on time. Eeek!
Complicated!In Ireland if there is any kind of tax owed on the property, by law that is the first item to be paid out of the house sale and after that the bank if payments are owed, then the owner of the house (vendor). No cost from the sale falls to the purchaser except whatever legal and surveying costs they have chosen.
We seem to be running into a situation where things are more complicated than they need to be. The realtor on the other side of the table is not very good at his/her job. We never should have found out about these extra taxes after we made our offer. It should have all been disclosed prior which is why we are fighting back. I really just want to knock on the door of the home owners and explain to them that their realtor is failing them big time.
Gretchen, If I may jump in here… If you're in the US, any back taxes owed on a property would usually have to be paid out of the proceeds of the sale of the house, especially if there's a lien on the property for the back taxes and it would usually be the present owner who has the obligation to pay. Of course, you're right that the present owners and their realtor should have told you about the owed taxes. Not disclosing might be grounds to void the contract to buy, if you signed one. Generally, you cannot get clear title on a home you're buying if it's encumbered by unpaid taxes.
Of course, there are always issues and complications… you need to speak with your attorney or find a real estate attorney if you don't have one, before signing any papers. It's a false economy to buy a home without having your own lawyer look over the papers, giving advice and working on your behalf, especially when the property is encumbered in any way. You must protect yourself.
I might add… From what she says, even though Clare lives in Ireland, it sounds like property laws there are very similar to those in the USA.
Thanks Marilee! I am working every angle I can right now. Part of the problem is our realtor trusted Mr. Gretchen to rely information to me and he kind of got lost in translation. I've spent the better part of my day on the phone much to the irritation of the three year olds.
Ah, the old "lost in translation" issue. I tell my friends and associates that if they have anything important to tell me, Don't trust my DH to relay that information intact or in a timely fashion… ha. In any case, while buyers and sellers can negotiate whatever agreement they wish… as to who pays what and how… no one can keep the tax man at bay and that piper must be paid before the property can be conveyed with a clear title. Talk to a lawyer before signing or agreeing to anything… and most definitely before a closing.
Our realtor is currently working with a lawyer on this issue. At this point it looks like we are going to end up pulling our offer and I am going to end up pulling the cork out of a bottle of wine while I figure out what to do next.
Uncorking bottle of wine sounds very appropriate. Cheers… but sorry things aren't working out with the house.
It sounds like it's more the realtor who is suppose to be selling the house than anything else. Rumor has it the realtors within this company have a reputation for being "lazy" but they stay in business because it's a small town and small town people are loyal to other small town people. I've lived in small towns my entire life and I missed the loyalty bus. I'm all for whoever gets the job done right and if that happens to be a neighbor, then it's a bonus.
Wasn't sure where to stick this so here:Celtic Art Display at the British Museum
http://www.historyextra.com/bbchistor...
Kimber wrote: "Wasn't sure where to stick this so here:Celtic Art Display at the British Museum
http://www.historyextra.com/bbchistor......"
Was so annoyed that this was AFTER I'd left London. Would've loved to see it.
Margaret wrote: "Kimber wrote: "Wasn't sure where to stick this so here:Celtic Art Display at the British Museum
http://www.historyextra.com/bbchistor......"
You'll just have to go right back! :D
Probably next year, but by the time I get to go back, the exhibition will be over. :p
Busy week and time of year. Games in Michigan, Maryland and Utah in one week, Home for a couple of days. Miss the old chats here.
Fascinating Celtic art, thanks. On the first picture detail, we can clearly see many animals which include deer, a bull, dog or wolf, long-eared horse, something that may be a boar - and a man holding a long snake while wearing antler headpiece, two lions fighting and a person riding astride a large fish or dolphin. Clearly these people had been to the Mediterranean, where there used to live Mediterranean lions until the Romans caught them all for arena combat. Person riding a dolphin anyone? Fact or fantasy? I am not sure if it's a man or woman. On closer inspection I see this creature has scales, so more likely a fish, and wide whiskers at its mouth, so maybe a giant catfish.
In a later image we can see two people each holding up a large bird as if for falconry.
Clare wrote: "Fascinating Celtic art, thanks. On the first picture detail, we can clearly see many animals which include deer, a bull, dog or wolf, long-eared horse, something that may be a boar - and a man hold..."The Dolphin rider would be one of two mythological figures. The bard Arion, or the god Dionysus.
Bobby wrote: "Busy week and time of year. Games in Michigan, Maryland and Utah in one week, Home for a couple of days. Miss the old chats here."Which game are you doing in Utah?
Did the Boise State/BYU game Saturday!! What an ending! Off to Missouri this week for UConn game.
Was quite exciting - two weeks in a row - The BYU fans are getting spoiled :)
BYU played an amazing game. Too bad one player is giving them a bad name by committing major man code violations.
Gretchen wrote: "BYU played an amazing game. Too bad one player is giving them a bad name by committing major man code violations."Is that the punch to the nether places I keep hearing about?
Yes. I looked at Mr. Gretchen and said "Aren't there devices invented to protect that region?" His response was "They can only do so much against another man that size."
I could be wrong but didn't wasn't there and incident with a player (possibly the same one) in BYU's previous game?
there were a couple of questionable late/low ie knee hits against Nebraska that weren't called. The big topic of conversation is still the major brawl that happened after BYU's bowl game last year. The suspensions/punishments weren't for that weren't announced until just before the Nebraska game.
And as I understand it, since BYU isn't a member of a bigger conference, the school can pretty well govern itself. The player from this past weekend would have more than likely faced suspension if he played in the Big 10. SEC, etc.
On a more serious note - 15 people were killed in flash flooding in Southern Utah, 3 in Zions National Park with 4 more missing and 13 in the little town of Hildale. The same series of storms produced the flash flooding in both cases. The people killed in Hildale were some mothers and children out watching the flooding and they got caught in it. Zion's has always had problems with back country hikers in slot canyons and flash flooding. According to the paper, the hikers were warned that flash flooding was probable when they picked up their permit Monday night.
aHHHHHHHHH uni is kicking my ass and I wish I had more time to read
happy wrote: "On a more serious note - 15 people were killed in flash flooding in Southern Utah, 3 in Zions National Park with 4 more missing and 13 in the little town of Hildale. The same series of storms produ..."We just went through that same scenario in South Central Texas outside of Austin. It is crazy to me how areas like Texas and Utah are flooding while California, Oregon and Washington burn. Prayers and Thoughts for the families that lost loved ones....
the death toll is up to 19, all seven that were in Zions and one 6 yr old is still missing in Hildale.
Went to a Japanese festival today. There was a very cool timeline banner. It made me want to read some historical fiction.
happy wrote: "the death toll is up to 19, all seven that were in Zions and one 6 yr old is still missing in Hildale."I was following that story. It was terrible. The National Weather Service and MNDot have issued warnings here about the potential for extreme flooding. It's suppose to rain for the next three days or so. It started raining at about 9:00 p.m. last night and hasn't let up yet. Of course this happens right in the middle of harvest season. Just when my father-in-law thought he might be out of harvest season early this year.
Gretchen wrote: "This make me happy. No offense to e-reader fans out there. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/23/bus......"
I think people thought the e-reader would replace the book. I never thought it would, because I saw it as being complimentary rather than a replacement. For me, I read paper books at home, but have my Kindle for travel. It lives in my handbag during the week, so I have something to read on public transport if we get stuck in traffic. It is also perfect for long airline trips, and holidays. But for everyday reading, nope.
Gretchen wrote: "happy wrote: "the death toll is up to 19, all seven that were in Zions and one 6 yr old is still missing in Hildale."I was following that story. It was terrible. The National Weather Service and ..."
They still haven't found the young boy, and it's looking like they might not. They are planning one more big search in hope of recovering him.
Gretchen wrote: "This make me happy. No offense to e-reader fans out there. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/23/bus......"
That is great news. Whilst we have a number of devices, smartphones and ereaders which I have a variety of books on, including audio books, we are also still borrowers of library books, snap up bargain books on our community sales and cannot resist a bookshop.
I missed an email from GoodReads telling me I'd won a book in a Giveaway, so it was a pleasant surprise when I collected the mail this morning to find a copy of this:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
They do put it in your email.Congrats on winning!
So three offers and however many houses later, we officially have a house! I have three weeks to pack and I already have no ambition. Are any members out on the East Coast? If you are stay dry. Goodness.
Gretchen good news and congratulations.
Gretchen wrote: "So three offers and however many houses later, we officially have a house! I have three weeks to pack and I already have no ambition. Are any members out on the East Coast? If you are stay dry. G..."
Happy thoughts Gretchen.
Congrats, Gretchen! 3 weeks to pack is not a lot of time, but it could be a blessing in disguise...you do it fast, and you're done. Then you move in the new house :)It will be hard to stay dry in NJ the next couple of days...thanks for the good thoughts.
Ancient & Medieval Historical Fiction
Books mentioned in this topic
The Berry Pickers (other topics)Fortune's Child (other topics)
Hild (other topics)
Sharpe's Command (other topics)
Edenglassie (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Amanda Peters (other topics)Nicola Griffith (other topics)
Bernard Cornwell (other topics)
Bernard Cornwell (other topics)
Allan Hands (other topics)
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It's incredibly cute. :D