Tag: puppy-love

Another walk-through, and Saturday’s Winter formal.

Another walk-through, and Saturday’s Winter formal.

Shel R.1 Comment

Hello darlings.

I was up bright and early this morning making sure my kids were awake and everything looks nice – for the Realtor and “interested party” that was coming at 8:30.

My landlord is selling the building – (or trying to), but he’s had no luck. He put in up for sale months ago and had it up for months. People came and people went, and nobody was interested.

There were a few people who did make offers, but he wants his full asking price – which is outrageously too high for all the issues this building has – that need to be fixed, and there’s been no upgrades or updated anything in most of the apartments.

I think I’m probably the only one with one of the newer apartments and that’s because he had to update and upgrade a few things here before I moved in – because the last people who lived in this apartment – completely destroyed it. So, we got a lot of the newer things, but other apartments still have the same old cabinets, counters, dishwashers, fridges, carpets, etc. from many years ago.

He’s had many people come to look at this place with different realtors, and they’ve passed on it because it needs a lot of work and upgrades, so he took it off the market for a month or two, and now – it’s back up again – at the same outrageously crazy price he was asking before.

I would have just taken one of the offers one of the interested parties offered, left it as an “as is” price, and called it a day if this were my building. I feel like he was lucky to have been offered anything at all from the one or two offers he did have.

Now that it’s back online for sale again, he’s had a few different “interested parties” in and out of the building and everyone keeps getting these notification papers that people are coming to look on different days, but still – nothing comes of it. Still, tenants have to comply, let these people in their apartments, and have no say.

This morning, the realtor and the “interested party” that was supposed to come by, looked at different apartments and came to knock on mine at around 8:45. I let the lady and the guy in, and the guy looked at the living room, and immediately went to look at the bathroom.

I’ve noticed that many of the people interested – seem to go straight to the bathroom and start there. So, I had to look it up and ask why realtors and people interested in homes or buildings for sale – look at bathrooms first. He’s not the first one who has went straight for our bathroom and I read this on Google:

“Realtors and buyers often look at bathrooms first because they serve as an immediate, honest indicator of a home’s overall maintenance, hygiene, and potential for expensive renovation costs. Because bathrooms are intimate, personal spaces, they trigger strong, immediate emotional responses—either comfort and trust or doubt and disgust—within seconds of walking in. 

Here is why the bathroom is prioritized:

“The Tell” for the Home: If a bathroom is updated and clean, it suggests the entire home is cared for, increasing the buyer’s confidence in the investment. 

Indicator of Overall Maintenance: Buyers assume that if visible details like grout, caulking, or fixtures in the bathroom are neglected, other, less visible systems in the house (like plumbing or electrical) have also been ignored.

High Cost of Renovation: Bathrooms are among the most expensive rooms to renovate per square foot due to labor and plumbing, making an outdated or poor-quality bathroom a major “red flag” or “deal-breaker”.

Emotional First Impression: A clean, updated, spa-like bathroom helps buyers instantly imagine themselves living in the home, whereas a dirty, smelly, or cramped bathroom can make them turn away immediately.

Functionality Check: Buyers immediately check for practical necessities like storage space, water pressure, and proper ventilation (to prevent mold), which are essential for daily comfort”.

***

I found this interesting, and it makes sense.

I guess they know exactly what they’re looking for.

If I’m being honest, all they have to do is pull into the parking lot and they can see that the place isn’t worth as much as he’s asking for it.

There’s so many things wrong with it – just on the outside of the building.

The entire parking lot needs to be redone.

All of the garages have huge holes in the walls and let in the elements because the doors are broken and falling apart. I remember one summer a few years back – there was a guy working on the garages to try to make them look semi-decent, and he had been doing so all day in the heat. I left a few times and came back that day, and he was still working and sweating. I had BBQed (before I found out we couldn’t do that here), and I asked that man if he ate at all that day. He said “no” and told me the landlord wanted his work done as soon as possible, and I told that man to get down from the ladder and come eat. He did and he was grateful. He did tell us that day that he told the landlord the garages aren’t repairable and need to be torn down and rebuilt, but the landlord didn’t want to spend that money.

So, that problem is still going on, and people can see that when they come look at the building to potentially buy it.

The building looks like it’s lifting off of the foundation.

The patios on the 1st floor are pulling away from the building.

The balconies on the 2nd floor are one good snowstorm or windstorm away from collapsing.

There’s a big sink hole right by the garages that we’ve been watching for a while now, and hoping nothing happens.

Nothing is updated or upgraded.

I’m sure that ugly, dusty carpet in the hallways has been there since this place was built in the 90s.

This place needs tons of work and I could go on and on.

The woman who works with the landlord to show the building and apartments – says the same thing. Nobody wants it because they find out it needs too much work.

I feel like if he took offers, realized this place isn’t in the best conditions and accepted the highest offer – it would have sold a long time ago “as is”. Greed can make a person do some wild things though, and while us tenants here continue to wake up early as hell sometimes for these realtors and “interested parties” who then pass on this place – or rush home late evenings sometimes to let them in – we just have to be quiet and allow it.

I have only stayed for the last few years because I do love my apartment. It’s a big 3-bedroom and like I said, I have the newer apartment. Plus, I wanted my daughter to finish high school here, and she’s almost done – so, it’s time to get ready to move on to bigger and better things and places in a few months.

I hope the landlord does get to sell the building and it goes to some amazing new people who will update and upgrade everything and really take care of it – the way all the tenants here – deserve. ❤️

He also sent the plumber here today because underneath the kitchen sink – there has been water a few times. There has been puddles on my kitchen floor because of it – that I’ve had to clean up. It’s only happened twice, but still – I wasn’t going to continue to let it happen. I had some plumber come and fix the garbage disposal a few weeks back, and that’s when it started.

The Plumber was here a few minutes after the realtor and the interested party left, and he said the guy who fixed the garbage disposal – forgot to tighten up the connection, so he thinks water is spewing from that at times. He tightened it, connected some gray piece, and asked me if his company did that work. I said no, and he was happy to hear that. 🤣 I promised him that I’ve had nothing but good experiences with his company since I’ve lived here for 6 years and have had them come out a few times for different things. The guy who did the garbage disposal – was from a totally different company.

Can I also share how cute this plumber was today?! lol.

I was a good girl, though. ha.

Part of me needs a nap now, and part of me knows I have things to do and it’s not happening.

****

Let’s talk about my daughter’s Winter formal dance this past Saturday.

She asked if I could pick up her friend that I’ll call “Aly”, and also – one of her best friends that I’ll call “Paisley”. (For privacy reasons of course!).

I got off of work at 3, got home about 3:30-ish, took my shoes off and planned to sit down, eat and relax for a bit before I picked up the girls because it was early and the dance didn’t start until later that night. As soon as I sat down to turn on a movie and relax, my daughter asked if we could go get Aly because her mom was leaving the house at 5 and wanted to lock up. She said Aly didn’t have an extra key to lock their front door, so her mom wanted to make sure she was picked up before she left and locked up.

No. I didn’t get to eat or watch anything. I threw my shoes back on, got ready and we left to get Aly.

My daughter told me her mom was going out somewhere.

We got Aly and then went to go get Paisley. Her mom was going out somewhere as well and wanted to wait until Paisley was picked up and safe with me.

I joked on the way to Aly’s and asked my daughter, “Hold up! Why are all the moms going out and I’m the one who gets to play Chauffeur, cook, baker and babysitter?”. My daughter laughed. I was teasing her though and I truly didn’t mind. I was thankful that the girls were getting ready at my place, and I was the one who got to take them to their dance, drop them off, pick them up from the dance and bring them home because I know I would have been nervous if my daughter wanted to go to someone else’s house to get ready and their parents were driving.

So, they came over and I made pizza. I planned to bake Cupcakes, but we had no time and the girls were rushing to get ready and trying on different dresses. My daughter gave one of the girls a black dress she had and let her keep, I straightened my daughter’s hair and painted her toenails, and one of the girls asked if I could do her hair and paint her toenails as well. I did so. 😊 I wanted tons of photos, but I only took one of my daughter by herself and one of her and her friends before they rushed out the door later that evening – to have me drop them off.

I should have taken a video of these three young ladies trying to walk to my car over piles and piles of ice and snow – in their heels. lmfao.

They held on to each other!

Thankfully, they made it without slipping.

When I dropped them off, I heard the music blasting from way inside and I knew they were going to have a great time.

I was even more thankful that our little town had two police cars sitting near by that night.

I prayed and asked the good Lord to watch over them for the next few hours, and I was even grateful that my daughter took time out of her night to keep in touch with me and let me know they were okay. I told them before they got out of my car to head into the dance – that if they felt like something was wrong or off or if they felt like they were in any kind of danger, to let me know and I’d come get them immediately!

Nothing happened and they got back safe.

When it was time for me to go get them, my daughter called me and asked if another friend of theirs that I’ll call (Alice) could come to the house and hang out for a bit until her mother and father were able to pick her up. Alice came there with her date, but after picking her up at her house earlier that day 30 minutes late, making her sit in the backseat because his friend was in the front, and dissing her at the dance to dance with other girls, Alice didn’t feel comfortable with him driving her back home.

I felt so bad for this Alice girl, but I know her mother and I absolutely told my daughter we’d take care of Alice until her mom and dad picked her up.

Her mom is a teacher at the school, and her other daughter and my daughter became good friends when my daughter started going to this school when we moved to this little town. Her and her other daughter were the first ones to show us so much comfort and love after my oldest child passed, and they’ve been huge parts of our lives ever since, so of course I was going to make sure Alice didn’t have to go home with this boy who dissed her and treated her so poorly that night.

As soon as we pulled into the parking lot, her parents were already at my place to pick her up. The dad knows this boy’s dad, so he said he planned to have a talk with the father, and Alice just wanted to cry. I gave her the biggest hug and told her unfortunately, as boys grow into men – it doesn’t get any better and you just have to learn which ones to let go of, and which ones deserve our time and attention, but one thing we don’t do as we get older, is cry over a boy / man, and I asked Alice to please remember that and her worth.

I told her how much I love her, and if she needed to talk, I was there for her. 💕

These young girls break my heart when I see them wishing for a boy who isn’t worth it, crying over them, or feeling some kind of way because of one. My daughter has been so in love with this one boy at her school, and when he left the dance on Saturday, she told me she already misses him, and they’re not even dating. I just kind of giggled, but I told my daughter so many times that in the future, she will probably meet someone so much better and cuter – and won’t even remember this boy she has liked for years now.

Still, the girls had a great time, and everything went well.

I dropped my daughter’s friends off and get this………………………….

One of their moms was so amazing and got me a bottle of red wine because I was so cool about picking the girls up and bringing them home – she felt that’s the least she could do.

I truly am grateful and have that bottle sitting in my fridge for after dinner tonight. I plan to enjoy a few glasses after my crazy, long weekend. 😁 I just thought that was really thoughtful and sweet of that mom.

I really have nothing else going on today.

I have errands to run, and I promised my little dude I’d make my famous Burgers for dinner that he loves so much.

You all have a blessed rest of the week, and I love you!

💕Shel💕

Because – Snow.

Because – Snow.

Shel R.1 Comment

I’m beginning to think God has a timer up there, and at 4 PM exactly – every day – it goes off and releases SNOW!

I swear – the last week or so, every day like clockwork, same time – it’s snowing.

Last night was no different. It started snowing as soon as I headed to Target at 4 PM.

It got bad really fast, and the drive home – 30 minutes back to my little itty-bitty town – was awful.

This is the time of year where Minnesota people get to play, “Hey, where’d the lines go?”, or “Am I on the right side of the road?” – depending on what you want to call it. ha.

Today, was a little better – since crews cleared the roads pretty quickly for the AM drivers, and I got to work with no issues.

What I didn’t know – was that more heavy and nasty snow was expected today, but this time – it started around 1 PM or so. We had a meeting at work, and after the meeting, I sat at the front desk – looking out at the snow as it started.

Around 1:20 PM, my boss sat next to me and we were chatting, as I told her my kids are getting out of school early due to the predicted snowstorm getting worse, and my older son was picking them up. She asked if I knew anything about the other schools up by my job closing early, and I told her I just knew the school in our town was letting the kids out early, but that I didn’t have to get them because my son was.

I got the email, the call, and the text for it.

She suddenly said, “Let me go make some calls”. I thought she was going to call and see if schools up that way where I work – were closing early because maybe she knew kids who go there or adults who work in those schools, but 10 minutes later, as I stood in the middle of the office – she came and stood next to me and said, “I called Jayla. She’s coming in early, so you can get out of here. I know you’ve got a long drive back and the roads are getting nasty. I want you to get home safe”. Jayla is one of my younger co-workers, and she came in for me.

I didn’t even ask my boss if I could leave early, but the fact that she thought about me driving all the way back to my little town in this weather and released me early – shows what kind of boss she is and I’m so grateful for her. 😊Another one of my co-workers took off as well, and I believe my boss did some of her work and was planning to leave early herself – since she has a pretty long drive home.

I will say that the ride home wasn’t too bad, and the plows were out doing their jobs, but the fact that I feel “snowed in” – sort of sucks. I wanted to be out and about doing Christmas shopping, and getting some errands done, but it is nice being home relaxing at the same time.

The school is starting two hours late tomorrow if nothing changes, but of course – the kids are praying it just closes.

I’m off the next few days, so I don’t have to worry about traveling.

I thought the snow was going to miss us this year or that we’d have a mild, chill winter because as of late November – we didn’t have much snow, but I guess that’s changing. 🙄

So, I plan to maybe get my little dude off his video games the next few days – for once and go use the sled I got him a while back – that he hasn’t touched. Snow angels? Yes. Snowman? Yes. I want to do it all. Heck – maybe a hot chocolate run and photos by the lake where the beautiful Christmas lights are all up and the area near the lake is all decorated. Why not?!

*****

My daughter and I were there yesterday – where we planned to take some of her Senior photos because the deadline is fast approaching and we have to get these done, and one turned in for the yearbook. We took some really cute ones, but she didn’t like them, so we have to go do them again.

I absolutely love this one:

She does, too! Unfortunately, we need a photo for the yearbook – where she’s looking up, and she didn’t like the ones we took.

It started snowing bad last night, so we just came home and decided to try again this week.

Plus, this was inside one of the decorations, and I’d like to get the outside during dusk – where we could make it a little “nicer”.

Just when I thought we were about to get these Senior photos done, Senior quote, Senior wills, etc. – turn those in and be done with everything, I got an email about the Senior class rings. Those are $400+ depending on designs, etc.

When they say Senior year is expensive – they’re not lying!!!!

******

If you want to giggle though – my daughter has liked this boy that I’ll call “Kyle” – for the longest.

She decided to take Psychology this year just for fun. Maybe not just for fun – because she plans to become an EMT / Paramedic in the future, and sometimes they deal with mental health and things Psych related, so she will probably use what she learns one day.

This boy Kyle joined Psychology recently, and she doesn’t know why because she says all he does is play around, sleep, and doesn’t pay attention.

My daughter actually likes this class, and when she found out a few days ago that this boy Kyle is now dating a girl she used to be friends with, she dropped Psychology. She felt like if this girl joined Psychology to be in class with this Kyle kid – my daughter didn’t want to deal with that.

I thought it was goofy that she was dropping a class because of a boy or some girl he was dating that may or may not join the class, but she said she was going to join the Yearbook committee instead. She gets a free yearbook if she’s on the committee, so I was all for that. One less cost I have to pay. So, I supported her decision to drop Psychology and go be on the yearbook committee if it made her happy, less stressed out over this young man and worrying about his girlfriend joining that class.

I supported her wanting to make the change of classes.

I told her do what she felt she needed to do – even if I thought letting some girl run her out of that class – was insane. The girl hadn’t even joined the class yet, nor did we know if she was going to.

Last night, my daughter was upset that she dropped that class without thinking. She said when she found out Kyle and her old friend were dating, she just felt sick, and didn’t want to see them together if this girl did join the class, but now – she could care less and she feels like she’ll miss Psychology. She said she’s not going to let Kyle or her old friend dating – run her out of a class she loves, and she’s just going to deal with it if this girl joins that class.

After her going back and forth about if she should just stay in Psychology or not – especially after her main teacher switched her to the yearbook committee when she asked the other day – I looked at her last night like:

“You need to make up your mind, kid!”.

She decided to stay in Psych, and I was so proud of her for not letting this boy she likes or the girl now dating him – keep her from a class she truly does love and enjoys learning in.

Today, she told her main teacher she’ll just stay in Psych, and I’m sure she’s driving him crazy, too! Still – he’s amazing with her and he switched her back to Psychology.

I giggled about the whole thing.

I did tell her that when she graduates – she may look back on these few years and wonder what the hell she was thinking when it comes to this kid, Kyle. I told her about some of my crushes back in high school and how I look back now and wonder the same.

People change. Feelings change, and years from now – this boy Kyle and this girl he’s dating now – may not even remember each other’s last names and they may go their own ways after graduation, so I’m truly happy my daughter didn’t let this class go – because of them.

I think it’s good for her and her future career.

Teenagers make me laugh with their little puppy love relationships.

I remember those days back in high school.

Matter of fact – one of my really good friends from high school and I – we were talking the other day about guys we had crushes on in high school, and when she heard I had a crush on this boy Anthony back in high school, she laughed at me and did the whole, “Ewwww. What was wrong with you?” (Shame game). lol. I look back now, and I laugh about it myself.

I found out she had a crush on this one guy we went to high school with, and I did the same. We totally had different taste in our guys, but we laughed about the guys we once crushed on in high school, and I hope my daughter can look back and do the same – with laughter and humor about it.

There is one really good young man at the school that I wouldn’t mind my daughter dating.

I’ll call him “Brandon”.

Brandon has really liked my daughter since she started there in 8th grade, and every time school let out, he’d be outside yelling, “BYE, KAILANI!” – so loud – that everyone heard him and looked at him. Daily. It was the cutest thing and I’d tell her, “Say bye to that boy!”. She never wanted to. 🤣

He still likes her. He still talks to her. I still wish she’d give him a chance.

A few days ago, when she was telling me about this boy she likes – dating her old good friend now, she looked up at the sky and said, “God, if you have another guy up there who is good and will treat me right, please send him my way!”. I laughed and told her, “HE DID!!! YOU KEEP FRIEND ZONING HIM!”.

(I was talking about Brandon).

She’s 17. She’s allowed to date now, as long as it’s the right kind of boy and he treats her right, but I’m also not in a hurry for her to date, and I told her to make sure that her graduation is her main focus. She’s a great kid, and she has all her credits so far, and she’s so close to finishing the last ones she needs – so, I’m not worried. Still, I want her to make dating a last priority.

In other news –

We’re almost through the holidays and Christmas will be here soon.

I’ve been finishing up Christmas shopping for the kids. I’ve been trying to figure out what I’m doing for dinner Christmas day. I’ve been trying to get cute little goody bags together for Elijah’s class and putting together gifts for his teacher. I’ve been trying to save for and plan a trip back home to Illinois for Christmas to see my aunt and uncle, and possibly one of my cousins, his wife and son – at the end of this month.

I can’t wait until Christmas is over and I can sit down with a glass or two of wine – relax and wait until New Years eve to get this year over with.

I’m counting down the days until we can pack up the moving truck, turn over the keys to the apartment we’re in now, and leave this small town.

Will we miss it? Sure. It’s been home for the last 5 years, but it’s not really “home”. Illinois is.

While we don’t want to move back to Chicago, we’ve been looking at some places at lease closer to it.

Closer to civilization, more varieties of stores and food places. Closer to friends and family we left behind when we moved to Minnesota years ago.

I’ve been looking for houses in Wisconsin – close to the Illinois border, and some houses in the suburbs of Illinois.

I think when we move, I’ll most miss the very little traffic we have here. I’ll miss the amazing people I’ve met here in Minnesota. I’ll miss going to have coffee with one of my good friends who I’ve become close to here. I’ll miss the school for sure and everyone in it.

I’ll miss the residents I have gotten close to in the facility I work in.

I’ll miss the beautiful night sky that shows the stars so brightly because there’s no tall buildings and no streetlights to stop them from shining brightly.

I’ll miss all the beautiful lakes.

I’ll miss all the good times we had in this apartment and around Minnesota.

So, yes – I’ll miss this place, but I’m also okay if I never see it again. ha.

I won’t miss how gossip spreads so fast here and how everyone is in each other’s business.

I won’t miss the lack of food spots, or stores. The dead mall where nobody goes anymore.

I won’t miss the 30-minute drives to the nearest bigger city and home, or how everything is miles or hours away.

I won’t miss struggling to not hit the deer on super dark roads with no lights at night.

I won’t miss the snow that falls in October sometimes.

I won’t miss the -30, -45-degree weather.

I won’t miss this building I live in, and all the craziness that comes with it.

I will miss the fact that this is the last place I saw my oldest child alive and well, but other than the things I will miss here – I’m ready to get the hell out of here once my youngest daughter graduates.

ESPECIALLY – for a better chance at my dream career.

I’ve been looking and I’ve found some amazing houses – but who knows if they’ll be available when I’m ready? Part of me wants to try to buy a house in early February / March, so when we’re ready to move, we have somewhere set already, but part of me can’t afford rent and a mortgage.

This economy has me walking around like:

haha.

Seriously though – part of me feels like I need to start investing in something, and part of me feels like this economy is NOT “single mama friendly”.

I trust God, and his plan and that’s all I can do.

Ah. I just felt like writing tonight, and I’m about to head to bed because it’s only 8:30, but this mama is tired.

Maybe I’ll go finish reading CAUGHT UP.

If you haven’t read that book yet, it’s great, but you have to read – (LIGHTS OUT) – first, so you can understand (CAUGHT UP) and the relationships between the characters. Both books are by the amazing author “NAVESSA ALLEN”. ❤️ I’ll write about them as soon as I finish Caught up. I’m in the middle of it, and just haven’t had the time to finish because I’m always at work, or running errands, etc.

I just found out from a friend that Navessa now has a 3rd book, “GAME ON!”. Hold on girl. Let me get through the 2nd book. 😁

I like to buy and read books off of Kindle. It’s just easier.

So, let me sign off for the night, open my phone and try to finish this book.

I love you all. Stay warm if it’s cold where you are. Be safe. Behave, and Goodnight.

❤️Shel❤️