jmcquown wrote:
> On 11/16/2012 5:41 PM, Gary wrote:
>> jmcquown wrote:
>>> Good idea! I could easily make room for a wine rack. There's a
>>> bookcase I stuck in one corner of the living room because it was an
>>> empty space. (There used to be a bar there, made of teak, but one >>> of my
>>> brothers had asked for it and I was happy to let him take it.) The
>>> bookcase contains not books but useless tchotchkes people have given me
>>> over the years. I could box up the nicknacks and sell the bookcase.
>>> That space would be an excellent place for wine racks!
>> You can also be creative about your wine rack too, Jill.
>> I bought an antique (circa 1905) treadle sewing table at an antique show
>> about 27 years ago. Very nice wood on top with drawers.
> Yeah, my grandmother had one of those and yes, it worked. My cousin > got it after she died.
On Friday, November 16, 2012 10:42:19 PM UTC-5, jmcquown wrote:
> I checked into selling. Among other things, the market sucks.
Well, look at it this way. Inheriting a house sure beats a mortgage. I'd just pay those fees and be thankful I had a decent place to live. I wish someone would leave ME a house.
> jmcquown wrote:
> > On 11/16/2012 5:50 PM, Gary wrote:
> >> jmcquown wrote:
> >>> I'll just pay the damn bills and hopefully will find a job soon :)
> >> Didn't you say (a few months back) that you are trying to sell it, Jill?
> >> Even then though, the buyers would have to be approved buy the
> >> "association." What a PITA.
> >> Sounds like you would be better off getting rid of that nonsense and > >> buying
> >> your own private house (heck...or even renting).
> >> G.
> > I checked into selling. Among other things, the market sucks.
> On Sat, 17 Nov 2012 21:06:03 -0500, Earl <earl89...@hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>> jmcquown wrote:
>>> On 11/16/2012 5:50 PM, Gary wrote:
>>>> jmcquown wrote:
>>>>> I'll just pay the damn bills and hopefully will find a job soon :)
>>>> Didn't you say (a few months back) that you are trying to sell it, Jill?
>>>> Even then though, the buyers would have to be approved buy the
>>>> "association." What a PITA.
>>>> Sounds like you would be better off getting rid of that nonsense and
>>>> buying
>>>> your own private house (heck...or even renting).
>>>> G.
>>> I checked into selling. Among other things, the market sucks.
>>> Jill
>> And you have a free house!
> Jealous, eh?
"Earl" rears his troll head anytime I mention the house. Nothing in life is free. Forget about the club. Maybe "Earl" would like to pay the property taxes and the homeowners, flood and wind & hail insurance premiums. Oh, and he can fork over the $9,000 I paid to replace the HVAC system in 2010. And reimburse me for the many times I've had to call a plumber or have electrical work done. Maybe he'd like to come over and clean the gutters. If he'd also mow the lawn I might offer him a "free" glass of lemonade. LOL
> On Friday, November 16, 2012 10:42:19 PM UTC-5, jmcquown wrote:
>> I checked into selling. Among other things, the market sucks.
> Well, look at it this way. Inheriting a house sure beats a mortgage. I'd just pay those fees and be thankful I had a decent place to live. I wish someone would leave ME a house.
Oh, I do look at it that way! I definitely feel safe and secure here, which was Mom's goal in the first place. (She didn't know they'd come after me about joining the club, oh well.)
In this case a mortgage might actually have been of some benefit for tax purposes. Something about itemizing and getting a deduction for the interest paid. <shrugs>
On Sun, 18 Nov 2012 09:34:15 -0500, jmcquown <j_mcqu...@comcast.net>
wrote:
>"Earl" rears his troll head anytime I mention the house. Nothing in >life is free. Forget about the club. Maybe "Earl" would like to pay >the property taxes and the homeowners, flood and wind & hail insurance >premiums. Oh, and he can fork over the $9,000 I paid to replace the >HVAC system in 2010. And reimburse me for the many times I've had to >call a plumber or have electrical work done. Maybe he'd like to come >over and clean the gutters. If he'd also mow the lawn I might offer him >a "free" glass of lemonade. LOL
>Jill
Someone once said to me, after finding out my house is paid for
"you're lucky" Sure, you get lucky after paying the mortgage and
working all your life.
> On Sun, 18 Nov 2012 09:34:15 -0500, jmcquown <j_mcqu...@comcast.net>
> wrote:
>> "Earl" rears his troll head anytime I mention the house. Nothing in
>> life is free. Forget about the club. Maybe "Earl" would like to pay
>> the property taxes and the homeowners, flood and wind & hail insurance
>> premiums. Oh, and he can fork over the $9,000 I paid to replace the
>> HVAC system in 2010. And reimburse me for the many times I've had to
>> call a plumber or have electrical work done. Maybe he'd like to come
>> over and clean the gutters. If he'd also mow the lawn I might offer him
>> a "free" glass of lemonade. LOL
>> Jill
> Someone once said to me, after finding out my house is paid for
> "you're lucky" Sure, you get lucky after paying the mortgage and
> working all your life.
Of course you worked for it! I have to say, my father was an unusual man. He never had a mortgage, not on this house or on the one we lived in in Annandale, VA. He never had a car note, either. Dad didn't believe in "credit". I think it's the Depression era mentality. If you can't afford it, don't buy it. I completely agree.
> In this case a mortgage might actually have been of some benefit for tax
> purposes. Something about itemizing and getting a deduction for the
> interest paid. <shrugs>
You're not missing anything. Say you're in the 25% bracket, that means
you spend 75 cents to save 25 cents. And the standard deduction covers
a lot of expenses, it's over $11,000. If you don't have high real estate taxes and charitable donations on top of your mortgage interest, you probably come out ahead not itemizing.
>On 11/17/2012 9:36 PM, Kalmia wrote:
>> On Friday, November 16, 2012 10:42:19 PM UTC-5, jmcquown wrote:
>>> I checked into selling. Among other things, the market sucks.
>> Well, look at it this way. Inheriting a house sure beats a mortgage. I'd just pay those fees and be thankful I had a decent place to live. I wish someone would leave ME a house.
>Oh, I do look at it that way! I definitely feel safe and secure here, >which was Mom's goal in the first place. (She didn't know they'd come >after me about joining the club, oh well.)
>In this case a mortgage might actually have been of some benefit for tax >purposes. Something about itemizing and getting a deduction for the >interest paid. <shrugs>
>Jill
I have no mortgage, I paid all cash. But it's still very expensive to
live in a house, often a mortgage payment is the smallest bill... a
mortgage is not really a bill, you're paying yourself in equity...
after the last payment the house is yours, and you got to write of the
interest on the loan... a mortgage is only expensive in the beginning
when it's all interest, but very soon most of ones payment is
equity... in the end it cost very little plus one gets to live in it,
a lot better deal than paying rent, and we all know the value of rent
receipts. Most times a "free" house is NOT a gift, most times it's a
huge liability, like adopting a sick child... that's why in more than
90% of instances when children inherit a parent's house they sell it
fast at any price and divide the proceeds. I'm positive that were it
a different economy Jill would be happy to unload, but even at a
greatly undervalued price real estate is just not selling. Even in
good economic times that type of real estate is difficult to sell...
the market for golf course housing has always attracted a very small
slice of the population. Jill's inheritance is no gift, she will grow
old there without much enjoyment from that property... personally I
think she'd have been far better off had she said no thank you and
stayed where she was. I would have told my sibling to make me an
offer, let him buy me out, or simply put it up for sale immediately
and never moved in. That house is the proverbial albatross. To me
that house has no value whatsoever, not worth a cent... I couldn't
even plant a garden there. From what all I know about that house I'd
put it up for sale right now and if it didn't sell within the next six
months (at any price) I'd abandon it and get a life... living all
alone on an island far from civilization in a house one can't afford
and one does nothing but bitch about is not a life, no way, no how.
Just from all I've read here about that house over the years Jill
didn't inherit a house, Jill inherited a disease and it's now
beginning to look terminal.
> On Sun, 18 Nov 2012 09:41:44 -0500, jmcquown <j_mcqu...@comcast.net>
> wrote:
>> On 11/17/2012 9:36 PM, Kalmia wrote:
>>> On Friday, November 16, 2012 10:42:19 PM UTC-5, jmcquown wrote:
>>>> I checked into selling. Among other things, the market sucks.
>>> Well, look at it this way. Inheriting a house sure beats a mortgage. I'd just pay those fees and be thankful I had a decent place to live. I wish someone would leave ME a house.
>> Oh, I do look at it that way! I definitely feel safe and secure here,
>> which was Mom's goal in the first place. (She didn't know they'd come
>> after me about joining the club, oh well.)
>> In this case a mortgage might actually have been of some benefit for tax
>> purposes. Something about itemizing and getting a deduction for the
>> interest paid. <shrugs>
>> Jill
> the market for golf course housing has always attracted a very small
> slice of the population.
That's true.
>Jill's inheritance is no gift, she will grow
> old there without much enjoyment from that property... personally I
> think she'd have been far better off had she said no thank you and
> stayed where she was.
I couldn't say "no thank you" when my mother needed me to help me take care of my father, and then her.
> Just from all I've read here about that house over the years Jill
> didn't inherit a house, Jill inherited a disease and it's now
> beginning to look terminal.
I most likely *will* stay here because I went to a great deal of trouble to move here in the first place. Mom needed my help. I got the house. Other than no mortgage there's nothing "free" about a house.
>>>>> I checked into selling. Among other things, the market sucks.
>>>> Well, look at it this way. Inheriting a house sure beats a mortgage.
>>>> I'd just pay those fees and be thankful I had a decent place to live.
>>>> I wish someone would leave ME a house.
>>> Oh, I do look at it that way! I definitely feel safe and secure here,
>>> which was Mom's goal in the first place. (She didn't know they'd come
>>> after me about joining the club, oh well.)
>>> In this case a mortgage might actually have been of some benefit for tax
>>> purposes. Something about itemizing and getting a deduction for the
>>> interest paid. <shrugs>
>>> Jill
>> the market for golf course housing has always attracted a very small
>> slice of the population.
>That's true.
>>Jill's inheritance is no gift, she will grow
>> old there without much enjoyment from that property... personally I
>> think she'd have been far better off had she said no thank you and
>> stayed where she was.
>I couldn't say "no thank you" when my mother needed me to help me take >care of my father, and then her.
Caring for your parents had absolutely nothing to do with your
permanently moving into their house... you could have kept your
apartment, or vacated and banked the rent until your parents passed
and then rented another place... at that time that house was more
saleable too.
>Other than no mortgage there's nothing "free" about a house.
That's right, the expenses associated with your living there are way
too much for a single person in your position, not wealthy unless
you're holding out on us. Jill, pretend you inherited nothing
(actually all you inherited is a burdon/liability) you need to sell
that house at any price and move, that house owns you. You don't play
golf, you don't participate in the social events, you don't even like
the food at the clubhouse that you're forced to pay for, you're
isolated and too far from civilization to even take a job to occupy
yourself... you will grow old there without even realizing and not
have lived a life. You've already lost all the years you've been
there... it seems to me that your life is just slipping away in that
mausoleum.
>> Brooklyn1 wrote:
> the food at the clubhouse that you're forced to pay for, you're
> isolated and too far from civilization to even take a job to occupy
> yourself... you will grow old there without even realizing and not
> have lived a life. You've already lost all the years you've been
> there... it seems to me that your life is just slipping away in that
> mausoleum.
Oh dear. I do paint a bleak picture, don't I? Aside from the club, it's not all that bleak. It's beautiful here, and warm about 9 months out of the year. I only need a coat in December & January, maybe into February.
As for socializing, I've *always* been a loner. Living here has nothing to do with that. I blame that on being raised a military brat. I learned early on I'd be moving every year or two, don't get too attached to people.
I don't care about going out. My idea of a good time is curling up with a good book or watching a classic movie. Cooking and enjoying a nice dinner. In the Spring and Fall, when it's crisp outside, I light a fire log in the fire pit on the patio and read a book while sipping a glass of wine. It's very peaceful. And I love feeding and watching the birds :)
As for work, it's true there isn't much available in the area. I could always go back to H&R Block as a receptionist and work for that very disorganized franchise operation. NOT! I'll find something.
> Oh dear. I do paint a bleak picture, don't I? Aside from the club, it's > not all that bleak. It's beautiful here, and warm about 9 months out of > the year. I only need a coat in December & January, maybe into February.
> As for socializing, I've *always* been a loner. Living here has nothing > to do with that. I blame that on being raised a military brat. I learned > early on I'd be moving every year or two, don't get too attached to > people.
I missed it and don't care to review the whole thread - where is "here"?
> As for socializing, I've *always* been a loner. Living here has > nothing to do with that. I blame that on being raised a military brat. > I learned early on I'd be moving every year or two, don't get too > attached to people.
I was as well, more or less. But it also taught us to make friends quickly. I find that is also common among service brats.
> I don't care about going out. My idea of a good time is curling up > with a good book or watching a classic movie. Cooking and enjoying a > nice dinner. In the Spring and Fall, when it's crisp outside, I light > a fire log in the fire pit on the patio and read a book while sipping a > glass of wine. It's very peaceful. And I love feeding and watching > the birds :)
Don't you like to do all those things with another human? I sure do. I say that like anybody will do, which is not the case. I guess I've always been lucky in that regard. Yeah. Very lucky indeed.
> As for work, it's true there isn't much available in the area. I could > always go back to H&R Block as a receptionist and work for that very > disorganized franchise operation. NOT! I'll find something.
> On Thu, 15 Nov 2012 13:27:51 -0500, jmcquown wrote:
>> This ridiculous place where I live charges an annual assessment for
>> dining at "the club". They do this whether you eat there or not. The
>> way it works, they charge $830 per annum. If/when you eat at the club,
>> they tack the food bill onto your monthly dues and the statement
>> reflects the reduction in the annual assessment.
> Why not just get takeout surf and turf and a jug of wine once a month
> and forgo the dining formalities?
Maybe I didn't get this earlier: You pay $830 a year and if you don't eat there, that's that. If you eat a meal every month at $69.16, you owe nothing. Well, it's kinda chintzy being wired to a pre-paid restaurant tab. Still, if the food is pretty decent I could burn up $70 a month in a couple of lunches or a dinner easily enough.
>> Oh dear. I do paint a bleak picture, don't I? Aside from the club, it's
>> not all that bleak. It's beautiful here, and warm about 9 months out of
>> the year. I only need a coat in December & January, maybe into February.
>> As for socializing, I've *always* been a loner. Living here has nothing
>> to do with that. I blame that on being raised a military brat. I learned
>> early on I'd be moving every year or two, don't get too attached to
>> people.
> I missed it and don't care to review the whole thread - where is "here"?
> >> Oh dear. I do paint a bleak picture, don't I? Aside from the club, it's
> >> not all that bleak. It's beautiful here, and warm about 9 months out of
> >> the year. I only need a coat in December & January, maybe into February.
> >> As for socializing, I've *always* been a loner. Living here has nothing
> >> to do with that. I blame that on being raised a military brat. I learned
> >> early on I'd be moving every year or two, don't get too attached to
> >> people.
> > I missed it and don't care to review the whole thread - where is "here"?
>> >> Oh dear. I do paint a bleak picture, don't I? Aside from the club, >> >> it's
>> >> not all that bleak. It's beautiful here, and warm about 9 months out >> >> of
>> >> the year. I only need a coat in December & January, maybe into >> >> February.
>> >> As for socializing, I've *always* been a loner. Living here has >> >> nothing
>> >> to do with that. I blame that on being raised a military brat. I >> >> learned
>> >> early on I'd be moving every year or two, don't get too attached to
>> >> people.
>> > I missed it and don't care to review the whole thread - where is >> > "here"?
>> Dataw Island, South Carolina
> Careful Jill. That's stalking info.
hey, I just figure I might get a free meal out of her - she pays for it whether it gets eaten or not!
Gary wrote:
> jmcquown wrote:
>> On 11/19/2012 7:14 PM, Pico Rico wrote:
>>> "jmcquown" <j_mcqu...@comcast.net> wrote in message
>>> news:agvu8jFtvnaU1@mid.individual.net...
>>>> Oh dear. I do paint a bleak picture, don't I? Aside from the club, it's
>>>> not all that bleak. It's beautiful here, and warm about 9 months out of
>>>> the year. I only need a coat in December & January, maybe into February.
>>>> As for socializing, I've *always* been a loner. Living here has nothing
>>>> to do with that. I blame that on being raised a military brat. I learned
>>>> early on I'd be moving every year or two, don't get too attached to
>>>> people.
>>> I missed it and don't care to review the whole thread - where is "here"?
>> D---- Island, South Carolina
> Careful Jill. That's stalking info.
It sounds like she's pretty safe there though. Thank goodness.
> Gary wrote:
>> jmcquown wrote:
>>> On 11/19/2012 7:14 PM, Pico Rico wrote:
>>>> "jmcquown" <j_mcqu...@comcast.net> wrote in message
>>>> news:agvu8jFtvnaU1@mid.individual.net...
>>>>> Oh dear. I do paint a bleak picture, don't I? Aside from the
>>>>> club, it's
>>>>> not all that bleak. It's beautiful here, and warm about 9 months
>>>>> out of
>>>>> the year. I only need a coat in December & January, maybe into
>>>>> February.
>>>>> As for socializing, I've *always* been a loner. Living here has
>>>>> nothing
>>>>> to do with that. I blame that on being raised a military brat. I
>>>>> learned
>>>>> early on I'd be moving every year or two, don't get too attached to
>>>>> people.
>>>> I missed it and don't care to review the whole thread - where is
>>>> "here"?
>>> D---- Island, South Carolina
>> Careful Jill. That's stalking info.
> It sounds like she's pretty safe there though. Thank goodness.
Yeah, electric gates, guards on duty 24/7 (some of them are former Marines). Joe Schmoe can't just drive on in. It's one of the reasons Mom wanted me to live here.
>> On Thu, 15 Nov 2012 13:27:51 -0500, jmcquown wrote:
>>> This ridiculous place where I live charges an annual assessment for
>>> dining at "the club". They do this whether you eat there or not. The
>>> way it works, they charge $830 per annum. If/when you eat at the club,
>>> they tack the food bill onto your monthly dues and the statement
>>> reflects the reduction in the annual assessment.
>> Why not just get takeout surf and turf and a jug of wine once a month
>> and forgo the dining formalities?
> Maybe I didn't get this earlier: You pay $830 a year and if you don't
> eat there, that's that. If you eat a meal every month at $69.16, you
> owe nothing.
No, it's not prepaid. They charge me $830/a year for dining, whether I eat or drink anything from the club or not. *Then* the cost of each meal/beverage ordered is tacked on to the monthly membership bill. If I don't dine in (or get takeout) from the club by 12/31, I owe them the full $830 come January.
> Well, it's kinda chintzy being wired to a pre-paid
> restaurant tab. Still, if the food is pretty decent I could burn up $70
> a month in a couple of lunches or a dinner easily enough.
> Anyway--not worth moving over says Gtr, CPA.
I had lunch at the club once, earlier this year, then ordered two take out meals last week. So the $830 assessment has been reduced by those amounts. I still have to pay for whatever is left of the $830 annual assessment. Understand?
>>>> Oh dear. I do paint a bleak picture, don't I? Aside from the club, it's
>>>> not all that bleak. It's beautiful here, and warm about 9 months out of
>>>> the year. I only need a coat in December & January, maybe into February.
>>>> As for socializing, I've *always* been a loner. Living here has nothing
>>>> to do with that. I blame that on being raised a military brat. I learned
>>>> early on I'd be moving every year or two, don't get too attached to
>>>> people.
>>> I missed it and don't care to review the whole thread - where is "here"?
>> Dataw Island, South Carolina
> Careful Jill. That's stalking info.
I'm not worried. It's a gated community with guards at the gate 24/7. Some of them are former Marines. Big burly guys. A few years back, when Mom was still living, one of my brothers was coming to visit. I had to call the gate to let them know, otherwise they wouldn't have let him in. (I briefly considered refusing to let him in LOL)
>> It sounds like she's pretty safe there though. Thank goodness.
> Yeah, electric gates, guards on duty 24/7 (some of them are former > Marines). Joe Schmoe can't just drive on in. It's one of the reasons > Mom wanted me to live here.
I threw them a cheeseburger. Now I'm ringing your doorbell--why won't you answer?
> No, it's not prepaid. They charge me $830/a year for dining, whether I > eat or drink anything from the club or not. *Then* the cost of each > meal/beverage ordered is tacked on to the monthly membership bill. If > I don't dine in (or get takeout) from the club by 12/31, I owe them the > full $830 come January.
Okay then; pretty much a gate fee. It costs $830 to get access to the room where you can eat or not eat as you like--and pay for it too.
Ah well. I'd just consider it "association fees". They could could call it anything they like, communal gardening fees, fountain maintenance, snipe protection fees, etc.
>> Well, it's kinda chintzy being wired to a pre-paid
>> restaurant tab. Still, if the food is pretty decent I could burn up $70
>> a month in a couple of lunches or a dinner easily enough.
>> Anyway--not worth moving over says Gtr, CPA.
> I had lunch at the club once, earlier this year, then ordered two take > out meals last week. So the $830 assessment has been reduced by those > amounts. I still have to pay for whatever is left of the $830 annual > assessment. Understand?
I think I do now. But your wording is odd to say the least: A meal is "reduced by those amounts" but also is "tacked on" to the monthly bill.
>> As for socializing, I've *always* been a loner. Living here has
>> nothing to do with that. I blame that on being raised a military
>> brat. I learned early on I'd be moving every year or two, don't get
>> too attached to people.
> I was as well, more or less. But it also taught us to make friends
> quickly. I find that is also common among service brats.
Oh, I learned very quickly how to make friends everywhere we lived. I also knew after moving, we would exchange a few letters (this was years before the Internet) and then lose track of each other. No biggie.
>> I don't care about going out. My idea of a good time is curling up
>> with a good book or watching a classic movie. Cooking and enjoying a
>> nice dinner. In the Spring and Fall, when it's crisp outside, I light
>> a fire log in the fire pit on the patio and read a book while sipping
>> a glass of wine. It's very peaceful. And I love feeding and watching
>> the birds :)
> Don't you like to do all those things with another human? I sure do. I
> say that like anybody will do, which is not the case. I guess I've
> always been lucky in that regard. Yeah. Very lucky indeed.
Nope, I don't care much about being around humans. Cooking sometimes applies but only a few times a year.
How do you read a book with another person? Book clubs hold no interest for me, mostly because some "leader" assigns a book to be read. Feels too much like a school reading assignment and I feel like I'm expected to analyze it and turn in a book report. That's just not my cup of tea.
When I sit outside by the fire pit, it's nice and peaceful. I read, watch the birds flitting around, sometimes listen to a CD.
I'm friendly with my neighbor and take care of her cats when she goes out of town. But her interests don't match mine. She likes to read, sure. We sometimes exchange books. But she's also big into gardening. She's got tons of potted plants on her patios. She's always out there re-potting, adding fertilizer, etc. I couldn't care less about taking care of a bunch of large potted plants.
