Following up to the other day’s post about the suckhole that we hoped would be ours — poo. We didn’t get the house after all. As these things happen, just as we were getting our offer ready, someone else put in a bid (this was after we’d been assured that no one else on the planet, nay, the very universe was interested…). Their bid was lower than ours was going to be — but it was accepted. So clearly, the Big Kahuna has something else in mind for us. I can’t say I’m amused by the whole roller coaster of the real estate market, with its last-minute nasty surprises. But what the hay? You win some crack houses, you lose some. But I’m not bitter. Much.
So I took all my library books on restoration and recycled buildings and energy-efficient chicken coops, et cetera et ad infinitum, back to the drop-chute and took out more books on WWII and the Holocaust, a more cheerful prospect at the moment. Seriously. I was doing research on my new novel before we fell into the House Frenzy a few weeks ago. And writing a novel is always more fun than not writing one.
Another post soon: I’m back on the blog wagon as a local spotlight on Alameda Patch (a little pinkie finger of the AOL-Huffington Post media empire). My posts will be more frequent and certainly more sterling than of late. I think I’ve recorded only triumphs and tragedies, without basic stuff that shows how the great machine works. (Wow — labored metaphors are just my thing today. No. I’m not bitter.)
I spent yesterday and today helping a friend with his beehives. The bees were mad as hell yesterday and really aggressive — so much that I dashed for the house two or three times. I got too freaked out being swarmed over. See photo above — that’s me at the back and neighbor at the front, loading an empty hive into his garage. Today the whole hive took off en masse — which explains why they were so pissed off yesterday. They stopped in a local tree, but that wasn’t far enough away, so they took to the wind. Inside, I helped my pal spin honey out of the comb and we bottled up almost 20 pints — at about a pound and a half per jar. It was slow, sticky work, but I came home with a pint jar of fresh early spring honey and a beeswax candle made from an earlier batch. And it was very good.
See? I’m not bitter. I’m sweet as honey.
Nice work, you started out upset about a broken down Pot House and ended up with Honey and a fine candle! Reading this make my day better.
Thanks 🙂
Not to get too worked up about the swarm. It wasn’t the WHOLE hive, just a portion. That’s how mama hives make baby hives. Sort of like an amoeba–they multiply by dividing.
And I’m not absolutely sure it was headed for your house, looking for a vengeful rematch. Just, for God’s sake, stay out of the attic. Oh, and the master bedroom too.
Julia, Have you read the secret lives of bees? Very interesting read! I loved it.
When we were looking to buy a house last yr, we wanted to take a second look on a house we saw 2 months before and put an offer on that. After sitting two months in the market, the owners took it off that mornign and rented it out!
Then we bid on a hosue which looked beautiful from out (small kitchen, big cook, not happy there) small house, but big enough for our needs…and very energy efficient to boot! There was another bidder who kept bidding 10K more than asking price. No, we sensibly backed off and were still bummed.
We kept seeing house and not happy about anything, when one fine day, the ‘right’ house came up and became ours… This house is bigger, open space, brighter, even better location, better in so many ways and lesser than what we bid on the previous house.
Yes, The Big kahuna certainly had a better plan for us. Hang in there! It will happen.
Nice to know you are working on a novel as well as returning to regular syndication with Alameda Patch, Julia. You deserve a wider audience for both. Glad you enjoyed the wedding… 🙂