One sold, One to Buy

The HHT is on. After a rather stressful week waiting for the deal to close on this house, we're ready to take on the stress of another deal. Wooohooo!

Yes, at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, one hour before the conditional offer on this house was to expire, I got the call. All conditions removed, papers signed, house is sold. I actually got goosebumps.

Well, with that event complete, we are now planning and completing paperwork for the HHT. RCMP form 4064 has been completed and signed. We have booked a hotel room, contacted a real estate agent, searched on line for homes in Thompson, made lists, scratched things off lists and we should be ready to hit the road Sunday.

The HHT (House Hunting Trip) is described in the IRP (Integrated Relocation Plan) as a five-day, six-night event in the new detachment destination. We have been allotted two days for travelling each way, although we have been told there are not many hotels between here and Thompson that you would want to stay at with two small children. So we will most likely make the 750-kilometre journey in one day.

I was surprised to learn that flying to Thompson was an option under the IRP. But we have decided a road trip just makes more sense for us. Flying would mean driving in to Winnipeg, leaving a vehicle, travelling by someone else's schedule, getting a rental car in Thompson and so on. In addition, while the wife's flight and my flight would come from the "Core Envelope," the kids' flights would have to come from the "Custom Envelope," and we may need those funds down the road for other things.

I guess I should try to explain, as briefly as possible, the funding envelopes. They are they way we get reimbursed for all of the expenses associated with the sale of our house, the HHT, the purchase of a new house and the move. There are three envelopes - core, custom and personal. The core covers all of the big, unavoidable expenditures; real estate commissions, movers, lawyers, hotel rooms, travel costs and so on. The custom envelope is limited and covers "extras" such as having your kids join you on the HHT, upgrading from a compact rental to a minivan, getting an extra hotel room if needed, extending an HHT if required - that kind of thing. The personal envelope kicks in when all the money is gone from the custom envelope. But, and here's the exciting part, we get to keep all money left over in the personal envelope at the end of the game. So the goal is to avoid using any money from the personal envelope. Any money left in the other two envelopes stays in the RCMP coffers. Fair enough.

In any case, as I said, we've opted to drive, leaving Sunday morning and arriving in Thompson Sunday night. We'll look at houses for a few days, choose a couple and make an offer. Wait for the offer to be accepted or rejected or written back, and so on. We'll return next Saturday. We are trying (desperately) to look upon this as a little vacation, knowing that there will still be a fair bit of work and stress involved. But we're trying.

Anyway, I'm taking the computer on the road, so I should be able to keep you all updated as we go. Wish us luck!

Waiting Sucks

Well that didn't take long. Those first folks who came by to see the house have put in an offer. And we've accepted it.

You know, I thought that would be a relief, but it's not. As with every real estate offer, there are a few conditions to be met before the deal closes. With this deal, the purchaser (that's what they call them - we're the vendor) wants to secure financing, have a home inspector look the place over, and do a test of the well water. Fair enough. I don't have any real concerns with any of those conditions.

Still . . .

This is the excruciating part. We have a deal in the works. We're thinking about the next step - the HHT (House Hunting Trip). But is there something that could go wrong? Of course. That's why Murphy wrote his laws.

We'd like the deal to close ASAP so we can get on with this process. But we must wait 10 days for these conditions to be met. I know that on the grand scheme of things, 10 days is nothing. But try waiting them out. It's driving me a little nuts.

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Okay, one day left now. It's Monday and the deal expires tomorrow. This is killing me. Yesterday, we heard that the home inspector had "some concerns" with the septic bed. I don't know, specifically what those concerns are and that, too, is driving me nuts. Actually, it's pissing me off a little. We have never had any problems with the septic bed itself. We had one problem with the septic tank in our six years here. The pipe came off the tank two years ago. We had professionals come in, dig up the pipe, cut it back to solid pipe and replace it with new pipe. And all has been well. I don't understand the concern with the septic field. And now I have to wait to find out. I just hope that the inspector has a solid understanding of septic systems. Our real estate agent suggested that some inspectors, who are less familiar with septic systems, will "express concern" in order to cover their asses should something go wrong. I really, really hope that's not the case here.

We are also still waiting to hear the results of the well water test. Again, no concerns there. We have never consumed the well water, but we use it to wash our dishes, wash our hands, bathe, shower and cook. We had the well tested when we moved in and all was well then. No need to believe otherwise now. Still, you worry and you wonder.

Anyway, the deal expires at 3 p.m. tomorrow. The good news is that, should this deal fall through, I know of at least three others who are interested in the property. But it would be nice to get on with the process. The waiting sucks.

Take lots of Pictures

So we've had our first prospective buyers through. They came yesterday at 4 p.m. and spent a good 45 minutes. Promising? Hard to say.

But with the weather having been so freakin' nasty, it was difficult for them to have a good look at the Back 40, or, more accurately, the back 120. So the wife and I went through the old pictures to see if we had a few we could leave out for people looking through the house. Little trip down memory lane.

We've had some really good times here. Baseball parties, RCMP parties, the birth of our two boys, family visits . . . all captured in photos. It's wonderful to have them.

The photos that really hit home for me are of a week spent with most of my family here at Rancho Robinson. My brothers and sisters, their kids, my parents; all sitting around the campfire, playing paintball, swimming in Lake Winnipeg, eating, laughing and running all over the Back 120. That was probably my favourite family get-together of our adult lives. Not that the others weren't great. Father's wedding, mother's wedding, birthday bashes . . . all great times.

But that year here in Manitoba, the nieces and nephews were young enough to enjoy the week-long party with their wacky uncles, aunts and grandparents. And, watching those kids with my brothers and sisters triggered the wife's biological clock. After that wonderful week, when everyone left, the house seemed very, very empty. She decided we needed to fill it. And we have.

As for my brothers and sisters, we're fairly spread out in North America these days, so the times that most of us can get together are precious, few and far between. I have a sister in Kansas, a sister in B.C., a brother in the Niagara area and another in New York. The one in New York is graduating this weekend with his Masters Degree in nursing. I'm proud of him and wish I could be there. But with all that's going on right now, it just ain't happening. And, with the impending move to Thompson, I'm afraid I'll be missing a few more of the get-togethers. What used to be a plane ride and a rental car will become two plane rides and a rental car and two hotel stays. Gets a little expensive with two kids.

But a few of the sibs have promised to visit Thompson next year. It's a ways away, but I'm really looking forward to it. In the meantime, there is plenty to do and, eventually, a new town to explore.

Chin up, move on and take lots of pictures.

House for Sale

Well, the house is on the market. And the waiting game begins.

Last night, the wife and I stayed up to the wee hours putting on the finishing touches. Today, we were to meet with the CRSP at 10 a.m. to discuss the move, the appraiser at 1 p.m. to discuss the property value and the realtor at 1 p.m. to list the house.

At 9 a.m., the appraiser called. It was raining. He didn't feel like coming out. What's more, he had decided he really didn't want to do the appraisal for the money being offered by the IRP. This, in spite of the fact that a week ago, he had agreed to do it for the price. And this, in spite of the fact that we had cancelled another appraiser as a result of that agreement. I was a tad pissed and let him know it.

At 10:10 a.m., the CRSP called. She wasn't coming either. The "meeting" could be handled over the phone and it was. Basically, it was a rehash of the IRP and where we were in the process. Nothing earth-shattering.

The realtor did come to the house and we had a relatively pleasant meeting. With one little glitch. Turns out there aren't as many square feet in the house as we had been told when we bought it. An accurate measure by our honest (damn it) real estate agent showed about 90 square feet less than what we believed. Oh well, we didn't notice while we lived here, so what difference does it really make. But, on the other hand, I can't help feeling just a little screwed here. Somebody lied to me. I hate that.

But, the bottom line is that the house is now on the market and we're ready. The challenge before me is to keep the kids from messing up the house, so it is ready to show at a moment's notice. No easy task, but the dog cage is looking like a great potential playpen these days. We even have one inside and one outside for those nice, sunny days.

As for today, kitchen is clean, laundry is being done, kids are locked in the basement and there's five inches of new freakin' snow on the front lawn. It's the middle of freakin' May. What the heck??

They say moving is one of the bigger stressors in life. It's true. And I don't need the rain and snow messing with what is already a trying time. But, as I am not God, I don't get to fly that plane either. Must keep smiling. Must endure. But I must admit that, when the light at the end of the tunnel is Thompson, Manitoba, there are days when optimism is a challenge.

Mike Zero

Well, it would appear there are no more swimmers in the pool is. Where I was Classic Mike a year ago, and Mike Light two months ago, I am now apparently Diet Mike, or Mike Zero. All the fun without all the sperm.

Yes, I passed my test. Got the news this morning. The vasectomy worked, I won't have to do that again. Halle-freaking-lujah. Oh, and here's a little tidbit for you regular readers. You remember my fun run to the Winnipeg lab a couple months back? Well, turns out they do the same test at the hospital right here in town. You think maybe someone would have mentioned that. It's a whole lot easier to make a 10-minute run in under an hour, versus the 75-minute run (obeying the speed limit) in 60. And I mean, why wouldn't they do the test. They have the microscope and I'm quite sure they can count to one.

Wish I had a more exciting story about this, like the last one, but it all went off without a hitch. So that's it.

In the slightly more depressing news category, it would appear our dog, Sabra, has contracted an immune-mediated, focal, inflammatory myopathy that preferentially affects the muscles of mastication. Yeah, I know you understand that, but for the simpler readers, I'll explain.

About three weeks ago we noticed swelling above Sabra's right eye. We took her to the vet, who checked her eye, gave us some drops and sent us on our way. We, and the vet, figured she'd either caught one of the cat's claws or a low branch in the back yard. Wrong.

With the drops, the swelling appeared to go down and drain to below her right eye. Then that disappeared, as did the muscle on her skull, just above the right eye. Back to the vet who discovered the dog can only open her mouth about an inch from gum to gum. You can't even force it open any more than that.

The disease is called Masicatory Muscle Myositis (MMM) and it can be fatal. Sabra is on some potent medication right now and we're hoping it works. If it does not, her jaw will eventually lock shut and she will not be able to eat, meaning she will have to be put down before she starves to death. I am not optimistic, but I am hopeful.

What concerns me most is that, if she dies, I will have to find a way to explain this to 3-year-old Sonwun. He loves playing outside with Sabra. Loves playing inside with Sabra. Sontoo just loves using Sabra as a big, warm pillow. He is only one, so this will not likely have as big an impact on his little world. But how do I tell Sonwun?

I asked my fellow SAHDs (Stay-at-home-Dads) on the Dadstayshome.com website what they thought about it. I wanted to know if anyone had gone through this with a child of similar age. The guys, while sympathetic, could not offer too much sage advice on this one. One says to tell the child the dog has been put to sleep. Another says no, if you tell him that, he'll be afraid to go to sleep himself. Another suggests the old, "dog ran away" story. That is countered by an article one of the guys offered which suggested that the child will wonder what is wrong with him that caused the dog to abandon him. Of course that same article suggests that I be completely open and honest and, if Sonwun wants to be in the room for the euthanasia, let him. Um, no.

But I guess the underlying truism in all of this is be honest. Tell him the dog is dead. The dog is not coming back. That will not be easy, but the prevailing opinion is that he will get over it and he will trust me to tell the truth in the future -- which means I can really play with his head when he gets a little older.

Anyway, that's the news today. Will keep you updated on the dog as I find out more. In the meantime, it's more paint, baseboard and trim. Must get back to it.

Control Issues

I hate flying in airplanes. And the simple reason is, I'm not the one driving. And therefore, if something goes wrong, there's not a damn thing I can do about it.

When I worked in newspapers, I had the chance to fly in a number of stunt planes on media days leading up to the annual Friendship Festival in Fort Erie. I found I was most comfortable in the open-cockpit biplane. Pretty sure it was a Stearman, but it was a long time ago. Anyway, there were two reasons I was comforted as we did barrel rolls, hammerheads and loops. One, I had a parachute on my back and two, I could undo the seatbelt and get off this ride if necessary, "in the event of an unfortunate incident," I think is how the pilot put it. Not sure if this makes me a control freak or not, but it's just the way I am. The bottom line is that I had some control over my destiny that is not afforded in a 747.

(My pilot in the biplane that day, by the way, died in a head-on collision with a fellow stunt pilot a few years after I flew with him. No parachute would have helped that day.)

So why am I going on about this? Well, it's the IRP and the CRSP; the HHT and the HHE. Yes, I pointed out in a previous post that it appears the RCMP takes care of its people. Still believe it. But I am having some trouble trusting the system. Mostly because I don't trust most "systems" designed to "help me out."

Call it a control thing.

Yes, there are monetary benefits in the IRP, but there is, at the very least, a feeling that I've lost some control over the sale of my home. And that's difficult to take. Before I can even list our home, I must submit to two appraisals by folks out of Winnipeg. My wife and I must sign several waivers and permissions. And then, when we list our home, we were told, it would be "in our best interest" to list it close to what the Winnipeg appraisers say it's worth.

I'm not sure why it would be "in our best interest" to do so. I wasn't on the phone at the time, so I didn't get the chance to ask. But it would seem to me that what is in my best interest is to get as much as I possibly can for my home. Call me crazy. I also have some concerns regarding a Winnipeg appraiser's ability to accurately assess the value of a home in the Gimli market. And believe me, with the housing prices in Thompson, we need to get every penny out of this house.

So as I was hyperventilating and venting these concerns yesterday, my wife told me to chill out. The RCMP has moved a lot of people. We haven't heard too many complaints. They know what they're doing: relax control freak. Sit back in your seat, keep the tray in an upright position and enjoy the flight.

So that's what I'm trying my level best to do. There are still at least three months to go in this process and I don't need the acid in my stomach to eat right through before it's all over.

I realize I can't fly this plane. But between the CRSP, the Relocation Reviewer (don't know why she didn't get an acronym), my wife, the real estate agent, the lawyer and the RCMP, I fear I may become a passenger on this 747 headed north. That is my concern. If I can't fly the plane, I would at least like to be co-pilot, or navigator or something. And, if I can't be any of those people, I want a parachute and a seat by the door.

Looks Good on Paper

Well, I've had my first read through the 100-page IRP (Integrated Relocation Program) manual. And at first blush, I gotta say it looks like the RCMP takes care of its people when they are forced to move.

It would appear that every expence is covered and members are compensated for the massive inconvenience of moving their families hundreds of kilometres to new and distant locales. That being said, it would also appear that there will be a fair bit of paperwork, a few meetings and a whole lot of receipt keeping. Fair enough.

As soon as we meet with the CRSP (Contracted Relocation Service Provider), we can put the house on the market. When it sells, we are entitled to a fully funded HHT (House Hunting Trip) to Thompson. Gas is covered, hotels are covered and food is covered. Still, it's an 8-hour drive with two kids under 4. Can't really say I'm looking forward to it.

Also fully covered is the moving van, when the time comes. A night or two at the hotel here in town after Packing Day, depending on when our HHE (Household Effects) will arrive in Thompson; a night or two in a hotel at the other end, depending on how long it takes to unload and organize the house, and food for the entire duration. It's all part of the IAM & MRA (Interim Accommodations & Miscellaneous Relocation Allowance).

Told you there were a lot of acronyms.

One of the many stated goals of the IRP is to make the move as easy as possible for the RCMP members and their families. And while no move is easy, it really seems like they've done what they can to help. Even babysitters are covered, when necessary, to make packing and unpacking that much easier.

On paper, so far, it all looks good. I'll let you know how reality meshes with theory as we move along.