Archive for "Family"
Posted on January 20, 2006 by Ching under Family.
I just want use this opportunity to congratulate my mom. She called me today to tell me the great news. Her house is sold! I said, “What? You just listed your house. How can it be sold already?” “It sold in two days,” she said, affirming it. Amazing! I actually thought mom would have a difficult time selling her house because they didn’t put any bedrooms in the basement when they finished it. She was actually guessing that it would take at least three months to sell her house, and that’s if she was lucky. As it turned out, the house sold within two days of being listed. She totally underestimated herself. I told Brian that mom must really know what she is doing because she has successfully sold her house in less time than anyone ever imagined or hoped for. I think it’s great that mom has put all that she has learned within the last couple of years to good use. So congrats, mom! I’m really happy for you.
Posted on January 1, 2006 by Ching under Family.
Once again Brian and I chose to ring in the new year by having sex. This is the second consecutive year that we rang in the new year our own special way so this could very well be the beginning of a new tradition. He says that his parents traditionally ring in the new year by getting drunk and howling at the moon. Doing so (the howling at the moon part, not so much the getting drunk part) is supposed to be good luck. Well, we were screaming and moaning last night. Does that count? I hope so. We could use a little bit of luck this year. It’s hard to believe that Brian and I have been living together for about six years now. I still remember our first big ticket purchase together — our washer and dryer, about $700 at Lowe’s. Our next big ticket purchase — our house — came shortly after. I recall to this day how excited we were to move out of the townhouse and into a real house. Five years later, after we’ve run the place into the ground, we can’t wait to set it on fire. Anyway, Feifel is coming over today to help us move an old sala set out and move another one in. We got an old couch and loveseat from my parents as a hand me down. They’re clearing out their house and putting many of their belongings and furniture in storage to prep their house to sell. So we picked up the couch and loveseat yesterday at mom’s request. Brian does think I can help him with it though so we are enlisting the help of Feifel. Why are mom and dad moving? I guess because of all their friends have moved to nicer, fancier houses. Just kidding. The truth of it is, they found a house they fell in love with a model home at The Oaks. The Oaks is a subdivision located on a golf course in Derby so mom and dad will still be living in Derby. Despite the over-priced real estate, the gargantuan special taxes and the unforgiving traffic police, they love living in Derby. I guess staying in Derby also keeps them close to Logan and his dad so that is probably a huge determining factor. Anyway, there are three different housing developments at The Oaks. There’s the moderately over-priced homes in Morningside, the really over-priced homes in Longview, and the exhorbitantly over-priced homes in Crooked Creek. Mom and dad’s new house will be in Morningside. We keep telling mom and dad that they can buy the exact same house for half the price in Wichita (it won’t be in a golf course though). However, they have already made up their minds. They initially fell in love with the model home, but they found the exact same floor plan being built on another street in the same subdivision. It is the first house on that street and, in addition to having the back of the house almost on the fairway, the plan has several improvements. This new construction is supposed to have a wet bar in the basement (yes, dad wants the basement to be fully finished this time around) and a covered deck that leads to a party patio. The model home doesn’t have a deck or party patio. It has a patio outside the mid-level walkout but the party patio is supposed to be an improvement on this because it give you more privacy. With the golfers about, I suspect that privacy will be a necessity for this house location. Dad has always wanted an acreage but you can’t move mom out to the country so this was actually a good compromise for them. Mom still gets to live in town but, looking outside his large picture windows, dad will be able to enjoy the illusion of wide open space. Another plus is that they only have so much yard to care for because the golf course maintenance crew takes care of the rest. With the house being a single level ranch style (three bedrooms on the main level and two bedrooms in the basement — one of them being dad’s office), mom said they will not be moving any more after this. This is exactly the right size of house for them. As they have envisioned the home after all of their modifications are completed, they figured that they will have enough space for entertaining but not too much space that they will eventually have to downgrade. Mom said that the bank qualified them for twice the amount that the house they have selected costs but with only one daughter living with them (Jen is supposed to move back in with mom and dad after they move to the new house) who hopefully will not stay with them forever this is the perfect house for them. There is no need to buy a larger or more expensive house. Besides, mom has planned it all out. They plan to put 25% down, have the proceeds from the sale of their existing house transfer into the new house, and finance the balance for 15 years. This will put them into a better house (albeit over-priced) in a fancier neighborhood and yet keep their mortgage payments only slightly above what it is currently. It’s a great plan. I hope that someday Brian and I will be situated well enough financially to have the ability to execute the same maneuver. The downside for us is that mom and dad’s house was built new to them in a fairly decent neighborhood and they took care of their house well so that value of their house continued to grow. Whereas we have run our house into the ground. We will need to put lots of work into it, which means lots of spending that we cannot afford, and we probably won’t even break even. How sad is that? Did I mention that we want to set this house on fire? That may be our only way out of this mess. Just kidding. Our currently living conditions are actually sufficient for the two of us. So what’s in store for us in 2006? A new microwave (we have been putting off buying one for about a year now and we really need to replace the one we have now) and dishwasher I hope. Our dishwasher is dying on us. Brian says that when it is finished, the dishes are actually dirtier than when they went in to start off with. Is that even possible? We are still trying to get all of our debt paid off. We’re doing pretty good though. We have been really conservative with our spending (except for recently because we had a minor relapse; we have spent way too much money over the last two months) so we are gradually getting there. Of course, I will soon have to start paying on my student loans which is kind of a depressing thought. However, I know there is light at the end of the tunnel. I know that with careful and frugal planning Brian and I will someday be able to enjoy the same financial freedom that mom and dad are enjoying now. I just hope it happens before we are 50.
Posted on December 29, 2005 by Ching under Family.
Fresh coconut juice, anyone? That stuff is so delicious and refreshing. It’s been a while for me. And yes, I admit that I am a teensy weensy bit jealous.
When Jen’s boyfriend Ray asked if he could go home to the Philippines with mom and dad a few months ago, I thought he was nuts. I thought mom was nuts for agreeing. It was kind of strange that he traveled with mom and dad without Jen.
Anyway, he seemed to have fun though despite Jen’s inability to go with them. I think it would have been more fun for him if he were able to hang out with people closer to his age. Maybe next time Brian and I will have enough money to go also.
How about that Ray? Ready for another trip to Tanjay? Mom actually said that you’ll probably have to guide us because you will know your way around better than me. It has been eight years since my last visit after all.
P.S. Thank you for our pasalubong. That was really thoughtful of you.
Posted on December 28, 2005 by Ching under Family.
We typically spend Christmas Eve at my parents’ house in Derby. This year was a little different, though.
Mom and dad arrived home from the Philippines around noon on the 23rd. They were neither prepared nor in the mood to host Christmas Eve dinner.
So Christmas Eve this year was spent at Ate Jane and Kuya Ramil’s house. They had extended us an invitation a couple of weeks before because they knew that mom and dad were still in the Philippines. Jane actually invited mom and dad also but they were too jetlagged to go anywhere that evening.
I’m glad that we went because their party was actually tons of fun. It was the most fun I’d ever in a while. Ate Jane and Kuya Ramil were wonderful hosts. They made sure that everyone felt welcome. It was a great party.
By the way, I never know whether to call Ate Jane “Ate” or “Tita.” When I was younger I used to refer to her as “Tita” because she is one of my mom’s friends but now that I am older “Tita” just doesn’t sound quite right. She is way too young to be called “Tita” I think. So I figured “Ate” would be the more appropriate reference.
I think once you hit thirty everyone is practically the same age. I feel awkward calling anyone “Tita” who is not my mom’s age. I don’t want to insult them or make them feel old.
I mean, come on now! I wouldn’t want a grown woman calling me “Tita.” Ate Ching na lang, pwede ba? I am not that old after all. LOL.
Neither is Ate Jane. So Ate Jane, “Ate” ka na lang ha? Sorry kung medyo na-demote but “Ate” sounds younger. Sana okay lang.
Posted on December 24, 2005 by Ching under Family, Life.
I’m posting this photo in honor of my very first Christmas with the Brubakers. This photo was taken on the morning of December 25, 1999. You can even see the date stamp on the corner.
I love having pictures to go with fond memories. So when I am old and senile, I can always look back at all the photos that I’ve collected over the years and say, “Who is that guy?”
Ha! Ha! Ha!
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