Friday Rainy Day Randoms

[penguin129]

Good morning all! I'm sitting looking out the window at rain. The rest of the county and nearby counties are worried about the bad weather. It is just rain!

[penguin129]

I'm supposed to be having some friends and their kids over. Someone already told me they might not come because of the rain.

[penguin129]

Tomorrow is the hot chocolate party! I can't wait to taste the Crock Pot Hot Chocolate. This is the 3rd year I'm having it.

[PepperPottsJ]

I'm sorry penguin129 that sucks! I'm excited cause I'm headed to Key West tonight, but it is supposed to thunderstorm most of the important day we are there

[britta]

Hey all! They're calling for rain and 40* here today. Two days ago it was 15* and snowing. Sunday's high is 11* with more lake effect snow expected. *sigh* Michigan, why are you so fickle?

Tonight we're heading to H's work holiday party. It's always a fanceh affair, so I'm told. This is the first year we're able to go. They're having it at the zoo, in the banquet type center that overlooks the zoo. Maybe I'll try to get pics. My sister has been to an event there and says it's a really pretty view.

[penguin129]

Jan 15, 2016 7:58:33 GMT -5 PepperPottsJ said:

I'm sorry penguin129 that sucks! I'm excited cause I'm headed to Key West tonight, but it is supposed to thunderstorm most of the important day we are there

Yup. That makes sense we're near Ft Myers which is about 4ish hours away from the Keys. Sorry our weather isn't being nice to you.

[wannabmama]

penguin129 every time you talk about the hot chocolate party I get so jealous. I love me some hot chocolate.

We have gray skies but no rain. H is hoping it will snow north so he/we can go skiing on the long weekend, but I'd love to just stay around home.

[sleepymonkey]

penguin129, I'm on the central east coast and the expected storms have been making the news for days here. We live in Florida, we have thunderstorms. Big deal.

[PepperPottsJ]

Jan 15, 2016 8:07:57 GMT -5 penguin129 said:

Jan 15, 2016 7:58:33 GMT -5 PepperPottsJ said:

I'm sorry penguin129 that sucks! I'm excited cause I'm headed to Key West tonight, but it is supposed to thunderstorm most of the important day we are there

Yup. That makes sense we're near Ft Myers which is about 4ish hours away from the Keys. Sorry our weather isn't being nice to you.

It's all good, your temp is above 50!! Is the rain that bad though? I didn't realize you are ft Myers, used to spend quite a bit of time in Naples and have family on Captiva. Your airport is lovely and stress free

ETA you have a lovely community also, not caffeinated yet

[penguin129]

Jan 15, 2016 8:13:25 GMT -5 PepperPottsJ said:

Jan 15, 2016 8:07:57 GMT -5 penguin129 said:

Yup. That makes sense we're near Ft Myers which is about 4ish hours away from the Keys. Sorry our weather isn't being nice to you.

It's all good, your temp is above 50!! Is the rain that bad though? I didn't realize you are ft Myers, used to spend quite a bit of time in Naples and have family on Captiva. Your airport is lovely and stress free

LOL! We're actually about an hour away from Ft. Myers, but no one knows of our little town. I agree the airport is nice. H and I lived in Naples the first two years we lived together. We loved it so much. The beach was only 15 minues away.

[penguin129]

Jan 15, 2016 8:12:15 GMT -5 sleepymonkey said:

penguin129 , I'm on the central east coast and the expected storms have been making the news for days here. We live in Florida, we have thunderstorms. Big deal.

I know right! The one school district here told parents their kids would have an "excused absence" if they missed school today. WTF! It is JUST rain!

[goldenlove3]

While I appreciate that they can broadcast amber alerts to cell phones, does it have to be at 2 in the morning when I'm sleeping??? Especially when the location is 3 hours away from me. Between H and my phones, it was like a surround sound and it scared the shit out of me.

[goldenlove3]

PepperPottsJ so jealous. I loved Key West!

[PepperPottsJ]

Jan 15, 2016 8:22:17 GMT -5 starbuck27 said:

I'm in a departmental retreat all day. I hate being just stuck in a room sitting all day like this.

I hate that they use the term retreat for those... Nope you are making me and it's not relaxing!

[penguin129]

H's parents and grandparents want us to buy a house really bad. They want to help us buy before prices go up again. What are the first steps I should take? I know you can get pre-qualified. Is there a better bank to do this with?

[wannabmama]

Jan 15, 2016 8:19:17 GMT -5 penguin129 said:

Jan 15, 2016 8:12:15 GMT -5 sleepymonkey said:

penguin129 , I'm on the central east coast and the expected storms have been making the news for days here. We live in Florida, we have thunderstorms. Big deal.

I know right! The one school district here told parents their kids would have an "excused absence" if they missed school today. WTF! It is JUST rain!

That's insanity.

[britta]

Jan 15, 2016 8:21:02 GMT -5 goldenlove3 said:

While I appreciate that they can broadcast amber alerts to cell phones, does it have to be at 2 in the morning when I'm sleeping??? Especially when the location is 3 hours away from me. Between H and my phones, it was like a surround sound and it scared the shit out of me.

We got that notification too. Even the dog was confused. Oy.

[bex15]

Good Morning and TGIF!! The first thought I had when I woke up was about drinking wine tonight. That and what we can order for dinner, I'm thinking wings, can't wait!!

[ladytiffany24]

It's not raining here yet but it will be by 11am. I'm supposed to be meet H for lunch but not sure if I want to venture out in the rain.

Ohio's got some fickle weather going on too. 42 and rain today and then snow and 15 by Sunday. LeSigh.

[bex15]

They mentioned we could have a few snow flurries tomorrow morning. Probably will not happen but that would be the best. I love it if I don't have to be out in it. And it would probably melt immediately anyway.

[wannabmama]

Jan 15, 2016 8:23:52 GMT -5 penguin129 said:

H's parents and grandparents want us to buy a house really bad. They want to help us buy before prices go up again. What are the first steps I should take? I know you can get pre-qualified. Is there a better bank to do this with?

First, congrats!! Home buying can be stressful but it's also fun and exciting and the day I moved into my house was one of the happiest of my life..adulting and all.

It depends a little on your credit and what kind of loan you expect/want. There are brokers who will help you find a good rate. I initially reached out directly to my main bank but they were kind of a pain...then ironically it ended up they are my mortgage company when the broker worked the deal. I had a bit of a weird situation at the time. It's always good of course to shop around a bit. If you find a good realtor they are the best resource to walk you through the steps and might have local recs for best way to go. I talked to a few realtors before deciding on one..they vary widely in terms of knowledge, experience, and just plain getting along with-ness. (It's a word.)

[goldenlove3]

Jan 15, 2016 8:24:03 GMT -5 starbuck27 said:

Jan 15, 2016 8:21:02 GMT -5 goldenlove3 said:

While I appreciate that they can broadcast amber alerts to cell phones, does it have to be at 2 in the morning when I'm sleeping??? Especially when the location is 3 hours away from me. Between H and my phones, it was like a surround sound and it scared the shit out of me.

Someone's kid is missing. Their safe return is way more important than your comfort or convenience.

Yea I know. Luckily the children were found safe this morning. 

[britta]

Jan 15, 2016 8:24:03 GMT -5 starbuck27 said:

Jan 15, 2016 8:21:02 GMT -5 goldenlove3 said:

While I appreciate that they can broadcast amber alerts to cell phones, does it have to be at 2 in the morning when I'm sleeping??? Especially when the location is 3 hours away from me. Between H and my phones, it was like a surround sound and it scared the shit out of me.

Someone's kid is missing. Their safe return is way more important than your comfort or convenience.

Agreed. It scared the shit out of me and I about fell out of the bed trying to shut my phone off, but when I was laying there trying to fall back to sleep and heard DS on the monitor I though, "Yeah, if it was my kid I'd be out banging on doors at 2AM" I think they're a good thing.

[britta]

goldenlove3 were they? I didn't even read the alert. I'm glad they're safe.

[goldenlove3]

Jan 15, 2016 8:32:48 GMT -5 britta said:

goldenlove3 were they? I didn't even read the alert. I'm glad they're safe.

Yea just read an article. Girls were found safe and the father was arrested. 

[penguin129]

Thanks wannabmama! H's parents helped his brother's family a few years ago so they could buy a house. They are so generous.

[ironbaby]

penguin129, contact major banks and also any small credit unions in your area. Also check out online places that shop mortgages for you. You may be limited based on what you're putting down, or you may have the whole contingency of loans available to you. Most banks will have a website that at least advertises their best-case scenario loan rates, so that's a starting point. Narrow it down to 2 or 3 and then give them your info to find out what the rate would be for you specifically.

Ask your realtor and friends for recommendations of credit unions that worked well, too.

Good luck! The whole loan process is a doozy.

[kleigh]

PepperPottsJ Have fun!!! I loved Key West too! Is this your first time? We went with friends two years ago. I think the highlight was our trip to Garden of Eden. A naked bar is not quite as hot as one would think - fair warning.

[PepperPottsJ]

Thanks kleigh. It's not my first trip, although we are going for a race, so we may be relatively tame

[ironbaby]

kleigh, naked bar?

Do people actually go to a bar naked? Who are these people? Are you one of them? I have so many questions.