The Ridiculous Story of Buying Our House

I have been waiting on this day since mid September; it's finally the day to buy the house!!!! (It's also the first day I have really been out of the house in 5 days thanks to Icemageddon 2013, but that's a whole different story I guess).

So, the plan for the day was to meet the sellers at the house at 2PM. We needed them to go over some things with us that we weren't familiar with-- how to turn on/off the pump to the well, where the septic tank was located, who we call for trash/electric, etc. Well, they didn't show! That started me into a tizzy right there. HELLO! I need to know how to take care of this house people! I was calmed a little when we found a note they had left on the counter with instructions on some of these things. {They also let us know there are 8 large catfish in the pond that we could feed. Yipee!} Anyways, David has a way of staying calm when I am in a panic; Thank the Good Lord for that man! So, we did a rough estimate of how much baseboard we will need and counted all the light switches and socket plates that needed to be replaced, then about 3:00 we headed to town for the closing that was to be at 4:00.

Let me just tell you folks that don't know, it should have taken us mayyyybe 15 minutes to get to the office from the house. We were on track to be really early...

Remember Icemageddon that I previously mentioned? Well, to compensate for the snowy-icy-muddy mess that we were facing we were driving Dave's big truck. Big, old, likes to give us trouble truck. You can guess where I'm going from here, right? The dang thing was acting crazy and DIED on us just outside of Horntown. (Yes, read it again, Horntown). I think I was in shock at this point because... what?!? It's 30 something degrees, we're on our way to close on our house and the truck dies? No, our luck isn't that bad! HA! Yes, yes it is. So, I am strangely calm for being such a Type A Crazy Lady, when Dave gets out and starts monkeying around under the hood.

Just look how ridiculously big this truck is. My 6'5" husband has to climb up on the tires or the bumper to see what he's doing to work on it...

Dave decides it's the fuel filter. Luckily he happens to have one with him and the tools to change it out. (If you read the first post you'll remember I told you he's a borderline preper!) I am starting to panic a little bit-- It's 3:25 and as far as I'm concerned, we'll be late in 25 more minutes. I ask if we should call someone to come get us, but, he is somewhat confident that he can fix it quickly and tells me if he's not done by 3:44 then we'll call a ride. {I swear he said 3:44. The guy has a way of making me laugh that I really appreciate}. Anyways, I sit there listening to him work under the truck, fetching him stuff every once in a while.

All the sudden I hear, "OUCH!"
"What?!? Are you ok??"
"I just got gas in my eye!"
I couldn't help but laugh. I'm really not heartless, I was just stressed...
About ten seconds later he's yelling that gas spilled all over him. Perfect!

About this time an older gentleman and his wife pull up and asks if we're ok. He's a total stranger to us, but he recognizes the truck and knows exactly where we live. That would have freaked me out, but we live in a tiny town and our house is across the street from the post office... and this isn't the first time someone has recognized us by this truck. Apparently this truck is totally awesome. (On another day I might agree...) Anyhow, Dave manages to change that filter with amazing speed and it was exactly 3:44 when he emerges from under the truck. Unfortunately, the truck still wont start. Even with Old Dudes input. So, you can imagine: I'm freaking. The guy offers to take me to town to get my car and I jump at the opportunity. There was a brief second when we were about 2 miles from my husband that I think, "Maybe I shouldn't jump in the back seat with a couple I have never met. Especially when I know my husband doesn't have his phone." But then I just listen to this guy's crazy stories about killer wild hogs eating donkeys and a huge ranch that apparently someone stole from him, and ride to town... this is Small Town America for ya, and I am Blessed to be a part of a community where strangers help you out.

#MERICA is right! (Yes, this is our truck)

That's pretty much it for the ridiculousness really. We arrived at the closing about 4:35; David covered in dirt and gasoline and my blood pressure was through the roof, but everything else went very smoothly. Well, except when we got stuck behind a train for 5 minutes...

So, cheers, to owning our first house together!

By the time we got back to the house it was dark, but it was really pretty with the snow and all.

-Mal

P.S. When we popped the champagne a minute ago Gus retrieved the cork. He's happy about the new house too!