We have been looking at real estate lately. Considering the stellar trends in the stock market and the looming European debt crisis, property (of just the right sort) seems a sane investment.
We have seen many, many properties over the last months. It is very much like HGTV when they are hunting houses and say things like, "We've seen almost 200 houses and nothing is just exactly right!" And then on the show they highlight 3 of them, at least one of which it totally unrealistic for the buyers.
We have seen probably 225 houses, beating the HGTV record to flinders. Some as "drive bys" where we are looking at the neighborhood and some as "open houses of opportunity" where we are just out running errands and spot the tell tale balloons on a Sunday afternoon.
We have seen everything from total wrecks; bathed in dog poo, pizza boxes and crumbling retaining walls to beautifuly maintained showplaces that are obviously very much loved. We have bumped into the same selling agent numerous times to the point where she said, "You guys again! Haven't you found anything yet?"
Our house hunt has covered everything from income property to McMansions to buildable lots. Our criteria has shifted from "anything" to locations limited by freeway access and commuting times to a realistic assessment of renovation/repair costs.
We saw one very "special" property that I will describe: It had excellent freeway access. It was well within our price range. The architecture was such that Stubble announced something to the effect of , "This is the kind of place the I would design for myself"..,.
3500 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 3.5 baths, it was perched on a hillside in a lovely neighborhood of "custom" homes (not mansions, just really nice places) and it had views straight from postcards.
Walking the property we were impressed. Very little other than adding grass seed and water and a new deck railing was needed...then we walked inside...
In the parts of the house where there was carpet it was pulled back to reveal a cracked slab that was settling ominously. The three full bathrooms all featured standing water in the showers - and a hole where the toilet was supposed to be. We joked that the tiled tub in the master bedroom would make a good koi pond if we just added a liner and a pump.
The kitchen was missing built in appliances and an island. The two feet of electrical conduit that was sticking up in the middle of the space was a dead give away. Another special feature was the half bath with floor to ceiling windows with no window treatments overlooking the neighbor's driveway.
Even though nothing was turned on, you could hear the sounds of running water (under the slab?).
Even though we all "liked" the house, as a group we determined that we wouldn't take it even if somebody offered it to us for free like an abandoned kitten....."House. Free to a Good Home".
House Hunting - The Saga Continues.
Showing posts with label Money. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Money. Show all posts
Friday, January 20, 2012
Monday, December 12, 2011
Oh, Tannenbaum!
Last year we had a little problem with our cats, who were 3 months new to the house at the time. I put up the tree. They climbed it and crushed it. No one little cat could have done all of that damage. All three had to have been involved simultaneously. The big tree went back into its box and back into the attic. A HEAVY patio table entered the living room and a 4 foot tree was gaffer taped to it so as not to fall over should a kitten investigate...
Our first few Christmases together were as boyfriend and girlfriend and The Bearded One (yes, he was bearded, even then - if he wanted to leave without a trace, all he would need to do is to shave) was more than willing to indulge my Christmas silliness by driving to tree farms all over Southeast Michigan looking for a tree to cut. After our marriage and a neighbor's disastrous Christmas Tree related apartment fire, we went artificial. It didn't really feel right, but we were doing our bit to keep our neighbors safe during the holiday season.
Then we bought our first house (six years later). On our first Christmas in the house, I came home from an evening shift to find a gorgeous LARGE Christmas tree in the dining area of the living room. We had double high ceilings and the tree filled every inch of space allotted to it. It was absolutely lovely. The next year another tree appeared, this time a balsam that you could smell practically from the garage. When the holiday was over the balsam was stripped of it's lights and ornaments and lugged to the curb for collection. Leaving every single solitary needle in our white shag carpet (yes, we are that old).
Every time that we ran the vacuum that year, the scent of balsam permeated the entire house. It got so that we hated the smell. The following Thanksgiving, instead of travelling to visit family, we chose to stay home and paint the living room during the four day weekend. Every time that one or the other of us stepped off of a ladder, we received balsam needles in the sole of the foot. After the fourth or fifth time, The Bearded One firmly stated, "That does it, no move live, dead trees!" I was in total agreement.
We hied ourselves off to the nearest nursery and decoration shop where we picked the biggest, fullest artificial tree that we could find. It served us for many years. When we moved to California (20 years ago), it quickly became evident that the tall, full, gorgeous tree was WAY too big for our new living room. Off it went to charity and we found a "slim" tree that would better fit the available space. In the interval between huge tree #1 and slim tree #2, quality was way down and prices were way up. But it seemed that artificial was still the way to go as in Southern California, "fresh" trees were cut months ago and are dry as all heck. There really isn't anywhere close by where you can go and cut your own tree on a lot so that you actually know the date on which it parted from its stump. And even then, you don't know how much watering was done throughout the year. Many years and many trees later, each one lasting just a few years less than the one that came before and costing just a few dollars more than its predecessor, we have a tree that is partially crushed and with lights on top that will not come on. " Let's go buy a new tree," says The Bearded One. "Yeah, there was this really great one with pine cones and snow at Home Depot!" says Ms. Flippers. "Yeah, that one was awesome,!" says Stubble.
Except that tree is almost $300. And there is tuition to pay and books to buy and cars to repair.
I decide that we will get ONE more year out of the old tree. The Bearded One purchases a small string of 20 lights that we will use at the darkened top of the tree. And while I am just beginning to string the new lights, a miracle occurs...the lights at the top of the old tree come on again.
I have The Bearded One bend the crushed branches back into place. The tree is fluffed, decorated, and has one cat hiding under the tree skirt and another snoozing at the back of the tree, looking angelic with colored lights making patterns on the white parts of his fur. The tree is, I think, happy to serve us for another year. Or maybe two.
Our first few Christmases together were as boyfriend and girlfriend and The Bearded One (yes, he was bearded, even then - if he wanted to leave without a trace, all he would need to do is to shave) was more than willing to indulge my Christmas silliness by driving to tree farms all over Southeast Michigan looking for a tree to cut. After our marriage and a neighbor's disastrous Christmas Tree related apartment fire, we went artificial. It didn't really feel right, but we were doing our bit to keep our neighbors safe during the holiday season.
Then we bought our first house (six years later). On our first Christmas in the house, I came home from an evening shift to find a gorgeous LARGE Christmas tree in the dining area of the living room. We had double high ceilings and the tree filled every inch of space allotted to it. It was absolutely lovely. The next year another tree appeared, this time a balsam that you could smell practically from the garage. When the holiday was over the balsam was stripped of it's lights and ornaments and lugged to the curb for collection. Leaving every single solitary needle in our white shag carpet (yes, we are that old).
Every time that we ran the vacuum that year, the scent of balsam permeated the entire house. It got so that we hated the smell. The following Thanksgiving, instead of travelling to visit family, we chose to stay home and paint the living room during the four day weekend. Every time that one or the other of us stepped off of a ladder, we received balsam needles in the sole of the foot. After the fourth or fifth time, The Bearded One firmly stated, "That does it, no move live, dead trees!" I was in total agreement.
We hied ourselves off to the nearest nursery and decoration shop where we picked the biggest, fullest artificial tree that we could find. It served us for many years. When we moved to California (20 years ago), it quickly became evident that the tall, full, gorgeous tree was WAY too big for our new living room. Off it went to charity and we found a "slim" tree that would better fit the available space. In the interval between huge tree #1 and slim tree #2, quality was way down and prices were way up. But it seemed that artificial was still the way to go as in Southern California, "fresh" trees were cut months ago and are dry as all heck. There really isn't anywhere close by where you can go and cut your own tree on a lot so that you actually know the date on which it parted from its stump. And even then, you don't know how much watering was done throughout the year. Many years and many trees later, each one lasting just a few years less than the one that came before and costing just a few dollars more than its predecessor, we have a tree that is partially crushed and with lights on top that will not come on. " Let's go buy a new tree," says The Bearded One. "Yeah, there was this really great one with pine cones and snow at Home Depot!" says Ms. Flippers. "Yeah, that one was awesome,!" says Stubble.
Except that tree is almost $300. And there is tuition to pay and books to buy and cars to repair.
I decide that we will get ONE more year out of the old tree. The Bearded One purchases a small string of 20 lights that we will use at the darkened top of the tree. And while I am just beginning to string the new lights, a miracle occurs...the lights at the top of the old tree come on again.
I have The Bearded One bend the crushed branches back into place. The tree is fluffed, decorated, and has one cat hiding under the tree skirt and another snoozing at the back of the tree, looking angelic with colored lights making patterns on the white parts of his fur. The tree is, I think, happy to serve us for another year. Or maybe two.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Warm and Cozy
Let me start by saying that when our house was built, the contractor said, "Insulation? Pffffft! This is Southern California - we don't need no stinkin' insulation!"
As a result, while my husband (who used to go camping in 4 feet of snow) runs around the house in shorts and a t-shirt telling me that it is "just fine in here", I have a rather large collection of throws that I keep over my legs every time that I alight in a chair...
I get a lot of grief over the number of throws that I have (eight by last count - and two of those belong to Stubble so they aren't really mine) so when I bought some quilts at church, I was informed that some of the throws would have to go....
Well, last weekend The Bearded One was sick. My rust colored fleece throw was too hot, the tan synthetic one was too cold - but what proved to be "just right" was the wild animal quilt in colors of pale yellow, tan, and brown, with squares that contain a collage of realistic looking wild animals in a mixture of browns, greens and black that looks just gorgeous in our bedroom...one of the ones that I got at church. It is cotton and so it "breathes" while being "just warm enough".
As a matter of fact, that quilt was so "just right" that it is now a part of the every night blanket ensemble that we use on our bed...
As a result, while my husband (who used to go camping in 4 feet of snow) runs around the house in shorts and a t-shirt telling me that it is "just fine in here", I have a rather large collection of throws that I keep over my legs every time that I alight in a chair...
I get a lot of grief over the number of throws that I have (eight by last count - and two of those belong to Stubble so they aren't really mine) so when I bought some quilts at church, I was informed that some of the throws would have to go....
Well, last weekend The Bearded One was sick. My rust colored fleece throw was too hot, the tan synthetic one was too cold - but what proved to be "just right" was the wild animal quilt in colors of pale yellow, tan, and brown, with squares that contain a collage of realistic looking wild animals in a mixture of browns, greens and black that looks just gorgeous in our bedroom...one of the ones that I got at church. It is cotton and so it "breathes" while being "just warm enough".
As a matter of fact, that quilt was so "just right" that it is now a part of the every night blanket ensemble that we use on our bed...
Thursday, November 3, 2011
The Politics of Fear
I was never going to mention politics in this blog. It isn't a political blog. But the Fear is very real and it is mine.
It is my fear for Me. The job that I have been doing for the last two decades is so specialized that were I to lose it, I would be virtually unemployable, especially at my age...
My fear is for my Son. In college, working hard, and for what? Will he be working three part-time jobs none of them with benefits in order to make ends meet. What if there are no jobs out there? Unemployment is high. And getting higher. How will he afford to marry, to have a family? I can't see any clear answers to those questions.
My fear is for my Husband. We had plans to retire. He has been saving for retirement since he was in his 20's. Yes, his 20's. He was working a job with a retirement plan that he could opt into and he did. And put away a little extra every month. We watched it growing and he patted himself on the back for showing great foresight. We weren't going to get caught like so many who had not planned well for their future...
But those investments cannot be touched and are tied to the stock markets. We have watched them nose dive several times over the years - always believing what we were told: It is a long term investment. Give it time, and it will recover. But that was before the current economic meltdown, the financial crisis in Europe, computerized trading, and a global economy...
That was before continuing unemployment that shows no signs of abating. And a retirement that is receeding farther and farther into our future.
We are told on the one hand that we can't increase revenue by raising taxes, because that would hurt the "job creators" - well, I have a corollary then: Let them either create jobs - good jobs. Jobs that can support a family. Jobs that provide benefits. Jobs that will allow workers to begin purchasing durable goods again, so we can increase prodction so that we can hire more people so that they can earn money and spend money.....and buy houses and cars. Or let them pay taxes.
One or the other.
If they choose to hold back to see how things go...letting people twist in the wind, unable to find work as their unemployment benefits run out...
Well then, LET THEM PAY TAXES INSTEAD.
If they choose to "invest in America" by creating meaningful, decently paying jobs, well then - they have made their contribution.
Only seems fair.
Thanks for listening. I feel better now. Not less fearful, mind you, but better.
It is my fear for Me. The job that I have been doing for the last two decades is so specialized that were I to lose it, I would be virtually unemployable, especially at my age...
My fear is for my Son. In college, working hard, and for what? Will he be working three part-time jobs none of them with benefits in order to make ends meet. What if there are no jobs out there? Unemployment is high. And getting higher. How will he afford to marry, to have a family? I can't see any clear answers to those questions.
My fear is for my Husband. We had plans to retire. He has been saving for retirement since he was in his 20's. Yes, his 20's. He was working a job with a retirement plan that he could opt into and he did. And put away a little extra every month. We watched it growing and he patted himself on the back for showing great foresight. We weren't going to get caught like so many who had not planned well for their future...
But those investments cannot be touched and are tied to the stock markets. We have watched them nose dive several times over the years - always believing what we were told: It is a long term investment. Give it time, and it will recover. But that was before the current economic meltdown, the financial crisis in Europe, computerized trading, and a global economy...
That was before continuing unemployment that shows no signs of abating. And a retirement that is receeding farther and farther into our future.
We are told on the one hand that we can't increase revenue by raising taxes, because that would hurt the "job creators" - well, I have a corollary then: Let them either create jobs - good jobs. Jobs that can support a family. Jobs that provide benefits. Jobs that will allow workers to begin purchasing durable goods again, so we can increase prodction so that we can hire more people so that they can earn money and spend money.....and buy houses and cars. Or let them pay taxes.
One or the other.
If they choose to hold back to see how things go...letting people twist in the wind, unable to find work as their unemployment benefits run out...
Well then, LET THEM PAY TAXES INSTEAD.
If they choose to "invest in America" by creating meaningful, decently paying jobs, well then - they have made their contribution.
Only seems fair.
Thanks for listening. I feel better now. Not less fearful, mind you, but better.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
For a Few Dollars More
It was only a year and a half ago that we got rid of our fourth vehicle, "The Green Monster". Green Monster was a Ford Aerostar XL which had served us long and nobly while we renovated the house; transporting stone and brick and all manner of timbers and tile. Not to mention paint, toilets, and mortar. But the renovation was finished. We had 4 vehicles for 3 people and the insurance was expensive...
This last weekend we bought a "new" used vehicle. We had need for a fourth vehicle again...it is a dark green 2000 Volvo S80. Once a really high end car, it is now a plucky oldster soldiering on amidst the ravages of time and little people: Its 4 disc CD player jammed with WAY TOO MANY CD's and the back side window shades missing their trim. It is a well travelled vehicle, having begun service in Washington State, then moving to the San Francisco Bay area, then on to Hawaii and finally, back to California, but in the south of the state this time.
The engine and drive train are in really good shape, we were told. It was sold "As Is" we were told. We knew what that meant.
We wrote our check for a ridiculously small amount and drove directly to Discount Tire to replace all four tires, none of which were street legal. Then the work began: The owners manual was downloaded, printed, punched and 'notebooked". Goo Gone and a razor blade took care of the leftover glue from the decals that had been pasted over the headlights. Saddle soap reconditioned the worn leather seats. Burned out tail light bulbs were replaced. Floor mats were purchased to replace the non-existant ones. The windshield washer reservoir was refilled (only to find that there was a missing connector to the hose feeding the washer nozzles - the engine compartment has now been thoroughly washed). A battery in the second remote was replaced - now we have two working remotes. Other parts are on order (new headlight wiper assemblies, washer nozzle, rearview mirror...).
Thank goodness we (The Bearded One) have/(has) the ability to take care of all of the little things...
Thank goodness we have the funds to take care of all of the little things that will allow the "new" vehicle to serve long and well for many more miles.
LONG LIVE "LILYPAD"!
This last weekend we bought a "new" used vehicle. We had need for a fourth vehicle again...it is a dark green 2000 Volvo S80. Once a really high end car, it is now a plucky oldster soldiering on amidst the ravages of time and little people: Its 4 disc CD player jammed with WAY TOO MANY CD's and the back side window shades missing their trim. It is a well travelled vehicle, having begun service in Washington State, then moving to the San Francisco Bay area, then on to Hawaii and finally, back to California, but in the south of the state this time.
The engine and drive train are in really good shape, we were told. It was sold "As Is" we were told. We knew what that meant.
We wrote our check for a ridiculously small amount and drove directly to Discount Tire to replace all four tires, none of which were street legal. Then the work began: The owners manual was downloaded, printed, punched and 'notebooked". Goo Gone and a razor blade took care of the leftover glue from the decals that had been pasted over the headlights. Saddle soap reconditioned the worn leather seats. Burned out tail light bulbs were replaced. Floor mats were purchased to replace the non-existant ones. The windshield washer reservoir was refilled (only to find that there was a missing connector to the hose feeding the washer nozzles - the engine compartment has now been thoroughly washed). A battery in the second remote was replaced - now we have two working remotes. Other parts are on order (new headlight wiper assemblies, washer nozzle, rearview mirror...).
Thank goodness we (The Bearded One) have/(has) the ability to take care of all of the little things...
Thank goodness we have the funds to take care of all of the little things that will allow the "new" vehicle to serve long and well for many more miles.
LONG LIVE "LILYPAD"!
Monday, June 13, 2011
and What Shall Be His Name-O
We have a very "bad" habit in our house. We name our vehicles. My former (as of yesterday) car was "The Purple Bullet" named for the feeling that one got while riding at (very - for me) high speeds on the highways of Arizona. On Ice.
The Purple Bullet was a wonderful car, just a bit small for us now that we no longer have the HUGE mini-van that we named "The Green Monster". Why they call an extended body mini-van "mini" is beyond me, but Green Monster carried us and all of our renovation supplies without complaint for many years. It carried 12x12 travertine for the kitchen and dining room, it carried .75 yards of dirt for fill around the pond, it carried timbers and bricks and pavers and rocks...and we sadly let it go to charity a year ago because 4 vehicles for 3 people is really an extravagance.
The last few family trips, however, pointed up the Purple Bullet's limitations. Full of passengers, there was little space for luggage. Trips to the boat required two cars because equipment/supplies/people could not all fit into one vehicle. Sadly, the need for a larger carrying capacity was obvious. If we were to get a decent trade in for Purple Bullet it had to happen now.
We now own something with carrying capacity (well, the bank and us). But it needs a name. One will come to us in time but for now, "He Who Shall Be Nameless" is just too evil to contemplate and with all due respect to Bob Seger, "The Silver Bullet" doesn't show proper respect for my former intrepid vehicle...
The Purple Bullet was a wonderful car, just a bit small for us now that we no longer have the HUGE mini-van that we named "The Green Monster". Why they call an extended body mini-van "mini" is beyond me, but Green Monster carried us and all of our renovation supplies without complaint for many years. It carried 12x12 travertine for the kitchen and dining room, it carried .75 yards of dirt for fill around the pond, it carried timbers and bricks and pavers and rocks...and we sadly let it go to charity a year ago because 4 vehicles for 3 people is really an extravagance.
The last few family trips, however, pointed up the Purple Bullet's limitations. Full of passengers, there was little space for luggage. Trips to the boat required two cars because equipment/supplies/people could not all fit into one vehicle. Sadly, the need for a larger carrying capacity was obvious. If we were to get a decent trade in for Purple Bullet it had to happen now.
We now own something with carrying capacity (well, the bank and us). But it needs a name. One will come to us in time but for now, "He Who Shall Be Nameless" is just too evil to contemplate and with all due respect to Bob Seger, "The Silver Bullet" doesn't show proper respect for my former intrepid vehicle...
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Plenty
This time of year it seems that every time the mail arrives (or email for that matter) there is another request for donations: Food Pantries, Toy Drives, Homeless Shelters. The list goes on and on. We pick and choose the charities that we donate to, looking for ones that do the most good in our own community: Preferably ones who operate with lots of volunteer rather than paid help. We do that so that our donations go the farthest toward helping those in need, because as we keep hearing, the need is greater than ever this year.
Need has always been all around us. We used to shop at a lot of thrift stores when doing theater, looking for props, costumes, or set pieces. But we were doing it for fun. And all around us we could see people for whom the thrift shop was their store of choice – out of necessity.
The Bearded One and I were discussing the huge amount of unmet need this year and deciding to contribute a little more than usual this holiday season and both of us remembered the exact same incident from many years ago:
We were looking for matching glassware at a Salvation Army Thrift Shop. Near the racks of men’s dress shirts were a young couple looking to be in their early to mid 20’s. They were looking for a dress shirt and tie for the husband to wear to a job interview. As they paid for their selections, the wife was looking at a rack of paperback books that stood by the cash register.
“Can I buy a book?” she asked wistfully.
“Yeah, you can pick one out,” he answered.
They were 25 cents apiece. When a single quarter is an issue of great importance, need is very great indeed.
I’m really counting my blessings this year.
Need has always been all around us. We used to shop at a lot of thrift stores when doing theater, looking for props, costumes, or set pieces. But we were doing it for fun. And all around us we could see people for whom the thrift shop was their store of choice – out of necessity.
The Bearded One and I were discussing the huge amount of unmet need this year and deciding to contribute a little more than usual this holiday season and both of us remembered the exact same incident from many years ago:
We were looking for matching glassware at a Salvation Army Thrift Shop. Near the racks of men’s dress shirts were a young couple looking to be in their early to mid 20’s. They were looking for a dress shirt and tie for the husband to wear to a job interview. As they paid for their selections, the wife was looking at a rack of paperback books that stood by the cash register.
“Can I buy a book?” she asked wistfully.
“Yeah, you can pick one out,” he answered.
They were 25 cents apiece. When a single quarter is an issue of great importance, need is very great indeed.
I’m really counting my blessings this year.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Graduation
Well, it has been 3 months now since Stubble graduated from High School – and the monetary crassness of the entire experience of Senior Year still rankles so I guess I need to tell you all about it.
It begins with the class ring. Back in my day, we got a gold ring with the school name and our initials on it and our only choice was what color piece of glass you wanted in it. Ah, but these days you need your choice of metal, your choice of stones, your choice of symbols that tell the entire world that you played basketball or volleyball or marched in the band. By the time the choices are made (online by the student in question) the ring costs upwards of $600.
“Mom! Can I have your credit card?”
Once the ring is here it is time for Senior Portraits. One for the yearbook – because the school demands one “official” pose and background. But why compromise the entire year for your Senior by not allowing a full 2 hour photo session during which they get unlimited costume changes as they express their “unique personality”. There goes anywhere from $1200 to $2000 or more by the time that you have chosen your prints. And once those “special pictures” have been taken there is the special yearbook “individual page” that presents a montage of photos that your student wants his friends to remember him with. Another hand held out to collect your money– this time $250. And the yearbook is such a bargain at nearly $100 in the first place.
Then there are the graduation “supplies” to be ordered. The cap and gown (“would you like the deluxe souvenir tassel with that?”) and the announcements with their inserts and name cards and the deluxe gold lined envelopes – all of them coming a la carte. We could also get commemorative graduation picture frames, book covers, sweatshirts, and an entire collection of everything we need for the graduation party from invitations and decorations to thank you notes.
This is a racket.
Now comes Prom and the local tour ships, banquet halls, and any attraction that can claim to make Prom Night “special” get to take their cut. Stubble’s Prom was on a cruise ship. The year before it was on an observation deck overlooking a local ball park….and then there is the limo, the dinner, the tux, the flowers in addition to the prom tickets….
OK, that is all over now, all classes have been passed and it is time for the Big Night. But there is one more hand reaching out for your hard earned cash – the local florists for whom prom didn’t make enough profit. Your graduate will be heartbroken if you do not present him or her with one or more leis to let them know how proud you are of them. “Would you like yellow or white?” And when you pick up your diploma following the ceremony? Inside is an order form so that you can have your diploma mounted on wood, or professionally framed. “Would you like the deluxe package? Your Senior will want a permanent memento of his High School Journey.”
All I can say is, thank GOODNESS that the college doesn’t do a yearbook!
It begins with the class ring. Back in my day, we got a gold ring with the school name and our initials on it and our only choice was what color piece of glass you wanted in it. Ah, but these days you need your choice of metal, your choice of stones, your choice of symbols that tell the entire world that you played basketball or volleyball or marched in the band. By the time the choices are made (online by the student in question) the ring costs upwards of $600.
“Mom! Can I have your credit card?”
Once the ring is here it is time for Senior Portraits. One for the yearbook – because the school demands one “official” pose and background. But why compromise the entire year for your Senior by not allowing a full 2 hour photo session during which they get unlimited costume changes as they express their “unique personality”. There goes anywhere from $1200 to $2000 or more by the time that you have chosen your prints. And once those “special pictures” have been taken there is the special yearbook “individual page” that presents a montage of photos that your student wants his friends to remember him with. Another hand held out to collect your money– this time $250. And the yearbook is such a bargain at nearly $100 in the first place.
Then there are the graduation “supplies” to be ordered. The cap and gown (“would you like the deluxe souvenir tassel with that?”) and the announcements with their inserts and name cards and the deluxe gold lined envelopes – all of them coming a la carte. We could also get commemorative graduation picture frames, book covers, sweatshirts, and an entire collection of everything we need for the graduation party from invitations and decorations to thank you notes.
This is a racket.
Now comes Prom and the local tour ships, banquet halls, and any attraction that can claim to make Prom Night “special” get to take their cut. Stubble’s Prom was on a cruise ship. The year before it was on an observation deck overlooking a local ball park….and then there is the limo, the dinner, the tux, the flowers in addition to the prom tickets….
OK, that is all over now, all classes have been passed and it is time for the Big Night. But there is one more hand reaching out for your hard earned cash – the local florists for whom prom didn’t make enough profit. Your graduate will be heartbroken if you do not present him or her with one or more leis to let them know how proud you are of them. “Would you like yellow or white?” And when you pick up your diploma following the ceremony? Inside is an order form so that you can have your diploma mounted on wood, or professionally framed. “Would you like the deluxe package? Your Senior will want a permanent memento of his High School Journey.”
All I can say is, thank GOODNESS that the college doesn’t do a yearbook!
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