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April 10, 2007
Bad Real Estate Agents, Bad Mothering
In exactly two hours and 47 minutes, our crappy real estate agent will be no more.
Nothing drastic. I mean, we're not having him whacked or anything of that nature. His contract is simply expiring, much to my extreme joy.
Thanks to everyone who made agent recommendations last week. While we're not going with any of those agents, since they're not as familiar with our area as we'd like, it was in researching those agents that I found our next ones. I somehow managed to surf into a website listing the top real estate agents, per St. Louis zip code. And that's who will be listing our house tomorrow - the agents who have sold tons of houses in our zip code. Now that we know what questions to ask an agent, we've got some confidence that they'll do a lot more for us than our current crappy agent.
The excitement's renewed, so much so that I gutted my kitchen cabinets and packed three boxes tonight. B. and Clara Jane did some work on her room to declutter, and this is all so mind-numbingly dull that you really shouldn't care about it other than perhaps you won't be subjected to boring real estate blabber for much longer.
You know what's more interesting than boring moving talk? Kid's yoga classes. We're taking one tomorrow. Clara Jane hasn't been in a very Zen place lately, and I can't keep giving her nighttime cough syrup just for my own benefit. Perhaps the yoga will clear the clutter and daily stress from her mind. Or at least give her the opportunity to pretend to be a dog - at least a downward facing one. Clara Jane's current favorite hobby involves pretending to be a dog, but I refuse to put a leash on her, no matter how much she demands is.
Seriously. She's been demanding a leash and wants us to "walk" her. Considering how tired I am of dirty Pull-Ups, the urge to let her go walkies outside is sometimes hard to resist.
In other excellent parenting news ... Clara Jane has two new favorite songs. "Alfie" by Lily Allen and "Rehab" by Amy Winehouse. Yes, this is from a parent who doesn't allow her kid to watch "The Doodlebops" or "The Wiggles". None of that crap in my house, but let's listen to tunes about weed-smoking little brothers and twentysomething soulful alcoholics 20 times a day! And sing along! Loudly! Perhaps in public, at the coffeehouse, where today she kept telling me, "I want to hear the song where the boy goes 'nooooooooooo nooooooooooooooo noooooooooooooo!'"
"Oh, you mean the song about being a drunk, Sweetie?"
"Yeah, Mommy! That's the one."
But I'm taking her to yoga! Free yoga! Healthy, economically sound, centering yoga! Which she'll do while I sit on a couch and drink coffee.
Posted by Robin at April 10, 2007 09:11 PM
Comments
I'm a big fan but never comment, but I have to today. My 2.5-year-old daughter loves loves loves Alfie too. And my friend's 2-year-old loves Rehab.
Posted by: Lisa at April 10, 2007 10:46 PM
This is kind of reminiscent of when CJ became obsessed with Franz Ferdinand's "Do You Want To" and you were horrified that she'd bust out with "Your famous friend well I blew him before ya, oh yeah" in public :)
Can't wait to hear about the class tomorrow - should be interesting!
Posted by: Exena at April 11, 2007 06:59 AM
Never fear, Boo use to love Slim Shady when he was that age. Let em listen to it now, and they won't rebel so bad with music when their older.
Good luck with the new agent.
Posted by: Cassie at April 11, 2007 10:01 AM
You see, I should love that Lily Allen song for obvious reasons, but I don't, because that's not how I'm hoping my Alfie turns out! Amy W I do like, apart from when I actually have to see her or hear her speak.
Favourites for indie-pop kid Alfie are "Ruby" by The Kaiser Chiefs and "Before I Fall To Pieces" by Razorlight. And "I Am 16 Going On 17" from Sound Of Music. Go figure.
Posted by: Zoe at April 11, 2007 03:44 PM
Good luck with the new agent. Last week we found out the well on the property we had put down money did not work. The agent replied, "We said there was a well on the land. We did not say it actually worked."
They are mostly the devil's children, I am sure of that. Hopefully, you have found one of the step-children.
I have a feeling this is going to be a quick thing for you. Pack up.
Posted by: Kathie at April 11, 2007 04:14 PM
If you're in a Zen place while sitting on a couch drinking coffee, that's pretty close to yoga.
Hope that crapshack charming bungalow is sold pronto!
Posted by: Dixie at April 11, 2007 04:28 PM
I think you'll do great with someone who specialized in your area. That was a great idea sister.
It'll happen. Just keep the faith.
Posted by: pkb at April 11, 2007 07:15 PM
I am so disturbed by your child in a highly amused kind of way. At least she doesn't beg to be leashed in public...yet.
Posted by: Rachel at April 12, 2007 11:57 AM
Lisa, thanks for finally commenting, and for making me feel a little less like I'm a bad mother!
Exena, CJ's still a little obsessed with "Do You Want To", and she's getting closer and closer to figuring out that line. I actually made a little video on your birthday that I still need to send you of CJ doing the "Lucky lucky you're so lucky! Do do do do do do do do do" part.
Cassie, I think you're right. Besides, if I'm staying current with music, I'm more likely to know what she's listening to in a few years, instead of having a Tipper Gore moment.
Zoe, just a few days ago I mentioned to Sal that I wondered how annoyed you must be with "Alfie". The first time I heard it I thought, "Oh damn. Zoe's gonna be PISSED."
Kathie, B. read your comment the day you made it, and he's still talking about how your agent needs to be slapped and fired for the well situation. I think what he said this morning, "If it's a well that doesn't work, it's a HOLE. And not even a useful hole, because it's not big enough to hide the agent's body."
Rachel, believe me, she's a disturbing little kid. The other Rachel you work with gave her a skein of yarn when we came by on Tuesday. Now the kid's demanded a blanket. Maybe I can talk her into a hand-knit leash of her very own.
Posted by: Robin at April 13, 2007 07:59 PM
