Friday, August 31, 2007

How to relax- rule # 108

Aaron and I have had an interesting time in the last few weeks. We've fought battles with Yellow Book (yes still!), we've hired and fired, we've been betrayed and sucker punched, we've wrestled with real estate agents (now I know why they are the devil!), and we've booked a trip to Vegas. Well, the one year anniversary is approaching and I'm just hoping my mother brings my cake top back uneaten and unbattered. I'm praying to someone that our flight doesn't get delayed and I'm making deals with flying purple elephants to ensure that we write quality bonds between now and the day we leave. And through it all, as frustrated as I've been, Aaron and I still managed to find an activity to help us relax.

What is it, you ask? ........ No! You dirty mind! I don't know why people think we swing from the rafters? We really don't have that wild of a life...

We've landscaped part of our yard.

Yes, that's right, after 3 years of talking about it, I finally broke down and had 10 cubic yards of mulch delivered. Well, I was JUST going to mulch, but then I decided I needed something natural, yet design-ish, yet cheap to hold the mulch in place. I stepped off 15 steps and bought 20 stones (just in case). I got those down and decided it really would look better if I continued the line around the mulch bed. Then we had a lot of mulch left, so I decided to clean up my dying rose garden. Yep, cleaned them all out except one yellow rose bush that I'm hoping to save. (Well, it's actually more of a rose twig, but I'm hoping to nurse it back to health.) So, my 20 stones turned into 120 stones. And then I bought 50 more. I have vowed not to step back into Lowes. And I have figured out a great way to relieve some of that unwanted stress. Of course, I can't bend over anymore and my body feels like I just performed some circus trick, but at least I'm not feeling crazy anymore.

The yard looks great and we finally raked the huge pile of mulch down. There is kind of a slight mound, but Aaron thinks it will go down once it rains hard. Either that or it will wash it away and my stones will have been in vain. I haven't told my mother every detail about this venture. The only thing she knows is that we've been working in the yard and it's a noticeable change. She's looked on the satellite maps to see if she can notice anything, she's guessed we've put everything from a hot tub to laid sod. And yet, she's totally off. I have a sneaking suspicion that she's had spys drive by.

Now, I'm going to take pictures and brag about my hard work online. Of course, I don't know if anyone is reading since no one ever comments....so comment people! I'll post some pictures when I figure out how.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

And we terminated her!

Wow, it has to be the shortest lived job ever. You know, I was very excited when we were able to sign her up, but I'm more excited now that I don't have to worry about the mistakes we would have to clean up. Chalk it up to learning to respect your first instinct and following what your gut tells you. Details to follow as to why we let her go.

Thursday, August 9, 2007

We've finally signed her!

I've been talking about getting this posting agent and talking about getting her signed up for, what seems like, forever. Well, we finally got her signed up and her powers in her hand. We know she's going to require some retriaing because she's been working under another company that we don't particularly work closely with. No reason in particular, we just don't share the same business practices and prefer to work at a more level playing field. Of course, that doesn't mean we won't work angles, we just aren't willing to cut corners and manipulate the grey areas of the law.

She's starting out as a posting agent, which means she won't be taking liabilty. She is a bondsman, she does work under her own company name and she is responsible for most everything a regular agent would be responsible for. That has it's good points and bad points. We don't really like posting agents to stay posting agents. We want them to develop their good habits early so they aren't hit by a speeding bullet train when they do become full liable agents. The bottom line is we want them to start off on the right foot so they don't have to tap dance to get marching again. I think we'll get her there, it's just going to take a song or two.