The third time is the charm. Right?

Have you noticed the world’s obsession with the number three?

Three blind mice.
Three billy goats gruff.
Three times a lady.
Three sheets to the wind.
Three cheers.
Three Dog Night.
Three ring circus.
Three trimesters in a pregnancy.
Three bags full in “Baa Baa Black Sheep”.
Three is a crowd.
Three times Peter denied Christ.
Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice.
The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
Paper, rock, scissors.
Three notes in a triad (chord).
Three lines in a haiku poem.

And I could go on, and on and on, three times over in fact. But the one I have been focused on lately is that “bad things happen in threes.” Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.

First, my cat Atlas broke out into a rash. I could see bloody spots on him so I shaved him down to get a good look at his skin. (And made him look like a bloody idiot.) My home remedies did not do the trick, so to the vet he went. He was placed on steroids to calm his skin and quit the itching. I had not finished giving him his meds when Ella the Boston terrier began to have issues.

So second, Ella began coughing. I rolled my eyes and went to work. But when I got home that evening she was coughing out of control. She couldn’t make it 60 seconds before she sounded like a goose. So to the vet she went. One hour later I was annoyed at Ella because she swallowed something she should not have and sliced her throat. It got infected and we left with antibiotics and cough suppressant in tow. But before Ella and Atlas finished their meds…

Thirdly, Cooper became a tripod. Cooper began only walking on three legs. Three! Good grief!
That’s it, right? I cannot have more than three sick or injured animals at one time?

The world (3 Germ layers: Endoderm, Mesoderm, Ectoderm), science (Primary hues in white light are the three colors: red, green, and blue.), nature (three leafs on a shamrock), and even the bible (Father, Son and Holy Ghost) operate on the rules of threes.

Surely, I must be in the clear. (IF I believed in such things.)

Veni, Vidi, Vici
Faith, Hope and Charity
Peter Paul and Mary
Winken, Blinken, and Nod
Snap, Crack, and Pop
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Small, Medium and Large
Alvin, Simon and Theodore (chipmunks)
CBS, NBC, ABC
Ready, Aim, Fire

Can you think of things that come in threes?

On your mark, 1-Get 2-Set, 3-Go!!!

HA! HA! HA!

Man vs. Man's Best Friend

Scott: “Do you remember me saying goodbye to you this morning?”

Me: “No. I didn’t wake up until after you left. Why?”

S: “I kissed you on the head and told you bye. You said, ‘Bye’ And didn’t move.
Then I put Cooper [the puppy] on the bed."

Me: “Okay.”

S: “You rolled over and grabbed him. Said, ‘hi! Coop-a-loop’ kissed him and snuggled in!”

Me: Smiling, “I do love you more than Cooper, Scott.”

S: Not smiling, “You had better!”

Lilly & Atlas

just plain duckie.

Remember Donald Duck? Donald Duck has a very short fuse. It didn’t take much stress coming his way to ruffle his feathers. If one more person tells me that ‘’mortgages can be tricky’’, I just may turn into a duck.



A really pissed off duck.

I have been so mad, stressed, sad, and just plain angry that I believe I could fry an egg on my head…hair and all.

We have the money for a down payment. We have the credit score. We have a housing contract. And twice (twice?!?!?!?!?) the day before we are scheduled to close we have had some major banking catastrophe.

Today’s Catastophe:

WASHINGTON - The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) today suspended Taylor, Bean and Whitaker Mortgage Corporation (TBW) of Ocala, Florida, thereby preventing the Company from originating and underwriting new FHA-insured mortgages. The Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae) is also defaulting and terminating TBW as an issuer in its Mortgage-Backed Securities (MBS) program and is ending TBW's ability to continue to service Ginnie Mae securities. This means that, effective immediately, TBW will not be able to issue Ginnie Mae securities, and Ginnie Mae will take control of TBW's nearly $25 billion Ginnie Mae portfolio.
FHA and Ginnie Mae are imposing these actions because TBW failed to submit a required annual financial report and misrepresented that there were no unresolved issues with its independent auditor even though the auditor ceased its financial examination after discovering certain irregular transactions that raised concerns of fraud. FHA's suspension is also based on TBW's failure to disclose, and its false certifications concealing, that it was the subject of two examinations into its business practices in the past year.
"Today, we suspend one company but there is a very clear message that should be heard throughout the FHA lending world - operate within our standards or we won't do business with you," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan.

And we were using Taylor, Bean and Whitaker…closing tomorrow.

It’s emotional to find a home that suits our life and what Scott and I are planning for our lives. And then to be delayed a month. And then two months. And then indefinitely. And only God knows where this is going this time.

I am sick and tired. I am sick and tired of boxes in my kitchen. I am sick and tired of yard sale signs in my living room. I am sick and tired of talking to the banker more than I am talking to my family. I am sick and tired of coworkers asking how my move is going. I am sick and tired.



Actually, I am just plain ducky.