Do not get a mortgage with CitiMortgage

I am, at the moment, on the phone with a representative and I am crying. I cannot tell you how many times I've talked with someone who was going to "clear everything up" only to have the same conversation 2-3 weeks later.

Updates, all shapes and sizes

1) Two more regular characters have been added to the homestead scene, namely Sean and Sara. They both came off adventures of their own--Sara in the political world of Iowa, Sean on the coast of Kenya.

Over the past few weeks, Sara and Steve moved to our downstairs apartment and painted it fun colors, in the tradition of our fun house:

2) I started work at City Hall, heading up a Councilmember's office. I am learning more about the Inspections department and housing court than I ever imagined possible. Good stuff.

3) Been cold and snowy around these parts lately, producing crisp views like this one:

4) Mortgage company is still a jerkfest.

5) Our next door neighbors moved out (sadness) but our tenants have a new baby (happiness).

Neighbors to the North

You can see the Peace Bridge from our attic window and in the summer it's possible to ride bikes to Canada. This week alone I went across the border three times!

Peace Bridge, looking towards Canada. November 2007.

Most recently--as in, today--I took my brother to Toronto. He turned 17 yesterday and this adventure was part of his birthday gift. We spent most of the day walking around so Josh could see the city up close; it was his first time exploring Toronto on the ground and at length.

We hit up the Annex, Kensington Market, Chinatown, the whole Queen Street West strip. It was lovely, all in all. Such a great city.

Flowers on Bloor Street. May 2007.

While munching on some Korean bibimbap downtown, I crossed my fingers and prayed that Grant Street in Buffalo would someday turn into the international restaurant scene that everyone is talking about.

That's all, I'm rusty at this writing thing of mine.