Mama Carol

to the OP: did you mention you were taking a couple of bottles of wine to your "offended" friend? Perhaps that is what offended them. They plan to honor the request that no gifts be given and you clearly intend to give a gift anyway. Perhaps they are afraid that you, and others at the party, will make them look cheap because they don't plan to give a gift, which is what is requested.

Gifts are common. The person doesn't want any. Simple as that.

Ours went up (in Cobb). Not by much but a little bit.

Just because they haven't filed doesn't mean they are required to file a return. There are many people who aren't required to file.

I, too, had heard that she was still around. It's a shame that the state or the feds couldn't stop her. I felt so bad for you and what you went through. All of that is part of the reason I told my clients I did NOT want the ability to sign checks or to handle their money. I did make deposits for one client but I did so reluctantly at first. The person I replaced did, so I figured it was OK. Still wasn't comfortable with it for a long time.

I was just thinking about you!! Anyway, I would think that one would have to actually file a return for there to be fraud. Barbed Wire, I think I told you about my daughter's neighbors who filed all the fraudulent tax returns and who had one family member drawing SSDI and working a full time job. Well, they moved, thank goodness. But not until they tried to convince my son in law that HE owed THEM money when he got a paycheck from his job. Idiots. I hope they get nailed to the wall. I don't know if my daughter ever reported them or not. I think she just decided to let them hang

Don't bother. Let nature take its course.

The one down here in Milton is one of the nicest ones I've ever been in other than the closed one there in Dallas.

OMG!!! Hubby and I have a picture of the two of us, just a couple of days after we were married, sitting on a motorcycle in front of the Fox Photo place on South Cobb Drive in Smyrna. I had not even thought of one of those places for years!! Thanks for the memory.

It would still taste like chicken.

I figured it was caused by someone like me, with a deathly fear of snakes, shooting the snake.

Fred is also alive and well in Brewton, AL and Milton, FL. In fact, I visited him the other day.

Ahhhhh. Code enforcement. One thing I miss about being up there. Zoning, too. Here, we have half million dollar houses next door to single wide mobile homes. Interesting, no?

They have their own interest in mind. And to the person who said most of us missed the OPs question, no, we didn't. We understood. You don't have to have an agent to buy a house but you're well advised to have YOUR OWN AGENT when you buy a house. I would NEVER use the seller's agent or brokerage.

I was nowhere near Ingles last night, so Stradial is safe.

Consider this fact: In 2004-05 only 2 percent of female and 25 percent of male victims were killed by a stranger. These percentages do not change very much over time. Now, worry appropriately.

Always! Unfortunately, so many houses now are company owned, whether it be a bank, mortgage company, government agency or management company. Often you can't even get them to look at the offer, much less take it seriously. I, too, have seen houses sell for little more than we offered. In fact, one sold for $1000 more than we offered. WTH??? And it was financed! Our offer was cash. I'm sure the owner paid more in closing costs with that one.

Not us. We kept what we wanted, sold or left what we didn't. It took virtually every dime we had to buy the house (paid cash) and move, so there was no extra money for new furniture. We've been here two months and I have yet to buy a desk for my "office". No money!! Hitting yard and garage sales tomorrow in hopes of finding something for practically nothing. The biggest disappointment: finding out that our bedroom furniture would not fit in our new master bedroom the way I wanted it. If my dresser were 6 inches smaller, it would all fit. New furniture means you don't have

We looked at lot of REOs. A LOT of them. While most were cheaper than what we paid, they all needed more work than we could do or could afford to have done. And in the end, they would have cost more than the one that we bought. A house that while built in 1976, was a one owner house and owned by a man who believed in taking care of the property and who believed in paying good money to have good quality items. A Jenn-Air range, a whole house generator, a lawn sprinkler system (full operational, no less), a top-of-the-line well for the sprinkler, 3/4 inch plywood on the roof. None of these

It's bound to be easier than moving your furniture which likely won't fit properly in the new house.

Difficult to find someone guilty of theft when it's their own property they are getting back.

Not necessarily. Our asking price would be the same regardless of whether or not we use an agent. We just realize that we won't get as much by using a realtor. We're OK with that, though. Fair market value is fair market value. And to the OP, no you don't have to use an agent but you would be well advised to do so. Get your own agent, too!! Don't use the seller's agent and I would even advise not using anyone in the listing office.

I just can't imagine moving that far. Our move was stressful enough and it was just down the road 350 miles. I am sooooooooooooo happy for you!!! I know what it's like to see your dream come to fruition.

I, for one, miss former member. We often disagreed but she certainly kept things lively.

And staples and paper. And as my former boss would attest, staplers.