Steve Symington’s Blog

Today I was reading an article on CNN regarding the lending crunch resulting from the current subprime mortgage mess…you know the scenario: A greedy lender offers their customer a toxic ARM without making clear the risks of such a loan. The customer could afford a better (fixed) loan, but jumps out of his/her seat when he/she realizes it’s possible to borrow $300,000 for under $800 per month…at first. What they don’t often realize is the loan will later reset to a much higher rate, easily doubling their monthly payment.

What really made me sick, however, were the content-generated ads that appeared at the bottom of the page…
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I’m having trouble right with windows right now. It’s not what you think; not your take-over-the-world, Bill Gates & Monkey-Boy windows. Almost a month and a half ago, my wife and I decided to take a trip to Lowes to order replacement windows for our home. Here’s the story so far…

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My wife and I recently purchased a home (we moved in on 8-18-06, closed on 9-1-06). This home needed a lot of work to bring it up to par, and we’ve gotten a fair amount done. Some of our tasks were small, but made all the difference in the world. I’m posting this to give everyone an idea of what we’ve finished. Here’s the list.
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My wife and I decided to find a friend for our 2 year-old cat Toby. Our search yielded a ten week-old kitten. He’s a crazy, lovable, mischievous ball of fur who keeps us awake at night by alternating between scratching us under the covers and maniacally purring while lying on (and around) my face. After a few days of digging for a name, a Louis Armstrong CD sang out the appellation for our new hellion; we now stand the proud owners of a kitten named Louis. Update: After a few days of trying out the name “Louie”, we decided it just doesn’t fit him! “Harrison” (”Harry” for short) is his new name. Here are a few pictures for your viewing enjoyment …

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Shortly after moving into our current house, my wife and I noticed we were overwhelmed by the inebriating smell of cat poop on any given warm day upon approaching the front door. It only took a few moments for me to spot the source(s); along the base of the house in the flower beds were several curious mounds of dirt, each concealing its own little kitty surprise.

The first time I mowed the lawns (unfenced front and fenced back), I couldn’t help but notice many more morsels and their seeming magnetic attractions to the bottoms of my shoes.

It seems that, while the previous owners occupied the home, the territorial neighborhood animals overtook the yard. I have since begun a quest to establish myself as the local dominant creature and reclaim my property.

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