Coffee

[digitS']

Having my after-breakfast cup of herbal tea.

Looking at the Chocolate Mint, I decided that it is really too tiny to harvest right now. One stem was about 6", the other TWO were less than 2". Really should move it!

Anyway, I found some catnip that was invading from the neighbors ' yard. I dried it under the deck roof and tried it with the passionfruit leaf tea. I like catnip - once it is dried (& a little more subdued) so this is quite good. It would still benefit from the dried apricots and I will really need to not be lazy about cutting some up for the nice long steeping time that they need.

Steve

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

I keep getting calls from the bank where my mortgage is and saying they want to talk to me about refinancing or taking out equity and lower interest rates or going back to a 30 year loan. I think I have 16 years left. Never late and I have been paying this loan without DH for almost 5 years, but they do not know he has died. They send messages to me and him. My question is, what would they do if they found out it is just my income paying this loan and not both of? House was in both names but his income was the main and now it is my SS and my part time job. This is getting nuts. Almost daily leaving a message on my phone and now emails. Will they consider me a risk and if they did, what could they do about it since I am never late with a payment?

 

[baymule]

Call your bank. Tell them that you are not going to refinance, ever! Stress that they are harassing you and you want it to stop. Ask to speak to manager, chew on him.

I don’t think the bank could do anything to you, but the laws are stacked in their favor. It would be worth it to consult an attorney.

I was awarded a house in a divorce, ex got the 75 acres, it was family land. I was entitled to half, but I wouldn’t take it. So I paid on that house for years until I paid it off. Somewhere along the way, mortgage company became aware that I was the one paying it, they didn’t care. I even remarried, didn’t matter. House stayed in mine and ex’s name or I would have had to refinance and start all over on interest.

When I sold it, ex had to come sign off on it, even though I had the divorce paper awarding me the house.

You should consult an attorney, know where you stand. Somewhere in there, you need the house in your name. If you passed away, your kids would have a paperwork nightmare.

 

[meadow]

I keep getting calls from the bank where my mortgage is and saying they want to talk to me about refinancing or taking out equity and lower interest rates or going back to a 30 year loan. I think I have 16 years left. Never late and I have been paying this loan without DH for almost 5 years, but they do not know he has died. They send messages to me and him. My question is, what would they do if they found out it is just my income paying this loan and not both of? House was in both names but his income was the main and now it is my SS and my part time job. This is getting nuts. Almost daily leaving a message on my phone and now emails. Will they consider me a risk and if they did, what could they do about it since I am never late with a payment?

I take it you have not answered the calls or responded to the emails?

I would tell them, "No thank you. I am not interested in refinancing at this time." That should put an end to it. [eta: and if it doesn't, follow Bay's advice about the manager!!]

There is no reason to mention your husband. From what you've said, it doesn't sound like they've asked about any change in your status. But I think Bay is correct that you'd need to speak to a lawyer about those concerns. First I'd try just telling them "No."

 

[meadow]

I take it you have not answered the calls or responded to the emails?

I would tell them, "No thank you. I am not interested in refinancing at this time." That should put an end to it. [eta: and if it doesn't, follow Bay's advice about the manager!!]

There is no reason to mention your husband. From what you've said, it doesn't sound like they've asked about any change in your status. But I think Bay is correct that you'd need to speak to a lawyer about those concerns. First I'd try just telling them "No."

@Gardening with Rabbits Here is something I've learned over the years:

If someone calls, say a telemarketer, and they are motivated by their work to keep you on the phone and convince you to buy something, simply say, "Thank you for calling, but no. Goodbye." and hang up. Don't listen to what they are saying, don't wait for a pause, just say it and hang up. That is how I would treat the bank too, if you're on the phone and they are trying to keep the sales pitch going. Just say "Not interested, goodbye." and hang up. Just my two cents.

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

Call your bank. Tell them that you are not going to refinance, ever! Stress that they are harassing you and you want it to stop. Ask to speak to manager, chew on him.

I don’t think the bank could do anything to you, but the laws are stacked in their favor. It would be worth it to consult an attorney.

I was awarded a house in a divorce, ex got the 75 acres, it was family land. I was entitled to half, but I wouldn’t take it. So I paid on that house for years until I paid it off. Somewhere along the way, mortgage company became aware that I was the one paying it, they didn’t care. I even remarried, didn’t matter. House stayed in mine and ex’s name or I would have had to refinance and start all over on interest.

When I sold it, ex had to come sign off on it, even though I had the divorce paper awarding me the house.

You should consult an attorney, know where you stand. Somewhere in there, you need the house in your name. If you passed away, your kids would have a paperwork nightmare.

Well, 2 things. I have no money for a lawyer, but also after DH died I got a phone call and it was from Medicaid and when I die they will take what is owed from whatever I own. So, if this house is paid for and in my name, they will sell it I guess and take what is owed. I had no idea that we owed money that would be collected on. He had to go on Medicaid when his insurance ran out. Medicaid said I have to live, so this house is mine to do with what I want and any money in a bank and I live and spend and what is left they get I guess. I was really upset because I thought since DS lives here and he works to keep the house standing that when I am gone he would have this to live in or sell. In Idaho, there is no place to go if I sold this place. I could take the money and give it to DS and Medicaid would have nothing or I stay here and live and if DS is living here and I die then he will be homeless unless he figures out a way to make a lot of money in the years to come. We should have moved away all of us. DD and her husband are renting and they will never own a home here.

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

@Gardening with Rabbits Here is something I've learned over the years:

If someone calls, say a telemarketer, and they are motivated by their work to keep you on the phone and convince you to buy something, simply say, "Thank you for calling, but no. Goodbye." and hang up. Don't listen to what they are saying, don't wait for a pause, just say it and hang up. That is how I would treat the bank too, if you're on the phone and they are trying to keep the sales pitch going. Just say "Not interested, goodbye." and hang up. Just my two cents.

I think I will email and say not interested. We bought the house through a local bank and they sold the mortgage to a big bank and a few years ago they sold the mortgage to another bank. Actually, I think they bought the note after DH had already died.

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

Actually, they bought this note from another bank 2 years after DH died. I have the letter stating where to make the new payments and the letter is to DH and me. That was 3 years ago.

 

[baymule]

They are tacking on interest on the money owed to Medicaid. By the time you die, the state will swallow up your place in one gulp. You need to find out exactly what is owed. Possibly your kids could take out a loan to get it paid off, unless it’s in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Could your DD and husband put a mobile home on your property! Remodel the garage into their living space? Just throwing ideas out there.

 

[digitS']

Inheritance of property can be a "sticky wicket." Settlement of Dad's property seems like years behind me, it was such an out of the ordinary process and so complicated by his 2nd marriage to a person with heirs. Spouses had both passed within months of each other.

Cold pizza with slices of melon on the side for breakfast. What? Don't pick on me ... especially after I went to the bother of putting together the herbal tea before breakfast and then had it boil over on the stove. Just can't get the heat right under that little kettle .

That melon wasn't from my garden . I don't live in the sub-tropics or southern hemisphere. Reading about the Falkland islands this morning. They are about 52° South Latitude so I imagine like the coast of British Columbia for my comparison.

"The temperature has historically stayed between 21.1 and −11.1 °C (70.0 and 12.0 °F) in Stanley, with mean monthly temperatures varying from 9 °C (48 °F) early in the year to −1 °C (30 °F) in July." Wikipedia says.

I can't imagine that I would be happy living there. Not only the long, dark winter nights but those Summer temperatures! Gardening would be O U T.

Steve