Ah yes, SUNSHINE ! I was almost starting to forget what that looked like! Sunny and upwards around 30 degrees in the area today. Must get out in it today and get active. I didn't work out yesterday and in fact (*gasp*) yes, I cheated yesterday.

Homemade organic tomato soup (not bad itself- just vegies with herbs, salt and water) with dill, some cabbage, a half a potato, some this, some that- some of everything really. All good things. But it was the 4 pieces of buttered bread WITH said soup AND half a bag of vegie thins that undid me. I think I ate a day's worth of calories (I know I did) but I wasn't feeling well for most of the afternoon and didn't eat from about 130pm until around 8pm. By then I was HUNGRY HUNGRY. Anyhoo, 3 pounds up and I'd rather be 3 down but wudev. I know it's just temporary gain and you pay the piper the day after for the day before. Today it's water, water, water- walk, walk, walk and possibly a good workout and swim at the gym later. Especially if I get outside and get warm. A cool indoor pool is good for that...

In other news (but still on the topic of water) I just got my city water bill and was surprised to see that MY water on my side of the duplex is like, three times that of their side. Now- we did have a plumbing issue where the shower did not divert all the water to the shower head and water GUSHED out the tub spout while you showered. He takes 30 minute showers so I can see where that adds up. And it was like that until last month. And our 1972(?) Admiral washing machine leaks (and sounds like an aircraft carrier but that's another post). So these could likely be factors in why our water bill was 300 bucks. Pretty sure our hot water tank (which must be about 20 gallons based on the limited hot water we get out of it) is probably 15 yrs old as well although I don't see what that would do to the water bill. But holymother...

I have to confess I'm not used to paying "city bills" after living with a sewer and a well on rural property in BC for so long. I find it *weird* to pay huge property taxes that incorporate my garbage pickup, water and sewer services into them. In BC I paid my own 30 bucks a month for garbage pickup and well, never serviced my septic in 13 yrs because hey- we were on a hillside and had "good flow" and excellent drainage, if you will. Not really any need to *do* anything. Shoulda shocked the well at some point but nobody died so whatever. Hence 600 bucks a year in property taxes after the 50 percent government grant that BC so generously gives you AND MANITOBA DOES NOT (she says heatedly). Aside from "luxuries" like living on a school bus route (which meant regular snow clearing) and being 50 feet from a fire hydrant I really had nothing to pay for! So going from 600 bucks a year to 2800 is pretty irritating.

Still working on the subdivision of the duplex units. Likely take me the rest of this year to leap through the hoops and get approval from the city. Few more dollars to the lawyer to complete the process. I'm meeting with my realtor today to talk values of each unit and appraisal processes so I've got all my little duckies in a row. Gives me a few options by doing this- if I *wanted* to sell after these tenants move out in the Spring, I certainly could. Don't know if that would be the wisest decision, but in a pinch it would be feasible. What needs to happen is a few upgrades on THIS side (electrical especially), pay some debts off, save some dollars and move US into a nice 2 bdrm condo with a view and underground parking. And a pool. And a gym in it. Yeah....yeah, that's the ticket. Or on the flip I could easily live in da hood in a small older house that costs the same and live comfortably there either way. Then rent THIS side out, which would make this duplex a money EARNING investment as opposed to the expense it currently is. The rent we would earn from both sides would easily pay our own personal mtg and that's the goal. At least, Goal Number One.

The condo is now earning money (finally) I managed to finagle the mtg pmts down to $250 biweekly. With the condo fees, the insurance, the hydro and the property taxes it actually squeaks out a whopping $50 a month- WOO WEE! But regardless, it was COSTING me $150 previously. So a few tweaks to this and that made it a positive flow. I honestly don't care how much, as long as it is able to float along on it's own without any financial intervention from me =)

The duplex costs me money but, I live in one side. So I pay for that priveledge. Again, property taxes 250 bucks a month (*groans*). Hydro with a 1960 furnace in my side (in Winnipeg, with an 8 month long winter and a shitty cool summer) = VERY EXPENSIVE. 200 bucks a month, no lie, and that's on payment plan. Insurance = another 'bout buck fifty. Yada yada yada, and the beat goes on. Needless to say it's the 'zact same costs I had living in the condo WITHOUT any investment properties. However, tweak tweak tweak and we may be able to eak out a living here over a bit of time. We'll see the truth when we get to tax return time and see if all this was worth it. Or not.

Anyways peeps, this day is warming up and I need some Vitamin D time =) Chow for now, over -an-' out.