Mon Feb 17 07:57 EST 1997
Weekend Update: Feb 14-16

Joy and I did nothing special for Valentines Day; we don't have to.
She did get me a card on which there was a couple out of the '40s or
'50s smiling at each other saying (in the caption): "I love you more."
"No, I love you more." several times over.  On the inside it said that
we'd better stop before we make everyone puke.  Appropriate card, I
think.

We got bank commitment on our loan late last week.  That's good news,
I think, except I don't understand how since our buyers need final
commitment for us to have the money to pay off our mortgage and get
a new mortgage.  The latest wrinkle has to do with the person from
whom we bought our current house.  He was a widower who owned the house
outright.  The bank gave him trouble when he went to sell it to us because
his wife's name was on the deed so he had to prove that she was dead.
Good thing he had a certificate somewhere.  He also had to prove that
he had no mortgage.  Banks usually deal with mortgage shifting deals
and they were thrown for a loop that this guy actually owned his house.
Well, we have to put the lending bank in touch with the lawyer who
closed the house between us and the former owner so the history can
be passed on.  It's a minor irritation.

  Soapbox:  why is the banking industry so inefficient with title
  searches?  Once one is succefully and irrefutably completed, it
  should be marked "valid" or something so that they don't have to
  do it all over again, especially in America where the average family
  is moving every 7 years.  My guess is that this is a revenue generator.
  For my case, if there is a problem with something before my ownership
  of the property, find the previous owner and deal with him!

The walls are bare and the house is filling up with boxes.  We'll soon
organize the boxes so we can fill more boxes.  We hope to be completely
packed by next Tuesday to avoid the usual scramble on moving day.
I want to worry only about the weather on the 27th and how far someone
has to carry the sofa.  Hmmm... I probably should get something
to cover the hardwood floors.

One final thing:  When I was a kid, we moved twice during the school year
because Dad accepted calls to other churches.  There will be some
adjustments that our children will be making, perhaps more than
the parents.  When my Dad moved, he changed jobs and states and
people so he and Mom were adjusting with the rest of us.

Things pretty much stay the same for us, because we are moving only about
15 minutes away; we'll have minor adjustments to make.  But it may as well
be a longer move for the kids because of the change in schools.  I am
grateful for the depth of character my children have which will help
them to adjust and flourish, but I know that it isn't going to be
effortless for them.  Thankfully, they have the constancy of church to
keep them anchored during this time of change and adjustment.  Your
prayers and support of my kids (when you see them or contact them) is
much appreciated.

Mark
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          __    _____|         Mark Metcalfe           |_____    __
_________|  |__|    :|   Cadence Design Systems, Inc.  |     |__|  |_________
\       :|  |::|    :|         (508) 446-6451          |     |::|  |,       /
  \     :|  |::|    :|      metcalfe@cadence.com       |     |::|  |\_0__,/
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