Vintage Gardens has a huge inventory, but availability of bands comes in cycles, and not all are available each year. When they announce a new release, many of the roses offered haven't been available for some time (many of Vintage's roses aren't available elsewhere in the US), and as the orders come flooding in, many are sold out before the website is updated. They usually set a date and time for orders to be accepted, with an availability list sent out ahead of time. What then happens is that their customers make their lists and flood the website with purchases that are sorted through on a first-come first-served basis. Often there are more requests for some roses than inventory available, and for this reason, they ask customers to provide alternatives should this happen. I think this is done to prevent waste. It is because they are a small production staff working with a huge inventory that their roses come out in batches this way.

Hmmm...Wasn't going to post for another couple months! lol But, CC#1 = $170.00 (maybe a bit less), & plans are to have it pd OFF by years' end. (I actually have till Jan '08 statement for the low rate to expire - which wouldn't be so detrimental due to the low balance) I hate the bank tho, and really wanted to pay it off sooner! But that didn't happen. CC#2 = Don't know exactly, but definately under $700.00. Next closing date is SOON. (I haven't been focusing so much on CC #'s 2 or 3, as they are fixed unless I default on ANY payment! - oh I don't like the sound of that 'clause') CC#3 = About $3150.00. AND...That "Oops!" CC bal is paid in full - YAY! (And I m SO patting myself on my back for THAT one! haha) PLUS, I paid our full mortgage payment(s) this month, plus about $150.00 over on 2nd. (YUP! I just couldn't pay minimum only. I want that 2nd paid OFF ASAP!) OH! AND...I started "paying myself first" last May - min 10%. BUT, after the first "pay myself", I decided to play "catch up" for the year, so I started paying myself 20% or whatever more I could. Also ran across an opportunity to lock in some CD's @ 5.45% APY - so I did that, and I trf'd some old 3 mo cd's into 6 mo cd's for the higher rate. They are in such a manner that I cannot easily get my hands on the money! LOL! So, basically, I'm living on the "below the edge of poor"! Christmas has been discussed, and we are going to do nothing except maybe take advantage of food sales, and IF we NEED something like thermals or sweats to keep warm, or a new battery for my trusty 18 yr old $2.00 hand calculator, or stuff to go into septic system... The ONLY gift we may buy is something for my Mother, which will probably be small $ amt gift certs for her favorite grocery stores or resturants (people from her church oft frequent places for Sunday lunch, and many times she doesn't go if it's expensive.) The GOOD thing is, we've had a sorta fairly mild summer. So, I've been able to use more $$ to pay towards bills. I have done some shifting on my pay plan to get CC #1 paid off (hopefully by years' end), and to get that "Oops" paid off. I've been SLAMMING on that #1 for awhile. (Sometimes it's a GOOD thing to hate a certain company - motivates ME to not give them any more $$$! LOL!) BUT, I'm going to have to slow down now, as winter is approaching - need to be prepared for those high heating costs for about 4 months! (We have heavy drapes, but bad windows! It gets SO cold here in winter, and I HATE the cold in my home!) I feel pretty good for now about my debt pay plan and how much I've paid off. I'm very impatient tho. I wanted more paid off SOONER. I've been obsessed with my bills and constantly reviewing them. (Sometimes 3 or 4 times a month lately - it's like I have a 'bulls-eye', and only one chance to hit it!) It's going to be hard to 'slow down' over the winter to adjust to high energy costs. We've already taken a big hit on less income in the household. We will adjust - at least for a short while. I will keep reviewing where we stand, and hopefully we will survive! IF it comes necessary to start digging into my pittance of savings, it's time for some serious decission making...(like I haven't already been thinking about that? Yes I HAVE!) For NOW, I need a big pat on my back for what I have accomplished! LOL! (I've a feeling next year is going to be even tougher than this!)

Update:buyer's agent called to let me know that Becky had put in an offer on a smaller condo in her price range. She wanted to let me know as there would not be a counter thru my agent~she may be my 'new' agent because of her consideration! *I'm* sad, but happy Becky has found a place within her means. She just couldn't afford to ante up as she needs to 'have a life' also, smart girl. After deliberating on a new listing price for quite awhile, I decided on $424,500, not $422,500. I went back and forth between the two, and the higher amount will give me just a tad more flexibility. In one of my posts I said I would be happy if I could get an offer between $415-$419, but now i'm thinking $410 would be a killer 'deal'! Rorelvr, am I watching my competitors? Like a hawk! Not one of them has dropped their price in the time i've listed~should that be telling me something? My agent figured out price-per sq ft, and i'm way below the others, including upgrades. And yes, I *am* shopping! You should have an email from me. Jrldh, where i'm looking, there are *no* scramblers. Every spec home has sold, and the builder is continuing to build more, with a slight price increase, other builders in the same area, also. This particukiar developer is building in several areas in Austin, as well as Dallas, San Antonio, etc. The season also has something to do with the slowing of the market. Lyfia, what agent would *buy that*? This last buyer's agent was asking for 3%, but it never got far enough along to come up for duscussion. When signing with my agent, it was agreed to be a split, so I don't know how that works if one agent is asking for more. My comps are low compared to other units~many of the others don't even have central air. I've got numerous upgrades, but don't feel I went over-the-top for the market~granite, but not new cabs, just updated with paint and trim. Buyme, i'm sure that happens more than we realize. If I do decide to take mine off the market for awhile, it will be relisted in the spring. It's Austin or bust!!!LOL Bethesdamadman, it's not that cut and dried where a buyer *has* to accept if the asking has been offered, but I haven't a *clue* why. Roselvr, terri, and roselvr, are the experts where technical questions are concerned. If one doesn't have the answer, the other two certainly will. You sound like you 'know your stuff' also. Is the area of law your speciality? Calliope, so true about the emotions involved, but I 'took them off' when I went to bed last night.LOL I don't want to 'play' price games either, but when listing initially, that was the choice(dual pricing)I allowed my agent to make~hey, he's the pro, not me. I'm below the comps also, but that doesn't seem to matter since it's all about the price and what people can afford. I thought when I first listed I was being fair, and still do. Although i'll still be making money when I sell, I don't think of myself as being greedy. it's what the market is or isn't. Sure I could sell at $200K and buyers would be beating down the door, but that isn't realistic. I'm just trying to stay in the market range for my area, even slightly below. There's one condo that has been on the market 65 days and the price hasn't been adjusted once. I don't know the story behind it, but my agent said it isn't a short sale. The best of luck to you, but don't waste the time or effort on open houses. In the long run, it's the agent representing you who comes out ahead. Thanks again for being here everyone! ;o)

Three of my great grandparents came from Canada and spoke French in their homes. I was raised in a primarily Franco American community and attended parochial school through 6th grade where 1/2 of the school day was taught in French. Sunday Mass was said in French. My parents, aunts and uncles spoke good English but a fond memory I have of holidays are of conversations going back and forth between French & English. Relatives always sang and spoke to little babies in French because it was "softer". As a child I used to dream in French. What a rude awakening, though, when I took French in HS! My background sure was a mixed blessing. I could read and write well, roll my r's but there was such a distinct difference between Parisian French & what I grew up with that it I had a lot to unlearn. I ended up doing well in both French & Latin. But sad to say, by the time we did a student exchange when DS was in HS with a family from Brittany, I hadn't used my polished up version of French in decades and what surfaced was my Eliza Doolittle version ;) At least we could all communicate. I've always wished I'd kept up with it. When we visited Paris in 2011 I was able to read, but was too shy to try to use my French. I wish I could learn Turkish. My DIL is from Turkey and DH & I did our best to learn a few phrases before we met her family. It is a hard language to learn. My DS is fluent in 4 other languages but struggles mightily with Turkish. He & DIL have lived in Denmark for 7 yrs. With my 2 yr. old GDD they speak English at home as a family, and DIL speaks Turkish to her and she Skypes in Turkish with her other grandmother. At daycare they speak Danish. Surprisingly, GDD, seems to be grasping all 3 languages and answers in the language spoken to her. That's the time of life to learn easily, it seems. Holly-Kay, go for it! And thank you for the inspirthing post!