Susan, The last I heard a couple of hours ago, they said there was no indication YET that the oil slick had reached Lake Oologah. I understand the water intakes pipes are lower in the lake and the oil tends to stay on and near the water surface, so they think it may all work out OK. Everything is improving everywhere upstream here as our creeks and rivers are falling rapidly. UNFORTUNATELY they are falling because all their water is rushing downstream to Lake Texoma where the news is worse by the hour. Everything around the lake is virtually closed down. The floodwaters are expected to begin overtopping the dam tomorrow, and the water should reach its highest point of 641.5' on Friday, unless additional runoff pushes it even higher. Everyone downstream from Lake Texoma is in dire straits--the Corps of Engineers opened the flood gates today to release what water they can while they still have some control over it. They intend to leave the gates open even as the dam is overtopped, so much downstream flooding will occur. All the lakeside businesses are hurting. Campgrounds have shut down right and left, Marinas have done what business they can even as their buildings and boat ramps become flooded too. Restaurants, bars, hotels, etc. are all affected. Some will only lose income from folks who DON'T come to the lake because of the flooding. Others, though, are losing not only income, but buildings and furnishings as well. Tough, tough economic losses. I don't know how many farmers, ranchers and residents are in the downstream path of the rising flood waters from the Denison Dam, but Grayson County, Texas, and Bryan County, Oklahoma, have been warning people to move to higher ground (to the extent that they can move) for days and days now. I also am not sure how far downstream the flooding will remain a problem. The Red River still has a huge amount of territory to cover after it flows out of Lake Texoma. It flows along between Oklahoma and Texas and then, briefly, between Texas and Arkansas before it turns south and flows across Louisiana, where it eventually empties into the Atchfalaya and Mississippi Rivers. Of course, along the way there are several other lakes that serve as flood control reservoirs, but I don't know if they can hold all the massive amounts flowing out of Lake Texhoma for the next few days, or not. I am afraid more flooding may continue to occur downstream. Tonight we are staying home and doing nothing since it is sort of rainy. They ARE still having the fireworks show at Lake Murray, but you can't park anywhere near the lake to watch the show because the ground is soggy and they are afraid everyone will get their vehicles stuck in the mud. So it is a quiet Fourth of July for us. I am just grateful we are high and relatively dry (well, we're dry as long as we are inside the house) and wish the same were true for everyone else. You know, to a certain extent Lake Texoma caught a lot of people by surprise. It has been so low for so long because of the prolonged drought that I don't think anyone paid much attention to it until mid-week of last week. At that point I think the lake was approaching an elevation around 630, and 640 seemed UNTHINKABLE. The elevation was in the 612 to 618 neighborhood at this time last year, I think, and it takes a huge amount of water to raise the level even one foot. How quickly it changed! Dawn

Chris, I would be interested in any tomato seeds that you may have extra of. My hubby and I were just talking about what to put in the veggie garden last night. My family likes canteloupe, watermelon, tomatoes, cumcumbers, and green beans. Would be interested in anything unusual, fun for the kids! But if you've got everything ready for Patty, or have it mailed, please don't worry about me!! I wasn't able to send to everyone either. I really wanted to though!! Patty, I'm going to have my daughter mail off my seeds today. I'll post when they've made it to the P.O. Have a good day everyone! Karen

Angie the schools have a 2 hour delay it is crazy I live fairly close to the city and it is crazy everwhere and my daughter goes to Pitt but the Titusville campus boy am I glad she isn't at the main campus did you see all the craziness in oakland the fires in the street they are arresting some now. we do take the super bowl seriously I work in downtown Pittsburgh it will be rockiny tomorrow. Patty

Alrighty, let me see if I can answer you guys in order. NCRealEstateGuy, I gave the buyer all the information you gave me and thank you for that. I am not sure what he's doing with it. I got scolded on here before for trying to help my buyers get a loan. Trying to hold their hands and being too much in their business. So I didn't ask. We are not under contract yet. He called me today to let me know things are progressing. Sweet tea, he applied for the transfer and is waiting to hear. Don't know if he asked his bank about the letter. I suggested it. Yes Bill, the difference is the banks AND the market. Yes, multiple people told me the banks would want more than 20% but that was not for my original buyer. That was for my second buyer. After HE was rejected. After I lost the original buyer, I did what you're supposed to do and I called banks and asked them what they required. I told them I was attracting a lot of out of state people and at least one of them was self employed. They told me what he'd need. They told him what he needed. He got pre-approved. We went under contract. Later what the bank said he needed changed. That's why I lost him. It really had nothing to do with his house NC when it comes down to it. He was not coming out with as much money as he originally expected because of the flood insurance issue with his house. But at first that wasn't a problem. It wasn't a problem until the bank changed its criteria from him needing 20% down and one year's worth of mortgage payments in escrow to 40% and one year's worth of escrow payments, that it became a problem. Now he was short--he could only come up with 35%. The bank knew his whole situation being self-employed and relocating from the start. That was the purpose of the mortgage payments going into escrow. He was not starting a different business, just relocating his same business. But they knew all that. That's the point. We told them. Who knew you couldn't count on what the bank employee says? Now I know. And that's the point of this board. Not to constantly be picked on for being a for-sale-by-owner. Not saying that is specifically you NC. And what do you mean you put your own hardwood flooring in? How long do you think that's going to last? Ha! Funny you should say that live_wire_oak, because no, I don't have a note on my house. I paid for it with cash. All my vehicles except one were either paid for with cash or paid off early. Credit cards paid in full monthly. Yes, you're right, credit is a tool and I use it wisely. I will be paying off my only truck loan asap. I'm the customer. I'm a good customer. I don't really NEED them. I guess if you want to split hairs some buyers might need them. But I don't even really NEED to sell this house. I received more than offers. We were under contract. Why does the word "buyers" bother everyone so much? Okay, let's call them "pre-buyers,"--they're more than lookers, they're more than interested, they're more than people you are negotiating with--you are out of attorney review, you are under contract, but you haven't closed yet. So how about "pre-buyers?" No harm in interviewing realtors because that's what I did before I even put it on the market. There is nothing wrong with my price or my marketing. In fact, I just saw the agent who gave me comps, an expert in the area who specializes in horse property and she could not believe the action I've had on this place. I've been under contract three times, once for the full asking price, twice for close to it ($3,000. under) and I have a fourth one cooking. All in about eight months. I hate sounding like I'm bragging but some of you keep on insinuating that I am doing something wrong because I'm a FSBO. My problem is the banks giving someone a mortgage! I know this is not a vanilla kind of house and I know that's all they're giving out loans for--vanilla houses being bought by vanilla buyers. That's what I'm saying! That's what this post is all about! How the banks are over-correcting and making it almost impossible to get loans unless they are absolutely perfect and there's no risk whatsoever involved! And all I wanted to do was vent about how hard it is nowadays and maybe get some board buddies to shake their heads and say, "I know, it's a nightmare out there." Chrisdoc, I swear I have gotten at least two dozen people asking me if I'll hold a mortgage or rent with option to buy. More evidence people can't get loans. I can't because I'm using the money for my next place. And Live_Wire, the banks can go jump off a bridge because even though I could afford a mortgage, I'm not getting one.