She's 5' 3 7/8" *

Today's drama is brought to you by Birmingham. It is exacerbated by the fact Polly just realized she will always be shopping in the Petite section of JC Penny's. This really isn't news. She hasn't grown in more than two years. However, she saved all two years' worth of drama for me today.

So, if it was only the just Birmingham drama and not talking Polly off the cliff today, this blog may never have been written. I will have to thank her for that someday. But today, I need to write.

Back to selling in Birmingham. So, last I left you three folks, we were selling a home in Birmingham. Last week, the buyer told us they "needed more time" to do an inspection. I confirmed with Kirby, the buyers understand the price is firm and the property is As-Is. And frankly, it is in really good shape. One game buyers play is after an inspection on an As-Is property, give a laundry list of reasons why they need a lower price. Or, if the seller doesn't fall for that extortion, the buyer resorts to backing out of the contract. So, yay us.

I did tell Kirby I could not be held responsible for my actions if the buyers cancelled or tried to ask for anything else. I don't think he thought I was kidding.

In addition, apparently we are not using Legal Owl for closing. The buyer feels their attorney is much better suited for such an operation. True, but my attorney understands my LLC structure, and that is a bigger deal.

To prove my point, most of today's e-mails with Kirby were about the fact title had changed hands on this property. Yep. If you look at the tax records it did. At one point we did a lease-purchase and the lessee defaulted. We filed a quit claim, and voila! the property was back in our name.

However, the powers that be in Alabama are requiring us to provide said quit claim. I have explained until my fingers were numb from typing, my voice hoarse and my patience shot (though part of that was Polly's drama) that IT IS NOT OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP TRACK OF DEEDS THAT ARE RECORDED AND IF JEFFERSON COUNTY LOOSES IT, NOT MY PROBLEM. Of course they then wanted to talk with the attorney who did this. Unfortunately, he has passed on. So, unless they have super-natural powers, it isn't happening.

I also asked (again) if it would make more sense to use my attorney for this given there are some tricky situations. But so far, they are hell-bent on causing extra grief for themselves. I pointed out that we will not be at closing. Apparently closings in Alabama require a big old shin-dig down at the attorney's office where all the parties meet, join hands and sing a rousing version of Kumbaya while keys change hands. I also pointed out this is a holiday weekend. Notaries aren't in great supply on holiday weekends, so someone better figure out how to send us closing documents by Thursday if we are indeed closing on May 31. I would be willing to bet at this point they don't want me there anyway.

*Note: I was required tonight to measure Sweet Polly--just in case she may have grown today. She also wanted it documented, she isn't 5' 3" but 5' 3 7/8".