Aaaaaarrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhh! Okay, I have officially screamed my head off in frustration.

Actually, I wouldn't be so frustrated if I hadn't just come back from getting lost in Gaithersburg, again during my dinner hour. I don't know why I find this place so confusing. Well, except for that I've never gone anywhere down here except for the office. And, the truth is that I have a really good sense of direction, so I wasn't actually lost. I had just sort of misplaced myself in the time / space continuem. But, I was running on gasoline fumes. Perhaps what was lost was the gas station I thought was on the corner by the shopping center which has the Safeway in it. Or - wait! Is there some way I could blame Safeway for getting lost, seeing as how I hate Safeway? Hmm. Well, I don't think I can blame Safeway, unless I get a skilled attorney. Some lawyers will argue anything....

Anyway, I wound up finding a gas station but I had to pay $2.52 per gallon, as opposed to $2.40 near the office, and only $2.30 at home in the County. Then I had to find my way back and figure out what I did wrong, which was make a wrong turn.

So, today hasn't been my day. We've got the house ready to go back onto the market tomorrow. We heard from our realtors this morning. "That family who looked at the house like it. They really love it. But..."

Why does there always have to be a "but"? Why couldn't the news have just been "They really love it and they want to buy it" or even, "They want to make an offer at a lower number." ? Well, I think I know the answer to the second question: I think they know that the house is an awefully good deal as it is, and perhaps don't think there's any point in low balling us. They don't know we're desperate. And, God bless Jeff and Susan, they didn't tell them we're desperate.

"But....the payments would be more than they feel they can afford. We're working with all of our best lenders, but right now that looks like the problem."

Okay, I can certainly respect that. I've never bought a house with payments right at the limit of what we were qualified for - Thank God, or I'd probably be living on the street and writing this in the library. Still, my first question is "What's the difference between our number and their number?" I have a call in to Susan - those realtors never get a break. People have questions and deals suddenly happen at all hours of the day and night. No wonder that field draws such extroverts.

Susan told The Hub, "Don't worry, the phone's are starting to ring again."

Maybe the family's interest in the house is strong enough that they may consider adjusting their budget. She said that they are aware that there is nothing else on the market like it at this time. This is why it's a good idea to have a realtor. I'd be too quick to offer too much. Still, I'm anxious for Susan to call me back.

I told The Hub that I asked the Magic 8 Ball on my co-workers desk "Will the house sell the first day it's back on the market?" Not because I believe the Magic 8 Ball has the answer, but because there is very little else to do in the office at 10:30 at night. Both times it answered, "It is definate." I hoped that would cheer The Hub up. But I don't think it did. I think it only makes him think that we are trying to sell our house and pay our bills honorably and I have gone and lost my mind. In fact, I suspect The Hub doesn't see the humor in the Magic 8 Ball at all, but it takes all kinds of people to make up the world.

Anyway, the time is right for something good to happen. The all black wooley worm let me down - instead of being a harsh winter it's practically like spring outside. When I went out to dinner, before I lost the gas station, I noticed that I could still see the last light of the sunset. The days are getting longer, Dad's getting a hearing aid, The Hub has more work lined up, and nothing has exploded on my job.

Surely, slowly, things are getting better, and we are getting closer to the day when the phone rings and someone says "I have good news!"