Chapter Closed

I can officially close a chapter in my life - it has cost me 9 months of my life, more than $40,000 and I am down 3 members of my family.

I have learned to never lend money again, to not believe people when they say they are going to pay me back and to have an iron clad contract in place should I ever think that I will be generous again.

As a result of this a once tightly knit family that spent every holiday together and vacationed together no longer speaks to each other.  For some reason people cannot understand that they had a responsibility and made a verbal contract and not living up to that is unacceptable and has its consequences.

I believe in Karma and I know that I have done the right thing - I am rid of a house; it took only 3 weeks to receive an offer once it was placed on the market.  I did not make money from it; but, neither did I lose money other than the $34,000 that I will not recoup from the closing and down payment.

I am saying good riddance to the house and to the people; and welcoming the next phase of my life without the baggage.