March YOGA Madness

Maybe it's the date on the calendar. March 1st already. Already! Reminding me that time continues to click away.

Or it's the fact that the snow has almost completely melted and the sun is blazing promising a high of 46 degrees. Giving Chicagoans that Spring feeling. That time-to-get-exercising-again feeling. That bathing-suit-season-is-just-around-the-corner feeling.

Or perhaps it's the fact that my little baby is now over 17 pounds and I feel that added weight in my body. In my shoulders, my arms, my lower back.

Likely it's a combination of it all.

But no matter the reason, last night before collapsing into bed feeling my age in my joints, it hit me.

I need yoga.

I need to get back in touch with my body.

I need to breathe.

I need to nurture myself.

I need to take time out of my day - even if only for 10 minutes - to breathe, stretch and check-in with my body.

I need yoga.

My Month of Yoga
So for the entire month of March I am committing to doing yoga every single day.

Every day.

Every single day.

Without skipping.

Without excuses.

Yoga once a day every day for at least ten minutes.

I know... ten minutes doesn't sound like much. But it's so much better than nothing. And if I commit to ten minutes, it's more than likely those ten minutes will stretch into something longer.

Ten minutes isn't intimidating.

And it's enough for at least a few sun salutations.

My goal is an hour a day. But there are some days that it's too challenging to carve out that hour. So at the very least it's ten minutes.

I'm really excited about this. I can't remember the last time I exercised every single day for a month without fail. I'm looking forward to having a conversation with my body again. And getting to know each other. I expect to be good friends by the end of the month.

The cost of doing yoga
Yoga classes are not in our budget.
And neither is a gym membership.
That means I'll be practicing yoga at home. Luckily I already have a mat and yoga blocks.
But that's it. I mean, I don't have any yoga DVDs.
So this is where I could use some help.

If there are any Yogis out there reading this... could you please recommend your favorite (beginner) poses to do if you only had ten minutes to practice?

Also, any online sources for Yoga inspiration?

Thank you so much! I'll be checking back in with my progress.

And lastly, does anyone out there want to join me?

Please talk to me in the comments below!

Happy March 1st, everyone!

Love,
Steph

(the above image is from yogawonders.com)

Could you live in an airstream without any closets?

Way back when we were fighting foreclosure we fantasized about selling everything and moving into an Airstream. I even blogged about it (here).

I figured if we're downsizing, let's really downsize. And why not be mobile too. Travel the U.S. Do something bold that we'd never do otherwise.

Having packed up our belongings and moved several times now since then...

L.A. to Chicago (July 2009)
Chicago to Friday Harbor, WA (October 2009)
Friday Harbor, WA back to Chicago (August 2010)

...I can say we still have way more stuff than would ever fit in an Airstream trailer.

To live in an airstream, it would seem, would require either a large storage locker or a monk-like dedication to minimalism. I just don't think it's for me. However, I still wonder.

And then I come across articles like this one from Sunset Magazine about a landscape architect who turned a vintage Airstream trailer into a stylish home and I'm convinced it's not for us. Perhaps as a single person I could have made this work. But for a family of 4 (yes, I'm including the Pug) it would be a recipe for daily Jerry Springer episodes come to life.

Don't get me wrong. We love being together. All. The. Time. For real. But there's a difference between being together and living on top of each other.

Seriously, click the link to see the slideshow of his trailer. Stylish, yes. Tiny, indeed. So tiny. I admire the person who requires such a small space and who has such dedication to minimalism. But spaces that small, I'm convinced, were not made for a marriage. And a baby. Except for the weekend getaway. Yes. That I could do.

What about you? Could you do it?
Could you live and be happy in a stylish Airstream trailer?
If not now, was there ever a time you could have?

Related link:

-Blogger Adam Baker of Man Vs. Debt has taken his family on the road in a big ol' RV for 2010. You can live vicariously through them here.

-I can't get enough of these Airstream photos from Trendhunter.com in their Retro RV Photography slideshow. They're my kind of eye candy. Here's one example:

(Photo of Retro RV Photography (Via: lenleerepresents, thebostonegotist)

(Photo at top of post is from Sunset Magazine)

Random Money Saving Tip

This morning as I was going through my oral hygiene routine, I got excited about my mouthwash. And I thought I'd share it with you.

This isn't about love (well, as much as one can love mouthwash) and it isn't about foreclosure, but it is about saving money.

Bob and I miss many things about our life in L.A. To be expected, of course. We built a life there for almost eight years.

At the top of our list of things we miss is our dentist: Dr. Jill Sekiguchi. She's the best dentist I've ever had. She does the cleanings herself. She's so thorough and gentle. And she loves her job. Loves. It. She gets so excited when by scraping away tartar. She'll even show you the big chunks if you're game... in a "Wow, look at this piece I just got!" sort of way. It's really awesome, actually.

And she's the one who recommended the mouthwash. Dr. Jill told me the best (and cheapest) mouth wash to use is Hydrogen Peroxide.

Yep. So simple. So cheap. At 99 cents a bottle. You can't beat that. I love the way it makes my gums feel. And the way it attacks germs and bad breath. A dose of oxygen to the mouth.

Mix one cap full of hydrogen peroxide with one cap full of water and you've got yourself a highly effective, money saving mouthwash.

One tip: I usually rinse before I brush. That way I get the minty flavor after taste from the toothpaste as opposed to the slightly strange after taste of the hydrogen peroxide.

So there you go.

I showed you mine. Now show me yours.
Please share your every day money saving tips in the comments!

P.S. Anyone else use hydrogen peroxide as a mouth wash?

Related articles

• The Best Ways to Whiten Your Teeth (wisebread.com)

How To Breathe When You're Underwater

This morning I woke up to an article from CNN Money that gives the stat that 30% of all mortgages are underwater.


The first two lines read:

"Sometime, somehow, the foreclosure crisis will ease. But probably not anytime soon."

Kind of a downer, right? Kind of? Ha. Definitely. And if you're underwater or facing foreclosure, that is how it feels. And the reality of this foreclosure crisis is that it is a long one. Not an uplifting revelation.

So what do you do if your mortgage is underwater? And how does that feel on a daily basis? And what do you do to make a difference in that situation?

Our mortgage wasn't underwater. We ended up in foreclosure as a result of not being able to make our payments due to job loss. However, I imagine a lot of the experience is similar.

So I present to you, an IMAGINED conversation with an underwater homeowner (UH):

ME: Did you ever expect to owe more than your house is worth?

UH: (Duh.) Not in a million years. We obviously would never have bought.

ME: Right. Of course. So how does it make you feel to make those payments every month?

UH: Duped. Like the bank is laughing all the way to the... well, to the bank.

ME: I imagine you feel angry too.

UH: Yeah. And like an idiot at times for having made such a terrible investment.

ME: Well, you couldn't have known--

UH: No. But if I had known... well, I wouldn't have this bleeding ulcer.

ME: You have a bleeding ulcer?!

UH: From the stress.

ME: I'm sorry to hear that. So what do you do?

UH: I make the payments.

ME: Why?

UH: Because I signed a contract. Because I can. Because I don't want to end up in foreclosure.

ME: Are you aware that many underwater homeowners are now walking away as a business decision?

UH: Yes. And we considered that. But...

ME: But?

UH: It just doesn't feel right.

ME: I get that. I think a lot of people feel that way.

UH: Are we almost done?

ME: Just one more question. With all of the stress of being underwater, how do you...

UH: How do I...

ME: How do you breathe?

UH: (sighs) One breath at a time.

I'm not sure this imagined conversation sheds light on anything.

And I'm still not sure I know the answer to the question How to Breathe When You're Underwater, but I do know some things that don't help...

5 Things that don't help you breathe when you're underwater:

1. Dwelling on the mistakes of the past
"We never should have bought this house!" Sound familiar? You can't change the past and this sort of thinking will only lead to more regret, depression, self-loathing, second-guessing, anger, resentment and bleeding ulcers.

2. Playing the blame game
Whether you blame your spouse for wanting the house in the first place, your intuition for telling you it was a good idea, President Bush for starting this crisis, President Obama for not yet solving it, or the banks for getting rich while your investment tanks... spending energy blaming is energy wasted. The sooner you come to peace with the way things are, the more room you'll have to breathe (and regroup!)

3. Taking it out on your house
We've all heard the stories of homeowners who destroy their homes just before the banks repossess them. They do this, I suppose, to release anger and to stick it to the banks. Well, whether you're in foreclosure or underwater, this is not advised. For your own sake! Think about it. Your environment is so important. Especially at this time. The best thing you can do right now is ENJOY YOUR HOME WHILE YOU HAVE IT.

Now is the perfect time to de-clutter. Organize those closets. Get rid of excess stuff. Go on. Sell it on eBay or Craigslist and make some extra cash. Then, once your house is in tip-top shape, throw a dinner party. Share it with your friends and family. Appreciate it more now than ever before. This makes sense because A. You still live there, so you may as well enjoy it and B. If you end up needing to sell, you'll be ready.

Just remember. It's not your house's fault. So be nice to your house.

4. Denial
The only thing denial gets you is inaction and that is very dangerous for someone who is underwater and/or facing foreclosure. It's not a fun place to be, I know. A little escapism can go a long way. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about outright denial. Ignoring the situation and pretending that it's all peaches and cream. Now is the time to be reading up. Researching your options. Talking to the bank. Working on restructuring your loan. And facing reality with confidence and determination. You never know what you might be able to accomplish when you embrace reality.

5. Neglecting the rest of your life
While it is a good idea to face the reality of your situation, it's not a good idea to become singularly focused on your personal housing crisis and ignore all other areas of your life. This doesn't usually happen intentionally. It just happens. Yes, I know. It's hard to enjoy life when such a huge part is going so far off plan. But obsessing about it will only bleed into the other areas of your life. You know. Like an ulcer.

Instead, try this: LIVE IN THE MOMENT

As hard as it might sound, it's really not. It's just a switch. Notice the world around you. Be in the moment in every moment.

As John Lennon wrote, "Life is just what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

Breathe each breath, as our imagined underwater homeowner said, "One breath at a time."

And if all else fails, try yoga.

I hope that helps!

What helps you breathe?


CNNMoney - 30% of Mortgages Are Underwater

The night before the big storm

Pretty much the only thing on our minds here in Chicago tonight is snow. Snow. Snow. Apparently we're about to be hit by a storm that rivals the blizzard of 1967. People are stocking up and hunkering down. I'm hoping for a snow day on Wednesday so that we can all be home together.

My theory about winter is if you have to endure the cold, there may as well be lots of pretty snow. I love snow. Because to me snow always suggests play. Yes, I know it also suggests hassle. And possibly disaster. But I'm thinking like a kid here. And all I can see is snowball fights, snow men, snow angels, pretty snowflakes and people coming together.

So here's hoping for a lovely snowfall full of play and wonder and hassle and disaster-free.

Now, on a completely separate note. I was recently interviewed by my friend and fellow playwright Sara Israel for the Blog at Boston Court as the first in a series called "From the desk of" where Sara takes a look at writers' writing spaces.

We talk about my physical writing space as well as a bit of my process and the new play I'm working on. There are a few pictures too. I love the one of my writing space where you can see both Malcolm and Pablo. Check it out here.

Okay, Malcolm's crying. Gotta run!

Disappearing debt little by little

Let's talk about debt.

As I said, we still have it. We're still paying off debts to the IRS, the State of California Franchise Tax Board and student loans. And we have a long way to go. That debt weighs heavily on us every day. It's suffocating. And usually when I think about it I feel a mixture of apathy and failure.

*Sigh*

Not very inspiring. Quite the opposite, actually.

So I'm talking to my good friend Darchelle the other day about this debt and she offers another way to look at it. The conversation goes something like this:

Me: (whining) It feels like we'll never be out of debt!

Darchelle: But you have less debt this year than you had last year, right?

Me: Well... yes. (a light bulb goes off) Actually, we haven't accrued any new debt in over two years.

Darchelle: How many people can say that?

And scene.

No new debt
It's true, we haven't accrued any new debt in 2 years.

For the last two years we have been living a cash life.

And it is so rare that we actually acknowledge the triumph in that. We're usually too busy beating ourselves up for the debt we still have. But Darchelle was totally right. We have had less debt each year for the last two years. And if we had managed to hang onto our house, there's no way we could say that. We're moving in the right direction.

It's hard to see the progress because it's not tangible. Because we have nothing to show for our success in chipping away at our debt. That's precisely the point-- having nothing to show. But it's precisely what makes it such a challenging mental game. We're wired to have things to show for success.

Being debt-free... that's not visible. It's not tangible. And it's so slow. We're also wired to want everything now. Now. NOW! Instant gratification. Such a curse.

I mentioned this to Bob the other night. I said, do you realize that we haven't accrued a penny of debt over the last two years? He said that hasn't been the case since he was in college. Or was it earlier? I can't remember now. The point was that it had been a while. Bob got the triumph.

It is a triumph. To go from living most of your life accruing new debt year to year to breaking that trend. Intervening in the upward climb of what we owe. For two solid years. That intangible pile of money owed has shrunk. Maybe not perceptibly. But it has grown, not bigger, but smaller.

We've completely altered the way we live. It's not glamorous, but it's totally aligned with our goal of financial freedom.

Life without credit cards
Because we live a cash life, we have to budget and save before we spend. And once it's gone, it's gone. No more spending.

I haven't had a hair cut in months because there isn't any room for it in our budget. And I've been making do without winter boots in single digit temps in Chicago because we don't have the cash for a new pair. (I'm using thick wool socks in my rain boots for the brief moments I'm outside and it's been working. But I do really want some warm winter boots and curse myself for selling the pair I used to own in the Estate Sale.)

Thankfully, and of most importance, our main NEEDS are taken care of. We have a roof over our heads. We have heat. We have food in the refrigerator.

Hand-me-downs have saved us in regards to Malcolm. Almost everything for Malcolm has pretty much been handed down or gifted to us by the wonderful people in our lives. The rest was purchased at Goodwill and various thrift stores.

We're constantly distinguishing want vs. need. And it gets easier each day. Easier too because we simply don't have the room for wants. We do very well with what we have.

Of course, that doesn't stop us from wanting from time to time. We're human. But it does stop us from spending. And that's key.

Where there is room for improvement: Budgeting.

But for now, I'm going to raise my glass of water in a toast to having less debt this year than last year. And less each year that comes until we work our way all the way down to zero.

Disappearing debt little by little. It's a triumph worthy of celebration.

And thank you, Darchelle, for helping me get that!

Salud!

Dear LITTOF...

One of the things that was so helpful to me in writing LITTOF when we were going through everything was hearing similar stories from readers.

Every time someone shared their parallel story with me it made me realize more and more how we weren't alone. Not that I wished these circumstances on anyone but knowing that someone out there could relate to our struggle made it so much easier.

It also put things in perspective.... helping to put a stop to any potential pity party. One thing was increasingly clear and still is. We aren't alone.

I received another e-mail like this today that I thought I would share and respond to publicly.

Hey there!

I am so happy to get your email and see that you will be addressing this topic again. My husband and I have two small children (9 months and 2 1/2 years old) and we began our modification/shortsale/foreclosure (what ever it is going to be) when I was pregnant with our first baby.

We saw the train coming but couldn't dodge it. The Bank wouldn't talk to us until we missed payments and got behind. We played their game, sent all the docs again and again and again.

Got several Modification offers that were ridiculous and didn't help at all. More countless, crazy, no-resolution hours on the phone with the bank than you can imagine....no, I'm sure you CAN imagine!

Well, anyway, right before the bank was to sell, they decided to do a mod trial with HAMP. After 10 months of that and escalation to the corporate resolution team, we were finally told we didn't qualify. Hmmmm.

Well, now we are in contract to short sale our home but who know if they will accept the offer. We may end up in foreclosure and then bankruptcy like you. It's all going to take time to tell.

Meanwhile, we love our home that we have remodeled and made our own. But it is just brick and mortar. We are excited about our future and the lessons we have learned, that we have each other. We consider it the price to pay for this painful education we have received.

BTW, we are following Dave Ramsey's principles to get out of debt and change our legacy. Another podcast I like is: www.reboundpodcast.com A couple emerging from foreclosure too and their very candid experiences along the way. Well, I look forward to seeing your new blog. Where shall I look? Or, will it pop up in my email? Good luck. -Laurie

Dear Laurie,

First of all... I cannot imagine facing foreclosure through not one but two pregnancies! You've been going through this for almost three years now, yes? That's just mind boggling. Yet, it's a reality. Your reality. So, congratulations for maintaining such an amazing attitude in the face of so much unknown.

HAMP. I'm sorry to hear yet another failure in regards to HAMP. I would love to hear from someone that this program actually helped. HAMP was first introduced when we were negotiating our short sale contract and we had such high hopes for it.

LOVE FOR HOME. Oh boy, I can relate. We still miss our house. We still fantasize about it. And we're clear that by now we have totally romanticized it... completely ignoring the flaws and things that drove us crazy (like lack of storage, for example.) Anyway, you are right that it's just bricks and mortar. That's what we kept reminding each other. Home can be created wherever you are. Bob said something to me just before we had to be out of our house that I recently re-read. He said:

"Wherever we go, we'll improve."

That perspective offered me so much comfort. At the time we didn't know where we would be living, but we had confidence that no matter where it was we would make sure to be better. I hope that offers comfort to you as well.

PAINFUL EDUCATION. This phrase you use really struck me. It's so true, isn't it? It is an education. All of it. Especially if you choose to view it that way. And it can be certainly painful. It sounds like in the face of that pain you've created boundless moments of joy as well. I wholeheartedly believe in that. You have each other, as you said, and your two children. And now you're prepared for anything.

SHORT SALE. Well, if you've followed the blog you'll know that we managed to sell the house in a short sale, thereby avoiding foreclosure. I hope the bank does accept your offer and that it all works out. But if not, keep at it. We had one short sale offer totally fall apart before the one the bank accepted.

DAVE RAMSEY. I need to read his book already. So many people have told me to look into him and the difference he makes for people in debt. I'll definitely check it out.

REBOUND PODCAST. Thanks for pointing me in their direction. I can't believe I haven't heard about them yet. I'll definitely be listening.

THE NEW BLOG. You ask where you can find the new blog. Well, right here! At Loveinthetimeofforeclosure.com. And if you received my last post as an e-mail, that means that you're on the e-mail list and you'll keep receiving them every time I post. Thanks for asking!

Good luck to you, Laurie. And thank you so much for reaching out. Thank you for allowing me to publicly share your e-mail. Keep us posted!

Best,

Steph

The re-birth of LITTOF

This doesn't have to be awkward.
I know it's been a while, but I'm still me and you're still you.
Let's talk as though no time has passed. It can be that way, right?
That's the testament of a true friendship. Time goes by but it feels like only yesterday.

So, yes. I'm back.

I know what you're thinking.

Why? Why now? You said you were done with this blog.

True. I did say that. But...

A girl can change her mind, right?

Here's the thing. All this time has given me something. Perspective. And two things happened last week that brought my new perspective into focus.

1. The numbers came out. 2010 was the biggest year for foreclosures. 1 million American homes were repossessed in 2010.

2. A friend who is finding it hard to hold onto their home reached out to me for advice and inspiration.

As I was writing my friend a long message providing what I hoped would be inspiration, it hit me. Just because our foreclosure story is now almost two years behind us doesn't mean that I can't still make a difference for others who are in foreclosure or teetering on the precipice today.

I said that I began this blog to make a difference by sharing our story. And I was passionately committed to that. The truth is, that commitment never ended. I'm still passionate about making a difference for people in financial distress.

Having come through to the other side has me even more passionate about that.

I know I said I didn't want our lives to be defined by foreclosure and that's part of the reason I "retired" LITTOF. But I see now that who we are today is so clearly defined by who we chose to be in the face of foreclosure. I think what I needed was just a long break. To just live. To have a baby and start a new blog and enjoy our new life on an island and gain some distance from the F-word.

I just really want to make a difference!
While responding to my friend in distress, I thought about the millions and millions of Americans in the same situation. I thought about the LITTOF readers that still sometimes e-mail me and ask for advice. And I just kept thinking about how I want to help. Somehow.

I know how easy it is to give into the despair. And I also know how important it is to rise above it. I don't have answers, but I do have a survivor's tale filled with inspiration. And by sharing that, by continuing to share that, I hope to spread some much needed hope.

Blogging with purpose
After retiring LITTOF, I started my new blog, Two Years on an Island. On that blog I wrote about life on a rural and very special island. Being pregnant. Giving birth. Mowing the lawn while seven months pregnant. That was a fun blog to write but ran its course when we moved from the island at the end of August.

Since then I've fiddled with the idea of starting another blog. Just to have a blog. But I don't want to blog just to blog. As a new mom who is still trying to be a playwright and non-fiction writer, I do not have that kind of time. If I'm going to blog, it must be with purpose.

So last week after getting the reality of the increasing scope of the foreclosure crisis and hearing how it's impacting someone I know, I finally got it.

If foreclosure insists on persisting, then I insist on loving. Or something like that.

Bottom line is, I'm not done yet.

All you need is love
This, in American history, is still the time of foreclosure and love is exactly what we need.

The title of this blog came from our personal story. How we managed to be more in love than ever before in the face of foreclosure. How our marriage benefited by how we approached our financial crisis.

But now I see the title as something beyond that. Actually, Bob helped me see it that way. When I told him that I was going to start blogging again at LITTOF and why, he totally got it. And he said:

"Now you can give love to others in foreclosure."

So that's what this is about. Putting love out there in the world via a little blog. Blog post by blog post, that is my intention.

As I said, I don't have answers.

I have only our experience.

And our commitment: to rise above our financial distress. And love above all else. Love as an action. As a commitment. As a way of being.

One last note. The tag line of this blog still applies.

"TWO PEOPLE DEEP IN DEBT, WORKING OUR WAY OUT AND HAPPIER THAN WE EVER HAVE BEEN."

Yes, we are still deep in debt.

Yes, we declared bankruptcy. But the "Big B" doesn't wipe out IRS debts or student loans.

So I will be sharing about that. About what we're doing to get out of debt. I'll share about parenthood through this lens. I will write about our experience in our third home in less than two years. And pretty much whatever else is on my mind. If you've been a follower of this blog, then you know what to expect.

What do I expect from you? Nothing. No expectations.

What would I like? Well, for you to share. Write to me. Ask me your questions, share your stories. Share this blog with someone who is facing foreclosure or worried about ending up there one day. I need your help to spread the love.

You can write me here: loveinthetimeofforeclosure@gmail.com

What do I intend? To make a difference. To provide a little inspiration. A little light in the darkness. Maybe even some humor. But most of all I want to get you to believe that it is possible to be happy, in fact happier than ever, even in the face of foreclosure.

Love,

Steph

Welcome to Love in the Time of Foreclosure

Hi! My name is Stephanie Walker and I began this blog in January of 2009 while my husband and I were fighting to keep our house out of foreclosure and our marriage above the madness.

We succeeded at both. Hooray!

Our house sold in a short sale on June 30, 2009 and our marriage is better than ever. In fact, we're expecting our first child in July!

Where do we live now? Rent-free in a 1910 farmhouse on a remote and beautiful little island in Washington State.

How the heck did that happen?! Well, our entire journey is here. The ups the downs and everything in between. I invite you to start from the beginning. The first post "Drowning in debt, Losing our house, Happier than ever" can be read here.

Or you could check out some of the most popular posts:

F is for foreclosure

5 Ideas for Rent-Free Living

The Freeing-up sale: We came, we sold, we have nothing but this blog post to show... and it feels fantastic!

The Big News: A Whale of an Opportunity

B is for...

Or how about reading some of my favorite posts such as...

A Guy's Guy (written by Bob for the male perspective)

How to be happy. Now.

The Sixty Dollar Lobster

How we AVOIDED foreclosure

For a time, the blog was located over at ChicagoNow. And there are lots of posts over there. That's where I blogged about our bankruptcy as well as the first three months in the house on the island.

If you want to know about our life on the island, you'll want to visit my NEW blog Two Years on an Island. I hope you'll take a gander.

And by the way, I love hearing from readers! I began this blog hoping to connect with others going through the same thing. If that's you, I especially would love to hear from you.

You can e-mail me at: loveinthetimeofforeclosure at gmail.com

Thank you so much for visiting!

News: My new blog and the L.A. Times

Hi LITTOF readers!

I just wanted to let you know that I have started a new blog! It's called "Two Years on an Island" and is located here. I'll be writing about life on the island and our experiences here while paying down our debt and preparing to be first-time parents.

There is a new post today about how our mechanic flew us from Seattle to Friday Harbor on Saturday in his Cessna. Seriously, this happened. This place is filled with amazing people and stories and I'll be sharing them on the new blog. I hope you'll check it out and keep in touch.

Next bit of news is that we were on the FRONT PAGE of last Thursday's Los Angeles Times! It is a story about short sales and they use our experience as an example. They also mention "Love in the Time of Foreclosure." To read the story, click here.

As always, thank you for reading!