covet thy neighbors stuff.....

Tobey and I have been watching alot of House Hunters International on HGTV lately. I love seeing the other countries - especially the houses in France and Italy. Ya know, for when Tobey and I cash in our chips here and move abroad. Ahem. Why? Aren't you going to do that as well?

So what gets me is this. They spotlight a family or couple who are perfect. She usually is some avant garde artist/stay-at-home mom - think Deelia Deetz from Beetlejuice and he is an architect/lawyer/rocket scientist/brain surgeon type. They usually have 2.3 kids. One boy. One girl. And one in the oven. They also have at least one chocolate lab. Yes my friends, they are living the 'Merican Dream. Ahem.

They usually live in San Fransisco or Seattle and are looking for a vacation property. Vacation. Property. Overseas. Like in another country, overseas. Our vacation property has Coleman's emblazoned across it. That or a big neon sign that says Best Western. Ahem again.

I'm watching the show now actually. Single 'Merican guy overseas. Looking for a home in Japan. He can afford $750,000 and not a penny more. Poor Baby. I feel for him. What does that kind of smack buy these days anywho. In Japan? Not much.

We were watching one a while back about a family moving from Pennsylvania to France. They didn't want to buy but rent because they were only going to be in France a few years. We were told that in France you have to earn 4 times what your rent is or you can't rent said property of your 'Merican Dreams. The places these folks were looking at were $4-5k per month. Isn't that like a $16-20k a month salary? Poor babies.

Instead of a show like this - which really, I do love. How about we have a more economic-down-turn friendly show? Trailer Park Hunters. Follow a family of six as they scour the local trailer park looking for a triple wide.... And no, that isn't a cut on folks who live in trailer homes. I lived in one, actually two, once upon a time. I just think we need to keep it real. Unemployment is ridunkulous. Folks don't have health care. But Bob and Muffin are buying a bajillion dollar vacation home in France they will use twice a year.

And the other thing that gets me about these home buying shows is how unhandy these folks are. And unimaginative. "Wow Bob! I really love that ceiling fan. Let's buy this house!" "Whatever you want muffin." Or how they judge rooms on the light fixtures. Because ya know, they can't like head down to the Lowes and get a new one to replace the 1970's wagon wheel light*. *nod to Mom's old wagon wheel light