Yesterday we had to move to another spot at the RV park. There is a guy who has been coming to this place for the past eleven years, and we were in *his* spot. Not having met him, he sounds like a total douche... he owns an RV, but flies someone in to park it and set it up, then she comes in once a week to clean it for him. I admit Mike does the lion's share of the work when it comes to the RV, but that's because I don't know how to do them yet. I have been trying to help as much as I can because I want to know how to do it. I'm starting to get the hang of it... of course now we're not moving around as much so I'll probably start to forget.
After that we went to see Mark, to pay him for the temporary electric pole he built for us. Finally got to see it, it was a beaut. We're going to keep it so that we can use it when we get settled, no point in selling it with the land, it's $800 that we won't have to worry about in the future. He told us about some property that was nearby, for sale, but not publicly, then he took us on a tour of it. It's close to 80 acres for around $3k/acre, but the guy trades too, so he may be willing to take our land as a downpayment and then owner finance the rest. The road going back to that area is good... two lanes with a center stripe. Mark brings his heavy equipment in and out all the time, so an RV should work. The road going into the land would need to be cleared and graveled, but the land itself is amazing. As Mark was talking about what he'd do with it if it was his, I could clearly see the pond, the clearings, etc., and there are footers for a cabin already in place. It needs some cleanup, but there is also marketable timber that we may be able to sell to offset some of that.
Mark owns most of the property around it and is like us, he wants to keep people at a distance, so he was explaining that with the hollers around it, and him owning land around it, no one is going to come in and build and it will stay secluded. There are several springs on the property, and a waterfall supposedly. And the best part, other than having a kickass neighbor and everything else I've just said, is that it's on the Cookeville side of Gainesboro, so it's only about 15-20 mins to a larger town if we need something, or want to eat at a restaurant like we're used to.
Speaking of which, we went back to Char for my birthday. We'd gone there last time we were here but Mike had just had gallbladder surgery and we ended up in the ER. We were both looking forward to going back because the leftovers we got were amazing. We weren't disappointed. I had ribeye with bleu cheese and a baked potato. Mike had a seafood pasta with a lemon cream sauce. Both were delicious and enough for leftovers today.
Then we went to Verizon to get Mike a phone that might at least work sporadically around here. AT&T just wasn't cutting it. They claim to have a 'moderate service area' around here... bullshit, they have no service whatsoever. The representative I spoke to - before I even mentioned cancelling - told me that I had a contract and I couldn't just cancel without paying a termination fee. The supervisor said almost the same thing, except he offered to split it with us. So it cost us around $85 to cancel and it was the first time I have ever been disappointed with AT&T. Up until now, everyone has been awesome and I have sung their praises, so I know it's just the one guy and not the company, but I'm still a little miffed. Part of the contract is that they provide us service, not feed us bullshit and tell us to get a signal booster for the house that will "help." I don't feel like we should have to pay anything to cancel.
This afternoon we emptied out the belly of the beast and finally organized our things. We'd just sort of shoved everything in there when we moved because we were short on time, and ever since we've been on the move or busy doing something. Now food is with food, RV stuff is in its own bin, electronics have their own box, etc. It's much better now, and I was able to clear the space around the dining room table because I could move stuff into storage. Tonight we'll sort through clothes and figure out what we can swap out, room is tight in the closet and drawers so we need to make choices.
One of our neighbors is in the process of packing up and leaving. I don't know details and don't need to know, but I have enough info to realize it wasn't their choice. They were cool people and we enjoyed talking to them, they had a campfire this weekend and invited us over to sit around and talk to everyone. The guy was a spitfire and liked to joke, he'd always say something to me that was sexist (jokingly), and I'd flip him off, and he'd laugh. Good people, I wish them well.
Dinner tonight is sauerkraut and sausage (jalapeno cheese sausage from Froberg that we had in our freezer). Then more organizing. I'm losing track of the days but I think it's Wednesday. We don't really have plans until Monday except that our building will arrive sometime soon. Mark is letting us keep it at his place until we sort things out. That's another reason why that property would be nice... it's nearby, hahaha. He's also going to ask around to see if anyone wants to buy it. If we can sell it, we can put that money into a pole barn, which would actually work better for us anyway. Can you tell I hate that building? Well I do. I would love to be rid of it. I've seen several farmers storing their hay in that type of building, so maybe we can find someone wants it and it will be a win-win situation for both of us. Here's hoping.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Monday, June 25, 2012
0029 - Goin' for a ride
We do a lot of driving lately. Well... Mike does. If you just look at the mileage it doesn't seem like we go very far, but with all the curvy roads and hills, it takes a while to get anywhere. Gainesboro is our hub, it's where our land was, and it is the nearest town with a grocery store, bank, etc. We have a little convenience store down the street and they have stuff to get you by, but if you want real groceries you have to go to Foodtown or Walmart. I'm trying to avoid Walmart as much as possible... at Walmart there always seems to be a hole in my pocket, and I prefer to support small local shops rather than putting more money into Walmart's coffers. Plus, if you go to Walmart... you chance an encounter with the people of Walmart... lordy.
Today we went to the electric company to get a refund for the money we paid toward having lines installed. Last week we went to the electric company, went to our land, then immediately went back to the electric company and asked them to cancel the work order. They use a third party to process their credit card payments, so it was a chore for them to refund my money, but props to them, they made the effort. I had to come in while the supervisor could take care of it. Took a while... we were there for about half an hour, but it was well worth our time.
Headed into Carthage to get lunch... we were looking for a mom and pop burger joint... none to be found. How can that be? There is a hamburger and hair shop on the way out of Granville, but we weren't near it. I call it Hairburger, it amuses me. I don't know its real name. We saw two Mexican restaurants... we chose El Rey. Did I not learn from our last trip? No, I did not. Carthage is a larger town - they have not one, but four buildings with the word "attorney' in the name. It sucked. I ordered nachos... what I got was a bunch of chips swimming in a thin cheese-like sauce and it was nasty. Mike got a dish that had a little bit of everything, it was also nasty. Truth be told it's my own damn fault... I could tell by the salsa that I was in for a disappointment. I have decided that if everything works out with the business we hope to buy, we will open a little store and I can make salsa and green sauce, can it in jars and sell it. It will blow everyone's mind. I'm not even that proficient, it's just that theirs sucks SO BAD. I even realized that if we get that business, we could get a food truck and serve lunches during the week and we wouldn't have to get anyone's permission, it would be our property. We could grow a garden and sell produce. We can sell fishing licenses. We can sell stamps. We can provide notary services. We can send faxes. We can run VolTac from there. We could do any-damn-thing we want.
After Carthage, we went to the bank and opened an account so that I can have local access to money, and the ability to write checks. I never got checks for my credit union account, and most people out here prefer cash or checks. Of course, checks that aren't local aren't necessarily worth the paper they're printed on, so that was another consideration. Of the places that accept credit cards, some have a credit card minimum, others charge a 3% surcharge. I get that but it kind of sucks because I'm not used to it... I prefer people to price their stuff accordingly and make that fee transparent to me.
Then we went to Foodtown. Foodtown is decent, I'm used to more selection, and I haven't figured out the rhyme and reason of their layout yet. My one complaint is that they don't have leafy lettuces, just iceberg. Well... two complaints... no Chobani. That's okay... I'm going to work on setting up my AeroGrow and I'll take care of the lettuce myself... the Chobani is a problem that can't be solved. (sigh)
We're trying to eat more meals at home... both because it's cheaper and better for us, and because we're tired of being disappointed by the local fare. I'm having to create menus on the fly, but that's okay because I like it. Tonight was jerk chicken with roasted broccoli and sauteed summer squash. We'll have Cherry Garcia ice cream for dessert in a minute. Used the little grill for the first time. It's good in a pinch, but I think I want a better one. A lid would be a handy thing to have, and it could be sturdier... wind was blowing, and if there was no charcoal in there, I was afraid it might tip over. That said, it did the trick, we were able to grill.
Soon we'll be heading to Louisville to finish Mike's dental work. He's been having issues with his implants and it's hard for him to eat. It's supposedly a two hour trip from here, so we'll try to make it in a day, or if we need to stay the night we'll get a hotel room. It's not worth pulling up stakes for a day and trying to find a spot. Can't wait to eat at Red Star again. And Maker's Mark. Now THAT is good food... Maybe I'm a snob.
That was pretty much our day today. Phone is still frustrating... I can receive calls if I sit the phone in a certain spot by the bed. I have to put it on speaker phone though... if I pick the phone up and put it to my ear the call gets dropped. As we're driving I'll get a signal, and then mid-sentence I'll lose the call. Tried Skype and it was no better. I hear the person I'm talking to just fine, I apparently cut out. I'm glad we have internet, but that's not a solution all of the time... sometimes you do need a phone.
Today we went to the electric company to get a refund for the money we paid toward having lines installed. Last week we went to the electric company, went to our land, then immediately went back to the electric company and asked them to cancel the work order. They use a third party to process their credit card payments, so it was a chore for them to refund my money, but props to them, they made the effort. I had to come in while the supervisor could take care of it. Took a while... we were there for about half an hour, but it was well worth our time.
Headed into Carthage to get lunch... we were looking for a mom and pop burger joint... none to be found. How can that be? There is a hamburger and hair shop on the way out of Granville, but we weren't near it. I call it Hairburger, it amuses me. I don't know its real name. We saw two Mexican restaurants... we chose El Rey. Did I not learn from our last trip? No, I did not. Carthage is a larger town - they have not one, but four buildings with the word "attorney' in the name. It sucked. I ordered nachos... what I got was a bunch of chips swimming in a thin cheese-like sauce and it was nasty. Mike got a dish that had a little bit of everything, it was also nasty. Truth be told it's my own damn fault... I could tell by the salsa that I was in for a disappointment. I have decided that if everything works out with the business we hope to buy, we will open a little store and I can make salsa and green sauce, can it in jars and sell it. It will blow everyone's mind. I'm not even that proficient, it's just that theirs sucks SO BAD. I even realized that if we get that business, we could get a food truck and serve lunches during the week and we wouldn't have to get anyone's permission, it would be our property. We could grow a garden and sell produce. We can sell fishing licenses. We can sell stamps. We can provide notary services. We can send faxes. We can run VolTac from there. We could do any-damn-thing we want.
After Carthage, we went to the bank and opened an account so that I can have local access to money, and the ability to write checks. I never got checks for my credit union account, and most people out here prefer cash or checks. Of course, checks that aren't local aren't necessarily worth the paper they're printed on, so that was another consideration. Of the places that accept credit cards, some have a credit card minimum, others charge a 3% surcharge. I get that but it kind of sucks because I'm not used to it... I prefer people to price their stuff accordingly and make that fee transparent to me.
Then we went to Foodtown. Foodtown is decent, I'm used to more selection, and I haven't figured out the rhyme and reason of their layout yet. My one complaint is that they don't have leafy lettuces, just iceberg. Well... two complaints... no Chobani. That's okay... I'm going to work on setting up my AeroGrow and I'll take care of the lettuce myself... the Chobani is a problem that can't be solved. (sigh)
We're trying to eat more meals at home... both because it's cheaper and better for us, and because we're tired of being disappointed by the local fare. I'm having to create menus on the fly, but that's okay because I like it. Tonight was jerk chicken with roasted broccoli and sauteed summer squash. We'll have Cherry Garcia ice cream for dessert in a minute. Used the little grill for the first time. It's good in a pinch, but I think I want a better one. A lid would be a handy thing to have, and it could be sturdier... wind was blowing, and if there was no charcoal in there, I was afraid it might tip over. That said, it did the trick, we were able to grill.
Soon we'll be heading to Louisville to finish Mike's dental work. He's been having issues with his implants and it's hard for him to eat. It's supposedly a two hour trip from here, so we'll try to make it in a day, or if we need to stay the night we'll get a hotel room. It's not worth pulling up stakes for a day and trying to find a spot. Can't wait to eat at Red Star again. And Maker's Mark. Now THAT is good food... Maybe I'm a snob.
That was pretty much our day today. Phone is still frustrating... I can receive calls if I sit the phone in a certain spot by the bed. I have to put it on speaker phone though... if I pick the phone up and put it to my ear the call gets dropped. As we're driving I'll get a signal, and then mid-sentence I'll lose the call. Tried Skype and it was no better. I hear the person I'm talking to just fine, I apparently cut out. I'm glad we have internet, but that's not a solution all of the time... sometimes you do need a phone.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
0028 - So today is Sunday, huh?
Yesterday, in addition to perusing the local area, we finally got to visit Cyclemos. It's one of those things we've tried to do ever since the first time we came to the area, but they have odd hours and were always closed. I like motorcycles and it was interesting to see some very early models, including Mike's favorite - the Indian. They had about five of them plus Harleys and Triumphs and several I'd never heard of. All in all it was interesting, but my own personal *squee* moment was when I noticed a couple of American Pickers signs scattered throughout the place. I love that show. (Mike hasn't even read this yet and I can already see him shaking his head and giving me that look of disapproval that says, 'you just don't get it... they had Indians... you can't beat that with American Pickers' hahaha)
Music was nice last night. One guy, one guitar, and an audience of about ten people. I made the bbq potatoes and they turned out better than I anticipated... Manwich is not Joe's BBQ, but it was what we had. So we had dinner and a show and it was nice to get out and do things. Then our neighbors invited us to sit around their firepit. It was nice to just sit and talk with people and we had a really good time.
Today we perused commercial properties. We've found a couple that piqued our interest and could be viable without too much work. By that I mean we wouldn't have to renovate anything major or start from scratch... we take over, probably change a few things up, and "simply" keep it going. Yes, it will be hard work. Ideally we'd like to be our own bosses, make a decent living, and be able to set down roots here. For once we were pleasantly surprised by something we saw online and not the other way around, and the location seems good.
Made tuna helper for dinner and am watching A Dolphin's Tail as I type. We rented it about six months ago, paused it for some reason, and never got to see the end. Now it's on HBO for 'free'. I'm marinating chicken for tomorrow, jerk chicken. Forgot to get jalapenos and the nutmeg is in the belly of the beast, so I'm improvising a little, but I had most of the ingredients. Slap it on the grill and it should be tasty. Apparently my potatoes got a lot of notice last night and people wondered where they came from. If I could parlay that into a weekend gig here at the RV park that would suit me fine. I like to cook, people seem to enjoy what I cook, and if I get a good reputation, that could only help. :)
Music was nice last night. One guy, one guitar, and an audience of about ten people. I made the bbq potatoes and they turned out better than I anticipated... Manwich is not Joe's BBQ, but it was what we had. So we had dinner and a show and it was nice to get out and do things. Then our neighbors invited us to sit around their firepit. It was nice to just sit and talk with people and we had a really good time.
Today we perused commercial properties. We've found a couple that piqued our interest and could be viable without too much work. By that I mean we wouldn't have to renovate anything major or start from scratch... we take over, probably change a few things up, and "simply" keep it going. Yes, it will be hard work. Ideally we'd like to be our own bosses, make a decent living, and be able to set down roots here. For once we were pleasantly surprised by something we saw online and not the other way around, and the location seems good.
Made tuna helper for dinner and am watching A Dolphin's Tail as I type. We rented it about six months ago, paused it for some reason, and never got to see the end. Now it's on HBO for 'free'. I'm marinating chicken for tomorrow, jerk chicken. Forgot to get jalapenos and the nutmeg is in the belly of the beast, so I'm improvising a little, but I had most of the ingredients. Slap it on the grill and it should be tasty. Apparently my potatoes got a lot of notice last night and people wondered where they came from. If I could parlay that into a weekend gig here at the RV park that would suit me fine. I like to cook, people seem to enjoy what I cook, and if I get a good reputation, that could only help. :)
Saturday, June 23, 2012
0027 - For $50, I'll buy yer holler
When I get really bad news, or feel like crap, I take a few hours to wallow and then I wake up the next day with new resolve. Took Mike a while to adjust to that. He wanted to fix whatever was bothering me, and sometimes I just needed time. He still wants to fix it, but I think he understands now that I'm not falling apart forever... just for a few hours while I regroup. So I regrouped. We both did.
Yesterday we met with the realtors and discussed the improvements we've made, the marketing strategy, and the list price. We were pleasantly surprised by the list price as it's about $5k more than we thought we could ask. It's still about $7k less than we've spent... I know this leaves wiggle room for negotiation, and there is a oommission to pay, but still... given our own calculations, we're coming out ahead... in a roundabout way. This link is only good for 30 days, but if you click on it before it expires... this is/was our land: http://www.navicamls.net/displays/?n=406&i=452620&k=Tby4
We are still looking for a piece of property to replace this one. We found an interesting plot that was owner financed, and we thought it might work for us. It's about 30+ acres with a crappy trailer on it and a nice building, which is what piqued our interest - plus it said something about hookups for an RV. When we got there it was about half an acre, we could barely drive the truck around the building, and the rest of the land was down the mountain and into a steeply sided holler. Guess who listed it? Same bitch who listed our land. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice... I'll cut a bitch. We've come to realize she is an evil marketing genius that sells junk land to trusting people who buy property from afar, or maybe people who have more money than sense (hint: we're the former).
Today we made a big loop from Granville to Gainesboro to Red Boiling Springs to Celina and back. Saw some interesting things... a graveyard with a dead end road <--irony... A fire department selling fireworks <-- way more irony, or perhaps job security. We saw a few properties, but none that got us hot and bothered, or at least none in our price range.
I have begun to wonder about old abandoned commercial buildings in town... the white brick kind with windows and a little parking in front. How much do those go for? How much would it cost to renovate? There is a part of me that says a Cajun diner might fly here. It's something different, it's still simple country fare, it can be prepped ahead of time so it's quick. A little boudin, some Cajun pasta, gumbo, crawfish etoufee, cornbread, fried okra, salad, poboys... doesn't have to be a huge variety. Except for the diner here in Granville, I... haven't been overly impressed by the food in town. There is a decent selection in Gainesboro... two bbq places, a diner, a Mexican restaurant, a pizza parlor, DQ. The Mexican restaurant has a sign out front that it is under new management and will be reopening soon, which is great, because it sucked. Good luck to the new owner. If it still sucks we may open a MexiCajun restaurant.
But even if we never went the diner route, a building like that could make a decent building to store our things in. Just tossing ideas around.
Our pear cider was nary to be found this time. *sadness* No cider at the liquor store either. But they had Cocoa De Vine... chocolate wine... so the edges of my mouth are starting to curl a bit. It's odd to see Indians in a small country town. I don't know why, it just is. I think they are the only two here. I wish they would open a restaurant because I loved Cuisine of India.
We met more of our neighbors today. Very nice guys. One knows someone who might want to trade us for our land, and the other raised wolves for several years. We seem to meet people that have something we need... knowledge, contacts, etc. Our luck may be shitty in a lot of respects, but in others it's not so bad.
Tonight there is live music at the RV park, so I'm going to make bbq baked potatoes using my leftover manwich meat and my toaster oven - hoity toity? Yes indeedy. I have been able to use all the leftovers instead of tossing them out and that makes me happy, so shut up. Then we're going to crack open a bottle of blackberry wine and go be social for a while. Then? Well, that's between two consenting adults... Have a good weekend!
Yesterday we met with the realtors and discussed the improvements we've made, the marketing strategy, and the list price. We were pleasantly surprised by the list price as it's about $5k more than we thought we could ask. It's still about $7k less than we've spent... I know this leaves wiggle room for negotiation, and there is a oommission to pay, but still... given our own calculations, we're coming out ahead... in a roundabout way. This link is only good for 30 days, but if you click on it before it expires... this is/was our land: http://www.navicamls.net/displays/?n=406&i=452620&k=Tby4
We are still looking for a piece of property to replace this one. We found an interesting plot that was owner financed, and we thought it might work for us. It's about 30+ acres with a crappy trailer on it and a nice building, which is what piqued our interest - plus it said something about hookups for an RV. When we got there it was about half an acre, we could barely drive the truck around the building, and the rest of the land was down the mountain and into a steeply sided holler. Guess who listed it? Same bitch who listed our land. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice... I'll cut a bitch. We've come to realize she is an evil marketing genius that sells junk land to trusting people who buy property from afar, or maybe people who have more money than sense (hint: we're the former).
Today we made a big loop from Granville to Gainesboro to Red Boiling Springs to Celina and back. Saw some interesting things... a graveyard with a dead end road <--irony... A fire department selling fireworks <-- way more irony, or perhaps job security. We saw a few properties, but none that got us hot and bothered, or at least none in our price range.
I have begun to wonder about old abandoned commercial buildings in town... the white brick kind with windows and a little parking in front. How much do those go for? How much would it cost to renovate? There is a part of me that says a Cajun diner might fly here. It's something different, it's still simple country fare, it can be prepped ahead of time so it's quick. A little boudin, some Cajun pasta, gumbo, crawfish etoufee, cornbread, fried okra, salad, poboys... doesn't have to be a huge variety. Except for the diner here in Granville, I... haven't been overly impressed by the food in town. There is a decent selection in Gainesboro... two bbq places, a diner, a Mexican restaurant, a pizza parlor, DQ. The Mexican restaurant has a sign out front that it is under new management and will be reopening soon, which is great, because it sucked. Good luck to the new owner. If it still sucks we may open a MexiCajun restaurant.
But even if we never went the diner route, a building like that could make a decent building to store our things in. Just tossing ideas around.
Our pear cider was nary to be found this time. *sadness* No cider at the liquor store either. But they had Cocoa De Vine... chocolate wine... so the edges of my mouth are starting to curl a bit. It's odd to see Indians in a small country town. I don't know why, it just is. I think they are the only two here. I wish they would open a restaurant because I loved Cuisine of India.
We met more of our neighbors today. Very nice guys. One knows someone who might want to trade us for our land, and the other raised wolves for several years. We seem to meet people that have something we need... knowledge, contacts, etc. Our luck may be shitty in a lot of respects, but in others it's not so bad.
Tonight there is live music at the RV park, so I'm going to make bbq baked potatoes using my leftover manwich meat and my toaster oven - hoity toity? Yes indeedy. I have been able to use all the leftovers instead of tossing them out and that makes me happy, so shut up. Then we're going to crack open a bottle of blackberry wine and go be social for a while. Then? Well, that's between two consenting adults... Have a good weekend!
Thursday, June 21, 2012
0026 - The House of Cards
Ever heard the term "putting the cart before the horse"? If you have, you can skip this blog post altogether and just do the math. Otherwise, insert a Lemony Snicket-esque word of warning about the tale being extremely woeful and bad for your psyche, and read it at the peril of your former good mood.
We thought we were doing everything right. We had discussions, mulled over the pros and cons, and we thought getting a smallish piece of property where we wanted to be was a proactive and intelligent decision. We'd put a metal storage building on it... it would (in the long run) be less expensive than renting a storage unit, and it would belong to us - possibly even increasing the resale value of our land, should we choose to go that route in the future. Basically, from here we'd be able to take our time and find the perfect piece of land, and everything else would follow in suit. Dammit, we were practically pioneers!
Yes, our first trip to the property in January was slightly terrifying, but after finding the other way down the mountain and talking to a contractor, we felt a lot better about things. We didn't have an RV at that point, so we envisioned things as only people who have never owned an RV can foolishly imagine them... and with that mindset, we were cautiously optimistic as we made our way up the mountain this afternoon.
You view things differently when you actually have an RV... when you know how tall it is... when you know how it takes the turns... when you know how it reacts to bumps. You start to notice power lines, and tree limbs, and narrow, winding, climbing roads made of slag with no center stripe or shoulder. As we drove up this time, we decided it was manageable, and if we were going up once and not planning to come back down... it would probably even be okay... but in the transient lifestyle we foresee... it's dicey at best. As Mike says... we are the lane. There is no sharing a road.
Then we got to our property.
The "road" had been widened and cleared in January, but several months and a few storms later, a lot of the dirt had been washed away and it was narrow again, with tall weeds growing up through the middle and a small rut along the side. Truth be told... I didn't even see the "road" as we approached it. There is no way in hell an RV is going to make that.
Also, we had the land leveled and thought it ended up being fairly flush with the road, but the piece we would need to utilize in order to pull in was way too steep. As one of our new "neighbors" so aptly put it, "40-ft RV's don't bend." No they don't. It made me sick to my stomach. We've already invested enough money in that property, and we simply don't want to invest more. When Mike said it out loud, I was glad I didn't have to be the one to say it first... there's nothing we can do with it, let's sell it.
Another problem we've had is the building. I'll spare you the back story and just say that we got a 44' x 45' steel building kit - no end walls, no insulation, just the arch part with some skylights. It is supposedly super-easy to erect... bolt the arches together, raise them up and bolt them to the frame. Repeat until fully erect. (<-- humor) In total, between me, my cousin, and our dozer guy, we contacted about twenty contractors. All of them turned us down. One of them said, and I quote, "I don't want anything to do with it." So we don't even know how it's going to get put up... or where at this point. Our dozer guy offered to let us drop it off at his place, we may take him up on it just so that we don't have to worry about where to put it for now.
I'm wondering how much we could sell it for as scrap.
So at this point we're staying at an RV park, and will probably continue to stay at RV parks until we figure things out. We are meeting with a real estate agent tomorrow morning to put our property on the market. It has water and septic, our dozer guy said the county would level the "road" for us for free, and since there is someone building behind us, electric should be easily accessible to the new owner(s). With all of the improvements we've made, we hope it will go fairly quickly, but you never know. It's okay for someone who wants a get away, or is willing to do a little more work... it's just not good for us. We have special needs. I am (a) Jerry's kid after all.
We are still reeling a bit, I already had a mini-meltdown, but we think we now want to find a small piece of property that we can put the building on. Acreage doesn't matter anymore. It doesn't have to be anything fancy or large because we're probably not going to be there much. We're most likely headed to Huntsville, AL because Mike is pretty sure he can get a job there... probably me too, although I'm still going to try to pursue something I can do from home. Suffice it to say that our future is very uncertain at the moment because it seems like everything we touch goes to shit in a New York minute.
Gracie is now a console kitty (Mike's nickname for her... it makes me happy that they have bonded). She spends most of her truck time on the console between Mike and I. She wanders into the back seat for a bit, but it doesn't last long. She's gotten more adept at using the litterbox while the truck is in motion, no more poop on the other side of the box. In the 5'er she hides behind the couch during the day, and sleeps by my side at night. The longer we stay in one place, the more she begins to wander. It's not her favorite way of life, but it's all new to her. She was born in my garage and never knew anything different until recently. She's a trooper.
I have started cooking dinner on a regular basis. Last night we had beans and rice with sausage. Tonight we had Manwiches with 3-bean salad and German potato salad (from a can). I'll start cooking real meals soon, but for now convenience is a big part of the decision. Tomorrow night we'll probably have bbq baked potatoes using the leftover manwich meat, and we'll use potatoes Ron sells at the store. We need to go to a grocery store and get sandwich meat so we can make our own lunches as well but that's easy enough, there is a Food Town down the road.
The good stuff... We have internet now, and the cable works. Doesn't sound important, but we pay bills and look for jobs on the internet, and since there is no cell reception where we are, it is also how we keep in touch with people. Cable keeps our minds occupied so that we don't drown in our sorrows. Right now we're watching a Joan Rivers roast... laughter helps.
We have hot water. Mike went on the forums and figured out how to turn the water heater on... it's not the switch on the main console, there is a switch on the outside of the RV, behind a panel... Showers are much more enjoyable now, but more water pressure would be good if we can figure out how to make that happen.
We keep meeting really nice people and it is lovely here. Granville is perhaps even more attractive than Gainesboro, and it is just a few miles down the road. The people at the RV park couldn't be nicer. Made in the Shade, really is just that... first RV park we've been to with actual trees. The owner is incredibly cool, and our "neighbors" are salt of the earth. He also has the best variety of grocery items in his little office, even better than the actual stores we've seen at larger RV parks... hamburger patties, hot dogs, buns, eggs, individual packets of condiments... very well thought out. We have been looking for a portable charcoal grill and were planning a trip to Walmart tomorrow... he had one for $10. And we bought some farm fresh eggs (can't wait to find a farmer's market). It's the little thoughtful touches that impressed me. Seems like others appreciate it as well, he has a handful of long-term and repeat customers, as we are likely to be.
There is also an awesome store / cafe down the road, The Granville Market Deli... very cool couple who run the place. It's within walking distance of the park. I have been talking about chili cheese fries for days, and this morning Mike went there for breakfast while I slept in and the lady was just deciding on the lunch special... which ended up being... chili cheese fries. We got one order and split it... huge plate of deliciousness - chili cheese fries with sour cream on the side, and a coke, for $5. I should have taken a picture... it really hit the spot. We'll probably head there tomorrow for breakfast before we meet the realtor... biscuits and gravy, yum.
It's funny, I told Mike that the last RV park was nice, but I got bored. It felt like we were visiting, but it didn't feel like home. This place has probably less going for it in terms of size and amenities, but it feels like we're home. People talk to you, they share stories, they offer advice. They helped me smile again when we got back from our disastrous visit. And the whole area is like a nature painting. There is a trail to the lake here at the RV park, and if you follow the road in both directions there is gorgeous lake everywhere. Add mountains and trees to the mix and this is what we came to TN for. We still hope to put down roots here, we really do. Hopefully sleeping on it tonight will bring us new perspective and a solution...
We thought we were doing everything right. We had discussions, mulled over the pros and cons, and we thought getting a smallish piece of property where we wanted to be was a proactive and intelligent decision. We'd put a metal storage building on it... it would (in the long run) be less expensive than renting a storage unit, and it would belong to us - possibly even increasing the resale value of our land, should we choose to go that route in the future. Basically, from here we'd be able to take our time and find the perfect piece of land, and everything else would follow in suit. Dammit, we were practically pioneers!
Yes, our first trip to the property in January was slightly terrifying, but after finding the other way down the mountain and talking to a contractor, we felt a lot better about things. We didn't have an RV at that point, so we envisioned things as only people who have never owned an RV can foolishly imagine them... and with that mindset, we were cautiously optimistic as we made our way up the mountain this afternoon.
You view things differently when you actually have an RV... when you know how tall it is... when you know how it takes the turns... when you know how it reacts to bumps. You start to notice power lines, and tree limbs, and narrow, winding, climbing roads made of slag with no center stripe or shoulder. As we drove up this time, we decided it was manageable, and if we were going up once and not planning to come back down... it would probably even be okay... but in the transient lifestyle we foresee... it's dicey at best. As Mike says... we are the lane. There is no sharing a road.
Then we got to our property.
The "road" had been widened and cleared in January, but several months and a few storms later, a lot of the dirt had been washed away and it was narrow again, with tall weeds growing up through the middle and a small rut along the side. Truth be told... I didn't even see the "road" as we approached it. There is no way in hell an RV is going to make that.
Also, we had the land leveled and thought it ended up being fairly flush with the road, but the piece we would need to utilize in order to pull in was way too steep. As one of our new "neighbors" so aptly put it, "40-ft RV's don't bend." No they don't. It made me sick to my stomach. We've already invested enough money in that property, and we simply don't want to invest more. When Mike said it out loud, I was glad I didn't have to be the one to say it first... there's nothing we can do with it, let's sell it.
Another problem we've had is the building. I'll spare you the back story and just say that we got a 44' x 45' steel building kit - no end walls, no insulation, just the arch part with some skylights. It is supposedly super-easy to erect... bolt the arches together, raise them up and bolt them to the frame. Repeat until fully erect. (<-- humor) In total, between me, my cousin, and our dozer guy, we contacted about twenty contractors. All of them turned us down. One of them said, and I quote, "I don't want anything to do with it." So we don't even know how it's going to get put up... or where at this point. Our dozer guy offered to let us drop it off at his place, we may take him up on it just so that we don't have to worry about where to put it for now.
I'm wondering how much we could sell it for as scrap.
So at this point we're staying at an RV park, and will probably continue to stay at RV parks until we figure things out. We are meeting with a real estate agent tomorrow morning to put our property on the market. It has water and septic, our dozer guy said the county would level the "road" for us for free, and since there is someone building behind us, electric should be easily accessible to the new owner(s). With all of the improvements we've made, we hope it will go fairly quickly, but you never know. It's okay for someone who wants a get away, or is willing to do a little more work... it's just not good for us. We have special needs. I am (a) Jerry's kid after all.
We are still reeling a bit, I already had a mini-meltdown, but we think we now want to find a small piece of property that we can put the building on. Acreage doesn't matter anymore. It doesn't have to be anything fancy or large because we're probably not going to be there much. We're most likely headed to Huntsville, AL because Mike is pretty sure he can get a job there... probably me too, although I'm still going to try to pursue something I can do from home. Suffice it to say that our future is very uncertain at the moment because it seems like everything we touch goes to shit in a New York minute.
Gracie is now a console kitty (Mike's nickname for her... it makes me happy that they have bonded). She spends most of her truck time on the console between Mike and I. She wanders into the back seat for a bit, but it doesn't last long. She's gotten more adept at using the litterbox while the truck is in motion, no more poop on the other side of the box. In the 5'er she hides behind the couch during the day, and sleeps by my side at night. The longer we stay in one place, the more she begins to wander. It's not her favorite way of life, but it's all new to her. She was born in my garage and never knew anything different until recently. She's a trooper.
I have started cooking dinner on a regular basis. Last night we had beans and rice with sausage. Tonight we had Manwiches with 3-bean salad and German potato salad (from a can). I'll start cooking real meals soon, but for now convenience is a big part of the decision. Tomorrow night we'll probably have bbq baked potatoes using the leftover manwich meat, and we'll use potatoes Ron sells at the store. We need to go to a grocery store and get sandwich meat so we can make our own lunches as well but that's easy enough, there is a Food Town down the road.
The good stuff... We have internet now, and the cable works. Doesn't sound important, but we pay bills and look for jobs on the internet, and since there is no cell reception where we are, it is also how we keep in touch with people. Cable keeps our minds occupied so that we don't drown in our sorrows. Right now we're watching a Joan Rivers roast... laughter helps.
We have hot water. Mike went on the forums and figured out how to turn the water heater on... it's not the switch on the main console, there is a switch on the outside of the RV, behind a panel... Showers are much more enjoyable now, but more water pressure would be good if we can figure out how to make that happen.
We keep meeting really nice people and it is lovely here. Granville is perhaps even more attractive than Gainesboro, and it is just a few miles down the road. The people at the RV park couldn't be nicer. Made in the Shade, really is just that... first RV park we've been to with actual trees. The owner is incredibly cool, and our "neighbors" are salt of the earth. He also has the best variety of grocery items in his little office, even better than the actual stores we've seen at larger RV parks... hamburger patties, hot dogs, buns, eggs, individual packets of condiments... very well thought out. We have been looking for a portable charcoal grill and were planning a trip to Walmart tomorrow... he had one for $10. And we bought some farm fresh eggs (can't wait to find a farmer's market). It's the little thoughtful touches that impressed me. Seems like others appreciate it as well, he has a handful of long-term and repeat customers, as we are likely to be.
There is also an awesome store / cafe down the road, The Granville Market Deli... very cool couple who run the place. It's within walking distance of the park. I have been talking about chili cheese fries for days, and this morning Mike went there for breakfast while I slept in and the lady was just deciding on the lunch special... which ended up being... chili cheese fries. We got one order and split it... huge plate of deliciousness - chili cheese fries with sour cream on the side, and a coke, for $5. I should have taken a picture... it really hit the spot. We'll probably head there tomorrow for breakfast before we meet the realtor... biscuits and gravy, yum.
It's funny, I told Mike that the last RV park was nice, but I got bored. It felt like we were visiting, but it didn't feel like home. This place has probably less going for it in terms of size and amenities, but it feels like we're home. People talk to you, they share stories, they offer advice. They helped me smile again when we got back from our disastrous visit. And the whole area is like a nature painting. There is a trail to the lake here at the RV park, and if you follow the road in both directions there is gorgeous lake everywhere. Add mountains and trees to the mix and this is what we came to TN for. We still hope to put down roots here, we really do. Hopefully sleeping on it tonight will bring us new perspective and a solution...
Sunday, June 17, 2012
0025 - No biggie
We are staying here for a few days. We want to make sure the truck is good to go before we strike out again so Mike is taking it in for a checkup tomorrow. He cleaned the MAP sensor today... it was nasty. He showed me the cleaner he put it in... it started out orange, and ended up looking like cappuccino. Sensor looks a lot better now and I imagine our gas mileage is going to go up.
While he did that I reorganized the kitchen. The first leg of the trip everything stayed pretty much in place. Second leg, for some reason, cabinets opened up and stuff poured out. We also realized that some of our cabinet bottoms aren't as sturdy as they seemed, especially under the kitchen sink where the bottom literally fell out. I had a lot of canned food that we didn't really need *now* so I have culled that out and put it underneath in the belly of the beast, and moved the heavier cans to a more sturdy location. We're learning as we go. Life in an RV isn't like life in a house - there is a definite learning curve.
Last night we cooked our first meal at home. Nothing fancy, just burgers with chips and onion dip, but it makes us happy. I was already in love with him, but one night when we were staying in Austin we decided to borrow a movie from the front desk and make onion dip for dinner... when Mike said that was one of his favorite things, I fell even harder. It's nice when you have things in common, but the silly things that you have in common are the best. Anyway, from now on I think we are going to be eating at home more. Eating out is nice if it is occasional, but eating out all the time gets to be old. There is a lot more variety at home, even if you make sandwiches.
Yesterday we walked around and took pictures of the RV park. We're both camera geeks so we have fun doing that. Didn't upload the pics yet, I'll get to that later. It's nice... right outside our window you can see the water and lots of trees. I love Sundays at the RV park... most people move on and it clears out. It's strange how there are lots of people, and they're near by, but it's still pretty quiet. Probably has to do with the volume of our a/c... Since it's summertime that doesn't seem to be the case here... there are people moving in this afternoon, blocking our view of the water. Hmph.
All in all we've had a couple of normal days and it's been good for us. I know I feel better. Yesterday we went to WalMart and got more stuff that we needed... and some movies because we don't know how to get our Winegard to work property... so we don't have cable... which sucks. We were getting a total of three local channels, and they kept cutting out, but they do have a cable connections so now that we hooked in to them we get about 10... Mike has engineered a way to make it work, but it's not as easy as it is supposed to be... not by half. I want to watch Falling Skies tonight, so he gerry-rigged it to make it work. He's a good egg.
Tomorrow we'll get the truck checked out and then we'll see how much longer we'll be here. Hopefully it's an easy fix...
While he did that I reorganized the kitchen. The first leg of the trip everything stayed pretty much in place. Second leg, for some reason, cabinets opened up and stuff poured out. We also realized that some of our cabinet bottoms aren't as sturdy as they seemed, especially under the kitchen sink where the bottom literally fell out. I had a lot of canned food that we didn't really need *now* so I have culled that out and put it underneath in the belly of the beast, and moved the heavier cans to a more sturdy location. We're learning as we go. Life in an RV isn't like life in a house - there is a definite learning curve.
Last night we cooked our first meal at home. Nothing fancy, just burgers with chips and onion dip, but it makes us happy. I was already in love with him, but one night when we were staying in Austin we decided to borrow a movie from the front desk and make onion dip for dinner... when Mike said that was one of his favorite things, I fell even harder. It's nice when you have things in common, but the silly things that you have in common are the best. Anyway, from now on I think we are going to be eating at home more. Eating out is nice if it is occasional, but eating out all the time gets to be old. There is a lot more variety at home, even if you make sandwiches.
Yesterday we walked around and took pictures of the RV park. We're both camera geeks so we have fun doing that. Didn't upload the pics yet, I'll get to that later. It's nice... right outside our window you can see the water and lots of trees. I love Sundays at the RV park... most people move on and it clears out. It's strange how there are lots of people, and they're near by, but it's still pretty quiet. Probably has to do with the volume of our a/c... Since it's summertime that doesn't seem to be the case here... there are people moving in this afternoon, blocking our view of the water. Hmph.
All in all we've had a couple of normal days and it's been good for us. I know I feel better. Yesterday we went to WalMart and got more stuff that we needed... and some movies because we don't know how to get our Winegard to work property... so we don't have cable... which sucks. We were getting a total of three local channels, and they kept cutting out, but they do have a cable connections so now that we hooked in to them we get about 10... Mike has engineered a way to make it work, but it's not as easy as it is supposed to be... not by half. I want to watch Falling Skies tonight, so he gerry-rigged it to make it work. He's a good egg.
Tomorrow we'll get the truck checked out and then we'll see how much longer we'll be here. Hopefully it's an easy fix...
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