Arrival

As can be expected, there were a variety of delays before we could finalize our purchase. A little more than two months after the offer was first accepted, we finally owned the place. It was around 500 miles away and our car protested. Most typically, vehicle issues ate almost every penny we had. There went our rehab budget, but at least we still had enough to move. The move was as rocky as anything else. A tire blew out on the highway at about 3am. There are truly few tasks both as daunting and unavoidable as changing a tire by yourself on a deserted highway with two kids, two cats, and a large dog asleep in the car.

Of course, we managed. We rolled off the road onto our new property less than five minutes before someone from the phone company showed up to set up service. Phew!

I have to admit, as beautiful as it is, I was pretty intimidated. I looked out over my little acre. It was bigger in person. There were a few trees. If I could clear out the over growth, I might have a nice shaded area under them. Most of the property was grown over with weeds and wildflowers. It was gorgeous in it’s way, but I could barely even get to the front door! At the far end of the property was the ruins (not much more than the foundation) of an old house. Around my new home were old ash piles turned ant hills, and the rusty ruined remains of someone burning his trash.

The house itself was the most overwhelming part. I was starting to think I’d bitten off more than I could chew. It was in such rough shape that it actually brought down the value of the land. I bought the house and land at an incredible price and if I hadn’t had to spend so much on the car I would have had plenty of money to start renovating it. Of course, I did have to spend so much on transportation. I wasn’t going to be able to hire out for more than I absolutely needed to. I was going to have to do it all myself.

The kids and dog started to explore as the phone guy pulled me aside. He explained that the phone lines in the house were a shorted out, hazardous mess, and he couldn’t connect to them. That didn’t surprise me. Inspections showed that plumbing and wiring were the same. One of the benefits to such a very very small town is that people really want to help each other out. The fudge the rules as far as they have to and no one cares. The phone guy was obviously a local. He didn’t have enough wire on hand to set me up without the company charging me, so he explained it all. He set everything up outside the house and told me exactly what I needed to do to finish the job myself. He was apologetic that he couldn’t do it for me for free, even. After a quick trip into town for supplies, I had a safe and functional telephone.

That was a sign of things to come. Everything in the house needs work. As I take it on, one task at a time, I find it’s not nearly as hard or time consuming as I expected. Neighbors jump in to help here and there. Everything I build or fix seems to work great on the first try. There’s a lot to do, but it’s getting done. Almost a week later, we have a nicely mowed lawn, running water, a clean and increasingly appealing bathroom, and a mud room overflowing with full trash bags. People from church are coming out next weekend help clean and fix things and haul out our piles of trash for us! lol There’s so very much to do but it’s all falling together so well. Already, the kids and I all agree, this is the best thing we could have possibly done with our lives.