Father's day gift review.

       My kids took fathers day a little over board this year. I now it was because I have been sick, so I didn't say anything like I normally would. Over the last 6 months I have not been prepping or even reading the usual web sites. It was like WHY I mite not make it. In the last few weeks I seem to have come out of my funk, depression. IT IS ABOUT TIME. Now I see my attitude was at bottom for to long.

    Ok for fathers day the kids got me camping/prepping gifts. One is a collapsible fishing pole . It is a foot long extends to 6 ft  and comes with a reel and accessories in a bag. The pole is a medium light duty combo perfect for blue gill or any up to a few pounds. A big bass or catfish would be no fun with this combo. I had been thinking about starting fishing again while camping but hadn't even mentioned it to anyone so I was pleasantly surprised.

    I also got 2 sets of these rechargeable batteries. I think the kids knew they had lost more than a few. EBL rechargeable combo 

They also got me a Yeti cup knockoff  and I tested it, half a cup of ice lasted 24 hours I was impressed.

    My wife got me a set of 4 LED lantern's that are awesome . awesome lanterns . The amazon page says they will light for 10 hours at full charge . I tested one last nite and after 6 hours I couldn't tell if it was any dimmer than one just turned on. Now after 10 hours it was still putting out 75% . Each lantern puts out 200 lumens = to a 25 watt bulb. They have a diffuser that softens the light. I love that these are solar rechargeable or wall plug . It has one feature not listed and that's a USB charging port that my phone mp3 or tablet could get a small charge from.

Thrift store finds.

   Today my daughter went to my favorite thrift store to look and see if they had a washer and dryer still she saw Saturday. Dad is back  with the truck and  can move them :( for her. Well they still had them. Maytag washer and drier from the late 80s but guaranteed to work. She got them for 30$ each and I bet their better than the new ones. I found her a back door for the trailer for 15$ no frame or hardware but a good deal. For 190$ at  the thrift store she has got a 4ft. sink base, a sink, washer, dryer, fridge, stove, and 2 cabinets. I love this place!!!

    Ok dad always looks around this place. I think it is the only place I SHOP at, most places I get what I need and LEAVE. Back by the doors they had luggage in the corner some nice high dollar stuff to . Sitting on top of the luggage was 2 full mollie backpacks in hellcat setup with frame including shoulder and kidney padding brand new!

  It has a place for the water bladder but it wasn't with them. For  the price who cares. They were marked 3.98 with 20% off . I snatched (I had 2 men ask me where I found them) them up and raced to the register paid and got them locked in the truck then went back to SHOP. I also got a 6ft tall 3 ft wide steel shelving unit with 6 shelves (the old good ones) for 3.98 for storage. Yep I had a good day Shopping even if I had to load and unload the washer and dryer .

UPDATE....  Went back to the thrift store today on a hunch  looked around and asked where the sleeping bags would be. The girl said it was her department and led me to them. They had 2 oversized poly bags from Academy  good for -10 . I asked her if they ever got in cloth sleeping bags. She said she had a kids bag and a green adult bag in back. I asked for the green one she brought out a perfect M-1949 down filled Mountain bag.  I got all 3 bags for 18.54 !!!!!!!!

Good Deals ,Mad Wife

    In my in box today I got a property quote from the state . It is one I wanted and have researched . Its in a good area on a road that is 8 miles to anything a person could want to buy or do. The property is 1.1 acre and has an old shed  a mobile home pad, water is run, septic tank and it has a power pole. The place had a mobile home on it till 2006 or 07. In research it appears the lady died in 2007 and left it to her daughter and she quit paying the taxes in 2010. The price from the state is 931.89 $  all I can see I have to get it sellable is about 1/2 acre of brush to clear and 1/2 of bush hogging. Once clear it should sell for 9 to 12,000 . This is the one I hoped to make clear profit with.

      Here is the rub I was going to pay off most the loan on my daughters property . As it turned out we just redid the loan for a shorter term. The loan is in the wife's name and is drafted from her account. Now I put the loan amount in her account every month but she is quick to point out "she pays the loan "????? I am using her check for these properties ??????? I have dragged her to the bank twice this month  for a loan and we have nothing but a payment to show ????? Women are Weird . Her CDs , my saving bought them to use as loan collateral. The cash land purchases, cash from the BBQ. Am I going to buy this lot ? YEA  cause what I say goes!!!!!!!
      P.S.  Next week I will be on the coast I may have found my balls and made a stand but it has cost me 12 days on the beach to  keep her from crushing them under her heel.  :(

I got repaid :) .

   Awhile back I had wrote about our granddaughter, her trailer and loan problems. Well she got her taxes back and made a bee line here and paid me for her camper/home. She also paid her Title loan off and deposited a thousand in a C D in case she needs a self funded loan during the year . I am proud of her she got back more than she expected and has used it wisely. She is debt free with  money in the bank a place to live and her trailblazer is getting tuned and aligned. Now if she can find a boyfriend that WORKS she will be on the right road.

Good deals have bad timing.

      No I didn't get me anything. I got my step granddaughter a camper. She is a single mom and has been living with her mom for a year. Her mom lives in a house that her boyfriend owns and as always happens its been DRAMA every couple of weeks.
   Both daughter and Granddaughter want there own place and they bought an acre lot with utilities in place . It was a lease to own deal they made without talking to me or their mom. 2000 down and 100 a month  for 10 years. I think they over paid but they are happy.

    Our Daughter is looking for a used mobile home or large camper for her and her son (14yo). Dee the granddaughter wanted a camper for her and the great-grandson (3yo).  Last summer I told her she needed a camper so she would never be homeless and she has been saying My next home will have wheels.

     Christmas afternoon we had a flood around here and they spent the night . I got on Craig's list and was looking at campers. I know Dee was hoping to find her a camper when she got her income tax refund but prices on campers are high and go up at income tax time. So I asked Dee do you want a 5000 nice camper or would you be happy with a beat up one for 1500 to 2500 for a year or two then up grade.

     Dee told me she would have 1800 left after she paid off her CAR Title loan she took for the property down payment. So a beater was what she wanted. I told her I didn't know if that would get her one suited for a woman and child but I would try, well I found an 89 Layton 29 foot with rear bedroom and futon couch in living room . We went Saturday and saw it. For its age it was solid but nasty inside the guy that was selling was BAT SHIT CRAZY . We haggled a little and I said I had 1000$ cash and would take it home . He agreed to the price .

     Now Dee has a place to stay even if it is in her moms drive for now . I will haul it to their lot in a few weeks . She is going to repay me when her income tax comes in. This camper in this area would have been 2500 + in the spring if cleaned . So us spending 1000 now saved her 1500 later. When her income tax comes in me and her are going to the bank and set her on a 1 year course to be debt free and money in the bank. Title and payday loans are a sure way to never have anything.

Good deals till i am broke.

       As I have wrote in the past I have been researching state held tax lien property. Today I received a slip saying we have certified mail at the post office . Its from the state property office so tomorrow I will have the tax deed ! Next week me and my son will get to secure and winterize this house to stabilize it till I have the money and time to work on it.

     When I sent the money for this house I set aside 2500$ for the repairs and renovations to bring it to sellable shape. My son was going to live there as we worked and until it sold. The best plans change without warning.

     Last Friday the great state sent us 5 parcel prices that we had requested . We submitted 28 request and have received a total of 12 price quotes. Out of the last 5 there was 2 we couldn't pass up. One of them was 2 acres in a nice farm area for 128$ but its just a lien till May then it can be deeded . It is over grown but has a teardown house and small barn that would yield a lot of lumber . My son loved it so I sent a check. Small price to get him a place. He now has 3 places that will be deed able in May. I hope and pray one of them isn't reclaimed.
      The other parcel is less than 2 miles from my home. It has 3.25 acres  is on a good road and has 240 acre of timberland behind it that will never be sold and is 30 years from harvest. It has an old mobile home and a shed. It has power, water, gas and a septic system on site. Unfortunately it has a high price 4,600$ but it is an immediate tax deed . AS it sits it is worth 12,000$, with a 1,000$ in materials and 2 days on my tractor it would bring twice that.

  As I said earlier I had 2500 set aside for the first house. Now with this 3 acre available I need it and will be barrowing 2,000 from the wife to make it happen. instead of plunking down the money we are going to do a 4000$ dollar loan on CDs. But it will leave my cash on hand below what I like.
    I worked hard to save this money it had been for a truck but I couldn't pass these deals up. 6,000 out of pocket with property alone worth 24,000. After repairs possibly up to 42,000 . 5 liens possibly becoming deeds in May both kids out on there own with a second property each. Yea its a risk but it has a good return.

     I HOPE I DONT GET ANY MORE DEALS I AM BROKE again.

Strange turn on my son,s old trailerstead .

      A few months back my son was told to vacate the acre lot he had got on a tax sale it was going to be reclaimed and sold. So we packed up and he has been in the field next door since april. HE never got any money so last week he called the tax office to  find out when he would get a check.He should have almost 400$ due back.

      Now his call got kicked to the revenue commissioner of the county. Seems the man who "owned it" and sold it didn't own but half, he had borrowed with it as collateral his EX wife owned half. He sold the connecting lot that he didn't own at all to the same couple. Needless to say now he has warrants out for fraud. His Ex wife cant be contacted, the lender doesn't want a half share in the property.

       So my son's claim is still intact and will become his on November 1st. Unless ex-wife clear up his mess (ha ha) to the tune of 5000 $ .  I am happy my son will get this place but I have to wonder what his Nabors will act like as it was her family that was cheated.

    They were not very nice, it was we are buying it you have 5 days to clear out . I tried to tell them he didn't own but half and wasn't the owner of the other lot . Both her and her husband said they knew what they were doing. A QUIT CLAIM DEED  transfers one parties ownership to another person  his was basically none and that's what they payed him for. The fraud was the other lot next door as he had NO rights to.

     Next week we are going to ride up and see what has been done on the property we know they had it cleared and was talking about backfilling it . It would be nice if the place is backfilled and graded.

   P.S. BBQ for the 4th started today sold 12 butts 11 ribs and 24  sandwiches . The next 3 days may kill me working :). 

Tax sale was a bust !

     Well me and my son attended the Blount county tax sale yesterday. We had a short list of 6 properties that we wanted to bid on . All but one was empty lots the one had an old mobile home that was in teardown condition/salvage . The highest tax bill was 145$ most were around 95$ each . We left with high hopes of being able to make a claim on up to 4 even if we had to pay a premium on a couple . A premium is anything above tax that the county gets but doesn't have to pay interest on .

      OK I am no expert but say a property has a tax and cost of 100$ but sells for 300$ . On the 100 you earn 12% from the property owner or 1% per month but the remaining 200$ earns ZERO . So on a couple I was prepared to pay 4 times the tax  and write the premium off if we got a deed in 3 years or make a 3% return on the amount if it was repaid . Ok that was my plan .

      When we got to the court house to register there was about 20 others waiting . Of the crowd I knew 5 to be multie millionaire's at that time and told my son 2 were going to picking and choosing what they bid on the other 3 would be looking for cheap places to park money. At this time I felt confident . By the time of the auction we were seated in the room with 12 millionaire's  5 attorney's and 5 representative's of investment groups and trusts. A total of 35 bidders and only 98 property's .

       Well when the bidding started I found out that there was a lot of money that these men were willing to park with the county for low return . Most of the parcels went for 8 to 12 times the tax owed  or less than a 1%  return . A few went as high as 20% of appraised value. Most of what we had come to bid on went for 6 to 8 times the tax owed . The one with the old trailer went for 1150$ which was 8 times tax  and 15% of appraisal.

      Looking back maybe I was to frugal and cheap with what I had planned on spending or the % of reclaim is such that these premium's are justified . Next year I will attend again and be prepared to select 2 to gamble on . Three years ago a friend picked up 6 liens 4 for tax only 2 with less than 100$ premiums each and got title to 2 this year. That year there was no money there. This year I know I saw 5 men all worth 20 million plus and that don't count the investment groups.

I got chicks !!!!!

     Well I have been wanting more chickens and today my hen led out 10 chicks . Last year I had 2 clutches hatch and lost them all to hawks and coyote's . Yes I have coyote's I have seen them twice this year. Well I decided to catch them . Needless to say easier said than done. A mad mother hen and 10 chicks made for 2 hours of chasing for 4 of us. Chicks hide when told by the hen .We caught 4 of the chicks first, the hen paced the side of the pen then she called out 4 more chicks that we caught . Catching her took an hour she has never been penned . Once she was with her chicks she calmed down and called the last 2 out of hiding and we got them into her pen covered it with a blanket watered and fed her added straw to the pen.

       Now tomorrow I have to build a run for her and a small roost. I have some old dog wire and will line the bottom edge with fine mesh  just 8x12 may make it portable have to see what junk I have. Some may die but I hope most make it. It will be nice to have 6 or so laying hens next year . Now that I am committed to having a chicken coop I wish I had bought those hens at Mt Top last week.

What non food items would you want if the economy crashed .

     Its late I shouldn't be doing a post of this kind this late . But if you knew the dollar was dead and inflation and shortages were going to be everyday life what items would you buy. Skip food, guns and ammo. Think about no gas, empty shelves, rolling black outs, Rationing of every thing . Its a real possibility, with so few major retailers a debit card could become a ration card .

   I sited the books 299 day in a comment from yesterday as a good example of what the free market would be like. All savings and investments confiscated allotments based on job and loyalty levels. Use a realistic amount like 1000$ and see what gaps need plugged in on hand items. I am still thinking and adjusting my wish list but here is a start.

A 100 watt solar panel  150$
1500 watt inverter      150$
A 7 speed bike with flat proof tires used   40$ + tires
Wood heater   0 homemade
Seeds and fertilizer  50$
5 more 20 lb. propane cylinders  used and refilled  125$

  This short list is about 600$ The list is not complete or a doomsday list its stuff that has everyday uses. Between camping and hobbies I am in fair shape but everyone has gaps. A economic crash may or may not be the end of life as we know it . None reading this were alive in the depression and most would not cope well if it happens. Just something to consider .

A fat man can ride a bike.

   Last week when we where camping I rode my bike a lot . Now most camp ground are fairly level so bike riding is normal for both the young and old . It is a great way to look around and say hello and be sociable . At a campground a bike is quiet and slower than a car or golf cart and its easy to carry with you in a camper.

    Now I will come clean I had not been on a bike since I was a kid till last summer. Last summer I picked up a 10 speed at a yard sale for 10$ and rode it a few times at the house oiled every thing checked it out made sure it was useable . Every prepper /survivalist should have a bike, right ? Jim Dankin preaches against cars and associated cost .He praises riding a bike, well that 10 speed showed me I was OLD ,Fat, Out of shape . I  rode it once 2 miles and I was hurting in my legs sucking air sounding like a diesel truck and swearing I love my truck the last mile home. Now don't laugh could you ride a bike 2 miles ?
    Now last week I rode 5 miles never broke a sweat passed all the kids and adults took small hills easily . My wife said I spent more time on the bike than with her . I did I felt like a kid having fun. This is what was different than last year . I bought a NEW BIKE .

   Last fall I was in Sam's Club buying supply's for the BBQ and walked passed their  mark down corner . There sat a Yukon Trail Navigator marked 82.50$ no keys . Ok this is an electric bike with a 250 watt motor and a 10 amp 24 volt battery pack. It normally sells for 498 $ I jumped on that deal .

    Now I didn't fix it till the week before we went to Guntersville .The bike is fast, it is well made but you have to get it adjusted right to your comfort . It is a little weak on steep hills but great on flats and slopes . You have to pedal but it cuts the work in half . If you have ever thought about a bike for just in case but know your out of shape an electric may be a solution . The bike suppose to have an assist range of 25 plus miles and a speed of 15 miles an hour.

http://www.amazon.com/Yukon-Trails-Outback-Electric-Mountain/dp/B00NPY7WAY

Updates on my son and around here.

     A friend of mine stopped by to check on my son Sunday and then informed me he was doing fine. Seems his solar panel has done good with the sunny days ,but he isn't sure how much propane he has used. Was told he has moved his bed to the kitchen end of the camper and hung a blanket up to stay warmer.The nites have been in the low 30s but days have been 55 and sunny. I will go up on Thursday and probable bring him back to the house for 3 days (forcast is for low teens 2 nites ). Also was told he needed a shower and to wash some cloths .

    While the weather has been nice this weekend I did a good BBQ business and was able to get some odds and ends done around the house and with both campers. I cant wait for a little warm weather for a weeks camping some where .

     Did catch a great deal on a riding lawn mower. My wife's sister told us her husband was going to sell his riding mower for 100$.For the last 4 years I have used my tractor and push mowed what it couldn't cut . There is a lot of push mowing and a bush hog isn't ideal for a smooth cut in the front yard . Called my brother in law to make sure he was going to sell it ( wives sometime sell husbands stuff before we decide to) and why so cheap. He said he was selling it, as for what was wrong he said needs a battery and a deck belt was squealing . Ok still a deal . Went and got it Sunday he told me it had been 2 years since he had used it. Looked great charged the battery , cleaned the jelly out of the gas tank ,add a gallon of premium gas, fired right up ,the belt was squealing because the bearings were almost froze 2 squirts of wd 40 broke them free by hand . This morning I cut the yard next door  used it this afternoon just to loosen the bearings .Just before dark I checked the battery with a volt meter 12.7. It looks like new for 100$ a gallon of gas and a little WD 40 , air in the tires should last many summers .

A cheap prepp that has great shelf life.

     OK we all know about beans and rice,whole wheat,sugar.All these are great long term storage items.Alone they aren't very appetising so you need other items to benefit from them.One item every prepper should have in my opinion is Krusteaz pancake mix.I get a 10lb bag at Sam's for 6.98 It makes 200 or so pancakes that can be eaten plain or with butter and syrup.
    I have eaten a bag that was 4 years out of date and could not tell it from new.No it wasn't froze it was in a 5 gallon bucket in the basement.Now it had not been opened was just stored in what i call a grab and go bucket.Usually they are stamped with a use by date 18 months to 2 years out.I have no fear of this product 3 to 5 years or more past the use by date.A 10 lb bag has 16,000 calories add in a little sugar syrup(1 quart hot water 4 lb sugar tbs vanilla).For under 10$ you get over 24,000 calories.

Are you a collector?

     Around here a lot of folks collect stuff muscle cars,old tractors are in barns and yards.Some i know have toy trains,guns, crystal,china depression wear glass.I have nothing against it but if it means little to your family at some point you have to get rid of it.
     Yesterday i listed part of what i plan on getting rid of.I have a friend that has over 60 rifles and shotguns.Now like any man I love Old guns but we were talking I asked him if you die will your wife know what to ask when selling your guns?Long story short he called me a lot of names told me even thinking about him dying and his guns being sold was wrong.I asked him if he was going to live forever or did i scare the hell out of him thinking about how little she would take?The later one.About a month latter he said he had asked his wife what she would do.Her reply was he needed to decide what he would will to the kids,what  5 or 6 he had to have was worth and what she needed to get on them and start selling the rest for top dollar!Now he was guilty on guns but she has a room full of depression glass in all colors that she has to sell.Both of them are about 65 and are SLOWLY selling off their collections for top dollar.We are talking a lot of crying here folks but they both know what their items are worth and will admit its better than the kids selling it for pennies.
       We all have hobbies and jobs and have good items we have hung on to isn't better that we get top dollar for the stuff.Think of all the time saved from cleaning and dusting it.Yes the cash is nice but not having to take care of it and store it is worth more. 


P.S. I had no idea depression glass in red was worth almost what a browning pump in good shape was.

Do you have useful junk to.

     At some point in every one's life we need to inventory what we have in our home and what purpose it serves.Anyone that is over 40 probably has a lot of stuff that has accumulated and no this isn't a post on having a yard sale.I have a packed house and 3 sheds.The sheds are my domain and the house is my wife's.I was thinking about building a new shed because the 3 were over flowing but i have changed my approach.USE OR GET RID OF THE CRAP!!!! If i haven't used it in 5 years it needs to go.Yard sale Craig's list E bay or dump.Now the part that kills me is I paid good money for some of the crap that is just sitting.The first thing i did was clean out an area in one building for stuff that i will need for my vending trailers.This was the inventory part.

     I do BBQ for a living but i have 4 trailers not counting 3 campers.3 of the trailers need to be set up for something.When i was going through the sheds i found I had a ton of equipment not in use.
 stoleing ice cream machine
 funnel cake cooker
 shaved ice maker/snowball
 a 50 count hot dog/sausage cooker
 cotton candy maker
 nacho cheese and chip station
 pizza oven commercial set up
 full size propane stove/oven
 2 box smokers capable of 400lb cooking
 3 high output 2 burner stove tops
 40lb 2 basket fryer
 20lb 4 basket counter fryer
  This list is'nt bragging it is STUPID that i have all this stored and not in use or sold.I closed down my store 3 years ago sure some of it was from it but most of this crap i just got for a steal.BUT what good is it doing in my shed.Between now and the first of the year I plan on setting up 4 trailers.My trailer is already in demolition stage and will be built by November(I told you in an earlier post i was building a LARGE multi use one)but i will have 3 trailers to set with 
   1. funnel cake and ice cream
   2  shaved ice ,cotton candy, nachos
   3  pizza hot dog/smoked sausage,Sub/hogies
  This will clear out my sheds of a lot of large item's and my yard of vending trailers.First i will see if any of the kids or grand kids may be interested in using them.If that fails it is time to sell them.I am 1man i can't use 2 at once let alone 4.I hope the kids will try it my worst weekend in 3 year i made 180$ for 8 hours work and my best i made 1600$ in 10 hour of work.The kids think it is a waste of their time to even try.I love it, it isn't work its fun, smiling people make it worth doing.Its paid for equipment it needs to be put to use.I do not need to store stuff i want to clear out and not have the up keep.
    What have you stuck back and got that needs to be used or got rid of ? I bet it is more than you think.For me it was an eye opener.

A look at Big Red my baby.

     OK I have been doing BBQ for 10 years on and off.For the last 3 years it has been all i have done.When I started it was a whim i had a convince store 5 miles from any restaurants so on Friday and Saturday i sold BBQ at the store.Me and my son used drum smokers mounted on an old pop up camper trailer.Back then i was a busy man had a lot of irons in the fire.BBQ became my sons he was making good money for a 14 year old kid then he hit that "that's good enough "stage.Basically he ran it into the ground twice.
      That is a back ground of our start.About 6 years a go i was playing on Ebay just looking and i ran across a Big Red smoker it was in Andalusia AL about 160 miles away.Starting bid was 400$ so i bid a max bid of 450$ Long story short i got it for 405$.It was a 6 hour round trip.The man that i got it from said it cost him 1200$ in 2005.The company that built it is really a fab shop for construction steel they build smokers and trailers when work is slow so they keep their welders and layout men busy

     This is what it looked like when i got it it was a 200 gallon propane tank upright smoker with 3 racks and room to smoke 16 boston butts.Three rounds of wood will last 8 hours when smoking but i needed it to do more for holidays and i wanted to do ribs so i got a second 200 gallon tank and it now looks like this.

    This is BIG RED the front grill can hold 24 pork butts and 12 slabs of ribs.The upright will do 12 butts and 4 racks of ribs.Now i smoke everything in the upright because it gives a deeper smoke the front holds it at temp and adds light smoke.
    Now to cook great Q takes time I cook for 10 hour with gas then smoke it 4 to 6 hours.Anyone can make good smoked meat all it takes is time and a box to hold smoke.I started with barrel smoker made out of a barrel with expanded metal rack on old tent pole rods.A wooden box will work. GOT MEAT START SMOKING!!!!
    The original BBQ trailer has morphed with time it now looks like this.If my son straightens up i may give him a 4th chance

Homeless Relitives are getting old!!!!!

        For the last 2 and a 1/2 weeks my wife's oldest granddaughter has been staying with us.This girl is 29 and has been homeless and crashed on more couches than she can count.Her and her new husband lost their apartment last month lived in their car for 2 weeks before he got back into tile work.The car blew the heads he borrowed his moms car for now,The new job was to work out of state for 3 weeks so we got Brandy.After I threw my son out i swore i was done with house guests but i gave in and agreed to give her a chance.She has not been a problem but her lifestyle and spending habits are at the root of her problem.This girl burned the roads up for a week till the ball joints broke on the car.I had it towed to my mechanics shop my buddy is fixing it for 200 anyway her other bad habit is small spending 5 here 10 there it was adding up.
     After a few days of staying at Granny's she was antsy to GO and called a friend ,no problem shes 29 .Friday before she went to work(part time as a waitress) I asked her how much had Chuck sent her in the last 2 weeks.The sum was 300$ OK what do you have to show for it? Your sleeping here eating here and we take you to work now i know you gave us 40 for gas but what else did you have for the rest?She looked at me and said nothing it just went The cost to tow and fix your car almost right.Yea i think i see your point.
      OK chuck has to have his mom,s car fixed and back in a week so I have a friend that has a long wheel base van that runs its a old work van but for 1000$ and a little fixing up inside it will get them a place to sleep and a way to work.Chuck her husband will be back in town in the morning I will pitch the van idea.Otherwise i am hauling them and the teardrop to a campground and wishing them luck.2 week loan of my camper is all i will do.A van fixed up for under 1400 or homelessness.Am i being to hard?

A word of advice !

      Recently my wife was watching HGTV (may this channel rot in #$%^^) and she said we needed to re do the bathroom.I admit it needs some work but she wants to go over board.I had a smarta$$ idea so i told her if she hired this contractor i mite be interested.
   

She failed to see the humor!!!

THE RESULTS ARE IN !!!!!!!!

    Well the doctor called the wife doesn't have Cancer it was benign!!! It was pre cancerous but now it is out, they want her to take the lose dose preventative treatment.She doesn't show it but i can tell its a load of her mind .We went yesterday on her kidney pain and was told she may have been passing micro stones and that's why she has had occasional kidney pains.
     It is a warped kinda humor that all this started at the same time as she started her social security.Her first check arrives in march and she started falling apart in December.Now we have her super glued back together and a steady income she wants a new small camper with a bathroom to travel in.Last month me her and her sister and brother in law went to the R.V. show it was a interesting way to spend a Sunday afternoon.We looked at RVs that cost 20 times what i paid for our home,a few that were affordable.The wife fell in love with this one   http://www.riversidervs.net/RETRO-MODEL-177-ISLAND-BED.html to some this would look dinky and impractical but we teardrop so it looks huge and luxurious.The sister fell for a Forrest river Freedom 22 footer and bought it the next week.
     The retro my wife loves is my dream camper to and it is reasonable priced at 13,900 (I cant believe i called that reasonable)I have not had any payments on anything since 2005 and have no real job now so financing is going to take a 3rd party(my mom).Normally I would not even consider this but this scare has made me understand our time on earth is limited and i want to spend it with my wife dong what we enjoy.

Health can change any plans.

     Sorry i haven't been posting much lately.Right after New Years my wife had a questionable series of mammograms about 5.The first of February she had a biopsy inconclusive.This week she had a lumpectomy to put every thing to rest and we are waiting on the results.Now the breast doctor told us the biopsy didn't show cancer but she had radial scaring and a bad family history of breast cancer so he wanted to be sure.
     Now that's not what the post is about.But back before Christmas i had purchased a travel package to Orlando for a 3 nite stay at one of those travel time shares for idiots.Yea i was going to have to sit though a sales pitch but for 149$ i will get 100$ n Bass Pro cards and a 4 nite cruise (found out to take the free cruise it will cost 360$) Not a great deal but OK. We were to go down 1/24 and stay at this park http://www.floridastateparks.org/wekiwasprings/default.cfm for a few days then go to the time share.After that we had talked about going to http://www.floridastateparks.org/bahiahonda/default.cfm and Key West.I was looking forward to this winter trip and so was the wife.Thank goodness we had a window to change our plans we canceled the day after the first mammogram.
     Now after 6 weeks of waiting we hope that this will be put to rest by Wednesday and she has a follow up on 3/5 i think .After that the wife asked me when could we leave.She is itching to go some where warmer and sunny.When we first started going camping she did it to humor me but the last year she has been the one with wander lust.If her health holds i think we will be going even more.