Going to Gatlinburg !!

      Over the last 2 weeks I have made it a point to do more. walking at home the grocery store and Wal mart . While I do have a bit of dizziness its slowly going away. I spent January and February doing very little except reading . It feels good to be able to go to 2 stores and not have to use the old folks benches or power buggy's. I have in the past so I mean no disrespect. 

     The wife has been wanting to go to the mountains  in the camper but that isn't happening . So today I jumped online punched in a Sunday - Thursday stay in a motel in Gatlinburg. I was shocked at the prices. I scrolled thru till I came to one I knew 1 block off the main drag 5 nights for 226$ tax included. I saw cheaper ones but none I would stay at . Well I booked us a week.  If I know my wife I will be dragged to every open shop at least once in the week. Most of our time will be spent driving in the park and seeing the animals. 

that all I got .

Car repairs and mowers

   I posted awhile back that my wife's car needed a starter. Well last week my son "volunteered" to do the job. I had belts for the mower come in from Amazon so he came over today to do both for me. The mower took less than an hour to replace a drive belt, deck belt and blades . 40 $ in parts and 40$ in labor now it's  running and cutting like a new one. Its a 2006 MTD I gave 100$ for 2 years ago. I helped on the mower but on the car I was a supervisor :).

         Now I knew the starter was going to be difficult as its a Chrysler 3.0 engine. I found a good YouTube video on replacing it . I had my son watch it . He informed me he had watched one and it was nothing like the one I showed him. Ok hard head this is your job . We got the car up on stands and he looks at the engine. Dad lets go watch that video you had again. This don't look like the motor on the one I watched. He was so hard headed I had to make him stop 4 times to re watch the video when he got stuck on a "how do I" points. It took 2 hours to remove, if he had FOLLOWED the video steps it would have took 30 minutes max.

      I pulled the part up on Auto zone 146$  Advance and o riley was the same  at 148$ all had it in stock. Amazon had it 49.95 free shipping be here Tuesday. So it was get it done Tuesday cheap or today for 100$ more. My son said he would come back Tuesday and put the starter and valve cover gaskets on if he could have the 100$ difference in part cost. Deal !!!!! Boy was he happy said putting the 2 part on wouldn't take 2 hours .

      What I didn't tell him was I planned on paying him 100$ for the work any way.  I don't feel bad he isn't doing any thing and we fed him fried porkchops taters pintos cornbread and corn .  I will feed him good Tuesday and I have paid his insurance for a year + on his/my jeep. If he wasn't so stubborn he might become a decent wrench turner. I was at one time always hated it. If I had been paid by the cuss word I would have retired at 30.


      I had priced the starter repair for this area averaged  349 . the valve covers was 120. Even paying my son  the savings is over 300.
A Leaking valve cover let oil short out the starter  that's what started all this.      

Time to sell

          My front yard looks like Red Neck heaven . I have  both my yellow vending trailer's ready to paint sitting by the road. Next to it is my white truck (For Sale) then my daughters Honda(for sale) . My wife has 4 tables set up for a yard sale . I sold my sons camper yesterday and got it out of the yard . I pulled my Big grill next door because people ask if its for sale , its the only thing out there that's NOT for sale . If I get a good offer on the half finished grill its gone if I get a decent offer on the old Yellowstone camper it can go to.

       Now I did get one thing done that I am proud of today.  I repaired the air conditioner on our camper , kind of .  Last August when we were on the gulf our air conditioner motor was making a loud knocking and roaring like the motor bearings were going out . we couldn't run it 5 minute's at a time. I had found on amazon 2 replacements but needed the motor # to know which one. Now that I weigh only 180 I can get on the roof . I took the cowling off the A/C got the # off the motor. Once I had the # I removed the huge Dirt daubber Nest that was on one blade of the A/C fan got the wife to turn it on . It was quiet as a mouse  run great after I got all the wasp nests dirt dauber nests  pine needles and gunk cleaned out of the unit.

      While I was on top I did a good inspection of the vents and seams . I  need to do some caulking soon.  This summer it will be okay but will need to be sealed up before winter.

    If I had carried the camper to a shop the bill on the A/C would have been 500$ they would never have told me it was a nest and gunk. They would have billed me 350$ for a roof caulk and seal up.   It could use a seal job but I can do it for 40$ materials and an hours time max.


Update Saturday 4/7 its 48 and misty out NO Yard sale today . No traffic at all on the road.

Wal Mart,s New in store pick Up

        In the last few months Wally world has been advertising its new pickup service. Our store has a whole area up front set up for it. They even have a dozen + parking places set aside for order pick up only. The pick up area looks like lockers and a kiosk where you enter your order# . 

     Last week me and the wife went to wally world for a few items.

 the main one was southern biscuit mix formula L .My wife and me love them they were out in fact they didn't even have a shelf tag for it anymore.

           Panic time when we got home I got on line and our store had it listed  Out of stock . Ok I log in on wal mart it showed  it available for Pick up. I ordered 4 at 7 pm Last night. At 8 this morning I get an alert on my phone my order was ready to pick up.

     Around 11 we stopped on the way to another store for stuff. We parked  up front punched our code at the kiosk a locker popped open there was our biscuit mix. In done under 3 minutes but I wanted some deli bread and I checked where the mix should be stocked none anywhere . Once home still shows as Out of stock online at that store.

   

     For stuff that is hit or miss being in stock this is the way to go !! I have never been a shop on line type but I liked this in fact I ordered some # 10 cans from Augason Farms  hash browns and dehydrated veggie soup mix. Before this I had to pay shipping. In store is free and no line. My store has never carried Augason farms  pickup date for my order is Tuesday

Seasonal bargins.

    Every year we see stores markdown seasonal items to get rid of them. Summer cloths down to 1$ to make room for  Fall/Winter wear. Now I never shop for cloths I have a wife and 2 daughters and my cloths magically appear. Saturday my daughter gave me 4 shirts and a receipt for 8$. My wife got me 2 pair of sweat pants ( the ones that don't look like sweats) she paid 12$ for both. They had gone to Kohl's for 35% off plus 25% off that and used their Kohl's cash.

     To the ladies  bargain hunting is a full day out . It was my wife her sister and my daughter. Glad I worked and glad they had fun. They even got 2 electric can openers for nothing and a 5$ rebate on top .

     They had fun it was cheap for shopping. Now I am not immune to seasonal bargain hunting. I bought our camper in winter when prices were lower . I always car hunt in the fall because prices are less. This year I bought a good riding mower for 50$. Friday an acquaintance/friend came up to the BBQ just as I was getting set up . Grass cutting is over around here except for a winter trim out. He asked a 100 for his father riding mower (his dad died in June) I had just spent 100$ for the shotgun so I told him I didn't think I could swing a 100$. In the last 3 weeks this man has sold me 60$ in tools,  push mowers and other items . About an hour later he stopped again and said "50$ and its yours". I agreed  I knew his dad well, even had him work on some of my mowers in the past.

    Picked it up Sunday and all that it needed was air in 2 tires. It had a battery that was bought in may 2016 plus a set of extra new blades. This is a sweet running mower now I feel guilty about the price. I think I will give his Mom 25 more to ease my  mind . She can use it after all she lost her husband of 52 year and has a drunk 50 year old son driving her nuts. Now I have 3 riding mowers 2 will be sold this spring  at season premiums.

 

     P.S. Block buster BBQ weekend the cooler weather made sales more than double the last few weekends. Last months budget went red maybe this month will return it to black !

Ammo versitility .

      Ok the other day I got in on the comment section of Jim Dankin's  Blog  it was A forever gun. Now no gun is forever and the cost to keep one in ammo is beyond reach for most.
    We all have our views on firearms I am no different I like bolt rifles, revolvers and shotguns. I have ammo for all but not thousands of rounds (except 22). Sometimes when your out hunting seasons over lap carrying multiple guns into the woods is not an option.

    We have all heard the saying "Eat lead". In the movies it usually means getting shot but it is a term that is way older for game that is riddled with shot when cooked and eaten. Side note in England it is bad manners to remove anything from ones mouth at a meal unless it is "shot" from wild game. Ever shot a squirrel with a 12 ga. doesn't leave much to eat. I have been looking at getting a set of these Short lane adaptor's . I have guns that take these shells already but I don't always have them in the woods.

  This 70$ kit allows me to choose 5 different calibers when hunting with my double barrel 12 Ga. YES I Know they aren't as accurate as  A Real Gun but everything has trade offs. It also makes one gun capable of digesting all the calibers I keep on hand if I order just 2 more in 38 and 9mm (these I want in rifled 5").

   While I could use them in the double barrel it was my grandfathers so I would prefer a newish single shot for this platform. Even brand new for all I would be under 300$ with 7 calibers possible including gun. No it will not be a Tack Drive but it can be useful. If ammunition disappears again or gun laws change this platform will be able to handle what is left.

  Not even the DEMwitts consider a single shot 12ga a threat.

Read this before you go to the grocery store.

    Ok we are a rich country and shortages of food haven't happened in the United States since WWII . Then it was only a few items that were short as the military had priority. We as a nation are spoiled and think it will never change.

    Venezuela Is an oil rich nation surpassing even Saudi Arabia in oil reserves . Due to low crude prices , bad policy decisions and corruption Its citizen's are suffering severe shortages of Basic food

 items. This has been going on for over a year now it is to the point the POOR are starving because they cannot find or afford what is available. this article is wrote from a upper middle class perspective.
http://www.bloomberg.com/features/2016-venezuela-diary/

   Now make a grocery list and go shopping don't worry about this our government would never let this happen, or would they? This isn't  an Apocalypse novel it is a former top 10 economic nation.

    This is US if the world loses faith in the dollar. This is US if terrorist take down the grid . This is US if ____________, any hundred different things were to happen.

 

   Prepping is no longer  just about your parents fear of Nuclear War.

Small time investing .

      Took a chance and set up on the road with the BBQ stand this evening. Normally I never sell on Thursday but I had a full grill smoking while more was cooking. It was sit and watch it in the front yard or advertise  I was ready, by doing it on the side of the road.

    Free advertising won out so I spent the afternoon under a beach umbrella on the road side smoking 8 butts and 6 slabs of ribs watching traffic  waving at customers and friends. I was getting a jump on this weekend  OR SO I THOUGHT !!!!

   About 4 o'clock people started stopping. First it was sandwiches ok I had trim meat from the butts (I trim the butts to 7 lbs so I can sell them for 20$) then it was whole butts and ribs. When I left I had 2 butts and 2 ribs left smoked and 240$. It seems a lot of people are taking Friday off and leaving town.

    Now here is the investing part, I didn't expect this money I made about 160$ profit for 4 hour of fun. That is 2 extra cases of butts or 20 ea. The sale is this week only for 1.28 a pound all my other suppliers are 1.63 to 1.68. 40 cents may not seem like a lot but  I use 120 lbs. a week  about 12 to 16 butts. If I spend a little now to cover June  I will get a 30% return on what I invest or spend now. Butts always are sold at loss for the 4th of July but the price will be high till then.

If I spend 500$ on meat now I save 150$ over 30 days. I got to do it I hate to but I can't think of any other investment that has this return in such a short period.

    Yea I am rambling but its midnight I just smoked 8 more butts and 6 more slabs. The oven has 8 more butts starting and ribs will follow at 8 in the morning then back to butts while I go back to the road. My butcher is going to hate me ,I better take him a  butt when I go begging for 6 more cases.

Back from Camping.

      Got home Monday afternoon we had a nice time at the lake. We had planed on it being a week of us time but it turned into us and everyone time :(. One of the drawbacks to camping close to home is  anyone can come join. We had the wife's sister and our grandson come stay .  I came home and BBQ'ed Friday and Saturday . I had a lot of pre orders to fill and was swamped and sold out in 2 hours of what wasn't reserved. When I got back to the lake my wife was suffering a bout of gout in her foot and was in terrible pain. This was the first time she has ever had gout , I told her it was the illness of  KINGs so she may be the princess like she thinks she is :). Today it is a lot better but she will milk it for a few more days of pampering , I don't mind .

    While we were camped she spent WAY to much time reading FACEBOOK like it was 100% fact. Normally this drives me Nuts but she said "with the elections and terrorist bombing possible you need to stock up because if any thing large happens here people will act like idiots". Now she knows I have some stuff in the basement but she has never shown any interest in it. I have to admit that with the property purchases, winter and my son back here my 90 day pantry is almost gone. She said she wants me to build it back up just in case.

    To be honest over the winter we always run through most of our 90 day pantry, it is when my income falls and I use it as a savings account . This year I drew it down a bit faster but with the instability in the country and the media hype of events and more possible I made a mistake.

   In the past come spring I have focused on returning cash on hand to a certain level plus some before I restocked the pantry. This year I think pantry needs to be first priority even if I have to drop cash on hand a bit to do it. I even think I may increase the long term bulk by a few hundred pounds to. While Facebook has more lies than a car sales man it is a good indicator of peoples emotions and thinking.
   

  

A visit to the sporting goods store.

   Today I played hooky and me and the wife went to lunch , Wal mart and Academy Sports. We are going camping next week so we got a few items for the camper. The main reason we went shopping was our coffee pot went out at the house. We made cowboy coffee this morning  MUST HAVE COFFEE , yes its that important.
   Ok we got our new coffee pot but while at Wal-Mart we went to the camping section . They had a Mr. buddy heater marked down to 30$  It was this one   http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-F215100-3800-BTU-Propane/dp/B001CFRF7I/ref=sr_1_3?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1458184499&sr=1-3&keywords=mr+buddy+portable+heater 

 not a bad deal for my little camper . I did notice they had marked down a lot of the camping items and was adding a lot of new stuff for the spring.  It may be worth a trip to your local store to check out the markdowns that are camping survival related.

  After Wal-Mart we went to Academy , I have had a 50$ gift card the kids gave me Christmas 2014 . We looked at a lot of stuff but all I bought was 200 CCI   22lr. They had a lot of ammo on the shelves I should have got more but I haven't inventoried what I have or need more of. Now while ammo is available you mite want to budget for some . It looks like the republicans are determined to put The female Anti Christ in the white house . If that happens it will make ammo as rare as an honest politician.

    We did stop at The Dollar Tree before lunch. Now may be I have never noticed but I saw something I have never heard of in the canned meat , CANNED BOLONEY ! Has anyone ever seen or tried it? I regret not grabbing a can once I got home. I think  I will grab a can next trip just to try . I also noticed they had 16 oz. cans of mackerel jack for a 1$ cheap protein been years since I had any.

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.

Salvaged wood.

    The rain stopped so today we went over to my daughters property . One end of her trailer was cut off because it was to far gone. Me and my son saved a lot of the wall studs saving us about 80$ and used them there. Today we cut loose and cleaned up 14  2 X8X14 that made up the floor on the scraped end. Tomorrow we will carry them to my son's place to use in the kitchen floor.

     It only took about 3 hours to remove and clean them to reuse. Now it was 2 of us working but at 16$ each x 14 it save's us 224$ so on 6 man hours we made / saved over 35$ an hour. I don't know if we will get the floor joist in tomorrow but they will be on site.

    I like to do savings to work hours . If you made 8.50 an hour and brought home 7.25 our saving = 30 hour at work pay. So we saved/ made 5 times pay . I look at life different.

I get my B.O.L. for free.

   Today I worked on my son's place removing 3 layers of wood and linoleum in the kitchen. We wanted to see the floor joists. What we found was almost nothing, they were rotted to dirt. His kitchen is a 14 x 14 hole with dirt 2 foot below. We will beam and joist it next week then lay 3/4 in osb .

    When we got home my daughter had got a quote back from the state on a 10 acre parcel for 3,100 $. We may or may not get this one even at the price of 310$ an acre it is steep hillside and little flat. I am going to have the timber appraised before I buy. If it will show a profit I will borrow the money to buy it. It could have 12000$ in timber but I am no timber man.

    After I looked at her quote I went to read my E mail and I had one back also. Mine was a shock it was the 2 acre's I wrote about for a B.O.L.  The state wants a whopping 732$ :) for it . I sent the request on 11/30/15 and got it back today for the state that's quick . I  posted about it here  http://garyinbama.blogspot.com/2015/11/i-found-my-bol.html    In that post I had guestimated the old freight trailer at 10,000 pounds but a friend saw it and he said that model will be 15 to 18,000 pounds  because its an old atlas moving trailer with a low belly and grandma attic. He said I would get 14 to 1600$ for it scrap. The certified check will be mailed Monday !!!!!

     My friend that saw the trailer is a junk buyer but he also has heavy equipment. I want to trade the old trailer for 800$ and him to clear the bramble and recut the drive to the top and drag the H&H 12x20 shed to where I need it. Basically it will be 800 cash and under 2 hours on a Bobcat . He gets a better price due to volume than I could so I think he will take it.

The new House will never be a home.

     The house we bought for taxes is to far gone to ever be a home again . Over the last 4 weeks we have spent 6 days at it cleaning and cutting . We stabilized a wall and have poked and inspected to see how we should attack the repairs. The water problems are more substantial than we thought. This place is still wet and we have had 6 dry days . It gets almost no sun it was built on the wrong side of a large hill that has huge Oaks and Pines that allow zero sun . I will fix its problems but the area has low resale on old homes so the cost benefit is to narrow .

    It isn't a loss, me and my son have decided to make it into a food commissary with him a 4 room apartment attached. A commissary is just a place where food is stored and cooked and cleaning done on a mobile food truck. It is basically a normal kitchen with a floor drain , mop sink and if needed a vent hood with  exhaust. All of which I have and can install. By doing the house into a commissary we can both get license to operate any where in the state in both of our vending trailers. When the new trailer is finished it will also be licensed and registered as based out of the commissary. To make it into a home would cost 5 times as much as a commissary

     A home is about look feel and finish appeal. A commissary is about sanitation ,food handling and utility. The 4 room apartment is basically in good shape now. It will cost little to separate it from the kitchen unit . This plan will only cost about 800 in structure electrical and plumbing cost. Add 400 in flooring and counter cost should about do it. To get it to a rental level would be 3 times this and to a sale level would be over 5 times as much.

    To rent a space in a set up commissary would be 500 a month per vending trailer and to my knowledge the nearest one is 40 miles away. That's 1500 a month  FOREVER.  Buying and remodeling this house will be 2500 to 3500 once and done! Plus the cost of license is 1200 less in Blount county and the units are only 50$ each instead of 200$ each. The apartment for my son is an added bonus :) till one of our other places becomes deedable. This plan is a lower cost and a higher return over the next 5 years for both me and my son than rental or sale could net.

Full plate,projects to finish.

    Ok I know Tax property isn't a normal prepping topic but it is a way for a poor man to get a second location. I am still looking for what I want. My son's place of 2 acres is close (if it happens) but I am learning the system so it will happen. Finding abandoned properties for the kids and grandkids is a bonus in the search. If I make money on a few it is just more money for what I want to do. I haven't abandoned the food trailer in fact I have boxed in the wheel wells and framed the serving windows. I have to choose what and how much I spend much more closely in the coming months. I have to many projects half complete. 2016 will be a year about finishing projects.

     My hope is to finish the food trailer, get the Blount county house fixed and sold/rented, rework the trailer ,shed at the 3 acre property. I will be on the hunt for me a BOL if it is offered. Its not that I want the perfect place but it needs to be remote and private to put a camper at times and a supply cache on site. Me and the wife love to camp but sometimes it more about being alone and away from the house. While 25$ a night isn't bad to camp, it won't take many days to pay for a getaway property.

New roof and salvaged flooring.

     Today I went and got the metal roofing. We went into the office and a young lady asked what we needed ,I told her my order and asked when could I pick it up she said tomorrow, a man standing at the counter said pull out back he had what I ordered on the machine. I paid took my receipt and when I pulled out back he had already  formed and cut my 14 sheets.  He signed the ticket as filled, as I drove off I saw the name on the ticket was the one on the building. Nice to see an owner who runs his company from a production floor.

    In addition to the roof a buddy of mine told me he had 6 sheets of 3/4 inch plywood  and a dozen 1x6  boards for 50$ if I wanted them. The plywood was going to be 28$ a sheet so this saves another 120$. His new girl friend and him have been cleaning out her rental houses and storage buildings. It is amazing what people, myself included have stored that an be used or recycled . Will post some more pictures Wednesday after I finish the roof.

Sweat equity and reuse saves money.

     We have all heard recycling saves money and is good for the environment . That isn't why I built this trailer the way I did . I AM CHEAP not in a bad way but if I can make something work at a lower cost I will.  This build evolved from material from other projects that I have done and saved .
   
     The frame is from a camper I got 8 years ago for storage.

  It wasn't this nice but for 250$ it served for cheap storage.
Then I re roofed my shed/garage and saved the old tin.

   Last year I disassembled the storage camper and sold the aluminum for around 160$ . This freed up the new camper its parking place and left me with a flat frame for a new vending trailer.

    The weather got hot at this point so it was last week before I got back to work and framed it.

    

 

 

 

 

 

At this point I have spent 270$ Monday I will order the roof metal it should be about 90$.

It will be dried in for 360$ cost less the 160$ in scrap money.200$

 

Empanadas a perfect Prepper food ?

     Every one needs a way to make food storage interesting . I think Empanadas are a perfect high calorie way to keep your meals simple and tasty . All it is is a stuffed fried pie it can be stuffed with leftovers and fried to taste totally different. They can be fruit, meat, vegetables .I use Crisco instead of butter have made them with pork beef , chicken and rice. My grandmother made apple and peach and had never heard of an empanada . Simple dough stuffed with anything left over then skillet fried in oil. High calorie hand food  is always welcome in times of stress and activity .The link below is for Hors d'Oeuvres but you can make them large for a meal.

   http://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/recipes/spicy-pork-empanaditas-with-avocado-relish/fd-acc2d2d5-3b33-5acd-8ef6-39b67f2fc723

A link to an optimistic solar powered future.

   Ran across this article on MSN.  Its a fluff piece but makes for a worth while read and makes you think. Personally I don't think the PTB will allow one and done energy to get into their pockets very deep.

 http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/a-solar-future-isnt-just-likely-%e2%80%94-its-inevitable/ar-BBiMf4X?ocid=U141DHP

Flea markets I Love them.

     Sunday morning I woke the wife and my son at 6 am for a trip to Mt. Top flea market. The unusual thing about this flea market is one its Sunday only and starts at 5 am and they start packing up at 2. It has been around since the early 70s and is going strong.
    My wife just wanted to look around I carried 3 axe's 2 mauls and 2 sledge hammers in need of handles. I also was on the hunt for 2 hens because one of my 2 hens didn't make it crossing the road last week. First I headed to the lemonade stand a friend has owned there since 1978 for a free lemonade. Them made it 3 rows up and across the field to the handle man .Ok the handle man has been there since day one he is about 80 and my grandfather bought handles from him when I went as a kid with him .I got him to pick me 7 handles for what I had for 28$ .One at ace is 12 $ ,he use to seat them for people but has got to old and to busy.

     After I walked a 1/2 mile to the jeep and back I went to livestock row. Livestock row has chickens ducks turkeys geese goats rabbits dogs and cats . saw a pair of dominicker hens for 20 each, nope I pass . The cheapest I found was 15 for Reds I Pass .They wanted 5$ for chicks or 3 for 12 . Well I didn't get the hens I wanted I planned on 10 ea. and just would go for what they wanted. I had parted with my wife and son so I went and called and  found them . On the way I found once used ammo cans for 10$ each I got 3. My son had found new boots for 20 a inverter for 12 and 5 boxes of Entmans doughnuts for 1$ each. The wife had a bag of navel oranges 3 dozen brown eggs and a flat of flowers all for under 12$.

   My son and I carried every thing to the jeep and went back got my wife before she made it back to the flowers again. As we headed to leave I stopped and got a Quart of honey ( local apple blossom bee hives) and we got out of there by 11 am .

     Now we had a good time got some great buys and exercise .Stores cost more and help local people less, we met and interacted with people as we bargained for deals, saw friends while there . Have you ever noticed in other country's this is everyday shopping/ life but here its looked at as red neck slumming not a normal way of doing business . Perhaps this is the way we should do business face to face interacting within our community.