Thank you SuziQ and GardenGirl! I am just so jazzed about this part of my life opening up. And I'm 57....
Today, because I didn't have my phone, HHandbasket had to PM me here on BYC to warn me it had snowed overnight and she didn't feel it was safe for me to come up. HA! I am gonna have to learn to drive in WEATHER, so what better time to experience it than just before I finalize the purchase, huh? You betcha! I can still back out of the contract at this point because I haven't even had the Final Walk-Through Inspection!
So I PMmed her back to let her know I was heading up for the 11:00 a.m. appointment, anyway.
As I headed out the door, the heavens opened up and a deluge drenched me, especially during the Stop, Open Gate, Drive Through, Stop, Close Gate ritual. Dang! The drive there was through MAJOR rain and sleet, sometimes so heavy I could not see very far ahead at all. Good thing I planned enough time for the trip.... and then I reached a portion of the drive where there was NO evidence of any rain having passed through in the past few hours. Easy, peasy drive for about 45 minutes. There was snow on the ground at the Mt. Aukum General Store. It disappeared again as the road grade dipped.
The Walk Through was really cool. My broker and I walked around looking at all the things mentioned on the various reports and I documented a leak in the kitchen. We stepped outside on the patio and HHandbasket and Farmer Lew drove up with a good 2-3 inches snow still on the roof and some of the hood of their "mountain ride" - an Isuzu Trooper. Introductions all around.
Another interior walk through to show them what we'd documented. Several conversations in this or that room about "Oooh, you could do THIS here..." and "Oh! That's a great idea!" and such comments. We got plans! Oh boy do we have plans.
The next door neighbor approached us and we chatted for a bit. His chicks (and duckling) were inside "in their box" due to the cold. He said it HAD snowed there much earlier, but it only looked pretty without sticking. Even when snow DOES stick, said he, Mt Aukum is always plowed, "and you can always just slide down to the intersection...." Cracked me up. He confirmed it would be perfectly fine for any drilling equipment to utilize his driveway if it comes to that solution for my well. Apparently the well guy had talked to him, too, the second time my broker asked him out to the property to discuss the well and pump inspection.
She wanted me to be ABSOLUTELY, TOTALLY informed about all the issues. She said she was really worried about some of the things that were not going to be very cheap to fix, but then remembered the price I will be paying for the property. Yet she was still extremely candid. Yup, I know those three problems will cost a whole lot of change, but I'd still have a really nice house on nearly two thirds of an acre for a whole lot less than the same thing would cost me elsewhere, including those repairs. Even in nearby communities. And there's NO way someone could buy that around Sacramento for even twice the amount I'm paying. It would have to be a fixer upper in far worse condition...
Walk Through papers signed. Preliminary title search "should come in" Monday or Tuesday. We'll go over all that stuff and then follow the instructions to fund the purchase and close escrow during the week.
As I was approaching the gate at the bottom of the drive to my friends' place, it started to snow again, up there.
They live about 300 feet higher in elevation. Now, HHandbasket and Farmer Lew had PLANNED on doing garden work today.... but that danged snow stuffed up those plans. But it was wonderful for me. Simply exquisite.
I spent a lot of time either watching the snow through the windows, or actually out on the deck taking pictures.
Notice the "Chalet" appearance of the small, tween-ager coop in the background.
Their dog, Ginger, left these prints on the back deck.
Some other creature made THESE prints!
Oh, Hi, there, Henrietta!
HHandbasket hatched these two "tween-aged" chicks from eggs she stole out of some of my nest-boxes. They're Easterwares, since their egg-mother was Delilah Delaware and their poppa was Carl E.E., my dominant rooster.
Here are a few of their intrepid chickens checking out the snow-covered yard right around the coop.
This is Rico Suave with some of his harem.
When the snow stopped and it looked like the break in weather might get closed again fairly soon, I departed to drive over to the "soon-to-be-mine" property again so I could plant a wire & glass cat-tail bit of yard art next to the neglected Koi pond. It may not be mine, YET, but I have staked my claim!
Edited by gryeyes - 5/15/11 at 8:04pm
You're almost done. It's almost yours!!!
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