The Old Folks Home

[ronott1]

I was using steel wool pushed into the holes, @ronott1. They just pushed it back out...determined little critters.

Even more disturbing is that they have stopped eating the One Bite bait I have in the bait holder.I moved the bait holder outside and set it where I've seen mice before. If I don't see it being worked in the morning, I'll try relocating it in the coop but that is such a pain as I have to put it somewhere in a chicken proof box. I have made them from chicken wire in the past without problems and may have to go that route again.

But I'm definitely going to have to change bait though.

If they are mice, then try the liquid bait. Mice have very little water avoidance but a lot of food avoidance. Mice drink water daily. Rats once a week so this stuff works better for mice.

This stuff:

 

[ronott1]

Just found out from a friend that I wont be able to move in my house as soon as I wanted. The house has been Vandelized. Three years worth of weather has come in doors and windows. And she says the furniture has been taken.

I wont know for sure till I can get up there and assess the damage. But she said there is extensive damage to the floors... I didnt have much furniture in the first place Only things are a couple of oak book cases and a leather uppolstered recliner that is made of oak. And a dining table that I finished myself.

I hope they left the Kitchen Stove and the Water heater and the Potbelly stove, and the washer and dryer. Dont care about the rest of the furniture.

Along with assessing the damage I hope to cover the broken windows with plywood. But also measure the windows for replacements.

Grading the driveway just jumped to the bottom of the list. As well as the chicken coop.

deb

I am sorry this happened but I know you are up to the challenge!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Going to put ours away now

 

[Alaskan]

I will take pix and share they will help me in the assessment. This house technically doesnt exist therefore I cant insure it.

deb

Bites! But, I sure am happy that you ate staying positive. Keep is updated, it will be interesting to see what happens next.

And yes, it might be a good excuse to upgrade stuff.

 

[sourland]

Yeah, I know lots of others are suffering. Scary as to what the next decade will be like.

It doesn't get easier. I keep moving so that I can keep moving. Mom always said, "Gettin' old isn't for sissies."

Right again.

 

[microchick]

Morning everyone! Nice sunny day in store here with temps in the mid to upper 50s. Looks like the first week in March is going to hold on to those temps so early spring may just have a foothold here. I just hope it can hang on!

Thanks for the ideas on mouse and rat control.

One thing that I have done is where the rats have chewed holes in the wall, I've covered those holes with hardware cloth after dumping bait in the hole between the studs and then used dry wall screws to mount a piece of the hardware cloth in place. Now I can just remove the wire patches and dump bait back in the studs without disturbing the chooks.

 

[Perris]

"Gettin' old isn't for sissies."

my mum used to say exactly the same thing

 

[CapricornFarm]

Good morning everyone.

 

[perchie.girl]

How can it not exist? If it doesn't I guess you have no property taxes??

I think we have had this conversation before. I didint build this house. It was built by the Simpsons. Who had a devil of a time selling the property. They finally dontated it to a church. So they could move on to Mexico. He was anti government. For as much as I could glean from people who knew them.

They built a house in one of the communities on the Sea of Cortez. There you could build a house for about 20 or 30 grand and own the property. Through a loop hole allowing US Corporations to buy large acreage. This was in 1995 or so. They convinced their family to build and move there as well. I believe it was a daughter and her family.

In Mexico you can hire a house keeper for about a hundred dollars a month. Gardener as well.
the community had good health care and on and on.

So my house went to a church. The ministry is called Set Free. Set Free went in with the idea of converting it to a halfway house for women coming out of prison. At the time I purchased it from them there were twenty one women living in a single bedroom house... With one bathroom. Of course the Green house was converted to a bunk house. it is attached to the house. And the Art studio was also converted.

One of those nasty neighbors kept turning them in to the police and generally making it difficult for them to go forward with their plans. As well as getting permits to expand and build were proving difficult. So they listed the property for sale.

Because the Church was limited to x amount of money for sales I got the place for a very good price. A few thousand under what the land was worth.

I had no inspections, house or well. I discussed with the Minister what issues they had. He was honest but didn't volunteer information. The well was a low producer. They had one neighbor that wasn't quite friendly. This fellow not only had tattoos reminiscent of a Skin head but Prison tattoos as well. His wife ran the house. and had the only room that was private and had a lock on the door.

The property was NEAT AS A PIN. Even the dirt was raked in the front yard and there were no weeds. The teeny kitchen which only had room for one or two people the floor space was approx four feet by four feet.

Schedual posted on the wall was very regumentated. Every fifteen minutes they had something they were supposed to be doing. Which included smoke breaks (out side). Bathroom privelages shower and such were on a rotating schedual I believe they got to take a shower every other day and were limited to military shower time. Like five or ten minutes?

When I moved in I was amazed the only thing that kept me from falling through the floor of the bathroom was the linoleum. Shower was just as bad but it was tiled with very small tiles and it crunched when you stepped in. I kept my feet on top of the joists just for security.

So My life there has been an adventure. to say the least. First year I understood why there was an out house in the back. Found out that you could not let the water run for more thant ten minutes. When the pump saver switch went off the well shut down for ELEVEN Days. But even through all that I figured out how to fill the three thousand gallon water tank. It took a month.

Then I spoke to a well guy and told him my issues and he said I probably had a bad pump saver. He came out and for about fifty bucks fixed it. SMH.

Belive me as a city girl first time with a well and far out where hired professionals are few and far between. I learned alot about how to Ferret out problems.

Yes the well is a low producer therefore Irrigation has to be done Carefully Washing the car isnt a good idea. Even washing the horse wasnt a good idea at the time. I give my horses a wash about once a year... The local carwash (two guys with a bucket) in town was generous enough to allow me to bring her up and give her a bath. Belive me I had an audience by the time I was done...

The Sceptic was dying. when I had the tank pumped the Sceptic guy told me alot about the house. He said but for just me He said it would last probably another five or six years. this is why I am pushing forward for a second toilet to be either composting or propane flash burning the waste to a pile of ash.

IN the state of California you can add a composting toilet IF there is a standard flush toilet in the house. No permits.

deb

 

[Peep_Show]

perchie -- So sorry to hear about the damage to your hideaway. I wondered if, with the proximity so close to Mexico, border crossers might've refuged there, especially since it is so remote and unattended.

Hopefully the progress to restore your place will be swift and easy. Keep us posted!