Sunday

Today is Sunday.  GrandBoy spent the night last night so he could go to church this morning.  As you all know, today is September 11th, the ten year anniversary of 9-11.  That is all you see where ever you look on the TV and Internet.  I have seen things today that I never saw before.  That incidence changed our country, and I don't think it will ever be the same.

We went to church today.  After I went to look at a rental house in the town where we live.  It was nice, and would be very nice for Daughter #3 and GrandBoy, but she is not speaking to me, so I can't tell her about it.  Maybe I could send here a letter.

Pappy and I are looking at pasture land.  Some is about one road over from us.  There is also a 70 acre farm about an hour from here that is for rent.  We don't need pasture now, but we will in about a year.  So we will see how this all goes.

This will be a busy week.  I can already tell.  I went to look at the two empty rentals today. One is in good condition.  The other is not bad, just not cleaned up.  I have an appointment to show it to someone tomorrow who has seen it before.  I think he will take it.  I'll put the other one on Craig's List tomorrow night.

I have been reading the Bible a lot this weekend.  Trying to get caught up.  I will be caught up before we finish.  I do this every time.

Pappy has been busy this weekend bush hogging.  Tomorrow he will try to get some cows together to take to the sale on Tuesday. 

Well, I guess that is about it for here.  Oh, yeah.  Pappy wants me to order some wildlife cameras so we can try to catch our varmints. Hope to see you back tomorrow.  Honey

Feels Like Fall!

Oh, my goodness!  It is 55 degrees outside, which is about 40 degrees cooler than our temperatures last week.  I had to wear long sleeves and a light cardigan today.  But I still wore my sandals though.  This time of year is kind of depressing to me.  I think about how much of the year is gone, and how much I still need  to do before the end of the year.  I'm going to work on not getting caught up in that this year.  I'm sure GrandBoy will be a big help in that area.  Every day is such an adventure when he is around!  We are so blessed to have him.

I went to check my rental houses today.  Neither were empty.  Maybe they will both be empty tomorrow.  We can only hope.

Rent collection is going very well this month.  I'm not sure what that is about, but I'm thankful.  I think I've collected a third of our money already, and it is just the first week. 

Today was the first day of Warrior Prayers Challenge. We prayed about a change of heart.  It was a chore to try to get all the praying in.  I thought of it often, but would be doing something and not have my list with me to pray over.  So I just prayed anyway.  I'm sure I will get better at this, and I know all prayer matters!  But I am so wanting to smother GrandBoy in prayer for his future. 

I just thought of something cute GrandBoy said.  You know, at "almost three"  he is somewhat limited in his vocabulary.  Really he is advanced, but you know small children only know so many words.  Well, to him, any body of water is a "bathtub".  His wading pool, the lake, etc.  It is really cute.  And any sphere with a face on it is a "pumpkin".  Pappy got a lawn ornament that looks like a yellow smiley face.  It is in the flower garden.  Well, GrandBoy noticed it as soon as we got out of the car, and he wanted to make pumpkins, too.

I guess that is all for tonight.  Praying for some peace about many issues.  I hope you all are enjoying your fall weather.  Hope to see you tomorrow.  Honey
 

Staycation Begins!

Well, Our Staycation has begun!  It was delayed a little, but none the less, we made it!  GrandBoy came last night, in time to go to church.  He will be here until Tuesday, except for Friday night.  He will go home to his Mom's, and have his picture made the next morning for his birthday.  Then he will return.

Today I got off work at 12 noon, as planned.  The first thing I did was go pick up GrandBoy's WIC.  Daughter #3 told me she needed me to do this.  I asked when, and she said whenever I wanted.  Well, I didn't know until last night that he had an appointment yesterday.  So I went today, and they let me pick up since my name is on the list.  Then I delivered the coupons to Daughter #3, since I was afraid she needed them so she could shop.

The next place I went was to the post offices and the bank.  No rent at either post office, but a BOUNCED rent check was at one!  I was furious.  She just gave me that check Saturday.  So not a week later it bounced.  I went to her bank to try to cash it, but still no good.  I called and left messages on her phone numbers.  The messages probably weren't very nice.  I just don't understand people.

The next place I went was to Walmart.  Pappy wanted me to pick up a window unit air conditioner.  I got that, and a few other items, and rushed out to head home.  I had one last stop to make.  I had a notice at the post office where we live that we had a package that wouldn't fit in our box.  Our Daughter #1 had a book and camera battery at the post office that needed to be picked up.

Just a few minutes after I got home, I got a phone call.  There was a problem at work, and I needed to come back.  It was 4:05, and I was on Staycation!  I loaded back up, after unloading my car, and headed back to the office. I was there about an hour and a half, then started home.  I stopped and picked up dinner, at Pappy's suggestion.  On my way home, I called my sister to see if she wanted to go to the unclaimed baggage center with us tomorrow.  I was unaware she was having health problems, and had a procedure done today.  She will get test results back tomorrow.  Please pray for her that she receives good news.  Funny how talking to someone who is in a "worse place" than you are at the moment, will straighten your mood right up.  I let go of the anger I had over my interrupted vacation, and prayed for my sister.

I did reach one conclusion though.  The first of next year, I am putting it on my schedule to make reservations for next labor day week.  I'm planning to leave town, as usual!

Hope you have a great and safe holiday weekend.  Honey

Getting Ready for Staycation, and The Last Day of the Month

Hi Friends!  Today is the last day of the month.  I know for most of the world, this is just another day.  But to me, as a landlord, it is a busy day.  At least I HOPE so!  I get off work at 12:00 noon.  As soon as I am off, I go to our two Post Office Boxes to see if we have any mail.  Mail is a code word for "rent".  I always try to get as much money as possible in the bank on the last day of the month.  It is an allusion to me, I guess.  If we have money in the bank the last day of the month, all is well.

I first stop at a post office on the parkway in a small town we used to live in.  If there is rent in that box, I immediately take it to the bank branch in that town.  If there are any tenants that haven't paid for the month yet, I try to call them.  I leave them nasty messages, or try to set up appointments to meet them if they answer.

Then I go to the town we live in.  They are about 12 miles apart.  If there is rent there, I go to the bank branch in that area also.  I used to save the rent in the first town, and wait till I had been both places, but this way if there is no rent at the second box, I don't have to drive to a bank.  I was trying out the box in the second town, but we are in the process of moving all our mail back to the box in the town we do not live in.  There is a reason for that.  The town we live in is very small, and it only has two post men.  So even though we are not listed anywhere, and have a PO box, one day a tenant showed up at my home.  I don't like when that happens!  So I'm moving all my mail back to the larger town, to the box I've had about 15 years.  That way if tenants decide they need to find me, they will look there.

Some days I have a lot of appointments to meet people to pay.  Today I was finished relatively early.  Some days I have to check houses to see if they are empty.  People just move out like that, and don't tell you.  Today I know I have two coming available the first of the month.  Two people are giving back their homes.  Another is getting evicted.  So that is three we have that we need to rent.  I hope they go fast, but since school just started here, I don't know if they will or not.

Tomorrow I will get off at 12 as usual, and that starts our "staycation".  I believe I already told you that we usually go away to a river town an hour from here.  We do this every Labor Day.  We leave on Thursday before, and come home Tuesday morning, in time for me to go to work.  Because we have the farm, and cattle every where, we have to stay close to home.  If someone calls at 2 in the morning as says the cows are out, one of us (usually Pappy) has to go see about them.  Well this year because of the tornado and its damage to the park, we were unable to have our reservations.  We always rent a chalet at the state park.  We love this house idea, because I take all our food, it has a full kitchen, our kids have their friends along.  It is great for us.  We junk shop, and go to the beach.  Just do nothing and relax.  The first year, I would come back and forth to collect rent and make bank deposits.  Then Pappy started telling me I had to stay over in the other town.  I was "vacating".  When we didn't get our reservations, I decided we would sleep at home, and just drive to do the things we want to do.  I think this will save a lot of money.  Pappy doesn't know if he can sit home and do "nothing".  We'll see how this goes.  I'm starting to get excited.

See you tomorrow!  Honey

Saturday Happenings

Today I had to work a little while.  The company I work for, owns a commercial building that held a thrift store.  The thrift store went out of business and left a building full of items.  So we are going to have an indoor yard sale next Saturday to sell all the items.  I have a charity group I use lined up to be present when the sale is over to pick up the items left over.  There is a room full of black trash bags full of clothing and items that were donated.  Those bags are stacked to the ceiling!  This will be interesting, to say the least.  I think Daughter #2 is going to help me with the sale.  I hope most of the items are taken before the sale is over.  There is furniture, appliances, clothing, toys, shoes, books, you name it.  All kinds of items you'd see at a sale, and a lot of them.  It is very hot in there.  Maybe it will be cool next Saturday.  One of my tenants came in over there.  She was the postal carrier.  What a coincidence!

I called all our tenants yesterday that owe us money.  I had 10 evictions in my car to post, but decided I'd try calling one time before posting.  I collected from 4 families, and received a promise from one more for tomorrow.  That made a big dent in what we needed to get this month.  Tomorrow after church I'll have to go out and post the ones that didn't pay!

Daughter #3 still does not have a phone.  She did borrow one to call me and ask me to pick up GrandBoy today.  So he is here with us.  I met her at the grocery store to pick him up.  He was tired so I don't think he had a nap today.  He ate, and laid down on his pallet. 

We'll that is about all today.  I look forward to talking again tomorrow.  Honey

Saturday: Library Book Sale, Rain, and Errands

Today is Saturday, and it was pretty quiet around here.  Daughter #1 went to the rental trailer we purchased, and was laying tile on the floors.  It was her off day from the retail store she works at while going to college.  Daughter #2 was studying for her college finals next week with a study group.  Daughter #3 came over to help her Dad with some chores here at the farm.  The also went to the rental trailer to move some furniture.  We brought home two long credenzas, a wooden three shelf storage unit for our bathroom, and a glass hutch.  Still to come is an antique chest of drawers.  The previous owner went into a nursing home, and we bought the trailer "as is", previous owner's belongings, and all.

Grandboy is at the beach.  He called, but I wasn't home, so he spoke to Pappy.  He went to a dolphin show and told Pappy all about it.  He will be home Monday I think.  We miss him.

Our library has a book sale twice a year.  It is one of my favorite things to do.  There are thousands of books on tables, and you walk around the room in a line, one person behind the other.  You have to bring shopping bags to put your treasures in while you look.  All the books are a quarter!  The last sale I went to, I bought $25 worth of books.  When I got home, Pappy said, "Do you know that is 100 books?  What are you going to do with 100 books?"  I said, "I don't know.  I think I'll read them.  Maybe put them under the bed?"  We have books in every room in our house.  EVERY room.  Two years ago, when we finished homeschooling, I decided to list a lot of them on paperback swap.  That went well, I thought at first.  I had over 1,000 books listed.  And that was not including the ones I intended to keep.  I would mail out about 30 books a week.  But then I had all these credits, and I needed to pick more books, and it really didn't help much.  So I quit.  But I need to cull a few, and find a means to re-home them.  Today I only spent $5 at the library sale.  It probably helped that I waited till after lunch.  I missed the crowds and most of the books, I'm sure.

Today, while I was out running errands, it began to rain.  We need rain, so that was a blessing.  It helped cool things off a little bit too. 

Tomorrow our ad starts in the paper for the rental.  Pappy and the girls have been hard at work on it for a few weeks.  I hope the home  goes fast.  They usually aren't empty long.  But school starts here in two weeks, and that would really be a blessing for some one to take it the first weekend it is ready.  After school starts, I'm afraid the rental market is going to die down a little bit. 

Well, that about covers the excitement here today.  Hope your day was relaxing and Blessed!  Honey

This is the first view of our home as you come down our half mile long driveway.  Pappy is building a greenhouse.  You can see one of our clotheslines on the right.  The deck on the front of the house faces a 2 acre pond and a pasture.

Cleaning out a Rental Home

Today I am going to tell you a little about the rental home business.  Pappy and I have had rental property for about 20 years.  When we first started we had three babies in diapers!  It's been a long time.  Recently we bought a mobile home from the gentleman I work for.  We will redo it, then sell it owner financed.  We bought it "as is"  and Pappy is in the process of reworking it.  Today I went by for a minute and it was largely improved.  It looks really nice.  I will try to have pictures this weekend.  In the kitchen, he painted the cabinets doors pale yellow.  Really lightened up the place.  I can tell he and our daughters have done a lot of work in there. 

We also have to "unload" the home.  Take out all the personal belongings that were left in the house by the previous tenant.  A couple of the items were things I had recently decided to look for.  I only shop second hand for the most part, and with a list.  So it takes a while sometimes to find what I am looking for.  When two items I was looking for show up "free"  I believe it is a God moment!  One of the items was a piano bench.  My husband brought it home to see if I wanted it, and it was perfect as a little desk or table for the Grandboy.  He can use it to eat in the office, or draw, etc.  We spend a lot of time in the office, and where we are, he is also.  So I was really pleased about this.  The second item was a floor lamp.  It is very nice, made from wrought iron.  I wanted it to go by my den chair and footstool.  I thought I'd like to start trying to do my Bible readings in there, but I knew the light wasn't good.  I also brought home a stacked set of white baskets that I put in our bathroom for storage, two sets of wind chimes, and shoots from a ground cover plant.  My daughter #1 brought me home a box of books.  Oh, I forgot.  I also brought home a china clock that worked when I changed the battery.  It stands about 8 inches tall.  It is pretty.

All in all, it was a nice afternoon treasure hunting, and I didn't spend a cent!  Well, unless you count what we paid for the trailer!