Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Miss @Ridgetop,

I hope you do what you and your DH think is best for you. Your children and grandchildren will adjust. Will you and your DH regret moving Texas and missing your kids and grandkids? Might happen. But as Mr. @Mike CHS pointed out, your kids may decide to move somewhere else, leaving you and your DH there by yourselves. And it is not as if you can't change your mind. If you get to Texas and decide it's not for you, then the highway runs both ways from California to Texas!

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[Ridgetop]

Thank you all for your support! The children will adjust and if they don't, it will not affect us since we will be in Texas! LOL I am feeling better today, although still annoyed at their temerity in trying to tell us what to do. We are not in our dotage yet (although feeble ad old!) LOL

Anyway, our agent came by this morning and liked the house and property. She loved our workshop, barn, and additional outbuildings. The patio was considered fantastic and of course the view is to die for. It is almost 360 degrees and encompasses city lights as well as country hills and mountains. However, since Shadow Hills has only 2 tract homes developments, all the homes are custom and unusual sizes of property. Our property consists of 2 lots, so she said she has to check around for more comps on bare land. Sadly, our area is losing horse people, the people that are moving in want giant mansions, prices are all over the board, and she doesn't know how long it would take to get a buyer. Sales have been slow all year and she is afraid of a repeat of 2008 when property tanked. On the other hand, sales typically slow down between now and the end of the year so we will have time to get all the junk (that I have been hassling DH about for years) off the property, and tidy up the yard areas that are currently dirt. We will fill I the front area that you enter through with good quality astroturf, but she said that the other areas could be mulched instead. Much cheaper and easier. We were not planning to sell now but found a ranch in Texas we really like. It has been on the market for over a year, so is probably over priced which means that we have a chance at getting it eventually. The seller is receptveto a contingency offer. We don't want to close and move until after Christmas, but if necessary we can put up temporary fencing on DS3's 5 acres and move the sheep and dogs there should we get an offer. We can put all our furniture into storage and live in our 5th wheel trailer temporarily. We are negotiable on the price. We have been here for 32 years so DH is calculating how far we can lower the price to avoid capital gains, still have enough for our move, and be attractively priced. Lots to do.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch the mustachioed villain is tying Little Dora to the railway tracks . . . . Oops, wrong story! Actually DD1, SIL, and the 3 grandchildren moved into their new house the day before we returned. They have been living in our house since the day after we drove away! Along with DS1, DS2, his fiancée, and SIL's brother and sister in law who came for a week or two to stay with DD1 and her family in their new house. Since they could not actually get into their house the relatives joined the rest of the family in our house. DS1 got the extra double bed mattress and springs out of the storage container and set them up in the children's playroom, previously DD2's bedroom. The mattress and spring are still there since we want to remove the other furniture that is going to DD1's new house out of the storage container and take it over there first. We also have to remove half the furniture from the patio and relocate it to DD1's patio. Not to mention all their other belongings, bicycles, and toys.

So, back to our trip - we had a lovely time but also had 2 blowouts on our trailer tires! The first one occurred in Colorado as we approached Wolf Creek pass. Luckily there was a ranch road (actually purveyors of elk, bison, and goat jerky, roasts, etc.) and we turned in there since the road we were on was a single lane wide. The blown tire pieces damaged the skirting of the trailer. But we were not hurt - DH is an excellent driver! We relaxed in the shade as we waited for AAA to come out and change the tire.

We had a brand new spare tire - DS1 having noticed that the old spare was not looking too good, like the tread was peeling etc. DH had replaced the spare before the trip, so AAA put it on and we continued into Durango. In Durango he replaced the devastated tire with another new spare tire.

The second blowout occurred as we left Utah. Luckily it was just before we crossed the border since Utah has DOT personnel patrolling their roads to assist people who break down, have blowouts, etc.
Again some minor damage to the underside of the trailer but not as bad as the other side.
Again AAA came out and changed the tire. It took longer for the call and transfers to the appropriate AAA people (each of whom asked for the same information before passing me on to the "correct" extension) than it did for the tow truck to arrive! The kind DOT man stayed with us and helped to change the shredded tire for our new Durango spare.
OH NO! THE NEW SPARE WAS SMALLER THAN THE NORMAL TIRE!!! WHAT?!!
The tow truck man and the Dot man both helpfully pointed out that the other tire on that side was also damaged and about to blow. Slowly and carefully DH drove to the off ramp and into town where we had been told by the DOT man that there was a Discount Tire.

DH bought 4 new tires, and we put the brand new spare that had replaced the first blowout back into the spare tire position. The small tire he put the truck to return to the dealer with some choice words! After a short delay of 3 hours, we were again on the road home.

Those blowouts and the Colorado KOA campground that warned us not to walk around outside after dark because the neighbor's Pyrenees had treed a bear in the camp the previous night were our only brushes with danger. LOL I will upload some of the fabulous scenery pix tomorrow.

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Wow, you and your DH had quite the adventures with tires! Glad you folks weren't stranded somewhere that would have necessitated walking 20 miles to the nearest highway! Maybe on your trip back to Texas you should put 4 spares in the back of the truck! Looking forward to the pictures!

 

[Baymule]

I hate blowouts! Y’all got the right idea, call, sit in shade until help arrives. That stinks about the damage, but it can be fixed.

Sounds like your kids are realizing y’all ain’t ready for sitting in a rocking chair in a drooling stupor— at least not yet!

 

[Ridgetop]

DS2 popped the question last night! No one noticed the ring until tonight when I saw the sparkle on her hand at DD1's house! So happy and excited for them both. She hasn't told her mom and dad yet although DS2 went to her dad to ask permission. She is planning to go tomorrow after church. They will be happy too! A wedding and bridal showers are on the horizon! DD1 got her nice new house just in time! Although I might host the shower here - a last party at this house.

DD1's house is nice, but very cluttered with all their moving boxes. The pool and patio are lovely and the kids are enjoying swimming with their uncles. This evening we took over their patio furniture and some of the pieces we are giving them. I think she will have to get rid of some of her old furniture too!

Yes, everyone, we have real estate people coming to give us appraisals on our house in readiness to sell and move to Texas. We really can't wait anymore and still be able bodied enough to make a success of our move. We have a tree guy coming on Wednesday to remove the rest of the tree trunk from the tree that fell on our house several years ago. DS3 said we can come get the dump trailer next week so we can begin throwing out everything that we do not want to take with us or give to our children. Some of the stuff we don't take and they don't want will be donated to St. Vincent de Paul. It will probably take quite a few loads to clear out everything since a lot of the stuff here is building materials that we have been planning to use on future "projects". Too bad, but now when I look at it I just see junk that needs to be hauled away! LOL

DH and I figured out the most $$ we can clear in a sale and not have to pay capital gains taxes. We will compare that with what the various real estate agents want to price the house and land at, and hopefully meet in the middle for a quick sale. Since nothing usually moves between October and January, we probably will be able to get downsized and ready for the move by the time the house sells and goes through escrow. We are trying to decide whether to breed our 2 yearling ewes though since they will be lambing in January right when we hope to be moving.

3 of our ewes are huge and have large udders. One is the ewe I really want a ewe lamb out of, and the other is a yearling first freshener. She is huge, but was a larger ewe anyway. One of the second timers is not very big, but may still produce twins. Hopefully so. The others are due between October and early November. We need to get the lambing jugs set up but the barn is full of alfalfa bales. We need to move some of them out in order to set up the jugs. They will go in the new Connex container we bought before leaving for Texas. Before we can move them in there though, we have to level and stabilize the container since it is off balance where the company duped it, DH tried to move it with his truck and ropes but both sets of ropes snapped so now he needs a heavier rope! Since only one corner was on a lower patch of ground, DD1 and I had suggested using the heavy duty car jack to raise that corner and shim is with concrete blocks. DH thought it would be easer to do it this way since he did not think shimming it was too good. I don't know how they will do it but DH, S1 and dS2 will work on it together tomorrow. There is nothing they can't do when they work together. Once the container is stabilized we can transfer bales of hay from the big barn into it, and then move some of the furniture over to DD1's new house. DS2 and future DIL will take some of the furniture, china, crystal, etc. for their new apartment when we move to Texas. On a positive note DD1 is speaking to me again. I don't think I will be able to do much to help her since when we were there tonight there were boxes everywhere and she couldn't unpack since she did not know where to put anything. They are all going to a birthday party tomorrow after church so I won't be able to help her anyway. I have decided that I need to put all my efforts into decluttering and emptying my house. Thank heavens I already got the workshop, old milkshed and the barn relatively cleared, sorted and labeled. Now the yard is the next thing to clear up ad then the house interior. I need to put a new wood look vinyl floor in the office since the laminate flooring surface has peeled away from the under boards. I have the vinyl, and if the self stick doesn't stick (old vinyl strips) I will just use vinyl flooring adhesive. It won't take long, the biggest part will be removing the desks and file cabinets, detaching all the computer wires, and then moving everything back in again!

Falling sleep at the keyboard! More news tomorrow - and pix of Utah!

 

[Bruce]

I said he would go and enjoy it!

You WILL go and you WILL enjoy it OR ELSE!!!

When we left Durango DH announced we would go to Utah and visit a Dorper sheep breeder we met at the show in May.

Nice that you were given advance notice!

He told us to go to Capitol Reef National Park which is a lesser known park in the state. How gorgeous!

Been there, yes it is quite amazing.

DH and I marveled at the extremely rough terrain and the courage of those Mormon pioneers who traveled through that harsh landscape with its sheer cliffs intersected with broken ground, sand, and tilted upshoots of sharp rock and shale.

Couldn't exactly stop and set up a town there so they HAD to keep going!

It is almost 360 degrees and encompasses city lights as well as country hills and mountains. However, since Shadow Hills has only 2 tract homes developments, all the homes are custom and unusual sizes of property. Our property consists of 2 lots, so she said she has to check around for more comps on bare land. Sadly, our area is losing horse people, the people that are moving in want giant mansions, prices are all over the board, and she doesn't know how long it would take to get a buyer.

With those views and the double lot, I'd not be surprised if someone with BIG bucks comes by and doesn't even care what the house looks like since it will be replaced with a McMansion anyway.

We have been here for 32 years so DH is calculating how far we can lower the price to avoid capital gains, still have enough for our move, and be attractively priced. Lots to do.

I can't imagine how that would be possible after 32 years, it is worth WAY, WAY more than you paid for it. And unless you are in a 100% tax bracket (which doesn't exist and Cap gains is generally lower than income tax rates), you'll lose money on every dollar you lower the price. Paying $15 in tax on $100 of sale is $85 better than taking $100 less on the sale.

DH and I figured out the most $$ we can clear in a sale and not have to pay capital gains taxes.

CA capital gains???? There won't be any Federal gains since you are buying a replacement primary home. Don't forget to deduct the 6% the realtors will get from the sale price.

 

[Ridgetop]

Awake now and having done a few chores - picked up a lot of rubbish, sorted our all my large plant pots for DD1. She has a 3' high drop from one level of her patio next to the actually steps. She is justifiably worried that someone would accidently step off the side thinking the steps extended all the way across. Large plant pots lined up along the drop will effectively block it off. am not sure that my pots are large enough, but we'll see. DS1 and DS2 are starting to move some of our hay out of the barn into the hayshed in order to make room for my lambing jugs. My 3 girls are due this month starting 9/22. 2 of them remarked, but are big and have udders so he may have just been excited, or they are due on 10/3. The next 5 are spaced out from 10/14 through 11/11. I will be keeping a close eye on them all though since I have had some bucks get over excited and remark a ewe that was already bred. Luckily, I write down all the marking dates, not just the last one. Once they have moved a few of the stacks, we can start putting up the jugs. Hard to believe that it is lambing time again! Time seems to move faster the older we get!

Here are a few of the pix of our trip.
Some pictures of the Durango-Silverton narrow gauge train. This was such a fun trip, the scenery was amazing and we met fellow passengers from all over the US on the 4 hour trip up to Silverton. We had a couple hours walking around the historic mining town, had a nice lunch, bought a few souvenirs, then a 3 1/2 hour trip back to Durango. So, pictures top row L to R - DH in front of the train as it coupled up; the track is so narrow and the track so tight that we could see the train ahead of us rounding a curve; the deep gorge into the Animas River (one of the most dangerous rivers around - it has underground sinkholes that suck you down); the Animas as it flattened out - the orange color of the rocks is from the Obama administration EPA "accident" when they decided to clean up an old mine and ruptured the sealed holding basin with their equipment! They released tons of toxic effluent into the river. The river still had a brownish tint near Silverton after 3 years!. "We're from the government - we're here to help"!

More pictures coming - wont let me upload more till next posting.

Sorting out more items to give DD1. Her house is made for entertaining and I will give her all my entertainment equipment, chafing dishes, pretty serving platters, plastic party ware for BBQ and pool parties, etc. Luckily she has a lot of storage. Too bad she doesn't have time to put her stuff away and unpack her boxes since she is back to work! CI am not sure I am going to help her unpack since she still hasn't decided what furniture she wants in which room. no point unpacking books, china, crystal if she is going to move the china closet and bookcases again. However, she does want at least one of my oriental rugs - probably Uncle George's Chinese rug. She has also decided now that she does want the loveseats. Of course so does Kathleen since they will be moving into an apartment for a while. On the other hand, I will not be taking my lovely white sectional from the parlor since white furniture does not belong in the only sitting room of a ranch! It was fine when I had a formal living room and a family room, but since the new place will only have one living room I am taking the family room leather furniture. It will be easy to clean and practical. I will be taking most of my lovely art pieces and family things, although I am going to give the kids a lot of my good crystal, and the bone china dinner service for 30 since I will not be hosting those large family dinners any more. It is DD1's turn. Too bad she did not have this large house before now!

We have also decided to give her the rest of our wrought iron patio furniture - 3 man settee & 2 large armchairs with cushions, propane fire pit and 4 more armchairs with cushions, so as not to have to move it to Texas. We can buy stuff there when we see what the patio needs and how large it is. I am bringing my 100 year old glider with cushions but my heart is set on rocking chairs! LOL The cute fountain will also go to her house since the sellers took away the fancy bronze statue and left a spot lit plinth bare.
There are lights everywhere on this house! All over the hillside yard, the pool area, in the trees, etc. It is really lovely but I was worried about the electric bill since SIL hated to even run the AC in their tiny house before. They reminded me that the entire roof of this house is covered with solar panels. I wondered why they had left all the inside lights on - I had been going room to room turning them off. I would never be able to live in this house though, the lights are all computerized, and have complicated switches. DD1 and SIL have not entirely mapped them out yet. However my oldest grandson knew how to turn on the pool lights last night. LOL Trust the little kids to know everything!

Anyway, today DH has a tummy bug and is back in bed after feeding and having 1 cup of coffee. I will go out and start dragging stuff away from the tree trunk that is going to be ground up Wednesday am. I am making a new rubbish pile on the field since that is where we will put the dump trailer next week.

Whether we move or not, I realized that all the stuff that has been allowed to accumulate here with DS3 and DD1 moving in and out, our adding a 5th bedroom for my aunt, the tree falling on the house and having to do repairs, has gotten out of hand! We really need to take several loads to the dump, but DH has a phobia about going to the dump. He feels I have a dump fetish because i always say lets load up all the junk and take it to the dump. It goes in one load, and that is that, right? Nope! DH hates going to the dump - I say he has a phobia about going to the dump. Probably the extortionate dump fees they charge, but at least it gets rid of all the garbage at once. There is only so much you can cram into a 60 gallon garbage receptacle and leave at the curb. "But it s free!" sobs DH. "But it takes years to get rid of stuff" snarl I. And there is the problem of not being able to cram certain things like an 8' nail studded 2 x 12 into a trash can. However, DS3 will loan us his dump trailer next week and I can throw everything I can get hold of and physically lift into it for a non-stop trip to the dump! DH is ok with this since the minimum fee they charge will not be any more for a pickup load than the high sided 30 foot dump trailer. We will both be happy - especially since we can do several trips to the dump while we have the trailer.


Well, time to start dragging stuff to the dump pile. Unfortunately, Angel, now 10 months old, has developed an affinity for seizing on junk and claiming it as her own She "hides" these items behind the Connex containers. When she needs a bit of relaxation she visits her treasures and thoughtfully gnaws on them. Apparently while we were gone, DD1 rinsed out a small rug and put it to dry outside. It disappeared. Knowing the hbbits of large LGDs, she finally tracked it down in Angel's treasure pile on the field. It was only slightly chewed, so under Angel's hurt gaze she removed it, and ran it through the laundry. LOL This junk fetsh mist be genetic in our dogs because Bubba went through the same thing around this age. It didn't bother me except when he found an antique Kewpie doll and brought it up. Eureka! I could have been rich but unfortunately by the time I saw it he had amputated it's foot. Oh well, you don't miss what you never had. The trash pile from the old days on our property has produced old sun colored bottles, and even an old rusted revolver! The children fondly imagined it to be a hidden murder weapon from some long past crime spree. I suppose I could label it as "Believed to have belonged to Bonnie & Clyde" like they do in some of the little tourist museums. They can't state a provenance due to the threat of lawsuits, but they can imply, infer, and practically state it depending on the language they use! It is interesting hanging on the wall next to the old broken plough share found in the same trash heap!

 

[Baymule]

When we lived in Livingston, anything I didn't want got set out at the curb. It would be gone in no time. Amazing what people would stop and get. Our old behemoth 42" TV gave out and we set it on the curb. In about 20 minutes someone rang our doorbell asking for it. When we bought this place, I tore out all the carpeting. I cut it in 3' strips and rolled it up. I took it home to Livingston where I knew the trash men would toss it in the garbage truck. Nope. It was picked up in less than 45 minutes. One day we set out a corner cabinet and a woman stopped before we took our hands off it. Another woman stopped immediately, but I told her the other lady already had dibs on it. Lady #1 called her son to come RIGHT NOW with a pick up to get it. Too bad you don't have curbside shoppers like we used to.

Great pictures! I am glad you dragged him on that train ride!

 

[RollingAcres]

Great pictures! Thank you for sharing!

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Miss @Ridgetop,

Beautiful pictures! I have always wanted to ride that train. My Beautiful Gal and I along with her parents rode the Cumbres and Toltic (sp?) steam narrow gauge railroad from Chama, NM to San Antonito, CO. My MIL was afraid during most of the trip! She wouldn't walk onto the Rio Grande River Gorge bridge near Taos because it is so deep!

I am glad you are making steady progress on getting ready to move. Mr. @Bruce is right, even if you have to pay capital gains tax, I can't imagine how that wouldn't be better than lowering the price, but maybe I am missing something.

Once you get to Texas, will you change your name to something like Cap Rock Annie?

Senile Texas Aggie