All for a view (and other reasons)

In two years, God willing, we're going to have several bills paid off at once. At that time, hopefully, we'll abandon this old two-story house and buy a mobile home, back of where our barn now sits. We'll likely buy a nice repo, because they depreciate so fast, we can get one at one-third the cost of a new one. We will have a basement beneath it.

It's hard for people to understand why anyone would choose a flimsy mobile home over a sturdy old house like ours. Because looking from the outside, you can't see the problems existing within these old walls.
Cracks in the basement walls where water comes pouring in if it rains hard. Old wiring that won't let you use two energy-sapping appliances at once. No air conditioning. Hard water from the well that gunks up ice-makers and coffeepots. Only one closet. A living room that barely has room for five people to sit comfortably. I could go on, but you get the picture. Not to mention that the older we get, the more we dislike going up stairs, and we seldom do. I'm sure it would be cheaper to build a new house than to try and remodel this one.

Check out the terrible views from my house.
Looking east, you see the decrepit old trailer we originally brought here for my parents, who are long gone to their reward. We rent it out now for $275 a month, with the stipulation that if anything needs fixing, the renters fix it themselves. They have four cars sitting around; they only use two of them regularly. In two years, this eyesore of a mobile home goes to the dump. If the county will let us leave our old house standing, the renters will have the option of moving into this two-story house (if they are still living here at all). I do hope they get rid of a couple of cars before then, though.

Imagine the shed in this picture gone... also the fence and gate... and you are looking at our future view to the east.


This is my present view to the north. Neither Cliff nor I thought about the fact that we were blocking our view, when we had his shop built. The barn you see on the right in the background will be torn down in a couple of years because we're putting our mobile home just behind where it sits.

This will be the view to the north (sans fence) if our plans come to fruition. Big improvement, eh?

Here's what I see looking out my kitchen window toward the west, as I wash dishes. It's neighbor Marvin's junk yard.

This will be my view to the west when we've moved. We'll probably move that shed. Behind it you can see the new house neighbor Marvin is building.

We'll hook up to rural water when all of this comes to pass, and only use our well for outside purposes.

I can't wait.

My morning ride

I ride early, now that summer temperatures are upon us. Wouldn't you know, the horses were at one of the furthest reaches of our place.

I rode to Napoleon and took pictures of the Missouri River from the elevator property there.

This was around 6:30 AM.

That's the G&S store in Napoleon. When we moved out here in the 70's, it was run by a fellow named Manuel. They kept a few groceries, and had lunch meat you could have sliced to order, many varieties: liver loaf, olive loaf, my favorite one, Iowa loaf. In spring they had bulk garden seeds, and I always bought my seeds there. The place had an "old-time, country store" flavor. Other people bought it and tried to keep it going, but after a few years they had to close for lack of business. It's sad to see it sitting empty now.


I was back home before 8, and found Cliff out in the shop already; the newest dog, Annie, woke him up whining after me when I left. I have to tie her up or she'll follow me onto the highway.

Good thing Cliff went to bed at 10 last night!