OLDER IS BOLDER

It's been a very busy past few days: the house sale is in it's final moments, I've been boxing things up … and we have both been trashing things that no longer fit our Life as we prepare for the New Life we are building, together.

The Highlander is up for sale - and Holland just sold his 4x pickup.

The Past is giving way to the Present, and making room for the Future.

Tuesday the buyers had a house inspection scheduled, so Holland and I took the Highlander over to Kelso to be serviced … then we went shopping for our new home; and tried a "highly recommended" buffet restaurant in Vancouver: both were failures.

Sparkly 'Pearl' for eyebrow; sparkly 'Charcoal Smokes' for eyelid; Sparkly 'Navy' lid color & liners; Glittery 'Illusion' for lid accent; 'Cobalt Blue' Mascara; 'Auburn' Brow Gel; Neutral Enflamme' Cream Blush; & 'Pink Quartz' Lipgloss.

Using the Inspection slot to get the car checked over before leaving town.

Dick Hannah's in Kelso has been totally revamped. WOW.

'House' hunting … 'Chasing A Dream' Blog Post: (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2023/04/chasing-dream.html)

The Coach had been FLOODED, and was unsalvageable to us.

The Golden Corral Buffet in Vancouver was AWFUL.

NONE of the food was hot - 95% was cold; I left most of it.

Wednesday, I got a morning text from Shay about the Inspection … and since I knew there would not be anything the buyers could seriously bitch about, I was feeling confident about a quick process; I started unloading cupboards and filling boxes. Holland secured a storage space up the road, and we posted the Highlander For Sale on Craig's List … and got a dozen {hits} practically as soon as Holland's fingers left the keyboard ;-)

Storage Unit secured.

Letting go on both sides … we are embracing {US} with very little of the Past tagged.

There was a dealership interested in buying the Highlander - and no one was even batting an eye at the price we listed it for :-)

But by Supper time, we hadn't yet heard anything one way or the other about how the inspection went. So, we planned to meet with the dealership - and I shot a text off to Shay letting her know we'd not be in town Thursday.

Didn't hear anything back about the house deal … but a car deal was in the works.

We had already loaded the Highlander to the hilt and stacked boxes in the storage unit, and was working on unloading another haul, when Shay shot me a message - and followed that up with a call.

It was windy.

It was chilly.

Our tails were dragging … and I was not in the mood for nitpicking; so, I said, "None of what they are bitching about is concerning - these people are ridiculous; and I don't want their realtor/inspector (totally unethical to be both) in my house again - every time they are, they leave me with cleaning up to do. And there is no logical sense for the messes they leave behind. Tell them I am not putting one more dime into this house; and my asking price is firm; they either want it or they don't. If they decide to walk, someone else will step up, and put up."

If they want a brand new house, they can go shop for a brand new house - this house has been completely updated, and remodeled with fancy wooden and stone flooring throughout the house; Bob and I reroofed the house when we moved in, in June of 2017 … there are several smoke detectors and a carbon monoxide reader (both which we put in, because the previous owner refused to do so); if they insist more detectors be put in, they can buy and put the damned things in wherever they think they need to be. Yes, there is a S.M.A.L.L. (using the inspectors own words) puddle of water under the house. It is there because landscaping plastic and cloth tarp was laid down and covered with river rock surrounding the house (any moron with eyes open and walking round the property could see the cloth tarp poking through the river rock in places); the rainwater has nowhere to drain - and it dries up very quickly because it is SMALL. I have had contractor guys under this house scoping out the {concern}: I have been told that 'it is certainly not a major concern'. We live in Washington State for heaven's sake; it rains all the time, and the ground gets wet most of the time.

These people are being ridiculous thinking they can talk me into lowering my asking price: NO WAY. This house is worth more than I am asking, and if anyone is getting the short end of the stick, it is me because I will never recoup the money (big payouts) I've put into it since 2019.

I was getting irritated by the nitpicking nonsense that is holding this sale up. If they don't want it, let them say so and step aside. But I am not forking out anymore $$$ on this house. If they want it to define {them}, let them buy it and make it their own - like normal house buyers do, for Pete's sake!

Holland and I were both bone tired.

We have our own dreams, and we don't expect anyone else to finance them. We are also looking for a second-hand home to make our own.

And we were trying to get things done before the rain and winds picked up.

Before the call ended, I felt guilty for snapping out my reply. But not enough to cave in to the silly and senseless nonsense the buyers were carping about. Shay said she'd draft a response to them and stop by in the morning for my signature before we left town.

We drove to Lowe's in town to grab more packing boxes (just in case), and a clothes rack to set up in the storage unit to hang clothing items on.

More boxes & a clothes rack that can be used in storage … and the Coach.

Sitting in the Highlander in the parking lot, and talking about things we still need to do, Holland mentioned maybe getting a dually truck - and I said, "NO. Those trucks are ugly and too bulky in the back end." Looking out the windshield at that fat-bottomed truck parked across the way, I started laughing as my words echoed in the space between us, and said, "Trucks or women; you have a thing for big butts, Holland."

And he started laughing and said, "I do. I like big butts and I cannot lie." When he winked at me, we both laughed loud and long as the song ran through our minds; and I didn't care what people thought walking past our vehicle. It had been a stress-filled day and we needed the humor boost ;-)

Sir Mix-a-Lot - 'Baby Got Back' aka 'I Like Big Butts' song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X53ZSxkQ3Ho)

This morning, the Gladstone Toyota Dealership fella called early - about 8 A.M. asking for things I was not comfortable giving him; we had been getting calls from other people about the Highlander (offering more $$$), and inquiring about Holland's 4x: and we weren't sure we would be going with the pushy Gladstone guy.

Shay came - I signed the papers that needed signed … and Holland made the decision to skip the Gladstone dealer altogether; I wasn't going to give him what he was wanting - and he wasn't going to come here to complete the deal: we'd been texting back and forth all morning with no give on either end.

Trying to get both deals wrapped up and secured.

Gladstone is hitting us with back-to-back texts … but I am not a fool.

I've already been led down a rocky primrose path; won't happen again.

Gladstone reply: not a good reply … guilting me n.e.v.e.r.w.o.r.k.s. I already told him ANY BUYER would NEED TO COME TO ME with $$$$ in hand.

D.o.n.e. with this clown.

The phone calls came in all day long; some offers were laughable, and most were from car dealerships that wanted us to come to them (the buyouts offered were considerably above our asking price) - and we told them what we told the fella from Gladstone: come to us. We're packing the house up. We're in the final stage of a house closing … we can't afford to lose a whole day burning up the road dickering with dealers who think we're desperate to sell thereby being easy to pick clean: NO. Plus, we now only have one vehicle, which means there would be no way to get back home once the Highlander transaction closed.

Another car dealer said he could come and do the deal in our driveway, digitally; another fella called from Fort Bragg and said he could send a cashier's check and be willing to wait for the check to clear before sending someone for it: we'll see.

Either way, I am not a foolish woman, and I hold the trump card: ownership free and clear ;-)

The Highlander will sell. If not now, then for sure later. We are not desperate; it was paid off in November 2018 - before I became a widow in December 2018, and it's been faithfully maintained and kept in good condition.

I know what I have. If someone wants it bad enough, they will come and get it without pushing a guilt trip to close a deal.

Pushiness, and rude behavior, just raises red flags to me.

Elohim will send the right person, with the right mindset and right attitude :-)

HOUSE THAT SCREAMED DANGER

I was up early this morning, so I decided to have breakfast at Peper’s 49r Restaurant on my way through Castle Rock; I like their homemade Hash 😊

Another house hunting venture.

Peper's 49r Restaurant in Castle Rock, from Heron Pointe; via Delameter Road - 26 mins.

I ran into Carl and the boys (young men now, actually) at Peper’s; Matthews baby girl is due August 26^th – Grandpa Carl is hoping for the 15^th 😉

After leaving Peper’s, GPS wanted to direct me to Toutle to reach the house I was to meet Shay at … I decided on the Jackson Highway route. I wanted to make my appointment on time; and I can’t afford to be wasting gas right now – it’s escalating in price, and I’ll be doing a lot of running around to check houses out: I have to be very frugal now.

I arrived in Toledo earlier than anticipated, so I waited time out in a graveled roadside pullover; finishing a thick novel I had started a few days ago … and watching traffic pass by.

While I waited and watched passing traffic, I happened to notice a big house on a distant hill: and the hilltop being leveled to make room for more houses to be perched up there.

Waiting for Shay, just outside of Toledo ... I saw a house on a distant hill; and land being cleared for more.

Clearing in the clouds that reminded me of Bob's beautiful asian eyes - I had specifically asked him & Yeshua to help me in my new home search: today there was an 'eye in the sky' ;-)

I have specifically asked Bob & Yeshua to help me find a new home; to help me find the roads, and secure a new home that won’t cripple me financially: any house I find and agree to terms with, will need fixing – I am hoping the one I agree to will not end up costing me a fortune to bring up to date.

I did try to find something ‘workable’ in that house, but it truly was a disaster waiting to happen!

Every sloppy attempt at self-carpentry room in that house was a safety disaster, and a remodeling nightmare! I honestly do not know what the owners were thinking when they picked up a hammer and a bag of nails …

Plus, Shay could reach the ceiling with her fingertips and outstretched arm: not a big deal for me … I’m short … but she did have a point when she said, “Val a 6-foot man could not stand straight in this house.” I looked at her, like, ‘do you know something I don’t know? Currently there are no men in my life; and I have no plans to include one.’ Then she said, ‘If you decided at some point to sell any house you have – you have to figure in for tall men at some point.’ Point understood 😊

Safely exiting that house of dilapidated horrors, I laughed most of the way home thinking of that house that screamed {DANGER!} from the moment the front door was opened, and Shay was catapulted halfway into the livingroom/dining room when she tripped over the excessively high threshold made of at least 3”-thick wooden planks cut in a crescent at the door … so the door could easily swing open – but that 3” height was a real, and present, danger. And that sorry attempt at {remodeling} was not the only clear and present danger; the entire scabbed together house needs to be restructured from the porch boards to the house ceiling. Like I said … I don’t know what the heck the owners were thinking when they took hammer and nails in hand.

I sincerely hope Shay did not seriously tweak her back during that forward momentum entrance. I wanted to grab her, but I was worried my attempt to help steady her would only throw her further off balance and cause her to fall.

The self-appointed {carpenter} created a trip-hazard-boobytrap.

I was not laughing because that house almost killed Shay – I am laughing because you have to laugh at life’s unexpected/unguarded moments. If you don’t, you get sucked into the insanity of the moment.

Life is a trip (pardon the pun).

I was on roads I'd never been on before - so even though the house was a bust, it was still a 'gain' day.

Country backroad attraction; I love seeing people honoring and respecting Old Glory.

The demonrat covid mandates that led to job losses ongoing, have made building materials scarce & expensive.

Interest rates are really low ... but everything else connected to housing is really very, very high.

Houses, to me, are like men: they are a dime a dozen … but there’s that one special one that will steal your heart and make you go all in.

I had that special man, for 44 years.

I’m still waiting for that special house: I’ll know it when I see it, and there will be no doubt it will be worth the time and effort to merge my life with it.

For the remainder of the day, I’m going to kick my shoes off – throw my bra across the room – relax in Bob’s recliner with a beer to celebrate Shay narrowly escaping a serious fallout with that dangerous house … and start a new read.

New Read.

It’s 5 o’clock somewhere.

‘It’s 5 O’clock Somewhere’ song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfqtO88ZlBQ

RYDERWOOD

A few days ago, I saw a house on the internet that piqued my interest.

This morning I woke up wanting to eat lunch at the Little Crane Restaurant, in Vader … and thought I’d take a drive further along the road, to Ryderwood, to talk to some of the people that live there; and gather info about life in the community.

Bob and I had considered buying a house there, about seven years ago – the drawback was internet and cell service: there wasn’t any; and that would be a deal-breaker today, as well.

So, that is what I did.

The getting there was slow going, as traffic was held up twice along the route: once, at the junction of Virginia Way/Columbia Heights roads – where two police SUV’s with flashing lights pulled a rehab vehicle over; and about half an hour later, when traffic was held up behind a garbage truck, before it finally turned off Westside Highway, onto Cook’s Ferry Road.

2 cops stopped traffic on Virginia Way-Columbia Heights junction; because of a car repo. Lights flashing, the whole shmo.

Vader is about half an hour from Longview when traffic is flowing smoothly; Ryderwood is 45 minutes away.

Vader is in Lewis County … Ryderwood is in Cowlitz County: the boundary line between the two old communities snakes backwards.

Checking out a house in Ryderwood.

I really liked what I saw on the internet.

Ryderwood is a 55+/retirement community at the end of the road, past Vader.

When I reached Vader, it was lunch time … so, I pulled into the diner there, and placed an order – and read my book and drank coffee while waiting for it 😉

Little Crane Diner in Vader.

Chili Burger ... lunch and Supper.

After I finished lunch, I drove to Ryderwood.

I like the area.

I like the Community – a very strong county small-town vibe 😊

I like the way the town was designed, and the streets laid out.

The people there, are generally friendly.

I talked to several people gathered at the Post office, shooting the breeze: I learned that there is only once Internet Server, CenturyLink (disappointed to hear that); and several Cell Phone Servers (I hoped my Cell Server was available).

I made friends quickly today 😊

I drove the few streets, and liked what I saw of the house that interests me.

I like what I saw of it online (LOTS of windows with a wide-open view); and I like what I saw standing before it, in Ryderwood, this afternoon. It needs a new roof, and a paint job … but that’s typical of seller’s (except for me: whoever gets my house, will get a very good deal). But the grassy front lawn was small and manageable; and there were graveled areas behind the house that would work well for potted plants, and a small container garden.

I believe I could be happy living there.

Ryderwood is a county community at the tail end of Highway 506 – 45 minutes from Longview: that’s no biggie. We drove that distance from Cathlamet to Longview, decades ago.

Ryderwood is at the tail end of the blacktop; the road literally ends in Ryderwood.

‘Where the Blacktop Ends’ song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5347wMozv2c

‘County Roads’ song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5yTD8wupeQ

Deer roam freely in Ryderwood – they are everywhere: in the yards, in the alleyways, in the streets … they will literally lay down in the middle of the road and stop traffic.

Deer roam freely here ...

Deer, bear, cougar, and foxes ... life in Ryderwood, would not be boring.

When I got back to Longview, I stopped at my Internet Server’s place of business and told them I was thinking of moving, and asked if they did business in Ryderwood: they said “no: we have had requests to make connection there, but it would be too expensive.”

Well, c.r.a.p.

It would be too expensive for me to make a connection with CenturyLink for their unreliable spotty, and all too often, non-existent ‘service’.

Looks like Ryderwood may be off the table as far as country living goes. I will get good Cell reception; but not good Internet reception.

I then drove to my Cell Server and found that they do have a connection in Ryderwood – a very good, strong, reception.

But the Internet connection is a big issue with me: I need internet availability to continue with my Blog. I honestly would not mind letting go of internet as far as FB bitching goes … but my Blog is helpful to other widows; I’m not sure I want to let that go – I remember how hard it was for me, as a new widow, and how scary it can be to make those steps forward.

My Blog is helpful to those seeking encouragement, and strength, to go on.

But, though I have pulled Ryderwood off my ‘Home Seeking List’ … the house in Ryderwood has held my thoughts captive all long: the internet issue is what’s deviling me.

It been a constant brain tease.

Maybe Ryderwood is not as {off} the List, as I think it is.

Maybe the internet isn’t that important to my life anymore.

I only got the internet, and a computer, to stay in touch with family: and they have cut me loose after Bob’s spirit left Earth; is the internet really a ‘necessity’ at this point in my life?

Maybe my Blog has run its purpose.

Maybe my time would be better put to use elsewhere, doing other things in this growth spurt I’m engaged in; living fully in the moment.

If the thoughts of that house, and the community, in Ryderwood continue to prick my thoughts – maybe I’ll have to rethink things and shift gears.

HELP ME, Yeshua.

‘Just Give It To G-d’ song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBldegpMVDs