Property

There isn't any time like the present to start thinking about getting some mountain property.
It's been running through my mind for quite some time now. The area where my mother and brother's property would be a nice place to find a vacant stretch of land that might be for sale on payments. Well, a nice cabin would be great - but that's out of the question for now. There are properties near my mom's place up there that are vacant, though not necessarily for sale. I dunno if they are or not, there are no signs up, that's for sure. \

I don't just want to find "any" property. The area where my mother and my brother are at are very nice areas. They are 8 miles apart from each other. If I wanted to buy a property in the mountains, which I do, it is going to be in a forested section with tall pine trees, not in some foothills below the REAL mountains. Those lots are being sold cheap and have been forever. It's high desert, really, it's nothing you would want to retire at. Well it's not a property I envision retiring at, anyway.

Well that was interesting. A conversation with my mother and it progressed to the point we were talking about the area she lives in and properties for sale. Lot 4 in her subdivision, if you want to call it that, wanting $150,000 for a 2.4 acre parcel of land. No structure, doesn't even have the electric running on it yet. My mother is all over that area: yes, she knows the property, yes, everyone there says it's WAY over-priced. Okay, but a person wanting to ask that much for a property is never going to come down enough to what I want to pay for it.

The conversation progressed. Well, she continues, if anyone wants my property, I am going to have to put it into my trust. I haven't asked for her property - when she dies - had had thoughts about it, but would never bring the subject up. My mother brings up her eventual demise frequently - what's going to happen with everything, etc etc etc. She goes well into it and, well, I can't just say no, I wouldn't want the property, even if it has to be somehow "split" between 2 other brothers. My oldest brother already owns property and a cabin up there, he doesn't need it. My middle brother?

He would want it or try to sell it or do something with it just to make sure no-one else gets any enjoyment out of it. This is the main reason I have never brought it up to my mother. She won't just put it in anyone's specific name, either. It would be open in her trust. Yes, it goes to ALL 3 of us, how we decide to deal with it? Up to us. The way she is leaving it, when that day arrives, it's probably not going to be a pleasant affair attempting to create a fair 3-way for everyone. She may be doing this on purpose, in fact, I don't wonder if that's definitely the case. What she couldn't accomplish in life, she may think she might be able to accomplish in her grave: her 3 boys actually coming together and actually coming up with some kind of agreement on something and perhaps, establishing relationships with each other.

Novel idea. I'm going to give it at least a 65% chance that that's the reason she is leaving it the way she is.

I will start my search for a property up there, anyway. Just because I don't want to be held hostage, in the end, by a brother whose idea of fairness is - all about him. I could think of a variety of ways to make the property mine a fair exchange or even, if possible, make half of it mine and half of it his and pay the oldest brother off.

Meanwhile, I am fully committed to the idea of having a travel trailer up there, on her property, and preferably in time for the summer season next year. The account is up to $840. After the bonus, it will be up to $1,490. Lots to consider in this undertaking. Direct TV being one of them. I will not be without TV up there. I actually don't watch that much TV, but when I want it, I want it! This is a simple matter of getting another Direct TV box and paying another $5 per month for an extra receiver. I can buy both another box and satellite dish online, on Craigslist, cheap. You can have receivers wherever you want - you don't have to have 2 accounts paying double monthly bill.

The next consideration is water. She does not have running water up there, instead she has a water tank on a trailer. I guess she doesn't feel comfortable pulling the thing, though she definitely has a pickup that can pull it. So I don't know how we will work that out. I don't need much water, but I know how she is about such things. I would refill the thing at my cost - not that expensive - I just haven't even got there yet. Electricity obvious: just pay whatever she says it's over her normal amount.

Oh, computer. How do you get computer up in the mountains? The only way I know of is through Direct TV's whatever - Hughes network I think it's called. Satellite. Dunno about that. Do I need internet access up there? Take it back: My Cricket internet worked up there last time I was up there. An air card might work. Perhaps I should not be thinking about whether I can get on a computer and start thinking about getting myself back to nature, as it was in my youth. I just know how I am now - wondering how to separate myself from it all.

I dunno. I just know that after this summer - I really want to do something different. I would like to try and reconnect with my oldest brother if that's at all possible. This would be one way to try to do it: he is up there pretty much every weekend. I mean, year round. Doesn't matter what the weather is or if there is snow on the ground. I am not that interested in my middle brother, but my oldest brother is a different - set of problems. Mostly that he has his own life and has never wanted to have anything to do with family, even since he was a kid. He was ALWAYS hanging around his friends - always. Family meant nothing to him then, it means little to him now.

Well whatever, that isn't the real reason I want a place to go in the mountains. I just want to be able to get out of this valley when I want to and be able to have a place to go when I want to do that. Vacations are nice, but expensive. The property is about 130 miles from my house. Cost in fuel, but not that much of anything else. Well, time spent getting up there and back. I can envision driving up on a Friday after work and coming back early afternoon Sunday, with semi-frequent taking a day off either on Monday or Friday.

There's only one problem with this plan: church.

Yikes.

Talking about throwing a wrench into the plans!

G'nite.

ben