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

The Police

I wasn't feeling good - I really should have called in sick to work today - after I got back from getting everything done and asked to leave a little early. If you were to see me right now, you could look at me and easily tell I am not only not faking, but don't look very well, either.

My manager said yes, but please stop at the bank on the way home and make a deposit. No problem. So, I pull into my driveway - completely minding my own business, my only thought of getting into the house, sitting down in my extremely comfortable computer chair, kick back and get on the internet, then go take a nap. I hear something being yelled at me from down the street. I ignore it, I know who it is and I don't feel like getting into it with this guy.

He continues - a lot of cuss words, we'll put it that way. I let one roll out back at him, but decided that it was stupid to lower myself to his level, so I just went through the gate, meanwhile he continues on. I stopped. I looked down the street at him and promised him that if he didn't stop, I would be calling the police. He kept the f bombs and other adjectives flowing. I called the police.

The police showed up about an hour later - not a high priority call, not like I dialed 911, I have the police department phone number memorized at this point - I told them what was going on. Again, as they have in the past, they suggested that the best way to deal with this situation is to get an injunction against harassment against him. Take that back, they actually said an order of protection. The "guy" - the meth user, 37 years old, has never left his parent's home, no job, doesn't go to school, etc etc etc - had disappeared. His buddy from across the street comes out of his house. This is the guy that threatened to have me killed for catching the cats.

They start talking, loudly, with the meth user pointing at me, calling me a moron, etc etc etc. I said nothing. I had my camera phone out in case he was going to come down the street to me. I'm just waiting for the police. Well, I got tired and went inside the house, but the police show up. They go down there after instructing me to get that order of protection. That guy, who said "yeah, call the police!" had disappeared. They were down there ringing the doorbell. He was inside, so was his mother. Cops stood there, banging on windows, ringing the doorbell, knocking on the door for several minutes, no answer.

Of course. The ex-con comes out again (the dude that wants to have me killed) and stops the police on their way back to their cars in front of my house. I immediately went back outside, whenever that guy speaks, not too much truth actually exits his mouth. They have already lied to the police in the past to make it look like I started the trouble with them. The police come back, they obviously gave no credence to whatever he was telling them and just said again: look, the best thing to do is get that order of protection.

I would have gone down to the courthouse today if I wasn't feeling so bad. It is something I have been wanting to do, I just haven't wanted to go through all that trouble. Well, this situation isn't going away, obviously, even though I have made it a point to ignore, turn my back on or otherwise make sure that if anything starts, it is not because I provoked it. I don't really have a choice at this point: I am going to have to go get that order. Then, I am guessing, he will ask for a hearing, or worse, he will get an order against me. As soon as it is served, I can no longer be in possession of firearms.

It's a gamble, but I have no options.

So, after the police left, I went up to the corner market/ Circle K. Who is in there? Denise. Denise is Anthony and Michael's mother. Long time readers know who I am talking about, no need to go into all of that here. I actually looked up to see her looking at me. I instantly thought she might start something in the store, but she said nothing and I said nothing as well, got my goods, paid for them and left. However, the relatives that she was there with - a large man in particular that I know from the past - was staring at me, apparently attempting to intimidate me with the glare/snarl he had on his face. I looked right back at him, if he had something to say, say it. I didn't say anything to him, just waiting for him to do whatever. He changed his expression and then went back to what he was doing. I let it go. Not worth it, none of it is.

I spent time in the Word this morning and really, these kinds of potentially hostile situations I would rather avoid. But, I am not going to back down to bullies. I did that when I was 5 years old - a situation my mother made me face in having to take on fully 5 kids at once - and I never looked back. There is no point in allowing people to make your life miserable simply because they want to lord themselves over you, thinking if they can tower over you, you will slink back and crawl away on the ground like some injured animal.

I dunno. It really isn't that much fun to have to deal with all of this.

Monday 10/3/2011

Somehow, I knew I should have called in sick yesterday evening when I was debating internally whether to do so or not.
I am actually feeling better, those steroids have opened everything up and I am breathing easier. No extreme head pain last night, either.
But it would have been good to get another day of rest.
Oh well. I actually hope there is something to do, because if not, sitting around sick all day long isn't going to be too much fun.

On another note, I have a word to the world around Israel: Don't mess with Israel.
Just thought I'd throw that in there. It isn't because they're big and bad, it's because of the relationship with God - the real God that is - that exists. Mess with man all you want, but messing with the Almighty is another situation entirely. Who knows what may happen in that region.

Peace. That's all one can say about it. The woman is gone. The dude that came over, I was informed after he left, apparently wanted to kick my @$$. Lol. He didn't speak a word to me when he came in the house but he certainly had a look on his face. No-one is coming into my home - especially a person that doesn't live here - and starting trouble with me. That will get them physically thrown out the door if they have ill intent - such as wanting to inflict harm. Anyway, when they started moving, I left and went to my bedroom. I wanted nothing to do with it, didn't want to hear her ramblings. She talks to herself. So, now, I guess she still wants to be "friends" with Lynnette, who doesn't want anything to do with her. In fact, not a single person here wants anything to do with her and a big sigh of relief was gasped when she was finally gone.

I have a few prospects for the room, but nothing solid yet. I have 2 rooms rented for now, hopefully that situation won't change any time soon.

Well enough for this one. I have to leave soon and try to get my mind into work phase. It's more into go-back-to-bed-and-sleep phase right now, which simply won't do.

ben