So it's been a little over a month now, since we moved!! Actually closer to TWO months I guess!
We sold the trailer, although the management at alder manor DID NOT make it easy. they have LOTS of requirements, now, for anyone wanting to buy a mobile home and move in there. you see, when we moved in there all the way back in 2012,, it wasn't TOO BAD, you didn't need a squeaky clean criminal history OR credit report, hell an eviction didn't even mean you would be denied. But NOW,, well nowadays it's a whole other story. I'm not sure if its ONE or TWO years of VERIFIABLE work history, "fair credit score" and NO convictions of any kind in the last 7 years. so, that pretty well narrows things (people) down. and I'm sorry, I thought a mobile home park was LITERALLY supposed to be an affordable place, you didn't have to have a perfect background to move in to?? Well there's nothing I could do about it. I had to take what I could get and be happy we were able to escape the clutches of that cycle. And that is literally what my attorney said, so I took that advice, as I pretty much ALWAYS take the advice of my attorney and accountant. I had about 7 people apply for the place, it took 3 weeks to get an answer, for each one, and they charged $50 per person. One lady conned me right out of fifty bucks, and I paid for her background check, she was the ONLY PERSON besides the person who actually bought it, to be approved, but of course she straight up GHOSTED ME after the approval, and I felt REAL dumb for getting conned into paying $50 for her. but there will ALWAYS be people like that, and I made a promise a long time ago to NEVER let evil people stop me from spreading positivity and doing good deeds!
In order for mike to be able to have a place to park on the second lot we have, we need a gravel driveway. WELL in order to have a gravel driveway, we need a "storm water run off study" by a civil engineer, and we also need a lot line adjustment if we EVER want to build a rental house on it, which we absolutely do. So, it's gonna be about 5 GRAND for the surveyor and the lot line adjustment, plus the attorney will have to re-write the deed stuff, after the lot line adjustment, and however much that will be. I'm not sure what the civil engineer will cost, but we definitely want to build a rental house or duplex of some kind, basically whatever the city will ALLOW. When we first moved in we learned that the easement at the front of the extra lot, is actually open for anyone to park, like anyone can park in front of your house, on the street. And people were parking there apparently for a long time before we moved in. All we REALLY want is a driveway/parking spot for mike to park the log truck at night. But we can't do that without CITY permission. and as I said above, the lot line moved, and storm water run off study. even if we wanted to just put an RV PAD there, we would have to do the storm water run off study, so might as well get all the above done, first, file for a building permit and they HAVE to okay a driveway!! well, this is what our attorney suggested, and as I also mentioned before, I usually listen to the attorney and the accountant. HAHAHAHAHAHA yes, they might be the only ones. Plan B is to put an RV pad there, if we can't for some reason get the other stuff to go through. We will still need a civil engineer, and city permission.
About 2 weeks ago, we got a letter of cancellation notice from our homeowner's insurance. they said the "roof needs replaced" by december 19th, or we'd be cancelled. So, I got a bid and I got RIGHT ON IT, and the roof is NOW replaced, and literally the DAY THE ROOF GOT DONE, we got a cancellation letter and a REFUND CHECK. so apparently I could have waited on spending 14 GRAND, since we were getting cancelled anyways, but this is just the way my life goes, I guess, and one more thing to overcome. I'm used to it, and you don't scare me! hahahaha Nothing has ever come easy, and I certainly wasn't banking on things just "being easy" now. why would THAT change?? I am super confident in my insurance office, here locally. So I'm gonna have FAITH in them, they'll help me figure it out, I just know it. but, doesn't mean I wasn't frustrated with the whole situation! and I know there was nothing the local office did, or didn't do. So, at least there's that. At least I have someone local I CAN call, who can tell me in my language what the hell is going on!!
We still need our drain dug up in two places, there are ROOTS growing through the drain. One place in UNDER THE STREET. and I can't for the life of me figure out HOW that could be OUR responsibility, so I need to go to public works and find out. I have a thumb drive and there are marks on the road and next to the meter, where the roots are. I have tried several plumbing companies to no avail, of getting a quote, or anything. the one plumber that I personally know, WILL replace the pipe if I can get it dug up, so THAT might be the route we go, actually. I can dig, I'm not too good to dig up the yard. it's only in one place really, unless the city ACTUALLY wants me to jack-hammer up the street and fix that spot, too!? I can't imagine that being right, though. the other spot is very close to the meter. we'll get it figured out soon, I hope!!!
We had Thanksgiving dinner at our new house, and the only thing that was missing, was my brother. he had to work, and I was hoping he'd come over and visit afterward, but I'm hopeful I will get to see him for Christmas, maybe? My kids sure miss him, and I do too, if I'm being honest. I'm just not sure what I can do, to help that relationship. or if there's ANYTHING I can do, to help. it seems anytime I try harder, he gets further away and talks to me even less, and a few times I didn't even think that was possible.
I put up christmas lights with my youngest son today, and it was great to watch him be so excited for Christmas. I remember being a kid, and being excited for christmas. it's pretty ironic, how the older we get, the things on our christmas lists, cannot be bought. We also got a 10 foot tall grinch that he's wanted FOREVER, or as long as I can remember. he's pretty stoked about that!
We also got a kitten. Sullivan has wanted a cat since grama's old cat passed away. so he finally got his wish. and he sleeps with it, EVERY NIGHT. the dog is coming around to the idea, but still not super stoked about it.
That's all the update I have for now. I will be taking a couple weeks in december to build a fence along my driveway, where the hedges used to be, we had to cut out so that mike could drive the log truck in from main street. Then I'll be building a small shed for my tools, and a small shed for mike's future motorcycle. He's been waiting patiently for a nice motorcycle, and I promised him one AFTER we got moved and had a place for one to be, out of the rain. Of course we had to pay for that damn roof, first, but that's alright. he'll get one, eventually. I don't think he'd do much riding in the winter months, anyways. So the plan for now, is he will have one before his birthday, in june. that gives me a little time.
Hope you all have a great christmas, hope the new year brings you only the very best things this life can offer!!! Because, we all deserve things to be a bit easier, don't we?
As always, if you have any questions, or would like a project looked at, feel free to text or email me at acowan1216@gmail or 503-791-7473
CHEERS!!!!!!!!!
the lower roof needed replaced
my new kitchen table! 
this is where the roots are growing through the line. one is literaly in the street. the other is where that little flag is. 
our Tree!! and there's the dog, too! Sullivan and his grinch!!!
