[Ferretlover]

When you get lonely or whatever, just think of us, thinking of you. You're not alone; you're just not close-by.

[jdmartin]

Heineken, sorry to hear about the money troubles. I know it's a bitch out there. Come on by when you've got a chance. I hope you get the girl

[TWilliam]

Keep pluggin' Heine...

Btw the only thing that hot tap water is remotely 'necessary' for is a shower. It's really not that expensive to kick it on for 40 minutes or so every couple of days. And you can go even longer between if you can manage with 'cat-baths' for a few days. All those need is a basin, a washcloth and a boiling kettle...

[gnm]

Best of luck Heineken! What about a batch type solar water heater? I am converting to 100% solar water heat here - nearly done! But of course we have outrageous amounts of El Sol here....

-G

[eastbay]

jdmartin I really like your new bear btw. And hot water, near the top of the list of unbelievable luxuries we enjoy due to The Cheap Good Stuff, and however nice to have, is not really needed like many think it is.

When the sun is shining, lay out the garden hose filled with tap water and it will heat up nicely allowing for a groovy little warm one minute shower.

Done it. It's really refreshing!

[Heineken]

Well, I've lived without hot water for four days now, and I don't miss it at all. I soak the dishes well and use extra soap and extra elbow grease (and Heine's handwalkin' arms have elbow grease to spare).

I can give myself a reasonable "bath" with a wash cloth. And as some have noted, on a warm day you can wash with sun-warmed water, or just take a bracing cold shower.

I'll kill almost all the power consumers over at the main house and reduce the electric bill there to a few bucks. There are four ceiling fans I'll keep running to circulate air to minimize the risk of mold.

With the water heater dead over here at the apartment, my total electric bill may actually go down. In the past my bill here at the apartment-over-a-garage has run $50/month. I think I can drop that to $30.

Also I'm using a clothes line exclusively to dry my clothes. No more cheating with the electric dryer.

To people thinking of turning off their water heaters, I suggest NOT draining them. Draining them introduces air which will rust them out faster. (Even a drained water heater will still have a little water in it, which interacts fast with any air present inside the tank.)

I think I'm going to drop the property insurance. To hell with it. I'M the property insurance.

Fundamentally, my annual living costs without Mom's fat checkbook will increase by $2500 (property tax). The assessment this year for the 25 acres and two dwellings ($429,200) was exactly the same as last year, despite a huge decline in real estate values. So, that amounts to a massive tax increase in a time of falling incomes.

If I can't find someone to join me here in a permanent love embrace, at some point I'll auction the place off. Maybe come away with $250K free and clear. Who knows, maybe I'll move to the Philippines and mate with a "lonely Pinoy" and live on a beach, doing headstands and handwalks. But I'm not abandoning my dear dog, so that would be five years down the line, roughly.

Not sure if I'll "get the girl." I'd like to, but she's heavily involved with her children, her church, and her career, and she lives a bit too far away. I have to be realistic about this.

Anyway, I don't have problems, I have opportunities.

[vtsnowedin]

I'd keep one of those water heaters on quick standby incase you want to shower with a friend some hot summer night Taking care to avoid freezing waterpipes I'd reduce or shut off heat and power to any part of the two houses I wasn't using. You should be down to three rooms or less living by yourself. Do you have a minumum KWH usage they bill you for used or not. Here its 150kwh at a cheap lifeline rate that more then doubles after you exceed it.

Your property taxes will not go down with the market. As long as government spending stays where it is reappraising all the property down to the current market would just make them raise the rate per thousand of tax to raise the voted budget. Your only defense is to vote NO as often as possible and to reduce the amount of property you are paying tax on by renting it out or selling it.
Your mother will find that as the new kid on the block she will have a social life at the AL home and may like it a lot better than sitting around listening to you tap on a keyboard. Hope so anyway and good luck to you.

[Heineken]

Good comments, Vermont. Thanks.

Pipes freezing is less of an issue at our latitude, but it's certainly on my mind at all times. My larger concern is mold and mildew during our long humid summers. The ceiling fans will help, but I don't know how well a house holds up without AC.

You're probably right about the property taxes. That's a whole new crisis on boil. Last year the county treasurer had to give people an extra six months to pay them. Eventually the gap between what they're asking and what people can pay will get so wide something will have to give, somehow.

I tried to get this property sold and my parents into assisted living four years ago, when the place was worth a small fortune, but my dad said no. So now I have to live with his bad decision.

[Ludi]

Heineken, is there anything like agricultural appraisal status you could get for your land by running some livestock on it? We lowered our taxes to about 1/3 of their previous amount by getting some sheep. Even with buying fencing and hay we come out ahead each month compared to before we got the special status.

[Byron100]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Heineken', 'G')ood comments, Vermont. Thanks.

Pipes freezing is less of an issue at our latitude, but it's certainly on my mind at all times. My larger concern is mold and mildew during our long humid summers. The ceiling fans will help, but I don't know how well a house holds up without AC.

You're probably right about the property taxes. That's a whole new crisis on boil. Last year the county treasurer had to give people an extra six months to pay them. Eventually the gap between what they're asking and what people can pay will get so wide something will have to give, somehow.

I tried to get this property sold and my parents into assisted living four years ago, when the place was worth a small fortune, but my dad said no. So now I have to live with his bad decision.

[Heineken]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', 'H')eineken, is there anything like agricultural appraisal status you could get for your land by running some livestock on it? We lowered our taxes to about 1/3 of their previous amount by getting some sheep. Even with buying fencing and hay we come out ahead each month compared to before we got the special status.

[Lore]

My hope is that you get through this period Heineken as whole as possible. It's not going to be easy for any of us I'm afraid in the coming months and years.

I know getting at this age personal loses just seem to mount up. Lost my mother a year ago this month along with both her sisters as well this past year and my wife's father just passed away on Friday.

I've pretty much stuck everything into my transition here to Michigan. The cabin is almost finished, should get the occupency permit in a couple of weeks. I Just got hit with a 10% increase in assesment in an area thats rapidly declining. Looks like everywhere local governments are trying to make up for the short fall with people they still think can pay to keep the party going. This too shall pass.

[Heineken]

Thanks for the update on what's going on with you, Lore.

Astonishing that your assessment actually went up, but since the cabin is new, what is the basis of comparison? I guess you're talking about the land, not the cabin. Sometimes they assess the land higher when something is built on it.

My mom came to me in tears over the weekend, begging me not to "put her" into assisted living. She's a real wreck, basically facing the end.

I had to relent, reassure her, hug her, and tell her she can stay here with me, even though this is a dreadful prospect for me and possibly even for her.

She's willfully forfeiting the nonrefundable $3000 "admission fee" she paid to the assisted-living place!!!

So, she's staying here after all, as the endless saga continues. At least she will help pay for things, in a big way. But nothing is free given the psychodrama I must endure at her CRAZY hands.

[vision-master]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'M')y mom came to me in tears over the weekend, begging me not to "put her" into assisted living. She's a real wreck, basically facing the end.

I had to relent, reassure her, hug her, and tell her she can stay here with me, even though this is a dreadful prospect for me and possibly even for her.

She's willfully forfeiting the nonrefundable $3000 "admission fee" she paid to the assisted-living place!!!

So, she's staying here after all, as the endless saga continues. At least she will help pay for things, in a big way. But nothing is free given the psychodrama I must endure at her CRAZY hands.

[SeaGypsy]

In Asia everyone has an oldie in the house.

It's no big deal when everyone does it.

The oldies are properly adjusted to it though; they are much better at relinquishing power when the time comes.

I love the extended family thing here; it can be testy but it does work if all participants know their role.

The tendency of parents in the west is to keep trying to parent adult children.
In Asia the last say is from the breadwinner of the house. That's it ; final.

[Byron100]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Heineken', 'T')hanks for the update on what's going on with you, Lore.

Astonishing that your assessment actually went up, but since the cabin is new, what is the basis of comparison? I guess you're talking about the land, not the cabin. Sometimes they assess the land higher when something is built on it.

My mom came to me in tears over the weekend, begging me not to "put her" into assisted living. She's a real wreck, basically facing the end.

I had to relent, reassure her, hug her, and tell her she can stay here with me, even though this is a dreadful prospect for me and possibly even for her.

She's willfully forfeiting the nonrefundable $3000 "admission fee" she paid to the assisted-living place!!!

So, she's staying here after all, as the endless saga continues. At least she will help pay for things, in a big way. But nothing is free given the psychodrama I must endure at her CRAZY hands.

[vision-master]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('SeaGypsy', 'I')n Asia everyone has an oldie in the house.

It's no big deal when everyone does it.

The oldies are properly adjusted to it though; they are much better at relinquishing power when the time comes.

I love the extended family thing here; it can be testy but it does work if all participants know their role.

The tendency of parents in the west is to keep trying to parent adult children.
In Asia the last say is from the breadwinner of the house. That's it ; final.

[TWilliam]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Byron100', 'W')hat will become of all those people then?

[Pretorian]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Heineken', '
')If I can't find someone to join me here in a permanent love embrace, at some point I'll auction the place off. Maybe come away with $250K free and clear. Who knows, maybe I'll move to the Philippines and mate with a "lonely Pinoy" and live on a beach, doing headstands and handwalks. But I'm not abandoning my dear dog..