Good news, being apart, a short ride

It was hard to concentrate yesterday as Mama and our realtor made the final negotiations for us to purchase the farm. I got her call in the early morning but I was not able to take it because of class so I listened to her message as soon as I could and then called her later. Meanwhile, Steve Whiddon was sitting beside me cheering the whole process on.


I was thrilled about how things worked out. Mama did good, but she usually does when it comes to spending money. We got the farm for $136,000. Our upper target was $140,000. It is within our budget but it will still take careful budgeting to make it work – especially as we make improvements, repairs and purchase equipment. The current owners do not know if they have the mineral rights but if they do they said they will sign them over in the sale. Praise the Lord!

Now my greatest priority is working the plan we laid out without getting too far ahead of ourselves. I know Grandpa is incredibly anxious to get there, but during this time of the year it can be hazardous to your health to attempt too much physical labor without setting up the appropriate safeguards – plenty of water, a place to rest in the shade, air conditioning available if possible and good cell phone service; just in case. I looked at the weather for Bowie yesterday and the forecast is for 105 to 108 degrees on several days. The work can wait a little while.

It has not been fun being away from Mama during this process. I miss her hugs and kisses. The good news is that I will be home Friday night. The bad news is that I will not be home until Friday night. I think until I get back to Mama, Grandma, Grandpa and Victoria I will not really be able to enjoy the thought of getting the farm. I am too caught up in getting this class completed.

Steve took me to the house he has been working on for a decade now to show me the shop he built on the same property. I guess he needed the extra space since the two car garage is already filled with his two project cars. He wanted to take me for a ride in his ’65 Corvette convertible. It is baby blue and beautiful. When he started it up, it had the true Corvette roar. We got in and started down the road. As he hit second gear the rear wheel came off – literally came off – and proceeded down the road without us. He was heart sick.

We got the wheel and the locking nut and he dragged a floor jack up the road from his shop and we put the wheel back on, parked the car back in the garage and went to lunch. He talked about the incident off and on for the rest of the afternoon. He was most upset because he had just spent $6000 getting the car painted and detailed and the tire ripped a hole in the back fender when it spun loose. He offered it to me for $4500. I thanked him but reminded him I was buying a farm.

He smiled and told me his neighbor has a water well drilling rig sitting idle. He could probably pick it up for next to nothing. That’s Steve.