Lawton, Maggie home, kids

Mama and I attended our first foreclosure auction yesterday. It was about what we expected having been to a tax deed sale in Lawton, but there were more people there than I expected. I am guessing there were eighteen to twenty bidders. Gill was there but Debbie had to work. He sat near me and Mama while the relator he has been working with sat in the back of the small room. The lawyers sat at a large table in the front of the room and announced the opening bid as their client’s properties came up. It was easy to follow. There was no rush. Unfortunately, the only property Mama and I were definitely interested in had been recalled from the list that morning. We started to bid on one property, but the realtor began to bid against two other bidders so, Mama and I sat it out.

What I found out after the bidding started was that the relator was bidding on our behalf. He rode the bid all the way up to our top dollar figure and was outbid. He told us as we sat around discussing the auction and sharing contact information that he believes the person who got the house will be disappointed by the amount of work required to fix it up. He advised us that we are probably better off not getting the house – but we are listed as the second-place bidder in case the winning bidder defaults. I am not sure if that is a good thing or not. All in all, it was a good experience. Not personally profitable, but we accomplished a lot of good things in attending, meeting the realtor and taking the time to look at the houses coming up for foreclosure in the next auction. A list drastically shortened by the realtor who crossed off the properties we would not want to acquire if out intent was to resell them. It reinforced the desire to do this as a business and well as confirm for me and Mama that this is something we can do together for many years to come. Should the Lord tarry.

While we were on our way home, Maggie called to let us know she had been given clearance to go home. She was packing to leave the hotel as soon as possible. Later that evening she called to let Mama know they were back in their apartment – and very happy to be there. To Kathryn and Walter, it was a vacation filled with fun things to do and new exciting places to wake up every morning. Maggie really did get into the spirit of the adventure and allowed herself and the kids to enjoy the time away from home. As for their apartment, it never lost power. For those that do not have homes to return to yet, our prayers are with you.

As I went out to tend to the goats yesterday evening, I found that a kid had been born. Millie was standing over the tiny things in a protective stance, but it was obvious that the kid belonged to Dolly. We had the same issue when Lilly had her triplets. Millie stole them away from her and we had to move Millie out of the enclosure until the babies had been tended to by their real mommy. So, I took a panel from the garden and made an enclosure for Dolly and her kid. I checked several times before going to bed and no other babies had been born. She is certainly big enough to have more but it appears that is not the case. When I checked this morning before I left for work, there was still only the one offspring. If that is the case, it will be disappointing for me and Mama since these goats normally have twins and triplets.

I will get pictures tonight.