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History Repeats Itself
When I was a little kid, in 1961, my parents took a huge chance – really a giant leap of faith – and bought a vacation house on Cape Cod far from our home in Cincinnati Ohio. I was clueless at the time of how tough a decision this was for them. After they died … [more…]
Loving It
This post was written August 15, 2018 but never published! The process of creating the getaway cabin was a joy, it could have been a nightmare but turned out to be fun project thanks to the professionalism of Luke Mann of Rangeline Homes. But that was just a step to get to the real goal: … [more…]
Fill ‘er up!
With construction pretty much complete the time had come to make the house into a home. While there is a zen beauty to an empty room, and you can almost always benefit from de-cluttering like Marie Kondo preaches, it is also nice to have a real bed to sleep on and a proper table and … [more…]
Morning Mountain Madness
It has seemed like forever, but really the renovation has been pretty quick considering the amount of work that has been done. But finally I was able to stay in the house during my last visit. Sure, it was like camping out – indoors. I slept on a leaky inflatable bed The heat didn’t really … [more…]
It is all relative
Einstein showed us that time is relative – in theory. I think it is in reality, too. When my grandfather was 99 years old we thought he wouldn’t live much longer (he made it to 101.) So we threw a big birthday party for him and invited the Mayor of Cincinnati to honor him. I … [more…]
While the cat is away…
The old saying is that “while the cat is away the mice will play.” From the beginning of this crazy idea of having a cabin in the mountains I have been worried how I would manage the place from 1700 miles away, never mind managing a substantial renovation project. Several knowledgeable friends whose judgment I … [more…]
High & Dry
We started construction right after Labor Day in early September. One of the first things to do was to begin ripping off the roof. The project was risky because without a roof the interior of the house could be damaged by rain or snow or hail. Weather in the mountains is always hard to predict … [more…]
Going Up!
The work has begun! I went to check out the progress – and it is exciting! Lenny with his crew of Mike, John, Joe and Dave are busy framing. Luke is the General Contractor and Ernie is his main man. I spent 3 days watching them do their thing. Demo and framing and finally, raising … [more…]
Getting To Work
Labor Day signals the end of summer vacation and time to get back to work. For our renovation it is the beginning of the next phase – real construction, to be preceded by real demolition. Last week our construction plans were approved by the Department of Buildings and a permit was issued. Crews have been … [more…]
Getting rid of the blues
When I first saw the property mysteriously there were a bunch of blue barrels strewn about the meadow in front of the house. I wrote about it in an earlier post “The Blue Barrel Mystery.” They were visible from Google Earth and Google Maps and obvious when visiting the property: But now they are gone. … [more…]
The New Old
In life it is important to know when to stop. And when it comes to renovations on an old house it is important to save that old feeling while updating aspects that don’t function or aren’t appropriate. We have been working with the architect since January to design renovation to the cabin without ruining the … [more…]
The Dating Game
Dating is never easy, and dating at my age is really hard. And dating from 1700 miles away is plenty awkward. I feel like I’ve been dating throughout the process of choosing a contractor to do the renovations for the cabin. Once the architectural drawings for the renovations were refined – back in late April … [more…]
Housing Is Available
Here at the cabin – housing is available – at least if you are a bird there is plenty to choose from. Humans will have to wait until the renovations are done. Then we will warmly welcome family and friends. Maybe next year. Never having met the previous owner I have to imagine what kind … [more…]
Reality Meets Fantasy
Sort of like the woman who marries a man saying “he is the man of my dreams”, and then tries to change him into some dreamy man… Now that the place is ours it is time to change it. There is a lot to love about this house and property: the view, the flat-ish ten … [more…]
Fantasy Meets Reality
In my haste to close the deal there was no way for the Jersey Girl to visit the place until after the closing. Our beloved dog Petey was sick with cancer and she had to stay home with him in case he took a sudden turn for the worse. Buying the place unseen by her … [more…]
Just Another Perfect Day in Paradise
A good night’s rest and I awoke just before sunrise to be greeted by a spectacular view to the south. The previous evening’s snow showers had ended. The gloaming light erupted into the most beautiful sunrise I could have imagined. Maybe I was still asleep, and dreaming it. But no! But yes it was real! … [more…]
Signed, Sealed, and Delivered
Happy Holidays! Mine were, because all the tests and due diligence came out acceptable and the negotiations worked out well. The seller even reduced the price a little. I made airplane reservations to fly out to Colorado for the closing on January 8th. I planned to arrive the day before the closing, drive straight to … [more…]
Last Minute Insanity
The deadline is rushing towards me. As we headed down the home stretch the closing statement arrived – there was only a small amount of propane left in the tank – just enough to get to the closing. The seller let it get low to save money, not realizing that I would have to pay … [more…]
Nowheresville
Trick question: Did you ever hear of a comedy group named Firesign Theater ? They were a big deal in the 1960’s and 70’s and had a line that I love: “How can you be in two places at once if you are not anywhere at all?” While they still have their own website, … [more…]
Foo Dogs
Sometimes you have to look at something more carefully, sometimes you have do a double take. Driving along the road near the property I’m buying I was stopped in my tracks by a couple of Foo Dogs. They don’t bite, they don’t bark, they are Chinese sculptures with mythical importance. They are guardians, and one … [more…]
Blue Barrel Mystery
You can see it on Google Earth. In the field to the south of the house are all these blue spots in the meadow at the bottom center of this satellite view. Even before I visited the property I saw them and I had to ask. Agent 007 contacted the listing agent, who then contacted … [more…]
Fast and Furious
We have a MEC! In real estate lingo that is a “Mutually Executed Contract.” Seller and buyer have agreed on price, terms, and closing date. Once we have shaken hands (virtually) and signed on the lines (digitally) the wheels start turning. Since I offered a quick simplified closing to the seller I have only myself … [more…]
Lets Make a Deal!
As a “baby boomer” I watched a lot of goofy TV and I loved “Lets Make A Deal” where people were confronted with making offers on stuff they wanted or taking a chance for something uncertain but maybe even better hidden behind a glorified garage door. But buying real estate should be different. The process … [more…]
If You Snooze You Lose
I knew this would be an adventure – buying real estate is one of the most stressful things in our “first world” lives. Even the least expensive property is a big amount of money, more than a candy bar, less than an airliner. But I was determined to keep this process fun. While trolling the … [more…]