Month: November 2024

A few events have taken place over the last couple weeks. Thanksgiving came and went, we put up some outdoor holiday lights, and the weather turned frigid. I spent some time organizing bird feeders, a heated water dish, and started putting out suet and acorns in various feeders. Changes were made to our health insurance policies. Here are the details.

Pam’s sister Becky came over for Thanksgiving. The day was mostly overcast with a few snowflakes floating by the windows, but the food was excellent and the conversation flowed freely.

Becky brought some of the food and a few belated birthday gifts for Pam, who had fun opening them.

The menu included crock-pot cooked turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, 7-layer salad, cranberry relish, squash, and two desserts: pumpkin pie and frosted angel food cake, both with toppings. Best part: Leftovers for the next few days!

Before the weather turned very cold, Pam and I spent some outside time putting up holiday lights. Normally the temps are still mild this time of year, but a recent stretch of Canadian air featured high temps anywhere from 15 to 20 degrees below average, so outside decorating was necessarily limited.

I prepared the outside feeders last week. The large bird feeder was unpacked, set up, and filled with seed. The birds, including a male and female cardinal, soon took advantage of the free food. We began putting out acorns, salvaged last fall, into the acorn feeder. (The squirrels appreciated that effort!) Suet feeders were packed and hung, and many nuthatches and woodpeckers have already visited them. The new water dish platform seems to be a hit, with both squirrels and birds making frequent stops to get a drink of water.

After the outside chores were done, we moved inside. Pam had made a request of our insurance agent, Steve Heitbrink, to review our supplemental health insurance policies and see if changes should be made. That he did, and we are beginning a new approach to our health care policies.

In the past we each had three individual policies: dental, vision, and prescription drug plans. Steve was able to find an advantage plan that combined these 6 policies into two policies – one for Pam and one for myself. Not only will the coverage be nearly identical, but we will save money and simplify our health care coverages. We really appreciate Steve’s efforts on our behalf. If you happen to live in NE Iowa, check with Steve at Assured Partners in Nashua, Iowa. He is a helpful agent.

Here is a little anecdote concerning Steve’s visit. His mother-in-law was best friends with one of the children who grew up at Heart House; Steve remembers the home from his early days growing up in the area and visiting relatives in Elma. Quite an example of small town networks!

I’ve been wondering what the neighbors across Main Street plan to do with their burned out house (the house burned last July). While working outside recently I talked to the neighbor, and asked her about future plans. She told me the house was going to be demolished and replaced with a ranch-style modular home that was being designed and built. The old place will be gone by the end of December, and the new home moved in after the first of the year. The couple hopes to occupy the home during March or early April. I will have photos of this process as it unfolds; we will have front row seats from our north windows on both floors. I wish them the best of luck.

There are a few other things going on. Pam continues to work on the holiday cards and many will soon be in the mail. I am working on upgrading my 2013 Mac Pro computer, which means I need to buy new software as the old versions will not work with the newer versions of the Mac operating system.

A network upgrade was recently completed: Replacement of our Wi-Fi modem/router. I just got tired of paying the monthly rental of our Mediacom when I could buy my own and save the the rental. A good deal on a used Arris SBG8300 popped up on eBay so I went ahead and made the purchase. The conversion went OK but included a call to tech support to finalize the installation. The new unit has improved out network speeds and TV streaming, so I would call it a success. Total cost, with tax and shipping, came in under $55.00. Our monthly rental was just over $17.00 so the SBG8300 will pay for itself in just over three months.

In the next couple weeks we will put up minimal inside decorations; the holidays are low-key for us and activities will be at a low level. While there is no snow in the 10-day forecast, cold temperatures will persist and wind chills will be below zero quite often. Time to hunker down!

Finally, for Julie, a recent cat photo. (Cats are experts at hunkering down.)

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Penny

The horse and sleigh about to launch off the front porch and into the abyss is an art installation — representing the country as it lurches into the uncertainty and drama of 2025.

Happy Trails.

It has been a quiet interval since my last post. I have a newer iPhone, Felicity and Peter continue with the New York home reno, and it is now late fall. Snowflakes, possibly accumulating, are in the extended forecast. Here is my latest update.

My old phone was an iPhone 6s, purchased in early 2016. A few years ago it received a new battery and had been trucking on pretty well. However, it began showing it’s age, with the battery needing a recharge more and more frequently. Time to upgrade.

I use the Visible network, a subsidiary of Verizon. Going to the Visible web site I was able to locate an iPhone 12 at a decent price, plus get a trade-in for the 6s. The iPhone 12 is not the newest, but still supported by Apple. Besides, I don’t use my phone as much as many people do, mostly for text messages and the Avensa map application (for use on ATV trails).

The switch-over went smoothly. My phone number remains the same and I am getting used to the new home screen and controls. (Pam has had an iPhone 12 for a few years now and is quite used to it.) Hopefully I can go a few more years before another upgrade is required.

Lawn care: A few leaf pickups have been performed, and with snow possible in the extended forecast, that ongoing task may be wrapping up for this year. The pumpkins we had in the yard were delivered to Pam’s sister Becky who took them to a goat farm. Apparently the goats had a good time eating and playing with them.

There are a couple projects being pursued, one to replace our underground water service line, and the other to replace our back door.

The water line may be a lead pipe, or a galvanized line with a lot of lead in it. We have been drinking bottled water for many years, beginning in Colorado, so we are not as concerned with the health aspects as much as we are about the line rupturing due to age. A few of our neighbors have had to deal with that problem and other Elma houses of a similar age have had to have their lines replaced. According to the town water department, Elma began installing city lines in or about 1916 when the first town well was drilled. Because our house is on Main Street we are assuming Heart House was connected in the late teens or early 20’s. (No specific records can be located.) We are waiting on a quote from the local plumbing shop to see what the cost would be to have the water line replaced.

Another upgrade under consideration is the back door. It has never sealed out cold very well and the old-fashioned lockset is becoming problematic. The local lumber yard and installer wants about $2,500.00 for a new door, new lockset, and installation, which is more than our budget for that replacement. Currently I am looking at Big Box stores for a good quality door — costing a bit less money.

Speaking of updates, here is the latest from Felicity on the home renovation project in Lodi, New York.

General activities: Pam has begun working on this year’s holiday cards, a project that takes her many hours. I have begun doing fall maintenance on the lawn gear and vehicles and completed a few other small projects, mostly seasonal stuff such as building a better heated water dish support. (The dish is used by the squirrels and birds.) We had to replace our clothes washer as the LG died, and was replaced by a GE. No appliance stores exist locally, requiring a drive to Rochester to get the new washer. Then I hauled the old one to a recycle center in Charles City. Stuff like that keeps retirees busy.

I am not looking forward to winter; I like my outside time and having some color around the yard. Here is hoping this winter is on the mild side!

Finally, a recent photo of Elmo T. Whitepaws on his (!) favorite bed. (The middle “T” stands for Trouble.)

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Penny

Himself does not comment in this forum on politics. The recent conclusion of the national election, where “we” elected a convicted felon to be president, will very likely have personal implications, however. In the expectation of economic upheaval, I’m backing off the Michigan relocation plan for the short term. I anticipate the unqualified and unscrupulous “public servants” going forward will want their greedy paws on the biggest prize in government – the Social Security and Medicare “honey pots.” Cuts in those two programs would impact our retirement funds immediately and aggressively. Time to hunker down, not potentially overextend our budget financially. The prospect of selling Heart House in tiny Elma, Iowa during an economic downturn is just not likely.

Lest you think l’m being overly dramatic, Toby in Nevada is voicing concerns about his Latina partner (US born and legal) being hassled during the coming immigrant roundup. Felicity in New York is worried about loss of medical benefits (for both herself and Peter) through elimination of the Affordable Care Act. Enough misery for everyone – except the cult leaders. Bummer 2025 – the Project and the year.

Happy (?) Trails.

I recently completed a second trip to Michigan to check out potential properties, and had one walk-through. I like to talk to people I meet along the way, both to find out local information and to get a general feel of the area.

Pam has termed these conversations “George Chats” in memory of my father, who also liked to talk to the people he met on trips. So, here is a report of my latest trip along with some results of my George Chats.

There were a total of 12 properties I drove by or checked out. Many were eliminated as “potentials” due to remoteness, overall condition, or physical challenges. (Homes over garages with a lot of steps, for example.) A few were interesting enough to warrant more research, and one was worth a walk through.

The walk-though was on Campbell Road near the town of West Branch. Pam was attracted to it because of it’s walk-out basement, a nice feature for us because it would aid in letting the dogs out for their walks. The property also featured a two-car garage, something many properties lack.

Unfortunately, the house had not been well maintained and would need quite a bit of TLC to bring it up to a higher standard. (I found this to be a common trait on almost all the places I looked at.) The price was high, partly due to the 15 acre lot the house sits on. The lot was not all that attractive, being mostly low and covered in brush, although it did have a few trees on one end.

The listing did have an unusual feature, a hot tub. Realtor: “Hot tub needs a new motor, otherwise works fine!”

I had video-taped my walk through, and once Pam saw the video she pretty much ruled out this place. Note the lack of treatment of any kind on the wood around the tub. This was generally indicative of the lack of maintenance on the entire house.

Another house, probably too expensive for us at its current price, appeared to be in much better shape.

Enough beds and bathrooms, but no outbuilding, this place features a cobblestone driveway and sits on a small rise, overlooking a few farm fields. It may be part of an estate, and Pam will keep an eye on it to see of the listing price drops to a more reasonable level.

One place with potential had a creek bordering one side. However, once I arrived at the address, the road noise became a disqualifying factor. Once again, maintenance had been neglected but the water, outbuilding, and large lot had put this on the potential list in the first place. This is why an in-person visit is so important; you can’t get all the information you need from a listing.

Paved drive and outbuilding, house to the left. Creek is to the right.

It was with some sadness that I recommended this place be taken off the potential list. Once Pam heard the road noise on the video, she agreed.

We will keep looking at new listings, numbers of which are reduced this time of year, and see if anything else of interest pops up.

All along the way I had my “George Chats” with neighbors, motel operators, waitresses, and even a few of the property owners. What did I find out? A few things of interest.

For one, there is a snow belt in Michigan. West Branch, where I viewed most of the listings, is south of it. Grayling and Gaylord, both north of West Branch, are in it. Useful to know.

The major food chain in the area is Meijer (Pronounced Mayor) and West Branch has a large store. Pam was impressed with the pet area:

The store also has a large deli and bakery. Pam had provided me with a list of groceries to check availability of, and this store had everything on that list. (Except Raisin Nut Bran, which seems hard to find in most locations.)

Other odds and ends gleaned from my chats: Rust in wells is a problem, so check the water supply for evidence of rusting pipes. Internet services are generally available, with Spectrum being the most often mentioned. A couple companies offer garbage pickup, although some townships provide this service. Taxes are higher in towns than in townships. Recycling is almost non-existent, although a few places offer walk-in drop off spots. Big Boy restaurants have good breakfast meals. ATV and snowmobile trails are all over the place. Gas prices are average.

I covered 2,030 miles this time around. Econolodge offered the best rates, but the Tri-Terrace Motel in West Branch is a good alternative if you would like an old-school (with a real key!) motel with a small pond out front.

It was an interesting trip, but my general observation is that people are not prepping their properties to sell very well, and some listings are a bit less than honest in their descriptions. People want too much for houses that need a lot of TLC. In short, the “Right House” has not yet made an appearance so the search continues.

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Penny

This Michigan trip involved an interesting process. Himself was working from a three-ring binder containing property listings and information. He would send me photos – and text – regarding each listing as he visited it; I would respond by text and also look things up on the home computer in real time. Two or three houses he drove by were not in the binder but, as they were located on one of the routes he would be driving, I was able to text him the property info to spontaneously add those locations to his journey. (That’s how he ended up at the house next to the water, with the road noise.)

I also asked Himself to visit a bank and credit union along the way, grocery stores, even a piece of undeveloped land. (On several occasions, to prove he was on a serious house search, I do believe he produced his binder of instructions as “evidence.”) Plus he did frequent checks of how many telephone “bars of coverage” were available at the locations visited. And I had encouraged Himself to interject his “George Chats” along the way, to garner even more information.

We are starting to close in on one or two specific areas in Michigan with our livability features, which helps me in the ongoing property search. I continue to monitor real estate listings, but expect the search will slow to a crawl during the winter and pick up again in the spring.

Happy Trails.