We have a house!

[Zephaniah W Nash]

So we now have us a house. The deal almost fell through... oh... six times? (Price changing, cost of moving changing, wanted cash dollars up-front, etc. etc.)

But, it is ours now and in-place on the family land. Plus, it cost us less than our last car did. Granted, it needs tons of time and work and likely money invested to make it habitable, much less welcoming, but that's all stuff we can do as we do it.

It's a double-wide mobile home, which was not our first choice, but again, the price was well worth it. And, it will be a fine home once we're done. Just wait a bit on that house-warming invite, though...

[Matusalem]

Congratulations Zephanaiah! Nothing beats having your own home. I wish you, and your campanion many great years.

[Capt. Sterling]

Congratulations! May it serve you both well.

[Black Syren]

Woo-Hoo Congrats to you..Pirate Party in Texas! lol

[Rogue Mermaid]

My friends purchased a double wide and had it moved to their land last year. It's been alot of work (it was in two pieces) but it looks beautiful so far. I'm sure you'll have just as much luck with yours! Congratulations!

[Mary Diamond]

Congratulations! Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home.

My Aunt and Uncle live in a double wide ~ have for years ~ and it is lovely!

[Red Cat Jenny]

Congratulations from the overcrowded East coast! Aye break a bottle over her hull..er corner..an good luck!

[Captain Jim]

Congratulations.

[Bosun Carmina]

Congratulations! It looks cool!

I would have looked for a mobile home, but down here on the Gulf Coast I had to take into consideration the hurricane factor!

[Rumba Rue]

Having looked at mobile homes not too long ago, some are really great.

But as Boats says about mobile homes: "God hates mobile homes", beware of hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, landslides, earthquakes and more, there's targets painted on them.

[hurricane]

Congrats on your new housienda. We too landed on property this year and love our new headquarters. We had similar on and off again adventures. But it was worth it. We just came in from the backyard after racking off our doglocks and cannon. Love having our own space. Ah, a little salty piece of land to call home.

Don't let Rumba rain on you about the mobile. I don't think Texas is a haven for earthquakes - that's a West Coast thing. And a tornado or hurricane can wipe out any home, no matter its origins. I saw mobiles that survived just fine here in FL standing next to a brick and mortar that was flattened by the same hurricane. Oh, looks like your land is safe from floods and landslides too. :)

Bosun - I would have recommended checking into a manufactured instead. Ours is rated to 130 mph sustained... and we could have upgraded to a 150. I don't know of many stick builts that can make that claim.

Good things are worth waiting for sir! Diosa and I are very happy for you!

-- Hurricane

[Rumba Rue]

Actually I was sort of joking...

Manufactured homes are really great, having seen some.

Sometime next year we hope to be moving into a manufactured or mobile home where we own the land beneath it.

[Zephaniah W Nash]

We never really had anything against mobile homes either -- they just weren't our first choice, if we had a choice. A lot of the ones they make now (including ours) are as well-built as most houses. We got to see it in a lot of detail when it was pulled apart to move, it's in nice shape.

We have a lot to do, not because of the house itself, but because of how the house was treated by those that came before us (it was a rental property, which is often very rough on 'em). We sprayed it down today in the next salvo in the war on the roaches.

Not too much danger of hurricanes here (with the obvious exception of a certain pyrate of that name ) and a tornado will take out pretty much whatever it hits. I suppose if the dam at Possum Kingdom lake ever gave completely out, our feet might get wet, but aside from that, not too much danger of the Brazos messing us up too badly.

Thanks to all for the good wishes! As soon as we have it good to go, we'll begin the extended house-warming party (a day or three of it whenever somebody makes it to our area).

Cheers, and thanks again!

[Lily Alexander]

Congratulations and good luck in your new home. May all your years there be filled with happiness, love and laughter.

[Ransom]

Congratulations!

I lived in a mobile home for six years down in Calif. It survived the big Whittier quake just fine. I figured, heck, it's meant to go down the road until parked, so a little shaking and rolling probably wouldn't hurt it. And it didn't. And it was a LOT of rolling.

You'll have fun making it into a unique home special to you.

[Rumba Rue]

Funny that you should mention the Whittier quake Ransom, I had some friends who lived in a mobile home park near Whittier Narrows where the quake originated from and most of the mobile homes in the park were knocked off their posts or what ever holds them up. My friend's home was still upright and fine except for a few broken things.

I was living in Fullerton at the time and remember it well....

[Ransom]

I was living in Riverside at the time, so was far enough away to avoid any major damage, but my little house did rock & roll.

My boss's family wasn't so lucky. Both his parents and his sister lived in Whittier and the quake pretty much trashed everything in their houses, including the collapse of their chimneys. Scary.

My Dad was working at a Home Depot in the area, and he said stuff started flying off the walls and shelves, and the overhead fixtures came crashing down. He couldn't get out of that building fast enough!

[hurricane]

The last one I was in in Seattle I was underground in the basement of our home working. Amazing when you look at the concrete floor and see it ripple like waves in a pond. Will never forget it. Then I decided I didn't like quakes anymore - when I arrived in Florida, it took me a whole year to get over expecting the ground to shake here. My inner ears seem to be real sensitive to them. Long before anyone else felt one I would rise from my chair and yell EARTHQUAKE!

At least with my new home here I'm good to 130 on a hurricane and get plenty of warning. There's never been one over 110 here where I live.

If you're ever looking for a real strong home, I recommend Palm Harbor. We got the modular version so it's stick built and on a foundation. No wheels. And it's one sturdy little beast. They do a great job, not only with the construction but coming out to fix anything that's wrong (even the tiniest thing) for a year afterwards.

-- Hurricane

[Zephaniah W Nash]

When concrete starts rippling, I believe that's when I start looking for lodging in other states...

I've been through thunder storms of every possible variety -- including them that spawn tornados and sheet hail and straight-line winds of a hundred miles an hour, but when it comes to the ground moving (apart from maybe a mudslide) I think I'll just stay right here in Texas.

You that live through the earthquakes are of higher fiber or something than me. Give me the rattlers and floods and drouths any day...

[Black Syren]

I agree about the rattlers and tarantualas and the thunderstorms that roll over the plains...i used to love riding on my horse racing those storms..

Zeph...one suggestion...the deck you put up...Make it one heck of a pirate hang out! my mother in law has a very ELEGANT house on Padre..however Im slowly converting her I think to hanging a Jolly Roger in her yard...

[Zephaniah W Nash]

Not to worry, Syren. I think by the time we're done, there's not a pyrate here that would be ashamed to be seen on our deck.

My parents and sister and such could be a different story...

[Black Syren]

Im not ashamed to be seen on it now..If I were not so sick I would come and help..I like building and such..*shhh don't let that get around* So will you have enough room for horses?????

[Zephaniah W Nash]

Only eighty-six acres, love. They might find enough room to move about a bit...

[Black Syren]

Plan on being invaded! Actually that is wonderful..How far are you from Austin, I do not think you are that far from me. My mother is planning on returning to Texas in a few more years with 25 Mustangs. Im hoping she will pick up a blue roan, black or Grulla for me. But she is in East Texas and has some land out there, i do miss the horses though i cannot ride anymore. I think it's great you have so much land though..Great for Pyrate events and such..

[Zephaniah W Nash]

I think it's about a four or five hour drive. Haven't been to Austin in ages, but that should be a good guess...

I haven't been on horseback in fifteen years or more, so for me it would be less riding and more just hoping I don't fall.