The RV is gone! Ok, that's big news because anyone who has ever had a RV knows about the upkeep and expense. If we move to a neighborhood we won't need to worry about storing it (another expense) or if may be parked on the property.
We have a large RV port which is now set up with the rug and the folding camp chairs. Great place to sit and read or chat out in our field. Loki is unsure about sitting out there so I bribe him with green beans, then he will sit a bit as I read.
Interest rates have foiled the relocation plans.
Two weeks back we toured a very nice quiet neighborhood with smaller houses and I was hooked. We talked to people who were walking and they were all nice. It was quiet, no traffic noise. We floated a contingency offer with our real estate agent but lost out on the house we liked.
Alas. With the interest rates climbing high it would make zero sense to look at a mortgage right now. So, focusing on getting our place cleaned up more and waiting things out.
Fact is, home is where we spend time together. We aren't miserable here, just want to downsize into a single story home and socialize a bit.
Watching / Well it isn't Vera that we're watching. I very much enjoy the books and have read 9 of the novels but the show was a bust for us. We tried two episodes as we like to see if the character development grabs us. Joe wasn't so moody in the books and you could have more empathy for his home life situation verses Vera's demands. I thought the actor looked the part I imagined though. Holly was not what I expected nor was she on the team as early as presented on the tv show. Oh well, different tastes. I will stick with the books.
Currently we are watching London Kills and like it (thanks Jackie!). I remember Hugo Speer in The Full Monty. Love the connections and interactions of the detective squad.
Linking up with Deb at Readerbuzz for Sunday Salon and Joy for British Isles Friday
Your pressure washing story is dramatic! We had ours done once but we were out of town at that time — we usually schedule big jobs when we are traveling, but that’s because we have a contractor that we trust completely. Loki sounds as if he is now a really well-behaved sweet pup!
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear that your house-buying plans have to be postponed.
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Mae, we had hoped to be gone for the day but as they were a man down it too so much longer. We'd looked into staying at St George Island for a few days but it was soooo expensive!
DeleteLoki says thank you :-)
Planning to move and then having plans foiled can be so disappointing. And preparing to move is so much work and is exhausting. Maybe it'll be a good thing that you have enough time to tackle it all without time pressure..... Hope it all works out for the best. I copied your white bean soup recipe down and am eager to try it - I'm not much of a cook but this seems easy enough even for me. :) Have a terrific week.
ReplyDeleteTerrie @ Bookshelf Journeys
Terrie, it was quite a bit of work clearing things out we didn't need. Makes it easier for later. Hope you like the soup.
DeleteThe ups and downs of ownership, gah. Sounds as if waiting a bit is the move for now. I really objected to the way Brenda Blethyn did the accent. She made it ugly and guttural, nothing like the sound of the real thing. I'm from there, so I have standing to say this! But so it goes with Northern accents rendered by actors who don't know how many and how different they are. No, they're not all shouted in chest voice! I'll get off the soapbox now. Thank you for your attention!
ReplyDeleteI hope you can manage a move you like. It's all about timing.
Boud, thanks for visiting. I wasn't sure how Vera should sound but you have first hand experience. At times it was hard to understand some characters but we usually perserverve through that until we get it. Love the Vera books and Joe wasn't so down in the mouth as the episodes we saw.
DeleteThanks for your good wishes!
Sorry to hear that you lost out on the house. On the bright side, maybe you'll find one you like even more. I downsized in 2017. The house I'm in now is 1/3 the size of where I lived for 25 years. I love living closer to town but don't like that I went from a huge kitchen to a small kitchen. I'm used to a lot more cabinet and counter space.
ReplyDeleteVicki, I hope so! We will wait it out and the positive thiing was clearing out the house. Not so much work later. I bet that was quite a change to have less kitchen space. The kitchen is where we spend a good deal of time.
DeleteWe thought when we moved from NC to OH we would downsize but it didn't end up working that way. I understand where you are coming from. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteCindy, That is a big move across states from NC to Ohio!
DeleteYour RV port sounds like a cozy little spot. And wow your pressure washing story! Glad you were there to catch the water coming in.
ReplyDeleteGreg, it was quite an experience!
DeleteWow! You sold your RV? We're not quite there yet, but it is an expense (insurance, fuel, storage fees, repairs--always repairs & maintenance!) and every so often I wonder if it's worth it. However, I always feel that way around this time of year when it's been sitting since November. We have a short trip planned for next month and then a big one in late May for almost 6 weeks (up to Canada - Banff, Jasper, etc.). We hope to go to the Tetons in Sept/Oct. We'll probably hang on to it for a few more years...
ReplyDeleteSorry you didn't get the house you were interested. I have a friend who is building in a tiny home community somewhere in N.C. and it sounds delightful.
Having not read any of the Vera books, I'm enjoying the show since I have nothing to compare it with. London Kills was ok for a while, but by the second season, I was annoyed with the acting. We started the new season of Perry Mason, but we have to wait until Monday for the next episode to drop.
Les, indeed we have sold it. The same reasons you mentioned such as upkeep, insurance, etc plus we got to where we weren't enjoying it. If you guys are still having fun then I am happy for you and your trips sound great.
DeleteI was very hopeful about the house but maybe with interest rates rising it's for the best. One day....
The housing situation is not good right now because of the reasons you said. Hopefully, it will be better by next year! Good luck with it. We had been thinking of moving but may stay put for a while until we find the right fit.
ReplyDeleteHarvee, I certainly am hoping things will improve next year. In the meantime we are getting our place fixed up with new paint, etc. Hope you find your good fit as well.
DeleteIf you don't jump right on a house, it is gone. All the property around here is being bought up by people from California; our prices still look great in comparison to theirs, even though ours have risen shockingly high in recent years. I'm sorry that your plans to move are being waylaid by interest rates.
ReplyDeleteIt's always sad when a show is a disappointment after the book is so good. It is often the case for me. Fortunately, you have a backup.
Deb, I have been reading about that same thing with folks from CA. making moves to other states. For kicks I searched two towns where I lived in Pennsylvania and Michigan for homes for sale, to compare prices. We could buy something for less money leaving this area of Florida.
DeleteAw Loki sounds adorable. I love that he eats green beans! And wow that power washing story!
ReplyDeleteErin, it was an unusal day for the power washers too! Loki loves his green beans. Not much the boy won't eat :-)
DeleteThe perfect house is waiting for you! Interest rates are high here too as well.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't do the Vera series either.
Will you miss the RV?
I know it will one day, Jackie. Patience is being practiced, not well but....
DeleteThere are big fans of the Vera series and then there's us :-) Still love the books.
Nope, not missing the big fat RV payment or the maintenance.
That pressure wash saga was something else, wasn't it???
ReplyDeleteLoki likes green beans!!! How cute!
Congrats on the RV being gone. My parents never talked about the expense of having one but I know my Mom got REALLY TIRED of having to drag stuff from the house to the RV at the beginning of RV-ing season and then dragging everything back into the house when they got home. I mean, she had two sets of dishes and stuff, but I guess clothes and food and whatever else you have to load up.
Those interest rates!!!! Delaying your plans to downsize and my mission to pay off my REALLY HIGH credit card balance.
Jinjer, if we EVER have to have pressure washers out again I am definitely giving Loki his Xanax!!! We just thought they'd be done earlier.
DeleteOh, you said it about the RV. We had extra plates and cookware in there, even some clothes but the hauling of everything else was a pain in the ass. Planning meals could be challenging too. We had some good times in it but always remember, if you are ever tempted, property increases in value. Motorhomes depreciate like a wildfire.
I’m too scared to have our house pressure washed, probably half the window sashes, and our back deck would crumble to dust.
ReplyDeleteI’m sorry you lost out on the house you liked. Hopefully another one and the same area will come up when the market has calmed down.
Wishing you a great reading week.
Shelleyrae, I wondered the same about our house as it's old! I could just imagine panels flying everywhere.
DeleteThanks for the good wishes, eventually we will find a house but man, these interest rates.
Congratulations on the sale of your RV. I didn't realize that people felt the same way about them as they do boats. The second happiest day of your life its the day you buy it. The first is the day you sell it.
ReplyDeleteAnne, thank so much! It is indeed a happy day to get that money back in the budget and not haul things back and forth in the RV.
DeleteLondon Kills is on my list, also thanks to Jackie. I'm glad to know that you're enjoying it.
ReplyDeleteJoy, I have a list of other crime shows to share with you soon. One is set in Ireland.
DeleteThat's too bad about Vera. I've heard good things about the books but haven't read them yet but I don't think I've heard much about the show. We sold our RV for the same reasons. It felt like every time we went anywhere we would have to put serious money to repair something and as soon as we repaired one thing we'd have to repair something else. My husband wants to get a small trailer (like 13 ft) but I'm not quite ready to get back into all that madness. I do like what you've done with the RV port. Could you screen it to keep the mosquitos out in the summer?
ReplyDeleteKatherine, we found a guy locally who repairs RV issues and he's affordable and fast. He used ot work at Camping World and other than the engine, he can fix anything. That was another thing about CW - when we had an extended warranty it would take months to get the RV back from CW as they needed all sorts of approvals.
DeleteDon't judge the Vera show based on my opinion as I see many people like it. We just couldn't connect with it. I just read a short story about Vera, free from Amazon for Kindle!
We selected our CT community based on how friendly people were on my walks. We spent a lot more time than anticipated (due to Hurricane Ian) there last year and couldn't be happier ... you're smart to go with that gut feeling! I'm sure another house will turn up. We also lost out on a couple of properties before purchasing and I'm convinced it was for the best. Selling the RV was a huge step... good luck with this journey!
ReplyDeleteJoAnn, could be something else comes up in that neighborhood but it sells out quickly. For the same reasons we liked it, so do many others! Hoping next year we can make a leap...somewhere!
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