Country Corner

One of the other guys there knew I collected swords and asked if I ever took lessons. I told then no formal lessons, but had done a little training on my own. The first guy made a snide remark about how old men think the know more than they really do and if he had a second practice sword he would prove I knew nothing about swords. I was going to let it go, until the neighbor, who was there, brought out his 2 training cutlasses (using non edged 1/4" steel as the blades) and an old Scottish Claymore, basket or clamshell hilt style broad sword, not the 2 handed 55" style from Braveheart. After taking a few loose practice swings with the Claymore, I asked if the first guy would like to give me a lesson or 2, using the training cutlasses? He suddenly remembered he had something else he had to do and left, telling his wife he would be back to pick her up later.

Over the last month I have been receiving links to HOA horror stories. Many of the stories tell about how the HOA built and sold homes on other people's property while they are gone for extended time for various reasons. Yes a lot of fraud within the HOA and sometimes the County level too. Then after anywhere from 3 to 10 months or court battles, the real property owner get a legal finding that they do own the property and the HOA official goes to jail for fraud and/or other crimes.

But here is the kicker, almost everyone, after spending the entire time talking about how they loved the land, how they told their grandpa they would protect the land and not let it be subdivided, or how it was so loved by their late spouse and had their ashes spread on the property somewhere and have received the court ruling to get their land back, they turn around and either sell or lease the land, at below market value, to the people who bought those illegal homes, then they walk away never to return. Never going back to their grandpa's ranch and all the great memories, or the 45 acres they bought with their late spouse because he or she loved that land, or the land they bought to get out of the city, or the Mountain land they bought after getting their military discharge, so they could finally find peace. They walk away, saying they could'tn punish those poor people who bought those illegal homes, but they would go ahead and pay the new property tax for those developed plots (most likely raising the property tax from a couple thousand of dollars to 10's of thousands of dollars or more).

Only one story told about the real property owner taking the land back and getting the HOA to pay to return the 300 acre ranch to original condition, tearing down the new "McMansion" homes (story had 25 - million dollar plus homes of 4000+sqft), removing the water pipes and fountains throughout the subdivision, pulling the septic system or sewer pipes and restore the original septic at the original cabin location, re-planting native grasses, trees and other plants where the golf course was put in, dredging a diverted creek back to original path, and rebuilding original dimensions cabin on the property. Get back the cattle that was sold. Replace grandpa's old tractor with one of same year, make and model, as well as the old truck his dad and him rebuilt over a couple of years (both in the story were hauled off to a junk yard and crushed). Letting the displaced buyers of the illegal homes sue the HOA, the HOA officials, the banks who approved the mortgages or the title companies that finalized the sales without a proper deed search.

So if I wanted to build out buildings, I would have to keep them under 200sqft or I would be required to submit blueprint, building specs and get permits for the building, any electrical or plumbing added and have an inspection during the entire build. But I could build 14'X14' (196sqft) outbuilding without permits.

Been thinking that a few of them might have a trap door going to underground rooms, maybe same size as above ground building, maybe larger. For storage or a shelter if needed. If I do it right, no one will see the trap doors.

Last portion of a longer conversation....

Daughter in law: Oh I know mom, you have spent the last 10 years loosing 100lbs by restricting your diet and only eating on a schedule with nothing after 6pm. And the last 5 years lowering you A1C from 7.8 to 5.3 on the same diet and exercise program. But, that should stop you. I want you to try this (carb dense) dessert recipe I made, it should be ok for you, yes, yes it's after 9pm and you are on your way to bed, but you have time. Please try this. (holding a half filled soup bowl)

Mom: No thank you. I'll try some tomorrow after I check my blood sugar.

DIL: Don't be such an a**, here take this bowl and try it. Yes, I used 3 times the sweetener than the recipe calls for, but that shouldn't affect your blood sugar level that much and it does makes it taste better. Just have a little sample, you will like it.

Mom: No thank you, I'm heading to bed.

DIL: Stop being an a**, (adding another scoop to the bowl) just eat this and tell me what you think.

Mom walks away.

Spent the last few days helping a group of families vacuum seal a bunch of dry goods.

Three families got together and purchased several 25lb or 50lb bags/boxes of different types of dried beans, peas, pasta, and grains (several hundred dollars worth). They borrowed 6 vacuum sealers, not commercial grade, just the kind you buy at Walmart or a cheaper one from Cabela's, along with 20 boxes of vacuum bag rolls.

We set up three assembly lines, with help of all the kids. First person measured and cut the rolls for the bags. Second double sealed one end (double seals are very important with these sealers). Third measured the product into bag. Forth put in an O2 absorber and/or a desiccant pack (depending on product). Fifth would vacuum and double seal the filled bag. The last two would write on the bag the date, quantity and product and stack them in bins.

After helping him fill out the paper work (listing debts), he handed it, his power, water and sewer bills along with his yearly Social Security statement for proof of income (just under $1400 a month). The man (maybe mid 40's) he gave it too, typed the information into the computer, then immediately said they couldn't help because he made too much. Then recommended the elderly gentleman start a crowd funding page (he couldn't recommend any one site) and post it to his Facebook, Instigram, X, TikTok and other social pages so all his followers could contribute.

My neighbor doesn't have any social media pages, he doesn't even have a computer or a smartphone, he barely affords a subsidized landline for his phone.

When we told the idiot behind the computer just smirked, yes a smirk, and said (paraphrased) well, sorry about that, but nothing we can do. You might want to look into getting a computer or get rid of the landline and get smartphone to get on line, gather at least 1,000 followers and then start that funding page I mentioned. The more followers you have the more money you can make.

Then he had the nerve to ask us to send anyone else we knew who might need some help. If they mentioned the older guys name, he will get "credit" towards any future help. But didn't explain what that credit was.

This is maybe the 5th time I have heard someone from a group who supposedly helps the poor and needy tell the person to go on line get a lot of followers and start a go fund me or similar page or to ask for money directly on social media. The first time was with someone who was homeless. These groups might as well just hand anyone looking for help an piece of cardboard, a felt marker and collection bucket with a map of available street corners that their other applicants aren't using.

Charities aren't charities. Crowd funding a popularity contest. And the elderly or those not on line screw you.

Found 3 of the survey pins, but one corner can't find the survey pin. The neighbor said he tried to help find it for the previous owner with a metal detector, but couldn't, he thought it might be under a rock pile that is back there. But looking at the pile, it looks more like natural broken basalt instead of like someone dumped a bunch of basalt rocks there so I am not sure the pin would be under there. In that corner there is 5 wood stakes sticking up (all within a 20' radius), They are marked with comments like "Corner 3' west under rock", "Corner 5' north under rock pile," "Corner 4' west under boulder." The neighbor told me the previous owner had some friends come out with gps to find that corner and each one got a different location. Looks like I will have to pay for a certified surveyor to find the actual corner. I do have the northwest and northeast pins so I can work the ground in the northwest corner for a deer feed plot there, to help keep them away from my garden area.

Around most of the upper treed area of the land, I can see all the wild strawberries and wild roses starting to bloom, it is so calming. Also watched for a half hour 8 does walking calmly and doing some grazing across the north side of the property.

The bowl on the property (dips a good 60 to 70 feet lower than the rest of the property), looks nicer than those expensive manicured lawn in town, with thick natural grasses. The 60' to 90' pine trees around it keep it mostly in shade all day with sunshine filtering through the branches and it stayed green all last year without me watering it at all. The water depth has to be a lot closer to the surface here, so I'm thinking I might hand dig a well down there, for a second source of water on the property. Going to build a 14'x14' (less than 200sqft so no county required building permit needed) saloon, that was my wife's idea, with tables for board or card games. Took another half hour to watch a flock of 15 or 16 turkeys eating and walking around the edge of the upper west side of the bowl.

On the back west portion, a field of scrub grasses and basalt, I 'm starting to lay out the boundaries for a pond. I just need to run a line between the 2 corner property markers to make sure I stay on my own property with the pond (that is where I need the survey mentioned above). Looking at a nice 6' or 8' deep pond, to stock with fish, put in a solar pump to run a water wheel for generating a little power and keep the pond from completely freezing in winter, also setting up a nice calming "dock" area. I think the deer and turkeys, that cross the property often, will like it too.

I met with a new doctor today, my old one retired. At the end of my appointment I asked for a referral for a surgeon (double hernia). The new doctor told me that I might not be able to get surgery. Since I smoke, the surgeon has the option to refuse to operate on a smoker because the risk of a failed surgery was too high.

What? I asked her to clarify.

She told me (her words) "that it has been proven that no surgery has ever been successful with a patient that smoked. And since surgeons only get paid if the surgery is successful, they are allowed to refuse a patient who smokes."

Re-read that last part again. According to my new doctor, NO surgery on a smoker has EVER been successful. I have had 6 surgeries, one of which was to remove blood clots from my lungs and all have been a success.

Then she said a surgeon only gets paid if the surgery was a success. One could implying that means that insurance or a medical facility can refuse to pay a surgeon, no matter how long they was in surgery, if the surgery is not a success. Or that the surgeon will have to wait for several months to a year or more to see if the patient recovers successfully, before they get paid. If that was true, that means every time a cancer patient, a shooting victim or an accident patient, dies, the surgeon doesn't get paid. So why would any surgeon want to have any high risk patient if they wont be paid after a 1hr, 5hr or 16hr surgery?

Planning a brunch for a few friends based on the menus I remember from some of the big breakfasts or brunches I use to attend as a kid.

Menu:

5 lbs thick cut (home smoked) bacon, 3 lbs link sausage, 3 lbs sliced (home smoked) Summer sausage, 4 quart pot of Grits, 5 lbs Country Hash Browns with chopped onions and bell peppers, homemade mini waffles with real maple and fruit syrups, eggs cooked to order. French toast with home made bread (upon request). Fresh raw milk from a friends dairy cow, fresh squeezed OJ, Coffee and Tea. Homemade whipped cream from fresh cream (same friend) with fruit. Homemade blackberry, raspberry, apricot and strawberry jams also available.