The personal blog of Steve Alex
Gadsden, Alabama
Everyone knows engineers can’t write! I
is
an
engineeer!
But...
I Wish I Could Write!
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### What a nice view. <img src="/images/iwicw/shapeimage_6.jpg" alt="" /> It is just too bad that when I turn <s>arround</s> around I see the money pit! <img src="/images/iwicw/mp-front.jpg" alt="" /> It still does not look bad, but... #### I though I had this all figured out * 22 Years in the Air Force (pension) * Several years as a Software Consultant * 20 Years working for the State of Alabama (pension) * 65 Years old (SS) * A nice house in Montgomery AL (paid for) * Very little debt * Golf game actually getting better. #### But no, the kids say "You should buy a lake house so we can come and visit" So we go buy a 3300 square foot house on a slew off the Coossa river in Gadsden Alabama. The house seems like it has less room than our 2200 square foot house in Montgomery (yea I need a 12x28 dinning room when King Arthur and his court come to visit!). We moved in about a year ago after about 8 months of trying to fix it up = no golf:-( Do you realize that almost everything that needs to be done costs about $7,000! Fine if I could sell the house in Montgomery. Yea you can try to blame it on Bush, and you'd be right - for him letting Dodd and Frank destroy our economy. * New roof = $7,000 * New kitchen = $7,000 * New window = $7,000 * New floor = $7,000 * New heat pump = $7,000 * New ducting = $2,000 (there are exceptions!) * New carpet = $3,000 I've managed to do half the windows and some of the flooring. I am at a standstill and bored cutting 2 acres of grass (Oh yea, 5k for a new lawn mower!). It was 96 degrees here yesterday. Last July I had a $480 electric bill and it was hot in the house. After R38 in the attic, half of the windows, new vents, etc, the AC couldn't keep the house at 76 - it crept up to 78. I'll probably get another high electric bill. Again, not sure where I'll go with this post - we'll just have to wait and see. There is some hope, we may have rented the house in Montgomery - never did that before, but I've heard the horror stories.
Reflections on the slew
July 08, 2010