The time has come

[Dave Grubb]

Some years ago when our friend Waco Joe sold the farm and moved to what seemed to be a much smaller place, I felt bad---it pained me to see someone who obviously had such pride in their home to be leaving it to a new owner.

Now we are approaching the same thing---and strangely I do not have those same feelings, at least not yet.

Forty years ago when I began making this house our own home I began alterations and our main level turned out to be three levels---all negotiated with steps. We are now challenged by steps that I never even considered back then. So---we are in search of a more "friendly" house to become our home.

I have engaged an auction company to sell my entire gun collection, plus reloading equipment, ammo, powder, bullets, primers as well as my gun smith tools including my lathe, mill, drill press, grinder and related tooling.

That process will begin next week when they will pickup everything and take it to their location where it will be cataloged, photographed and prepared for auction in July.

That will be followed by the contents of the barn, garage and another shed which will include my motorcycle, all but two cars (plus one that will go to my SIL and the Packard to my youngest son. We will be left with the MB S-550 and one Explorer. All the tractors will go as well as the engines (hit and miss et al).

The last to go will be the household items, including many antiques and Knoll pieces. They include our long admired granite coffee table that is far to large for most homes and presents structural concerns since it weighs north of a 1000 lbs. It bravely survived unscathed, three sons and four grand children who played at it for hours on end since it was just the right height for them to sit or kneel on the floor.

A few of the smaller pieces will go to the next abode with us.

We are also beginning the process of selling the cottage and liquidating most of the things up there---which includes more Knoll pieces.

Maybe this will hit me at some point but at the moment I'm Okay with it.

I will miss our deer

[FredK]

Tough to do but it's probably the right thing.

Best wishes on the "next phase" of life.

[Sandman]

I feel your pain..

We have been in this house since 1978.. I’ve been cleaning things out for two years and I haven’t made a dent in it.. the Volvo 1800E is gone, the garage filled as the car left..

We are on a wooded half acre.. until you have raked leaves in our yard , you have no idea how many leaves a half acre can produce.. won’t be able to clear them for may more seasons..

Our issue is where to go..

[Truckman]

I'm seriously considering selling the house while the market is overpriced, and buying a small travel trailer...But I don't know what rental space costs yet in a decent trailer park around here...And I would have to get a secure storage locker for the gun safe...The only good part of the idea is I don't have much of anything of value to sell off, divorce court solved that problem......Ben

[Sandman]

Study the financials.. a storage locker can be a $$$ pit.. think about a smaller safe (weld mounting to trailer chassis).. and downsizing collection, or have a safe in a relative’s basement?

I have gotten rid of tons of stuff.. and like Dave, don’t miss it..

[Dave Grubb]

Just thinking----I'm not sure how comfy I would feel in a travel trailer in and about Conroe Texas

If you do that, don't go too small---the lot rental will most likely be the same for anything reasonable in length.

[Truckman]

Study the financials.. a storage locker can be a $$$ pit.. think about a smaller safe (weld mounting to trailer chassis).. and downsizing collection, or have a safe in a relative’s basement?

I have gotten rid of tons of stuff.. and like Dave, don’t miss it..

Downsize my collection?!!!...SACRILEGE!!...Get a rope!!......

And what's a basement?......

Dave I've got my truck to get me around, and to pull a trailer around if I want to travel...I'm just starting to look into the feasibility......Ben

[Dave Grubb]

I was thinking of tornados---trailers don't like tornados

[Truckman]

I was thinking of tornados---trailers don't like tornados

I heard about a trailer park over in east county that got hit by a tornado...It left a million dollars in improvements......Ben

[Independent Voter]

Dave , You don't happen to have one of the older model 22 mag lever actions do you ?. One that could be had for a reasonable price .

[Mike]

We don't have many tornadoes in either Ben's area or my nearby old area. Up here in East Texas is a different story. I'm thinking of adding on a safe room for the tornadoes and for more secure storage beyond my gun safes. I'm still thinking of whether to go underground or reinforced concrete block construction above ground. It will probably come down to cost.

I grieve for you Dave! I hope you find this life change to be everything you are wanting. I have to admit to doing a lot of thinking about my future since I am alone now. A whole lot of thinking.........

[Dave Grubb]

I know this will not be an improved quality of life for me but I hope that it will be for my wife. Tomorrow I will take her to the hospital for the first of two ablations to burn off nerves where they exit her vertebra. Then in two weeks they will repeat the procedure on the other side.
If it works, her pain level will be less and she may be able to walk without using a walker and even possibly without a cane.
If successful, it could be effective for up to two years.

[Mike]

I hope your wife receives relief from this procedure. I am sorry to say that my experience with my wife did not provide the relief that she was promised and we had several more failures. I sincerely hope that your results will be much better than ours were.

[Dave Grubb]

Thanks Mike---I keep praying that it works

IV---no 22 Mags. I have a 22 Hornet and never felt a need to get into the 22 Mags. I will confess to have worn out more than a few 22s

I have a 22 pistol that I am thinking about holding back----the thought of being without any guns is just now starting to sink in

They have been such an important part of my life that going cold turkey is scary to me at this moment!

BTW---one thing the auction company does not want is the safe. He said they are not worth the trouble that they bring to them. First moving them to their place and then having to deal with the people who buy them and are ill equipped to take them away. So I guess the new owners of this house will have a gun safe---fully installed in its own closet!

I will admit, the thought of someone tying a gun safe on the roof of their Civic could be worth the show

[UTAH]

"We are now challenged by steps that I never even considered back then."
- Dave

Yep, Wifey and I are dancing to the same song. After 35 years, we are still in our starter home.

Tempus fugit.

Hunter