I'm not about to steal his thunder, but I will say that @Latestarter, @Devonviolet and her husband came to our place for lunch and we all had a wonderful time.
Lunch, good company and good conversation is ALWAYS a good thing! Thanks for having me (us) Everything at the closing went without a hitch. They had me arrive for signing at 9 and the sellers at 9:30, so they were there and ready to go as I was walking out finished. The lender had the title recording fees $3 too high so the title company owes me 3 bucks. I'll swing by today (or soon) and pick up copies of all the closing papers. Oh, and here's a twist... Many of you may remember the very first property that I drove down here to look at; 40 acres with a barn, backing up to the wildlife area... Well when I was leaving my closing, that seller was standing in the lobby of the title company! He had closed the sale of that property several days ago and was there to pick up his paperwork. Turns out he got what he was asking and the man who bought it had several sons, multiple tractors, a bulldozer, fork lift, and everything possibly needed to work that property like it deserved! I'm really happy for him and his buyer! It was just too overwhelming a task for me to take on by myself. We spoke for a little bit before we both left. Very nice guy!
Lunch out at the @Baymule homestead was great I really felt bad as I didn't bring anything to contribute to the meal Was nice to finally get to meet the renowned Paris and Trip and the their other dogs as well. Very sweet dogs! Next get together will be at my place. I have this huge 5 burner grill with rotisserie that Mr. (& Mrs.) @Devonviolet helped me move out of the moving truck & up onto the back deck. That was probably the most difficult (VERY heavy and very bulky) item to deal with of everything that I moved. I'm thinking/mentioned properly aged, seasoned, then cooked to perfection rib eye steaks
On that subject, I have to say that I've so far been very disappointed in the quality and availability of meats here. I bought some thin sliced rib eyes (for breakfast steaks) from walmart and they were not well marbled and were as tough as shoe leather. I bought (hormel) pork chops at the super1foods (owned by brookshires) and the top visible chops were "semi-decent" but everything underneath them was cut unevenly (thick on one side, thin on the other), very fatty, covered in meat "saw dust" and bone chips, and just generally looked like crap. I know I purchased the cheapest, "value pack" pork chops, but really... I haven't found a brookshires near me yet, but will try them next. Priority is to find a local butcher shop where I can buy quality (locally produced even?) meats, even if I have to pay more for them, and then to start raising my own!
I know it's an awful long drive for others in the TX contingent, but maybe a few others (that are within "reach") can come as well; @Ferguson K@animalmom@frustratedearthmother ? Well, really, any of the many friends/folks who post here on my thread would be most welcome to join in, no matter where you live I'll make room on the grill for more steaks, or maybe some chicken/burgers/brauts/ribs... whatever... I know some folks have particular diets and may not be able to (or care to) eat red meat. I'm pretty much a carnivore... any meat suits me, and grilled, or on a stick (or BOTH!) is even better Hmmm Haven't done shishkebab in ages...
Was going to start working today by breaking out my push mower and doing the ~1 acre right around the house. It's been overcast since late last night and is very damp and humid so I guess I'll put that idea on hold for a day or two till things can dry back out. We need some rain here. Everything is still plenty green, something I'm not used to from being on the plains in Colorado, but it's very dry.
OK, enough for now. Since I now own the place, things will slow down posting here until I actually start accomplishing things around the place.
Thanks for the invite Joe but I don't think I'll be able to make it even though it is only 1,650 miles. My next big trip will be 1,100 miles to Beloit, WI in May for DD2s graduation.
Glad that door has closed and you are set to make the place your own.
p.s. I took the liberty of posting your pre closing status on BYC Old Folks Home yesterday, people were asking if you had moved yet.
Thanks Bruce. I've been trying to catch up on both sites but being behind some ~500+ posts in TOFH, I haven't gotten to that one to catch up yet. I better make it a point to do so soon. I know I hate being left "hanging"...
If he's like many of us he is getting ready to get in better shape. We adopted an "it will get done when it's done" attitude and takes the pressure off.