And the Saga Continues

Potential buyer of the 3.1 acres arrived Thursday. We spent a few hours talking around the kitchen table and then he walked over the land again. He stopped to introduced himself to Jack A--'s wife who told him they're "real sticklers about property lines" and don't feel our fence is in the right area. When the potential buyer stopped by later to tell us of his visit he also asked if we were aware of how much stuff the jerk had moved back onto our land. Yesterday he fired up the Case with the brush hog attached and headed through the woods. Aside fromt the noise, when he stopped within inches of their encroaching outbuilding, he had their attention. The wife came running outside with her video camera and her hubby dashed out the door buckling his belt and asked "what's up?"

As usual Sweetie extended his handshake, smiled and said, "Just here to let you know this is my land and you need to move your stuff - just like I told you before."

Jack A-- once again claimed he "didn't think it's your land." And once again, like a broken record, Sweetie repeated our standard response: "I have a survey, a deed, title insurance, a mortgage, property insurance and an investment in fence and posts. I don't mess with land that's not mine!"

About this time I walked up and the wife repositioned herself so she could record all of us. I waved and smiled at the camera and then turned my back. She repositioned herself again. I smiled and waved again and turned sideways. Sweetie smiled and later, at home, told me he had waved and smiled at the camera too. "Gosh, we're so much alike!" I said.

But back to the conversation. We talked about him not liking the fence; us not liking the mess on our land; his son and grandson telling us we have no business on the access roads or the beach; and the fact that we're not backing down. At one point Sweetie mentioned the potential buyer's plans which include posting the property and dealing with his encroachment. That brought a shadow to Jack A--'s face but he bit his lip and didn't say anything.

The potential buyer he told us he has deep pockets; has hired a real estate attorney and won't be messing around with B.S. from the Jack A--.

The conversation ended by Jack A-- saying, "Well, do what you want. It's your land but I don't like it."

Translation: I'm ending the conversation but I'll continue to be a nuisance.

Tonight we've invited the potential buyer to dinner. And while sitting here in the early morning quiet another thought occurred to me. I think another visit to the courthouse is in order before we proceed further. Just to be sure of something...

Unexpected Blessings

If you've read this blog for any length of time you know the headaches our neighbors have been.

Now, if all goes well, we will sell 3 acres to our neighbor to the north. He's a like-minded individual who has already bought 24 metal No Trespassing signs and attached them to plywood. When he's here next weekend he intends to post the southern boundary - that area around Jack A-- who's decorated the fence once again with dozens of deer antlers, & Harley and Budweiser banners. As if that's not enough he's attached an old fuel can to the western corner post & uses it for target practice. When we were offered $2,000 an acre for the land we decided why not let the land be someone elses problem?

We still retain nine acres and once the transaction's complete we'll have paid our mortgage down by $6,000 too. We couldn't be happier.

Then, Sweetie, who's waxing nestolgic for Florida said, "I wonder if he'd like to buy the whole place."

Time will tell.

Out & About

Here's some photos of our addition and Midnight, a 6 year-old male we inherited from my youngest granddaughter. Her Dad's bunking at my daughter's while rehabbing his house and his children are only here on weekends so now Midnight has full time attention.

Today we're out and about to pick up used 1x2's from my son's remodeling project, pay auto insurance and pick up a few groceries.

Another cool breezy day here. Thermometer is inching towards 50, it's raining and the winds are a brisk 30mph. Signs of fall are everywhere. Maples turning color and ferns about 50% brown. In a way I'm looking forward to cooler weather and color season. Sure is a lot more pleasant taking my daily walk in 50-60 degree temps and no humidity!

Well, time to scoot. Sweetie's got the truck idling. Have a great day, Treesong

Tested

Aside from the jack ass neighbor, here's a sampling of what we've faced in the past two weeks:

Broken starter on the Case tractor; flat/slashed tires on the golf cart (prolly some one's reminder that "this is not a country club); leaking sprayer at the kitchen sink replaced with a spare that also leaked; new brakes on the truck and rear of the motor home; 48 degrees here this morn so turned the furnace on - no heat, blows cold air; the well pump sounds like a garbage disposal - Sweetie thinks a bearing is going.

And finally, the land contract buyers on the place downstate are delinquent in the property taxes. The finance company sent us a notice to pay up in 30 days or the total loan amount is due ($18,000).

Remarkably, we have not bitched, whined, cried or shot anyone - yet. In fact, yesterday when we waved at the neighbors they turned around and walked the other way.

Went to a metaphysical fair only to say goodbye to a friend who was selling salt lamps there. A woman approached me and said she had a message for me: "You're climbing the valley and the sun is coming over the horizon."

And so life goes. Treesong

Simple Pleasures

The humidity here makes me want to stay in the water all day or stretch out on the sofa with the AC on high. Either option soon bores me so yesterday I took a walk to indulge in one of my favorite pastimes: rock hounding.

The picture above shows the copper specimens I picked up along our gravel road. After the road grader has been by is the best time to find copper. I't looks different than the other pieces of crushed rock; often has a tourquoise patina and is noticeably heavier.

Another favorite pastime is blueberry picking. I picked three pounds yesterday and gave most of it to friends and family. Last year I froze more than 40 pounds; this year I've froze half that. In February, when the wind is howling and the temps are reading 10 degrees there's nothing better than a fresh baked blueberry pie and a strong cup of coffee.

Some maples have begun to color; the ferns are already turning brown and the blueberry bushes are dying off earlier than last year - all signs that we'll have an early winter. High temps and humidity have warmed Lake Superior which translates to heavier snow fall. Personally, I hope for 400 inches or more! A real record breaker would test our preps and perhaps wake up a few sheeple - or send them south. The less population here the better. Trying to re-create a Traverse City, Ludington or Grand Haven here is insane. I'll have none of it. This peninsula isn't on the way to anywhere and has no expressways after the St. Ignace-Sault Ste. Marie corridor.

I sometimes dream of a huge snowstorm that leaves us housebound for at least two weeks. Of course, in the dream we fare well because we've so well stocked. And wouldn't you know as soon as I write that last sentence I think: "Oh, oh, I forgot to buy chocolate bars and cocoa."

Anyway, being a couple homebody retirees means we don't have to commute. And that, my friends, is the best part of living the life we have. Our time is our own.

Have a great week, Treesong

Further Entertainment

Thanks all for your comments. MamaBear please send me a private message with your email.

Last night we drove down the road the jackass behind us claims as his driveway. Sweetie told someone standing nearby that he was glad to hear the guy was staying the winter. "Will be one more person around to keep ALL of this private road open to ALL of the adjacent landowners," says Sweetie! They guy coughed up his coffee and we waved goodbye. The jack ass neighbor didn't hear a word because he had a bandana over his mouth and a paint sprayer going full blast on the plow truck he just bought.

We promised to stop by and introduce ourselves to the millionaire lady who owns the beachfront here so that was our next stop. Our timing couldn't have been better! Her so-called caretaker (who tried to run us off our land & told her we were posting HER land; and swerved toward Dad and I while walking on the road) was just leaving. Poor guy looked like he pooped his pants as we met in her doorway. We smiled, said hello and he scurried away. Across the street two of the loudest troublemakers were coming out the door and they too looked like they needed to change their pants. I looked at Sweetie and said, "I'll bet the neighborhood will be a buzzing tonight!"

The millionaire lady was friendly, gracious and invited us to come by again. None of us mentioned the local jerks. We heard from another source that they've all whined to her about us so we figured enough had been said to demonstrate their character.

I was reminded yesterday of two things: attitude is altitude and "love thine enemies." Well, I can say it helps alleviate stress if we smile and wave to certain people. As for loving them, No. But sometimes acting as though we do produces the same results. Twice today we've both bit our lips. When they can't get a response they push harder. Again, we bite our lips.

Like Sweetie said, "Until they either damage our property, assault us or try to stop us from completing the fence (attaching to both ends of the encroached building) we won't respond." According to him, when we're out there finishing the fence & installing the gate if any thing's said we'll respond with the same thing our lawyer said, "shut up or hire a lawyer."

Developments

The jack ass who removed his crap from behind his 34 foot long outbuilding has now moved some of it back!! He's also stacked next to the woodpile he's been splitting - thus blocking the access road between his lot and our property. We hold a recorded easement to the back section of our land via this road and he knows it. But, as usual, if us "big shot city slickers" are gonna tell him he has to change his ways he's gonna reach into his bag of tricks and try another one. Typical behavior.

Tonight, while parked on the beach much to the chagrin of his son and their drunken friends, we learned that jackass has decided to stay here the winter. He's worried about what us city slickers will do next. I take that to mean we got him scared.

And so, next week we visit the lawyer to discuss our next move.

In the meantime, we've taken to smiling and waving every time we encounter him or his other moron family members. Disturbs the hell out of them.

Naturally, his son complained to one neighbor about this. Wise neighbor asked the son, "what's your problem?"

Not hard to figure out the answer to that. Like I told Sweetie, if we laugh more about their insanity maybe we'll feel less stress and they'll look more like the fools they are as they struggle to comprehend what the hell's going on.

If nothing else, they're cheap entertainment!

Maybe I'll snap some pictures tomorrow for your viewing pleasure!

It Pays to Do Your Homework!!!

After listening to certain neighbors tell us we have no right to use the "shared access" waterfront here - and saying we don't own the four lots we do own within the private plat - I decided to do a little homework.

Imagine my surprise when I paid for copies of six deeds and not a one has deeded "shared access"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We all own property in the "unrecorded plat" which states that all lot owners have "shared waterfront access."

ONLY six lots within the plat have DEEDED access. After that point, the original owner who developed this plat decided not to include "deeded shared access."

And wouldn't you know that the people who are NOT a problem in this neighborhood - except for one - have the deeded access????

So, as usual, we have ACCURATE information to respond with the next time one of the morons opens their mouth.

If the jerks hadn't attempted to intimidate my youngest grand kids (ages 5 and 10) while we were at the beach Sunday I probably wouldn't have gone to the courthouse.

That trip also yielded interesting info regarding this plat so I'll eventually copy every deed in the plat.