Restoring Tobacco Road ..

[pa_friendly_guy]

Sal looks like a Good One there. Nice touch perching it on the rocks for the picture, makes it look like it can go any where and do any thing. Having a beater veh is a great idea for clearing the land. You can do so much with a veh like that. I just bought a PU truck myself. Unfortunately its not from the right Century, and has some rust issues, but its in good mechanical running order, has a V8, and is 4 wheel drive. I bought a 1997 Dodge Dakota. I didn't pay much for the veh, I do not think I will put many miles on it, I plan on using it to haul some horse poop, some fire wood, and maybe take it to my hunting camp from time to time. I expect it to get awful gas mileage, its a small truck with a V8 and its a Dodge, but because I expect to drive it very few miles I do not care. I felt it was a good buy.

[Lollykoko]

Tru, good job on finding a vehicle that will do what you need. I bought my truck to get from home to work, then two months later I found the acreage, 40+ miles from home. An old 4 seater 4X4 is on my wishlist.

Guy, you are probably right about the mileage to expect. My Dakota is an '03, 6 cylinder and NOT 4 wheel drive. On good highway I manage about 19mph. In town doing the grocery-getting, 17mph. I haven't tried getting it up the hill at Lollyland; don't think it will manage the more than 20 degree slope.

[TruGrit]

.. I should mention my crew .. they are both rescues and the best friends a fella could have .. they protect me from the Coyotes, Bears, and ... Chipmunks!

Pinchy can be in the woods all day and comes back spotless ...




Sadie on the other hand is our fearless varmit hunter, tromping through the creek, digging at the banks, looking for moles ..

[mannytheseacow]

[TruGrit]

.. thanks Manny, I'll check that out .. I already have the pipe, got a heck of a deal on 'em awhile back .. the trick will be getting them from the upper field down my little road to the creek ..

.. I'll have two crossings for vehicles and a couple of walking bridges for trails on the perimeter .. I'll have to do it on the cheap and by myself, so this should be interesting.

[TruGrit]

.. with all this cold and rain, I'm going inside .. there's a carport on the end of the house that has been enclosed .. so, I figure I'll take out the living room wall and make a great room outta it and the carport .. then install a RMH on that concrete floor to heat the whole house ..

.. I'll build a wall across the carport to make a pantry off the kitchen, and cut some of the concrete out up front for a stair opening to go down under the front porch for new basement stairway .. the other stairway has to come out to enlarge the tiny bath ..

.. that big double door up front will come out and a transom window goes there .. that first window will come out and a new door will go there .. the RMH will go along that outside wall to the right, across from the opening into the living room ..



.. this closet area will be completely removed, the floor raised and extended for the new pantry ..



.. sorry for the lousy pix, these were taken before we moved in .. now it's full of our stuff from the other house we haven't unpacked yet ..

[pa_friendly_guy]

So you are now living at the New House, and working and remodeling the place while you try to live there? Oh my, that can be Fun, your wife is a very understanding Lady. Remodeling around your stuff, trying to move things out of the way, trying to keep the dust and dirt level down , all make it way harder to remodel that way. You seem to be very motivated though and you also seem very industrious and productive, so I am sure you will have the place the way you want it in no time. You have made some very energetic plans for the place, I will be looking forward to seeing your progress. Good Luck

[TruGrit]

... oh, it's great fun Guy .. after all, what else have I got to do ..

... as for the Mrs, she's the greatest gal ever!! .. we are complete opposites in everything .. but get along famously .. she's a peach!!


... well the sun came out today, so back into the woods I go .. ran across something interesting, a great big pile of wood ..

.. they must have cleared everything off the upper field and just bulldozed it down the hill .. there's a lot of trees in there .. pile is 40 ft long, 20 ft deep and 10 ft high ... hmm, are you thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?

[pa_friendly_guy]

Yep, Hugalculture,

[TruGrit]

.. Big Bird visits the farm! ... we startled a Great Blue Heron that was feeding in the stream .. it took off low, still in the stream bed, then rose up and away ... then to our surprise, circled around and flew low right over our heads .. circled again and flew off .. wing span of over 6 ft .. it was an amazing site!