Wow, October 1 already. Time flies when you’re having fun.
The last few days have been spent in a whirlwind of house hunting. Most of the time was spent driving at an average speed of 20 miles per hour. Slowly, we’re getting to know the neighborhoods and values. Not wanting to rush the issue, we decided to stay at least an extra week, maybe longer if necessary. That’s a benefit of living this lifestyle. If you want to stay, you stay. If you want to leave, you leave.
Our broker, Lana, has been diligent at producing properties and sharing information about the area. Not wanting to waste her time, we do solo drive-bys. For the ones that look promising, Lana schedules a showing. It works well this way. Very efficient.
We keep confronting the same issues of location, utility, inventory and value. We’ll work through it, no doubt, but there is an element of frustration. Strange how our criteria changes from region to region. Where we were looking at big acreage in other areas, we feel that isn’t necessary here. The process is evolving and it will be interesting to see how it ends. We need to be patient and smart.
One day, we drove east along I-70 as far as the small town of Rifle, about 60 miles from Grand Junction. Last time we made the trip, the weather was rainy and we couldn’t see much of the area. This time, it was clear enough to appreciate the surrounding region. Rifle was a nice little town, but not for us. The trip wasn’t wasted, each town struck from the list narrows the search.
Several months ago, I purchased a hat from via Allison Transmission web site. It was a $3.95 hat with a $5.95 shipping and handling charge. Anyway, it did an excellent job covering my bald head from early spring to present. Problem is, Jeanne started making disparaging comments about the hat. Not to beat around the bush, she said it looks filthy and it smells. I tried to explain that the hat is just ‘broken in’, but she would have none of it. My faithful friend is now quietly resting in the Grand Junction landfill and the search is on for a worthy replacement. I’ll keep you posted on this.
This morning we woke at 5:15 AM to the sound of 12 gauge shotguns firing close by. I reminded Jeanne it was October 1, the opening of duck season. Hunters were out in force along the Colorado River less than a quarter mile away. I longed to be out there with them, there is nothing better than the smell of gunpowder on a clear, crisp fall morning.
The weather has been beautiful. Except for one rainy day, sunshine and high 70s has been the rule. The nights might drop into the high 40s. The 30 degree swing is quick and can catch you by surprise. What a relief from the heat and humidity.
We look forward to continuing our house hunt next week, and possibly the next. Could this be the end of the Excellent Adventure?