neglected TT,our home for awhile (w/blackwater problem)

[working on it]

• adapted from a previous thread...Our modular home has become irreparable at the young age of 43 (my ongoing, endless rebuild of one room at a time, roof down to floor, has now become three or more rooms at a time), so we're in a frantic haste trying to get this one demolished/removed and insert a new one. It's going to take us all September to get it out, the lot cleared of giant oaks in the way, and make this happen. Then, I'll probably spend all October re-doing wire fencing (we have seven dogs), and getting everything into some sort of order, and rebuilding steps/decks may take all the remainder of the year. It may take until Beavers Bend in April, until I recover from this project (I'll be going for sure...I've already reserved) So, have fun...I won't, for the foreseeable future.

  • I previously posted this in early August, begging off of a planned 10 day trip with friends. I thought everything would be tough to accomplish, but not as bad as a problem as it has turned out to be. What I envisioned for August moved to September, and everything moved back a month. I didn't help that I've had to play phone-tag with banks, my pension, my ira people, home builders, financiers, Social Security, contractors of every sort, utilities, and on it goes (so far, I've logged over 200 phone calls since August 1).
  • First it was the home sellers promising one thing, then another, even a couple resorting to bait-and-switch tactics, then, no-cost add-ons suddenly had been added with the cost attached (some to the tune of 25%). So, we finally found one that stuck to the initial agreement, found a lender that actually worked with us, and even smoothed out some glitches in our financial matrix. But, the income verification process (I'm retired, so it was not just calling up HR anymore) from my IRA, pension, and Social Security took many, many phone calls, and promised paperwork never arrived, until I found a few sympathetic helpful people that bypassed the red-tape and automated gibberish their organizations use to confound the average guy, and solved the problems I faced. After a month of looking for a new home, finding the right seller/lender combo, and solving the puzzle of the retirement income verification puzzle, I faced the contractor and utilities maze.
  • Trying to get bidders for the demolition, hauling off, pad preparation, tree removal, stump grinding, water and septic hook-ups, electrical dis-connect and re-connect, dumpster services, temporary storage pod(s) rental, have been my constant nightmare. Outrageously high estimates versus bids from fly-by night amateurs, real nice contractors versus total as.....s, and everything in between. We think we have 6 lined up, for over $12k in outlay to come, but we have to confirm dates for them to commit to us. A wrinkle is that many are heading South to the Houston area, for the hurricane-damage repair free-for-all from Hurricane Harvey last month. We can't compete against insurance money, so we need to get commitments made now.
  • The home builder had October 6 as the delivery date on the contract, but said that corporate may make them move their build schedule around, due to Fema demands...we may get the house three weeks early, or two months late. If early, we won't be ready...if late, then we have to stay in my wife's 20-ft Puma travel trailer (bought in 2007, and used for a few years as her base near catastrophes, where she worked as a free-lance insurance adjuster). With seven dogs, two birds (in separate cages), and the two of us in such crowded confines for an indeterminate length of time, it won't be easy (3 big dogs now have harnesses with handles to lift them in-and-out of the trailer; 4 little dogs can be carried to the former goat pen (now cleaned up and ready for daytime dog occupancy). We have a snake and coyote problem at night, especially, so we never leave the pets out overnight...they can sleep in the trailer with us.
  • Another problem, referring back to the subject of this post...my wife was gong to sell the trailer years ago, but didn't. She hardly ever even inspected it from season-to-season, just testing the lights or A/C once in awhile, but saying that it was her trailer and she would manage it, not me. Twice before, she would take it to her parents ranch, for activities there, in which case I would have to pressure-wash it (it sits under oak trees), and both times the battery had to be replaced, due to the breaker tripping in the outbuilding, causing the converter to shut-off, and the battery dying over the winter. Twice. Now, when we need to use it, I have to address the neglected trailers condition. 1) the converter had a $160 component fail (now replaced by my EE neighbor!), the battery was dead (replaced by me today), the roof vent broke when opened (now replaced by me and the neighbor), and the developing cracks in the rubber roof have been sealed (also, today, by me and my helpful neighbor). Going to sanitize the water system tomorrow, put down rubber mats inside (with seven dogs...there will be a "accident"), and going to clean and test the propane powered water heater and refrigerator tomorrow or next Saturday (again with help from my RV-experienced engineer neighbor, thank heaven). When we have to disconnect our home's power, water, and septic, we'll draw water and power from our neighbor's house (unless he can engineer a way to keep the garage powered-up to use (40 amps available?, in my separate, 3-bay steel building). I'll need to get a blackwater tote to empty the holding tank (my wife said just run a hose to our septic...50 feet away, and uphill !!!), and we'll be ready. Whether we live in the 20 ft. Puma for three weeks or three months, I don't know, but it would've been better if I had taken over the inspection and care of her trailer long before, so it would be better suited and ready for our impending extended stay (at least, there were no water leaks, insects, or other critters inside). Wish us luck, we need it!

[GPW]

Good Luck !!!

[working on it]

we have to disconnect our home's power, water, and septic, we'll draw water and power from our neighbor's house (unless he can engineer a way to keep the garage powered-up to use (40 amps available?, in my separate, 3-bay steel building). I'll need to get a blackwater tote to empty the holding tank (my wife said just run a hose to our septic)...it's almost 50 feet away, and uphill !!!

• I've been examining the blackwater/waste disposal problem for a coupla days. The nearest "dump station" is only 5 miles from my house, but I don't like the prospect of having to load the portable tank into the truck bed once every week or so (the travel trailer has a 32 gallon holding tank). The RV websites I researched all concur that I need a portable tank as large or larger than the holding tank, so I might have to pull/lift/push a full 32 gallons of waste inside a 32-35 gallon tank into a pickup bed for transport to the dump station. At 8+ lbs a gallon (waste weighs more than clean water), I might be struggling with liading a nearly 300 lb tote-tank into/off my pickup. I really don't want to do that, with my bad knees/back/left shoulder. Plus, the tote-tanks of that size run over $200, and will entail more cost for ramps to use while loading it up.
• I'm almost certain that, given the trouble and expense of using a tote-tank (and the physical strain I don't need), I'll be better served with a macerator/pump to use, connected directly to the black water port, then thru a 3/4" hose into my septic tank (access hole is 48.5 feet away from the waste port); price is comparable to the tote/ramp I would need, and much less hassle and physical work to use. Anyone used one of these units? I have read pretty much universal approval of these pumps, so it looks like the better choice.
• Oh...you guys might wonder why I don't just take the travel trailer itself to a dump station. It's because
• 1) the trailer has expired license/tags (which means it will have to be inspected, first),
• 2) it is extremely hard to maneuver into the spot in our driveway where my wife wanted it for our interim housing (100+ feet reversing from the street, then a 90 degree turn to back it up another 75+ feet to the spot in front of my garage -with only inches to clear two trees during the turn-),
• 3) leveling the trailer again and again (the driveway slopes a lot; it takes large blocks to accomplish it ),
• 4) we're removing our T-post and two-part wire fencing(one 4-ft section attached to a lower 4-ft section) from around the house to be demolished, and putting up a temporary fence around the trailer (so we can herd our pets to the goat yard), so that would have to be moved if we were to take the trailer to a dump station,
• 5) water, electrical, awning re-hook-ups each time (the awning is a hassle), and
• 6) we might have to empty the waste tank 3-4-5 times until our new house is ready for occupancy.
• I can't convince my wife to use my TTT squareback's Luggable Loo & tent, instead.

• 

  2007 Puma T20 QB floorplan & specs.png (306.93 KiB) Viewed 4799 times

  our temporary domicile

• 

  rv waste macerator-pump unit.PNG (318.39 KiB) Viewed 4799 times

  possibly my best/only hope for easy wastewater removal

• 

  hose @ Amazon.PNG (406.39 KiB) Viewed 4799 times

  I had better use a good hose for this dirty job!

[PanelDeland]

I would be moving lawn furniture and chairs into that 3 bay building. I don't think my wife would allow me to survive living with her in a 20 ft trailer. Depending on your climate, you could probably be more comfortable there at least evenings and TV time. You might also look into a porta potty since the contractors may need one, sure would be better to make at least some of the waste disposal someone else's problem. Hope it works out sooner for you.

[working on it]

I would be moving lawn furniture and chairs into that 3 bay building. I don't think my wife would allow me to survive living with her in a 20 ft trailer. Depending on your climate, you could probably be more comfortable there at least evenings and TV time. You might also look into a porta potty since the contractors may need one, sure would be better to make at least some of the waste disposal someone else's problem. Hope it works out sooner for you.

• The 3-bay garage is full (my auto parts/junk/welder(s)/tools of every sort, my squareback TTT and all my camping gear, my Chevelle drag car and extra hood & spare parts, my wife's extra bookshelves-furniture-extra refrigerator-floor fans-space heaters-dimensional lumber-plywood sheets-MDF-saw(s) of multiple types, wallboard/insulation/metal brackets (for rafter and joist replacement), bicycle(s), minibike, weedeater(s), 15 gallons of gasoline, 3500 watt generator, and so on...). We also have three other sheds/outbuildings, all 95% full of my wife's "antiques and collectibles", extra tires/wheels, an extra 10k btu window unit A/C, more lumber, yard tools, ladders, her "bigfoot expedition" camping gear, six Xmas trees, plumbing repair storage box, big & small JBL speakers from the 80's, and so on....You get the general idea??? No place for anything anywhere anymore.
• We're getting rid of some stuff as we pack-out the contents of our house, prior to the demolition of same. We've filled 1/2 of a 8x8x16 storage pod (rental) with just her books and office contents, and I threw away two pickup bed loads of junk on Monday, so we only have 9 more rooms to pack, now (the dining room was 1/2 empty already; it was the last room we were in the process of roof-to-floor re-building, before we gave up). We'll probably rent another storage pod, and follow that with a 20 cubic yard dumpster in the winter (I'm gonna clean out the 3-bay garage and sheds), and we've already removed all bushes/shrubs from the exterior of the house, taken off 1/4 of the concrete skirting, and started the general clean-up of the property: 11 loads of wood (from oak tree limbs/branches falling off over the last 5 years, and wood removed from our house during the room re-builds over the last 5 years). We also cleared the car-hauler trailer, which had 9 pickup bed loads of debris piled on it, that I hauled away from the house my former illegal renters destroyed (totally demolished the interior, from roof to slab). Believe me, I had not wanted to let things pile up this bad, but I was always working on something, or at work/commuting 16-20 hours a day since 2010, and the task seemed too overwhelming to me, until I found a handyman/clean-up guy, living nearby. With his (paid) help, I've accomplished a lot (more, much more, clean-up to follow).
• The prospect of sharing the 20 ft. trailer with my wife isn't a problem...sharing the space with 335 lbs of dogs is a problem (seven dogs, from 110 lbs to 5 lbs). And two birds, in separate large cages. The major problem is taking the dogs out at night three times before midnight, because of the aforementioned snake/coyote problem (as well as a predatory hawk and an owl or two -the two smallest dogs are great targets). The A/C works great in the travel trailer, and the water heater (hot water for showers again !!) and refrigerator should be ready this weekend...we're getting closer to the move into it. If we have a problem with the dogs at night keeping my wife awake (she needs her eight hours sleep before work, I don't), there's always my squareback, with its' bed and A/C.
• I don't think I'll have to furnish a porta-potty for the workers, the contractor is supposed to furnish everything. They can pee in the old house, I don't care, but I'll check with the contractor about it, anyway. I'm having the septic tank cleaned and disconnected from the house as soon as the house is empty. We'll use the trailer's facilities after that.
• This plan has to work; we have no alternative!

[PanelDeland]

Maybe you can set up a dump station for the tank at your septic system? Worth checking anyway, you might be able to tow it with garden tractor or other power unit.

[working on it]

Maybe you can set up a dump station for the tank at your septic system? Worth checking anyway, you might be able to tow it with garden tractor or other power unit.

• After digging up half the yard, I finally located both access caps for my septic system, and had them pumped. Both were 18" below grade, so to use the tanks for remote fill (from my trailer), I have to leave one accessible, while I re-bury (carefully marked though!) the other cap.The latest plan is to replace the 10" round concrete cap of one of our septic tanks with a Polylok septic riser kit, allowing me to either remove the cap at will (it will be above ground level), or to attach the macerator/pump/hose directly to a fitting I will install into the cap.

• 

  BuildYourOwn12.jpg (50.38 KiB) Viewed 4577 times

  I will need $155 of parts to build my own 12" diameter riserThat will work with the equipment I'm ordering

  I'm almost certain that, given the trouble and expense of using a tote-tank (and the physical strain I don't need), I'll be better served with a macerator/pump to use, connected directly to the black water port, then thru a 3/4" hose into my septic tank (access hole is 48.5 feet away from the waste port); price is comparable to the tote/ramp I would need, and much less hassle and physical work to use. Anyone used one of these units? I have read pretty much universal approval of these pumps, so it looks like the better choice.

• The latest bad news is that the demo contractor won't tear the house down until the septic is un-hooked and capped, but the plumber says the house has to be removed before he can do so (because there is no space under the house). Catch-22 Another bad news item...the electrical also has to be disconnected from the house, too, but Oncor (the electrical service supplier for the power company) won't come out for three weeks, to do so. I may have to have my neighbor (the electrical engineer) cut the line himself, just to get Oncor out here when needed (he did, on his own house, and they arrived within minutes...funny how that works).
• Another bad news item (I've got nothing good to relate, at this point) is that the tree contractor is also wanting to do the demo, and I just lose his services because he's never done a demo, and may not be able to do it, in the time limited. I told him so, and now won't return our calls ...another item...the prospective pad-prepper and hook-up specialist isn't on good working terms with the already contracted house delivery service (the only one the home sellers will use!). Catch-22, again. Stay tuned, this soap opera just gets worse....

[working on it]

• As my 1)demo home, 2)move into travel trailer, 3)install new home saga continues, more things change every day. Today, as I was getting the refrigerator access door off, I heard a pop-hiss just next to me. Fearing a snake with a cap gun, I moved back quickly, and noticed that one of the tire valve stems was leaning over at a 90 degree angle, and air was evacuating from the tire. Spontaneous deflation!
• And later, while burning bills and records going back 20 years (I'm a packrat of auto parts and tools; my wife hoards everything else) that I decreed that we not store or move to the new home, I heard a shrill noise emanating from the trailer. It was the propane alarm, which apparently sounded off hours after I pulled the tank(s) cover, and evicted a rat/squirrel nest from the area. I guess I turned on the gas, somehow, and it made the alarm sound. I wasn't ready for the refrigerator start-up, nor the water heater, though I cleaned both in preparation to do so. When hunting the sound source, my wife started hitting switches, and turned the water pump on, which promptly showed me two major leaks...the sink faucet flew off, and the Thetford Aqua-magic 5 water valve started spraying. I turned off the pump, threw towels around the water valve, and released water pressure from two outlets under the trailer. It seems that my wife never drained the partially-filled water tank nor the water heater, though she let the trailer sit for several years. Surprisingly, the water seemed fresh (I got some in my mouth, and I haven't died yet), and I repaired the loose faucet. But, after tightening toilet fittings, I determined the toilet water valve had cracked (probably froze with water in it), and I ordered another (plus an inline shutoff valve) to fix it with.
• I never used the trailer...it was her's and her's alone (though I was allowed to tow it to the state line several times, or in rush hour traffic, or to her parent's ranch -3 times-, and always to move it into or out of our very difficult driveway/parking area); I think that I've spent a cumulative 30-45 minutes inside the trailer, since 2007, so I have absolutely no knowledge of how anything works inside. But, my wife claims she has forgotten what she did know, so I'm watching YouTube videos on every aspect.
• The blackwater solution parts arrived today: the $210 Flo-jet macerator/pump, and a clear blackwater valve extension tube (so I can see what's happening), and the Never-kink 50 ft 3/4 hose (to reach the septic tank) will be here tomorrow. I was going to put a tank riser on the septic, but I think I'll just leave it covered with concrete blocks 'til I need to dump the trailer tank (about once a week, at most). That'll save me $160.
• I finally got a plumber to agree to disconnect/reconnect water and septic, but from outside (not under) the old house (with 6" to 12" free space under the present house), so I'll just turn off the water main (letting the demo guy tear all pipes, septic and water out). He said he could find the outside piping, but would charge $400 to do so, so I, and my neighborhood handyman, will dig trenches around the rear of the house (next weekend) to locate the entry point of both systems. We will temporarily cap both, as soon as we've transitioned to the trailer, and let the plumber go from that point, and create new home connections from our termination points.
• And, I think I found an electrician who might be willing to battle the two-headed dragon of Oncor and TXU (the electric delivery company and the producer, respectively), who never agree to do anything coherently/consistently, forcing people like my electrical engineer next-door neighbor to force their hand once, by cutting the main power line to his house, just to get them out there (after weeks of delays from both, he got Oncor out within the hour, after they detected the power line down). I'll find out Saturday, if he can leave the power on to the garage, and just sever the power to the old house, then put together a new outside wetherhead and breakers on the new house (all when needed). Fingers crossed. I still have my neighbor as my ultimate fall back, though not an electrician, he did wire his house for the contractor he hired to build it (obviously some inspections were fudged).
• We still can't get a firm home delivery date from the builder/seller...all our plans are waiting on that date, so we can get the contractors confirmed and schedule set. We're getting a second storage pod delivered tomorrow; my wife is a true hoarder...Precious Moments dolls, Barbies, Furbys, various and sundry collectibles of dubious value, thousands of complete book series (of romance novels, cat detective novels, Ann Rice crap, and first edition books she won't let me see), 40-60's furniture items and rick-rack all over the place. That's not counting the three full sheds (12x12, 5x8, and 12x24) full of her junk, or half of my three-bay garage. My promised dumpster will have to wait, until her storage pods leave. I've thrown away (or burned at my handyman's lot) eighteen pickup beds of brush and overflow home-repair debris, taken another five loads of household and clothing goods to the Salvation Army drop-store nearby, three loads of just her books to a reseller, one complete load of old magazines to a recycler box (completely filling two boxes), and she's dropping off another load of books to the reseller tomorrow, after she leaves work (I'm still burning old financial and personal files, and have to be here for the second pod delivery). And we're only through packing up 40% of the household, and only one room has had 1/2 of its' furniture moved (into my garage). Too many details, loose ends, no family help, and picky/unreasonable people to deal with. I just wanted to get my guns, cars, dogs, some clothes together, and just walk away, and start over...I've done it before, so I can do it again (but, my wife cannot, so I'm stuck!).

[Padilen]

That's a lot of crap! Sounds like you have a lot of red tape to deal with. When I had my mobile replaced with on site stick built, I had some problems. Nothing compared to yours. My septic didn't have a required"clean" out. So I just cut my line before tank added a T and nipple with removable cap. I planned on dumping my TT waste into it. The TT was a freebie, and it smelled inside. I wasn't able to use it. So I lived in my pole barn with a porta potty and free standing shower stall. I had a utility tub for sink already in pole barn. I built a raised platform for shower and used an old pool filter hose for drain line. The hose just ran over to floor drain.

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[working on it]

That's a lot of crap! Sounds like you have a lot of red tape to deal with. When I had my mobile replaced with on site stick built, I had some problems. Nothing compared to yours. My septic didn't have a required"clean" out. So I just cut my line before tank added a T and nipple with removable cap. I planned on dumping my TT waste into it. The TT was a freebie, and it smelled inside. I wasn't able to use it. So I lived in my pole barn with a porta potty and free standing shower stall. I had a utility tub for sink already in pole barn. I built a raised platform for shower and used an old pool filter hose for drain line. The hose just ran over to floor drain.

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• That's what I'll do to cap the system prior to the demo. If I have a 3" or 4" septic input line (I have no idea, until I actually dig down and uncover it), then I can run a vertical off the tee (one end capped, one end to the tank itself, and the vertical piece up a coupla feet above grade) and domp my TT waste into that. I want it way above the capped line to prevent any backwash while pumping waste in. Sounds like a good plan, an alternative to repeatedly prying up the concrete tank plug, and trying to keep sand from filling the tank. Thanks for the tee suggestion.
• Our TT is clean inside, with only slight mustiness from being closed (but, I can't guarantee the cleanliness after both of us live there for a month with seven dogs, and to birds), but I put down my favorite mats inside, rubber side up, to cover all carpet and floor heating vents to keep sand and doggy accidents easy to clean up.There were no major water leaks or rot anywhere (the overhead vent was cracked, but the pillow inside it prevented leaks), the only water stain found was on the bottom of the bathroom cabinets, where the water that came from the frozen/broken toilet water valve hit the linoleum and sat there for awhile, and discolored the bottom (about 2", but evaporated over time). That stain perplexed me, since upon my first recent inspection, there was no apparent water leak nearby (until I discovered the broken water valve).
• Funny thing...my wife said she never filled the water storage tank, just using the "city water" connection. If so, where did the pump get the water from, since we don't yet have a line feeding it? I guess I could open both those plugs underneath, while running the pump 'til they flow no more (of course, after I fix/replace the toilet water valve), and eliminate any residual water. My wife kept all the paperwork she received from the trailer dealer, but the user's manual from Puma/Palomino/Forest River is so vague and with no schematics nor diagrams, it makes the worst Chinese manuals look great. That's why I am watching as many YouTube videos on using/repairing trailers, as I can.

[Padilen]

The city water doesn't go through pump. There should be - water line coming in with a tee and shut off.That line should then run to pump. My mom's trailer only has one water fill incoming connection. Her tank has never had water in it and pump is only used to winterize the TT. Which I did last week. But the shut off and line to tank are under floor. Just a hole to stick your hand in and turn valve. Hard to see/find.

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[working on it]

The city water doesn't go through pump. There should be - water line coming in with a tee and shut off.That line should then run to pump. My mom's trailer only has one water fill incoming connection. Her tank has never had water in it and pump is only used to winterize the TT. Which I did last week. But the shut off and line to tank are under floor. Just a hole to stick your hand in and turn valve. Hard to see/find.

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She insists she never used the water tank inlet on the streetside of the trailer, just the city water connection on the rear above the spare. I've not found ant valves anywhere inside the trailer (I looked for them while the water was spraying the other day), and haven't looked further. She found the two connections under the trailer that we used to relieve the pressure, so there might be more connections underneath (the two we used just stick down from a board above; I'll trace them back up to see if I can find anything). I also don't know how the water heater tank gets its' water, either. My neighbor that helped fix the converter and the roof vent has had two trailers, and a 40 ft pusher motorhome previously, so he might shed some light on these systems; he's gonna help me get the refer and water heater going tomorrow, after I put the new water valve on the Thetford toilet.

[Padilen]

So there is a gravity feed for the tank. My mom's TT only has the one hose fitting, for incoming water.

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[working on it]

• My knowledgeable neighbor, the electrical engineer, came over today, to start me off in the right direction for cleaning the propane burners of both the water heater and refrigerator, prior to start-up. He's done it before, and told me what to look for, which backs up what I've seen on YouTube (not always infallible in their helpful videos). So, I know what to do, and in what order. First I'll fill the tanks (adding some bleach to sanitize), and then after firing up both, I'll be almost ready for move-in to the trailer. We stocked the cabinets with canned goods, will stock the fridge with perishables, and already have the cooking gear and tableware onboard from her business use...then the remainder of our everyday objects and gear will go into our garage (we're clearing out some more space tomorrow, with our handyman hauling off the excess), or into storage pod rental #2 (our clothing and kitchen/bedrooms/bath items, for cleanliness sake -see my later comments on the garage's sanitation), which came yesterday.
• I replaced the broken toilet valve today, confirmed no leaks after running the pump for a few flushes (there is some water in the tank, that my wife doesn't remember adding), and will have to refill before the water heater comes online. We will have to use water from my neighbors outdoor side faucet, so I ordered a 50 ft BPA-free hose (to add to the 30 ft hose we already bought, to fill the tank and then connect to the rear "city water" connection, for the duration. I'll use a hose splitter to separate the BPA-free hoses from the utility hose I'll use to flush out the Flojet blackwater pump after use (by the time we move into the trailer, our water line will be capped). His faucet is 75 ft away from our trailer, so 80 ft of hose will work, with the splitter just inside our fenceline. The flush hose will be ordered once I am sure of the maximum length I'll need (all our existing yard hoses are old, kinked, and leak from the faucet end, so good ones are replacing them.
• Did I mention that my wife's two pet birds will be placed on the stovetop and sinktop, and that she was planning to cook in the garage? That was quickly overruled by me, reminding her of past mice/rat, snake, and waterbug/roach infestations in the unsealed garage, and that the air and rafters/crossbeams/sidewall supports were never sanitized to enable cooking nearby. So, my two canopies will be utilized (easy-up, easy-down, in contrast to her awning) to cover the exit door area, where I'll put up a cooking table to go with my Weber and Char-broil smoker, which can serve as grills. It'll be almost like prolonged camping in a teardrop! Or, we can eat take-out for a month or two, but I'm not cooking in the dirty garage, for sure.
• Always something else we haven't foreseen, just around the bend, like getting our AT&T service line and router shifted to our garage, so we can use our computers (me for forums, research, ordering parts and services, and Facebook and completing her office work at home, for her use). We have every electronic service from AT&T: our U-Verse TV (which I'm cancelling, since my wife uses Netflix via Roku for her TV viewing, and I watch Amazon Prime, Watch ESPN, YouTube, and History via my computer), unlimited internet, and our cellphone and groundline service. We hadn't thought that one out beforehand, but it definitely will be needed, just to keep us from sitting around, yelling at the dogs at night, in a cramped 20 ft trailer. It just keeps on a 'coming.

[working on it]

Typing this on my ancient Samsung Rugby Pro, since I've packed away my Toshiba Satellite laptop (and the monitor I have to use, since the Toshiba screen goes wonky on a regular basis now), and I also stashed my Lenovo Yoga tablet somewhere (in one of my vehicles? or in a box in one of the two storage pods?), I don't know. So, I have to try to do all my comms thru a 5 or 6 generation-old phone. Latest developments: still no final word when the house will be delivered, but finally got ahold of the person that will deliver it (and set it up on the improved pad I'm having built, since my old house didn't have one-after I tore away the front skirting, made with concrete, rocks, and metal lath backing, I saw that there was never any grading for a pad, and the house had been set atop the hill!). The seller/builder of the new house had said that the contracted delivery company didn't need to actually see the property, but that an office manager could determine the best access on our site, if we would send photos. BS!! I finally talked to a rep with some sense, and persuaded her to put me in contact with the actual delivery/set-up person. He agreed with me, and will visit our site Tuesday (for a $100 fee), and I'll show him the lay of the land, what trees must remain, where our septic drain field is, and ask him to mark any additional trees that must go, for when he brings the new house. Finally contracted the demolition company, then the tree guys, then today the stump-grinder guy, and just now, the pad leveler/compactor/positioner (who will make a taller pad, with highest legal supports allowed -blending the pad area with an existing underground concrete retaining wall and a 6x20 patio in the back yard). But, yesterday, after many no-shows from others, we finally found a water/septic/electrical contractor (three needs fulfilled at once!) to solve the problems of unhooking the old house, then re-connecting the new one, afterwards. Plus, he will dig up and replace our old waterlines, replace and mark the location, because we never had a clue how really badly it was originally installed, until too late. Never again. After he works his miracle, we should have everything in order. We used some guys from her workplace to move piano, two huge entertainment centers, many bookshelves, two desks, file cabinets, Singer manual pedal sewing machine, and other large items over five hours during the last two days, things I can no longer move (I still tried, and have acquired charley-horses and continual leg cramps to add to my sciatica, bad back and both knees. Still have to disassemble some cabinets, shelving, and the double-door refrigerator (only two years old, she wants to use it in the new house, as a drinks/frozen food addendum to the new house. Because she wants to refurbish and re-use so much old stuff, we'll probably have to keep the rental storage pods two months, and the garage and three sheds completely full, way beyond that (come hell or high water, if this old-to-new house changeover doesn't kill me first, I'll be sble to dig out mt squareback TTT from its ' garage bay, in time for Beaver's Bend in April. Until the demolition begins next Tuesday, I'll be staying in the old house, with the dogs, while she stays in the 20 ft Puma TT, with her birds. The electrician will cut power to the house Monday (my neighbor will move our landline and router to the trailer on Saturday), and I'll salvage the ceiling fans and two light fixtures after the power is cut. My handyman and I will also pull four window unit A/Cs, and pull out 150 feet of wire & T-post fencing on Sunday, so the septic line can be capped Monday. Boy oh boy, am I ever having fun. Not!

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