Updates and Surprises!!!

Wow!

A few weeks ago we received a notice that our storage unit (which we have rented for the last 2 years) would be increasing their rent.


This got us thinking...should we be looking for a place to live - and empty out the storage unit?
Should we consider buying again...and settling down again?

We started looking around in Bend...but the prices have gone up since leaving here 2 years ago!  Our own house had recently sold again (yes our buyer got married and moved away) and so our house had increased in value $50,000 in just 2 years.

We looked for smaller homes and to be quite frank...they were not always in the best of shape and/or needed a whole lot of work!

Nick started to look elsewhere...down in Grants Pass & Medford area which is southern Oregon.  Prices were a bit less but nothing drew us!

Then we decided to look along the coast of Oregon...and again focusing on the southern coast line because of the milder weather, the closer California we were hoping would be warmer weather and less rain???

We took a few days to drive along the coastline by starting in the town of Florence and we then we came to Port Orford...there was a small house there for sale, which Nick had seen on Craigslist.  We drove into a street and realized we were on a peninsula and it was surrounded by a lake and the lake was connected by a sand dune to the ocean!

As we drove on this peninsula ....we came across a little bungalow,

with a for sale sign on it...hmmmm that looks  cute....so we called & the agent came and opened it up for us!  The house was vacant so we had a good look around...and Nick and I realized right away that this home certainly had potential and would work out really nicely for us!

On the backside of the house...jusr a few steps and there it was right on Garrison Lake!

A kayak and yes off we go...and the lake is right by the ocean...so you can paddle to the sand dunes and go right to the beach....oh man!

 The back of the house (living room area with 3 windows) faces the lake!  Nick wants to build a nice roomy deck and take the middle window out and make that a french door to open to the deck!

A deck right off the 3 windows?

 Well I guess you got it figured out huh?

Yes we wrote an offer that very afternoon and the next day the offer was countered and accepted...SOLD!

We are really pleased and see a lot of potential in this cutie!  It needs some "cosmetic" updates...paint the house, some yard work (love that!)...and basically 'doll it up' as the saying goes...and you know my Nick....that is totally his department and expertise!

A nice long drive way - we like!

Walking along the house in the front yard!

The backyard is leveled above...and then drops down to the lake!

Looking through the window towards the dining area.

 Kitchen is not big...but it will do!  We plan to make the cabinets white and change the counter tops! 

This is the living room overlooking the lake!  Lots of windows!
We plan to take out the center window and put in a french door to a wood patio!  That way you can really enjoy the view!

 Here's the length of the living room....a brick fireplace with a wood burning insert.



Love all the windows...makes the room really bright and cheery!

 Well family & friends...we will keep you posted!   Escrow closes on the 15th of September -just 2 weeks!  So we will be busy getting things in order on this end!  We will rent a U-haul and then empty the storage unit.  We are advertising for sale the motor home & tow car...it would be nice if we sell it before going with the moving truck to the coast on the 15th!

We hope you will come to visit us there!  

850 Lakeshore Drive

Port Orford OR 97465

Port Orford - Read About It! 

From Bend to Port Orford...

5 1/2 hours.  

Settling back into Bend Oregon August 2015

Nick & I have enjoyed our return to Bend, Oregon now these past 7 weeks!  Getting re-acquainted with things in the town we lived in for 12 years!  The weather has been great, averaging to about 75 degrees!  No complaints!

We have enjoyed seeing our sisters again, Cecile- Nick's sis and Maralin my sis, and my brother Ron & Viola....and friends!

Living in the motor home and being back it Bend is a change and different,  of course for us!  We are adjusting to it!  It is kind of strange to be back...and  'not' in our house ...ha!

But the motor home is comfortable & cozy and Nick are still "good friends"
Our thoughts are...hmmm...what to do next:

-  whether to re-invest in a house?
- rent something?
- return to Arizona in November?

We are just not sure what to do right now...so we will wait and see!  When you're not sure?.....Better to wait!

In the meantime it is wonderful to be back to this beautiful place....lots of mountains that surround us, beautiful scenery's - and always many Summer activities to enjoy in Central Oregon!

Deschutes National Forest Volunteer ~

I really enjoy the outdoors...especially the wilderness!  Love to hike and be in the woods!

Returning back to Bend Oregon 6 weeks ago - ..our friends Mark & Holly, who have hiked the whole Pacific Crest Trail from the border of Mexico all the way up to the Canadian border a few years back - (yes that's 2650 miles of hiking on this Trail)... told me they are doing volunteer work in the forest this summer!

 I was interested and wanted to know mor!

 They told me about "logging" on the trails to clear it for the hikers during the summer months.  Many trees fall during the winter due to snow, winds and lightening.                                                                                                                                

I thought that might be pretty cool....and asked if I could join them? 

 

On a volunteer basis, you can sign up with the Forest Service and go with a group of like-minded people! We meet at the Ranger Station at 7 am and pile into a Forest Service truck and off we go up the mountain trails deep into the forest!

 There is usually about 8 of us - and we take with us  hard-hats, axes, saw's, and backpacks with LOTS of water..and Lunch....and up the trails we go...wonderful!

Park the truck and hike up the trails sometimes 4 miles up to 9-12 miles...with saws, axes...and cutting the logs that have fallen on the trails!

 This was a whole cluster of downed trees...several of us worked together to clear this path!

We actually "study" the situation first...because some logs need only one cut and you can push the log to the side...sometimes by lifting and other times by sitting on the ground and together pushing the log/tree to the side...!  Yes you do get pretty dirty & dusty doing this-ha!  The log above was too big to push - so we did 2 cuts on that one...and rolled it aside! 

We only have hand saws with us...so a double saw for 2 people or a single saw for the smaller logs...but the job gets done!  Each team does about 35 logs...last week we cleared 144 logs with 8 people!  A good days work & a good sense of accomplishment as we hike back to the truck...TIRED!

 Hemlock trees & huckleberries - so pretty!  Oh the sights you see going up in elevation!  Love it!

This tree is one of the bigger ones we cut...as you can see I do it with a team mate! Mark on one side of the tree and I am on the other side...sawing steady and straight...and then....Yahooo!  We cut through!  Fun!  I am building muscle where there was something "else!" and that is a good thing! 

This area is part of a really big fire we had here in Three Sisters Wilderness 3 years ago...the
B&B wildfire...which burned acres and acres of land! 

 It's official...they gave me a hard-hat!  I am a volunteer for the Forest Service...




...........Ellen Likes!