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We celebrated last night... we met the goal of getting our mortgage down below $200,000. We have paid off 9 yrs in 3 yrs. His first words was"if we keep it up we can be paid off in 3 years, maybe 4 if we have to replace the silverado.
When we bought this house in 2018,two years after bankruptcy, we took a mortgage of $345,000 to buy the house(Amish) and land and convert to English with wheelchair accessible and some off grid due to electric not always on. In 2021, 3 years later, we refinanced for a lower rate (and removed PMI) and the amount was down to $247,500 on a 30 yr loan (lowest rate we could get for a farm). It was a 2 bedroom with no baths and is now a 4 bedroom with storage and 2 baths (one wheelchair accessible).
We put a solar pump on the deep well, added a wood/coal heating/cook stove, graveled 400 ft of driveway, ran new field tile and added a windmill to the pond so it doesn't get yucky. Put in 1/4 acre garden in raised beds (my health issues) and pernnials for long term harvesting. We have fuel on site (that needs to be kept full) so if the electric goes out long term I can keep freezers going long enough to me to can all the meat in them since I have 2 propane cooks stoves and 1 wood cook stove. About a week of dailycanning according to M. Grid goes down we will be okay. It will be rough and hard work but we would be okay.
So after the celebration of take out, (he hauled hay for E all afternoon so E paid for our supper) Hubby asked what our goals for the rest of the year was. I knew he would ask.
Increase savings and CD's to cover 3 months expenses. Right now we would have to pull more for retirment funds after the first month, might be able to go two with Social Security so we could still pay extra on mortgage.
Pay down mortgage so the amount that is going on principal is more than the amount going on interest. That would be 12 regular payments. I say small steps with him as he gets overwhelmed with big steps with his health issues. Where in my head I said pay extra for next 4 months and be to that spot.
Put together the metal garden beds and fill with dirt.(rainy day project of putting them together)
Plan fall garden and next year's gardens, moving to heirloom and open pollenated for majority of crops.
Changing bottom of ramp to basement for short term root cellar. Use lumber and stuff we have in barn as we already have a tarp door on the ramp.
Find a good cleaning routine.... better storage (no closets in this house).
Build cabinets in barn for storage. We have lumber and stuff we can use and not buy much if anything.
Then he added, 3 of his doctors and our primary want us to eat better... since Sept it's been horrible between heart attacks, my bp dropping to 50/75 for a solid week, Freaking covid then the freaking flu, Son2 having heart issues...Daughter 4 house burning down (she's doing good right now)... it's like putting meals on the table is what ever is the easiest. Neither of us has much of an appetite.
I'm pulling more veggies from the pantry and freezers than the gardens. It's not a good year for it, first 8 inches of rain in 2 wks then nothing but high heat to kill the plants. Berries did okay, not as good as normal but okay. Asparagus the same. I have plenty of canned green beans and beets so it they don't do well it's okay. L's wife planted beets , said if she had extra she would let me know.
Going to go sit on the kitchen porch with Charlotte... 3:48 AM.
Have a great day and wonderful week
Prayers for peace and sanity
Blessed Be
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