Another Monday. I feel like I am treading water again. My mortgage repayment plan is in limbo until my tenants decide to pay. Note to self: Next time when writing a rental contract, make the late fee more than just $50. Perhaps $50 a week would have been better. Once the tenants are late they have no reason to pay me. I've learned a lot from this experience. The biggest thing I have learned is that I don't like being a landlord. I'm not going to quit though. Hopefully I'll do better with the next tenants.I did not get much accomplished last weekend. It was cold and very windy. Not great painting weather so I didn't start painting the shed. I made some cookies because it was finally cool enough to use the toaster oven for a long period of time (yes, I only bake 6 cookies at a time). I don't use the RV oven because it uses too much propane and I hate going to get more propane. The fridge is still on propane and one container of gas lasts 2 months if I don't use it for other things. I only use propane occasionally for the stove top. My furnace is gas too but I have a portable electric oil filled radiator that I use instead. It works very well but it takes a while to warm up. I have my alarm set for two times. At 5:30 I jump out of bed, turn up the heater and dive back under the covers. Then I try to get another hour of sleep until I have to get up at 6:30. The RV is nice and warm by then.
So, anyway, I am trying not to think about my mortgage or my tenants and I'm just trying to appreciate the good things about Mondays...like the TV show Chuck. There's not a lot of choices with only 6 TV channels so I take what I can get. I tried watching Chuck on-line but it just wasn't the same. For some reason I like it on TV better. (In it on right now which is probably why this post doesn't make much sense). I have to go march around the RV and watch the rest of Chuck now!
I have two of those oil filled heaters that I use until it gets cold enough for the central heat. One for the front of the house, and one for my bedroom. I was thinking of buying a timer for the one in the bedroom. Maybe I will do the two alarm method you use instead.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, that reminds me, I do have a timer somewhere. The two alarm method is over-rated.
ReplyDeleteHi there-I hope this tenant and rent situation is sorted asap, how frustrating for you :-( keep your chin up my dear!!
ReplyDeletecareful with the timer (and cord) - make sure it is rated to handle the electric load from the heater.
ReplyDeleteHey Daizy
ReplyDeleteI have just watched Stephen Fry in America, an episode called Real West. He visited some brilliant properties (then flew on to Tucson, so I tihnk he is in your neck of the woods) made from compressed earth with truck tyres, and other walls of mud & bottle or mud and coke tins. The homes were amazing. It worth looking out for even if you are not a fan of Stephen (sacrilege!). Can you perhaps download it form BBC Iplayer?
Lizzie
Hi sharon rose, I still haven't heard from my tenants. Last time they claimed they lost my phone number. I will be glad when this is all sorted out too.
ReplyDeleteHello lizzie, actually, I have to admit that I had not heard of him. I looked him up on wikipedia and it said he was in a comedy act with Hugh Laurie (I know who that is) and did the narration for Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (which I saw) and I haven't heard of his show about America either. Sounds interesting. The house you describe sounds like an earthship. They are very interesting but I think I would get very tired pounding all of the dirt in to tires! Maybe I can find a husband who would be interested in doing the hard labor.
Eartthship, that was it.Pretty amazing.
ReplyDeleteaha, thats what I did! Choose one that is pretty good with his hands, if you see what I mean! I love Stephen Fry. Best friends with Hugh Laurie too I thnk, they went to uni togther. Check it QI if you have chance.