The Cole Homestead

An unexpected windfall

I am the beneficiary of a few different trusts from my family.  Just our families way of preserving our farms.  One farm has been our family since 1835.  Triple great grandfather and family bought this farm from a soldier in 1835 that had received the farm as payment for serving his country during the War of 1812.  The signed sheep skin is still in the family and is signed by President Monroe.

Well one of these farm trusts paid when there was no expectation of payment.  Now we have to decide what to do with this unexpected windfall.  Do we invest?  Do we by food?  A better hot water heater?  Or just stick it under the mattress?  We are pretty well stocked on food and seeds but we can always use extra.  I am ordering some more diaper material.  It would be nice to wash every other day instead of everyday. 

I think a tank less water heater for summer use would benefits us.  Right now our old one runs on LP and we are trying to get away from that.  Our furnace and dry also run on LP and we no longer use either of these.  The cost of LP is getting so high.  I just got a few more gallons the other day and found the price was up to 2.45 a gallon.  6 years ago it was .82.  I am shocked!  I am so grateful for our wood cook stove.  Our wood stove is tied into our hot water line but that only works for when it is cool out. 

So, what to do?  Put it away and save.  There will be a need in the future but I can't help but make one frivolous purchase.  Last year a local farm store advertised Oliver pedal tractors.  My husband is a big Oliver tractor fan since his great grandfather owned a Oliver dealership.  He wanted so bad to get his children one to past to their children.  My husband received his when he was a child and my grandmother still has my fathers and the grandchildrens.  Well, when we went to buy these pedal tractors they were all sold out.  I figured " no worries' there is always the Internet."  I was able to find a few on the Internet but was complete unwilling to pay those prices.  Well today I was able to find them at a price I am willing to pay.  We are going to save these as Christmas presents.  I know they will really enjoy these and will pass them to their own children. 

I figured this money came to me from those who worked hard to give to their future generation and now it is my turn.  Here is a picture of the tractors.

New year update

I know that it is a little late for a New Year update but things have really been moving around here.  The wood cook stove has been working great.  It was another of those purchases that we wished we made years ago.  We thought the same thing when we bought the six foot tiller.  How did we manage without?  We have been cutting wood to fill the stove and hired a bit brought in.  That is still cheaper than LP or electricity.   They are talking of rasing our electric rates again.  I wonder how others in my area are managing.  My folks in our area are complaining of 800 dollar light bills.  That is about what my husband brings home in two weeks! 

If the electric bills being high aren't enough, ad to it the fact that our little town tried building an ethanol plant.  It was almost up and running when the shut down.  They had not been paying their bills and now claim the need 25 more million.  So many folks there left good jobs to come work closer to home.  People that put money into the plant have lost all of that money.  Farmers that brought corn will only get 85% back.  What a mess.

On a brighter note we are having a party tomorrow.  My little boy turned 2 on Wed. so we are going to have a little family get together. 

We also finished our once a year shopping trip.  Wed. I went to Wal mart and Krogers.  Today I went to Aldi and the Cattle drive.  I only ordered our meat today at the Cattle Drive.  That is a lot of meat to prepare besides there would have been no room in my car.  When I was loading all of that food I was wishing I had brought my mother in laws car.  She has a Surberban where we are drive a Explorer.  Anyway we made it home.  I have it all put away and we are ready for the party.