February 17 - The Campfire Trail - Courage To Take Control (Of The Controls)

February 17, 2024

Day 869 of the Adventure

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I'm continuing on with the "Built It Yourself" theme on owner-built houses. It's the ongoing question of whether or not we have given up on the possibility of building our own homes, and today I have another story. A few months ago, I saw on social media that our friends William and Gretchen had sold their home and the next thing I noticed was pictures of them starting to lay out foundation lines for what appeared to be the start of a new home. Then I noticed a picture of Gretchen digging with a mini excavator. Were they preparing to build their own? 

I messaged William and sure enough. He confirmed to me that they were planning to do everything except for the cement work and septic system. (I don't blame them for that) I asked what had brought them to that conclusion. His answer. "Well, I usually don’t trust other people to 'do it like I would.' But also, we are always thinking cost." He added that by building it themselves, they could retain much more of the funds from selling their previous home to help with retirement. An exceptional plan, in my opinion.

I love the fact that they are working together as a team on their project. Seeing Gretchen get a handle on the excavator reminds me of the excitement Shelley had while learning to operate our backhoe. Never having touched the controls of heavy equipment before obviously has not deterred either of them from diving in and learning something new. Long live the adventure! (Here's one of William and Gretchen's messages from the greenhouse they built)

Carry On

Adventure Quote:  “What you choose also chooses you.” ― Kamand Kojouri

Base Camp Coffee of the Day: Lost up the Creek (Sumatra)

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