ELMER SPENDS MONEY

We accept Marilyn's apology for accidentally deleting the comments.  Like my son said, she could have deleted the posts, too.  We all make mistakes.  We are all human.

This week has been an expensive week for Anna and myself.  First, we found out that the land we were going to build our farm and Hannah's farm on - we didn't own.  One day, the police showed up at our front door with the building inspector and the man that owned the property.  All the years we have been here, we have farmed that area and now we find we didn't own it.  It seems that a generation or two back part of the land was sold.  Somehow it wasn't changed in some of the records.  The people that own the property are Amish friends of ours.  They thought the whole thing was kind of funny.  It seems they forgot that they owned it until the building inspector found it.  So to make a long story short, we bought the land that we thought we owned.  We are having everything checked on our property before we sell it to our children.  Want to make sure they get what they own and know what it is.

John and I went to the auction as Marilyn said.  The section with the house, barns, ice house and land went really low.  As I said, if it had been closer to where I lived, I would have bid on it.  John thought of doing it too, but I told him it was to far from where we live and buying that would take money he needs to remodel the house, buy farm equipment, etc.  He agreed.  What was great to see is the look on the face of the fellow that bought it.  He was a fellow about John's age, and I am guessing it is his first farm.  He was so excited when he realized it was his.  It didn't bother him that he couldn't get possession for 12 weeks.

Then came buying farm equipment that John needed for his farm.  Everything he looked at, he found something wrong with even though there was nothing wrong.  Finally, after a fast discussion I found out he wanted everything new.  After another fast discussion, I explained unless he spent all his money, he wasn't going to get new. That would mean - he could not remodel his house, afford to buy seed, buy animals he wanted on and on.  He decided to buy used.  So he bought some equipment.

When it came to the household goods, we agreed to hold out for the sewing machine.  John also bought a bed and some other furniture for his house.  I hope his Sarah likes them when she sees them as they haven't discussed furniture.  We both agreed to hold out for that sewing machine.  John wanted it for Sarah as she sews on her Mother's sewing machine at home.  She doesn't have a machine she could have when they married.  Anna wanted to get any I see for our granddaughters.  I told John we would discuss it when we got home, but we had to win it first.  It didn't come with a cabinet.  We won it.

When we went to pay, John didn't have enough cash to pay all he bought. Of course, he didn't bring his check book or credit card.  So I ended up paying what he couldn't.  The good thing was as they were loading John's equipment in the truck, a lady came running from the house and wanted to know if we won the sewing machine.  When we said yes, she said they had a cabinet for the machine at the house.  So we went up to the house and got the cabinet.  We offered more money for it, but they wouldn't take it.  So the sewing machine and cabinet are over at Kevin's being gone over.  He laughed when we pulled up with the second one.

After John went to bed, Anna and I discussed the sewing machine from the auction. We decided that Sarah should get it.  She will need it before the rest of our granddaughters need one.  When we told John in the morning, he was very happy.  John wanted it delivered to their house, but Anna said with all the dust and moving during the remodeling it was not a good idea.  As Sarah and Bridget have become good friends, Bridget spoke with Sarah's Mother.  Somehow they have it worked out that when Kevin is done with the machine, Bridget will invite Sarah over while Kevin is delivering the sewing machine to her parent's house.  It will be a big surprise when she goes home.

So with the property I bought and what I paid for John's work and what I am paying Kevin to go over two sewing machines - this was an expensive week. I know that John will pay me back.  Hannah and her husband will pay me for their property so I will get some of it again.

Jean will be on next week.

Trust God's Wisdom,
Elmer