Tiny House Edition: buying property in New Mexico

I'm not getting off the road. I do need a wide spot to pull over onto, though, to rest now and then.

13.6 acres, and none of it is lawn. Is this heaven? No, it's Datil. Close enough for now.

 342 square (octagonal)  feet, by my calculations. Feel free to check my work.

"7500 feet elevation calculates to 350° for ... forget it. Where's the raisin bran?"

Don't be fooled by these fineries. This baby is completely off-grid. It's off-off-grid. It's okay. It's how I roll, when I'm not rolling.

I wasn't looking for this, but it was looking for me. It was market-weary, having been there for two years, and I was already road-weary, having been there not very long at all. It was a foreclosure, and being offered for a price that made some friends urge me to buy it on the spot. So, I offered half.

You know those outrageous ideas that don't feel outrageous, and the hard things that are completely easy, and the rough roads that smooth out ahead of you? 

My agent is Marie Lee, and she made everything super-easy. I'd definitely use her again.  

Assuming all goes well (and I always do), I'll close on Monday.

I won't be wintering here this year! I've got a beautiful beach in mind, I just don't know which one. Or, maybe a lovely desert. The world is my Spud-tent.

In town for provisions

I looked down at my pants this morning and couldn't remember the last time I hadn't looked down at them. It's Quartzsite chic. I like to change up the underwear, though.  Annie!  Change underwear with me!

~~~~~

We met Sassy and Bennie!





Bennie was civil, but aloof, as you would expect from great celebrity. Sassy put up with my paparazzish ways; everyone knows that's the way to a muckraker's heart.

"I was trying to look cool instead of giddy."

Rocks out here like to look nonchalant, but when you crack them open, their innards are spectacular:

A rock we found on our walk.  We bonked it open.

Towns out west like to monogram their mountains.

"B" for Bouse

Annie (left) and ocotillo.  I think they say it "Ocka TEA, yo?"

Ocotillo, as up-close as you want to get

  
This was an awesome fire, and we marveled at the miracle of military aeromaneuvers in the darkness.  Annie expressed her wish to not get probed, and I assured her that only aliens do that, and not the military since 1967.  We were enjoying the embers, when I said (casually), What is that thing coming toward me? and then Annie twirled around, wrenched her back, and hit her head on me.

It may have been a mouse, now that I think about it.

"I hate it when you do that."

Don't judge me - I was very scared!

Some of you left comments, so let me respond here:

Thanks!

Scary!  Never say that again!

I'm glad you liked it.  Here's more.

Beans and greens, mostly.  

I do my own.

You asked if we sacrificed an air conditioner for the solar panels.  Technically, yes.  Even in the muggiest Florida summer weather we never used that unit, and the sheath created an unfortunate shadow across the panels.  In reality, we will never be able to run A/C from solar, and we can't stand the generator long enough to get it cool inside.  We'll either have to be plugged in (Boo!  Hiss!  <--- I know!  I agree), or head for the mountains (Yay!  Rah!  <--- my sentiments exactly).

It was a lot of fun living next door to Darlene and Nicole!  They don't want to add comments for now - believe me, I tried - they just like to write as though there are no readers.  They also dance like they don't need the money.