It’s been a week of mixed emotions. We contacted a title company so we could get our loan processed. Then we find out that there is a glitch (of course there is, because why the hell not?). Just like the home builder had their arm twisted to work with the government, I have a feeling this process will be no different.

This /can’t/ be the first time they’ve helped someone in our situation. After all, if you live in the mountains and paid off your home, getting equitable homeowners insurance might be difficult for some folks. I know that’s true if the house is a mobile home, and many folks at the higher elevations live in mobile homes.

Griping aside, First Reader and I drove up to the property yesterday. Not much has changed, but we didn’t think it would. The driveway had drifted over, and we almost couldn’t make it back to the top. Slipping and sliding all way through the sloppy snow, the truck powered its way out.

Part of our trip was to make sure our pop-up camper was plugged in to keep the battery from draining. I also wanted to assess the trees to see which ones I’ll need to cut down because they’re dead. We’ve had a little grove that acted as a “dust break” for the house. Many of the trees are “suckers” that didn’t survive the fire, so that patch needs thinning.

And now, I have some shopping to do. Our chainsaws were among the casualties of the inferno, so I get a new toy. In fact, I get a few new toys this summer, and that brandy-new chainsaw will just be the first. I also need a couple of weed-whackers—a heavy-duty job that uses the plastic blades for the big stuff and a lighter-weight tool with the string that I can use closer to the house.

With the seasons changing, it’s time to look forward to finishing the property clean-up and getting it all ready for our new home. I took a few pictures, but they look the same as most of the others I’ve posted over the last few months. Here is one that will eventually become the view from below the deck.