Jump to content
MrsSurvival Discussion Forums

etdeb

Users2
  • Posts

    47
  • Joined

  • Last visited

About etdeb

Profile Information

  • Location
    Country of Tejas
  • Interests
    Dome homes, living off grid
  1. We bought a manufactured home (foreclosure) last March and are very happy with it. It was land/home together, not just the home with it having to be moved again. The first time we tried to buy, we were told by the mortgage broker that mfctd homes are hard to finance, we'd need 20% down and a higher interest rate, etc, so we decided against owning then. A few months later, this foreclosed home was still on the market so we looked again. This time dh called our bank (Bank of America) and as long as the home was not a single-wide (it's double), was built after such-and-such a year, and was permanently affixed to the land, it was considered the same as a conventional house. We got it for 5% down and 6% interest rate, 30 yr mortgage. This varies state to state (we are in AZ now). We looked for several *years* at mfctd homes before we bought this one. The biggest thing we found is that quality depends on the manufacturer. We have a Palm Harbor, drywall walls, good cabinets etc. Definitely go to the factory if you can, or at least ask to go into a house that hasn't been set up yet on the lot, so you can see the construction quality. One manufacturer we looked at (I don't remember which now) said they used only 3/4 " plywood for the floors in all the houses, but when we saw one that didn't have the carpeting laid it actually had particle board in some places and chipboard in others. We crossed them off our list. Personally I would not buy a Fleetwood. That is just based on the salespeople we dealt with and the quality that we saw looking at their models. Go in and look at the houses, look at the fit and finish and the quality of the materials. We've replaced the kitchen sink from a white ceramic that needed to be scrubbed weekly to look decent, to a good quality stainless steel from Lowe's. We had the carpet replaced by Home Depot when we moved in. We replaced the kitchen faucet, but the bathroom stuff is still all good. We also replaced all the door locks and door handles with good quality, and had to replace ceiling fixtures because they had all been stolen. Also I personally would not get anything other than drywall walls. No vinyl strips for me. That was one of my requirements in a manufactured home. I can repaint the walls anytime I like (and unless you pay extra to have the walls painted at the factory, you're going to need to paint them. Most of the homes we saw used flat paint on the walls, and if you have kids you know that does NOT work). We also wanted only house windows and doors, ones that were standard size that we can go to a home-improvement store and replace. We are very happy with ours, and would definitely do it again, but only buying from certain companies. Hope this helps some On our foreclosure, we paid $50,000 for 2.5 acres and the house which is 1600 sf.
  2. Thanks :-) I was able to get in touch with her and found out we are staying about 10 miles or so from her. How's that for cool? ------------------
  3. Hi all....do any of you know if Kay or MajorCheapSkate are still hanging around? Or if any of you know Kay's email address, could you e-mail it to me? My e-mail is BCKJL4@hotmail.com We met at the Party and now that I'm in the same state as they are I'd like to get in touch, but I lost ALL my data including my address book when our computer went down a few months ago. Thanks ------------------
  4. lowlander, could you please explain "turning sheets sides to middle"? I don't understand. Do you mean you cut a sheet in half down the middle then sew what were the outside edges together? I assume "turning collars" is removing a collar, turning it inside out and reattaching? ------------------
  5. etdeb

    Ummm....Hi?

    Cotton is a negative insulator, meaning if it gets wet, it not only gives you zero insulation--it actually takes heat FROM your body. While this is nice on hot summer days (helps keep you cool) if a sudden rainstorm comes up or an accident happens (and don't try to say "but that's NOT going to happen"--by their very nature, accidents are not able to be predicted)...anyways, if that cotton gets wet and you are either unable to get back to your car/camp or are plain old lost, that wet cotton will greatly enhance your chances of getting hypothermia. Yes, I know you're saying "but in the SUMMER?" Yes! Not only do nighttime temps drop, but cloud cover also precipitates a drop in temp. And if you are chilled in soaking wet cotton, your body is going to have a hard time making enough heat to keep your body temp where it should be. More hypothermia cases happen at 60deg than at 40deg F. If you find yourself in this situation, it is better to start a fire and remove as much of your clothing as possible letting it dry by the fire than to stay in wet cotton. (Okay, I"m not talking 85 deg and sunny here.) At the least, if night is approaching, get the cotton away from your skin by stuffing grass or leaves in your clothing. IMHO, it is better to buy a hiking outfit out of some of that man-made stuff that the outdoors shops sells--that which wicks the moisture away from your skin. Or use some *lightweight* light colored wool (probably would have to sew it yourself, summerweight wool is not very common in stores) and layer with cotton so you can have the best of both worlds. The wool if something happens (wool retains 60% of its insulating properties when wet) and the cotton to keep you cool. Just a lightweight wool overshirt that you can tie around your waist is better than nothing. Oh, and a knife in your pocket ------------------
  6. We've been scaling back on our supplies too, in anticipation of a (hoped for) move sometime in the near future. I finally opened my last bucket of flour that I bought in 9/99 (we used half of it a few months ago) and it was buggy. That was the only thing that was properly stored that got bugs, and that was only after we opened it. However! That meant I was completely out of flour and I was making waffles that morning. Used my trusty wheat grinder and made 100% whole wheat waffles. Ah-hem! I wasn't thinking about the sudden change to complete whole wheat because I have been using some here and there.... Sure wish we had more than one bathroom LOL ------------------
  7. etdeb

    Car Question?

    Reloader says if it's an aftermarket stereo (not original), check the back and make sure the antennae lead is firmly pushed into the back. If that's not it, then it could be any number of things. Basically you are getting RFI (radio frequency interference) from somewhere....it could be spark plugs, wires, ignition, etc....make sure you have spiral-core spark plug wires (also known as suppression core). Solid core will drive a radio nuts. He says the hissing is probably happening when you decrease or increase also, it's just happening at a different frequency so you're not hearing it--when you are maintaining speed it is much more noticable. The reason it's not doing it on FM is because of what Ed said--they are different bandwidths. Also, a diode could be going out in your alternator, causing it to run AC instead of DC. ------------------
  8. etdeb

    Ummm....Hi?

    Well that's cool People actually do remember me Ed, Pat says hi back, Josie's in the tub. Lois, I'd forgotten about us following each other around the forums. GooseLiver, ask away Cat, Dee, Ginger, Snowmom, Di, thanks for the welcome back And for all you who don't know me, here's a little background. I am a stay-at-home mom of Josie (6yo), married for 7 years. I hope to work this year and go back to school next year for nursing using my GI Bill. I was in the Navy for 4 1/2 years, DH was in for 10. Currently DH (Reloader) is an electrician. We travel around the country on short jobs that last 4 weeks to 3 months at a shot. We are trying to find one that will last a year or so so that I can go back to work and put Josie in school. When they are the short term jobs, we don't have ISP access to our RV so I have to rely on library access. I love everything that has to do with nature, the outdoors, primitive skills, etc. I don't do the "modern" outdoor experience so much, but anything primitive (including wild foods, flintknapping, traps, etc) I'm interested in. I used to moderate the wilderness skills forum here at Mrs S but left due to my intermittent ISP access on the road. DH used to moderate The Shop. I found the site in 1998 way back in the day (anyone remember the YKK zipper thread? ) I left in gosh I guess 2000 and have only come back to glance in now and then since, never posted. The last time I looked in was late 2001/early 02. I just decided to see what was going on here and couldn't resist posting to a wild foods thread in Uh-oh. So here I am, back until the next job takes my family again (hoping that this time it'll be a longer term one where we can have ISP access). Namaste, ------------------
  9. On ticks.... The deer tick which is a major carrier of Lyme's Disease is extremely small. They can attach to human host in any of their stages, though mostly during nymph or adult stage. During these stages the tick is the size of a period or freckle. That is pretty darn small, folks. Opinions vary on the amount of time it takes a tick to transmit disease (Lyme's isn't the only tick-borne disease BTW), from 10 hours to 48 depending on who you talk to. The biggest thing is check thoroughly and check often. Use a mirror for those hard to see places (yes, this includes "private areas"--ticks don't discriminate) and ask a family member to check your back and scalp. During tick season, 2x a day is recommended. Unlike what most people think, ticks do not see you walking beneath them and jump out of trees onto you. They are in the grass and low vegetation and when you brush one, it attaches to you and climbs up. Don't think that because you live in suburbia or don't go in the woods you're safe. Do you have lawn? Do you have pets that go outside? Though deer ticks are the major carriers of Lyme's, they aren't the only ones. Other ticks can carry it too. If you remove a tick and a few days to several weeks later develop achiness or flu-like symptoms (rash is NOT present for 1/3 of Lyme's) SEE YOUR DOCTOR and TELL the doc you removed a tick this long ago. Some doctors won't ask and will just diagnose flu and send you home, especially if you are in a low-Lyme's area. The earlier treatment is begun, the better your chances of full recovery. OK....ahem.... ....y'all glad to have me back now? Sorry....*blush* As you can see from my sig, I'm a woodsy-type person....used to moderate the (no longer) Wilderness Survival forum at this site. I'll stop now. ------------------
  10. etdeb

    Ummm....Hi?

    Wow, this is different. But nice. No clue how to do smilies here... I've stopped in here a few times this past year, didn't post....we'll be running off again soon and don't know if it'll be a temp or perm job so I may or may not have internet access to keep posting. Posted on wild foods in the Uh-oh forum...those of you who know me are saying "well of COURSE".... hee hee hee. --The trouble with being an optimist is people think you don't know what's going on. ------------------
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.