Well, it has been a few months since we first started the building project up on the old farm place.  We have basically kept one house plan.  What we haven’t done is keep that particular house plan the same size.  We started out in the 2500 square foot range for living space.  Then somehow that went to 4400 square feet.  This did not meet my goal of downsizing and making life simple.

  This thread is the beginning of the farm project

http://blog.usawx.com/2007/12/25/december-25-2007-a-christmas-story/

  I finally made the decision to take control of the project (which I sort of felt like I had lost).  I needed to make some executive decisions.  So, I did.  I met with Don today (Don Riley is our architect).  I told him that I needed to keep the same house plan but reduce the size.  I made a drawing for him and he now has control of redrawing the plans.  It may be 2-3 more weeks.

  After that, we can start the building process.  It appears it will be November.  I think we first thought it would be July.  That was wishful thinking!  So, now the new thought is November.

  I have plenty to keep me busy between now and then.  We have the shed going up in Graves County, we have the Glen Argo project, I have a TON of schoolwork, then there is everything else in between.  Fall will be starting soon.  That means WINTER STORM CHASE season is here!  I can’t wait for the first big storm…within range.  🙂 

  David is leaving on Friday, for Canada.  He will be gone for two weeks.  Joey and I will hold down the fort (Daisy as well).

  Everything else is moving along nicely. 

  Sue Henry put together a photography club meeting last night.  It was held at the Paducah library.  There were 15-20 people there (I lost count).  GREAT first meeting.  Lot of interesting people, different backgrounds, from all over Western Kentucky and even Southern Illinois.  I think Sue was very happy with the turnout.

  I get four tests back tomorrow, for school.  Crossing fingers that I make an A or B on them.  Not sure.

The farm 🙂

New KIVA Partners

More on KIVA – CLICK HERE

Mrs. Soksan Pich (show in the picture on the lelf with ther mother), 23, and her husband were married in 2004 and have one son. The couple lives with Soksan’s parents on an island in the Mekong River about fifteen kilometers from Phnom Penh. Mrs. Soksan has been a silk weaver since 2000, a skill she learned from her mother, while her husband is a silk weaver as well. Soksan sells her finished products to the middleman in the village, who then takes them to sell in Phnom Penh. Currently, she is creating another business of selling grocery items in front of her house.

Name:  Soksan Pich
Business Name:  Silk Production
Location:  Muk Kampoui district, Cambodia
Business:  Grocery Story

Mr. Hach Ros, 23 years old, makes charcoal to sell in his area. He has been running his business since 2005 and earns around US$4.66 per day. Hach sells the charcoal from his home area to his customers, including retailers and wholesalers. He is married to Mrs. Hon Sona, 20 years old. They have one child, who is too young to be in school yet. They live in Khnasanday Commune in the Siem Reap Province. To increase the family’s income Hach wants to sell his charcoal by transporting it to customers’ homes. He needs oxen to use as transportation, but he faces the obstacle of lacking the money to purchase two oxen.

Name:  Hach Ros
Business Location:  Siem Reap, Cambodia

Marième Mbaye is married and has four children in her care. She has been a member of the village bank of Boucotte Face Néma for five and a half years. She wants a loan to buy milk, sugar, coffee, eggs, macaroni, Jumbo bouillon cubes, tomatoes, onions, and potatoes in order to bolster her business in breakfast sales at the marketplace Grand Dakar. Her income enables her to improve her family’s living conditions.

Name:  Marième Mbaye
Business Location:  ZIGUINCHOR, Senegal

Mrs. Ly Men is 44 years old and lives with her father. She makes bricks to sell from her house. She works hard at her business and earns approximately US$5.96 per day. She is single and started her business in 2000. Her father is a rice farmer. She lives in Kean Sangkei Commune, Siem Reap Province.

She decided to request a loan to stock clay for making bricks and to buy gas and wood to operate her business. The loan will increase her income, which will help her support her family and sufficiently cover their living expenses.

  I met with the architect this afternoon.  Trying to fine tune the building plans.  Trying to get the house smaller.  This seems to be a process!  Hopefully we will have a working plan…soon.  🙂

  The new apartments we are buying in Paducah had some damage.  Lot of tile off, some shutters off, siding, and the like.  They have an insurance adjuster looking at the damage.

  On the way to Mayfield, Kentucky, we saw a lot of wind damage, as well.

  We also stopped by our Tri-Plexes in Graves County.  The shed we are building is coming along nicely.  Thankfully no wind damage to that structure.

Glen Argo damage

Mayfield, Kentucky – damage to Gene’s Flower Shop

Our new shed is coming along nicely.  🙂

  Well, it has been a long week for a lot of people in the area.  Some people are still without power, lot of trees to clean up, roof damage and so on.  Several of our apartments had damage to their roofs.  We have insurance adjusters accessing the damage. 

  I would say we have several thousand dollars worth of damage.  Mother has a fence that was destroyed.  That will need replacing.  Two of the three apartments on North 8th Street have roof damage and a large portion of an Oak Tree down.  The new apartments in Paducah have damage as well.

  Couple of photos that Tony took…

North 8 Street Apartments – part of the Oak Tree broke

Damage at mother’s house – most of the fence blew down – some into the pool – others into the neighbors
yard

Not sure who owns this house.  Tony took this photo – Mayfield, KY.