Our swampland ;)

[LadyShea]

So, we purchased a lot in Alabama in hopes of building a house and moving there sometime in the next year or two.

Lot pictures (http://photos.yahoo.com/bmwittman)

Basically, it is the corner lot with all the trees and underbrush between the house and cleared lots to either side. The picture of the canal is where our deeded 10 foot boat slip is, so we can build a small dock.

I have been pouring over house plans and talking to builders in the area, and have changed my mind several times, and will change it several more I am sure. The current forerunner is Bill Bass' Cypress II Gold (http://billbassinc.com/CypressIIgold.htm). It is about 200 square feet smaller than the previous forerunners, but offers a much more efficient and intelligent use of the space. I have no use for a cavernous foyer or formal parlor or dining room. Special features that attract me are the wraparound porch for sittin' and gosspin' with family and neighbors, the dormer windows upstairs, and the magnificent master bath...and dammit I love the ambiance of a fireplace even if its useless in Alabama. The only options we need to add are a double garage and a screened back porch.

[Petra]

That's a really nice bit o'land, Brandi. The house will snuggle into those trees beautifully. :)

You like gardening?

[dave_a]

nice house, but do you really want to sit around and chat with your alabama neighbors? "oooh Brandi, you should come to our church retreat", "ooh Brandi why don't you bake brownies for Jesus with us?"

I mean seriously why don't you take that nice house and park it somewhere other than fundyland?

I have no idea what that house will cost you, but for less than 300K you can have it in Wisconsin along river or lakefront property without the Jesus loves you freaks.

[LadyShea]

You like gardening?

Actually, I am a known and feared plant killer. It is my understanding, however, that anything put in or near the ground in Alabama will grow regardless of effort or care. If this is the case, I may take up some gardening :)

[LadyShea]

nice house, but do you really want to sit around and chat with your alabama neighbors? "oooh Brandi, you should come to our church retreat", "ooh Brandi why don't you bake brownies for Jesus with us?"

The area is a vacation resort and retirement destination and none of the neighbors I met, or even the builders I have called, are native Alabamans, including my Liberal, non-theist parents who live up the street. One neighbor couple named their boat The Libido Deck, and an older lesbian couple lives two doors down. Not a hotbead of brownie bakers for Jesus.

I mean seriously why don't you take that nice house and park it somewhere other than fundyland?

I don't find living near or amongst religious people or having religious friends bothersome :: shrug:: Anyway, we want to be near my folks, especially if we have a baby.

I have no idea what that house will cost you, but for less than 300K you can have it in Wisconsin along river or lakefront property without the Jesus loves you freaks.

I wouldn't live in a state with 6 months of winter if you paid me 300k and since when is the Midwest the center of secularism? And the house plus land is about 100k but will appraise at 200k upon completion of construction. The area is growing very fast, mostly people moving down from Michigan and Wisconsin coincidentally.

[seebs]

Heh. "Brownie bakers for Jesus". That's funny.

I am somehow unable to shake the image of a debate over whether or not you can transubstantiate brownies.

[Ronin]

Heh. "Brownie bakers for Jesus". That's funny.

I am somehow unable to shake the image of a debate over whether or not you can transubstantiate brownies.

You can, it just takes a certain leafy element.

Besides, with magick...all things are "possible".

:wink:

Nice lot, Brandi...go with the fireplace as well. There are two days in January where it'll be of some use.

[LadyShea]

I won't be far from you Ronin! Hubby will want to head your way to play poker at some point, I hope we can meet :)

[livius drusus]

Mmm...transubstantiated brownies... :homer:

Ya know, people always talk about the deep south fundyland yada yada, but I've lived in Georgia for a good long time now, and nobody has ever bugged me. The religious people I know personally down here are kind, friendly and warm (like most southerners are). It's those gelid Wisconsin fundies you've got to keep your eye on. ;)

Meanwhile, I think your swampland is charming, Shea, and the house is totally, hands down the best one of the ones you've shown me. It's adorable both inside and out, and I'm so totally with you on the master bath thing.

[huntress]

Brandi,

You might want to check with Greenpeace before starting to prune that jungle. It may be the last known habitat of Tarzan. That isn't a "lot." You bought a forest. I know you Nevadans (Nevadians? Las Vegans?) get excited about having something green about, but I think you let your eyes get bigger than your stomach there.

On the lot-clearing thing, it'll just take time, effort, dedication, a resistance to the ravages of poison ivy, and it would help if you learn this song: I'm a lumberjack and I'm okay....

And dantonac, I also live in "fundyland." As Blake and Brandi and Frank can attest, we don't have quite enough churches on our street. There are only about five in the half-mile between the bridge and the house, and only about twelve within a mile radius. You never have enough churches about, I say. Because if you aren't flanked by nice churches (with pristine lawns, quiet at least 6 days of the week), you might be surrounded by run-down drug-infested neighborhoods with insanely loud bass stereos and steady cop patrols, like the one immediately astern of us.

Considering our proximity to the various houses of god, I find it interesting that we've not once, since moving in 1.5 years ago, been visited by anyone politely or otherwise inviting us to worship with them. The only place I have to face regular (fundamentalist, no less) religious glurge is at work. I'm military, so this nastiness is compounded by steady Bush worship and Democrat bashing, as well. But at home? No problem.

One might consider that the way to break up the concentrations of Republican/fundamentalist power (or if you're of that persuasion, Democrat/liberalist power) in any area is to move in with your opposite POV, live well and neighborly, and reproduce.

d

[LadyShea]

On the lot-clearing thing, it'll just take time, effort, dedication, a resistance to the ravages of poison ivy, and it would help if you learn this song: I'm a lumberjack and I'm okay....


I wasn't even able to fully walk the thing, I had to ask the neighbor if I could walk up and down her property so I could view it all...she said "Make yourselves t'home"...nice lady. Anyhoo, the beauty part is there are companies that do nothing but lot clearning.they go in with great big mowers to clear the underbrush, then bulldozers to clear the trees.

My dad is, in fact, pricing underbrush clearing right now so actual people can walk the lot to see how the house needs to be situated and we can see what trees we want to keep...like the Magnolia I am thrilled about.

Oh, and a bit o' history of the area, it was settled around the same time, and by the same people (namely the French) as New Orleans, so alot of Catholics...which I don't consider fundies for some reason.

[huntress]

Catholics aren't fundamentalists. They don't proselytize, for starters. I have no beef with Catholics, me. They generally live delightfully carefree lives, indulging in those things the fundamentalist sorts stress themselves over and try to legislate against so we can all be saved, and judge not.

They make happy, good neighbors. (Yes I know it's a generalization. So shoot me.)

d

[dave_a]

The area is a vacation resort and retirement destination and none of the neighbors I met, or even the builders I have called, are native Alabamans, including my Liberal, non-theist parents who live up the street. One neighbor couple named their boat The Libido Deck, and an older lesbian couple lives two doors down. Not a hotbead of brownie bakers for Jesus.

That's cool, my experiences (very limited) in the south were quite different. In Viper, Kentucky there seemed to be 2 types of people, brownie bakers for jesus (just substitute whatever roadkill was found that morning for brownies) and incestual folks. OK, that's something of an exageration, some of the people did look more or less normal and Viper is so small it's not even on the map (or wasn't at the time). Still, social life not involving alcohol was entered around church.

Perhaps I just need to get out more :D

I did visit Vegas and Kingman, Az. many moons ago and it was nice, but too hot for my tastes and I like green things too much.

I don't find living near or amongst religious people or having religious friends bothersome :: shrug:: Anyway, we want to be near my folks, especially if we have a baby.

I rather doubt the types of theists you would get problems from would be your friend if they knew you were atheist. I was thinking more along the lines of this (http://www.iidb.org/vbb/showthread.php?t=91787). The type that tell you that you have the right to be an atheist, just so long as you keep your mouth shut and never try to get involved with anything.

I wouldn't live in a state with 6 months of winter if you paid me 300k and since when is the Midwest the center of secularism?

Ahem... True winter weather only lasts from December to March, just 4 months :D

The midwest itself is certainly not the center of secularism, it's a mixture. Wisconsin's religion is beer drinking and I have found as long as the fundys are kept drunk they aren't so bad.

:prost:

[LadyShea]

That's cool, my experiences (very limited) in the south were quite different. In Viper, Kentucky there seemed to be 2 types of people, brownie bakers for jesus (just substitute whatever roadkill was found that morning for brownies) and incestual folks. OK, that's something of an exageration, some of the people did look more or less normal and Viper is so small it's not even on the map (or wasn't at the time). Still, social life not involving alcohol was entered around church.

I have visited Louisville KY, and found it a nice city. I am sure rural areas are quite conservative, as they are everywhere.

Did you know that Nevada voters voted to amend our State constitution to say we would not recognize gay marriages even if they were married legally elsewhere? This was several years ago even. They also voted against decriminalizing marijuana. That's because we have lots and lots of Mormons, all of whom vote and many of whom enter politics/government. For being "Sin City" we are in a rather conservative state on the whole. I think it's the same everywhere...North, South, East or West.

And anyway, since when does an experienced critical thinker and debator such as yourself generalize and extrapolate based on a single personal experience ;)

Perhaps I just need to get out more :D

Perhaps, But it may be better to simply recognize that regardless of where we live, atheists are in the minority and need to figure out how to get along in a largely religious world.

I rather doubt the types of theists you would get problems from would be your friend if they knew you were atheist. I was thinking more along the lines of this (http://www.iidb.org/vbb/showthread.php?t=91787). The type that tell you that you have the right to be an atheist, just so long as you keep your mouth shut and never try to get involved with anything.

My very best friend since we were 13 years old became a born again charismatic Christian living in Tulsa. We have learned that our religious beliefs are a small part of who we are as a whole and it hasn't been an issue. Communication is really a cool thing.

If I need to open my mouth, I will do so. I am a member of the ACLU, a citizen of this country, and a Daughter of the American Revolution. I will fight against shit like that if it happens to me, just like I do now. They have the right to "tell" me whatever they want, I have to right to have my say too.

Ahem... True winter weather only lasts from December to March, just 4 months :D

Yeah but your fall and spring are winter too. If there is snow and freezing water and cold air, it's winter to me.

The midwest itself is certainly not the center of secularism, it's a mixture. Wisconsin's religion is beer drinking and I have found as long as the fundys are kept drunk they aren't so bad.

:prost:

Rural Alabamians also worship da booze...don't worry

[Beth]

I just saw the house, Brandi. I love it! It is so charming. I love the wrap around porches.

[godfry n. glad]

It ain't the fundies that would concern me, they're everywhere, and I've met some perfectly charming liberal and secularist southern expatriots. I've never been south of the Little Rock, Nashville, Richmond arc myself, but that was in June and July. The humidity with the heat was a killer. I'd be consumed by fungal colonies the first summer in the deep south.

I'm glad somebody likes it there, though. It means they're not moving here.

godfry

[dave_a]

I'm with you Godfry, those sun lovers can keep the heat to themselves. I start sweating just thinking about 85F temps.

I used to live in Hawaii where the weather was nice all year and it got boring after a year or two.

I like 4 distinct seasons even though I don't much care for sub zero weather, but at least it keeps the bugs to a minimum. All of my limitted excursions to warmer climates resulted in the same thing, bugs and tons of em. Cockroaches all over the place.

Thankgoodness for winter.

Oh yeah, I still think your home plan is charming, LS. Maybe I can come visit you in January sometime when the weather is nice there I would come visit you now, but Alaska is more my temp this time of year :D

[HelenM]

Hi LadyShea,

The house you want looks pretty. I hope all your building plans go as you wish. :)

Re: cold weather - when I first moved to Chicago (from England) I was very apprehensive about the cold winters. I wondered how people survived them (really :eek: ). Of course they do - and I have - but emotionally the winter is quite wearing.

But then, when I was in California for a year I missed having the seasonal changes that even England goes through, with it's moderate climate.

On the other hand, I loved the amount of sun anywhere I've lived in the US, compared to England. Not that I like to be in it, because I get burned so easily. But I like it nevertheless.

Helen

[viscousmemories]

Beautiful land, Brandi. :) I'll look at more of it when I'm on DSL in a couple of days.

As for weather, I spent almost all of the first 33 years of my life in Michigan, and if I never see snow again it'll be too soon. The last two years I spent in Southern Orange County, California: Annual average temperature 73 degrees. I don't remember a day below 60 or over 80. Now I'm in Dallas, sort of. It was over 100 today. But I'll tell ya, I'd take 100 every day to not feel the burning, stabbing misery of icy wind on my face. In a heartbeat.

[Goliath]

Blech...you people can keep your drowning humidity and your overbearing heat! :P

I'll take winter over summer any day of the week, as being cold is much easier to fix (ie put on a coat, curl up under a heavy blanket, etc) than being too warm.

[Goliath]

Oh, and speaking of coats...

Yesterday, I won a leather trench coat off of ebay. It should be arriving soon.

So, if you've ever wondered what an overweight Neo would look like... :P

Edited to say: :woohoo: 100th post!!

[Ronin]

I won't be far from you Ronin! Hubby will want to head your way to play poker at some point, I hope we can meet :)

Crap...I just now found this post, Brandi, sorry (fecking pingu!)

Tell Frank that I'm not much of a card player, just a PC gaming freak, so don't expect much.

:cool:

When/if you guys (damn)...I mean...y'all...ever visit the Gulf Coast area please keep in mind that the casinos down here are not much by way of show compared to Las Vegas. We still attract some fairly decent concert performances and the seafood meals are to kill for.

I'd be more than honored to have you both come by.

[LadyShea]

When/if you guys (damn)...I mean...y'all...ever visit the Gulf Coast area please keep in mind that the casinos down here are not much by way of show compared to Las Vegas. We still attract some fairly decent concert performances and the seafood meals are to kill for.

I'd be more than honored to have you both come by.

Well, he just likes to play poker, so will head over the Casinos once in awhile I am sure. We don't expect them to be like Vegas, but it'll be what we have...LOL

What's the drive time from Gulf Shores to Gulfport and/or Biloxi? Couple hours right?

[Dingfod]

Blech...you people can keep your drowning humidity and your overbearing heat! :P

I'll take winter over summer any day of the week, as being cold is much easier to fix (ie put on a coat, curl up under a heavy blanket, etc) than being too warm.I'm with you Goliath. I miss Colorado more than anywhere, but I would move back to Wyoming in a heartbeat if I could. Unfortunately, for now, I am stuck where it is 97 degrees with a heat index of 1100 (not a misprint, just an exaggeration).


Warren

[LadyShea]

I'm with you Goliath. I miss Colorado more than anywhere

Warren


Gah! Not me. I grew up in Monument at over 8000 feet. Beautiful scenery, and I like snow on Christmas, but you can have scraping the ice off the car and driving to work in a snowstorm and the arctic snaps of subzero temps with no power. I can always visit, in the summer, Frankie's family still all lives there.

[Ronin]

Well, he just likes to play poker, so will head over the Casinos once in awhile I am sure. We don't expect them to be like Vegas, but it'll be what we have...LOL

What's the drive time from Gulf Shores to Gulfport and/or Biloxi? Couple hours right?

Yeah, that's about right, just hit I-10, come down the Keesler exit and you're here.

I used to take the family down to Gulf Shores for the great farmer's market (in Loxley) and beaches every spring break (the gulf coast sound here in the Biloxi/Gulfport area is just nasty).

Our favorite hotel just sold out last December though, so Florida is the new hotspot.

Hrmmm...but, if we had a Gulf Shores swampland contact, I'd just might think about returning there (hint, hint).

:wink:

Anyway, let me know when you're settled in over there and we'll start the planning phase of a greater Gulf Coast Humanist meetup or something.

Oh, and tell Frank I'm not playing with any cards he brings to the table from Vegas, so we'll just have to get a new pack.

No offense.
:cool:

[Dingfod]

I always used to say that when I'm cold I can always put more clothes on, but when I am not, the law and my own modesty do not allow me to take enough clothes off. My advice for you, put in a swimming pool, it'll make the long hot summers a lot more tolerable IMHO. I wish I had one. Instead, I have to sit in a lawn chair under the law sprinklers, because, unfortunately, we decided to have horses, which preclude almost everything else, financially, that is.


Warren

[godfry n. glad]

On the other hand, I loved the amount of sun anywhere I've lived in the US, compared to England. Not that I like to be in it, because I get burned so easily. But I like it nevertheless.

Helen

Stay away from the area west of the crest of the Cascades in the Pacific Northwest (San Francisco to Vancouver, British Columbia). It's eight months of mostly gray skies and drizzling rain, with four months of mostly blue skies and occasional showers. It's "seasonal affect disorder" country. Rather like England, from what I've heard.

godfry

[LadyShea]

I always used to say that when I'm cold I can always put more clothes on, but when I am not, the law and my own modesty do not allow me to take enough clothes off. My advice for you, put in a swimming pool, it'll make the long hot summers a lot more tolerable IMHO. I wish I had one. Instead, I have to sit in a lawn chair under the law sprinklers, because, unfortunately, we decided to have horses, which preclude almost everything else, financially, that is.


Warren

We have a pool here in Vegas (now, it just got fixed after being empty for three years), but in Alabama we'll have the river a few steps away and the beach an 8 minute drive away :)

[Sparky]

The lot and plans look great. I suggest a light colored roof to reflect the heat. Have fun!

[Dingfod]

Bonnie is lining right up on Alabama coast.

[livius drusus]

What does the purple mean?

[Dingfod]

What does the purple mean?Rain. Purple Rain. Like the Prince song.

OK, the colors are a little weird. Looks like TS Bonnie has moved more eastward now:

[D. Scarlatti]

What ... it's a balmy 48 degrees here this morning. It's even going to get up to 66.

[Dingfod]

So... it's only 70 degrees right now at 10:46 AM, cooler than the normal low for the day. And, we're going for a forecast high of 82, not bad for mid-August in Oklahoma, at least a dozen degrees below the normal high and 20 degrees cooler than last year at this time. It has been a cool wet summer this year, but only like the 7th coolest on record. I noticed on my drive down south earlier this week that you don't have to get but about 100-150 miles south of here and it is a lot hotter and a lot drier. Weird? Global warming? The hell if I know.

Anyway, it is the cool front that is keeping me cool and steering those storms on a more eastward track, it is that strong.


Warren

[LadyShea]

It was 112 yesterday here in Vegas

[godfry n. glad]

It was 112 yesterday here in Vegas

Yeah... But that was a dry heat. I've suffered through 106 in Lost Wages (at an outdoor stinkin' wedding, no less) with less whining and bitching than I did at 88 degrees in DC. The difference: humidity.

And, hey, I finally took a look at your plans. Nice place. I'm particularly impressed with the wrap-around porch. That's an amenity I've always coveted....jes' sittin' on da porch rockin' in da rockin' chair, watching the world go by. You'll need a spittoon for the porch, too, won't you?

I do note, though that, in the accompanying picture, they've cleared all the trees away for some distance. Now, I don't know how the local arboreal types fare when their neighbors have been removed (we have problems with lone or small stands of Doug firs - they look nice, but they're not stable), but I'd be looking to keep some fairly high trees standing on the west side, to shade the house from late afternoon sun in the summer and early autumn. 'Course, with the heavy winds like the sporadic hurricanes of south 'Bama and the Gulf coast, you don't want to invite your local trees to literally drop in.

Just a thought.

godfry

[LadyShea]

Yeah... But that was a dry heat.

I dunno, in my experience once it's over 110 the "dry heat" thing loses much of its meaningfulness. It's too damn hot to be outside.

I do note, though that, in the accompanying picture, they've cleared all the trees away for some distance.

I am not sure that they were cleared. Apparently many developments in the South are going on old cotton fields, so any trees are bordering the housing lots. When we go to clear the lot for building, we will have an expert help us choose which trees to keep...I want to keep as many as possible personally.

I'm particularly impressed with the wrap-around porch. That's an amenity I've always coveted....jes' sittin' on da porch rockin' in da rockin' chair, watching the world go by.

Me too, a big front porch (not necessarily the wrap around) is a "have to have" on our list.

[godfry n. glad]

I dunno, in my experience once it's over 110 the "dry heat" thing loses much of its meaningfulness. It's too damn hot to be outside.

I'm with you. Of course, for me, anything over 80 degrees is too damned hot. There in Lost Wages, and I'd bet in most of 'Bama, too, you have ever-present air conditioning. In my part of the country, air-conditioning is useful only two or three weeks out of the year...well, maybe five weeks in a hot summer. Many folks get by with just window fans. I'd just hate to be somewhere like DC, Baltimore, Charleston, Richmond, Atlanta or anywhere else in the south when the temperatures push above 90. Arrrrggggh....

I am not sure that they were cleared. Apparently many developments in the South are going on old cotton fields, so any trees are bordering the housing lots. When we go to clear the lot for building, we will have an expert help us choose which trees to keep...I want to keep as many as possible personally.

Again, I'm with you on that. Trees will make it more aesthetically pleasing and comfortable much of the warm season. Try to keep the large spreading trees to the west (and maybe the south) and to get most of your sunlight from the east - morning sun. Try for trees that don't produce too much litter...if that's possible. If you're not going to use the fruit from a fruit tree, don't save them or plant them. If you don't glean the fruit, you'll have a messy pest attractant.

godfry