It was a lazy Labor Day weekend Sunday so I loaded up Luke and headed for Ridgeland. But that wasn't after sitting down at the computer to do some research on how to get things switched over from New Jersey to South Carolina.
First I had to navigate South Carolina's Board of Nursing website to see how Theresa and I get our New Jersey nursing licenses endorsed down here. We're both RN's and I'm an APRN and the process is not all that easy. In these days with AI and fraud running rampant people can try to pull a fast one to get a license so there's a ton to submit. Now doubt I'll be on the phone with them tomorrow as it's confusing as hell.
And speaking of nursing, I've stayed in touch with my former students up at Capital Health in New Jersey who have already started their fall semester. There's a part of me that's missing not
being there with them for their final year. When I saw there was a mass shooting in Trenton, 11 shot, 2 dead, last weekend it brought me back to my time teaching clinical in the ED/Trauma Center. Not that I ever wish bad on people, but, like my time in the fire department, if it's going down I want to be there.
And while on the computer I went to Google Maps and put The Fly Barn on the map. I had to pick what kind of place it was and the only thing that was close was "Sports Club", which is kind of
what it is, or will be. No doubt this place will become a great hang for fly tyers and anglers, but also for my soon to be friends at Sun City, who need a place to escape "The Bubble" that are 55 and over communities.
For it being Labor Day, and Sunday, I was surprised when I rolled in and saw guys at work at the houses across the street and next to me. The house next to me is getting refurbished and the house across the street is getting a new fence installed around the back yard. One thing I've seen down here is that people just don't install fence sections like they do up north, but prefer to have them built from scratch.
The sounds of Spanish music from both places filled the air and I needed to share the air space with music more of my liking, and understanding. I knew I had packed my
battery operated portable Ryobi radio and I found 95.5 which is a classic rock station. If you're old like me, and from the New York area, then you remember 95.5 WPLJ. That station was Classic Rock until the mid-1980's before they went to a Pop/Top 40 format, before going off the air in 2019. So the music of AC/DC and "Hells Bells" mixed with some mariachi band of music while we all worked.
The goal for yesterday was to lay out the new fence location, as it was constructed way over the true property lines. I don't know what the old owner and contractor were thinking but it's a mess, while well built, and also too high. Besides it just doesn't make sense and the layout looks weird.
Luckily I had the where with all to get a survey done before we closed and I needed that to find out actually where the property lines are. I'll be heading to Town Hall tomorrow to discuss moving it and getting within compliance as they are following this neighborhood-in-transition very closely.
I've come to learn that the property caddie corner to me has been sitting as you see it since a fire destroyed what structure was there. On one side of that is new construction, on the other, a vacant lot. But the parcel above is owned by the Gretsch family. That's Gretsch, the famous drum
manufacturer, whose manufacturing facility is just beyond the rear tree line in the above photo. They have 16 acres and I took a spin around the block to check out their building (above). They started in Brooklyn in 1883 before moving to Ridgeland in 1985. It's here where they produce the high-end United States series drums.
It was then back to the building, shack, hovel, or tiny home, that is attached to the pole barn. If this were built today it would be called a Barndominium, yes that's a building type, where you have a living space attached or inside a barn type structure. Inside I found an old, but large, gun cabinet that I'll throw up on Facebook Marketplace.
The second will be a big old disgusting refrigerator/freezer that sits outside. It still works but smells like ass or death depending on how the wind blows.
I figured it would be good for a yard or bait shop once it's cleaned up. That'll be a come and get it for free, so I don't have to move it myself.
And then it came down to see what surprises the building has in store for me. Over the years the rains have just fallen off the metal roof near the foundation and rot, and some insect damage, is plain to see. I found a circular saw and made some cuts and was pleasantly surprised.
While the siding was shot the foundation was solid concrete and the sill plate and studs were in serviceable shape. I worked my way around the budding to the bathroom area and that was in a little bit rougher shape. A few kicks off the walls and I could see daylight, which is never good. Theresa and the realtor were skeeved by the toilet but that can just cleaned up, alright, I'll just drop a new one in after some structural repairs.
I was glad to see Pex tubing running throughout so plumbing wise it'll be easy to work with. While I got my account with the water department up and running I still don't have water so that'll be a stop at Town Hall on Tuesday.
I stayed for a few hours before Luke and I almost died of heat stroke. While this place is well shaded it's just f'in hot. Just check out those feels like temperatures. I don't know how anyone
down here's overweight if they do anything physical out in this heat. I guess it's all that good Lowcountry cooking.
Before we left I hung a few things I found as I looked through the bins for the tools that I needed. It was just a few decorations to make this place look like it's occupied, and well loved, and like home.
As I drove home my mind was working overtime with design ideas. I'm no designer but I figured I could do something on the computer to visualize what was going on in my head. But first, shoes off, and then a shower because this isn't Titusville, it's Sun City. It's been a week since my new life began. I have yet to hit the gym but I've done pretty well just changing my eating habits, which could be better, and taking long walks with Theresa and Luke, plus the outside work in the equator like temps.
I've tried to cut out the carbs and sugar but have cheated from time to time. Luckily I found the scale when we were bin diving in the garage so I laid it down and stepped on.
If we take my starting weight last week at 214 then I'm down just about 7 pounds the first week. That means 7 more until I'm under 200, which is where I want to be, on my way to 190. Imagine if I hit the gym or laced up those basketball shoes?
After getting all cleaned up I sat down and put mouse to computer. I wanted to see how the barn might look with the board and batten look. And then there's The Fly Barn logo that will go somewhere. It's a residential neighborhood and I want this place to look classy, even though less than classy people may be hanging out there. So here's what I came up with...
I really like how it looks, at least on the computer. Few things come to mind. First there's a lot of electrical conduit running around. There's some big 220 lines that were installed for the RV that was parked there. I'll need to get a buddy from NYC Electricians Local 3, I have two, one I met here, and one that's gonna visit, to take a look and see if I can convert it to 120 and maybe help relocate it.
I also like the logo on the building and not the barn. My neighbor shouldn't have to look at a big sign every time she leaves her house. And that siding where I have the logo above?
Well currently it's T1-11 and in good shape. Replacing it with concrete fiber siding raises a few concerns. One, do I really need to replace it? What if I painted it and put on some batten strips? I think it would look just fine. Another concern is the weight of the concrete materials up there. Why put that added load up there? In a storm or hurricane it'll just be that more prone to collapse. But the big concern is me working off a 24 foot extension ladder to remove and then replace. Surely that's a 20-foot plus femur and hip fracturing fall. It'll be sketchy enough for me to paint it and install the trim and battens anyway.
And with all of the talk of projects and work the topic of a pick up truck keeps dancing in my head. Three things about pick up trucks in the Lowcountry. There is like zero rust. But, they ain't cheap. Not the new ones, almost new ones, or the beaters, which are hard to find. And down here they don't need four wheel drive like we do up north.
I found the below war-wagon listed out of Savannah. It's pretty much what I'm looking for and reminds me of the 1995 square body that I had that I sunk at the Atlantic Highlands Marina. For $2,700 and four wheel drive this could be the one.
I've been trying to come up with different angles, or sales pitches, to get Theresa on board. "The Suburban is my nice truck? I need a pick up for the work around The Fly Barn and home? I need it to tow the boat? Did you see what happened to me in the puddle last week?". So far none are really working. She says I always buy crap, which may be true, but I also never pay full price, and never have a payment. She wants a new couch...maybe there's something to bargain with. But, I have to act fast, these trucks don't sit around for long.