Never buy a Palm Harbor home

we started all the paperwork near the end of the year last year for getting a palm harbor home and land. we found the land ourselves and worked on the paperwork to get it included in a land/home package (that was the easy part lol) then dealt with palm harbor and their banks to get a mortgage (tried some places ourselves but couldnt get one because they only do already built homes...etc). finally got that approved and paperwork submitted (keeping on them and reminding them that we had until May 31st to move) on April 1st. they were able to get the house through the assembly line a week early and could have gotten the house set before all the rain we had but they didnt even try because it said it might rain.

plus they told us that the electricity wasnt going to be too much to get it connected to the house (ended up being a lot more than they said it'd be). so we used up a lot of our savings to get electricity set up (and they were delayed because of the rain too)

so the house was on the land in early May but with all the rain it delayed them a lot. so they finally get it together (and im stressing because of needing to pack, figuring out what we can do if we cant get into the house...etc)

they finally got it together (though they blamed us for some of the delay, saying we werent letting them know if the land was dry enough - we were an hour away from the property and couldnt get out there to check plus how do we know how dry it needs to be for them?!)

last week of may we are still waiting for the guys to be able to do the inside finishing so we can get the keys and move in. they finally showed up and spent over 2 days working inside (guess the factory did a really bad job with a lot of the stuff so they had to fix a bunch) and they even walked on my brand new carpets with muddy boots. frown emoticon so i already have carpet stains). we were also waiting for them to get the electricity hooked to the electric rack outside so the electric company could put a meter on it (they wont do that until everything is connected at the rack) and they take 3-5 days to get out there to do it and cant tell them early because they could come early and if it isnt ready we get charged for it...

we did a few walk throughs of the house during the work they were doing and didnt see everything (unfortunately). roof leaked were the stove vent goes out * light fixtures broken/covers missing * doors not hanging right cabinet doors not hanging right AC not working Fridge not working * (the freezer worked just not the fridge) drawers broken/really loose * missing door stops * (bought some ourselves) missing cap to faucet handle * creaking floors door frame panel things missing kitchen desk warped * sinks not sealed showers not sealed * island not screwed down right * counter top pieces not glued down * we got most (*) of that taken care of finally... took weeks (and AC is working but it is jerry-rigged to work - still not fixed yet) and the few things that we havent gotten done we gave up on since someday we'll upgrade stuff

we were able to move our stuff to the house on the 30th but couldnt stay because there was no power yet. so we got a hotel room for a few nights with the cats and fish (lol) and that is when my car got broken into and so had to hand out more money

finally got power and were able to officially move in. but we had the fridge and ac running all day but they werent cooling so we had to try to get something done (i had just gotten into third trimester and thought i was dying from the heat lol) lost all our fridge food too... we finally called a 24hr ac company to come out and they came out and got the ac running but again DJ had to jerry-rig it (ac guy couldnt do that legally) since palm harbor wouldnt get us anyone... as for the fridge they wouldnt replace it since it has GE factory warranty we had to deal with them and they couldnt get it fixed for 3 weeks. we had a couple from our church give us a mini fridge to help out (having to go to the store a lot wasnt fun since we are in the country now and with me have gestational diabetes i couldnt eat boxed foods) the fridge guy came and looked at it and told us what it needed but he doesnt carry parts so he had to order them and come back... sigh right lol

meanwhile we were parking on the road and wearing rain boots (yard was still wet and they hadnt gotten our driveway in yet) and climbing very dangerous temporary steps (they hadnt gotten the porches done yet or the skirting done) so we had to call palm harbor and ask when that was getting done... so finally they show up to do the porches and skirting (and they miss some nails and skirting so we have to call palm harbor again to get that taken care of) and then the guy comes to do the driveway

so now everything is done but the ac and the items that we gave up on. he should be here next week (he had to order some more parts last time he was here)

so we will never recommend palm harbor to anyone and they arent getting high scores if they ever give us the questionnaire

they did pay us back for the 24 hr ac guy we had come out (they actually sent us 2 checks and we kept both...after everything we have had to deal with we werent giving one back lol)

anyways...thats our hassle of home buying

It has been awhile

Wow, I didn't realize how busy I had gotten.

A lot has happened since my last post.

My trucker husband is now a truck driver in Texas and we have made to move from my dad's house to our own apartment. I get to see my trucker everyday now which is amazing! I really did miss seeing him daily.

Three months after our move we had an emergency trip back to my Dad's hometown... unfortunately my dad is no longer on the other end of that trip. We found out on August 27th that my dad is gone. That was the hardest phone call i ever received and the hardest phone calls i had to make after that was to tell my brothers and my husband. DJ was at work, as he works 3rd shift, and his boss let him come home and also take as much time off as he needed. We drove through the night to pick up my brothers and then were in the car for another day to make it to our hometown.
We had visitation for my dad on September 2nd, the funeral for him on September 3rd, and we buried him on September 4th. Through the whole thing we never got to see him to say goodbye.
At the funeral we played Elton John's Funeral for a Friend as dad had asked for that so long ago. We had many hymns played too.

This is one of them:

1	Does Jesus care when my heart is pained Too deeply for mirth or song,   As the burdens press,   And the cares distress, And the way grows weary and long?
	O yes, He cares, I know He cares, His heart is touched with my grief;   When the days are weary,   The long night dreary,   I know my Savior cares.
2	Does Jesus care when my way is dark With a nameless dread and fear?   As the daylight fades   Into deep night shades, Does He care enough to be near?
3	Does Jesus care when I’ve tried and failed To resist some temptation strong;   When for my deep grief   There is no relief, Though my tears flow all the night long?
4	Does Jesus care when I’ve said “goodbye” To the dearest on earth to me,   And my sad heart aches   Till it nearly breaks, Is it aught to Him? Does He see?

What is it like in the truck?

Not all trucks are the same. Though in my husband's case, all of the trucks he has driven are about the same. Size wise anyway. They have a twin size bed, and it isn't soft. Small cabinets that cant hold his clothing (which he keeps in a bag instead). And no fridge, all he has to eat is pre-packaged foods that aren't healthy or fast food. If i ride with him i bring as little as i can, because there just isn't any space. the seats aren't comfortable either, and you sit on those for hours straight. Can't make a chiropractor appt. either because you never know when you'll be home. The radio stations change when you leave certain areas. The view may change but it all blends in. They may "see the world" but they never have time to stop and enjoy it. They have to watch out for the crazy drivers around them.

seriously?

Well, DJ has barely made miles this week. (In case you didn't know, this is not a good thing, truck drivers get paid by the mile) He has sat at multiple drops and pick ups waiting for unloaded trailers. They also don't get paid at all for sitting waiting for a load to be ready. The last place he was at took over 24 hours for him to get an empty trailer. There was a guy there from another company that sat for 2 days!
The people working at these places know how important for truckers to be actually driving on the road and yet they take their sweet time unloading. Truckers still have bills to pay and sitting all day doesn't give them the paycheck they need to pay those bills.

Dangerous Conditions

Yes, the truck drivers drive in terrible conditions. Where most people would stay home, they are on the road trying desperately to get to their destinations without an accident, without sliding into a ditch. Most people don't think about how the items in stores get on the shelves. If truckers did what we do, and huddle in our warm homes waiting for the snow to stop and the roads to be clear, there would be empty shelves in the stores.
If you are on the roads, just remember that truckers have a lot harder time stopping on the snow and ice and also starting back up again when they are stopped. Watch intersections carefully before going on a green light, as the trucker coming to a stop might slide through while trying to stop. Don't get impatient with them either. They are towing thousands of dollars worth of goods and they may have to pay for any damages to a load in an accident.

Dumb Cats

Why is it they only act up when DJ is gone? He must really be intimidating to them, since they lay down and go to sleep when we lock them in for the night. But not when he is gone. They can be laying down and being lazy until i lock them in our room for the night and turn off the light. They are terrors, getting into everything and wrestling and just being pains. Nala will run around the table in the dining room to keep me from catching her. Gromit is the better behaved. He goes straight to bed and is only a trouble maker when his sister starts it.

Do you have to go?

Always the question in my heart every time he leaves on another trip. I never voice it but I feel it every time. The hardest day of his trips are usually the ones he leaves on. After a day or two with him, i don't want him to go. He goes so we can pay bills, so i do my best to show him strength as he leaves. I don't let a tear fall until he is gone and when we talk during his trips i try not to let him know the pain of separation. He does a lot better when he knows i am alright.