. . . make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 NIV
Praises – Thank the Lord today for all His Hand has provided; Mississippi property starting to feel like home, settling in a bit perhaps; good renters in the house
Prayers –Trailer renter needed; keep us humble and our attitudes on course to bless others; RV repairs; travel to family in Virginia; safety for our contractor and workers
Hello to our followers, family, and friends:
For those who may be confused or new to our travels, we own property in northeast Mississippi that includes two large RV sites, a trailer (mobile home), a house, an addition to the house we refer to as our multi-purpose room, and now a “porch” addition to the multi-purpose room is in process. (If you weren’t confused before you probably are now.) We are trying to modify our language to use these terms so even we know what we are talking about!
One of our first trips in April was to get our “real” mailing address from the county 911 office. We purchased stickers for the mailboxes, John installed our box, and at least the post office will know where the mail goes. Years ago, the mobile home/trailer was moved to the other side of the house causing confusion with the numbers being out of order, so we added large numbers to the house and trailer (deliveries now have a chance of going to the right place). Early in the month we cleaned up our storm shelter berm and planted wildflower seeds and two lavender plants; everything is growing well and we’re seeing some purple blooms. John picked up lots of yard debris and helped Connie with the marigold seed around the pussy willow tree, hoping the cage can be removed and the deer will leave it alone; these seeds are not doing so well from the heavy rains. By the end of the month, we had to dig up a beautiful large hasta and the lilac bush; they remain in the wheelbarrow and a large pot until the porch is finished.
The trailer eviction process was court approved giving us access to start cleaning and repairs mid-month. The few minor repairs included re-gluing vinyl seams, tightening the plumbing under the kitchen sink, and patching a hole in a wall. Lots of cleaning, spackling nail holes, some paint touch-up, a few new floor grates, and we added weather strip around the doors. We kept the curtains they left, stabilized the rods, took a box of things to Goodwill, and finally changed the locks.
Praise the Lord – renters were found for the house and they moved in the end of March. We met them and their 10-month-old puppy early in April and helped them disassemble their dining room table to get it inside where we put it back together for them.
Connie is starting to get used to not having a phone! After getting the first replacement phone set up and functional on April 3 it “froze up” again on the 26th. Frustration, of course, then acceptance and a good attitude while spending an afternoon with the provider and manufacturer for warranty service.
John kept busy this month. His main task of hooking up the washer/dryer sounds easy, but he had to plan the drain, modify the capped off plumbing for a sink in the future, get the electric plug wired up, and crawl around under the house. All was going well, parts purchased, progress made until “oops” the drain ‘T’ went the wrong way! After a trip to town, all was finished up, unit leveled, and the trial run went great with no leaks. He got a new machete to chop some brush in the woods, mowed a few times, dug out a metal post to replant for our mailbox, and took out drywall and some framing in preparation for the addition main beam.
Salty Strings was active again this month, nothing generating income, but we are a blessing to others and we are blessed when we share our music. Sunday mornings we were playing along, bringing special music, or leading worship. The monthly SALT (Senior Adults Living Triumphantly) meeting and worship practices were enjoyable, and Connie brought our keyboard one morning and used our chromatic dulcimer which requires her to practice a bit more. We had a last-minute call asking us to provide music for a Friday afternoon at the Corinth Park for the Autism Run Registration. We agreed and prepared several 45-minute sets. It turned out to be slightly over an hour since other musicians were found, in sunny 84 degrees very windy weather. The “covered” stage turned out to be a non-level (until we arrived) flatbed with a canopy rigged up giving a bit of shade. The wind gusts were strong enough to blow down the hammer dulcimer (safely cushioned with Connie’s hand under the edge as it fell). We decided many years ago not to do outside concerts if it is not above 65 degrees and only with sun protection; now we’ve added hot, windy, and humid to our criteria.
April showers – plenty of those along with thunder and some hard, driving rain. Like everyone after a few days of clouds, the beautiful sky and sunshine always lift our spirits. A few nights with heaters, and many more with air conditioning on all night. We caught a glimpse of the solar eclipse through the clouds, and had some evening sunset walks around the driveway. Blue birds were passing through, a male cardinal hung around a few days, and we have squirrels in the woods swinging the tree branches (haven’t seen any before). The driveway edge erosion is cutting deeper, and we think some of our seeds are buried too deep to grow. Such is the cycle of life.
In our past there were several years of going to the YMCA pool to swim 2-3 times a week along with a small hot tub at home. As we get achy-er and older we were looking to the future and dreaming of a pool for exercising and another hot tub. After reviewing our finances and property layout, we made down payments on a swim spa and hot tub at an expo last month. They allowed us to come back and try out the stationary swimming, John was like a fish back in water, and Connie enjoyed the experience as well. This, of course, changed our plans and schedules for spring – we have found a contractor to build the porch addition and put in a beam to open up the multi-purpose area.
The porch leveling, framing, metal mesh, and concrete is done. We watched as a cement block wall appeared for drainage and keeping the dirt around the storm shelter along with 2.5 of the three walls appear. After many hours of research and grid drawings, we have a final plan for windows, doors, and electrical locations. Being a general contractor of sorts is very demanding organizing time frames, window purchases, cash flow, and patience. It seems there is nothing to do one day and too much to decide the next.
We were without water for 4 days, carrying water from the multi-purpose room and taking showers in the mobile home, from a break in the line when the cement workers were digging. It sure feels good to have running water and showers in the RV! (By the way, it takes about 2 gallons of hot water to do daily dishes if they’re not very greasy.) In the midst of this our propane tank had to be switched over while we were cooking breakfast one morning. Just some of the expected unexpected when you live in an RV that moves around.
We are also in the process of getting some much-needed repairs to our RV as well, taking pictures of problems to avoid packing up for a day for them to look at it. After waiting a few weeks for them to pull together an estimate, we will have to take it to them for diagnosis next month. In the meantime, John started cleaning things out of the under belly and moving our bikes to the shed.
Connie was very careful clearing and planting the berm, avoiding the areas she got poison oak last year. But, after the second round she apparently got too close, developing what she thought was a few bug bites (scratching them, of course) that spread and caused discomfort most of the month. She had just a few slightly dizzy times and some stomach upset (likely from taxes and building financing). John has paced himself, keeping the joints and back functioning pretty well this month.
We celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary on our Friday Date Night with a card and some chocolates from our friends. The Mexican restaurant thought it was Connie’s birthday, we tried to explain, and one of our friends tried to tell a waiter it was our anniversary which promptly brought out several of the waiters, singing, with a huge sombrero and plate of whip cream smooshed in Connie’s face – lots of laughs of course and disbelief. On Sunday, our real anniversary, we shared special music in church, watched a Tom Selleck movie in the afternoon, and were treated to DQ blizzards and great fellowship after the evening study.
Connie had a good mix of mental activity and demolition work for the frustrations this month. Taxes took several days; the final check found some missing income and we owed a LOT more than expected! There was financial planning, filing, and ‘blue print’ drawings for the addition and remodel work. Demolition included using the pick ax to loosen drywall and pulling nails; some reorganization and cleaning leaves from culverts finished off the physical labor. She really enjoys not having to plan a laundry day with our washer/dryer now working.
Our addition multi-purpose room still needs more organizing, but we have the drywall and some framing out of the center. John made several wheel barrow trips to the driveway to dump drywall pieces over the edge, and spent a day pulling nails for recycled lumber. Connie did a lot of the drywall removal, getting rid of frustration (John now knows why she wanted a pick ax!). There were many days we were both sore, tired, and dirty.
We took a Sunday afternoon to go about an hour south to visit with a friend at the mid-point of his addiction rehab. He is searching his Bible, not necessarily enjoying the program, but aware this is where he needs to be, and has 3 months to go before having to face the world again. It made us aware of all the blessings we have, and that our feelings may be real but not necessarily ‘true.’ We all so easily bend the truth to fit what we want; we are thankful for this visit to open our eyes to the reality that many others face.
“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20b NIV
Tune in again next month for our progress and plans!
John and Connie Nicholas
Salty Strings Music Ministry
Contact Information:
Mail: John & Connie Nicholas
Salty Strings Music Ministry
3916 N. Potsdam Ave. #3962
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
Phone – John 909-336-8910 or Connie 909-336-8912
Email – SaltyStrings@hotmail.com
Facebook – Salty Strings Music Ministry
Web site – SaltyStrings.com
TRAVEL PLANS AND UPCOMING LOCATIONS
- May-July – Burnsville MS property upgrades; possible travels
- May 16-25 – Travel to Fredericksburg, VA to be with family/RV work being done
- August 28 and August 30 – Music in Lincoln, IL
- August – October – Tentative Illinois/Wisconsin, SOWER Project/family visits
ONLINE DONATIONS via PayPal through our web site