Mango again...

Close

up

of

Mango on Colin's bed.

Mango has a charming personality with the curiosity of a cat.

Is spring coming?

Today, it was a pretty nice day, so I began to do some outdoor work, feels good, eh?

Behind the garage is a little garden shed:

but it had some rot around the doors from getting wet, so I took the doors apart and fixed them up, add a rain gutter. Here are the pieces:

and the final results:

Minnesota snow, just like in the U.P. this year...

Today, I took the task of scooping snow off the roof of the house, we have had so much snow, more than usual.

Here is the roof before (notice the depth):

and after:

The pile on the ground:

and snow blowing it:

Living room...

Living room before I moved in.

Living room after I hung sheers, curtains, curtain rods, and with couch, chairs, and lamps.

Now with rug... (see Grandpa's baby on the couch.)

8214 5th Avenue South, Bloomington, MN 55420

...although the idea and dream were always on my mind and not far from my heart, I longed for a home, a place to call my own.

In the beginning of the 21st century, luck wasn't having it's way with me, I soon found myself "homeless" - yet in this moment, I found that luck had it's way of showing what I needed to do, that was to find myself in the place where I was born and to be of a help to my loving parents.

Soon many years have past, and my birth place had become a place of the past. Again, I felt "homeless", but this time it just wasn't me, but my new found "love" Mango. Mango needed a place to be free, a domain - that he could become "Lt Mango CMC - i.e. Chief Mouser in Charge".

The hunt began in October 0f 2010, first with a call to a realtor who had a "short sale" house on the market - well, that day she became my realtor and she recommended a mortgage broker - who became my mortgage broker. First step was to get a pre-approval for a mortgage and how much I could afford...that comes with "employment verification"... the website says... 5 business days...painless right? Well, not so simple... because the ownership has changed 3 times in the last 2 1/2 years... so after 3 weeks and because of my organization... I had everything my company needed to "giterdone"... now we are in later October.

During this time, I didn't want to "waste" anyone's time, until I was in a position to make an offer. Finally, after much ado, I found a house that could be my home... I made an offer and it was accepted...

Then... 10 days before closing... a "hiccup" - nothing that I was aware of, nothing of my own doings... well, except my naming my daughter after myself... something shows up on my credit report. I am now going to miss my closing date on December 27, 2010... I get an extension to December 30, 2010... again... we miss it.

The last week of December 2010, the seller (bank owned house, Fannie Mae) - decide they want to cancel the deal - I refuse to sign, which means, the house is tied up for at least 30 days - which means, I might be able to "force" them to close... 50/50 chance... I already have hundreds of dollars invested in this deal, beside, I really love the garage!!!!

After the 1st of January 2011, the seller comes around and realize I am serious about this deal, and again agrees to continue with the deal. My mortgage is finally done and I close on time on January 12, 2011...

I am now the owner of a house which is to become "MINE and MANGO's HOME"!!!!

Mango 2011

M-A-N-G-O

As much as things change, somethings remain...

In April, 2010, as we walked toward de Sweachmermolen, Langweer, Friesland, NL...

April 15, 2010

April 15, 2010

1956 0r 1963

April 15, 2010

1956 or 1963

When we were in Langweer in 2010, the neighbors of Omke Sip told us to tell the workers at de Sweachmermolen that it was okay for us to go inside of the mill. We were able to go up the inside stairs to the second level, then out the door to the decking around the outside and into another door, up the ladder to see the clogs and wooden gears at the very top of the mill.

Notice the water inlet is the same and the pump house, which houses the electric pump today is the same as it was in 1956 or 1963 (I am not sure which year these pictures were taken by my "vader", Gerrit de Boer).

De Sweachmermolen is a smock mill in Langweer, Friesland, Netherlands which was built in 1782. The mill has two functions: it is a drainage mill and a corn mill.

De Sweachmermolen is what the Dutch describe as a Stellingmolen. It is a three storey smock mill on a two storey base. The stage is at second floor level, 18 ft 8 in above ground level. The mill is winded by tailpole and winch. The smock and cap are thatched. The sails are common sails and have a span of 73 ft 6 in. The sails are carried on a cast iron windshaft which was cast by Gietijzer Pletterij Enthoven en Companië's Gravenhage, in 1896. The windshaft also carries the brake wheel, which has 58 cogs. This drives the wallower with 32 cogs at the top of the upright shaft. The great spur wheel, which has 90 cogs, drove a pair of millstones via a lantern pinion stone nut with 25 staves. At the bottom of the upright shaft the crown wheel, which has 35 cogs, drives a gearwheel with 43 cogs on the axle of the Archimedes screw.