Bootcamp

Suna and I enjoyed our dinners together, regardless of how “trendy” the restaurant was.

The view from our hotel room was much better than last time. So was the room. Here’s our graduating class with former Dellite and now Fortunebuilder Linda P. with Suna. I am hiding in the back, as usual for a hermit.

Here’s your ticket; pack your bag

Time for jumpin’ overboard

The transportation is here

Close enough but not too far,

Maybe you know where you are

—David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison, and Tina Weymouth

Suna and I spent the weekend with Carol and Russell at a Fortunebuilders “Two-Day Intensive.” Folks from Houston to Waco who joined last week were there, so it was a networking opportunity besides being a great learning opportunity.

I learned that when Fortunebuilders speaks of “systems,” they’re not necessarily talking about automation. They mean anything that you can reduce to a series of repeatable, coachable steps. The system we focused on this weekend was evaluating houses to buy.

First they taught us a formula to help ensure we make money on every flip. Then they taught us how to fill out an evaluation form that helps determine how much repairs will cost and plug those numbers into the “secret formula” that apparently “everybody uses.” Then they loaded us on buses to walk though a couple of houses and put what we learned into use.

I’m very happy with the quality of instructional design in the Fortunebuilders educational materials. They actually pay attention to good design and adult learning theory, unlike much of the other stuff on the market.

 

Stained Glass

Raul continued to rock the back of the house, even though I didn’t want to work in the threatening rain. We found two of these windows.

This is the most intricate of the windows we found. I wish there were more like it.

You can't get this great stuff anymore, I don’t know why

But I bet we’ll make some young strangers happy when we die

—Cheryl Wheeler

Since the weather didn’t look promising for [me to] work outside, Suna and I decided to get away to Temple to just hang out and have fun. We decided to go antiquing, something we hadn’t done in a while. Antiquing isn’t as productive as estate saling, but you don’t have to get up as early and it’s just as fun. We found some really nice old stained glass windows in one of the antique stores. They were really the only interesting things we found all day.

So we bought four of them to clean up and hang over the stairway. They won’t be damaged by the sunlight, and they should reflect it nicely.

 

A New Hope

Brody was incredulous when I told him he would have to stay at Braesgate with Elizabeth for a few days. The view from our hotel room wasn’t very impressive. The view from the event hotel parking lot was much better.

In the service of “keeping Austin weird,” they have erected these guitar statues all over downtown. Carol and Russell agree that we should work closely together in a new business. Brody was glad we got home safely.

Be true to your school now

And let your colors fly

—Brian Wilson and Mike Love

Suna and I spent the weekend in Austin attending a Fortunebuilders “training” session. Although they presented more information about flipping, which they prefer to call “redeveloping,” that we could possibly assimilate, the three days were primarily devoted to marketing further training and the back-end systems they have developed to support their own redevelopment business, CT Homes.

Carol and Russell also attended, and we sat together for much of the weekend. Russell couldn’t get off work for the Friday session, but he was there for both Saturday and Sunday.

We had lunch together almost every day, but Suna and I were on our own for dinner, when we didn’t run into someone else attending the event. Since I hate to drive in traffic, we stayed at a hotel in walking distance of the event. The weather was perfect and walking to the event (and meals) gave us some much needed exercise. It didn’t take long to develop “conference butt” as we were stuck in uncomfortable chairs for hours on end.

In the end, the four of us decided to formalize our relationship by forming a new redevelopment company, Hermit Haus Redevelopment. The name was Carol’s idea based on the fact that I am so much a hermit. We also decided to sign up for the full package of Fortunebuilder training, including joining their “Inner Circle,” which is supposed to grant us better access to the big dogs. We’ll see….

The main thing I’m looking forward to is learning how to systematize everything. I’ve worked myself into a full-time job as a real estate investor. Hopefully, the systems will enable me to offload some of what has been eating all my time. But honestly, I’ve always been better at developing systems than following them.

 

Doggy Progress

“Look, Daddy! I’m hiding. You can’t see me.” [Okay, so not all the cabinet doors are on yet.]

Rose wants “that puppy” to leave her alone, but he’s persistent.

Rose is getting more accepting of Brody. When he first arrived, she acted as if she were terrified of him. This is strange because she adopted Stella as one of her own puppies and loved her accordingly. Suna thinks the trauma of being involved in Stella’s tragedy affected Rose deeply.

Backstory

Stella and Rose were playing. Stella’s collar got caught on Rose’s jaw. Stella panicked and flipped in an effort to get away, turning the collar into a tourniquet around her neck. She suffocated before Suna could get her free.

We have since learned that this type of death is not uncommon in the blue heeler community. Hence I will not let a dog wear a collar again. Halters are much safer.

Progress of a Kind

But while she still won’t play with Brody, Rose at least acknowledges him now. That’s progress of a kind.

 

Ranch House Update

Suna couldn’t wait to show me this racoon print in the mud. They do love water, and we do live in the country. “This strange creature has engulfed Daddy’s foot. Must. Get. It. Off.”

The cabinet doors really dress up the kitchen—that and cleaning it. Now all we need is glass for the center doors. Raul continues to make progress rocking the house. While everyone else was working, I moved dirt around. We have a lot of dirt.

This house isn’t indicative of my wealth. This house is my wealth.

—Danny Thomas [and me]

We continue making slow progress on the ranch house. Ruben continues his contractory behaviors of not showing up when he says he’s going to, but he does eventually show up.

I’m beginning to think that paying as we go on this house was a mistake. It makes mid-steam changes too easy. It also makes tracking time and expenditures to the original budget difficult, if not nearly impossible.

I know what Danny Thomas felt like when he talked on The Tonight Show about a fancy house he had built. He said, “This house isn’t indicative of my wealth. This house is my wealth.” The ranch house is quickly consuming resources to the point where that’s a true statement.

The cabinet doors are now all in. Ruben has been tying up loose ends and touch ups. Raul continues working on the rock. We’ve cleaned up a lot of the construction debris. We put all of the excess drywall where I will haul in a few loads of road base to make the driveway circular—it’s gypsum, after all. And finally, I’ve been moving dirt around to level the yard and ease the slope off the back porch.

 

Girls Love Horses

“Hey! Where’s my cuddles?” Photo by: Suna

Pardner and Elizabeth Photo by: Suna

Why? Tell me why?

Oh why? Do girls love horses?

—Adam Ant

Our friend Elizabeth came to visit. Suna took her to see the horses, of course. Nobody really comes to see me. They come to see Suna and the horses. That’s okay. I’m really a hermit at heart.

Elizabeth and Spice got on so well they made Apache jealous—not that it’s that difficult. But in the end, horse cuddles make everything better, except maybe chocolate.

 

Muscles Where?

What is it about dogs and tissues. I’ve never seen a dog who isn’t fascinated by reducing paper to a thousand small pieces.

Raul has to pick up each rock between two and four times. We bought 192 tons for the house.

Despite the August heat, Raul has been working very hard to skin the first floor in rock. First, he moves a selection of rocks into his work area. Then he picks them out, one by one, until he finds the right one for the spot, shaping it as needed by beating it with a mason’s hammer. Finally, he mortars the spot and places the rock. Next rock.

That means he’s going to pick up up to 192 tons of rock at least twice. Much of it, he’ll pick up four times as he lifts it up to the scaffolding he stands on to get to the top of the wall.

Raul is the only worker our neighbor Ralph respects. Ralph watch him work for a half hour or so. Then he said in his inimical Australian way, “That man must have muscles in his shit.”

 

It’s Freakin’ Hot

The grass is turning crunchy and brown. Photo by: Suna

Brody is learning how to negotiate the stairs. Photo by: Suna

She patrols that fence of his

To a Latin drum

And the hissing of summer lawns

—John Guerin and Joni Mitchell

It’s freakin’ hot outside—more than 100^°F. The grass has turned its summer brown. When we go for walks, we experience the crunching of summer lawns.

With it being this hot, of course it’s time to start some really difficult outside work. The sand and mortar mix have been delivered, so Raul can start putting the stone on the side of the house. It’s really getting close to being finished.

But we’re enjoying the porch now that we’ve cleaned it up. Suna says even with the heat, the front porch is fairly comfortable. In the late afternoon, we can sit on the front porch and enjoy the shade and the breeze. I’m glad we had the eaves insulted. That helps keep the heat off of us.

 

Brody Report

Brody found a new house.

“Daddy, there’s a ball under there.”

Brody has a new cuteness. He like to crawl under things. He’s also become very popular on Suna’s Facebook page.

 

Peachtree Update

Check out how much better the front of the house looks. The kitchen looks much better with the trash removed.

The updated stove looks good. The fireplace looks really good.

Suna, Brody, and I did a semifinal walkthrough at Peachtree today. I’m really pleased. It’s about time to put it on the market.

The kitchen looks clean and modern with the dishwasher, new cabinets, and the new sink positioned so you can look at the side of the neighbor’s house while doing dishes.

We also went for that modern look when we refaced the fireplace in the living room. The living room in the center of the house is and opens to the dining area. I believe it will make a really comfortable space to relax in.

But the best part may be the spa-like bathroom. We used a large format tile in a vertical orientation. We also put in a recessed area to put shampoo and the like.

 

The bathroom may be my favorite room in the house.