Quit my professional career to move to NC with my girlfriend to restore a 150 year old southern mansion.
And I miss my dog.
Unfortunately, today was the last day I got to spend with my sweet Olive. She had had a nice walk yesterday and today, got to feast on wet food, but the ticking time bomb of a vascular spleen tumor determined that this was the week to let go. She was a good girl, even when she wasn't. A pic of her was the price I paid for letting me vent/rant here. 
Hug your furry friends tonite.
so yesterday was my last day at work. i was an orthopedic physician assistant for the last 16 years and voluntarily left my job in order for a major life change of restoring the old NC mansion, mentioned in previous posts (OPPOhouseolpnik.
feels strange, although i'm not sure what i was expecting to feel. i was planning to retire from medicine in another 3 years or so, as it has become less and less fun, especially recently. when my anxiety takes over, i think i'm an idiot for leaving a good paying job that wasn't terrible. but down deep, waiting to surface, is excitement about a complete change in everything about my life.
some of the vehicle projects i've been ignoring for years are liquidated. met with realtor team yesterday and my house is likely to be listed soon for WAY more than i even thought was possible.
now to get more serious about packing up my life into a truck to begin the next great adventure.
i guess it's on to retirement- which in my case means 10-12 hour days in home restoration for the next year or so
The little Ghia is the only of my collector cars to not fall to the for sale axe, and will get dragged out east after I leave. Today I drove to my GF's parents place where their friend will eventually take it east.
The carbs are finally somewhat sorted after a rebuild last year and some fresh ETOH-free gas. Got it on the road for the 30 minute drive over all the while wondering what was going to fail. After about 15 minutes, it started to be fun. Oh, finally to drive one of the cars I've spent more time working on than using. Woohoo!
first time ever getting a pic of a bobcat. this one was inside my fence about 15 feet from my door, then made its way to the fence and out. would have loved to have a real camera at the time, but would have missed the chance for sure to capture the pic.
so big changes afoot. my girlfriend and i are scheduled to close next week on a tired and old, but stately southern mansion next week.
it is 5000sq ft of fixer upper (mild understatement!)
so sometime in the next few months will be relocating from Colorado mountains to the eastern flats of North Carolina.
Time to stop collecting auto/moto projects and start to liquidate.
likely to soon sell my yellow 95 mustang gt convertible manual trans
my running but rusty 1971 Chevy K10 longbed with dry rot tires
2007 Bimmer 335xi
, 1981 bmw e12 528i manual trans running and stopping but trailer would be best
, 1957 ford f100 non runner, 2002 yamaha R6, 1996 yamaha seca2 non runner.
will likely make a swappo post soon, so be on the lookout for that. if any of these tickle your tingly parts, let me know.
and moderators @Curators , if you feel this is too close to a "for sale" list after a big news announcement, do what you feel is best.
Spent last week out east in NC at the 150 year old fixer upper house we've bought.
Demo in the kitchen underway, and damn $50 per sheet of 4x8 plywood floor!
And the cheap RV camper we bought to live in temporarily leaks from the roof after seller told us the roof was just relocated.
Wood rot and termite damage on one wall is next.
And some windows are becoming operable after decades of painted and sealed shut.
If you want, you can follow the rebuild on Instagrams at Kirby_Robinson_house
my earlier post about the fixer upper mansion we are scheduled to close on next week appears to interest a few of you so this listing link shows it in all of its tired glory.
Save this house
no we aren't paying 199k. yes we have seen it in person and have a good idea about how much work is involved. my GF used to reno and flip houses with her ex and has many more skills than average. and she has always wanted to do something like this
@CarsOfFortLangley 
as a few of my previous posts have detailed, i now live in a 150 year old slightly decrepit NC money pit.
The E12 is off to a new home, after years of mild neglect in my garage. New owner is super stoked. I drove it down my driveway to his rented trailer, which is the most I've driven it since I've owned it. Can I keep my OPPO card since I'm sending it to a good home?
Been working away on the old NC mansion my GF and I bought, (Kirby_robinson_house on IG if you want to see more) and reached a milestone yesterday- shower with hot water.
We had been battling the worst of the worst for the better part of 3 months- the rotten back wall with structural damage.
After waiting forever for the city inspection dept to approve the permit, and 2 visits from the structural engineers, we got to work. Did it ourselves after finding out the contractor quote was starting at $30k for just the wall.
New block piers, supports, beams, framing up 25', plumbing, insulation (which needs it's own permit), exterior sheathing and fiberboard, exterior mounted instant hot water heaters. Natural gas hookup by a HVAC company and final inspection.
Woohoo! A hot shower in our own bathroom! No more trips to the gym locker room, or camp showers.
@khalbali you win 10 internet points today!
Having my first cup of coffee this morning and was still rubbing the sleep out of my eyes when I looked at the neighbors car on the street. I've seen this car every day for the last few months and know what it is but today all my brain saw was a Thunderbird SC shape.
Forgive the grainy potato pic, but anyone care to guess the car's true identity?
@Urambo-Tauro I don't think I need smell-o-vision for all those dead vermin in the headliner.
@Darkbrador my first bike almost 30 years ago was a stock 750 virago. Loved the low end grunt of a v-twin, and I found myself short shifting all the time. Have fun, looking forward to seeing you get it going
@Gabriella sorry to hear your lower extremity misfortunes. I always felt most sorry for my patients who had both arms in casts as they got the pleasure of asking somebody else to wipe their bums. And the ambulance wheeled bed is called a gurney.
@Gabriella in just a few moments, I will resume reading Centennial by Michener. I haven't read a monster epic in a while, and this was on my list.
@tophercrowder I remember a t-shirt a long time ago- Welcome to Wyoming...where the men are men and the sheep are nervous.
@CarsOfFortLangley
as a few of my previous posts have detailed, i now live in a 150 year old slightly decrepit NC money pit.
This is not one of those. Exit wound in the driver's door of a Pontiac G8 at the local ABC store (north Carolina State run liquor store). 