507 Buffalo, Alexander, ND 58831

We hear that North Dakota winters are brutal with -30 temps and howing winds.  Many RV parks close.  The owner of our RV park has leased all his slots to Halliburton, who is bringing in 50 temporary housing units.  So, we decided to move out of the RV into a house..... 

After months of searching for winter housing we finally realized that we had come to a dead end road.  If the big companies don't have the entire apartment complex rented, the waiting lists are 200.  Anything listed in the paper was immediately rented to the first caller.  So, we decided that we would have to just buy a little house - then we started looking.  Anything in Williston (22 miles away) was terribly inflated.  A tiny old, old house that needed a total redo was $75,000 or more.  I put a "Wanted" poster in the Post Office at Alexander , population 300 (where the rv is parked) and ads in the paper.  One afternoon we were out walking and met a local man who was out walking his dog.  He stopped and said, "Are you the guy that wants to buy a house?  Well, come home with me".  Dave and Darlene were contemplating a move to Bismarck to be closer to children and doctors.  It was a 2 story with a full basement at a good price, and we decided it would work - but Darlene decided that she just wasn't ready to leave her home.  From then on Dave was on the search for us a house and pointed us in the direction of Gert's house.  Gert had passed a way a fews years ago and the family had finally decided to sell the house.  Now it's ours - but for the locals it will always be "Old Gert's" house -"She made the best chokecherry wine - did they leave any in the root cellar?" The 80 year old house is 800 square feet with one bedroom and a detached garage.  Here's a picture:

A hedge of lilac bushes (reminds me of my grandma) grow on all four sides of the lot and there's a nice rhubarb (mmmm) garden. The family left the appliances and much of the furniture.  Someone else gave us a garage full of furniture.  All we lack is a new mattress and a microwave. We feel so very blessed.

 Oh, the front part of the house was originally a chicken coop!  Reminds of the summers my cousin Linda and I cleaned out the chicken houses so we could play house (well, this one is a little cleaner!!!!!)  But I guess we are playing house!

 I'll be painting an cleaning like a mad woman for a few days, then we'll transfer all this stuff over.   I'll  post before and after pictures.  Sure wish I had some girlfriends here to help me!!