Grunge Garage

[Red Leader]

I am still not able to let go.

I can't bear to let most of this stuff go.

I still couldn't bear the thought.

This = big problem.

I've re-written this post about 4 times now. Bottom line:

You still cannot let go. You would rather buy and amass trash with money you don't have, not be able to flush a toilet, freeze to death in the winter, end up with a terrible disease from mold and mice feces and then just lose everything anyways when you get evicted. You would rather...

and 800+ posts into this thread and you still don't want to change. I could understand this thread if you started with the attitude of "I've got this big problem but I'm ready to do whatever it takes, right now", but that doesn't seem to be the case.

This thread: pointless? Bill you tell us. Please no more BS.

 

[Holedgr]

A beautiful weekend has come and passed. I have heard nothing. I have gotten a few pm's from select foks, though.

My wife and I have decided to focus our efforts on something other than Bill. There are other people who we can help (including ourselves) that need attention much more.

I have had alot of work come in this last week and I am now committed to it.

I am both sad and insulted at the same time. I am the closest thing to extreme home makeover Bill will ever see. I offered basement cleanup, debris haulaway, skidsteer and excavator work, A sewer line, a water line, plumbing work, masonary work, building of his garage slab and garage if we got to that point....

All for cost....

Wow... wish someone would offer me some help...

That being said....I am done...

For anyone sending me PM's...sorry I haven't responded...your response is here.

Anyone feeling angry at me or sad for Bill and still want to help, well that's your right to feel that way...but before people start to come down on me...go visit the house and speak with Bill...you'll understand that change must be forced upon him through his own inaction...Whether it be the loss of his home or his health.



"I found a horse wandering in the burbs...I took it to the river for a drink...it would not drink...I spoke to the horse to comfort it and got a pot to bring water to the horse's mouth....it would not drink...I finally jumped on the horses led it into the river...it would not drink...
I PULLED THE HORSES FACE INTO THE F*&N WATER....IT WOULD NOT DRINK...
I left the horse where I found it...


I am done people...I will NOT not respond to this thread anymore or any pm's..I really hope you understand my position here. I will not call out Bill either on a messload of Stuff that I probably should, but it's not my place to do so...I have NO sympathy for Bill.


-Tony

 

[Kevin54]

Sorry Tony but I know how you feel. I also sent you a PM this morning but I guess you can disregard it. I also understand about the horse and you have done what you done and now need to do.

Bill..........is this the way it is going to be? Driving friends away that want to help you, and want to help you help yourself? You were the one asking for help and it has been offered time and time again.

Maybe this thread just needs to be locked down and deleted. I don't know. I do know it has helped some others but I really don't think it has helped Bill at all. Here it is almost November. Bill could have had running water and heat by now and people could have worked in warm weather. No one wants to go out in the dead *** of winter and work in the cold if they can help it.

Bill.....I think the ball's in your court, Whatcha goin' to do with it?

 

[markviii]

My sincere thanks to you, Tony. And Brian, too. It's time for me to step back also. I've got personal stuff on my plate to attend to.

Bill, you and Julie know what needs to be done. Get to it. Good luck. (you can always email me if you need to)

Chris

 

[bczygan]

I just have a minute to respond. I appreciate everyone's offers to help. The drastic solutions were just too drastic. For this to be a permanent solution we (Julie and I ) must really do it ourselves. We need to change our way of thinking by changing our way of doing. This weekend we spent doing just that. She and I worked shoulder to shoulder with her going through her clothes and me clearing a way to the 2 metal closets in the spare bedroom. I emptied the closets and she went through those clothes as well. I disassembled and discarded 10 drawers from a long gone dresser and disposed of that and much other stuff from that room. She had 2 bags of clothes to discard. We filled 2 dumpsters. More importantly we are setting a pattern of organizing and caring for possessions, as well as the ability to let go of things not needed. No, it wasn't the primary goal of heat and water, but it was the important goal of getting us both involved together. She needed a taste of the success of doing it. She has been sick for the past few days and eating little but chicken soup, so for her to make this effort voluntarily with no cajoling, and for us to work in harmony is a big deal. Today I'm going to continue to clean out that room and make it an even more useful space for her. Then I will turn my attention to heat and water. Thank you to all who offered help. Your push really helped her get started as I read your posts to her. Fear on both our parts, that a horde would arrive and start tossing things, has got us moving. It will be slower, but sure progress. Looking around that bedroom I saw some things of value, fewer things I would keep and even fewer things that I have a specific use and place for. 40CY of stuff and almost all of it will go. I am happy that Tony and Brian will use their time and effort for their own families, but I will miss the chance of their help. The work will go on. I'll report less often as I'm going to be really busy for a while. Thank you again for your support.

Bill and Julie

 

[Phxphenom]

Good Luck Bill.....Good luck.

 

[98TJ]

This reads like a copy of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hoarder.

Bill, I hope you get your **** together. It's time to break the cycle.

I'll be checking in once in a while, but like I've said before, this is the one thread where I get frustrated (physically sick to my stomach) as I read it.

Best of luck.

 

[Bronson]

Geeze....

 

[70Chevy]

Tony made Bill one Hell of an offer - a couple of offers actually - crazy generous. Almost unbelievable.

I too would like to back out without having people come down on me. Some people are hard to help.

Prayers go to Bill and Julie.

 

[Phxphenom]

Not really sure what the point of this thread was.....

 

[dangle]

This guy has a mental illness. There is no amount of rationalization from others that will help him.

It's a lost cause to offer them help, etc. County codes/fines (even eviction) can't motivate him to clean up. The threat of illness/death can't motivate him to clean up.

He's not the only one with this problem... hoarding is well documented.

 

[JSBriggs]

My sincere thanks to you, Tony. And Brian, too.

X2

-Jeff

 

[moonpool145]

Not really sure what the point of this thread was.....

It may be hard to believe but I think that this thread has been very helpful, not only to Bill but others here as well. Day one of this thread, Bill was clearly in complete denial about his situation and disease. While its been hard to read, I think he has faced criticism he needed to hear long ago. Will it make a difference? God only knows but I surely hope so.

Progress has been agonizing slow, but maybe this is the first step. Bill, you have recieved a huge amount of positive thoughts and offers of support. I suggest you dont waste it.

Beyond that, it has been rewarding to see the people who care. I gave up on humanity long ago, maybe I was a tad premature.

 

[Ole_Red]

This reads like a copy of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hoarder.

Bill, I hope you get your **** together. It's time to break the cycle.

I'll be checking in once in a while, but like I've said before, this is the one thread where I get frustrated (physically sick to my stomach) as I read it.

Best of luck.

This.

 

[NWphotog]

It may be hard to believe but I think that this thread has been very helpful, not only to Bill but others here as well. Day one of this thread, Bill was clearly in complete denial about his situation and disease. While its been hard to read, I think he has faced criticism he needed to hear long ago. Will it make a difference? God only knows but I surely hope so.

Progress has been agonizing slow, but maybe this is the first step. Bill, you have recieved a huge amount of positive thoughts and offers of support. I suggest you dont waste it.

Beyond that, it has been rewarding to see the people who care. I gave up on humanity long ago, maybe I was a tad premature.

Great post and a huge thank you to Tony and 70Chevy. Both of you put yourself out there even if the offers weren't accepted. I can understand Bill's inability to give up control even if it isn't logical. Is there no way to organize a group to empty the basement only? I know that is only a part but it may be the push that would start the ball really rolling. Just a thought.

 

[Bull]

We filled 2 dumpsters.

Fear on both our parts, that a horde would arrive and start tossing things, has got us moving.

Bill and Julie

Bill, those are trash cans, not dumpsters. There is a distinction, and it matters, since one is a half-measure and the other is a serious measure. Confucius called for a "rectification of the names" by which he meant language, so let's call things what they are.

Also, what you feared is, sadly, exactly what needs to happen: a horde of people needs to come in and throw stuff out.

My house is 62 degrees in the winter to save on heat, and often cluttered with stuff from my child. It frustrates the hell out of me. I cannot fathom how you live as you do.

 

[rickairmedic]

I have watched several episodes of Hoarders including one with a 16YO girl . The rest of the house she lived in was picture perfect . Her room on the other hand topped anything I have seen from any teenager to include a bridge she had come up with using a piece of 2X6 or similar . Even at her young age she had it badly and was extremely against getting rid of her stuff . She had even collectedc stuff from other areas of the house and put it in her room . I have never seen an episode where the person involved said yeah go ahead and take it all . I even saw an episode where the county took a guys children from him due to the conditions and even that barely motivated him to move and they were his life according to him.

Bill and Julie have a mental illness that none of us are going to fix for them . They both need help we cannot offer other than encouragement to keep moving forward . I know it drives those of us without this illness nuts to watch this saga unfold .

Yes those of us with a semi normal functioning thought process would have taken Tony up on his offer in a heartbeat . Heck Tony if you get bored come down to Louisville .

I think it would do many of the folks who have gotten agravated with Bill to watch a few episodes of that show in order to see in so called real time exactly what he is dealing with . I will still come back here and offer Bil encouragement and can only hope that He and Julie get the counseling that they both need to get through this as without it no amount of us telling them how stupid they are is going to make a major dent in the problem . What everyone needs to understand is they are not stupid they are both very inteligent adults who both just happen to have a mental illness that has braught them to where they are now . Without treatment they wil still have this illness .

I can only hope for them that most of us dont abandon them and continue to encourage them to keep moving forward . They both have their hearts in the right place but their heads are still sick therefore they are doing what they can do .

I for one am proud of Bill for doing what he has done so far without any counseling .

Bill I will not bring religion into this other than to say maybe sitting down and talking with a local preacher to see if there are any programs available in your area that could help the 2 of you I would encourage this as it cant hurt and there may just be a program available that doesnt cost alot of money .

I will continue to come in here and ask Bill how he is doing and encourage him to keep going and hope that he and Julie get the help that none of us can offer .


Rick

 

[flybefree]

Well said Rick...well said.

Shaun

 

[bczygan]

It may be hard to believe but I think that this thread has been very helpful, not only to Bill but others here as well. Day one of this thread, Bill was clearly in complete denial about his situation and disease. While its been hard to read, I think he has faced criticism he needed to hear long ago. Will it make a difference? God only knows but I surely hope so.

Progress has been agonizing slow, but maybe this is the first step. Bill, you have recieved a huge amount of positive thoughts and offers of support. I suggest you dont waste it.

Beyond that, it has been rewarding to see the people who care. I gave up on humanity long ago, maybe I was a tad premature.

If people would read my last post, you will see Julie and I are starting to make steady progress Together. In addition, today she said she has been reading up on hoarding online at work. That really surprised me! This progress is a direct result of this thread. I will post photos as we go along. A lot of credit goes to Tony and Brian for helping me see what I needed to do. We will accomplish those goals they laid out and you will see it here step by step. This is not finished, but certainly it is begun.

 

[rickairmedic]

Bill I read your last post and am Thrilled that you have goten Julie involved . I wil say again that you both still need help that none of us can offer and hope that Tony might keep some of his offer open for when the 2 of you are mentaly ready to accept it .

I will say again folks please dont get mad at Bill for not jumping at Tony's offer as he is not mentaly ready for such a drastic change .


Rick

 

[slickgt1]

********. After all this up and down emotion, I am now fully convinced, that this thread was started to get assurance and encouragement for a couple that know they have a problem, and want a pat on the back for the minimal effort they put into solving the problem.

Throwing out two trash cans of stuff, is nothing. Oh yeah, they are trash cans, you need to call them that. As Bull stated, you calling them dumpsters seems to make you think you dumped a lot. I put out two trash cans every 3 days of regular house hold stuff.

You are fools that think you can put out some minor ****, and organize your valuables. You have trash. You really do. If it is not something that you can use right now, it is trash. If you haven't seen something for more than a month, they you don't need it, and its trash. That applies to your house. You have not seen it for much longer than a month, guess what, trash.

Don't worry though. In little while, the government is going to come to take your house away. A couple of inspectors are going to show up, and condemn that trash pile. Guess what will happen to all your trash, it won't be yours anymore.

No worries take your time.

You are a fool for passing up on such help. I for one, would not even bother to step in there. Yea, I can send money, or help in other ways, but I wouldn't walk in there. The fear of me falling through some rotted floor, or a wall collapsing on me, or your **** collapsing on me, or bringing home some nasty *** bacteria from your rats, that alone is enough for me to be glad of the miles between us.

I'm not sorry for telling you this. I am sure you heard it before. Whatever you are doing by yourself, is accomplishing nothing fast. You both are slowly killing yourselves, painfully, with your sheer lack of willpower.

Russian saying. "If the brain don't work, the body will suffer". Take a long hard look at yourselves. Your bodies are failing you. Do you really think you can keep taking out a trash can at a time?

Really, a damn Ultra Light? Really? Green house, lumber, lathes? Even if you ever manage to do something other than survive, it will take you 30 years to get enough space back to even have room to build anything at your current pace.

 

[markviii]

I agree with Rick who summed it up well (slickgt1 beat me to the enter key). Julie seems to be beginning to get to the point where Bill was when he started this thread. It's an excellent step in the right direction that she is willing to work together with Bill to solve their problems (well, at least the messes in the house). The forward momentum hinges on this.

It seems that Julie holds the purse strings, so her coming on board is a huge positive. I hope Julie is feeling well enough to go back to work to make this possible. Make a list together so you can check on each others progress at the end of each day. Since Julie's working all day, so should you, Bill. Take it one step at a time. Keep up the forward momentum.

(Did you check on those "bagsters" from Home Depot that I mentioned earlier? They may be much bigger than your trash cans and can be picked up at your home. I checked your zip code and you're in the service area.
http://www.thebagster.com/Collection_Fees.aspx
Please pursue this.)

Chris

 

[NWphotog]

I agree with Rick who summed it up well (slickgt1 beat me to the enter key). Julie seems to be beginning to get to the point where Bill was when he started this thread. It's an excellent step in the right direction that she is willing to work together with Bill to solve their problems (well, at least the messes in the house). The forward momentum hinges on this.

It seems that Julie holds the purse strings, so her coming on board is a huge positive. I hope Julie is feeling well enough to go back to work to make this possible. Make a list together so you can check on each others progress at the end of each day. Since Julie's working all day, so should you, Bill. Take it one step at a time. Keep up the forward momentum.

(Did you check on those "bagsters" from Home Depot that I mentioned earlier? They're much bigger than your trash cans and can be picked up at your home. I checked your zip code and you're in the service area. Please pursue this.)

Chris

x3. Chris and Rick are right on target.

 

[jeffmoss26]

This whole thing just makes me sad.

 

[markviii]

Me, too, but it's in my nature to help people work toward a positive outcome for themselves.

Chris

 

[Phxphenom]

I'm not sure you are helping them......

Me, too, but it's in my nature to help people work toward a positive outcome for themselves.

Chris

 

[novaboy009]

This is my first post on GJ, but a long time lurker.

This thread makes me go:

How can anyone live without running water and heat in November in Michigan? How can you deny an EXTREMELY generous offer from a man that would essentially click the "reset" button on the hazardous, disgusting and trash filled disaster area known as your home. I get it, you have a mental illness. IT WILL BE BELOW ZERO DEGREES IN ABOUT A MONTH. Get off your *** and fix it! I feel physically ill when I read some of this BS. Get R Done and stop moving your $hit around from room to room. 99% of it is scrap or trash and you won't miss the other 1% once it's gone.

Bill,

Go get help. Get heat. Get working plumbing. You're making me sick.

Kevin

 

[98TJ]

I knew better than the check this thread with a headache. I knew better.


Bill,

Three days ago you said you were going to get trash out of the kitchen.

Three days later, how does the kitchen look?

If Julie is seeing the light, focus your (combined) efforts and stop fawking around with this "little here, little there" ********. When you started this thread you said you wanted to clean but you've been moving things from point A to point B while filling a trash can or three.

Pick a room and get to work. I haven't seen the place, but I would suggest starting at a door where you have access to remove things from that point and work your way into the room.


You started this thread and gained support from many here. A couple of members even made generous offers to help - even after seeing the full condition of the house. While I haven't seen it, I know that hoarding can absolutely (aside from the health risks and issues) RUIN a structure.

Let's do a general run-down of issues aside from the myriad of things and trash that are packed into each room...

1. Leaking/collapsed sections of roof
2. Previously flooded basement - sewage
3. Animal feces/urine throughout the house
4. No heat
5. No water
6. Bill has dental issues that aren't being taken care of
7. Julie has health issues and won't see a doctor
8. CC debt - paying minimums
9. $6K in taxes due by end of February
10. Bill does not want to accept help
11. Winter is fast approaching
12. February is fast approaching

Realistically, Bill - based on your progress over the past two months - you will not have heat and water restored by winter if you want to act alone. That's going to make life extremely difficult - and dangerous - this winter. If you try to use a space heater you risk a fire and, honestly, you'd likely not make it out of your house if a fire were to start. Especially if you and Julie were asleep.

If you make it through winter - with or without heat/water - what's your plan for the looming $6K tax deadline? If you're paying minimums on the CC debt I don't see how you're going to "save", as you say, that amount of money between now and then.

If you want to see your world completely up-ended over the next four months keep doing what you're doing. Two months ago you wanted change. As of today not one room of the house is clean. Now Julie is where you were two months ago. Based on past performance, two months from now the two of you still won't have managed to clean a single room.

Two complete strangers offered to help you get what you expressed as your objective when you started this thread. You don't get offers like that every day.

Especially from total strangers.

As it stands, you live in a house surrounded by things you thought were important but, in reality, they serve no purpose that actually benefits you. At the same time all of those individual things you think are important are doing nothing more than literally destroying your house and ruining your health.

But it's not just the items in the house that are the issue. It's the people too.

You're in this situation because of decisions you and Julie have made and, when the time comes, I wonder if either of you will regret not accepting help when it was offered or if you'll feel like a helpless victim.


I've got a good story to tell about a house that was two doors away from where we live now. I say "was two doors away" because it was bulldozed due to the living conditions of the tenant.

I'll tell that story later. For now I'm going to go to the garage, have a beer, and try to relax while I organize my mess.

I really shouldn't have checked this thread with a fawkin' headache.


ARRRRGH!

 

[BlueSuedeShoe]

Bill, I congratulate you! It's hard to stand your man when so many people are trying to convince you of what's in their opinion best for you.
The first step to solving the problem is recognizing that you have one and that you want to do something about it. You and Julie now both mastered that first step. Thumbs up!
I'm very confident that the two of you will regain control of your lives again. And it's a nice thing to read that you and Julie are reconnecting more. Keep working on your relationship and you won't need your 'security blanket'-garbage anymore.

Maybe there is still a chance that Brian or Tony or whoever can lend you a hand in case you should feel overwhelmed at one time. I still think that you could use additional manpower at times. Not to tell you what to do but to carry stuff around .

A few weeks ago I stumbled over this fantastic blog. I really wanted to share it with you. Maybe once in a while (like once a week or so) you can read an entry. Just don't do it the way I did it and spend a whole night reading it all at once



To the helpers:
I know you offered your help with the best of intentions and that is very honorable. If it didn't take me thousands of dollars and weeks for visa-application, I would have done the same.
Unfortunately, what 'normal people' consider a solution of the problem is just a way of making it worse. It doesn't help to clean up a hoarder's house for him. It's never helped, in fact it's proven to be more than uneffective.
If you go ahead and say 'you don't know what's good for you, I'll throw everything away' it just increases the fear of losing control.

Maybe these Q & A can help understand the problems.


I'm also a bit confused: Why you are you mad at Bill again? Because he declined your offer? Because he didn't accept that you know better? Well he didn't follow my advice either, I'm not mad, so that can't be it.
It just surprised me that some people here even want the whole thread deleted just because Bill doesn't want any strangers to empty his house for him. Isn't that a little bit childish? If I can't have it my way, there will be no way at all...
Don't get me wrong, I do see dangers for him, his wife and of course the animals. And I hope he accepts help in certain things, like I wrote before. But I'm even more scared about all the other millions of hoarders out there that haven't made an effort to change like Bill has. He's one of the few who actually has a chance of getting his act together.

 

[427cobra]

Wow, I can not believe I read this whole thread. Frustrating and depressing at the same time. 98TJ could not have said it better myself. Through the entire thread the sound of get a roll off dumpster kept ringing in my ears because everyone said it, over and over and over again! You need to contact chuches in the area and ask for help. Do you have have friends in the neighborhood? Get a group of kids from a local school to volunteer to help. And for Godsake start selling everything to save your house and yourself. Start listing stuff on this board, Tools, garage stuff that you will never use. SELL IT, CLEAN UP Your Life.

 

[trbomax]

So,are the credit cards cut up ? Did you talk to a debt consolidator? What about the animals?

 

[Phxphenom]

Actions speak louder than words.

So,are the credit cards cut up ? Did you talk to a debt consolidator? What about the animals?

 

[PDR John]

Interesting, very interesting.



Good luck to all involved.

 

[Ole_Red]

Interesting, very interesting.



Good luck to all involved.

there are only 2

 

[98TJ]

The story from earlier...

I'm located in a cul-de-sac in our neighborhood. To our left is the "corner" house of our portion of the development. To the left of that house, outside the neighborhood (as standing on my front porch), is/was a small single story house on a nice lot. As we drove past the place we could see that the yard was cluttered with random stuff and the trees/hedges around the house were not maintained. I always assumed, based on the exterior, the interior also wasn't being maintained.

We had been having problems with stray cats in our neighborhood. They would get into trash, jump on the vehicles, use the flower beds as litter boxes, and fight and carry on all hours of the night. We thought there were just a handful of cats and thought we were seeing the same ones. They were obvious strays because every time you got near one it would haul ***. They always ran in the direction of that house. Stray cats. Not a problem. Air rifle should fix it.

Then the smell came in as the dew set in. It was horrid in the early evening and AM. You couldn't enjoy grilling, sitting outside at sunset, drinking beer around the fire pit, watching the kids get on the bus, or for early morning coffee.

It went on. The owner of the house in the corner was moving and tried selling the house. He couldn't. One of my other neighbors in the cul-de-sac - who was friends with the owner - decided to rent the place. It was after they moved in that they realized how bad the cat problem was. The smell was so bad that they finally placed a call to the local police department. Thought there might be a dead body there.

The article is no longer on the local paper's website, but the responding officer found the front door open and went through the door and found the floor was covered with, and I quote "feces". The article didn't specify if it was specifically feces or feces/urine, but it did say that the smell was so bad the officer went to his car for a mask. When the mask didn't help he called animal control.

Animal control arrived and ended up setting traps. They got 50+ cats the first two days. My neighbor, with a single trap, got over 20 over the next month and a half. Over that same time period animal control got another 20 or so. They were all feral cats and were being put down. I plinked a few with the air rifle. Well over 100 cats were removed/plinked from that house. And five dogs.

Now...the house.

When police/animal control saw the condition of the house the resident was immediately removed, they spread lime inside the house, boarded it up, taped the area off, and notified the lien holder of the condition of the residence.

It sat, boarded up, for about a month and a half before they came in and razed it.

The guy was living in that house and had two strokes in the month that the call went out about the smell. He left the door open for the cats to come and go as they pleased and they were using it as, basically, a nest. He said the cats were "pets" and they would "come and go as they please".

He was offered to have a trapping service come out for $137 every two days. They would trap as many animals as they could for that amount. He said he couldn't afford it but yet he was buying food for the animals.

Four months later...

The smell is gone, the house is gone, and I have no idea where the guy that lived there ended up. His wife died of health issues and he had been living in that house alone - except for his stuff and the feral cats that nested there.

In summary, I have no summary.

Just thought I'd put this out there.

 

[Kevin54]

If people would read my last post, you will see Julie and I are starting to make steady progress Together. In addition, today she said she has been reading up on hoarding online at work. That really surprised me! This progress is a direct result of this thread. I will post photos as we go along. A lot of credit goes to Tony and Brian for helping me see what I needed to do. We will accomplish those goals they laid out and you will see it here step by step. This is not finished, but certainly it is begun.

there are only 2

Ole Red.....There are only two that you know of.

Bill......Why have you decided that you and Julie are going to do it alone? Is it because Julie decided that she doesn't want someone else coming into the house and she said that you and her can do this? I have news for you Bill....YOU CAN'T. Plain and simple. You cannot do it no matter how hard you try. If you could, you would accept the offer of a roll-off container and you and Julie would bust your asses to get it filled. You would toss away almost every item in the basement first.

Let me ask you this, since the last drill press purchase you stated that you were proud that you steered Julie away from another camper and were not going to make any other purchases. Have you bought anything since then? And if so, why did a purchase take priority over a furnace repair and water/sewer repair?

And honestly Bill, why will you not seek out some professional help or at least accept some non professional help?

Do you honestly want to live in a place that has rats, mice, mold, trash. fire hazard, fall hazard, probably bugs, and whatever else?



The $6g tax bill coming up. What do you intend to do about it? If it is not paid the house will be foreclosed on and you will have to vacate. The house will go for Sheriffs Sale to satisfy back taxes. Do you plan on squatting there until they physically come and toss you out? Do you have family that will take the both of you, AND YOUR ANIMALS in? If not, then where do you go? Have you made any attempt to pay any on the taxes at all? And whether you have or haven't, why have you and Julie been buying up stuff when the taxes should be a priority? Make that a priority along with taxes and water.

Now, I'm not going to say this to embarrass you, but I'm asking this only out of concern.........[/B]How in the hell do you two shower or bathe? It's a known fact because you were the one that posted that you don't have running water and I know for a fact that other people have the same concern but are walking on eggshells in asking you questions. I'm not going to walk on eggshells. And if you are having sewer problems, please explain how that works with using the bathroom.

So you see Bill, you and Julie CANNOT DO THIS ALONE all for the fact is that neither one of you can understand where your priorities should be.

When I got divorced, my ex wife had two lawyers. Hers and mine. I lost everything except a little Dodge D50 that I owed a bunch on, and my clothes. Other than that, I lost every single thing that I had ever worked for. My house, furniture, appliances, everything. A few month before my new wife and I got together, she lived in a trailer and had a fire. She lost 100% of everything she ever worked for. We are both blue collar workers, didn't make a lot of money, but slowly built ourselves up to owning a house that we owe a little on and having some nice things. Neither one of us have any regrets as to what we lost, but because of losing things we take pride in what we now have and take care of what we have. I could probably afford a mill and lathe which both I would love to have, but right now other things take priority. No.1 priority is both of ours health. My wife has cancer and I am looking at surgery #6 on my shoulder in a few weeks. There will be medical bills that I will have to pay. Without our health we aren't going to have other things. No.2 priority is our house. We have some minor remodeling to do. To get off track a little, when I was divorced my wife got custody of our son. When he turned 18 he decided that he was going to move out and buy a house. He did that at 19 years old. At 22 him and I built his two car garage that he paid for. You see....when he moved out and bought a dump of a house, I told him that one of the things that he needed to do was put money into his house and fix it up. Next to money in the bank, your house is one of your best assets. You let your house run down, you might as well start burning $100 bills for shits and giggles. If your house is fixed up, your house can help pay for medical bills, your house can do lots of things for you as you can borrow against it IF you have the equity in it.

So you see Bill....your priorities are all wrong. You and Julie can't do it alone. If you would accept help, we can help. But don't ******** us with saying things that Julie is reading up on Hoarding, and you and Julie are tackling this together, and now, it is you and Julie moved this, and you and Julie tackled that. You aren't tackling anything. You don't have a plan, Julie doesn't have a plan. Plain and simple.

What are you going to do about the 6g's in taxes coming due. Do you have a plan for selling things to satisfy it? And if you are going to, when will it happen? Do you really think you can get things together and actually sell them? What about the Airstream? I imagine that you could get maybe two thousand out of it to the right person. That could be a quick sale and go towards taxes. Depending on condition you MIGHT be able to get $500 for the lathe and up to $1000 for the Bridgeport(s) if you haven't let them go to hell by sitting outside for all of this time. With just those items, your looking at maybe $3500 towards taxes. Start selling off all of the campers except the best one (keep it for yourself) At an average of $100 per camper you'd have maybe $1700. Let's round it off to $1500 and you are looking at $5000 now collected for taxes. Those are items that are just sitting and that you could put on CL in a matter of a few hours, then let the calls come in.

People were congratulating you for trying to get things done and going public, but now those same people are getting aggravated with you for just jerking them around. You would never had a better offer than what HoleDgr and Tony gave you and you seem to have blowed that deal.

So if just MAYBE they would offer again, or MAYBE if others would still make the offer for a roll-off or any other help, would you accept it and not back down, or make excuses, or not answer the phone, or just flat out brush the people off? Would you accept it, listen to the good advice, and act upon the advice? People are just telling you the things to make your life the way that you want it to be. The way you are living IS NOT THE WAY TO LIVE.

 

[Phxphenom]

Excellent post, Kevin. Now I will wait for BlueSuedeShoe to reply to what a great job Bill is doing and how we should not be so tough on him, blah blah blah.

I will tell you one thing....If Bill was a family member, I would not care two bits how he "felt" about losing some control until he had a safe place to live in with water, heat and free of mice, rats and roof/window leaks. I'd let him ***** about his feelings afterwards.....

 

[trbomax]

Bill,lets see some pics of the bp parts. What mod is it ? Lets have an online auction.I'll start the bidding sight unseen at $100 and I will pick it up. What other equipment do you have that can be turned int to tax $ ? Post it up and we can bid on it.

edit) heres another bonus. If I win the bp parts and if you post pics of the cut up cc's,I will pick up and deliver ,free. anything else that you auction off anywhere in the lp of michigan. My equipment trailer will handle 14000#,tilts and is winch equiped so its baisically self loading and unloading.

 

[kirk.g]

I have tried to resist posting on here again ,maybe its "obsessive compulsive" behavior.lol.......................But I remember back a few decades now,of staying in a bed and breakfast in the extreme north of Scotland a few miles south of Lands End.The bedroom was upstairs and the bedding must have been a foot thick.The place was freezing in the morning,it was late October.When we went downstairs the only place I could feel any heat was in the kitchen.So point being that the house had no central heat and that was not unusual at the time for many homes throughout the UK......As far as I know as recently as the mid 80,s half of the UK didnt have central heating...........So my point is if Bill wants to go without central heat then thats his business.He has gone at least one winter without it and survived........No water is inconvienient but he has a source(his neibhor) who he says doesnt mind giving him some.........There is no law that says you must have central heat and running water.Again its really Bill,s decision...........This thread has become almost like a gossip session.

 

[TrooperJoe73]

Careful! Ricairmedic likes to greet the new guys with a "STFU" if you are not saying something nice.

This is my first post on GJ, but a long time lurker.

This thread makes me go:

How can anyone live without running water and heat in November in Michigan? How can you deny an EXTREMELY generous offer from a man that would essentially click the "reset" button on the hazardous, disgusting and trash filled disaster area known as your home. I get it, you have a mental illness. IT WILL BE BELOW ZERO DEGREES IN ABOUT A MONTH. Get off your *** and fix it! I feel physically ill when I read some of this BS. Get R Done and stop moving your $hit around from room to room. 99% of it is scrap or trash and you won't miss the other 1% once it's gone.

Bill,

Go get help. Get heat. Get working plumbing. You're making me sick.

Kevin