Big-Foot Randy's new Ponderosa

[Randy V]

Hi Guys,

Yes - I've not been spending much time on the forums as of late as I've been a bit on the busy side.

We've been working feverishly on renovating our 94 year old house in South Minneapolis. Like many old rust-bucket cars I've worked on, many times I thought it needed a stick of dynamite more than it needed anything else..

Well - during all this mess - the crime in my area has gone up substantially. Minneapolis is once again being hailed as Murderapolis and what was once a beautiful city with friendly people has been taken over by people that have no interest in becoming citizens, but would rather rob you or worse. You can stand out on my back steps on a Friday or Saturday night and hear the pop. pop. pop-pop-pop. And maybe 15 minutes later you hear the sirens wailing...

My neighborhood is actually still pretty nice and well cared for - but the cockroaches of the human race are gaining ground fast and are only a mile or so away.

So - it was time. We're still not done with the renovation of the old house, but bought a new (well newer) house with a nice sized shop in the back yard. I've a bit over 5/8 of an acre of lawn for the wife to mow now and one heckuva long driveway.

Pictures;

It's a custom built home that was done in 2003. Very very nice all the way around and my wife's dream house...

See what's peeking from around back?

okay - so it's not HUGE like some of the Garage-ma-halls I've seen around here but it's bigger and better than what I have today and should be big enough / tall enough for a lift. It has 11' ceilings and is totally finished. 32x32

I plan on paving with blacktop the 150' driveway so it will be easier to plow out in the winter. With the 3 car attached garage, my wife will be able to park her car indoors for the first time in 35 years we've been married.

The house is in a little town about an hour south of the Twin Cities called Kenyon.

So I just thought I would share this with you guys in case you were wondering where I'd gotten off to....

 

[Mesa]

Congrats Randy! :2thumbsup:
One thing though....the foundation seems a bit suspect. The back half of the house is half sunk into the tundra. :shrug:

 

[Steve]

Randy,

I'm in Stillwater. Thinkin' about an SL-C one of these days. Would love to touch base and check out your RCR-40.

Steve

 

[Jim Craik]

Randy,

Congratulations, that's a great looking house!

Boy you grow some awesome grass around there.

 

[Jack]

Congrats Randy, you'll fill that garage in no time at all!

 

[Dave Lindemann]

Randy -

I'm so happy for you and your wife! Small town life has a lot to offer - I highly recommend it. The shop building at your new place looks fantastic! It is really sad what is happening to parts of Minneapolis...and I'm sure other large cities across the US.

You, Dave and I need to get together when the Europa body is finished. I can't thank you enough for putting me in touch with Carriage House - Dave is doing amazing work. If he'll take it he'll be dong my SLC as well.

Talk to you soon....

Dave L

 

[Wally]

Congratulations Randy, Look-in Good :thumbsup:


Congrats Randy! :2thumbsup:
One thing though....the foundation seems a bit suspect. The back half of the house is half sunk into the tundra. :shrug:


More worried about walking out the back door, Someone stole your deck. ( and this is a better neighborhood ???) :laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:
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[Pete McCluskey.]

Congrats Randy a really nice looking house, but a three car garage is not enough.

 

[Eric Johnson]

Super nice garage you got Randy. It even came with a house to boot

 

[Randy V]

First off - Thank you fellas... I think we will be very happy here. My wife will be commuting daily - I will be doing the commute maybe 1 day a week with her and then working out of my home office..

Congrats Randy! :2thumbsup:
One thing though....the foundation seems a bit suspect. The back half of the house is half sunk into the tundra. :shrug:

Ya know - I was a bit worried about that too - but there's less chance of a leak into the basement that way!

Randy,
I'm in Stillwater. Thinkin' about an SL-C one of these days. Would love to touch base and check out your RCR-40.
Steve

HI Steve, welcome to GT40s.. I'd love to show you the GT40 sometime and talk about RCRs.. Send me a PM and we can hook up.

Randy,

Congratulations, that's a great looking house!
Boy you grow some awesome grass around there.

It's a beautiful yard as yards go. I just bought a new 22hp Toro Zero Turn mower for my wife to keep it well trimmed as well.. All jokes aside - that little job is hers.. :thumbsup:

Congrats Randy, you'll fill that garage in no time at all!

Oh I am fully aware of that.. Yes, the amount of "stuff" that I have will already fill both the shop out back as well as the garage!

Randy -

I'm so happy for you and your wife! Small town life has a lot to offer - I highly recommend it. The shop building at your new place looks fantastic! It is really sad what is happening to parts of Minneapolis...and I'm sure other large cities across the US.

You, Dave and I need to get together when the Europa body is finished. I can't thank you enough for putting me in touch with Carriage House - Dave is doing amazing work. If he'll take it he'll be dong my SLC as well.

Talk to you soon....
Dave L

Hi Dave,
Kenyon has a population of only 1600 people. I think that will be *perfect*..
Yes, the Europa is coming along nicely.. The poor little car has had less than a charmed life before coming to Carriage House. I'm sure it will be a car that you'll be very proud to own. The SL-C :: I'm certain that something can be worked out there too... Maybe this winter? Lets get together and make some plans!

Congratulations Randy, Look-in Good :thumbsup:
Congrats Randy! :2thumbsup:
One thing though....the foundation seems a bit suspect. The back half of the house is half sunk into the tundra. :shrug:

More worried about walking out the back door, Someone stole your deck. ( and this is a better neighborhood ???) :laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:
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Ah yes - the missing deck. The couple that owned the house before us had planned on building it but the times being what they are, they had to put that off. Just as well though - we plan on excavating the back yard up to that window below the deck and installing a door there. This will make it a walk-out basement. From there, the new deck will be built and an above ground pool will be installed in the back yard. I see those as a couple of years out though...

Congrats Randy a really nice looking house, but a three car garage is not enough.

Thanks Pete.. Did you miss the part about the rather large shed in the back yard? But yes, I will have to rotate some of my vehicles around a bit.. The important thing is that she will now be able to park her car indoors..

 

[Doc Kaler]

Very nice Randy! Plenty of room in the house, nice sized shop out back. Work from home in your "PJ's"....Uh, getting that image out of my head......:laugh:

 

[Dalton Veitch]

Well done Randy. Lots of space on that front drive to show off some fast machinery. And looks like there are sliding doors and provision for a deck at the back.

Oh, and speaking of the crime rate, let us know when you're on holiday and I'll send some of the boys around to check out your garage.

 

[Mark]

Nice Randy. Don't forget to put up some pics when the lift goes in! Enjoy.

 

[Graham]

Well done Randy - Couldn't happen to a nicer bloke. I wish you all the
best in your new home :thumbsup:

 

[Mesa]

"It's a beautiful yard as yards go. I just bought a new 22hp Toro Zero Turn mower for my wife to keep it well trimmed as well.. All jokes aside - that little job is hers.."

My insurance executive aunt has a unique stress relief method...She pulls out the ride-on mover and has a go for a few hours. Of course the drink in one hand probably helps too, not so sure she is following company guidelines with that one....

 

[Jack]

Grass cutting and window washing were conditions of marriage!

 

[Damian]

Congrats!!!!

 

[Randy V]

Guys thank you so much for the congratz and well wishes.....

Doc - I am in my PJs at 5:30 AM with a cup of coffee and reading emails on my Office computer. It goes like that for about 45 minutes - then Shower & Shave, then fully dressed and my first meeting of the day typically starts at 7 AM and the last standing daily meeting of the day starts 12 hours later. Of course there are those that go well into the evening.
There are huge benefits in working remotely in terms of commute time and I wear suits only on rare occasions even when working in my office downtown. Then there is the fact that when working remotely, it makes it very hard to "turn it off"...

Molleur - I do the windows and help clean, but with my allergies to the grasses - that's squarely in her domain of duties. Of course I do all the service work on vehicles, repairs around the home, you name it... Cooking is something I am just plain bad at...

Mesa - There's a drink holder on this rider... I'm certain that it will have a wine-cooler parked in it from time to time..

Mark - There will be a lift eventually and yes PICTURES!!

Dalton - There are a number of fellows in the area with nice cars.. Every year, there is a Rose Festival there in town and a car show. There's easily 75-100 cars that show up.. I hope that my GT40 will be in that show someday!

 

[Kevin L]

Best of luck, I am garage envious. Hope you can unload the place in S. Minni.

Too bad your experience in South Minni is turning out like that, I loved working in that town; usually filled with great people.

Kevin