January 11, 2008, Canyon Lake Texas

Many blessings come my way as a result of owning the ranch.  The big things are well known and well documented, but the extra benefits are often overlooked.

Had we not purchased the ranch in 2001 we would never have met Lorin and Royce Anne Baethge, friends who live outside of Fredericksburg.  At settlement,  I asked the seller,Mary O'Sullivan all about the building of their home, and she told me the story.  The builder and his son built the house , designed by the O'Sullivans  and was completed in 1982.  They lived their until Pete O'Sullivan died in 2000,when Mary moved to be near her children in Bay City, Texas.  I asked for the name and numbers of the builder.

Lorin worked with his father in the building trade, Lorin living in Harper and his father in Doss. I contacted the number, as we were wanting to do some minor changes to the kitchen.  Lorin's father is no longer able to work, but Lorin and his wife Royce Anne came out to see us on a Saturday night, the first weekend we spent at the ranch with David and Suzanne and the girls.  The twins were just a few months old, and I remember that Royce Anne helped to amuse the twins while we did our business.  So Lorin worked on the old house and painted the old house and out buildings.  And He did a very good job.  He told us right off the bat that he was not  speedy but he was thorough.  We were happy.

The ranch house has no good views, and is too small if we are all together.  So Ken and I decided to build a house on the top of the property, where all the views are spectacular.  In one direction the water flows to the Pedernales River, and in the other direction it flows to the Blanco River.  And we designed a very selfish house.  One room on each floor  with porches both front and back and on two levels.  Lorin built it and it is spectacular.  Over the course of one year you get to know your builder very well.  When all was said and done, the punch list had nothing on it.  Everything done properly.  Everything in order and complete.  By the end we were fast friends.

On Tuesday, they invited us to their home in Fredericksburg.  They moved 2 years ago to renovate  Royce Anne's grand parents property.  While the renovation is going on, remember he works as a builder all day so renovates weekends and evenings, they live in an apartment that Lorin built at the back of his very large metal workshop.  When they move into the renovated home, the apartment will work as a guest room, and perhaps will work for Royce Anne's parents, who now live on the property.  The property has 278 acres, where they keep cattle and horses.  It's a great story.  The apartment is large and lovely, the renovations are moving along, and we were delighted to enjoy the most wonderful meal together.

So one of the benefits of owning country property is having dinner with our friends Lorin and Royce Baethge.