This Weeks Interesting Products

    From time to time I try to let you know of interesting products I have come across in my travels and what I think of them.    Some are useful and some might not be for your own situation.

      PB2 is a ground peanut product.  It has 85% less fat than normal peanut butter products, and so for those of us watching fat and calories, this can be a welcome respite.    In the process of preparation, superior peanuts are slow roasted and pressed to remove the excess fat.  The product can then be reconstituted, even tablespoon by tablespoon if you wish by adding a one tablespoon of water to two tablespoons of PB2 powder.  It has much less sugar, than most peanut butter products do, and this makes it attractive to many of us.    My daughter, who has been a Type I (juvenile) diabetic since age 9 enjoys this.  We have also found that we can use it in cooking.  She also enjoys a little of it sprinkled on a no sugar frozen yogurt product also.

       I don't think this caught on as well as it could have, in part because it was embraced by the female weightlifting set. In my area they buy it all up and almost no one else knows of the product. This product has also been profiled and embraced on the "anni-sites".   Yes, there are websites on the internet which support and nurture those with anorexia nervosa who would like to remain that way, and bypass treatment entirely.
I used to get our PB2 at Wal-Mart, but mine will no longer be carrying it.  The "low carb as a life extension" set also tend to buy it by the caseload.

      For the moment, you can get it from amazon.com  or from the site below.


                     BUY:  Bell Plantation PB2 

You may also purchase direct from manufacturer:

http://www.bellplantation.com/

Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 2 Tbsp (12g) Servings per Container: 15
Ingredient	Amount	% Daily Value**
Calories	45
Fat Cal.	13
Total Fat	1.5g	2
Saturated Fat	0g	0
Trans Fat	0g
Cholesterol	<0.01mg	0
Sodium	94mg	4
Total Carbohydrates	5g	2
Fiber	2g	8
Sugars	1g
Protein	5g
Vitamin A		<1
Vitamin C		0
Calcium		<1
Iron		0
** Percent Daily Value is based on a 2000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. † Daily Value not established.

This product contains peanut proteins.

Ingredients:
Roasted peanuts, sugar and salt.

Manufacturer's Directions
Mix 2 tbsp. of PB2 with 1 tbsp. of water and stir until smooth. Prepare as needed.

   

      I am not sure how long an unopened jar really lasts as we consumed it more quickly than we had planned.  They also make a version of this product with chocolate added.  (Nature's most perfect food, in my slightly food deluded mind.)

                                       _________________________



     From this post you might get the idea that peanut butter is an important food here.  Well, with lots of adult sons and one adult daughter, we do snack between meals here, and peanut butter can be a useful tool in the arsenal.   They are also fond of peanut butter cookies.


      This is a peanut butter product which is certain to be safe for storage, perhaps for as long as 20-25 years.  Once opened, it should be consumed within one year.

This is the #10 huge can.  This was the clearest pic I could find online.

This is also sold in a smaller container.

     

        Provident Pantry sells a #10 can (industrial) and smaller "everyday sized" can of peanut butter powder.
This product is not the same as the one above, but it is delicious also, and it can definitely be stored unopened for years for emergencies.

        The ingredients of this product include only peanuts.  There is no added hydrogenated oil or sugar.  To reconstitute, add 2 tablespoons of water to one tablespoon of product.  This is especially helpful when you
wish to add the taste of peanuts, for perhaps a stir fry dish or a smoothie.


     This is where you can read about, and buy this product, which is also on sale:


       BUY.....Provident Pantry's Peanut Butter Powder.



            Between one product and the other, you should be able to find one that meets your needs.



    Note:  As I always indicate following a profile,   I have no personal financial interest in either of these products, but I wish I did.



UPDATE  :   March 25, 2014

I recently discovered that PB2 is also now available in a chocolate flavor.

A great addition to your emergency food storage or daily use for a healthier alternative to store bought brands. Provident Pantry® Peanut Butter Powder is processed and packaged for long term storage, so you can enjoy the delicious flavor of peanut butter now or in the years to come. Use as flavoring in baked goods, shakes, sandwiches, Asian dishes, dips, or any recipe that calls for peanut butter. This comfort food essential is a good source of protein without the added fat, sugar and carbohydrates commonly found in peanut butter. The only ingredient is peanuts without any hydrogenated oils, sugar, salt or preservatives. Use the powder as it is for a natural option or add sugar and vegetable oil for a sweeter and creamier peanut butter that is similar to what you buy at the store. Each can provides approximately 89 2-Tbsp servings. A good source of protein. - See more at: http://beprepared.com/peanut-butter-powder-44-oz.html?sc=GOOGLELA&oc=GOOGLELA&gclid=CPad9fLdqLwCFU7xOgodoWwATg#sthash.De1rRnir.dpuf

Steps to Solid Financial Footing

              

( Graphic:  blog.budgetpulse.com )

        There are lots of concerns that the United States will not be able to continue to pay its debt back.  Our federal government continues to borrow and yet the economy appears to deteriorate.  Many people have not been able to find jobs following extended periods of unemployment, and therefore they are no longer even counted on unemployment figures.  They live with relatives and they continue to collect food stamps, food bank services, unemployment, and then welfare.  Employers are closing. Others are shrinking their companies as much as they can to stay afloat.  If the US experiences an economic collapse, then the ripples of such will reverberate all over the world, and so these are unsure times for everyone.
                  
      The logical choice is for the federal government to slow spending.  They could stop new projects, or even take spending to 2007 levels.  Still, as much contact as I have with my Congressman, and our two Senators, they are not listening to me.  They continue to do as they wish, without listening to the growing numbers of their constituency who believe that spending should be reined in.
                      I don't like feeling powerless about this, and I'm sure most Americans don't either.  There is nothing more than this you and I can do, but we are still, at this moment, in charge of our own family finances.  These are some things you and your family might do in order to tighten your financial ships.

                Build a Financial Emergency Cushion

                    The single most important thing financial advisors tell us that is deficient in most families, is a cash cushion.   Families should have three to six months of bill money saved for emergencies.  Most of them believe that nothing else should happen before this is achieved.   A cash cushion for job losses and emergencies should exist before an emergency, before a vacation, before a new car is contemplated.  Most of us, (myself included for a large chunk of my young life) don't have this, because we think, "If I waited until I had three months saved, I would never have had children, never have bought anything !"   The reality is that three months CAN be saved, but that six months will take some doing.  Perhaps the compromise is to save three months worth of bill money initially, and then gradually add to emergency savings until six months of bill savings is achieved.

                Build a Budget

                        Although everyone knows they should have some type of budget, very few actually do it, or know how.   A budget can be built by listing all your definite expenses on a monthly basis. (Things like mortgage, rent, insurance, recurrent bills, car payments,  electricity, food, phone, tc.      Then, add to it, your recurrent and additional expenses, like educational expenses, cable tv, clothing, entertainment, etc.    Take a hard look at what can be shaved.    Many US families are paying a mortgage insurance premium as part of their mortgage payment because when they bought the home, they did not have 20% equity.  After a few years, many families could have an appraisal done, and drop this mortgage insurance premium, as it may comprise $100-$300. of the mortgage payment.  This money could be saved !    Homeowner's insurance has risen sharply, but you may wish to speak with some other companies.  Make sure you are comparing the same level of homeowner's insurance, but Nationwide might cut you a break over another company.  Geico might save you some money.  Allstate may be a better deal for your personal situation.  Each year, evaluate whether you are paying too much homeowners of car insurance for your needs.   For entertainment, do you need to go to movies or would Netflix at eight dollars a month meet your needs ?    Create a workable budget and then stick to it.

            Save and Pay Yourself First

                    Create several bank accounts and then at work, have some money send to each when you are paid.  The concept of paying yourself first, even a little money, can help to ensure savings. Then live on the remainder of your paycheck.

             Explore Second Hand Sources

                     I have always been at least open to the idea of buying something lightly used.   In the past few years however, I have been shocked at how many excellent values can be found for very little money using second hand sources.   Craigslist allowed our daughter to furnish her entire home, including large appliances for very little money over about four months.  She has a lovely home now, and some of her appliances are better quality than the ones I have, and my home was custom built and had everything new !    Craigslist, second hand shops, Goodwill, Consignment shops, and Ebay all have excellent buys if you will take the time to carefully read and analyze the possibilities.  First, explore the possibility of getting something used, or perhaps purchased, and then never used.  People in the US relocate often for jobs, and this leaves them unloading everything from wedding presents to appliances, often things which were never used, but simply sat in closets. It would be new to you !

                Stock Food Ahead

                Use some sense as to how you purchase food.   You don't have to spend the gasoline and time to go to all the grocery stores and pick up all their weekly specials.  You might find that going to one store every two weeks and buying their specials makes sense, and then the second week going to another store for their specials.  Try to set aside enough storage in order to buy up things you actually use during a sale.  I stocked up on dog food recently.  I bought quite a few potatoes two weeks ago.  I don't use a lot of paper towels but I stocked up when I got some for 49 cents a roll, on special.   Set enough of your food budget aside for some emergency food.  Freeze dried food by mail may be smart, but if you are moving next year, then be careful how much of it you amass.

            Consider Precious Metals

                 It isn't wise to dump your retirement account in order to go out and buy gold, but financial advisors and planners believe that a diversified portfolio is the best way to protect everyone from all the ups and downs of life in the modern world.  Precious metals do belong in a diversified plan.
                 Gold is down at around $1200. an ounce.   This is still pretty pricey for most of us.   However a half an ounce gold coin of ingot might not be.  Make sure it is kept in a safe place.    Platinum is more than that, but holds its value, better than the dollar will.    Silver is presently only $20. a troy ounce, and is therefore a very good buy. It is presently cheaper than it's one troy ounce production cost, and this is unlikely to last long.   Palladium is another excellent precious metal. It ranges from $750-$800. per troy ounce.   Others are also beginning to buy copper ingots.   This is an excellent way to introduce children to the concepts of saving, money markets, and history.   I think that silver ounce coins are an excellent gift for young people.

           Pay Down Any Debt You Can

               It makes sense to divest yourself of anything you really don't need anymore, and to take that money and pay down any debt you might have.  This would certainly make sense in difficult economic times.


          Stay safe, make intelligent decisions and stick to them.  Find inexpensive ways to entertain yourself and your family, and stay prepared.

What is a Dental Crown and Why Are We Getting One ?

            

(Photo: www.eastvillagedental.com   Dr. Jeffrey Krantz )

       I have been fairly lucky in my life from a dental standpoint.   I did have braces when a young teen. I had all of my wisdom teeth surgically extracted when fairly young.  I had the extraction of four secondary teeth and two baby teeth as a teen, because my orthodontist assured me that I had a very small mouth, and inadequate space for so many fairly large teeth.  I have had my share of dental fillings, particularly in back teeth.

              A dental filling, whether amalgam (the ones which are silver in appearance) or polymer (the ones that appear white after the filling) are still a time limited proposition.   A filling is a repair, and some of them last a great many years, but generally from the time a tooth is filled, there is an incomplete barrier, and decay can form in and around the filling itself and necessitate a periodic drilling and removal of that filling, or cause the need for a more drastic and expensive intervention. This is why we are told to report every six months, so that more conservative interventions can be taken before restoration becomes a more expensive and a more arduous task for all of us.

              I have always had a pretty strong gag reflex and I don't much enjoy anyone poking around in my mouth.  In my twenties,  I had three of my four biological children and therefore I spent 36 months or so, pregnant with them.  While I was pregnant, my gag reflex and salivation were in absolute overdrive.  In the second pregnancy I simply decided that dental care would have to wait until afterward.   This fact and the hyperemesis gravidarum I endured during the first pregnancy resulted in some damage and decay to my top molars closest to the back of my mouth. I remember the dentist saying, as if it were yesterday, "I have filled both of these with a deep sedative filling and I lined them with calcium hydroxide.  It will either work, or you will lose both of those teeth."   I was quite pleased when those teeth did not bother me, and successive dentists simply ignored them.  Twenty-five years later, one of them began to ache. It ultimately split and the only reasonable alternative became extraction.  The following Spring, the identical thing happened to the one on the other side. 

            Now, thirty years after those initial fillings, I am losing back teeth to extraction.   This week, one of my filled molars broke a small bit, and so I made an immediate dental appointment.  My dentist saw me Saturday.  I had hoped that she could simply fill the broken region as the original filling was still intact.  She told me that in order to save this tooth, she needed to place a crown over the tooth.  I remember paying for crowns for two of my sons, and the process didn't seem too bad.  Their molars seem perfect now.   My dentist now takes days off during the week when the fewest people turn up, but she comes in for four hours or so, on Saturdays and on Sundays if someone needs something.

          So I saw the dentist yesterday, and today I was the first patient as we began the process of my molar getting a crown.

This is an inside view of two crowns.  This photo came from http://mansfielddental.info/dental-crowns/

  This is an excellent website for information on the types of crown available today.

         What is a Crown ?        A crown is exactly as it sounds.  The damage or decay from a tooth is drilled away, and the surface is readied for a tooth to be fitted and "glued" over the peg which remains.   Usually, the initial crown is a temporary one while the permanent one is constructed using a dental impression which the dentist obtained during the initial crowning visit.  After the crown is intact, ALL of the tooth concerned is covered.   This is also done sometimes in order to preserve a tooth which has a large filling.   This is a fairly expensive procedure, and this might be why this was not offered to me when I started to have quite a few back teeth with larger and larger fillings, as the initial fillings aged and required drilling out and replacement.


What Material Is Used to Make a Crown ?      A crown can be made from a number of substances.  Sometimes a white polymer is used, particularly on a temporary crown.    Sometimes ceramic is used to formulate a permanent crown.   Sometimes gold is used.   Silver and palladium are also used.  Often, a dental crown consists of ceramic AND a precious metal of some kind.


How Long Does a Crown Last ?     Dentists quote that a crown will last ten years.  In reality, crowns can last as many as fifty years, or the remainder of the patient's lifespan.  Most dental insurances, if you have this, will pay for crown replacement after only five years. Of course, I have never had dental insurance, and so I pay for all of it.


       Things to remember about a crown.

1. They ARE costly, but they can result in a long term fix for the tooth in question.
2. Typically, there are at least two dental visits for such a procedure.
3. A fair amount of the tooth is removed in order to use dental cement to bond the crown to the remaining tooth.  Of course such removal is permanent.


         

Rendering from:  www.auburnfamilydental.com

                 The above rendering demonstrates that the original tooth is amended to a peg of a variety of shapes, and a customized tooth crown which today, normally covers the entire remaining peg is cemented in place.   In order to get a customized tooth, during the first visit and impression of your tooth, that side of your mouth or your entire mouth is taken.  Often a dental lab off premises constructs the customized crown for your dentist to affix later.

Hackers Are Certainly on "Target"

             

Our Target has more of those stone balls outside.

 



          Recently, during a Linkedin conversation, the topic of Target came up.  I commented that I don't shop there any longer following an incident that happened there about two years ago.  Now, I notice that employees and executives at Target are reading my profile on Linkedin.   Sometimes,on the internet,  it's still surprising that some comments simply float into cyberspace, and that others are heard and receive reactions of some kind.

                 The Linkedin format only allows me a limited number of letters and spaces, so in all fairness to Target, and to myself, this is what happened in clearer and more detailed form.

                  Two years ago, I took my teen son  J. to Target.  He had asked to go to look for a particular video.  They didn't have it, but he found instead a DVD he would like to have bought instead.  I looked around, but didn't buy anything else that day.  When we went to the checkout and the DVD was scanned, the red clad young woman asked to see my driver's license.  I asked her why, and she told me that it was policy that to buy certain DVDs, they needed to make sure that I was over 17.   I laughed, because although I could pass for my early forties, there is no way that anyone would think I am any younger, and I don't care who is doing the make-up !   So, I opened my wallet.   She said,  "I need you to take it (the license) out".  So, I struggled for a moment removing the license from the windowed compartment in my then new, and stiff wallet. Then she quickly scanned it !  BEEP    "What did you do ?", I asked.   "I entered it in the system" she said.  "This is what we are required to do. It's policy ", she said knowingly.   "Cancel the transaction"  I said.   "I can't"  she said.  "Get your supervisor", I said.   I told the supervisor that due to security clearances for my husband's job, we make an effort to have tangible data, such as driver's license etc. kept off databases as a safeguard against identity theft.  Identity theft by the wrong person could endanger his job or at least some of his projects.  I also told her that I gave permission for their cashier to glance at my license to ascertain that I am not younger than 17 (which is ridiculous anyway)  I had absolutely not granted permission for my private data to be instantly entered into a Target database.  I told them I considered this an avenue for potential identity theft, and that they had stolen my private data without permission.   The manager came, and aided them in the cancellation of the transaction, and of the dumping of the associated data from their system.  We were lucky that morning that there were few people checking out and no one behind me.  My son was embarrassed that a simple purchase of a DVD had become "a big deal".  Needless to say, we had cancelled the purchase and he did not get the DVD.   I told him that we would purchase it later that day, on half.com and we did.  The Target staff did not apologize and they acted as if I had been difficult.

           Of course,  most of you know now that thieves hacked Target's database during the holiday season. Target admits that encrypted pin data was stolen from them for 40 million debit and credit cards which were entered into their system at that time.  Target admits that you should watch your statements for unusual activity in your accounts if you shopped with them between November 27, 2013 and December 15, 2013.  The breach has since been contained.

           A word to the wise, change your password.    In addition, consider changing your debit or credit card pin regularly anyway, particularly if you make internet purchases.

           Think before you blindly hard your data to any corporation.  Employees come and go. Who knows what access they have to credit card, driver's license or any other data. Who knows how they might use it ?
Even the grocery store discount cards show my address as a post office box I use for business, fifty miles from my home.



This is objective data regarding the Target Stores Data breaches:

 http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/u-s-world/ap-target-admits-encrypted-pin-numbers-stolen-during-credit-card-debit-card-security-breach


        http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/14/us-target-data-idtheftprotection-idUSBREA0D12M20140114    


          In Linkedin, I indicated that since the incident at Target, we had never shopped there again.   My exact words were that it wasn't the Jetsonian decor or the drab olives and browns in the housewares and clothing departments that prevents us from shopping there.  We used to shop quite a bit at Target.  It was the clear disregard for our personal information that left a bad taste in my mouth.  I wasn't being difficult that day.  By "policy", they snatched personal data on me without my permission simply because we planned to buy a tasteless teen DVD.    Aren't you glad Target doesn't sell ammunition ?

Why We All Need to Learn to Take a Nightly Pulse

              

Note that the person taking the pulse is not using their thumb.  Using the thumb could result in their taking their own pulse, and not accurately obtaining the pulse of the person they intend.

 
         Heart rhythm disturbances are a fairly common occurrence.   Occasionally, even healthy people who have diarrhea or vomiting, develop a fluid and electrolyte disturbance which results in a heart rhythm disturbance.    The most common type of rhythm disturbance is something called atrial fibrillation, which I have discussed here before.   I will provide the links to my prior posts on this subject, but today I wish to talk about proactive steps families can take to detect heart rhythm disturbances.

                    A sudden heart rhythm disturbance took the life of my youngest son Daniel at age 12 1/2, five years ago, at the beginning of the Christmas season.   He had been well with no prior medical history, and had a clean physical some weeks earlier.  In the last few years, an increasing number of children and teens have been collapsing and dying, often  at sporting events as a result of a spontaneous heart rhythm disturbance. (SADS)    Many of these children and teens, like Daniel, never had any symptoms prior to the event which took their lives.  This has also happened to professional soccer players and to both college and professional baseball and football players.  We cannot detect and intervene effectively enough to stop ALL of these deaths, but we can detect some rhythm disturbances, and if detected, we can seek treatment, and perhaps prevent the tragedy which has forever changed the configuration and the future of my own family.

Daniel would want you to know how to determine your own pulse, and to know how to determine whether it is regular or not.

                    ALL people, aged 12 and older should be taught to be able to take a pulse.  There are multiple pulse points over the body, but for our purposes here, the most constructive one for screening purposes is the radial arterial pulse, which is shown at the top of this post. You should practice locating this pulse point on all your family members.  Once you can consistently detect the pulse, use a watch or clock with a second hand to count the pulse for fifteen seconds. If you don't have one, Wal-Mart sells a watch with a second hand for nine dollars or so.    If is is completely regular, then multiply it by four, and this is that family members radial pulse beats per minute.    For example, twenty regular beats in fifteen seconds would be multiplied by four to become a pulse of eighty beats per minute  (80 bpm) which would be normal for many people. 

           A pulse should be like this:

beat.....beat.....beat.....beat.....beat.....beat.....beat.....beat.....beat

     This is a regular pulse.


However, sometimes a pulse, for some reason is irregular, something like this....

beat......beat...............beat,beat......beat...............beat.......beat.........beat,beat................beat

    This is an irregular pulse.


If you have a family member with a slightly irregular or severely irregular pulse, then you need to count their radial pulse for ONE FULL MINUTE.    Then report both the rate (the number of beats you determined during that one minute of pulse-taking) AND the fact that the pulse was irregular, to the primary physician of the person whose pulse you took.     If that person feels ill in addition to having an irregular pulse, then you need to call an ambulance and tell them the person has a "New Onset Irregular Pulse", and does not feel well.

          An irregular pulse may be an indicator of a number of different rhythm disorders, or arrhythmias.   A physician or cardiologist will need to determine which, following an EKG at either his office or the emergency room. Anyone with chest pain and an irregular pulse must go straight to the emergency room.

           For people aged 50 and older, an irregular pulse may be the first sign of the onset of a rhythm disturbance named atrial fibrillation.     Atrial fibrillation has an hereditary component, but may also occur in smokers, diabetics, or those with actual structural problems with the heart and vessels around it. Sometimes people with thyroid disorders will develop atrial fibrillation.   Atrial fibrillation can be treated and corrected in all but a few cases.  It is important to detect and treat a-fib because if left for a couple of days or more, the chance of that person having a stroke increases by four to five times normal.  Once diagnosed and treated, many people go on to live a normal life expectancy and feel quite well.     Intermittent atrial fibrillation can also go on to produce other arrhythmias which can be fatal.   Not everyone who has atrial fibrillation actually knows it, and so anyone over age 50 should take their pulse at bedtime before sleeping, every night.

           There are no specific recommendations for taking the pulse nightly or weekly for children, but after losing my youngest son to a disorder we never knew he had, I think it's a fair and reasonable thing to teach each child at 12 how to take a pulse, and teach them to take their own.   They may then have the tools to report a rhythm disturbance prior to a sudden arrhythmic death.    Daniel knew how to take a pulse, but never reported that his pulse was irregular at any time.  I never noticed an irregular pulse on him, and I did occasionally take one, because a rapid pulse can be an indicator of severe allergy, which he did have to certain foods when he was small.    I also recommend that all children age 12 and older have an EKG done prior to engaging in team sports.

           Atrial fibrillation is the most common rhythm disturbance in adults, however there are a number of disorders which can disrupt a healthy cardiac rhythm.     Some of these are Long QT Syndrome,  Short QT Syndrome,  Brugada Syndrome,  Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome,   CPVT, and others.    If you recognize any of these names as having been a diagnosis made on any of your family members, particularly if they died suddenly, then you too need to be checked for a heart rhythm disturbance.  Some viral syndromes can also cause spontaneous heart rhythm disturbances.


These are most of my posts on Rational Preparedness: The Blog which relate in some way to atrial fibrillation or  heart rhythm disturbances.:


http://rationalpreparedness.blogspot.com/2013/07/rethinking-continuous-use-of-proton.html

http://rationalpreparedness.blogspot.com/2013/03/anecdotal-evidence-and-atrial.html

http://rationalpreparedness.blogspot.com/2013/01/treating-concurrent-asthma-flares-and.html

http://rationalpreparedness.blogspot.com/2012/12/a-visit-from-my-friend-fib.html

http://rationalpreparedness.blogspot.com/2012/11/why-there-is-thanksgiving-sadness.html          

There Are Always Opportunities

      One of my sons has been looking at buying a piece of land west of us, and in his checking comparative listings, he came across this home, listed for sale by owner, just fourteen hours ago.   It is located in a county just forty- five minutes from world class health care at the University of Virginia Medical Center, in Virginia  It is twenty five minutes from a Super Wal-Mart. Otherwise, it is a rural county with a small town feel.
      There are lots of real estate opportunities available right now.  People are trading up, moving out, or acquiring before the financial landscape gets any crazier.   (No, I don't see improvements in the economy either.)

$236900 / 3br - 2100ft² - Virginia  Home and Hobby Kennel

2100 Sq, Ft. heated; plus 2-1/2 car garage; 320 Sq. Ft. deck with retractable awning; 3.5A beautiful wooded lot; vaulted great room (living, dining, kitchen); stove, dishwasher, ref, W/D and some drapes convey; 60% of carpet two years old; Natural Hickory hardwood floors and kitchen cabinets with breakfast bar; 400 Sq. Ft. Kennel Room with flourescent lighting for grooming, 5 indoor / outdoor runs and set up for 6 additional indoor pens - kennel designed for small to medium breeds and accommodates up to 15 dogs; two separate 12'x16' isolated fenced areas off kennel for visiting dogs and / or bitches; dog wash tub in Utility Room; low taxes; highly rated schools with brand new 1 year old $75M high school. 420' deep sweet water well; septic tank recently pumped; wired for 5KW generator (included); well maintained; all electric home - total annual utility bill is less than $2000. Small Kennel license ($40 annually up to 25 dogs) has been maintained continuously for 20 years. Large kennel license up to 50 dogs available for $50 per year.


 To contact seller:    Email only at:

dk9p5-4281931471@hous.craigslist.org

I believe it has also been listed with licensed real estate agents.

                                                        _________________________

This is another listing I noticed

$229900 / 4br - 3148ft² - 4 Bedroom Brick Home on 8 Acres, Completely Updated (Nelson Co) (7611 Patrick Henry Highway, Roseland, VA) 

 

 

4 Bedroom Brick Home on 8 Acres - Completely Updated, 3,148 total sqft (1,574 sqft unfinished walk-out Basement)

Four Bedrooms, Two Baths, Built in 1995, updated Summer 2013, Modern Kitchen with Stainless Appliances, Solid Surface Counters, New flooring (Hardwood, Berber Carpet, Tile), Central AC, Energy Efficient Windows, New Lighting throughout, French Doors to new Deck and Patio, Master Suite with attached Bath with Jetted Tub and Separate Shower, Large Living Room, Formal Dining Room, 8 Acre Wooded Lot on Hilltop location with Winter Views. Too much to list here.

 

Large full basement

Tour Anytime: call Owner for access code (540) 942-3279

Location:
  - 11 miles to shops at Nellysford
  - 16 miles to top of Wintergreen Resort
  - 28 miles to Lynchburg
 
Schools: Nelson County Schools

Download printable flyer: http://www.myhomeflyer.com/Flyer_PatrickHenry.pdf

See more pictures: http://www.myhomeflyer.com/PatrickHenry/index.html

Call owner for info or for a tour: (540) 942-3279

                                                   _________________________



Of course, I have no financial interest in either of these homes, and I do not know the sellers.
Even after these homes have sold, I will leave this post up, so that people can see the type of listing which exist, in both rural Virginia and most other places in the country.   If you seek a more rural place, in ALL price ranges,  this might be the time to do it.



Update:  Both of these homes have now sold, but the point of the post is the same.  There are always opportunities no matter what the situation.