I’m back with more questions from blog readers about RVing, my writing activities, what’s happening in our lives since we hung up the keys, and all kinds of other things. While I try to answer all questions individually, I also share some here occasionally.
Q. Would you be so kind as to tell me about your setup for speech to talk? I’m 86 years old and my fingers have nearly quit working, and I want to write my autobiography.
A. I use Dragon Naturally Speaking software, and while it is helpful for those of us whose fingers are stiff and not working well, it definitely has its limitations and is not nearly as easy to use as the TV commercials would have you believe. I still have to spend a lot of time making corrections. Microsoft recently bought Dragon’s parent company and has incorporated 99% of what Dragon does into Microsoft Office. You might try narrating with that and see how it goes.
Q. Do you know if the tornado shelters you put in at your place and your son’s are tax deductible?
A. I don’t believe they are for federal taxes, but the State of Alabama gives a $3,000 tax credit for having one installed.
Q. I saw a picture of Terry’s newest loom in your office, but has she set up her big looms yet? Will there be room for them in your new house?
A. Terry’s two big Glamakra looms are still unassembled and in the garage. She has not decided if there will be room for them, and at least one is for sale.
Q. Like you and Terry, we have decided that there are more negatives to living in Florida than positives and have decided to relocate. We are looking at Tennessee, Kentucky, and the Carolinas. It seems like your house sold very quickly. If it’s not too personal, did you have to drop the price dramatically for a quick sale? Two real estate agents we have talked to say the market has tanked and we need to be prepared to negotiate hard to get a sale.
A. There is an old saying in real estate – location, location, location. Our place was in a great location, 800 yards from the Intracoastal Waterway and midway between Daytona Beach and Cape Canaveral. It also had that huge 1100 square foot garage, which was a strong selling point. The first offer was close to what we expected to get and we did very little negotiating to close the deal.
Q. I need a place to store my RV somewhere between my snowbird park in Florida and my home in Indiana. Neither place has long term storage. It seems like you have a lot of room at your new house. Would you consider working out a deal?
A. You’re not the first person to ask this, and I’m sorry, but it’s a responsibility we don’t want to take on, living here in tornado alley.
Q. Tell the truth, Nick. How badly are you missing all of that great seafood you had access to living on the coast in Florida?
A. We are missing it a lot. That and a few friends and neighbors are the only things we have missed since moving.
And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us.
Thought For The Day – Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside of us while we live.
Nick Russell
World-Famous, New York Times Best Selling Author, and All-Around Nice Guy!