It's not much. But it's OURS! Our own four acre estate in the mountains. It's requiring a lot of work. It had four walls (concrete block), 1/2" foam board insulation, and a wood stove.
But slowly, we've been making it ours. We were a bit anxious in January, when the gas/oil contract we had with Seneca Resources expired. We knew they were planning on putting this unit on line so payments would be made but without a contract we, as far as we knew, would receive no payments.
But, of course, being the bullheaded person I am I wasn't going to just roll over, so I pushed back...pretty hard and heard:
Well we really don't need you to sign. 1. There's no "leg" (actual pipeline) under your land so there's no trespass. 2. Federal and States laws are on our side in that a 4 acre plot can't hold up progress on a thousands of acres development. 3. If you don't sign, instead of the percentage we'll be paying you (which is above everybody else who has the unexpired contracts) we send less to an escrow fund in Pittsburgh and the State uses it for Land Development. So...
Now to be sure, the one who is tasked with negotiating this does not actually work for the Oil/Gas Company, he only represents them in the negotiations. And he did extend a pretty gracious attitude and understanding.
But that's what Big Government and Big Corporations can do. They really don't need our permission. They'd just like our blessing.
So we'll sign. We'll be paid for a percentage. We'll receive a small "signing bonus." Neither will make us rich, but it will at least pay the taxes and some of the utilities, so there's that. And, of course, there is a "non-disclosure" agreement in the contract so we won't be sharing the terms.
Anyway, we are blessed.
We're hoping to leave the house with a certain level of self-sustainability, intending it to provide a place of rest and refuge for future generations.
But, of course, we'll die and life will go on, unless Jesus comes and makes all of this moot! Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!!!
