SAH/WOH - Why?

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-18-2005
SAH/WOH - Why?
3166
Mon, 02-20-2006 - 7:41am

I am sure this has been done before but I was wondering this in light of recent posts lately.

Why did you decide to sah/woh?

Was it a choice or something expected of you?

Was your plan to sah/woh though out or impulsive? Long-term or short-term?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-18-2006
Mon, 03-13-2006 - 12:43pm

***I don't see why she couldn't put the seats down and put the stuff in the trailer in the van.***

Because when I build I carry lumber, and LOADS of building materials. We also decorate our model homes. Let me see if you will dump about 20 cubic yards of mulch in the bask of your van. Let me know how that works out for you.

***She never mentioned the boat in any posts to me, interestingly enough. She said she needs the suv when she works because she has to haul cargo.***

What does the boat matter? The minivan can not carry our trailers much less the boat. The boat is icing on the cake. It is really a non issue. It is more important that the SUV I drive have the abilities to tow my trailers.

 

Avatar for mom34101
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Mon, 03-13-2006 - 12:44pm

So funny. Again, you want to switch to what I do for a living. I'm a legal writing teacher, and I did not make any claim that my job helps the environment. You did.

So what kind of homebuilding do you do that is environmentally friendly? Are you using alternative building materials? Building smaller, more energy-efficient homes?

Avatar for mom34101
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Mon, 03-13-2006 - 12:45pm
But you haven't built anything for 6 years.
Avatar for mom34101
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Mon, 03-13-2006 - 12:47pm
It was a direct quote. Here's her next sentence: "However we both drive what we drive for certain reasons."
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-18-2006
Mon, 03-13-2006 - 12:49pm

***Her real argument all along has been that she needs an suv for work--except she doesn't work and hasn't for 6 years. Now I find out it's really about a boat.***

That has never once been my argument. No wonder you are so worked up. The reality is as I have stated before...I already owned an SUV when I worked. When I quit working I still had that SUV. IT was only a year old. WHY would I go sell that to buy anything else? It was a year old! I kept that SUV for 6 years. I just got this one last year. I knew that I wouldn't put a significant amount of miles on it before I went back to work. I will be working next year. My argument has never been about the boat. If it were about the boat and I didn't need to drive an SUV then we would have an old truck that would be just fine to tow the boat. It is a seasonal thing. With this SUV I get the best of both worlds.

***Are you driving a bigger car than you need?***

You are.

 

Avatar for mom34101
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Mon, 03-13-2006 - 12:50pm
Maybe you wouldn't have, if you really considered it. Maybe you would have bought the highlander, which charlesmama says gets better mileage. Maybe you would have bought a used vehicle to use for a few years until you needed the suv. Or maybe you would have thought that since you're driving a big vehicle, you should walk once in a while or look for carpooling opoportunities, or just do something else to help the environment.
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-18-2006
Mon, 03-13-2006 - 12:51pm
Yes she is taking it out of context. I said no I don't NEED an SUV right now. However it would have been stupid to buy something other than what I bought when I knew I would be returning to work. She doesn't believe that I planned ahead however PKA did it and she understands. It is really hypocritical.

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-18-2006
Mon, 03-13-2006 - 12:59pm

***I did not make any claim that my job helps the environment. You did.***

No I didn't. Again you are trying your best to spin my words to prove some crazy POV. I said when I build homes I don't CLEAR lots. That in itself is a great way to save my *pocketbook* a bunch of money. I have to pay a survey team to come out and assess trees. I have to find where the roots lie, and know if they will be safe to leave up before putting in the footing on a home. We have to know where these roots lay so that we don't either a) damage the root and damage the tree, because it will die b) also make sure it will not damage a well, or the foundation. When I have the trees tagged our Tree Service guys come in and they have to log the trees and leave the ones tagged. All of this is quite expensive. I could just pay them a flat fee to bulldoze the lot. If the homeowners do not want certain trees I have left then they pay additional money.

***So what kind of homebuilding do you do that is environmentally friendly?***

See above. That is just one example. I also when building a home that is a spec if the homeowner doesn't want lets say cabinets and wants to change them out. I could just trash them. I send them IN MY TRAILER behind my SEQUOIA to Habitat for Humanity in Raleigh. That is recycling. Something I don't have to do. I could trash them. No skin off my nose. Driving all the way to Raleigh is a pain, time consuming, AND costs me money.

***Are you using alternative building materials? Building smaller, more energy-efficient homes?***

Actually I built the last 2 years I worked to the specs that my homeowners wanted. What they asked for they got. I don't work for a large building company anymore. I build custom homes. No not many of them are small, but every single one is energy efficient.

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-18-2006
Mon, 03-13-2006 - 1:03pm
I think I have said more times than I can count that my home is over 100 years old. I work in this house almost weekly. We have been fixing this home for years. I do yardwork. I do need mulch twice per year. Again...I bought this SUV knowing I would return to work with it. Why is that so hard for you to grasp?

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-18-2006
Mon, 03-13-2006 - 1:07pm

***Maybe you wouldn't have, if you really considered it. Maybe you would have bought the highlander, which charlesmama says gets better mileage. ***

NO I wouldn't have. I would have had to sell it and buy another truck before I returned to work.

***Maybe you would have bought a used vehicle to use for a few years until you needed the suv. ***

Again why would I buy a used vehicle and then turn around and sell it in a couple of years just to buy what I have now?

***Or maybe you would have thought that since you're driving a big vehicle, you should walk once in a while or look for carpooling opoportunities, or just do something else to help the environment.***

Walk where? Down this long country road we live off of? Not all of us want our children growing up in the city. I live on a large lot where my children can run and play and have their swingset and jungle gym right outside. (Oh yeah...there is another thing that would not fit into your minivan) Again you only realte saving the Earth to car usage. Why is that?

 

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