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www.cotopaxi-colorado.com

Cotopaxi,  Colorado

Cotopaxi is not as nice as it used to be.

Long time Cotopaxi residents Duke and Nova Boller move to Salida.

Duke & Nova

c 1985?

comment:

Sale price: $150K

A fantastic bargain.  The expansion likely not related to the precipitous drop in school enrollment or the great number of acres that are currently in the Cotopaxi school section. 

The custodian’s home of many years, also school district property, has fallen into a state of non- repairable disrepair.

Hence, he needs someplace to live.  So he has moved into the Boller house.  Duke was happy to hear that there was a garden growing there again this year.

As documented at the above link, the Boller place was immaculate. 

I don’t believe this house was ever for sale on the open market.

My recommendation to the Bollers was to place it on the open market at $220K.  Note: water right, new 60gpm well.

But anyway, they are good old friends.

So, good buy, Cotopaxi School. 

And so now, Cotopaxi is not as nice as it used to be.

Good people, Duke and Nova. 

They were the nicest people in Cotopaxi. 

August 22, 2009, just back from visiting them.  Both as nice as ever. 

Now Salida is nicer than it used to be.

 Duke just had his right leg amputated above the knee last month; Nova just had an epidural shot of cortisone to relieve back pain.

 The Bollers are celebrating their 68^th wedding anniversary next week.  Duke is worried about making the next payment in his new mortgage.  You see, after the sale of this house, he paid $130K down on a condo in Salida, with a balance of $90K.

 Duke is 87. 

 I suppose that condo will revert to the seller someday.

He’s been a guitar player (among many other things) all his life. 

He says he is going to sell his guitar to pay next month’s mortgage

That’s so sad.

I remember years ago I went to one of  Duke’s garage sales. 

There was a crowd there at 8am prompt.  Soon, I had an armload of unbelievably good buys.

I set them by the cashier,  announced said deed, and continued my quest to be yard sale king.

A local fellow raided my stash.  With great deliberation. Well, so it goes

And it occurred to me something....a life lesson about greed. 

I didn't need anything Duke had for sale, it was just a "good buy".  The man that raided my "stash" certainly did not need anything either.   What a pitiful pair; me taking so much that another was provoked to take from me.

Duke sold quality items dirt cheap.  He needed the money, and yet he priced items so that a poor person could compete with a rich person.

Greed is not a good thing.

 I did not buy much at Duke's yard sales over the years after that.

As my wife and I helped Duke and Nova set up for his last yard sale, I had choice of anything and everything. 

I got to the sale late.  I did buy some little thing, and as my wife was "cashier", I was able to slip a little extra into the till.

Just because it's a good deal (monetarily) doesn't mean it's a good deal (morally).

Greed is not a good thing.

  April 12, 2008, before the last yard sale,

Photos © 2007-2009 Nelson Moore

Copyright © 2007-2009 Nelson Moore. All Rights Reserved.