M= Missy
J= Joe Dan
Missy retired in August of 2021 and Joe Dan retired in January of 2022. Early in our marriage we agree to retire at the earliest possible time in our lives so that we could enjoy our years in retirement.
Our projects in retirement, we have done about 95% ourselves. We affectionately labeled our work M&J Construction.
Our first project (2022) was a 25 x 25 barndominium on our family inherited land in Frenstat Texas. We did all the dirt work had a concrete slab poured and then had a metal building put up. We then framed it out with wood pallets did all the plumbing and electrical ourselves. It is finished with sheetrock and a concrete floor. Link to pictures!
Our second project started in 2022 was spot on the coast. we started looking in Freeport, Texas and followed the coast south until we landed in a hidden gem of magnolia beach, Texas just 10 miles outside of Port Lavaca. We bought a small lot on the beach to put our RV on. We also constructed a raised deck, with outdoor shower, bath and kitchen. We build a 12 x 20 bungalow for our kids and friends to stay in when they come down. Except for the concrete Missy and I did everything. Link to pictures!
Our third project started in 2023 (kinda). Missy and I along with our kids would take family vacations and travel across the US every year. We finally realized that we should put our money into our own property so around 2012 we bought some land in COLORADO. We are at 8,000 ft. elevation in the rolling mountains outside of Westcliffe, Colorado. We quickly put in electric, had a water well drilled, put in our own septic and built a small 12 x 12 log shed. We bought a used 1984 33 foot Winnebago and set it up on the land. Over the years we would stay in the RV. Well in retirement we decided to build a log cabin started in 2023. Except for the concrete work we have done everything. In 2023 we built cabin and dried it in. In 2024 we completed the inside. The inside is stained concrete with natural log wall interior. All the interior walls are finished with T&G siding. We hope to complete the outside in 2025. Link to pictures!
As you can see M&J construction has had a extremely very busy start in retirement.