We are 71 and 73 yrs.old and have been married 55 yrs

Subject: My letter to TXDOT

To all who may be interested. My letter to TXDOT

Dear Sirs;

What is market value? Is it the tax base? If so, let me tell you that 44 acres ofpasture land with a springfed tank and a woods for refuge has a real property value around here of $7-$8,000 per acre. The horse raisers would probably snatch it up if we wanted to sell. But we don�t. It is our security for our old age.

How could you pay me for a 21 yr. old pecan tree given to me by my Dadjust before he died? How about a Bradford pear that was a 40th anniversary present fifteen years ago? Could you move a 28 yr. old pine tree that was raised from a sprout, or a crepe myrtle that was nurtured 30 years into a tree?

We have three or four springs just under the surface of the ground that water wildlife the year round. Our woods is home to squirrels, racoons, foxes, armadillos, skunks and many species of birds. Our tank is a watering place to deer, cayotes, and bobcats.

We have put in every fence post, gate, and every strand of wire. We hand sprigged much of our grassland. We grubbed out the rocks and scrub bushes.

Our house is our home. We put in every window, we built every cabinet, we sheetrocked and papered every wall. We hung every door (antique 5- panelled), put on every brass plate and glass door handle (also antiques). It has been home to our children, grandchildren and now, hopefully, our great-grandchildren. It is home to two elderly cats and a mountain cur dog, all throwaways that some hard hearted persons dumped out on us. They are important to us and we don�t wish to relocate them, either.

Our swing under the old oak tree is a place of comfort and escape from the stress of the world for us and our daughter, Dianne. This place holds memories of our dead son, Michael.

Our land also has a cemetary in the middle of it dating back to 1831 and the last dated 1931.We recently fenced it and had planned to ask our pastor to come out to rededicate it.

Our land surrounds our house so that road noise, dogs barking, car lights, or doors slamming never bothers us. Could you pay us enough to replace all these things.? I think not.

The stress is getting us down. We are 71 and 73 yrs.old and have been married 55 yrs. We have lived here for 32 yrs. It was our little piece of earth we always dreamed of. Now we are told that someone can make us move for the good of mankind.

Where was the good mankind when Braniff went bankrupt and my husband lost 18 yrs. retirement? Where is it when Government Pension Offset keeps me from drawing social security on my spouse of 55 yrs? Where is the good of mankind when the Texas Congress won�t grant retired teachers a cost of liviraise since 2000? This is our investment for our future. We should be able to accept your offer or decline it and you find another route where the person likes to move around. I know people who change homes like their old wardobes.

We have asked the Lord to look after us and I think He will. Ask yourself what you would do if this were your parents or grandparents. How would you feel?

Sincerely, Ruth and Vic Richie