We've had our truck for almost a year at this point. We had originally intended to buy a used truck so we wouldn't have this large monthly payment for ever and ever but due to circumstances at the time we ended up with a new truck.
Other than the payments we were happy with it for the first 7 months. Then the check engine light came on. We took it to the dealer, which is an hour+ drive one way, only to have them say nothing was wrong. A week later the light came on again. This time Paul opted to take it to a 5 star dealer north of Bakersfield. They were baffled but tried the only thing they could think of. 9 days later the light came on again... This has been going on for 5 months. Sometimes it take a few weeks for the light to come on. They have replaced the gas cap and emissions system with no luck. This last time they threw their hands up and said they needed to keep the truck for a few days. Um...problem here, we only have one vehicle. They wouldn't give us a loaner and Paul didn't even have a way to get home from the dealer. We dug in our heels and they didn't care. We offered to bring the truck in first thing in the morning so they could have it all day... They were done 1.5 hours later. It seems they had done some homework and think it was the charcoal canister. I didn't even realize the truck had one. I really hope this works. At this point the truck is well over the mileage for the manufacturer's warranty but since this has been going on before it was out of warranty they are continuing to cover the repairs.
Paul has spent an enormous amount of time at this dealer, which is 1.5 hours away from our home. They have been very nice and tried to be flexible, of course no dealer in the area has a service department open on Saturdays so it's been a struggle to coordinate thing with work and doctor's appointments. Hopefully this mess is over but I don't have much hope.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Blah
I'm having a blah kind of month schooling the kids. The weather turned nice, although a bit too hot for my tastes, and I just don't want to do school. The kids excitedly pull out books and want to read science, my least favorite subject, and aren't whining about finishing things up. I should be ecstatic and getting lots done, but I'm not. Instead we have done 2 abbreviated weeks with a few math drills, lots of history reading, catechism work, and science reading.
We've also played Oregon Trail for hours and I figure we are doing school since we are reading about the westward expansion right now. Legos are another favorite right now and Lorna's been sewing up a storm. So um, building/engineering and home ec, right?
The gardening is going well and we have been replanting the squash and a few of the 50 assorted tomato plants, can we call that earth science? And of course we've been reading a lot too because it's too hot to go outside during the middle of the day. So I guess we've done lots of English literature too...
I guess the days haven't been all that abbreviated after all, but it sure feels like we haven't gotten much accomplished.
We've also played Oregon Trail for hours and I figure we are doing school since we are reading about the westward expansion right now. Legos are another favorite right now and Lorna's been sewing up a storm. So um, building/engineering and home ec, right?
The gardening is going well and we have been replanting the squash and a few of the 50 assorted tomato plants, can we call that earth science? And of course we've been reading a lot too because it's too hot to go outside during the middle of the day. So I guess we've done lots of English literature too...
I guess the days haven't been all that abbreviated after all, but it sure feels like we haven't gotten much accomplished.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
This is why...
I dislike the tourists that frequent the area. They affect everyone and not just with their noisy dirt bikes and slow moving vehicles towing boats.
We had an appointment with the farrier this morning. He is a nice young man and seems to be good at what he does. His family owns a local cattle ranch. I much prefer for Paul to be home when he comes in case there is a problem with the horse, she can be very stubborn sometimes, and I am just not good with people. Unfortunately the farrier had to call and reschedule for tomorrow and Paul can't be here. It seems some dirt bike riders cut their fences so they could ride their bikes without having to go around. The cattle have moved through those fences onto the neighbors' properties and he has to help round them up.
It's not his fault and I totally understand the need to reschedule but I'm angry with the situation. Now these guys have to go out,round up these cows and fix the fences in the 90 degree heat. The farrier didn't sound happy with the extra work. When did people become so rude and unable to respect other people's property?
We had an appointment with the farrier this morning. He is a nice young man and seems to be good at what he does. His family owns a local cattle ranch. I much prefer for Paul to be home when he comes in case there is a problem with the horse, she can be very stubborn sometimes, and I am just not good with people. Unfortunately the farrier had to call and reschedule for tomorrow and Paul can't be here. It seems some dirt bike riders cut their fences so they could ride their bikes without having to go around. The cattle have moved through those fences onto the neighbors' properties and he has to help round them up.
It's not his fault and I totally understand the need to reschedule but I'm angry with the situation. Now these guys have to go out,round up these cows and fix the fences in the 90 degree heat. The farrier didn't sound happy with the extra work. When did people become so rude and unable to respect other people's property?
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Stampede Days Rodeo
We were given tickets to the rodeo in Bakersfield so we could take the kids. I have to admit that I wasn't really looking forward to it. I've never been to a rodeo and I hate trying new things. I don't know what I was expecting but I was surprised by how much fun we all had.
The gates opened at 6pm and the rodeo started at 7:30. We got there a little earlier than I wanted but it turned out to be a good thing. We walked around, watched the horses getting ready, and looked through the booths of stuff. Then we picked our seats and watched everyone scrambling around getting ready. By the time it started the stands were full.
We got to watch the local mounted drill team perform a couple of numbers and then the main stuff began.
The time flew by as we watched the cowboys ride bucking horses and rope cattle. Our favorite events were the barrel racing and bull riding.
Of course you can't go to something like this without eating a funnel cake, shaved ice, and kettle corn. Even though we didn't get home until midnight we had a spectacular time.
The gates opened at 6pm and the rodeo started at 7:30. We got there a little earlier than I wanted but it turned out to be a good thing. We walked around, watched the horses getting ready, and looked through the booths of stuff. Then we picked our seats and watched everyone scrambling around getting ready. By the time it started the stands were full.
We got to watch the local mounted drill team perform a couple of numbers and then the main stuff began.
The time flew by as we watched the cowboys ride bucking horses and rope cattle. Our favorite events were the barrel racing and bull riding.
Of course you can't go to something like this without eating a funnel cake, shaved ice, and kettle corn. Even though we didn't get home until midnight we had a spectacular time.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Dog Licensing
I know I've posted before about our woes with licensing our dogs but this is a little different.
I heard on the radio yesterday that the county will be holding community meetings on proposed changes to the pet ordinances. One of those changes will be to put limits and require permit for pets over a certain number. Of course it will only apply to the city of Bakersfield, for now... They are also proposing increases to the licensing costs for unaltered pets. Already that fee is $60 per year, they are proposing raising it to $75 per year. I can't tell you how angry I am...
First, these permits they are suggesting would give the county the right to come onto your property and inspect it if you have 6 or more animals. That includes cats and dogs. This was, until recently, a rural community but the recent push is to rework it's image into one with upper scale homes and neighborhoods. So along with that idea comes the need to put restrictions on animals. Once this ordinance goes into place for the city it will be easy to extend it to the rest of the county.
Second, the rates for licensing of dogs are just ridiculous. In a few minutes time I was able to determine that if this goes into effect we will be one of the most expensive places in the state for dog licensing. Most counties charge more for an unaltered dog but it's usually twice as much, this will put our county at 5 times more. Statistics show that these types of things don't work. One of the first counties in CA to do this saw a drop in dog licensing and a dramatic increase in euthanasia at the shelters. The cost to redeem an impounded unaltered animal is huge so instead these dogs went unclaimed. We have looked into getting Hannah fixed and have plans to do so. The increased cost of licensing isn't doing much to help in our quest to save up the required $140 for the procedure.
I plan on attending the meeting, not that it will do much good. Each time we have moved I have learned to add to my "check these things out before moving list", it's time to add pet licensing onto that list. With 5 dogs and 3 outdoor cats we can't afford not to check that out next time.
I heard on the radio yesterday that the county will be holding community meetings on proposed changes to the pet ordinances. One of those changes will be to put limits and require permit for pets over a certain number. Of course it will only apply to the city of Bakersfield, for now... They are also proposing increases to the licensing costs for unaltered pets. Already that fee is $60 per year, they are proposing raising it to $75 per year. I can't tell you how angry I am...
First, these permits they are suggesting would give the county the right to come onto your property and inspect it if you have 6 or more animals. That includes cats and dogs. This was, until recently, a rural community but the recent push is to rework it's image into one with upper scale homes and neighborhoods. So along with that idea comes the need to put restrictions on animals. Once this ordinance goes into place for the city it will be easy to extend it to the rest of the county.
Second, the rates for licensing of dogs are just ridiculous. In a few minutes time I was able to determine that if this goes into effect we will be one of the most expensive places in the state for dog licensing. Most counties charge more for an unaltered dog but it's usually twice as much, this will put our county at 5 times more. Statistics show that these types of things don't work. One of the first counties in CA to do this saw a drop in dog licensing and a dramatic increase in euthanasia at the shelters. The cost to redeem an impounded unaltered animal is huge so instead these dogs went unclaimed. We have looked into getting Hannah fixed and have plans to do so. The increased cost of licensing isn't doing much to help in our quest to save up the required $140 for the procedure.
I plan on attending the meeting, not that it will do much good. Each time we have moved I have learned to add to my "check these things out before moving list", it's time to add pet licensing onto that list. With 5 dogs and 3 outdoor cats we can't afford not to check that out next time.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
The Good Life
The freaky weather is keeping me in for the most part today, last weekend it was 95 today it's 60 and very windy. I just can't keep up with the changes so I'm staying in to do some school with the kids and read my latest find from the library.
Since I'm on a non-fiction kick and I have to live vicariously through people who homestead I'm reading The Good Life. It's about this couple's 60 year journey of self-sufficient living. I haven't gotten all that far into their experiment, and I don't exactly agree with some of their political beliefs, but I've found a few good quotes that have made me think.
Of course this makes me think about the area we live in. Their is little sense of community and the town seems to stop breathing until the next vacation season. It's even worse than above as many of the homes aren't even lived in the entire summer, the owners are here maybe 4 weekends a year. They have no stake in the community. The place we lived in while in Colorado was different. There was some summer business but it wasn't the focus of the towns, there wasn't a whole lot of community feel but a lot more than here. The economy of the town wasn't dependent on outside influences so it was healthy. The story is much different here and I wonder if the high gas prices will result in death for some of these businesses that rely on the vacation owners.
Since I'm on a non-fiction kick and I have to live vicariously through people who homestead I'm reading The Good Life. It's about this couple's 60 year journey of self-sufficient living. I haven't gotten all that far into their experiment, and I don't exactly agree with some of their political beliefs, but I've found a few good quotes that have made me think.
Summer people do more than upset Vermont's economy. By living on their places during the summer and closing them for the balance of the year, they turn section of the State into ghost towns...Part-time towns are parasitic dead towns.
The social consequences of turning the countryside into a vacationland are far more sinister than the economic results. What is needed in any community is individuals, householders, villagers and townsmen living together and cooperating day in, day out, year after year, with sufficient output of useful and beautiful products to pay for what they consume and a bit over...Solvency of this nature is difficult or impossible except in an all-year-round community.
Of course this makes me think about the area we live in. Their is little sense of community and the town seems to stop breathing until the next vacation season. It's even worse than above as many of the homes aren't even lived in the entire summer, the owners are here maybe 4 weekends a year. They have no stake in the community. The place we lived in while in Colorado was different. There was some summer business but it wasn't the focus of the towns, there wasn't a whole lot of community feel but a lot more than here. The economy of the town wasn't dependent on outside influences so it was healthy. The story is much different here and I wonder if the high gas prices will result in death for some of these businesses that rely on the vacation owners.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Scarf
I finally finished that scarf I've been working on for 4+ years. 3 moves and 3 states later it's done. It seems so anticlimactic. Now I just need to finish that sewing project I have started and the cross stitch project and that scrapbook and ...
More tomatoes and garden stuff
My little tomato sprouts are growing slowly but I seem to be losing a few every couple of days. They are too small to replant in the garden at this point but I need to do something to keep as many as possible.
(I do know that these particular tomatoes are too close together but they were only supposed to have a 60% germination rate, the other types aren't so crowded)
I read that they should be replanted just below the two leaves to generate more root growth so that is my plan. At this point I'm loathe to do anything for fear I will kill them all! It's like I'm obsessed, I need to make these work or I'm a failure.
The rest of the stuff is coming up wonderfully. Before I received Square-Foot Gardening from the library I had read a website about this method of gardening. Unfortunately either I read it incorrectly or it had some wrong information and I planted the squash plants way too close. They all need to be replanted in a spot that has a lot more room, not the end of the world but I'm hoping I don't lose any since they are doing so well.
The information in the book was extremely helpful on how to fix our dirt so it will support a garden. We have a small compost pile going and almost enough stuff to start another pile. To start off with I bought compost from Wal-Mart, not the best solution but the only one available and it has worked great.
Since the garden is as close as I am going to be able to come to homesteading I am turning my attention to more books about the self-sufficient lifestyle. Any suggestions for good reading material would be appreciated!
Just because I love how green the strawberry plants are I thought I would include a picture of those too. I bought them at the hardware store a few weeks ago but they already have tiny berries on them.
(I do know that these particular tomatoes are too close together but they were only supposed to have a 60% germination rate, the other types aren't so crowded)
I read that they should be replanted just below the two leaves to generate more root growth so that is my plan. At this point I'm loathe to do anything for fear I will kill them all! It's like I'm obsessed, I need to make these work or I'm a failure.
The rest of the stuff is coming up wonderfully. Before I received Square-Foot Gardening from the library I had read a website about this method of gardening. Unfortunately either I read it incorrectly or it had some wrong information and I planted the squash plants way too close. They all need to be replanted in a spot that has a lot more room, not the end of the world but I'm hoping I don't lose any since they are doing so well.
The information in the book was extremely helpful on how to fix our dirt so it will support a garden. We have a small compost pile going and almost enough stuff to start another pile. To start off with I bought compost from Wal-Mart, not the best solution but the only one available and it has worked great.
Since the garden is as close as I am going to be able to come to homesteading I am turning my attention to more books about the self-sufficient lifestyle. Any suggestions for good reading material would be appreciated!
Just because I love how green the strawberry plants are I thought I would include a picture of those too. I bought them at the hardware store a few weeks ago but they already have tiny berries on them.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Dumbing Us Down
This is a book that I've picked up a number of times at the bookstore but never purchased. Since our library no longer charges for inter-library loans I requested it and received it a few days ago. I seem to have gone on a non-fiction binge, reading lots of books on local history and the pioneers. I didn't expect this particular book to come in so soon since I was 8th on the list and there are only 2 copies in the area.
I finally finished the other books I had out and started on this one last night. I seldom read books on homeschooling and education anymore. The homeschooling books all tend to say the same things with many of the newer ones advocating things like public school at home programs which just aren't homeschooling. Dumbing Us Down isn't like that and I find myself agreeing with so much Gatto has to say, especially with regards to the toll the current education system has taken on the nation and specifically the local community.
I've seen this a lot. Instead of relationships we network with our co-workers, neighbors, civic groups, etc. It's almost like, as a society, we have lost the ability to interact with each other on any other level. We ask people how they are but we don't really want to know, it's just another greeting like "Hello". If you dare to actually answer the question honestly the person who asked it usually gets that "deer in the headlights" look. These networks can get a job done such as road maintenance or a neighborhood project but they seldom result in true friendships. Everyone is busy going off to work on the next project. In these books that I've been reading about the late 1800s and early 1900s there is a difference in the way things were organized. People weren't brought together so much by their interests but by their personal relationships. A group of ladies were friends and neighbors and found a common interest in a library so they worked towards getting that library started. Their common bond wasn't the library but the friendship. That focus on interpersonal relationships was what made these communities strong. We no longer have that.
If you haven't read this particular book I recommend it along with his other book The Underground History of American Education
I finally finished the other books I had out and started on this one last night. I seldom read books on homeschooling and education anymore. The homeschooling books all tend to say the same things with many of the newer ones advocating things like public school at home programs which just aren't homeschooling. Dumbing Us Down isn't like that and I find myself agreeing with so much Gatto has to say, especially with regards to the toll the current education system has taken on the nation and specifically the local community.
The fragmentation caused by excessive networking creates diminished humanity, a sense our lives are out of control because they are.
I've seen this a lot. Instead of relationships we network with our co-workers, neighbors, civic groups, etc. It's almost like, as a society, we have lost the ability to interact with each other on any other level. We ask people how they are but we don't really want to know, it's just another greeting like "Hello". If you dare to actually answer the question honestly the person who asked it usually gets that "deer in the headlights" look. These networks can get a job done such as road maintenance or a neighborhood project but they seldom result in true friendships. Everyone is busy going off to work on the next project. In these books that I've been reading about the late 1800s and early 1900s there is a difference in the way things were organized. People weren't brought together so much by their interests but by their personal relationships. A group of ladies were friends and neighbors and found a common interest in a library so they worked towards getting that library started. Their common bond wasn't the library but the friendship. That focus on interpersonal relationships was what made these communities strong. We no longer have that.
If you haven't read this particular book I recommend it along with his other book The Underground History of American Education
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Rattlesnake
Yesterday evening Paul and I were shocked by the cry of "SNAKE" from Malachi. It turns out he heard, and found, a large rattlesnake right outside the back steps. One coil and the rattle were sticking out from under the house. If I had been thinking straight I would have gotten a picture but I was too disturbed by the size of it. The cats thought it was something interesting to play with and it took us throwing pieces of bricks at them to get them well away from the area. Having never been this close to one I was just a tad bit freaked out and couldn't think of anything to kill it with. Paul grabbed the digging bar which was handy and squished the coil but couldn't actually cut through the skin. It was really unhappy and slithered the rest of the way under the house. We blocked up all the holes but this morning we heard it in the horse pen so it obviously got out. We looked but couldn't find it so I'm hoping it kept going through the horse pen and off the property. We have reinforced the importance of watching the ground as you walk and taking a walking stick with you if you must go through tall weeds and brush.
Friday, April 27, 2007
One Year
This weekend is the one year mark for our move back to California. The usual feelings of restlessness have been creeping up on us for the last few weeks and it just dawned on me that this is probably the reason.
Along with the one year mark comes a lot of looking back at the last year to see if things turned out as expected, which they did not. I also see that the things we have planned for the future just aren't going to happen which causes a great source of discomfort and frustration. It's always hard when reality starts intruding on one's hopes and dreams.
And since I don't want this post to turn into a whining session, I'm gonna stop now. I will end with a positive note, the tomato sprouts are still doing great and I have some new growth in the raised beds.
Along with the one year mark comes a lot of looking back at the last year to see if things turned out as expected, which they did not. I also see that the things we have planned for the future just aren't going to happen which causes a great source of discomfort and frustration. It's always hard when reality starts intruding on one's hopes and dreams.
And since I don't want this post to turn into a whining session, I'm gonna stop now. I will end with a positive note, the tomato sprouts are still doing great and I have some new growth in the raised beds.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Water Heater Woes
During my morning shower I noticed the water wasn't very warm. We have had the pilot on the water heater go out a couple of times in the last 6 months so I figured all I needed to do was relight it. After my shower, while the oil was heating up for fried yeast bread, I tried to relight it. I held down the silly red button but it wouldn't stay lit. Over the next hour Paul and I tried, said lots of unrepeatable words, and managed to get it lit for a few minutes. It went out again. I finally realized that it's dead.
I looked at prices of new water heaters online and decided we can live with cold water. As serious as I was Paul refused. So we broke down and called our propane company for suggestions. They suggested we try replacing the thermocoupler. The part is relatively inexpensive and will probably solve the problem. Since $10 sounds much better than $250 we are gonna give it a try. They offered to repair it for us for $60 but since we found an article explaining how to do it we decided to try ourselves. If this doesn't work I guess we will have to replace the whole tank because I seem to be the only one willing to go without hot water.
Edit: Well it worked and the part was less than $10! It was very simple to replace and we can put off purchasing a new water heater for the time being...
I looked at prices of new water heaters online and decided we can live with cold water. As serious as I was Paul refused. So we broke down and called our propane company for suggestions. They suggested we try replacing the thermocoupler. The part is relatively inexpensive and will probably solve the problem. Since $10 sounds much better than $250 we are gonna give it a try. They offered to repair it for us for $60 but since we found an article explaining how to do it we decided to try ourselves. If this doesn't work I guess we will have to replace the whole tank because I seem to be the only one willing to go without hot water.
Edit: Well it worked and the part was less than $10! It was very simple to replace and we can put off purchasing a new water heater for the time being...
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Woo-Hoo!!!
As I was planting a couple of the tomato seeds that had sprouted in my latest attempt using a wet paper towel in a plastic bag, I found this in my plastic containers.
I am so excited! It seems they only needed a few more days in front of the fire. Now I have to get a bigger area ready. The one package said the germination rate was 60% but it looks like it was more like 80%. I'm not complaining since there are 3 different varieties and we use lots and lots of tomatoes. I just hope I can keep them happy indoors until they are ready to be transplanted.
Luckily we are past the danger of frost and it is supposed to stay in the high 70s to low 80s over the next week so I am hopeful that most will survive.
I am so excited! It seems they only needed a few more days in front of the fire. Now I have to get a bigger area ready. The one package said the germination rate was 60% but it looks like it was more like 80%. I'm not complaining since there are 3 different varieties and we use lots and lots of tomatoes. I just hope I can keep them happy indoors until they are ready to be transplanted.
Luckily we are past the danger of frost and it is supposed to stay in the high 70s to low 80s over the next week so I am hopeful that most will survive.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Tomato Seeds
I haven't had very good luck with these. I started them 2+ weeks ago and nothing has come up. These are seeds from a seed catalog that I know are good so I figure it's a problem with me not the seeds. I had tried some seeds from Wal-Mart over a month ago and they sprouted after 3 weeks but have failed to live.
A few days ago I tried taking some of the seeds out of the pots, it's really hard to find tomato seeds in potting soil, and I put them on a wet paper towel in a bag in front of the wood stove. It worked! After only 2 days I have 6 seeds that have sprouted. Now the dilemma, what do I do with the little pots I put them in? Everything I have read says they should be set under a fluorescent light. I wonder if that's really necessary. The weather here is supposed to be sunny and in the 80s for the next week, can I just put them outside during the day?
I really want these to make it so if anyone has any suggestions I could really use them.
A few days ago I tried taking some of the seeds out of the pots, it's really hard to find tomato seeds in potting soil, and I put them on a wet paper towel in a bag in front of the wood stove. It worked! After only 2 days I have 6 seeds that have sprouted. Now the dilemma, what do I do with the little pots I put them in? Everything I have read says they should be set under a fluorescent light. I wonder if that's really necessary. The weather here is supposed to be sunny and in the 80s for the next week, can I just put them outside during the day?
I really want these to make it so if anyone has any suggestions I could really use them.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Movies
We have been watching a lot of movies since we started using Netflix. We've seen a lot that are just okay but this week we watched two that I thought were rather good.
1776, a cute musical about the Continental Congress and the signing of the Declaration of Independence and Emma based on the book by Jane Austen.
I found it curious that the rating of 1776 was changed from G to PG. There was a bit of language and a few allusions to what goes on behind closed doors in a marriage but nothing too bad. Paul and I got a kick out of listening to the voice of KITT from Knight Rider sing about independence.
It's been awhile since I read the book Emma but I didn't see anything glaringly off about it and Gweneth Paltrow did a good job with the character. Of course I'm a bit partial to this kind of movie since I love Jane Austen's writing. We have watched the A&E version of Pride and Prejudice numerous times because it's so good.
1776, a cute musical about the Continental Congress and the signing of the Declaration of Independence and Emma based on the book by Jane Austen.
I found it curious that the rating of 1776 was changed from G to PG. There was a bit of language and a few allusions to what goes on behind closed doors in a marriage but nothing too bad. Paul and I got a kick out of listening to the voice of KITT from Knight Rider sing about independence.
It's been awhile since I read the book Emma but I didn't see anything glaringly off about it and Gweneth Paltrow did a good job with the character. Of course I'm a bit partial to this kind of movie since I love Jane Austen's writing. We have watched the A&E version of Pride and Prejudice numerous times because it's so good.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Yet another attempt
So far all my attempts at gardening have failed. First the squirrels then the birds were against me. Then the rows I had set out behind the house failed, I think the ground was just too hard and the cats loved to dig in it. Then the plot of lettuce I started was attacked by birds. And finally the pots have recently come under attack by yet more birds.
So here is my next attempt, square foot gardening. I have a request out for the book from the library and I have started by using instructions I found on the web.
I transplanted all the seeds I had started that the birds had not stolen. I even scavenged some of the little plants and seeds from the back garden. I have hopes that this will work. I even got some information on how to fix our soil in the places that I want to garden in. The only thing I have left to do is cover the tub with chicken wire before the little birds find it!
So here is my next attempt, square foot gardening. I have a request out for the book from the library and I have started by using instructions I found on the web.
I transplanted all the seeds I had started that the birds had not stolen. I even scavenged some of the little plants and seeds from the back garden. I have hopes that this will work. I even got some information on how to fix our soil in the places that I want to garden in. The only thing I have left to do is cover the tub with chicken wire before the little birds find it!
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Recycled Materials
We just finished the outdoor run and dog house for the new additions.
I'm happy to report that we spent a grand total of $10. We bought concrete, 2 hinges and a gate latch, everything else was stuff we had lying around the property. It isn't pretty but it works to keep them in and sheltered.
Even though they are primarily indoor dogs, they need a place to stay when we have to take a trip into town or just for some exercise while we sweep and mop the house. Since we were told that they have been know to climb out of runs we fenced in the top as well.
I keep wondering if we could have made hinges and/or a latch. I know I have an article here somewhere, maybe on the next project.
I'm happy to report that we spent a grand total of $10. We bought concrete, 2 hinges and a gate latch, everything else was stuff we had lying around the property. It isn't pretty but it works to keep them in and sheltered.
Even though they are primarily indoor dogs, they need a place to stay when we have to take a trip into town or just for some exercise while we sweep and mop the house. Since we were told that they have been know to climb out of runs we fenced in the top as well.
I keep wondering if we could have made hinges and/or a latch. I know I have an article here somewhere, maybe on the next project.
New Additions
I know this will probably not surprise many of you but we got 2 more dogs. What is surprising is that they are small dogs. Up until now our smallest dog was a border collie. These two only go up to my knees when they stand on their back legs.
We had talked about getting another dog before we lost Esther but not this soon. Paul decided that now was the time to do it so he surprised us at the end of last week. When we had to renew the licensing of the other dogs a few weeks ago we spent a good amount of time at the county shelter. We were unimpressed with the way it was run, many of the dogs were tightly packed 4+ to a kennel and we saw a number of people leave disappointed and empty handed when they were told that the vast majority of the dogs were waiting to be processed so they weren't available for adoption. Many of these animals were over the 5 day time frame promised by the facility and had been there for a week or more. To top it off the adoption fees were really high. I guess it's not surprising that our county facilities have been in trouble with the state in the last few years.
We found that there was a no-kill rescue facility in the area. Paul went down there and found these two who were being housed together. We all stopped by on our way to Lorna's doctor appointment last week. I was impressed by the size of there runs, the cleanliness of the place, and the staff. The dogs all looked well taken care of and happy. They have about 100 dogs at any given time.
At this point I'm glad Paul took it upon himself to bring them home. He couldn't bear the thought of leaving one behind so he adopted both, the owner was so pleased she waved some of the fees which weren't much too bad to begin with. We took them to the vet yesterday who checked them out and said they looked great. They have been quiet and well behaved and are so much fun to have around. I've always wanted an indoor dog and Hannah, our chocolate lab, is house trained. She just likes to be outside most of the day playing with her buddies and only comes in at night. These two little dogs love to curl up next to you while you sit and relax.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Garden woes
I just want to give up, but I won't.
I'm having such a hard time keeping things going. Today I watched a bird land right on a pot and try to snag a pea shoot! Grrrr. Don't these things realize this is my food.
All our lettuce that started to sprout a few days ago is gone. The bird have obviously been feasting when I'm not looking, the cats have decided that the garden is a great place to dig, and we are still having problems getting certain seeds started.
So we will be spending the weekend trying to build some raised beds, from materials lying around, that we can maybe put some chicken wire over to keep the critters out of until the plants can really get going.
I'm trying to look at this as a learning experience. By next year maybe I will have all this down pat...
I'm having such a hard time keeping things going. Today I watched a bird land right on a pot and try to snag a pea shoot! Grrrr. Don't these things realize this is my food.
All our lettuce that started to sprout a few days ago is gone. The bird have obviously been feasting when I'm not looking, the cats have decided that the garden is a great place to dig, and we are still having problems getting certain seeds started.
So we will be spending the weekend trying to build some raised beds, from materials lying around, that we can maybe put some chicken wire over to keep the critters out of until the plants can really get going.
I'm trying to look at this as a learning experience. By next year maybe I will have all this down pat...
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Weird Weather
I finally broke down and decided to take a few days off of school because we all desperately needed it. Of course we had an unexpected storm blow in and we are all housebound.
We have had snow flurries off and on since last night. No accumulation but enough to keep us from being able to do laundry. Lorna has decided to work on a skirt for her doll using her sewing machine. So far she has done a great job especially considering this is her first real try using a pattern. It's been hard for me not to help too much. It should be finished later today.
I've decided to try to finish this scarf.
I've been working on it for 4 years, yep years not weeks or months. Something always claims my attention before I get very far. Half of it has been completed in the last 2 months and I'm on the home stretch. My goal is to be able to wear it next winter, which is ambitious considering how long it has sat on my needles!
We have had snow flurries off and on since last night. No accumulation but enough to keep us from being able to do laundry. Lorna has decided to work on a skirt for her doll using her sewing machine. So far she has done a great job especially considering this is her first real try using a pattern. It's been hard for me not to help too much. It should be finished later today.
I've decided to try to finish this scarf.
I've been working on it for 4 years, yep years not weeks or months. Something always claims my attention before I get very far. Half of it has been completed in the last 2 months and I'm on the home stretch. My goal is to be able to wear it next winter, which is ambitious considering how long it has sat on my needles!
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Reprieve
I very happily got a reprieve from my secluded life yesterday.
Lorna had yet another useless doctor's appointment in Los Angeles. It was exceedingly frustrating and we were given an appointment for a clinic they hold for her condition. They want us to meet with all the doctors together along with a psychologist. I didn't feel that we had the option of refusing given the way it was phrased. The doctor also wants us to get involved in a family support group and completely belittled my concern that this group meets over 3 hours from where we live. With one car and the expense of driving that far I was more than a little annoyed with his assumptions about what we are capable of doing. The appointment was a waste of time since we have to have an outpatient procedure done before he can even talk about where to go from here.
The happy part of the trip was that we made a stop with some friends that live a little ways from where her doctor is. I get so caught up with life here that I sometimes forget that life "outside" can bring so much joy. Our quick stop became dinner and then eventually we ended up staying the night. I've missed seeing our friends over the past few months as necessity has dictated we curtail our trips in that direction. It was nice to be able to laugh and forget about everything here for a few hours.
Once in awhile I am reminded that there are great benefits to living here!
Lorna had yet another useless doctor's appointment in Los Angeles. It was exceedingly frustrating and we were given an appointment for a clinic they hold for her condition. They want us to meet with all the doctors together along with a psychologist. I didn't feel that we had the option of refusing given the way it was phrased. The doctor also wants us to get involved in a family support group and completely belittled my concern that this group meets over 3 hours from where we live. With one car and the expense of driving that far I was more than a little annoyed with his assumptions about what we are capable of doing. The appointment was a waste of time since we have to have an outpatient procedure done before he can even talk about where to go from here.
The happy part of the trip was that we made a stop with some friends that live a little ways from where her doctor is. I get so caught up with life here that I sometimes forget that life "outside" can bring so much joy. Our quick stop became dinner and then eventually we ended up staying the night. I've missed seeing our friends over the past few months as necessity has dictated we curtail our trips in that direction. It was nice to be able to laugh and forget about everything here for a few hours.
Once in awhile I am reminded that there are great benefits to living here!
Monday, April 09, 2007
It's my choice
This is the time of the year I start to feel the burnout with school for the kids.
We are finishing up our study of the human body and are getting ready to begin a study of the Earth. Since science is my least favorite subject I can't seem to get interested. We seem to be stuck in a rut. Since our library now no longer charges to request a book I've tried it to help alleviate the boredom, so far I haven't had any luck getting any of the books I've requested in.
We've been trying to catch up on days from the various moves over the last year so we don't have the luxury to take time off if we want to finish everything up before the end of our school year. Maybe it's time to give up on that idea and just take a few days off.
Someone told me recently that it's my choice to live this life. I know it is but sometimes I get tired and feel like I need some time off. Isn't it okay to feel the need for some time off? I know that many people think that those of us who homeschool or who are homemakers have it easy but it doesn't always feel that way from this end. I'd love to leave my work at the office or be able to take a vacation from it, but the reality is that I can't. I'm not complaining really, I love my work but sometimes I'd like a weekend off too! It's been too windy to work outside much the last few days so I think maybe I'm just suffering from "cabin fever".
We are finishing up our study of the human body and are getting ready to begin a study of the Earth. Since science is my least favorite subject I can't seem to get interested. We seem to be stuck in a rut. Since our library now no longer charges to request a book I've tried it to help alleviate the boredom, so far I haven't had any luck getting any of the books I've requested in.
We've been trying to catch up on days from the various moves over the last year so we don't have the luxury to take time off if we want to finish everything up before the end of our school year. Maybe it's time to give up on that idea and just take a few days off.
Someone told me recently that it's my choice to live this life. I know it is but sometimes I get tired and feel like I need some time off. Isn't it okay to feel the need for some time off? I know that many people think that those of us who homeschool or who are homemakers have it easy but it doesn't always feel that way from this end. I'd love to leave my work at the office or be able to take a vacation from it, but the reality is that I can't. I'm not complaining really, I love my work but sometimes I'd like a weekend off too! It's been too windy to work outside much the last few days so I think maybe I'm just suffering from "cabin fever".
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Esther
My dog died this morning. She was fine when I got up at around 8 and when Malachi went out to feed the dogs an hour later she was gone. We figure she must have died in her sleep. She hadn't been sick and I'm glad she didn't suffer. She was only 7 so it was completely unexpected. We adopted her from the animal shelter right after we bought our first home. Malachi was only 3 and even as a puppy she was a large dog.
From the very first she was my dog. We got her for the kids but she just latched onto me. She was fiercely loyal as she showed when defending us from a large snake in Colorado; keeping the kids well away while her and her buddy killed the 4 foot long gopher snake.
She was much larger than the "medium-sized" dog that the shelter told us she would become, but all that size was heart. She would yodel to get our attention if we were outside, I will miss that sound every time I walk outside. She was deeply loved by all of us and will be greatly missed.
Friday, April 06, 2007
Simple Living
I found the following quote while reading through the site that I mentioned a few days ago.
I think this expresses so much of what I've been feeling over the last few years. I've never looked at our adventures as trying to recreate the life of the pioneers. Instead, we have been searching for a better quality of life. I have come to believe that in order to get that better quality we need to have less stuff. Simple is a very good description of what I want. For me, the idea of simple is one where we can live without the constant fear of losing our home because of yet another downsizing or because our expenses outstrip our income. So that is my goal, working towards a place where we can work hard and live within our means and be satisfied with what we have and have done. I always did have large goals...
Simple living, therefore, is not about opting out of the human community. Rather, it is about looking at our social structures and examining them in terms of the purposes for which they were originally created in order to see whether they actually serve those purposes. If they don’t, we should reconstruct them from the ground up, if necessary, making them no more complicated or extensive than they need to be. The starting point is to see, as we have been seeing, that school is not education, work is not a job, money is a means, not an end, a home is not a lifetime financial responsibility, science and technology need to be informed by our ethical values, nature is not just a stockpile of raw materials, and simple living is not just about economics, but is a deinstitutionalization of our lives so we can live more fully and with more satisfaction.
I think this expresses so much of what I've been feeling over the last few years. I've never looked at our adventures as trying to recreate the life of the pioneers. Instead, we have been searching for a better quality of life. I have come to believe that in order to get that better quality we need to have less stuff. Simple is a very good description of what I want. For me, the idea of simple is one where we can live without the constant fear of losing our home because of yet another downsizing or because our expenses outstrip our income. So that is my goal, working towards a place where we can work hard and live within our means and be satisfied with what we have and have done. I always did have large goals...
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Green
I have been excitedly watching the bean plants coming up. We now have 2 that are completely up and 5 that are almost out of the ground.
This last weekend we trimmed back a bush that sits right next to the house. The majority of it was dead, but since we trimmed it back green leaves have been shooting out of all the remaining branches.
This last weekend we trimmed back a bush that sits right next to the house. The majority of it was dead, but since we trimmed it back green leaves have been shooting out of all the remaining branches.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Testing
I feel like I'm being tested in my resolve to live on a cash basis.
We received our supplemental property tax bill yesterday. It was more than I had anticipated. So that along with the registration for the truck is more than we have saved. We have some hard decisions to make...
We have enough for the first installment which is due in 3 weeks. But the next one is due in 4 months and we will be short. We've decided that the only thing left to do is to curtail all trips outside of work. Which means no church trips for the foreseeable future. It's not the end of the world but it's hard. We had already cut the trips back to once a month but it's just not enough. We also have a couple of small conveniences that we will be getting rid of, netflix and soda. It's going to take me a few weeks to wean myself off the soda but I'm sure I'll be better off in the long run.
I firmly believe that less is more, so I'm resolved to find other ways to cut back.
On a lighter note, I have a few green plants coming up in the garden right behind the house. I have been able to plant the lettuce and will be finishing the planting in the newer area by the horse enclosure.
I have also been reading this site and dreaming about our next adventure...
We received our supplemental property tax bill yesterday. It was more than I had anticipated. So that along with the registration for the truck is more than we have saved. We have some hard decisions to make...
We have enough for the first installment which is due in 3 weeks. But the next one is due in 4 months and we will be short. We've decided that the only thing left to do is to curtail all trips outside of work. Which means no church trips for the foreseeable future. It's not the end of the world but it's hard. We had already cut the trips back to once a month but it's just not enough. We also have a couple of small conveniences that we will be getting rid of, netflix and soda. It's going to take me a few weeks to wean myself off the soda but I'm sure I'll be better off in the long run.
I firmly believe that less is more, so I'm resolved to find other ways to cut back.
On a lighter note, I have a few green plants coming up in the garden right behind the house. I have been able to plant the lettuce and will be finishing the planting in the newer area by the horse enclosure.
I have also been reading this site and dreaming about our next adventure...
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
I won
Yesterday the animal control officer made his return visit. He wasn't nearly as nice as before but that might be because he had another officer riding along.
He started out by informing me that we did not build it properly. I was just a tad bit frustrated since I specifically asked, when he made his first visit, if it had to be done a specific way. According to him there was no specifications, she just had to have a structure.
He tried to argue that we only had 1 4x8 sheet of plywood. I invited him over to the shelter and showed him that we indeed did have 2 (not that there are any regulations requiring 2). Then he proceeded to tell us that he had not seen one built in this configuration. Honestly I couldn't care less what he had seen before. I just stood there and stared at him. Finally he threw his hands up and said that since there was no specification of how it was to be built that he couldn't do anything further! Hooray!
He did snoop around asking questions about the horse, wanting to know if she was a mustang. He even went so far as to surreptitiously look under her mane for the freeze branding put on mustangs by the BLM. Since she is not a mustang there is no requirements for the height of the fence needed. Hopefully we will now be left in peace for awhile.
As he left he did mention that he called the person who filed the complaint and asked if he had been by to see the shelter. It seems this person hasn't cared enough to check that anything has been done, and he doesn't even live up here. Frustrating! Obviously the reporting person didn't really care about the horse or he would have checked up on the situation.
Because I have little trust in the bureaucracy we are attempting to get a copy of the specific regulations pertaining to the types of animals we own. The animal control officer made comments both times about the amount of manure in the horse enclosure. It is cleaned out daily but it doesn't stay clean for very long. The ordinances say it needs to be cleaned out weekly so we are doing more than what is required. It's amazing how difficult it is to find information on the requirements. It's like they don't want you to know just so that they continue to have a job. We have been unable to find any mention of requirements for a horse shelter...and it wouldn't surprise me to find that there aren't any.
He started out by informing me that we did not build it properly. I was just a tad bit frustrated since I specifically asked, when he made his first visit, if it had to be done a specific way. According to him there was no specifications, she just had to have a structure.
He tried to argue that we only had 1 4x8 sheet of plywood. I invited him over to the shelter and showed him that we indeed did have 2 (not that there are any regulations requiring 2). Then he proceeded to tell us that he had not seen one built in this configuration. Honestly I couldn't care less what he had seen before. I just stood there and stared at him. Finally he threw his hands up and said that since there was no specification of how it was to be built that he couldn't do anything further! Hooray!
He did snoop around asking questions about the horse, wanting to know if she was a mustang. He even went so far as to surreptitiously look under her mane for the freeze branding put on mustangs by the BLM. Since she is not a mustang there is no requirements for the height of the fence needed. Hopefully we will now be left in peace for awhile.
As he left he did mention that he called the person who filed the complaint and asked if he had been by to see the shelter. It seems this person hasn't cared enough to check that anything has been done, and he doesn't even live up here. Frustrating! Obviously the reporting person didn't really care about the horse or he would have checked up on the situation.
Because I have little trust in the bureaucracy we are attempting to get a copy of the specific regulations pertaining to the types of animals we own. The animal control officer made comments both times about the amount of manure in the horse enclosure. It is cleaned out daily but it doesn't stay clean for very long. The ordinances say it needs to be cleaned out weekly so we are doing more than what is required. It's amazing how difficult it is to find information on the requirements. It's like they don't want you to know just so that they continue to have a job. We have been unable to find any mention of requirements for a horse shelter...and it wouldn't surprise me to find that there aren't any.
Monday, April 02, 2007
Catching up
Weekends are always very busy with projects that need to be finished. We worked outside for two days and I have the wounds to prove it.
One of the big projects for this weekend was to expand the horse's enclosure. She had enough room but we all wanted her to have more.
She is now a happy horse as you can see.
Here is the shelter we built last week.
This is the expansions of her pen. She's not all that sure about the added room. She loves the grass but still spends much of her time in her original area.
I thought I would also take a few pictures of our gardens and the few green plants that we have.
Here is the garden that we recently relocated closer to the house. It's about 30 feet by 5 feet.
This is the newer garden that we have started to get ready for planting. We need a bit more compost and dirt added before we run the rototiller over the section again.
As you can see one pot of bush beans and peas have sprouted and are almost ready to be replanted into the garden. Below that I have my tomato seeds started. I put them on the top of the well house during the day to take advantage of the heat from the metal roof.
Finally I have a picture of one of the pots that have sunflowers started in them. They too are almost ready to be replanted.
My biggest question is do I have enough garden space? I really want to plant a bunch more but I'm running out of space. Most of our soil is hard-packed decomposed granite, not really suitable for planting veggies in. We are working small sections with fertilizer (the horse is good for something!) and decomposed green matter. I've also found a couple of areas on the property that have dark, rich earth that we are relocating to various plots, but it's really hard work to move all that dirt across the small ravine we have running down the middle of the property.
One of the big projects for this weekend was to expand the horse's enclosure. She had enough room but we all wanted her to have more.
She is now a happy horse as you can see.
Here is the shelter we built last week.
This is the expansions of her pen. She's not all that sure about the added room. She loves the grass but still spends much of her time in her original area.
I thought I would also take a few pictures of our gardens and the few green plants that we have.
Here is the garden that we recently relocated closer to the house. It's about 30 feet by 5 feet.
This is the newer garden that we have started to get ready for planting. We need a bit more compost and dirt added before we run the rototiller over the section again.
As you can see one pot of bush beans and peas have sprouted and are almost ready to be replanted into the garden. Below that I have my tomato seeds started. I put them on the top of the well house during the day to take advantage of the heat from the metal roof.
Finally I have a picture of one of the pots that have sunflowers started in them. They too are almost ready to be replanted.
My biggest question is do I have enough garden space? I really want to plant a bunch more but I'm running out of space. Most of our soil is hard-packed decomposed granite, not really suitable for planting veggies in. We are working small sections with fertilizer (the horse is good for something!) and decomposed green matter. I've also found a couple of areas on the property that have dark, rich earth that we are relocating to various plots, but it's really hard work to move all that dirt across the small ravine we have running down the middle of the property.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Snow!
I awoke to see snow covering the ground. It continued to snow all morning and Paul couldn't even leave for work until 11 because the road was covered.
It was quite a surprise considering we were only supposed to have a thunderstorm or two. It wasn't even supposed to get colder than 40 degrees.
I brought in the few pots of flowers and veggies but there isn't much I can do about the stuff in the garden. We spent all day Sunday moving dirt and a few rows of beans closer to the house to hopefully save a few of the seedlings and to prepare for the new seeds that arrived yesterday. It was so hot that I am sunburned on my head, shoulders and neck. It's amazing to compare the weekend with this morning!
My sunburned skin appreciated the cold weather though!
I'm trying not to become too frustrated by all the bad stuff that's been happening here but it's really difficult. We spent all day yesterday traveling 3 hours to see Lorna's specialist. It just amazes me that there are no closer doctors with the number of people that live within an hour of us. The people waiting in line behind us were from Bakersfield, so we aren't the only ones who have to travel.
The long drive and wait resulted in a 5 minute appointment. It seemed like a total waste which we will have to repeat in another 4 months. They also referred us to a different specialist for a routine check to evaluate when her next surgery will be. Of course that doctor is also located in that same building and only has a few appointments available. We will be repeating the trip in 2 weeks to see him. I'm not sure how many more of these visits we can afford before it becomes a huge problem. Paul cannot keep taking the afternoons off work and the price of gas is just insane ($3.25 a gallon as of last night).
I'm hoping things will calm down after all of this and we can get back to our normal life and expenses...
It was quite a surprise considering we were only supposed to have a thunderstorm or two. It wasn't even supposed to get colder than 40 degrees.
I brought in the few pots of flowers and veggies but there isn't much I can do about the stuff in the garden. We spent all day Sunday moving dirt and a few rows of beans closer to the house to hopefully save a few of the seedlings and to prepare for the new seeds that arrived yesterday. It was so hot that I am sunburned on my head, shoulders and neck. It's amazing to compare the weekend with this morning!
My sunburned skin appreciated the cold weather though!
I'm trying not to become too frustrated by all the bad stuff that's been happening here but it's really difficult. We spent all day yesterday traveling 3 hours to see Lorna's specialist. It just amazes me that there are no closer doctors with the number of people that live within an hour of us. The people waiting in line behind us were from Bakersfield, so we aren't the only ones who have to travel.
The long drive and wait resulted in a 5 minute appointment. It seemed like a total waste which we will have to repeat in another 4 months. They also referred us to a different specialist for a routine check to evaluate when her next surgery will be. Of course that doctor is also located in that same building and only has a few appointments available. We will be repeating the trip in 2 weeks to see him. I'm not sure how many more of these visits we can afford before it becomes a huge problem. Paul cannot keep taking the afternoons off work and the price of gas is just insane ($3.25 a gallon as of last night).
I'm hoping things will calm down after all of this and we can get back to our normal life and expenses...
Friday, March 23, 2007
I guess this is why...
I was wondering why people couldn't mind their own business. I got my answer on another topic but I think it applies to my earlier post...
I saw the following response to a post on the possible banning of incandescent bulbs in the Ontario, Canada (article here)
Here's is my thinking... These restrictions don't have anything to do with saving the world. If that was the case you would be able to get a mortgage on a solar home that isn't grid tied. Or you wouldn't be restricted on the size of the solar system you can put in, as we are here. It's about control. In this case the government wants control over what type of bulb you use in your lamp. In other cases, it's your neighbor who wants control over how you landscape you property, or what kind of home you can build, or whether you have a useless "shelter" for your horse.
Personally, I have enough to worry about in my own life. I don't want to worry about my neighbors. If they want to park a bunch of rusted out cars in their yard and call it landscaping that's fine with me. If they want to build a second story or run their electric bill up by foolish choices, I don't care. But I also want the same courtesy shown to me. I want to be left alone to live my life the way I want. If it's not hurting their physical body or destroying their property then it's none of their business what I do. If they don't like what I'm doing they can either buy me out or move, but I'm sick of people complaining because they want to run everyone else's life!
For those who feel the need to regulate everything, where will it end? What happened to freedom? The need to not offend or pollute or (insert the current pc subject here) seems to have eradicated the very thing which we claim we have...
I saw the following response to a post on the possible banning of incandescent bulbs in the Ontario, Canada (article here)
I can see why you're a 'reluctant' Californian. So you're saying that if a few million people want to waste large amounts of energy, putting tons of extra carbon into the atmosphere, and releasing heavy metals into the water treatment system, they should be able to pollute everyone else's air and water?So I guess this is it. We should all give up our freedoms so that others can save the environment. Where does it end? Will the restrictions ever get too invasive?
If you've got your own planet, go ahead and pollute it. But as long as you're sharing one with everyone else, you have to make some sacrifices or you're harming everyone.
And if you do live in California, you're going to be more restricted than most Americans on making poor environmental choices.
Here's is my thinking... These restrictions don't have anything to do with saving the world. If that was the case you would be able to get a mortgage on a solar home that isn't grid tied. Or you wouldn't be restricted on the size of the solar system you can put in, as we are here. It's about control. In this case the government wants control over what type of bulb you use in your lamp. In other cases, it's your neighbor who wants control over how you landscape you property, or what kind of home you can build, or whether you have a useless "shelter" for your horse.
Personally, I have enough to worry about in my own life. I don't want to worry about my neighbors. If they want to park a bunch of rusted out cars in their yard and call it landscaping that's fine with me. If they want to build a second story or run their electric bill up by foolish choices, I don't care. But I also want the same courtesy shown to me. I want to be left alone to live my life the way I want. If it's not hurting their physical body or destroying their property then it's none of their business what I do. If they don't like what I'm doing they can either buy me out or move, but I'm sick of people complaining because they want to run everyone else's life!
For those who feel the need to regulate everything, where will it end? What happened to freedom? The need to not offend or pollute or (insert the current pc subject here) seems to have eradicated the very thing which we claim we have...
Why?
I just want to know why people feel the need to meddle in others' affairs?
I was once again visited by animal control. Since we live in a much more remote location than the last time I was hoping this wouldn't happen. This time someone complained that our horse didn't have shelter. This horse had shelter at the rental and never once used it. It is very unnatural for a horse to stand in an enclosure since they have a need to keep their eyes open for predators. I will have to say that at the very least I feel that I have a right to know who made the complaint, but according to animal control I only have that right if I am taken to court.
The officer who visited our home even apologized since he knows that this is a stupid requirement. After hearing about our financial situation, he offered the building materials for free (he has enough stuff lying around his property) if we wanted to come pick them up, which we very happily agreed to do.
But this brought up another problem, two of the dogs are no longer registered. He asked to see the registrations. I brought out the two that haven't expired and told him I couldn't find the other two, which was actually true. I explained that we registered all four dogs at the same time, which was also true. The county changed the registration expiration on the two to coincide with their rabies vaccination dates. Once again unfair since I paid for a full year, and the one dog has a $60 registration fee! He called in the info but no one had time to get back to him, which I am thankful for. So now we get to have the dogs vaccinated tomorrow, which we were planning on anyway, and I get the "pleasure" of paying $105 to register the dogs for another year. Kinda expensive, you say? Well that's the penalty we get for living in socialist California!
We have been talking about putting the house on the market for a few weeks. The plan was to do it next spring, now I'm voting for today!
I wouldn't be surprised to find CPS on the door next. Someone will probably turn us in for not having a big enough shelter for our kids...
I was once again visited by animal control. Since we live in a much more remote location than the last time I was hoping this wouldn't happen. This time someone complained that our horse didn't have shelter. This horse had shelter at the rental and never once used it. It is very unnatural for a horse to stand in an enclosure since they have a need to keep their eyes open for predators. I will have to say that at the very least I feel that I have a right to know who made the complaint, but according to animal control I only have that right if I am taken to court.
The officer who visited our home even apologized since he knows that this is a stupid requirement. After hearing about our financial situation, he offered the building materials for free (he has enough stuff lying around his property) if we wanted to come pick them up, which we very happily agreed to do.
But this brought up another problem, two of the dogs are no longer registered. He asked to see the registrations. I brought out the two that haven't expired and told him I couldn't find the other two, which was actually true. I explained that we registered all four dogs at the same time, which was also true. The county changed the registration expiration on the two to coincide with their rabies vaccination dates. Once again unfair since I paid for a full year, and the one dog has a $60 registration fee! He called in the info but no one had time to get back to him, which I am thankful for. So now we get to have the dogs vaccinated tomorrow, which we were planning on anyway, and I get the "pleasure" of paying $105 to register the dogs for another year. Kinda expensive, you say? Well that's the penalty we get for living in socialist California!
We have been talking about putting the house on the market for a few weeks. The plan was to do it next spring, now I'm voting for today!
I wouldn't be surprised to find CPS on the door next. Someone will probably turn us in for not having a big enough shelter for our kids...
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Spring cleaning and such
I've been very bad about updating my blog. I wish I could say we've been madly cleaning but all I've gotten accomplished is a really long list of things that need to be done. With the price of gas at $3.25 a gallon I have high hopes that we will be forced to stay home and work on that list, not that we have been going anywhere in the recent month.
We put in a garden about a month ago after the last frost. I had high hopes that we would start to see some action by now but it looks like the squirrels and bunnies have decided it is their own personal buffet. I saw a couple of shoots only to have them disappear the next day. It was very frustrating! I also didn't have very good luck with the seeds which I bought at a discount place so I broke down and ordered some more seeds from a seed catalog. I'm hoping for a better germination rate and I'm moving the garden closer to the house!
The fruit trees are blooming though and brightening up the yard!
We put in a garden about a month ago after the last frost. I had high hopes that we would start to see some action by now but it looks like the squirrels and bunnies have decided it is their own personal buffet. I saw a couple of shoots only to have them disappear the next day. It was very frustrating! I also didn't have very good luck with the seeds which I bought at a discount place so I broke down and ordered some more seeds from a seed catalog. I'm hoping for a better germination rate and I'm moving the garden closer to the house!
The fruit trees are blooming though and brightening up the yard!
Monday, March 12, 2007
It's always something...
I can never complain that my life is boring but I'm hoping for a better start to this week than last week ended.
Paul called me right after leaving the house on Friday, it seems the last time we had the tires rotated on the truck they somehow messed up the alignment. We knew we were going to have to buy tires in a few months but it wasn't supposed to be so soon. Unfortunately it had to be right then. I called around and no one had tires in stock that would fit. We had planned on finding a used set of smaller wheels so we could buy tires that would be more geared towards off-road conditions. Unfortunately the dealer that was helping us didn't find any in time. So after a number of calls I found a competent salesman who suggested an alternate size that is manufacturer approved. $800 later we have new tires and the alignment is fixed.
To add just a little more frustration our printer died during all of this calling around. So we had to replace that as well since Paul needs it for work.
It made for a very frustrating and emotional day for me. Since we live on a cash basis I had to do some quick juggling. The few projects we had planned, finishing the outside of the deck enclosure and ordering math books, have been put on hold indefinitely and the money for the extra property taxes will have to come from somewhere else. I don't know why I was so surprised, nothing ever goes as planned.
I'm just hoping this week will go more smoothly!
Paul called me right after leaving the house on Friday, it seems the last time we had the tires rotated on the truck they somehow messed up the alignment. We knew we were going to have to buy tires in a few months but it wasn't supposed to be so soon. Unfortunately it had to be right then. I called around and no one had tires in stock that would fit. We had planned on finding a used set of smaller wheels so we could buy tires that would be more geared towards off-road conditions. Unfortunately the dealer that was helping us didn't find any in time. So after a number of calls I found a competent salesman who suggested an alternate size that is manufacturer approved. $800 later we have new tires and the alignment is fixed.
To add just a little more frustration our printer died during all of this calling around. So we had to replace that as well since Paul needs it for work.
It made for a very frustrating and emotional day for me. Since we live on a cash basis I had to do some quick juggling. The few projects we had planned, finishing the outside of the deck enclosure and ordering math books, have been put on hold indefinitely and the money for the extra property taxes will have to come from somewhere else. I don't know why I was so surprised, nothing ever goes as planned.
I'm just hoping this week will go more smoothly!
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Technology
I just finished the book Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology by Eric Brende. Anyone who knows me will understand that this is my kind of book. I've become almost obsessed with trying to pare down our life, both out of a sense of frugality and also the desire to lessen our dependence on big industry.
I was excited to see the book in the mail yesterday afternoon and just finished it. It's on the small side but packed with information that really made me think. I thought I would post a quote that really stuck with me...
So this brings me to the question of how much technology to use. I can look at the washing machine and see the benefits and drawbacks of such a machine. Having done laundry with washtubs and a hand wringer I know the health benefits but also see the huge drain on my time. So the drawbacks of the machine, the money needed to run it, are outweighed by the time I save. I can't say the same thing about the dryer. We have one but can't use it because we don't have a 220 outlet. For the last 6 months I have hung the laundry out to dry. It is a pain when the weather is bad but it's free. Why pay the exorbitant electric bill to generate what I already have for free, wind and heat? Yes there is a little more time involved, hanging up the laundry, and I have to plan ahead and watch the weather to make sure we have enough clothes during those times it's raining; but in my mind the benefits far outweigh the little demands.
I could go on and on but I think I want to digest a bit more before I post anymore of my thoughts. This just reminds me of why I enjoy reading so much, it forces me to think and question. Now that I have something to chew on I'm off to take the laundry off the line...
I was excited to see the book in the mail yesterday afternoon and just finished it. It's on the small side but packed with information that really made me think. I thought I would post a quote that really stuck with me...
"First, a modern automatic machine is no mere tool. It is a complex fuel-consuming being with needs of its own. It gobbles up energy; it demands care and maintenance; it even has bouts of temperament. In many cases no diaper will contain its mess. And all this on top of the initial chuck of cash it bites-its purchase price-which often amounts to a king's ransom. For these reasons, it not only serves but must be served. But it is more than another mouth to feed; as it becomes more involved and involving, it can easily invade the living space we formally reserved for ourselves, taking on functions once our own."When I read this I just said, "Wow!" This is exactly the sentiment I have expressed to Paul so many times. We don't own a nice sound system or big screen TV but have friends and family who do. Looking at the space and money needed to house and maintain such equipment I am in awe. Much of this type of thing is used as an escape from the hardships of life and working. I often wonder if getting rid of the equipment and the needs it generates would alleviate the need for escape. Would getting rid of all the non-essentials eliminate the need to work at a job that requires escape?
So this brings me to the question of how much technology to use. I can look at the washing machine and see the benefits and drawbacks of such a machine. Having done laundry with washtubs and a hand wringer I know the health benefits but also see the huge drain on my time. So the drawbacks of the machine, the money needed to run it, are outweighed by the time I save. I can't say the same thing about the dryer. We have one but can't use it because we don't have a 220 outlet. For the last 6 months I have hung the laundry out to dry. It is a pain when the weather is bad but it's free. Why pay the exorbitant electric bill to generate what I already have for free, wind and heat? Yes there is a little more time involved, hanging up the laundry, and I have to plan ahead and watch the weather to make sure we have enough clothes during those times it's raining; but in my mind the benefits far outweigh the little demands.
I could go on and on but I think I want to digest a bit more before I post anymore of my thoughts. This just reminds me of why I enjoy reading so much, it forces me to think and question. Now that I have something to chew on I'm off to take the laundry off the line...
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Projects
We have had lots of snow, for us, so we have been forced to stay inside for the last 4 days or so. Typical of the weather here it is bright and sunny today with only a little of the snow holding over in sheltered places.
Since we were stuck inside I decided to catch up on a few sewing projects. I finished a skirt and top for Lorna.
The long overdue shower curtain is completed and up. I didn't realize how the old one made the room look so dark. The new one isn't anything really special, being simple and cream colored, but it doesn't detract from the tile in the shower like the old one did. I also made a panel to cover the wall cabinet, now all our junk is hidden.
Yesterday I spent the entire day cutting and ironing pattern pieces for a suit of Malachi. This is my least favorite part of sewing! The suit has a jacket, pants, and vest so the number of pieces is overwhelming. After looking at the pieces and scanty instructions I'm not too sure if it is gonna turn out. So far every time I've said that about a project it's turned out just fine but we will see.
Since we were stuck inside I decided to catch up on a few sewing projects. I finished a skirt and top for Lorna.
The long overdue shower curtain is completed and up. I didn't realize how the old one made the room look so dark. The new one isn't anything really special, being simple and cream colored, but it doesn't detract from the tile in the shower like the old one did. I also made a panel to cover the wall cabinet, now all our junk is hidden.
Yesterday I spent the entire day cutting and ironing pattern pieces for a suit of Malachi. This is my least favorite part of sewing! The suit has a jacket, pants, and vest so the number of pieces is overwhelming. After looking at the pieces and scanty instructions I'm not too sure if it is gonna turn out. So far every time I've said that about a project it's turned out just fine but we will see.
Friday, February 23, 2007
School books and stuff
I'm sitting here watching the snow fall outside my window. It's the end of February, in California, and we have snow! I'm not exactly complaining but I really dislike the crazy weather. We went from the high 60's to snow over the course of 2 days. We are supposed to warm up to around 70 by the end of next week. It's just freaky!
We finally got our tax return and I should be happy but it's going toward more taxes. Some people get to take vacations or go shopping. I get to pay for the car registration and a supplemental property tax bill. I did get to take a little bit of it and order some much needed school books.
I have ordered from Rainbow Resource for the last 5 years. I've always been happy with their prices and service but this year I'm wondering if I shouldn't find another supplier. I ordered online 2 weeks ago. I called Monday to check on the order and I was told everything, with the exception of one book, was shipping out on Tuesday. Great news. The last 2 years I've ended up with backorders that were 6 and 11 months in coming. Then I noticed the amount they took out of my bank account was incorrect. It was too little. I called this morning to find that 2 of the books I ordered were out of print. They have the new additions, which cost a few cents more. I didn't receive an email or phone call from them; they just cancelled the books off the order. They straightened it out and agreed not to charge me shipping since my original order was over the amount needed to qualify for free shipping.
But wait, there is a problem with my address. We don't get mail at our home; the post office does not deliver here. So I put in the comments section of my order that anything shipped USPS (backorders) needed to be sent to the PO Box. They didn't read it and can't put exceptions in the system. They caught the backordered book that was shipping out today and informed me that in the future I should have everything shipped to the PO Box so there is no confusions for backordered items. Of course that means even though they offer FedEx ground I will have to use Book Rate USPS. We all know the Post Office puts book rate stuff on the back of a chicken and points it in the direction it's headed, that's why it takes 3-6 weeks! So instead of getting my order sent to my house I will have to wait until we can get to the Post Office. No big deal, right? Well our post office is open from 9-4 M-F. No Saturday hours, they say they are open for 1 hour each Saturday for pick-ups only but they aren't always there. So I could go weeks without catching them during the hours they are open, after all Paul has to work during the day. All of this because Rainbow Resource doesn't want to have to deal with 2 shipping addresses. Of course if they had everything in stock when I originally ordered this wouldn't even be an issue.
Maybe by the time I order my next shipment next year I will have forgotten all about this. Maybe they will even get their system updated so they can read the comments they ask for. The woman I spoke to even mentioned that this is an issue for a number of their customers, so why don't they fix it? Or maybe I'll just find a new supplier for books.
We finally got our tax return and I should be happy but it's going toward more taxes. Some people get to take vacations or go shopping. I get to pay for the car registration and a supplemental property tax bill. I did get to take a little bit of it and order some much needed school books.
I have ordered from Rainbow Resource for the last 5 years. I've always been happy with their prices and service but this year I'm wondering if I shouldn't find another supplier. I ordered online 2 weeks ago. I called Monday to check on the order and I was told everything, with the exception of one book, was shipping out on Tuesday. Great news. The last 2 years I've ended up with backorders that were 6 and 11 months in coming. Then I noticed the amount they took out of my bank account was incorrect. It was too little. I called this morning to find that 2 of the books I ordered were out of print. They have the new additions, which cost a few cents more. I didn't receive an email or phone call from them; they just cancelled the books off the order. They straightened it out and agreed not to charge me shipping since my original order was over the amount needed to qualify for free shipping.
But wait, there is a problem with my address. We don't get mail at our home; the post office does not deliver here. So I put in the comments section of my order that anything shipped USPS (backorders) needed to be sent to the PO Box. They didn't read it and can't put exceptions in the system. They caught the backordered book that was shipping out today and informed me that in the future I should have everything shipped to the PO Box so there is no confusions for backordered items. Of course that means even though they offer FedEx ground I will have to use Book Rate USPS. We all know the Post Office puts book rate stuff on the back of a chicken and points it in the direction it's headed, that's why it takes 3-6 weeks! So instead of getting my order sent to my house I will have to wait until we can get to the Post Office. No big deal, right? Well our post office is open from 9-4 M-F. No Saturday hours, they say they are open for 1 hour each Saturday for pick-ups only but they aren't always there. So I could go weeks without catching them during the hours they are open, after all Paul has to work during the day. All of this because Rainbow Resource doesn't want to have to deal with 2 shipping addresses. Of course if they had everything in stock when I originally ordered this wouldn't even be an issue.
Maybe by the time I order my next shipment next year I will have forgotten all about this. Maybe they will even get their system updated so they can read the comments they ask for. The woman I spoke to even mentioned that this is an issue for a number of their customers, so why don't they fix it? Or maybe I'll just find a new supplier for books.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
What's important?
Before I start this post, once again, I just wanted to vent. I was forced to upgrade to the new version of Blogger this morning. I hate change. I typed out this post and hit "save as draft", when I went in to edit it, it was all gone! Eaten by this supposedly great new version of Blogger...Grrrrr!
Since Paul and I are trying to get our long-term goals hammered out we have been forced to think about what's important.
My previous comment that we wanted to move away from CA sparked an email from a friend who thought we were over the desire to leave. We thought we were over it too! Our friends are important to us, they are the family we weren't given by blood. But is that enough to make us stay in a place where we just aren't happy? The financial strain of living here is wearing, it will inevitably lead to burn out. We may be close (relatively speaking) to our friends but what good does that do when we can't afford to visit or join in on outings? Since we have been here our visits to church and our friends, which are one inextricably combined, have gone from weekly to once a month. We've gone from enjoying lunch out after church to no longer being able to do that. I'm glad that our friends have the opportunity to go out and enjoy the company of others, but we cannot. Paul and I live in a completely different reality. We are in a different part of our life (most of our friends are older) and we have chosen to have children. We have chosen to give up financial security to give the kids the security of having a parent at home to guide their education. I have chosen to embrace my vocation as a wife and mother in a traditional, some might say archaic, manner. Because we live in this other universe, we just don't have the means to participate in much else.
So once again this brings me back to wondering if staying here strictly to be near friends is an option? I can't say I have a hard and fast answer but the longer we are here the more I think it's not a good option. So that makes me wonder what is important? Everyone has different needs to consider. For us we know one thing that we cannot ignore, homeschooling laws. Wherever we move must have, what we consider, decent laws. That rules out at least 1/2 of the states, I can live with that. The other things we have thought about are: affordability, zoning restrictions, taxes, weather, and gun laws. I'm sure there are more but that's what comes to mind right now. California pretty much falls short on every one of our concerns, except for the homeschooling laws.
Luckily we don't have to make any hard decisions right now, even if we wanted to we can't move for some time. But being the planner that I am, I can't just ignore what I know is coming. Eventually we will be forced to make a decision on where to go next. If I'm lucky maybe our friends will want to follow us.
Since Paul and I are trying to get our long-term goals hammered out we have been forced to think about what's important.
My previous comment that we wanted to move away from CA sparked an email from a friend who thought we were over the desire to leave. We thought we were over it too! Our friends are important to us, they are the family we weren't given by blood. But is that enough to make us stay in a place where we just aren't happy? The financial strain of living here is wearing, it will inevitably lead to burn out. We may be close (relatively speaking) to our friends but what good does that do when we can't afford to visit or join in on outings? Since we have been here our visits to church and our friends, which are one inextricably combined, have gone from weekly to once a month. We've gone from enjoying lunch out after church to no longer being able to do that. I'm glad that our friends have the opportunity to go out and enjoy the company of others, but we cannot. Paul and I live in a completely different reality. We are in a different part of our life (most of our friends are older) and we have chosen to have children. We have chosen to give up financial security to give the kids the security of having a parent at home to guide their education. I have chosen to embrace my vocation as a wife and mother in a traditional, some might say archaic, manner. Because we live in this other universe, we just don't have the means to participate in much else.
So once again this brings me back to wondering if staying here strictly to be near friends is an option? I can't say I have a hard and fast answer but the longer we are here the more I think it's not a good option. So that makes me wonder what is important? Everyone has different needs to consider. For us we know one thing that we cannot ignore, homeschooling laws. Wherever we move must have, what we consider, decent laws. That rules out at least 1/2 of the states, I can live with that. The other things we have thought about are: affordability, zoning restrictions, taxes, weather, and gun laws. I'm sure there are more but that's what comes to mind right now. California pretty much falls short on every one of our concerns, except for the homeschooling laws.
Luckily we don't have to make any hard decisions right now, even if we wanted to we can't move for some time. But being the planner that I am, I can't just ignore what I know is coming. Eventually we will be forced to make a decision on where to go next. If I'm lucky maybe our friends will want to follow us.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Views
Since the Presbytera asked for pictures of the views from the newly enclosed deck I thought I would post a couple.
This one has our "peek-a-boo" lake view. It's really hard to see it right now since the lake level is really low, but if you look just to the right of the large boulders the lake is visible. The clothes line posts are also a new addition, we cemented them in yesterday and I painted the post purple, my favorite color. I figure if I have to hang the laundry out to dry I might as well enjoy looking at the posts while I'm doing it! I'm very excited about the posts, no more will our laundry be in the driveway strung between the tree and carport.
This one is the view of the back of our property. The trees are mostly dead from a fire that scorched the entire area a few years ago. We are getting ready to chop them down tomorrow for firewood.
The area we live in is just at the edge of the desert before you get into the forest. There is a lot of scrub and a few trees. The area used to be owned by the BLM and was sold in the 20's. The road up to the area is paved but is only wide enough for one vehicle in many spots. For the most part everyone is extremely cautious and courteous. A few miles further up the main road is USDA controlled forest. Extremely convenient for us since it is a firewood cutting site.
As of this afternoon we now have power in the new room. We were able to disconnect an outdoor outlet that we never used and extended the line into the room with two new outlets. We are very careful about the load we place on the entire system, using only fluorescent lights and few big appliances at any one time. The main box needs to replaced soon and we will upgrade the service at that time.
This one has our "peek-a-boo" lake view. It's really hard to see it right now since the lake level is really low, but if you look just to the right of the large boulders the lake is visible. The clothes line posts are also a new addition, we cemented them in yesterday and I painted the post purple, my favorite color. I figure if I have to hang the laundry out to dry I might as well enjoy looking at the posts while I'm doing it! I'm very excited about the posts, no more will our laundry be in the driveway strung between the tree and carport.
This one is the view of the back of our property. The trees are mostly dead from a fire that scorched the entire area a few years ago. We are getting ready to chop them down tomorrow for firewood.
The area we live in is just at the edge of the desert before you get into the forest. There is a lot of scrub and a few trees. The area used to be owned by the BLM and was sold in the 20's. The road up to the area is paved but is only wide enough for one vehicle in many spots. For the most part everyone is extremely cautious and courteous. A few miles further up the main road is USDA controlled forest. Extremely convenient for us since it is a firewood cutting site.
As of this afternoon we now have power in the new room. We were able to disconnect an outdoor outlet that we never used and extended the line into the room with two new outlets. We are very careful about the load we place on the entire system, using only fluorescent lights and few big appliances at any one time. The main box needs to replaced soon and we will upgrade the service at that time.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Deck views and goals
I was going to wait until everything was moved into the new rooms before I posted more pictures but then I realized I might never get there!
Every time I turn around I seem to be finding things that need to be moved, cleaned, or arranged so I gave up waiting.
Malachi's loft bed is the dividing line for his area. He has lots of space to play between his bed and the wall. When we finally went through all his tubs we found that he had a lot less than we thought, most of them were less than half full.
Here is the room that used to contain the table, Malachi's things, and the sofa. Now it's just a living room!
Cleaning and arranging have left me lots of time to think about what our goals are for the future. We have finally come to the realization that no matter where we live we are never gonna be comfortable financially. Each move has had the promise of a better income and each time it hasn't happened. Some of this has finally hit home because I just finished the taxes. We made less last year than before I got out of college 10 years ago! It seems so pathetic to think we are going backwards and not forward. At the same time I can look at the fact that we live in one of the most expensive areas of the country and we are making it, even if it is tight.
So I think we both have realized that it's time to make some goals that can be actually achieved. We both know that we don't want to be in CA forever, in fact the sooner we can leave the better. But soon might not be for a number of years so we want to spend the next few years figuring out where we want to try next. I'm hoping having a goal will help to make our time here more palatable.
Every time I turn around I seem to be finding things that need to be moved, cleaned, or arranged so I gave up waiting.
Malachi's loft bed is the dividing line for his area. He has lots of space to play between his bed and the wall. When we finally went through all his tubs we found that he had a lot less than we thought, most of them were less than half full.
Here is the room that used to contain the table, Malachi's things, and the sofa. Now it's just a living room!
Cleaning and arranging have left me lots of time to think about what our goals are for the future. We have finally come to the realization that no matter where we live we are never gonna be comfortable financially. Each move has had the promise of a better income and each time it hasn't happened. Some of this has finally hit home because I just finished the taxes. We made less last year than before I got out of college 10 years ago! It seems so pathetic to think we are going backwards and not forward. At the same time I can look at the fact that we live in one of the most expensive areas of the country and we are making it, even if it is tight.
So I think we both have realized that it's time to make some goals that can be actually achieved. We both know that we don't want to be in CA forever, in fact the sooner we can leave the better. But soon might not be for a number of years so we want to spend the next few years figuring out where we want to try next. I'm hoping having a goal will help to make our time here more palatable.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Finished....Almost
The deck is finally finished...almost. I say almost because we still have to paint and do trim work. Both of those things will have to wait until it's warmer and we have a little bit of extra money for the trim. But it's done enough to move Malachi outside.
We installed the carpet today and I have to admit this was the first project we have done that didn't take longer than we planned. We actually got it done in one day with time to spare!
The windows are great, there is lots of light and it really warms up that area. During the summer we can take them out and put screening in.
Oh and just so I don't keep you in suspense, that oval thing hanging on the wall is a train track. It's 4 x 8 so it's hanging there to keep it out of the way when it's not being used.
We installed the carpet today and I have to admit this was the first project we have done that didn't take longer than we planned. We actually got it done in one day with time to spare!
The windows are great, there is lots of light and it really warms up that area. During the summer we can take them out and put screening in.
Oh and just so I don't keep you in suspense, that oval thing hanging on the wall is a train track. It's 4 x 8 so it's hanging there to keep it out of the way when it's not being used.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Deck Improvements
While Paul and I were gone for the weekend, my mother and her husband got the deck almost completely finished.
It's coming along nicely. We have carpet picked out and will install that later this week. The walls will have to be primed and painted before that happens, luckily it's been really warm so we shouldn't have a problem painting this week. Then we can move Malachi and all his stuff into his new room.
It's coming along nicely. We have carpet picked out and will install that later this week. The walls will have to be primed and painted before that happens, luckily it's been really warm so we shouldn't have a problem painting this week. Then we can move Malachi and all his stuff into his new room.
Friday, January 26, 2007
House Guests
I must be crazy. I know some of you think I'm crazy because we have lived in a yurt with no electricity or running water, or because we have moved across the country a few times, or because we live in a house that is only 530 sq feet. But this time I know I'm out of my mind.
My mom and her husband are coming to visit next week. They are going to be here for a week or two and they are staying with us. Yep that's right, we are going to squeeze 2 more people into a house that is already too small for the four of us. I don't think my mom understands how small the house is. She visited when we were working on the floor, before we moved the furniture in, and I've sent pictures of the inside since we've moved in, but it's not the same as actually standing in the middle of the room surrounded by stuff. We have only 1 bathroom which presents a challenge on a normal day, I'm not sure what's gonna happen when we add 2 more people into the mix.
It'll either be fun or we will kill each other, I'm not quite sure which. While they are here we should increase the amount of space we have by 250 sq feet so that will help, unfortunately we won't be adding another bathroom. Malachi will finally have a room of his own, which makes me happy. He doesn't seem to care but I do because he sleeps 10 feet from the TV so when Paul and I want to watch movies that aren't appropriate for the kids we have to use the laptop in the bedroom and I'd much rather watch it on the big TV.
So we will see how things go. I wonder how long they can take it before they get a room at the local motel...
My mom and her husband are coming to visit next week. They are going to be here for a week or two and they are staying with us. Yep that's right, we are going to squeeze 2 more people into a house that is already too small for the four of us. I don't think my mom understands how small the house is. She visited when we were working on the floor, before we moved the furniture in, and I've sent pictures of the inside since we've moved in, but it's not the same as actually standing in the middle of the room surrounded by stuff. We have only 1 bathroom which presents a challenge on a normal day, I'm not sure what's gonna happen when we add 2 more people into the mix.
It'll either be fun or we will kill each other, I'm not quite sure which. While they are here we should increase the amount of space we have by 250 sq feet so that will help, unfortunately we won't be adding another bathroom. Malachi will finally have a room of his own, which makes me happy. He doesn't seem to care but I do because he sleeps 10 feet from the TV so when Paul and I want to watch movies that aren't appropriate for the kids we have to use the laptop in the bedroom and I'd much rather watch it on the big TV.
So we will see how things go. I wonder how long they can take it before they get a room at the local motel...
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Breakfast
For those that know me, you know I'm not a morning person. So pancakes for breakfast is a rare treat for the kids. I will on occasion make them pancakes for lunch but my making breakfast is something special.
As I read through some posts on the homeschooling list I'm on, I was struck by a few off-handed comments about the time these people got up. They were mentioning that they didn't get up at 5:30 but *gasp* 7:30. Okay I'm gonna let you in on a secret, I don't normally get up until way after 8, sometimes as late as 9. That's right I like to sleep in the morning. I'm not saying it's a bad thing to get up early but I can't do it. Well I can and do on those Sundays we go to church, in fact I don't get up in the morning but the middle of the night, 4:30. But I spend the rest of the day feeling off and grumpy.
So yep, I'm a bad mom who makes her kids fend for themselves for breakfast normally. I like to get school started by 11, if I'm lucky, and my house is always a mess because of how small it is.
Oh and just in case you are thinking that I get points for making pancakes from scratch this morning, I admit that those are Bisquick pancakes.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Which Classic Heroine Are You?
Anne Shirley
The loveable redhead of "Anne of Green Gables." Anne lives on Prince Edward Island, and never ceases to astonish it's inhabitants. She's a writer, matchmaker, and can generally be found getting into some scrape or the other. Gilbert Blythe, one of her dearest friends, is in love with her, but she refuses to see it for many years.
Which Classic Heroine are You?
I'm not all that surprised. This is one of my favorite books right behind Pride & Prejudice. I see a lot of myself in Anne, constantly getting into trouble and being somewhat strong-willed. Besides, Anne is my middle name!
The loveable redhead of "Anne of Green Gables." Anne lives on Prince Edward Island, and never ceases to astonish it's inhabitants. She's a writer, matchmaker, and can generally be found getting into some scrape or the other. Gilbert Blythe, one of her dearest friends, is in love with her, but she refuses to see it for many years.
Which Classic Heroine are You?
I'm not all that surprised. This is one of my favorite books right behind Pride & Prejudice. I see a lot of myself in Anne, constantly getting into trouble and being somewhat strong-willed. Besides, Anne is my middle name!
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Working outside the home
This happens every once in awhile. A very well meaning friend will suggest that our financial struggle can be eliminated if I just got a job. I think this happens because most of our closest friends don't have children and don't think about the costs involved in working outside the home.
I don't think it's a bad thing that this comes up, it always gives me an opportunity to reevaluate what I already know, the costs are too high. So yesterday I was told that I could do this if I want to. This is, of course, assuming that the kids were put into the government indoctrination system.
Here is what I came up with:
The costs for daycare after school and school holidays $12,000-$15,000 per year
The costs for a second car including the payment, insurance, gas, and maintenance $8,000 per year
The costs for appropriate clothing and supplies for the kids $1,000 per year
The costs for work clothing for me $500 per year
The costs of increased medical premiums and copayments since we are currently on a plan that has the premiums determined by income $4,000
The costs of increased taxes $4,000
The costs of more prepackaged foods for lunch and dinner $2,600
Assuming I could find a job making $30,000 per year, the grand total that we would add to our current income is -$2100. That's right it would cost me to work! That's not even counting the costs that aren't monetary. So could I work outside the home? Sure but the costs would put us in a worse financial situation not a better one.
So for the sake of argument let's consider all those non-monetary costs:
The kids would have maybe 2 hours a day with their parents
Lorna's medical condition requires her to take a steroid medication which suppresses her immune system, how many times a year would she end up in the hospital? From past experience when she was in daycare, twice a year. That's not even counting how often she got sick and didn't require hospitalization.
How would Malachi deal with being in a classroom, he has a difficult time now because he spends much of his time in his own little world.
Who would do the laundry and clean the house? Who would take care of the animals? When would I have time to cook?
I could go on but I think you get the point.
I do not have the ability to be a wife, mother, and worker. Something has to suffer and it would be the first two because if you let the worker part suffer you lose your job. So how is working outside the home going to solve our problem? It isn't. In fact I think it would just cause that many more problems.
So thanks to the friend you brought this up! You have helped me to remember why I quit working in the first place.
I don't think it's a bad thing that this comes up, it always gives me an opportunity to reevaluate what I already know, the costs are too high. So yesterday I was told that I could do this if I want to. This is, of course, assuming that the kids were put into the government indoctrination system.
Here is what I came up with:
The costs for daycare after school and school holidays $12,000-$15,000 per year
The costs for a second car including the payment, insurance, gas, and maintenance $8,000 per year
The costs for appropriate clothing and supplies for the kids $1,000 per year
The costs for work clothing for me $500 per year
The costs of increased medical premiums and copayments since we are currently on a plan that has the premiums determined by income $4,000
The costs of increased taxes $4,000
The costs of more prepackaged foods for lunch and dinner $2,600
Assuming I could find a job making $30,000 per year, the grand total that we would add to our current income is -$2100. That's right it would cost me to work! That's not even counting the costs that aren't monetary. So could I work outside the home? Sure but the costs would put us in a worse financial situation not a better one.
So for the sake of argument let's consider all those non-monetary costs:
The kids would have maybe 2 hours a day with their parents
Lorna's medical condition requires her to take a steroid medication which suppresses her immune system, how many times a year would she end up in the hospital? From past experience when she was in daycare, twice a year. That's not even counting how often she got sick and didn't require hospitalization.
How would Malachi deal with being in a classroom, he has a difficult time now because he spends much of his time in his own little world.
Who would do the laundry and clean the house? Who would take care of the animals? When would I have time to cook?
I could go on but I think you get the point.
I do not have the ability to be a wife, mother, and worker. Something has to suffer and it would be the first two because if you let the worker part suffer you lose your job. So how is working outside the home going to solve our problem? It isn't. In fact I think it would just cause that many more problems.
So thanks to the friend you brought this up! You have helped me to remember why I quit working in the first place.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Washer repairs
They won't be happening today which means I will be outside using the washtubs since we are out of some necessary clothing.
I didn't get a confirmation call last night which should have tipped me off that there was a problem. I took the phone with me everywhere I went this morning so I wouldn't miss the call from the repairman. But the call never came. Instead Paul got a message on his cell that the repairman went to the house but we don't live there and they don't have our updated home phone number. What?!!? I gave all that info to the woman who I made the appointment with, she obviously got Paul's cell number added. We had a long coversation about our new home phone and address. I distinctly remember because I explained that everyone has a different city listed. It seems she forgot to update the screens or something.
So I called the appointment center only to get a rude young woman who claimed it wasn't her problem because she didn't make the original appointment! My thing is that it is her problem to fix because someone where she works dropped the ball. After getting very upset I was able to speak with someone who apologized and set up a new appointment for tomorrow.
I just want my washer fixed, why is this so difficult? To top it all off the guy who helped me today was too busy to update their records properly as to the fact that we have a maintenance agreement on 3 large appliances so now I have to fix this so I don't get charged. I'm just glad I have all the receipts handy!
Monday, January 15, 2007
Pipes and Laundry
Our pipes made it through the low temperatures of the past few days. We did have a slight problem yesterday for a few hours but got everything thawed and working.
My washing machine didn't make it though. It started spraying water out of the back panels and when we opened it up found a break in the water inlet. It's still under warranty until August so the repairman is coming tomorrow. Unfortunately we have laundry piled up everywhere and it looks like I'm going to have to break out the washtubs and wringer.
I would love to take it all to the laundromat but I can't since I don't have transportation during the day and they close at 6. Not only that but looking at the price to do a small load of clothes I don't think it would work anyway. My only fear is that the repairman will have to order a part and we will have to wait for weeks before he can fix it.
My washing machine didn't make it though. It started spraying water out of the back panels and when we opened it up found a break in the water inlet. It's still under warranty until August so the repairman is coming tomorrow. Unfortunately we have laundry piled up everywhere and it looks like I'm going to have to break out the washtubs and wringer.
I would love to take it all to the laundromat but I can't since I don't have transportation during the day and they close at 6. Not only that but looking at the price to do a small load of clothes I don't think it would work anyway. My only fear is that the repairman will have to order a part and we will have to wait for weeks before he can fix it.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Laundry
Well our infestation turned out to be something more serious than I thought, so yesterday saw us spend $200 at the doctors getting prescriptions for ourselves. Now I get the task of stripping everything again, I started yesterday. I now have enough laundry to keep me busy for weeks. Seeing as the temps are hovering around 30 this morning I need to wait until the booster pump thaws before I can start any of this glorious work. To top it all off, everything is supposed to be washed in hot water and dried on high. Problem is we only have cold water to the washer and no dryer. So in lieu of all of that I can soak stuff in the bathtub before washing it or I can let it sit for a week before washing it. I'm doing a little of both. The most important stuff is getting soaked but it's very difficult to wring out bulky items like the pillows.
I'm starting with the oldest stuff first, which has been sitting outside for a week already. Maybe by the time I get to the newer stuff it will have sat long enough and I won't have to soak it. The worst of all of this is that we have exposed our friends to this nightmare since we were unknowingly contagious up until this morning.
BTW, they are projecting temps of 10 tonight, this does not bode well for our pipes or drying laundry. At least I can never complain about my life being boring!
I'm starting with the oldest stuff first, which has been sitting outside for a week already. Maybe by the time I get to the newer stuff it will have sat long enough and I won't have to soak it. The worst of all of this is that we have exposed our friends to this nightmare since we were unknowingly contagious up until this morning.
BTW, they are projecting temps of 10 tonight, this does not bode well for our pipes or drying laundry. At least I can never complain about my life being boring!
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
I didn't make it
That last cross stitch is still sitting here unfinished. To top it off I didn't get the frame for the first one in time to give it to the people it was intended for, maybe next time I see them. My life of crafting was interrupted on Saturday morning by needing to tear the house apart. We had an infestation of little bugs throughout the house. I had to not only clean the house thoroughly but I decided to strip the beds and wash everything. I'm still washing everything, I'm down to about 6 loads left. Maybe I can get it all caught up by the end of the weekend. This is one of the few times I hate not having a dryer, it makes a large chore huge because I can only do so many loads a day. But at least it looks like we got rid of the critters.
I did manage to find inexpensive frames for both the olive wreath and the one I'm currently working on. That was an accomplishment in itself. Hopefully I'll have both of them finished and framed soon.
I did manage to find inexpensive frames for both the olive wreath and the one I'm currently working on. That was an accomplishment in itself. Hopefully I'll have both of them finished and framed soon.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
One down...
I finally finished the project I blogged about yesterday
Now to find the right frame and get it all together quickly. It's an odd size, 6.5 inches in diameter, so I'm hoping to find a square frame 7 inches or larger. I can always put a mat around it if the frame is larger than needed, that might actually make it look even better.
Now to finish the other one.
Now to find the right frame and get it all together quickly. It's an odd size, 6.5 inches in diameter, so I'm hoping to find a square frame 7 inches or larger. I can always put a mat around it if the frame is larger than needed, that might actually make it look even better.
Now to finish the other one.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Still catching up
This is how far I've gotten on what should have been a Christmas gift but I'm hoping will be an Epiphany gift.
It's supposed to be an olive wreath but as you have noticed it doesn't connect together yet. I'm still not finished! The sad thing is, I have another slightly larger project still in the works and both need to be finished by Saturday afternoon. Can I do it? I hope so but my hopes are starting to fade.
We have all been sick for the past few weeks. I think we are on the downhill side with just the lingering coughs holding on. I still am not caught up on everything that needs to be done and I'm trying desperately to finish all the outside work by this afternoon. We have a large storm headed our way that is expected to drop a few inches of snow tomorrow night. It's amazing how these things require so much prep. I need to get all the laundry finished and dried before it hits since we hang everything on a line and I can't have wet stuff hanging out there for days after. I need to get the firewood covered as we just filled the wood holder. I need to get all the cardboard under the carport or there will be a soggy mess outside. I don't have time for all of this, I need to finish these gifts! So instead of doing anything I'm hiding in my bedroom updating my blog.
Maybe I'll get a chance to finish these gifts on Thursday evening and Friday since it'll be too messy to do anything outside...
It's supposed to be an olive wreath but as you have noticed it doesn't connect together yet. I'm still not finished! The sad thing is, I have another slightly larger project still in the works and both need to be finished by Saturday afternoon. Can I do it? I hope so but my hopes are starting to fade.
We have all been sick for the past few weeks. I think we are on the downhill side with just the lingering coughs holding on. I still am not caught up on everything that needs to be done and I'm trying desperately to finish all the outside work by this afternoon. We have a large storm headed our way that is expected to drop a few inches of snow tomorrow night. It's amazing how these things require so much prep. I need to get all the laundry finished and dried before it hits since we hang everything on a line and I can't have wet stuff hanging out there for days after. I need to get the firewood covered as we just filled the wood holder. I need to get all the cardboard under the carport or there will be a soggy mess outside. I don't have time for all of this, I need to finish these gifts! So instead of doing anything I'm hiding in my bedroom updating my blog.
Maybe I'll get a chance to finish these gifts on Thursday evening and Friday since it'll be too messy to do anything outside...
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