Mish Mash

Went to visit my daughter in AZ. I only intended to stay a few days, but was there nearly 2 weeks. It was difficult trying to get home because of storms in Arizona and New Mexico. When there were no storms, the mountain roads coming home were still too bad to drive. I took these photos on my way home just outside Strawberry, AZ...

There were still lots of areas on the road with ice, snow, slush, and black ice.

Then I got home...yaaaaay! My shower, water heater, pump, and inside water tank were all installed.

100 gallon water tank to the left; center low down pump; 19 gallon water heater to the right.

 I had originally planned to set up my water this way, but with an on-demand water heater. Then, I decided to just hook up to the well, so I got a small water heater instead of an on-demand. And...no well pump. And...I neeeeeeed running water...thank you very much. Have had the water heater too long to return it, and nowhere else to use it...so, we stuck with that option. Takes up a bit of under-counter  space, but I'm ok with that.

The water tank has an RV inlet that allows me to fill it from outside. Perfection! The Shur-flo pump works great...really good water pressure to the shower. My friends put a switch on the wall for the pump, so it's only on when I need to use it. Actually saw this set up a couple years ago on someone's blog, or Youtube...can't remember which one for certain. Guy turned an older panel truck into an RV, and did this set up for running water. He used a smaller fresh water tank, but same idea. Works really well.

Ahhhhh...beautiful shower I love you!

 I installed the kitchen counter and sink, and hung that cool handmade, rustic cabinet that I found at a secondhand store for about $20. Walls aren't finished yet because I need to have the cabin re-leveled first, and can't do that until the ground firms up quite a bit more. I needed the storage, so began hanging shelves, and cabinets anyway. I can always take them down and rehang once walls are taped and painted. No biggie.

My little $4 Habitat for Humanity sink is perfect!

Sink isn't usable yet...need a few parts to finish, but...can't get in and out of my property to purchase them just yet.

 I've been collecting appropriate stones to use as a back splash behind the sink, and have enough tile collected from various Habit for Humanities for the counter top. Little bit at a time...one thing at a time.

Cool rustic cabinet...holds my dishes so they don't get so dusty hangin' on a shelf.

My little IKEA table folds against the wall. I found this at a secondhand store for $4.99!

 Haven't installed the table just yet. Need to pick up some of those drywall anchors...metal ones I'm thinkin'...when I can get off my property...lol

KiKi on her window shelf.

KiKi chillin'.

I put a wider shelf in the window for my KiKi. She's...well...she's fat, and the window ledge isn't wide enough for her. Sooooo...she has a spot in the sun to laze about now. She actually knocked one of the other cats off of it when he (Tippy) tried to get up there with her. That's officially her spot now!

Pluggin' along...doin' my deal.
Thanks for reading...ciao

Rain, rain go away!

It's been rainy since last weekend. Aside from making a mess of the main road out of here, my driveway (around 300' or so) is a mud pit, and going anywhere is a tad...well...not safe (nearly slid off the side of the road down the hill), I can't work outside finishing up the hen house and run. I really don't have much more to do: cover roof with tar paper, edge with flashing, then put the roof on...easy peasy. The run already has the posts cemented in place, so all I need to do is put up the chicken wire, and fashion a simple gate into the run. I've decided to wait till Spring to whitewash the inside. I'm running out of time before 'real' winter weather hits.

My friend and I went to Albuquerque for a play day hittin' second hand stores, and to pick up more chicks. She found a lady in Albuquerque who breeds chicks all year long...has quite the set up there. Rose got 6 Buff Orpingtons, and I got 2 Buffs and one black Australorp. They're all 3 weeks old now, so Rose is keeping them in her house in my dogs old wire kennel. All 9 chicks fit just fine, and are growing fast...feathering out already. We're feeding non-GMO feed, fresh fruit/veggie scraps, and baby chick grit. They're flourishing! Sooooo...I need the room for them to all roam once they can be put outside. I know it'll be awhile just yet, but I need them secure for the winter. Next time I run up to Rose's, I'll snap some pics and post them.

Been going to doctor appointments this and last week...just establishing myself as a patient, but have some tests coming up that will put me away from home for a day here and there. The dreaded colonoscopy is one of them. Now...how does that relate to homesteading, alternative living, etc? Well...colonoscopy prep is just plain nasty...a thorough colon clean out. You get my drift? Well, I have a very simple composting toilet system...chuckles...a 5 gallon bucket with a toilet seat using coco-coir (coconut fibers).

The toilet is in the corner with white bucket next to it containing the coco-coir.

 I started off using sawdust but stopped when I found a Child of the Earth bug in my sawdust. They're not poisonous, but can make a stink, and give a nasty, painful bite. Yeah...not goin' there...thank you very much.

I'm telling you...the head on this thing was nearly the size of a small marble! I'm not having anything like that near my bum...lemme tell ya! One of my former students is off grid using a composting toilet, and he told me about the coco-coir...ordered...been using for a few weeks now. It's not quite as good at masking odors as the sawdust, but does the job well enough.

Anyway...using my little composting set up while doing the prep for the colonoscopy isn't ideal by any stretch of the imagination. I'll probably stay at the Bunkhouse, which has running water, regular toilet, etc. It'll be easier to deal with the prep that needs to be done.

I'm older than probably most people doing what I'm doing. I'll be 57 yrs. old next month, so I'll be dealing with things like this that the younger homesteaders aren't dealing with when using alternative systems within their homes. And...I'm single...so am doing this by myself as well. I also have some health issues that need to be considered.

Me (left) with my sisters...Middle sister, Jeanette, in the middle...Baby sis, Niecey, on the right.

Me...hosing down the GrandBabies :) in my Ma's front yard.

I'll be honest...I didn't think about this type of situation during my planning. I did consider the health issues, but didn't think a composting toilet would be an issue. Unfortunately, it is. As a result, I've decided to put in a simple septic system with a low flow toilet. Though this is my guest cabin, I'll be living in it till either next Spring or Spring 2017. It will cost less money to do this than to install a quality composting toilet, and finances are critical at this point...so have to be considered. I also had to consider guests, and their ability/willingness to deal with a composting toilet system responsibly, and the fact that my son and his family will eventually inhabit this cabin during visits...6 people using a composting toilet would be a nightmare.

Is this a compromise I'm comfortable with when considering earth friendly concerns? Yes and no. Yes, because it's more practical given my age, health issues, and guests who'll be staying in this cabin. No, because I'm not so clear on the long term consequences to the soil when one uses a septic system...even a simple, smaller one.

So...learning, learning, learning. I'm still waiting for the well driller to install my well pump, and have called several others for estimates. I'm fairly certain that it won't get done before winter hits hard...probably not till next Spring. It's all good...frustrating at times...tedious at others (particularly with dishwashing and showers), but doable none-the-less. All part of the process...yes?

Ciao

 

New Age...

lol...Nope, not that kind of "new age". I'm a dinosaur, and like most humans, resistant to change (in some things). I've used one of the old fashioned flip phones for years...they have larger keys for clumsy fingers and ailing eyes, and are just plain simpler to use. Now, mine had a camera function as well as the ability to record videos and text. So...not entirely a dinosaur, I suppose.

My kids are thrilled...and having oh so much fun at my expense. I have a new iPhone. The reason I chose to upgrade from my trusty flip phone is largely because I will have no cell reception up on the mountain, and will need to use Skype. I know Skype can be used on the computer...that's how my son and I kept in touch when he was in Iraq, but I want the freedom to move around the cabin a bit...and maybe...just maybe...be out on the front porch during phone conversations.

There's an app for that! Good Grief! There's a freakin' app for everything! Everything!

I'm keeping it simple, but still leave myself open to my kids' torment. For example...I was trying to figure out how to use those cute smiley faces in a text with my son. Well...at one point there was a screen shot of...well...a phone screen. I couldn't figure out how the heck I did that. I'm notorious for pushing buttons I have no business pushing :) and was doing that freely. When I texted that to my son, I thought he was gonna die laughing. Apparently, he took a screen shot of HIS screen in order to show me what I was supposed to be doing...where. Well...and then I texted three pictures that I'd taken of son and GrandBoy. Once again, nooooooo clue how I did that. Unbeknownst to me, my son is forwarding all of these text messages to his sister...who was laughing so hard my other GrandBoy had to get in on the fun. They were all rolling along while I tried to figure out one...simple...thing...on this confounded phone.

I'm learning...slowly...and I have to admit that I actually like the phone...an iPhone 5c. Sure takes really nice pictures, too! Except...I still can't figure out how the heck to download them to this laptop!

Thanks for reading...Ciao...Lu

I feel very fortunate...

I've been talking with a good friend who lives in Oakland, CA, and is a movie set designer. Scott's going to come live on the property for a month or two when I get my cabin in place, and help me do much of the work inside the cabin. He's a very skilled craftsman, and will save me tons of money, frustration, and time by hiring him to work with me up there.

While I'd love to hire locally, because it's such a rural area, I'm told it's difficult to get dependable folks to do work as I'll need done to finish the inside of the cabin. Very difficult. My buds that live up there...the Fifields...say that having Scott up there will be a godsend. They wish they'd had a similar option early on. So...I'm feeling really fortunate...and grateful...to have such a skilled friend who can take the time to drive up and help me out.

We'll have to work around his jobs in CA, but he assures me it won't be difficult, and I'll have him for the duration. I figure we can get all the insulation hung, plumbing (shower, kitchen/bathroom sinks, etc), wiring/boxes run and hung, I'll get a couple young fellas (former students who live about an hour away) to help with hanging the drywall, build the wood stove fire barrier, and I'll be good to go to do the finish work myself. Scott says...maybe 6 weeks...probably not that long. Depends on issues with mud (it gets pretty icky certain times of the year) for supply deliveries, and gettin' in and out to pick up what we can ourselves.

Of course, I'll have a professional install the wood stove...not attempting that myself. I want it done right so as to avoid fire hazards. I'll also have an electrician connect the wiring to the main to avoid electrical problems/hazards, and so the all the areas that need inspecting will pass. Because my property is where it's at, I don't really have to do the inspections, but I don't want my kids to run into problems (someday farrrrrrr from now) if they should decide to sell the land/cabin.

So, though things are kind of quiet at this point, I'm still reading, studying, and researching a variety of things in order to refine skills I already possess, and to acquire others that will be needed. I sorely miss my laying hens...daaaaaang those eggs were scrumptious, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching their antics scampering around my yard. I'm itching to move up there, and keep looking at different ways in which I can do so. Realistically? Not in my best interest...so I'll keep plugging along, but it's hard...particularly now...Spring...planning...planting...*groans*...itchin' itchin' itchin' to git 'er done!

Thanks for reading...Ciao...Lu