Overwhelmed...

Sunday I finally had a nice day here at home where I could get part of the roof on the hen house completed. I covered it with tar paper, and then with flashing around the edges. I used 6" flashing for a little overhang in order to somewhat shield the vent that runs around the top of the coop. Hopefully, that'll cut down on rain and snow that might get inside while still allowing for the vent to do its job venting.

Yesterday saw no work done here at home as I was traipsing around one of the closer towns (60 miles away) for medical tests, and some shopping. Long day...late getting home.

We're possibly expecting our first snow up here...tomorrow night through Thursday. I need to get the roof on, but am not feeling up to it. I fell in the shower/tub Sunday, and hurt my back when it hit the faucet. After yesterday's drive, I'm stiff and really sore. I'll get up there and do the roof anyway, or my work on Sunday will be for naught.

I also start that nasty colonoscopy prep today...through Friday when I have the test.

So many things to do before winter hits hard:

- enclose chicken run with 4' chicken wire
- get water running inside, which includes ordering the water tank, pump, and paraphernalia needed for installation, and having the work done around my friend's schedual
- install septic (hole will be dug this week), and toilet, and pick up the barrels, and other supplies needed for this job
- install shower and kitchen sink/counter
- put up some kind of skirting around the bottom of the cabin to help with heat coming from underneath
- talk to the local fella about hauling water to my place...again...to make sure he's still willing to top my water off along with his
-  I have several medical tests scheduled within the next couple of weeks, and will have stretches of time where I won't be able to do things :-(

My well was dug quite some time ago. The driller finally got ahold of me 2 1/2 weeks ago to let me know he was sending all the paperwork to me, and we discussed the well pump again...my needs, etc...to determine what he would be installing. Still haven't received the paperwork and/or estimate for the well pump. So, I've decided to go with my original plan to install a fresh water RV tank inside (won't freeze) with RV inlet running out of the cabin to allow tank to be filled, a small SHURflo pump, and water heater. I'd already purchased a 19 gallon electric water heater to be used in here, so I won't purchase an on demand to go with this system as originally planned. Will just have to watch my water use carefully.

That doesn't mean that I won't install my well pump. It just means I'm done dealing with this guy, and will put that on hold till next Spring/Summer.

I've had so many situations like this where I've had to shift and change plans because it's so difficult getting work done up here. I feel I rely too heavily on a couple of friends up here to help me get this stuff done, but there's no other way to finish meeting basic needs right now.

I'm feeling quite overwhelmed at the moment, but know this will pass as I scratch off each job completed. With that said, I'm out to finish the hen house roof today. It's just life on life's terms.

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

 

Back in the saddle...

Again...

All the docs seen (for now), and multitudes of testing results are in. What started, in January, as an esophageal spasm that had my son scooping me off the kitchen floor to head to the ER, has turned into all kinds of fun stuff. Nothing life threatening for which I'm very grateful, but it's frustrating...to say the least.

I get those nasty spasms in my esophagus when I take certain medications, which I don't know will do that till I take them. At the time, I was taking an antibiotic for a severe sinus infection, which, apparently, is what caused this one. So...it was added to an ever growing list of meds I can't take. The problem with that last episode was that it was so severe, and that I had three episodes in less than 24 hours, which never happens. So, specialists seen...tests done...and results show that I have issues with esophagus (duh), mild/active gastritis (isn't getting older fun),  very low vitamin D (again), and am pre-diabetic...all of which are manageable with medication and diet/weight loss. Ok...doable...done.

The other thing that was "incidentally" found is that I have an adrenal adenoma (benign tumor) on one of my adrenal glands. Endocrinologist determined (through a crap load of tests) that it's not active, which just means that it's not over/under producing hormones that would make me pretty darned sick. Ok...no problem. Next step is to determine if it's a "fast growing adenoma", but that can't be done till early June with another CT scan. If it's growing, then it has to come out. If not, then it just needs watching once a year, or so. Keep your fingers crossed that it's a no grow adenoma.

I'm a tad tired of not feeling well, but am assured that I'll start feeling better as my sugars level out, and with a higher level of Vitamin D. Health issues aren't new to me. I have Fibromyalgia, an auto-immune disorder that causes my central nervous system to shut down from time to time, and a few other things that I deal with from time to time. Nothing life threatening...slows me down sometimes, but doesn't stop me from living my life as I choose...chuckles...much to my children's chagrin at times. So...moving on.

None of this will stop plans for my cabin/homestead, nor will it delay my moving up there Spring 2015. It will, however, slow the process throughout this year, which is ok...'cause it'll still get done by next Spring as planned. Glad to be feeling a little better, and having some energy for the extras.

Thanks for reading...ciao

Lu