Auctions and thrift stores...

Holy Cow!!! This week has been crazy with auctions... topped off with a smattering of thrifting! We went to the usual Tuesday nite auction where Jerry found some things to sell on eBay: a couple vintage board games, vises, etc. People are always leaving boxes of unwanted items on tables or by the door - and others can dig thru them & pick out what they want! I found a wonderful wood salt shaker & pepper grinder - looked like they'd never been used! I also found a couple little Mexican pottery pieces.
Then Wednesday we went to a storage unit auction where I bought a set of pots & pans & a mixing bowl for son Dustin all for $14.00. I also bought for $3.00 a cute metal/wicker folding bookshelf. It folds up flat so it will be easy to pack & move!
Yesterday we went to our local Salvation Army! Jerry found several "how to" books, some "classics", a cool crystal that weighs almost 4 pounds, an antique soldering stick, a vintage First Aid Kit, a Boy Scout fly tying (?) kit and a bunch of little cruise ship paperweights that have a clock in them - all to sell on ebay. I also found a moose throw pillow made by Woolrich for 99 cents! And a brand new (NWT) set of three dish towels (I can always use more!). Those are keepers.
Later this afternoon there is another storage unit auction. It's mostly tools, I heard, so I don't know if we'll go or not.
One of the blogs I read had made mention of how expensive thrift stores are getting! I do agree on some items. A lot of housewares are priced "high" for items that are used. Most of the local thrift stores have their items priced about the same, although there is one which is part of a Catholic charity & their stuff is priced rather high I think. They do, however, have a nice selection of high end items and the shop is set up more like a boutique! It's a pleasure to shop there! Another favorie is the ARC which has great sales!
I'm hoping we're done auctioning & thrifting for a while... some of this stuff has to find new homes SOON!

My Handsome Soldier

Here's a picture of my handsome soldier/son Alex... I had to snag it from his Facebook photos... I'm sure he won't mind!
He has been stationed in Iraq since last May (08). This is his second tour there and is supposed to be coming home in August.
Please keep our US Troops in your prayers!
Remember we are still the land of the FREE because of the BRAVE!

Junkmail

Thought I would pass along a link that has ways of lessening... maybe getting rid of altogether: JUNKMAIL. One thing that we've done is take the paper that comes in the envelope, stuff it into the postage paid return envelope & send it all back to them. If you do that - be sure to include a piece that has your name & address on it! Here's the link. http://www.obviously.com/junkmail/

The Gun Show Came to Town...

My husband Jerry LOVES to go to gun shows and especially the ones that also showcase early American primitive arts. This was the weekend that the gun show came to town! These folks like to wear period clothing, right down to the accessories. There were LOTS of handlebar mustaches, long, shaggy beards, long hair, little round wire-rimmed glasses, quite a few semi-toothless smiles & one gentleman who had obviously stolen Andy Rooney's eyebrows! Unfortunately, some of the ones who REALLY take the early American stuff to heart… also embrace the early American hygiene… a bathe once a week whether they need it or not! (JMHO) Having a sensitive nose in a place like that is not a good thing!!

As much as I complained about having to go… I went… more to keep tabs on what he was buying than anything else. We went Saturday afternoon for about 3 hours. We split up at the door because he wanted to look at guns & I get tired of hearing how I need a handgun...that and the fact that he doesn't appreciate my comments or my lack of knowledge of guns & bullets! So I went wandering around looking at all the early American primitive arts & visited with some of the vendors. Some of these folks are really quite interesting. There was a tipi and folks playing "olde timey" music. There was a couple who made beautiful, although rather utilitarian pottery, several others who made jewelry (sterling silver, semi-precious stones, etc.) and some who had “flea market” type things for sale. I bought a cast iron bacon skillet (with the ridges & a spout), a picture frame made of twigs & birch bark and a little necklace/bracelet set – silver & turquoise.

Since we spent so long there Saturday I figured I’d done my “time“... but NOOOOOO! He wanted to go back again Sunday afternoon! I met a man who makes war clubs, primitive tools & knives from flint (interesting man and equally interesting items)and a man who deals in tanned animal hides & leather goods. The very last table in the place had the head of a small bear sitting on it. I was intrigued by it since we have an actual bear skin. The guy said he wanted $50 for it… Jerry talked him down to $25. I also bought some homemade soap!

The weekend was quality time spent with Jerry. Oh wait! He’s retired & I don’t work… I guess this was just quality time – not spent at home!

I'm 75% addicted...

75%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

Click on the picture & take the quiz to find out how addicted you are to blogging!

Our "front yard"!!

This photo was taken 1/21/09 by our roofing contractor. This is looking northwest from our property... the view from our living room & bedroom windows... and from the north deck! The cabin is actually built on the very back of the lot... so maybe this is actually in our "back yard"?

More pictures of the roof!!

Here are pictures sent by the roofing contractor last nite! The metal roof is on... just have the soffit/fascia to do I guess. We can't wait to see it in person!!

New things on Miracle Mountain!!

I am SO excited!! We got a call from the roofing contractor who told us that he got most of the roof done... and will finish it tomorrow! It looks great... and the snow on the mountain really makes it look just like we dreamed it would! I'll add more pictures of the completed roof when he sends them but for now this is what we have!!

Sunday morning musings...

Living in the city (can you call Lincoln a city, really?) our neighbors are quite close. Every morning when I make coffee I'm greeted by my neighbor's cat who sits in a window across from my kitchen window. My cat, Miss Ruffles, was a 14-year old long haired black cat with amber eyes I had rescued from the Humane Society.

Having 100-pound Skeeter, I've not really thought too much about getting another cat since Miss Ruffles passed away two years ago on New Years. Jerry thinks that we'll need at least a couple outdoor cats to keep down the mouse population at the cabin.


Yesterday Jerry & I went with friends to the tiny town of Venice, Nebraska looking for bargains at a favorite antique store. This store does have very reasonable prices on antiques & collectibles - but you have to look for them!! My "big" buy was a glass tea jar (the kind Hoosier cabinets used to hold) for $5.00. We then drove another 20 miles to Fremont & browsed the antique stores there. Most of the prices in these stores are WAY more than Jerry & I wanted to pay, however I did find two more glass jars (one is a medium/large Hoosier jar)... not quite the bargain I found in Venice, but they are utilitarian & will be put to good use storing food in our pantry.

I've looked for canisters that I liked, that are not too expensive but have not been able to find any. So on a trip to the farm in Kansas last year I scrounged through my mom's cold room (where the canned goods are stored) and latched onto several big blue canning jars with zinc lids. I use these as I would use canisters. They're primitive, rustic & antique-y... and utilitarian...fitting in with the look we hope to achieve in the cabin.

Last nite we celebrated the birthday of a friend. Our group of friends met at a local nightclub (read: it has a bandstand, dance floor & bar). It's always fun to get together. I hadn't really realized how much I had missed our friends last summer until we came back for a couple weeks in October. Now, however, I'm feeling kind of homesick for Colorado, for the friends we met there, and for the space we have to wander around without being able to see the neighbor's cat in a window.

I've been staying up late at night, tired but can't sleep, reading blogs of people who are living green, off-the-grid, organic lives. I've bookmarked some who make their own soaps, candles, and cheese. These are things I'd like to work toward... how difficult can it be? Ha!

I had some other things I wanted to say this morning but my brain is foggy... the coffee hasn't taken effect yet. I guess those things will wait for another time.
Have a great Sunday!

And Skeeter makes three...

Skeeter is a big black lab. He came to live with us a year ago at Christmas. My son, Alex brought him from Ft. Leonard Wood, MO where he had been abandoned by a family who was moving. Skeeter was about 3 months old when he was abandoned... along with a cat... in a small animal carrier. Alex's friend had rescued him but couldn't keep him so Alex took him knowing that he, too, would have to give him up when he deployed to Iraq again the following May. Because Alex had re-enlisted & been promoted to Seargent he was required to attend some special schooling between January & April. When he was home for Thanksgiving (2007) he approached me about caring for Skeeter. How could I say "no" after I had kept my daughter's 2 year old little girl for a year while she was in Iraq??

Skeeter arrived, with his pillow & a couple chew toys, and LOTS of energy. It was a real power struggle between him & Hayli for a while. My daughter came home from Iraq in February & packed up Hayli... leaving me with just Skeeter. He hadn't been socialized - with other dogs - but found a friend on the other side of the fence. Jerry's son Bryan brought one of his dogs, Maggie, over to play & after the usual "doggie introductions" (sniffing of the butts) they became instant friends!

I tried to get Skeeter leash trained but he is much to strong for me to control... and I wasn't about to spend time & money on obedience school (shame on me). His manners were actually pretty good... except for getting overly excited when people came to visit. He doesn't understand that not everyone wants to be his friend! He has gotten much better!

We left for Colorado the first of June... and took Skeeter with us. We spent the first 2 months in a 16' camper in an RV park where Skeeter made friends with some other dogs. He ran around most of the time playing with the dogs, playing in the creek. When we looked at lots we'd take Skeeter with us and he'd run... burning off excess energy!

We have friends in the mountains who have a 4-year old chocolate lab named Halley & a 10-year old Irish wolfhound mix named Snickers. We introduced Skeeter to these dogs & he LOVED having someone to play with. Twice he had to be dragged out from under our friends' deck when it was time to leave... just like pulling a small child out from under a bed when it's time to leave a friend's house!

When we finally bought the lot we were going to build on he had loads of space to run & explore. While we were building our cabin he would wander around our 5 acres... and probably the adjacent acreages. He'd bring back bleached white deer & elk bones, burying them under trees.

One day while we were working I noticed that he hadn't been around for quite some time. I heard a yelp but didn't think much of it... figuring he'd probably stepped on cactus or something?? I went outside & yelled for him several times... and finally he appeared... with a chin full of porcupine quills!! I tried to pull some out but he was associating the pliers with pain & wouldn't let me after I'd pulled maybe 20 out of his neck. By the end of the second day his neck was full of infection. I made an emergency phone call to a vet... who put Skeeter to sleep in order to get the quills out. Hopefully he's learned not to be overly curious about things! By the time this happened he'd reached about 100 pounds... both the vet in Nebraska & Colorado told me he'll probably top out at around 125 pounds.

He is a good watch dog. When we were living in the camper he'd let us know when a vehicle was coming up the driveway... and he lets us know when he hears things... even if they're not threatening. He doesn't like thunder & lightning or gunshots; he loves rolling in the dirt & snow. He likes bananas & popcorn. He is such a handsome dog... and he knows it... I tell him everyday! He is an awesome companion for me... Jerry, not so much. Jerry's not a "dog person" and has never been too fond of Skeeter. I keep thinking that one day Skeeter will really prove himself to Jerry. Skeeter is a mama's boy... no doubt about it!

Alex's plan was (at the time he left Skeeter with me) to take him back once he gets back from Iraq in August (09). We'll be back in Colorado by the time he comes back. Who knows whether Alex will be living in a place where he can even have a dog? I know I would miss Skeeter very much if he were to go back with Alex. He's become part of my family...

About the blogs I follow...

I would encourage you to take a look at the blogs I follow if you are at all interested in green, sustainable, organic, off-the-grid living... or if thrifting is your thing! There are a couple that I follow just because they are a hoot to read! It's amazing what one can learn just by reading about how others live!

I just found this one.... http://simplicityfirst.wordpress.com/ .... and it's REALLY interesting! Another interesting start to finish off the grid site is: http://www.coyotecottage.com/

Anyway... grab a cup of coffee, sit a spell & find something interesting read!

Domesticated Bliss...or Blissfully Domestic

Tonight I watched CSI & Eleventh Hour...and was just checking a few blogs I follow & my email once more before going to bed.

As I'm sitting here reading blogs about the lives of other women I realize that I'm not really different than they are... and how much we are alike.

I have little to complain about really. While my house is small - a place for everything & everything in its place. My house is clean (I wouldn't eat off the floors, but the rugs are vacuumed), dishes are done, counter & stove are clean, groceries have been put away, pantry & refrigerator straightened, toilet & tub are reasonably clean. The living room is picked up & having company drop by any minute would be okay with it looking like this. The bed is still made & it's almost bedtime. My closet is CLEAN & ORGANIZED! The garbage is taken out. The only thing left undone is smashing soda cans for recycling.

As much as I whine to Jerry about how much I have to do around the house, truth be told... I really enjoy being a "housewife", a domestic engineer. This truly is domesticated bliss... or is it blissfully domestic?

I admit it ...it's more like an addiction...

Well... I hate to admit it... but I think thrift stores have become my "drug of choice"... and I am addicted.

Tuesday we had lunch with Jerry's dad & three of the boys... then went thrifting. I found a pepper grinder for one of the boys (he'd been wanting one & I found a S&P for $1.00). We made a stop at another thrift store & I left with a cute primitive, handmade felt throw pillow & four clear plastic glasses (the ones I have are getting cracked & will be throwing them away soon).

Yesterday I didn't leave the house... and felt like something was missing from my day so I spent quite a bit of time reading other blogs (there's some interesting stuff out there). That didn't help so I checked in with the couple of online groups I belong to. That didn't do it either... so as a last resort I decided to rearrange the living room furniture. Again, nothing! Well... I did feel some sense of accomplishment as Jerry was surprised when he saw what I'd done (he'd been reading in the bedroom & didn't know what I was up to).

Today we ran a big box to the Post Office, picked up a few groceries then went to lunch at HuHot Mongolian Grill. As we were leaving Jerry asked "where to?" and I said "home". He then asked if I wanted to go thrifting. Well of course I did!!! Silly man!

I didn't need anything... didn't want anything in particular... just the thrill of the hunt & getting a bargain! We went to the local Salvation Army. This place has more clothes than they know what to do with & walking thru the aisles of double decker clothes racks makes me a bit claustrophobic. Within minutes of walking in I found this darling little jacket - but it was $5.99 - more than I typically spend for clothes. I tried it on & Jerry said YES! We then dug thru 2 shopping carts full books... and took seven with us (we read a lot). Then I went back to housewares & stumbled across a pair of pillowcases (that will be made into valances for the cabin!). Jerry tracked me down - he'd found a relish tray that looks like a football field - perfect for SuperBowl & was only 75 cents. Then he found a throw pillow (humm! hadn't he'd gotten after me the other day for buying a throw pillow?). While he was off looking for more treasures I found a cute top from The Limited, a couple sweaters (Banana Republic) and a cashmere top.

I certainly feel better... but I really didn't need all that stuff. Argh!

Is there a 12 step group for people like me? Tomorrow will be better!

I'm a Thrift Store Snob!

I know I've talked about thrift stores before... and will again. I just can't say enough good things, in general, about thrift stores. I LOVE thrift stores!! I LOVE that I can buy new looking clothes (sometimes they are new with tags) and often designer labels for CHEAP!! I love a bargain & love saving money. I tell Jerry that I'm saving him into the poor house! Ha! :op He would say that I'd do just about anything to get to go "thrifting" & has called me (dare I say it?) a thrift store slut! Yes! That's what he's called me! But I have to say that he is amazed when we've left these stores with BIG bags of clothes & have spent VERY LITTLE money!

The thrift stores in our city are large & have a great variety of clothes & household goods. Most of these stores color coordinate the clothes which is VERY helpful since I don't always have the time or inclination to pick thru everything on a rack. I don't know where the thrift store "rejects" go... maybe some 3rd world country? I'd sometime like to go thru the "rejects" to find things that could be recycled. I'd like to get my hands on some long sleeves of some sort to make "draft dodgers" to put in front of drafty doors & windows!

I'm always amazed at how many big name brands there are in these stores... selling for pennies on the dollar!! Around Christmas we bought my younger son six "new" shirts with designer labels: Tommy, Polo, American Eagle, GAP. I spent less than $20 for shirts that looked like they'd been worn once & hung in the closet. I could not have afforded to buy my son these same clothes new. We also bought "new clothes" for four of the grands: TOMMY, American Eagle, Banana Republic, Old Navy, GAP. The parents of the grands could not afford to clothe four kids with these designer clothes new, yet we clothed four kids with two outfits each for a total of about $30.

In the past couple days I've acquired a few more "new (spring/summer)clothes" from local thrift stores. When I look for "new clothes" I pick thru the color I'm looking for... carefully avoiding horizontal stripes... and then look at the size. I check for missing buttons, zippers that work, tears & holes and lastly, the name on the tag. I've been pleasantly surprised when I find I'm buying a "name brand" piece of clothing & not spending an arm & a leg for it! So... entirely by accident... my closet is now filled with clothes from GAP, American Eagle, Banana Republic, Tommy, Ralph Lauren, Liz Claiborne, Old Navy, and several others. I've been keeping the receipts when I shop thrift stores & I've spent $100 in the last year on updating my wardrobe. This includes a dressy wool coat! I did score a pair of nice Matisse boots (leather - made in Brazil) at an auction for 50 cents... and a pair of red Justin boots at a thrift store for $6.00.

I went thru my closet Friday & loaded up two garbage bags with clothes from my closet that I no longer wear for one reason or another & dropped them off at a local thrift store to be resold/recycled. And then I looked at the other clothes in my closet. There are two pairs of black dress slacks (both purchased new - 2-3 years ago), five pairs of jeans (purchased new - about $15/each - I refuse to spend more than $20 for new jeans)and a few sweaters that Jerry bought for me as gifts. Everything else in my closet was given to me by a friend who buys expensive clothes & happens to wear the same size I do, or was purchased at a garage sale or thrift store.

I have now decided that I've gone from being a Thrift Store Slut to being a Thrift Store Snob! :o) I'd like to take this opportunity to say "thank you" to those of you who find it necessary to buy high priced clothes so people like me can dress like we shop in those stores!

Attention WalMart shoppers...

Alright, alright... before you go getting your panties in a twist hear me out! Seems like this is the week for me to be Polly Pissy Pants (excuse me!). First my list of things that tick me off and now this!

Okay... here's the deal! We went out to get groceries today. I had just a few things on my list but I needed those things! I prefer going to a grocery warehouse like SuperSaver (you may have the same type of store by a different name)... but Jerry wanted to go to WalMart because he likes to stroll thru the sporting goods aisle and needed to pick up some shipping supplies for our eBay sales. WalMart really does have the best prices on those shipping envelopes... but that's beside the point!

On our way in the store we dropped off 2 large plastic bags full of MORE plastic bags in the recycling box. Good on us... we finally remembered to take them in!

I had two pair of khaki pants to return - for store credit, no less - and was glad to finally get that bag out of my house. The girl in Customer Service provided me with excellent service - although I would have preferred cash instead of store credit. Oh well! .

So far, so good, right?! Every time we go into WalMart we get what we came for plus $100 worth of crap we don't need! One of the things on my list was to buy & have installed new watch batteries in two watches I'd gotten at an auction. I only paid $1.50 for each of the watches & was willing to invest another +/- $5.00 on batteries. The woman at the jewelry counter very rudely told me that they no longer install watch batteries unless it's a watch sold by WalMart. These were obviously NOT WalMart watches. I looked surprised & I asked her what she suggested I do (they've always installed batteries for me in the past!) & she said I should take them back to where I bought them. I told her that was impossible since I had purchased them at an auction. She then suggested I take them to a JEWELER! Are you kidding me? I told her "thank you for nothing" and walked off. I let my husband know & a few others standing in the magazine aisle how unhappy I was about the situation. Apparently the almighty WalMart & similar stores such as ShopKo & Target are not willing to "risk the liability" of installing a battery in a watch not sold in that particular store.

Although we did not get a bunch of additional items our bill was still nearly $100. And as a final parting blow, we got NO discount for using our recycled shopping bags instead of plastic bags! At least the grocery stores give you a bit of a discount (usually 5 cents per bag... but hey! it all adds up!).

In a WalMart in Colorado I stood in line for almost 20 minutes (more to prove a point than anything else I guess) while the checker VISTED with a customer. I meant to just say it in my head... but the words came out "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" - they both looked my way & the customer, whose bags were filled & in her cart, looked at the checker & said "I'll call you later!". There were three people between that woman & me... and yet these two found it necessary to discuss private matters while others waited!

Usually when I'm in WalMart (did I mention that I'm really starting to dislike WalMart?) it's full of single moms (and sometime young couples) with at least two little ones - one in the cart & the other hanging off it - both of them wailing at the tops of their little lungs because they can't have Fruity Pebbles or some toy. Small children who are not in carts are usually being jerked out of the way of another's cart but according to the parent of said child, it's the fault of the other person - not their child! Some day I fully expect to hear over the loud speaker: "WalMart Shoppers! For your shopping pleasure we're featuring screaming children in Aisle 8... that's right... the cereal aisle is where you'll hear the latest rendition of 'why can't I have it', 'you can't have it, this one's mine' and 'NO... I don't wanna ride in the cart'!" Maybe they should have closed cameras & show little clips of screaming children & even worse behaving parents (because they allow their children to act the way they do) on those televisions they have hanging from the ceilings! Then there are the hygiene deficient people who ALWAYS seem to be right in front of you while standing in line to check out. Or the ones who run into someone they "haven't seen in years" and block aisle traffic from both directions! And of course the ever present Grocery Ad Watcher & Coupon Queen! These are the ones who take LOTS of extra time checking out because they have to show the checker the competition's grocery ad to get the "best price" or they've clipped a coupon for every item in their cart... and no one bothers to tell the people behind them that it's going to be a while! There should be a special lane for these people!

I'm at the point where I don't care if I CAN save money shopping at WalMart. It's not good for my mood or my sanity!

Things... in general....

These things came to mind about the time I was working on a New Years Resolution... I took the time to jot down a few things that irritate me. Maybe it's just to get them off my chest so I can deal with them. Of course, my "dealing" with them won't cause many/any to change... it's strictly within myself. I hate to sound like a "Debbie Downer" so I also jotted down some happy things & things I'd like to do or learn to do!

THINGS THAT TICK ME OFF:
- litter & the people who do
- people who don't flush public toilets
- people who don't tip or tip too little
- people who take two parking spaces! LEARN HOW TO PARK or take the bus!
- cigarette butts & smoldering cigarettes
- people who smoke with little kids in the car!
- people who smoke with little kids in the house!
- people on public assistance who seem to have money for cigarettes, booze & drugs... and drive NICE, NEW cars!!
- bottled water...get a resuable bottle & use tap water...invest in a water purifier
- plastic shopping bags! Use those nifty recycled bags & maybe get a discount on your purchases!
- city lights - you can't see the stars!
- kids (& some adults) who have the car stereo cranked up so loud the windows rattle - we'll see them in line for hearing aids in the future
- kids (& some adults) who wear "saggin'" pants. Grow up! You look ridiculous! Buy a belt or pants that fit! They'll be having hip replacements before long!
- "muffin tops" - girls... do you really think having your belly hang over the waistband of your jeans is attractive? Get a full length mirror & take a good look!!
- "camel toe" - again, girls... Did you paint your pants on? or jump off the bed to get into them? How can this possibly be comfortable? ARGH!
- people who allow their children to cry,scream, or pitch a fit in stores. More than once I left a cart full of groceries & took my kids to the car for a "discussion" about store etiquette! Of course I went back in & finished my shopping when it was apparent that we all understood each other!


I'm sure there are other things... but these came to mind loud & clear!


THINGS THAT MAKE ME SMILE:
- church... being able to worship freely
- the smell of rain in the mountains
- the sound of thunder as it bounces around the mountains
- fuzzy kittens & puppies
- kisses & hugs from my little Hayli!
- getting an unexpected email
- sharing a bottle of wine with friends & listening to good music!


THINGS I WANT TO DO:
- raise a large, productive garden
- can the veggies that grow in my garden
- learn to dehydrate fruits & veggies
- make my own shopping bags (to give as gifts or sell)
- learn to make homemade soap
- learn to make homemade candles
- work on my crocheting skills
- learn better ways of recycling, reusing, repurposing


Anything you want to add?

...and I care about this game... why???

A friend called today wanting to know if we wanted to watch the Oklahoma Sooners play (someone - Florida I think) tonite. Jerry was going to watch it at home but it's always more fun to get together with friends to watch other teams duke it out... and not care too much about the outcome of the game. Of course, I wish the Sooners the best since my sister & brother in law live there & like the Sooners.

Anyway... I asked Jerry what we should take & he suggested I make my coconut shrimp -it's sooooo yummy! So I ran to the store & got the shrimp & other secret ingredient (you'll never get it out of me!) came home & threw the shrimp in water to thaw... only to discover I had bought SHELL ON shrimp. UGH! Guess how I'll be spending my time this afternoon. Double UGH!

Auctions... and more auctions...

Every Tuesday night there is a regular household auction in a nearby town. Things go CHEAP at this auction (I don't know how the auction company makes ANY money!). We used to go to this regularly when we had a booth at an antique mall & were doing eBay... obviously since we've been in Colorado we've not attended. In the past month we've gone every Tuesday night. There's usually not much we need or want there - we did buy a coffee table last week - the kind with the little bear on its back with the glass top... BUT we've brought home a few things that we're selling on eBay. When one spends a $2.00 or less for a whole box of stuff... anything you make is PROFIT!

This same auction company buys delinquent storage units & auctions off the contents. It's amazing to me that people would PAY to store some of the CRAP that comes out of the units! We attended such an auction yesterday. One box was full of pots & pans... most looked like they had been taken off the stove & thrown in a box with food still stuck to them! Can you say GROSS!?!?!?!? The little house we're renting has a pantry but strangely, not many shelves. And do you know there were 5 stacking bins at this auction... and I got them all for $1.50. I figure they'll work in the cabin as well so that's a bonus! Included with the bins were 5 t-shirts... all of them in my younger son's size! Bonus for him! My big score (for another $1.50) was this manual hand mixer. It has a canister & three types of beaters & a spatula - everything fits in a base. I don't know if I'd be able to make cookie dough...but it would certainly work for making pancake or cake batter. Jerry bought STACKS of books (Nazi, football, gun) and a stack of pamphlets from the 1950's - 1960's from historical sites across the U.S. One interesting item, I thought, is a recipe book from the FLORIDA SANITARIUM & HOSPITAL. Looks like from the 1950's. We've sold similar paper items on eBay & done well with them. It's amazing what people collect. He was up until about 1:00 a.m. listing stuff on eBay.

Our friends heard a local radio station advertise "The Mother of all Garage Sales" in March. It's a one-day event... we've done it before & done well. Whatever doesn't sell on eBay will go to this event. Goodness knows I have LOTS of stuff to get rid of!

In the meantime... my house looks like a tornado hit it... and that doesn't seem to bother Jerry. This little house has another very small bedroom (not sure one could actually get a bed in it)... and the computer desk is in it... however the computer sits on the kitchen table so the TV is in direct view. Ugh! Today he goes for a physical of sorts to see if he'd be eligible to participate in a medical study. It's a weeklong stay... and if he makes the cut... I'm going to clean out that extra room, organize it & move the computer & all the auction stuff into that room! I can't live like this much longer!

I'm starting to crack!!!

Photos....

Here's a link to where the photos are! http://photobucket.com/miracle_mountain

...and the HUSKERS win the GATOR BOWL!!

January 2, 2009 - Friday
26-21 !!

Yesterday we went to the home of a friend to watch the HUSKERS play in the Gator Bowl. As usual there was WAY too much food but we managed to eat most of it.
I couldn't believe that for most of the first half there was NO score at all... but the rest of the game was very exciting. After a play was reviewed & a Clemson touchdown was reversed things really went in our favor. I don't think anyone breathed the last 3 minutes of the game.
It was an awesome game & the HUSKERS WON!!! Big sigh of relief!!

Happy New Year!!!!

January 1, 2009 - Thursday
New Years...

Yesterday started out like any other day... coffee, bagels, checking email, etc. I had not decided what I was wearing for the evening, had gone thru my closet & discovered that while I had several slips, panty hose & high heels I did not have a skirt or dress here (mental slap to the head - they must all be at my parents' house in Kansas!). My good friend "D" came to my rescue & offered to let me choose something out of her closet. To say we're not the exact same size would be an understatement... I did take a couple things hoping to make the work... but alas, it wasn't to be. I dropped Jerry off at the thrift stores so he could find a jacket... and in the process found me a $12.00 little black dress with sparkles on it! I wore some sparkly jewelry and to top it off I put on my wool coat with the big fur collar/hood (the Russian wool one that I bought in a thrift store in Colorado for $10.00).
We had a fun time last nite!! We went with friends to The Lodge at Wilderness Ridge (a country club). The Lodge looks like it sounds... built from logs, great wood floors, beautiful tile, massive rock fireplaces and a few "dead animals" (taxidermied elk heads & mountain lions). It was hard to not stare at all the wood & imagine what our cabin will look like! The band, "The Dubious Brothers & Sister Red", was great - as usual, the food was outstanding. It was just an all-around festive time. We stayed out too late (yes, 1:00 a.m. is past our bed-time!) and slept in 'til about 9:30 this morning.
I'm slowly starting to get around....made coffee & a bagel, let Skeeter out...let Skeeter in...checked email. (I have such an exciting life!) I boiled a dozen eggs to make deviled eggs for the football party this afternoon. We're going to a friend's home to watch the Huskers play in the Gator Bowl. Better get busy since the game starts in an hour!
Hope everyone had a safe New Years Eve!

End of November... December

Majestic Mt. Blanca

December 31, 2008 - Wednesday
New Years Resolutions... of sorts...

Every year I attempt to make New Years resolutions... usuaally consisting of going out to eat less / cooking more meals at home, eating healthier, losing weight, reading my Bible more, giving more to other. I usually do okay keeping those resolutions - for a while. Since we spent 5 1/2 months living in Colorado this year - living a "more green" lifestyle, we've been utilizing the things that are on the following list... so... since we've already begun living these resolutions I figured it would be easy to stick to these!


v Recycling – consistently recycle any/all recycle-able items including clothes (this is great as I can clean out my closet & downsize the house... OR feed my thrift shop addiction buying second hand clothes for CHEAP)...and composting;
v Reusing – things like plastic containers sour cream & yogurt come in and Ziploc bags (terrible to use once the throw away!),
v Re-purposing – using an item in a way it was not intended instead of throwing it out (i.e. using old fruit crates stacked on top of each other for end tables or book cases). I know it doesn't sound like much but at least it's not taking up space in a landfill.
v The 100-mile rule: buying food grown within 100 miles of home. This is not always feasible. Of course there's the plan for the eventual garden and/or greenhouse… and chickens & maybe goats. I try to buy organic foods from the grocery store when I can (especially organic / fair trade coffee)… and buy from farmer's markets when in season. (Remember the Kris Kristopherson song "Jesus Was a Capricorn"? He ate or organic food… ! If he could do it, so can I!!) We're also hoping to keep our freezer full of venison or elk (is elk also venison or is it something else? Or just elk?). I'm not much for other wild game.
v Biodegradable: Last year I made the change to using biodegradable dish soap, laundry soap, shampoo, body wash, recycled napkins / toilet paper / paper towels (talk about another big waste – it's just hard to give up paper towels – they're just too convenient!). Usually the biodegradable soaps smell better because they are completely devoid of scent or have essential oils added… not chemicals! I use vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice & water for cleaning instead of chemical products. Quite frankly, most cleaning products make me sneeze or itch!
v Refuse plastic bags when shopping… use a fabric (recycled fabric) bag. I have some of these but don't use them religiously! I'm hoping that will change! My mom has boxes of fabric in her sewing room that she's not going to use (she broke her arm last year & has had two surgeries & physical therapy and still has lots of trouble with it – making sewing difficult)… so I'm thinking about snagging some of it & making fabric shopping bags… to give as gifts or maybe sell. I also have my friends saving wine corks for me… I'm planning to make trivets (it takes 35 corks to make one trivet!) – using discarded scrap wood or picture frames as the base.

Our hope is to leave the planet a little nicer than we found it...

December 27, 2008 - Saturday
Winter wonderland... wish I were there!

The picture above shows what will be the view from our bedroom & living room windows! I wish SO much that we could be there this winter to enjoy the snow, the wildlife, our friends... and most of all ~ our cabin! The temps out there have been warmer than here in Nebraska (they get over 300 days of sunshine there!)... but they've had MUCH more snow there... close to 4' from what I hear!
I guess for now we'll make the best / most of our time here in Nebraska... making sure our plans are all in order to get everything completed at the cabin to get us to an off-grid, living-green, self-sufficient life: insulating & interior finish, exterior siding, solar panels/batteries, windows, woodburning stove, a garden plot, composting pile, flower beds & grass, and chicken coop (condo) for starters.
There is SO much to get done. When we were there this summer we worked outside when it wasn't raining or too windy... and spent time reading up on construction, solar power, off-grid living, looking for resources when it was raining or too windy to work. When our financial resources were gone we'd spend a day or so on our lot in Forbes Park cutting dead trees. There are so many dead standing & fallen trees on that lot that cutting wood is fairly simple. We would then load the cut firewood (or sometimes 6 ft. pieces), hauling it back to the cabin (cutting it if we brought BIG pieces) then stacking it. We actually enjoyed that a lot & have quite a bit of wood seasoning for next winter! It was good exercise as the FP lot has quite a bit of an incline & we'd have to walk up into the trees to cut. It was nice to be away from the cabin for a while... but also knowing that what we were doing in FP was going to benefit us later. That strategy worked well before so I guess we'll implement that strategy again & we should be able to get the cabin to a point that we can live in IT instead of the camper.

December 27, 2008

MERRY CHRISTMAS... HAPPY NEW YEAR

Merry CHRISTmas to you all! While we were really hoping to spend CHRISTmas in Colorado this year it didn't happen. Those of you who follow my blog know why that didn't happen so I won't go into it. I was rather disappointed in the description my dad gave of our cabin in their CHRISTmas letter: "Marcy & Jerry are in the process of building a 'shelter' (small house with a loft) on a mountain in SW Colorado... they didn't get it livable by cold weather so they are back... for the winter". I wish he could see the BIG picture! It's so much more than a "shelter - small house with a loft". It will be a HOME! Here's a link to the PB catalog - and what our goal is for the front entrance of our cabin. http://www.potterybarn.com/products/p11649/index.cfm?pkey=choliday%2Ddecor%2Daccents I'll have to send a retraction of sorts to those I have email addresses for so they can appreciate what we really built!
Sunday before CHRISTmas we shared a huge meal with Jerry's sons & their children. We had WAY too much food but the leftovers were certainly appreciated!
We spent a quiet day CHRISTmas Eve... doing pretty much nothing. With the snow & cold we decided it would be a great nite to enjoy the CHRISTmas lights so we drove around town enjoying the beautiful lights. We used to take the kids out to look at the CHRISTmas lights when they were younger.
CHRISTmas Day we spent with FRIENDS! We enjoyed tur-duck-en... you know... a turkey stuffed with a duck that's stuffed with a chicken! More leftovers! Yum! I enjoyed, particularly, visiting with one friend's mother who was also there. She is a lovely woman who grew up during Depression years & can appreciate the kind of lifestyle we're hoping to create in Colorado - because she lived that way for part of her life as well. The six of us exchanged "white elephant" or re-gifted gifts and share lots of laughs in the process! We're lucky to have great friends to share holidays with! It was a fun day!
Yesterday... the day after CHRISTmas (is there another word?)... on the farm in Kansas with my family. Our little Hayli Grace was in town with her dad so we picked her up & off we went. Due to plans already made by his family we only got her for the day. It was too long to leave Skeeter by himself in the house... and we really weren't keen on the idea of Skeeter & Hayli sharing the backseat of the truck so... we opted to kennel Skeet at the vet's... he needed a vaccine booster & his nails clipped so it was good all the way around! Hayli was a joy to travel with - she sang songs & told me all kinds of fun things including how she wanted to make snow angels! We shared a great day on the farm in Kansas with my parents & my brother's family. The house was busy & noisy with all the activity of the little ones! We sang a few CHRISTmas carols and the kids unwrapped presents. Unfortunately (or not) it had warmed up to the point of about 60 degrees and the snow we'd had the week before was all but gone... so there was no chance of doing any kind of outdoor snow activities. Oh well... maybe another year!
Today... we are spending another quiet day at home. This morning we picked up Skeeter from the vet... he seems to have fared quite well & is lying on the floor beside me... they must've worn him out!
We're gearing up for New Years Eve. We're planning to spend it with our FRIENDS at a local Country Club. One of our favorite bands is playing and although at $40 per person it is a bit "spendy" ... it does include lots of food (heavy hors d'oeurves), party favors & champagne at midnight! It should be a fun time. New Years Day we'll be watching the Huskers play in the Gator Bowl.... GO HUSKERS!!!!!

December 4, 2008 - Thursday
Thrift stores... recycling...

Well... Jerry's son got moved out of our old house & found a little house to rent. He's lucky - he found a tiny house there's lots of storage space in the form of an unfinished basement & a two-stall garage. He didn't have a whole lot but his neighbors across the alley moved out leaving furniture to be picked up by the garbage collectors... so we checked out their leftovers & found a kitchen table, 3 chairs, a microwave stand, an office chair & some throw pillows. He was a little nervous, it seemed, about taking stuff that was left for garbage pickup... but I convinced him that since it was going to the garbage & would end up taking up space in a landfill, we should recycle what we could since he needed those things anyway! Jerry & I went to an auction last nite (just for the heck of it) and came back with a sofa for him as well. I've been scouring the thrift stores in search of things he needs or things I think he can use! Of course, this serves two purposes: he gets his house furnished and I get to shop without spending a ton of money! Thrift stores are GREAT!! I found a couple Janet Evanovich books I've been looking for and picked up a couple heavy sweaters for 50% off!

November 30, 2008 - Sunday
Good Sunday morning!

Good Sunday morning! Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving weekend!
Friday I called my hair stylist with a "hair crisis" but he couldn't get me in until yesterday afternoon. Jerry & I went to Omaha to a gun show (yup, that was pretty exciting) and then to one of our favorite antique malls in the Old Market. I made my hair appointment... I don't know why after all these years I'm still amazed at how thick my hair is & how much is lying on the floor in a pile when I get done! Anyway, my hair is much lighter now & hopefully much more managable! Hair crisis is over - for now!
Jerry's son was at our old house getting his stuff together to move out ... and that's where they are this morning. His previous plan for a place to live fell thru so I guess he'll be apartment hunting this week. I'll be glad to finally have EVERYTHING out of the house so I can quit worrying about it.

I just let Skeeter out... and it's beginning to snow. I saw on the weather last nite that we were supposed to get snow but I never actually believe it until I see it for myself! Wonder what kind of weather we're having in Colorado.
Hope everyone has a great day! Stay warm...

November 29, 2008 - Saturday
How ’bout those HUSKERS?!

Just a quick note about the HUSKERS!! What a great game!
We didn't go to the game... but enjoyed it on TV at the home of one of our friends. Most of us held our breath during the first half as the score went back & forth... the third & fourth quarters proved to be pretty intense & exciting but in the end - we were all thrilled with the outcome! We resisted the temptation of calling the coffee shop in Ft. Garland to see how the CU fans were doing after the game! Buffalo steak anyone?
We're anxious to find out in which bowl game the Huskers will play and what team they'll be playing!
GO BIG RED!!!!!!!

Is the music THAT loud?... or am I THAT old?

I never thought I'd say it... but the last few times we've gone out with friends to hear bands - they've been SO loud that you can't talk to the person next to you, even if you scream they can't hear you - heck, you can barely hear yourself! Last weekend we went to hear a band that was so loud Jerry wrote his drink order on his hand to show the waitress because it was so loud she couldn't hear him! Tonite was no different. We went to hear a little blues combo and it was REALLY loud. Needless to say after the music started we stayed for one set & left. Luckily, there was no cover charge for this one. It's really the pits when you PAY to hear a band and it's so loud you can't enjoy yourself & end up leaving early. Further entertainment tonite was: a couple who had had too much to drink & had evidently won $100 playing shuffleboard. He tore the $100 bill in half & gave one half to her. It seems she didn't want half of a $100 bill... she wanted $50... and gave the half back to him... which he promptly threw into the fireplace. We watched in disbelief as half of this $100 bill burned. It just goes to show that people do stupid stuff when they've had too much to drink. I'm sure he'll wake up in the morning with half a $100 bill in his pocket & smack himself on the forehead when he (finally) remembers where the other half went!
Some in our group have resorted to taking earplugs when we go out. How sad is that? Well, I guess it just goes to show that our group of friends has apparently reached that milestone age where we'd rather listen to background music, have the option of dancing or not, but still be able to visit without having to scream or talk loudly & repeat ourselves! Omigosh! We've become our parents!
Rock on my friends!!

November 28, 2008 - Friday
Thanksgiving....

Yesterday following a second interview (I got the job!) we did some last minute shopping for Thanksgiving dinner. While in SuperSaver we happened across the Spirits department giving samples of Kahlua... Mocha, Hazelnut & some kind of Vanilla. The Hazelnut was outstanding & I had to get a bottle of it! Anyway, we finished up our grocery shopping then headed home to start the cooking process. With the sweet potato casserole & scalloped corn & oysters made and the turkey seasoned it was time to turn in! This morning everything went as planned... everything was timed perfectly - however, my parents & Jerry's dad showed up before noon & I wasn't expecting them until about 1:00. Oh well. Mom brought homemade dinner rolls & her famous cinnamon rolls as well as some of her equally famous Swedish pancakes (for Spencer). We spoke to Hayli on the phone... she had to wish us a Happy Turkey Day. After dinner entertainment was provided by Jerry & the backyard squirrels (no they're not a band!). He had put out a live trap & caught 3 squirrels between noon & 5:00... this was great fun for Skeeter who spent quite a bit of time outside tormenting the poor squirrels as they were trapped in the cage... er... trap. After a rousing game of Phase 10 (I won & mom came in second!) we had warm raspberry pie & ice cream... Skeeter even had some ice cream! Our company left just before sunset - about 5-ish - and now we're just enjoying the quiet, having a glass of white & watching (ugh) football.
Tomorrow is Black Friday - for those of you who shop. While I won't be taking part in any retail therapy - we will be going to Menards as they have a couple things that we could use for the cabin. Unfortunately the thrift stores don't really have Black Friday/Day after Thanksgiving sales... but we might hit a couple providing the traffic isn't too crazy. We also are going to a football party at the home of a friend tomorrow to watch the Huskers play Colorado (CU Buffaloes). I'd better take the wings out of the freezer so I can get those made tomorrow morning!
We hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving Day!

November 25, 2008 - Tuesday
Holiday... blahs or blessings?

My friend Alex posted a blog about the holidays and how he seems to get the blues around these times. I have to say that I have been the family scrooge for quite a while.
I'm so disheartened that everyone gets sucked into the shopping trap... buy this, buy that, wait - that's not enough, look at this sale, 50% off, buy one get one half off, better yet buy one get one free... what the heck just buy more!
Last year, knowing we were going to be downsizing, we opted to give away things that we knew or thought some of our family members could use. It was a great knowing that our previous belongings were going to good homes & would be well used! I'm thinking about doing that again this year! Gift cards are rather impersonal, however, they do make shopping much easier but now with so many stores closing shoppers will have to be careful where they buy. Most of us are able to buy things we want when we want them so it makes it difficult to come up with a "wish list". We did use that concept a couple years at Christmas... we each wrote down our name on a piece of paper with three or four ideas of things that would make a great gift... then we drew names. It worked out quite well. There are so many little ones in our family right now that it makes it difficult (expensive) to buy for them... and they all seem to have too much of everything... just like the adult kids... me included! At this point in my life I'm just as happy to get together with family and friends for holidays without all the shopping & gifts.
Anyway, we all have SO much that it seems like giving way our excess makes sense. Maybe we should be a blessing to others & just load up our "excess" and take it to the City Mission or the Friendship Home.
The other point my friend Alex was making was that he didn't feel like he was getting any direction from God. My suggestion is crawl up on HIS lap, let HIM know what's on your heart & listen to HIS heart! There's a verse in the Bible that says: Be still and know that I am God. We just need to be still... very quiet... and listen!
Today (after all the time I've spent on MySpace) I discovered the music portion of MySpace and downloaded some of my favorites. This music is great praise & worship music... some of you may be inclined to check out my favorite songs and I hope you will... and that you'll be blessed by them!
Tomorrow is Tuesday. I'll be taking the turkey out to thaw. Wednesday will be housecleaning day then in the evening I'll start preparing the side dishes so they're ready to go in the oven Thanksgiving morning. Menu: Turkey, scalloped corn & oysters, sweet potato casserole, stuffing with cranberries & apples, dinner rolls. Raspberry pie & ice cream, coffee & hot tea for dessert. I love the smell of holiday dinners, don't you?!
Hope everyone has a very blessed Thanksgiving day!

November 24, 2008 - Monday
... etc. ...

Yesterday we spent most of the day with family at the baptism of our newest "grand"! It was a nice day and I think everything went just the way it should... unfortunately, the guest of honor will have no memory of how her family gathered to celebrate her baptism... she slept thru most of the event!
Someone who was at the baptism was showing his new AmazonKindle. I saw this on Oprah --- one of the FEW times that I actually tune in to watch her --- and was intrigued that this "book" is maybe the size of a day planner but can hold a few hundred to a few thousand complete books depending on how much memory one gets! One can even subscribe to newspapers & magazines. It's quite an amazing piece of technology! The cost for it is about $350... plus the cost of books which, if I understood correctly, is $9.99 each -- not the usual twenty-something charged in bookstores. I was thinking about how many books Jerry & I have & how much space they take up. But... I also know that MOST of the books I have were bought at garage sales, thrift stores or by the box at an auction so other than my Bibles and a few other books I've bought "in stores" the rest of my books may have cost what two of these purchased-online-books would be. I guess it's kind of a toss up: spend money for the Kindle and the downloaded books and save a TON of space -- OR spend very little and have lots of books that take up space, collect dust and have to be given away / sold at garage sales or stored / moved. Unfortunately... option two works better for me...
Maybe I mentioned it previously but my brother & his wife won't be coming back from Pennsylvania for Thanksgiving so we're having my parents come from Kansas & Jerry's dad come from central Nebraska to spend Thanksgiving with us. It should be a quiet day... I hope. Friday we're invited to the home of a friend for the CU / NU football game. Sadly I've not kept up on how CU is doing this year so I'm not sure how we'll do.
Sounds like the coffee is done brewing. I need to shower & get moving so I can get lots done today! Have a great week!

November news...

November 11, 2008 - Tuesday
SNOW... and cold Current mood: blustery
We got back to our place in the mountains about 1:30 a.m. today! We left Lincoln about 4:00 p.m. What a long drive! We slept in the camper... temperature was about 31 degrees. Luckily we had the usual sheet, thermal blanket & quilt on the bed... topped with a sleeping bag & another comforter. It wasn't too bad but I certainly wouldn't want to make it my normal sleeping arrangement. Anyway, tonite we're staying at a local motel. They're pet-friendly so Skeeter is right at home. He seemed glad to see me... and I was glad to see him.
After we put our truckload of stuff in the storage unit we headed to the coffee shop to visit friends. It was good to see people & catch up on what's been happening in the Valley. While we were there it started snowing & has been doing so off & on all day. I don't know how much is expected but even tho it's below freezing here it's actually not bad. (I'm just not thrilled with sleeping in the camper!)
Jerry has made arrangements to meet someone tomorrow to look at the roof of the cabin & give us a bid. We're planning on having the "standard" green metal roof. Once that's taken care of I think we're headed back to Nebraska.

November 9, 2008 - Sunday
So much for "plans"!...I’m tired of moving!! Current mood: tested
Well... I thought we had a plan... but as with most plans... there should always be a "Plan B"! I thought we'd be in & out of Lincoln in 10 days. HA! The weather didn't cooperate with our plan to have a garage sale the first week we were home... and we were caught up in the excitement of seeing family & friends we hadn't seen for 5 months that we really didn't care if it was raining or not!
Thankfully we have GREAT friends who were willing to buy our excess - lightening our load some... my Jeep, stacking washer/dryer, a rocker & ottoman, TV, sewing machine, the kitchen table, patio swing, a set of antique dishes... I'm sure I'm forgetting something... were BIG items that they bought. I also gave away quite a few things to the kids... but still we had too much!
Then we made a trip to the storage unit only to discover that there was MUCH more there than I had remembered putting in... VERY depressing! Ugh! So... we decided to give away a huge box of Hayli's leftover toys to a son & daughter-in-law who just had a new baby. That eliminated some of the stuff... my younger son took a couple things...and one of Jerry's sons took Hayli's twin size bed & two dressers. We made a trip to Kansas where my cousin has an antique store... and consigned a few larger items there & dropped off my pie safe & grandpa's hutch at the farm! Ahhhh!
We did end up having a 3 day garage sale & got rid of quite a lot... but again we were disappointed at how much was left over. We packed up a couple big boxes of things that we thought were worthy of being sold on eBay & took two truckloads of stuff to Goodwill. With one of our boys out of the house we were able to really start digging into what was left. My piano was the BIG item that I've had the most difficult time with... I hated the thought of getting rid of it... and offered to donate it to the church we'd been going to in Blanca... but they already had a piano (and no place to put another one!). Knowing how stressed out I was about the prospect of selling/donating my piano, our good friends offered to store it at a little rental house they have (it was not being rented) and then generously offered to let us rent their little house for the winter. It was an offer too good to refuse. We hauled the rest of our possessions to the little house & I have been sorting out what will go to Colorado to our storage unit there and what will stay here.
Hopefully tomorrow we can get on the road to Colorado. I'm sure my friend is WAY tired of Skeeter... and quite frankly, I miss having him around. Sounds like our trip to Colorado will be a rather quick one since we'll be staying in a motel (TOO cold to stay in an unheated camper & the cabin is nowhere near ready to live in - even for a couple weeks).
So... friends & family... have no fear... we'll be back in time for the holidays! And BTW... pretty much whatever I post from this point until next spring... is just going to be stuff... very little about the cabin or Colorado. I may mention a few things in the posts but since we're not actually there I won't have much to write about. Just wanted to give you a heads up!

It's a cabin!!!

photos: 2nd floor framed & sheeted; rafters completed; roof sheeting completed!

The cabin shell... and Skeeter with a chin full of porcupine quills!

October 18, 2008 - Saturday
CABIN... Current mood: exhausted
Sorry for the delay in blogging... we've had to give up our Verizon wireless as we had NO coverage at our place & it was getting to be spotty at best at our usual spot at the RV park... plus it was a pain to drive 20 miles round trip to check email & keep up on my blog... and most times we didn't have the laptop with us anyway. Ugh!
As you see... today is October 18. We finished the roof sheeting yesterday and the cabin is now dried in & ready for the metal roof to go on! There is still SO much to do before it's actually livable but we've managed thus far.
We bought some really nice Italian porcelain tile for the hearth... there should be enough to do an area in front of the door as well. We have an apartment size refrigerator (fits under the counter) and an avocado green 3-burner stove out of an old camper. We got these for free from a gentleman who seems to have one of everything... and if he doesn't have it, he can get it! He's kind of "Sanford & Sons" (without the Sons) of Ft. Garland! We also got some stovepipe from him and a shower base!

Skeeter met up with a baby porcupine almost 2 weeks ago. He had been off exploring & I heard him yelp but didn't think much of it. When he returned he had about 100 quills in his lower lip & neck. I managed to bribe him with doggy treats & pulled out 20 or so... but he's a smart dog & figured out that everytime he was getting a treat it was ultimately going to cause him pain! By the end of day 2 of the quills his neck looked very full - full of infection - so he went to the Vet & got to take a little nap while the vet removed the rest of the quills. He was on an anti-biotic for a week & is healing nicely! He's now on a doggy vacation - staying with our friends who have a chocolate lab & an Irish wolfhound - while we're in Kansas & Nebraska for a few days.
Hopefully we'll get a chance to see our family & friends while we're here - it will be a short trip but we're hoping to make the most of it!

photos: framing nearly complete; deck stained; main floor sheeting complete

upstairs floor joists complete; upstairs wood floor installed; stairs installed.

September 20, 2008 - Saturday
A slow but steady progression...
Yes... it's been almost another 2 weeks since I've updated this! Seems like the only time I check email or updated the blog is when we do laundry. I guess you all knew that! I had 124 emails & 91 in my junk mail! Obviously I'm not doing too well at responding to or forwarding emails.
Since my last update... things have progressed slowly but surely! We have the stairs to the 2nd floor installed, four of the six wall sections have been erected - two more to go and then we put the upstairs gable ends up and start on the roof rafters. We're counting on the weather to cooperate so we can get that much accomplished by the end of next week. The stairs to the deck have been installed, the woodstove has been moved into the cabin with the help of a friend/neighbor down the road. There's SO much left to do and time is really running short.
Already fall is here... the night temps are in the low to mid-30's and the days are in the mid-60's to low 70's. Perfect for working outside... but then there's the wind & rain to contend with! Thankfully we've not had any snow other than a couple weeks ago Mt. Blanca got some.
This past Monday Jerry was trimming the upstairs floor joists with the circular saw (left handed, while sitting with his leg dangling over the edge ) when the blade kicked back & cut his leg. Luckily it is "but a flesh wound" (Monty Python) and was easily taken care of with peroxide & a couple Band-aids. He told me it stung a little bit... didn't really hurt... but to hear him tell others... the pain must be similar to childbirth! He also mentioned that he'll be telling people he was gored by a wild elk or something?! Men! Anyway, we took off Tuesday... just to settle our nerves (plus, it rained!) and then worked on the cabin Wednesday... taking Thursday to cut wood out on our lot in Forbes Park. When we got there I could hear the elk bugling up on the mountain. I believe that's the first time I've actually heard this sound in person. It's really something! We took out 10 standing dead aspens & pine trees - cutting them into 6 foot lengths; we hauled them to our place and cut & stacked them... no point in stacking twice! Ugh!
Last week we had a birthday party for a friend - who turned 67 & doesn't look like she's 50 yet! Tonight we're having dinner with friends at their cabin and again tomorrow night another birthday! We have quite the social calendar! Ha!
We're planning a trip back to Nebraska & Kansas mid-October. My nephew is getting married 10/18... and we will be getting rid of our stuff in the house in Lincoln... and packing up what we plan to bring back (not much from what Jerry says!). We're hoping to see as many friends & family members as we can during the short time we're home... and maybe take in a Husker football game while we're home!
I guess that's about all I know for now. Thanks for your comments & emails... it's nice to hear from you all! See you when we get back!

September 7, 2008 - Sunday
Two weeks later on Miracle Mountain
WOW! Two weeks .... I can't believe I've not updated this for two weeks! We've been really busy working on the cabin! The framing is, of course, completed, the exterior sheeting done, the floor joists for the loft are in & the loft floor is being installed. We got another load of lumber delivered late last week - that will be the framing for the loft walls & rafters!! We also got the stairs to the loft in and the landing will be done by tomorrow. We just keep plugging away & things have been going remarkably well... we are pleased at the progress we've made & are hoping to have the cabin all dried in before mid-October as we'll be making a trip back to Nebraska for my nephew's wedding & a new grand-baby (thanks to Bryan & Jessica!). We'll also be cleaning out the house we've kept rented & have a garage sale!
Our friend Jenny hooked us up with a vintage (?) Franklin woodburning stove (it's BIG - probably close to 300 pounds!). Strangely enough, the model name is SCANDIA - which is the town I grew up in in Kansas. It's got some rust that I will be sanding off... and then we'll repaint the entire stove a flat black (heat resistant paint, of course) and we'll have to have one door repaired (we have a friend who welds so we'll probably ask him to fix it).
Doing laundry as I write... and then off to the coffee house to help clean chilis. There will be several of us there - there must be a lot of chilis to clean - and then we're cooking out! Our other socializing has included a UFO watch party 2 weeks ago - we had a BBQ / potluck, a bonfire & a friend who retired from NASA who gave us a guided tour of the stars & satellites. No UFOs were sighted but a good time was had by all! Another friend is having a birthday party in a couple weeks & we're planning a pig roast to celebrate!
I guess there's not a lot more news to report from here... although we do have an offer on one of the lots we're selling! He's anxious to close - would like to close before the end of September - so we're just believing that it's in "the plan"!
I'm downloading pix so be sure to check them out & see how far we've come!
Have a blessed week!

September 2008

September 20, 2008 - Saturday
A slow but steady progression...
Yes... it's been almost another 2 weeks since I've updated this! Seems like the only time I check email or updated the blog is when we do laundry. I guess you all knew that! I had 124 emails & 91 in my junk mail! Obviously I'm not doing too well at responding to or forwarding emails.
Since my last update... things have progressed slowly but surely! We have the stairs to the 2nd floor installed, four of the six wall sections have been erected - two more to go and then we put the upstairs gable ends up and start on the roof rafters. We're counting on the weather to cooperate so we can get that much accomplished by the end of next week. The stairs to the deck have been installed, the woodstove has been moved into the cabin with the help of a friend/neighbor down the road. There's SO much left to do and time is really running short.
Already fall is here... the night temps are in the low to mid-30's and the days are in the mid-60's to low 70's. Perfect for working outside... but then there's the wind & rain to contend with! Thankfully we've not had any snow other than a couple weeks ago Mt. Blanca got some.
This past Monday Jerry was trimming the upstairs floor joists with the circular saw (left handed, while sitting with his leg dangling over the edge ) when the blade kicked back & cut his leg. Luckily it is "but a flesh wound" (Monty Python) and was easily taken care of with peroxide & a couple Band-aids. He told me it stung a little bit... didn't really hurt... but to hear him tell others... the pain must be similar to childbirth! He also mentioned that he'll be telling people he was gored by a wild elk or something?! Men! Anyway, we took off Tuesday... just to settle our nerves (plus, it rained!) and then worked on the cabin Wednesday... taking Thursday to cut wood out on our lot in Forbes Park. When we got there I could hear the elk bugling up on the mountain. I believe that's the first time I've actually heard this sound in person. It's really something! We took out 10 standing dead aspens & pine trees - cutting them into 6 foot lengths; we hauled them to our place and cut & stacked them... no point in stacking twice! Ugh!
Last week we had a birthday party for a friend - who turned 67 & doesn't look like she's 50 yet! Tonight we're having dinner with friends at their cabin and again tomorrow night another birthday! We have quite the social calendar! Ha!
We're planning a trip back to Nebraska & Kansas mid-October. My nephew is getting married 10/18... and we will be getting rid of our stuff in the house in Lincoln... and packing up what we plan to bring back (not much from what Jerry says!). We're hoping to see as many friends & family members as we can during the short time we're home... and maybe take in a Husker football game while we're home!
I guess that's about all I know for now. Thanks for your comments & emails... it's nice to hear from you all! See you when we get back!

September 7, 2008 - Sunday
Two weeks later on Miracle Mountain
WOW! Two weeks .... I can't believe I've not updated this for two weeks! We've been really busy working on the cabin! The framing is, of course, completed, the exterior sheeting done, the floor joists for the loft are in & the loft floor is being installed. We got another load of lumber delivered late last week - that will be the framing for the loft walls & rafters!! We also got the stairs to the loft in and the landing will be done by tomorrow. We just keep plugging away & things have been going remarkably well... we are pleased at the progress we've made & are hoping to have the cabin all dried in before mid-October as we'll be making a trip back to Nebraska for my nephew's wedding & a new grand-baby (thanks to Bryan & Jessica!). We'll also be cleaning out the house we've kept rented & have a garage sale!
Our friend Jenny hooked us up with a vintage (?) Franklin woodburning stove (it's BIG - probably close to 300 pounds!). Strangely enough, the model name is SCANDIA - which is the town I grew up in in Kansas. It's got some rust that I will be sanding off... and then we'll repaint the entire stove a flat black (heat resistant paint, of course) and we'll have to have one door repaired (we have a friend who welds so we'll probably ask him to fix it).
Doing laundry as I write... and then off to the coffee house to help clean chilis. There will be several of us there - there must be a lot of chilis to clean - and then we're cooking out! Our other socializing has included a UFO watch party 2 weeks ago - we had a BBQ / potluck, a bonfire & a friend who retired from NASA who gave us a guided tour of the stars & satellites. No UFOs were sighted but a good time was had by all! Another friend is having a birthday party in a couple weeks & we're planning a pig roast to celebrate!
I guess there's not a lot more news to report from here... although we do have an offer on one of the lots we're selling! He's anxious to close - would like to close before the end of September - so we're just believing that it's in "the plan"!
I'm downloading pix so be sure to check them out & see how far we've come!
Have a blessed week!

August 2 - 23, 2008

August 23, 2008 - Saturday
Weekly Update

Since we're not able to get good Internet service on our lot (yet!) I'm resorting to once a week updates when we come in to do laundry - we get GREAT service in the laundry room! LOL
We've gotten a lot accomplished since I wrote last. The walls are all framed & are up... and Thursday/Friday we put the exterior plywood sheeting on the walls so it's really starting to look like a house... er... cabin! (Pictures are not posted yet as I forgot the USB cord! Duh!) I stained the deck but the stain must've been inferior - after 3 days it is still tacky; the product did not soak into the wood decking... and one can literally scrape it off with a fingernail. I"m NOT happy with it at all & will be returning the rest of the can of stain & getting something suitable!
Tomorrow afternoon we'll probably start putting the rafters in... a day's work... and then we'll be putting the floor on those rafters so we can add the other 1/2 story to the cabin & begin the roofing process. We're planning to use metal roofing... but still up in the air on an appropriate color. I'm leaning toward a dark green to blend in with the trees... Jerry is indecisive at this point so who knows. At any rate, Ft. Garland is 2 weeks delivery time from everywhere so we HAVE to make a decision & get it ordered ASAP!
A couple weeks ago I planted some grass... just to see if there was ANY chance at all of having a "lawn" of something besides cacti & sagebrush... and today I noticed that the grass is growing! I'm very excited about this & will be planting some on the east & south sides of the cabin (the west side gets too much traffic yet...and the north side will get built over next spring). We also bought a bunch of flower seeds (I think I may have mentioned?) and I will plant part of them before it freezes (Sept. 10-17 is what the locals say) and hopefully they'll come up in the spring! Wouldn't that be lovely!?
Skeeter brings an occasional bleached dead animal bone to the camper to chew on. I read in a book a description of a dog that describes Skeeter perfectly: "What he lacks in manners he makes up for in enthusiasm".
Not much else is going on right now. I'll get those pictures posted ASAP & hopefully be able to get online more often as things progress. Have a great weekend & a blessed week!

August 13, 2008 - Wednesday
Yesterday...
Another wasted day? Maybe. We had to make a "water run" in town… needed to go check the mail… and get into cell phone range to see if by any chance Alltel had gotten my new phone in yet. We visited with friends in the coffee shop. Jerry called to order our lumber (which we thought could still be delivered this afternoon – but alas, not until tomorrow) then got our 5-gallon water jugs filled. We called Alltel & luck would have it that my phone had arrived in Alamosa so we drove over there to get it. I had a buy one/get one free coupon for Arby's so we had lunch there then made our usual stop in WalMart… picked up just a few things & headed for home.
PROBLEMS? Our fridge doesn't seem to want to run on propane for some reason. We could probably buy a new one for what it would cost to fix and/or clean this one. Generator power it is! Luckily I can stay on the computer a little longer while the generator runs… and we can also charge our phones!
I think we're doomed for Internet service here "at home" with the Verizon wireless service. Even on a CLEAR day it says there is no coverage. Guess I'll just be dragging the laptop with us every time we go to town. Oh well.
IN OTHER NEWS… I've graduated to "reading glasses". I've discovered that when I wear my contacts I just can't read small print (newspapers & labels mostly) so I bought a cheap pair of reading glasses. So far the progressive bifocal glasses work okay… but I usually only wear them when we're working outside or reading at night.
NATURE: We have gotten some rain here in the past couple of weeks. Someone told us we got 8 inches of rain…a drop here & another drop 8 inches away & so forth! We get rain like Estes Park & Manitou Springs… a nice shower in the afternoon then it clears off & the rest of the day is beautiful! The sound of the thunder resonating in the mountains is fabulous… I almost hate for it to quit for that reason! The smell of the sagebrush after it rains is almost pleasant – as sagebrush goes. The sunsets over/behind the San Juan Mountains is always a treat. The colors are amazing – shades of blue & orange with streaks of red & purple thru the clouds. We have awesome views all around us of the mountains, the valley, the mesa. On clear nights you can see literally millions of stars – and see the constellations perfectly without need of a telescope. It's truly a feast for the eyes! Some nights the coyotes howl… other times they wait until mid-morning. But usually the nights are VERY quiet. It's almost eerie how quiet it is. We sat outside by the fire the other night & the only sound (other than being able to hear each other breathe) was the wood crackling in the fire pit. Incredibly peaceful.
Tonight we sat by the fire in our new chaise lounges watching the stars & the lightning in the thunderheads over the mountain to the northeast. We even got to see some meteorites falling. Unfortunately our peaceful evening was interrupted by a neighbor who was evidently having a heated discussion with someone. Hopefully tomorrow evening will be better!

From August 11
CATCHING UP: I know I left out a few things in the last entry…. I had started it a couple days before I actually got it posted (had problems getting on the internet!).

Friday we went into town to do some laundry, shower & then head to Blanca to eat & go to the Centennial celebration. As we pulled out onto the highway we heard a thud… the tailgate had come down… and our generator was lying in the road (luckily it was the road we turned from not the highway!). Strangely enough it landed upright… and started on the first pull! It's a Coleman… guess they're made extra tough for people like us! We got our showers taken, laundry started & went to the coffee shop while it finished… then headed to Lu's Diner in Blanca for dinner & then to the park to visit with folks we knew & some we didn't. We called it an early night leaving about 8:15.
As I mentioned previously… Jerry got a new phone… mine was supposed to arrive in Alamosa Saturday afternoon. We made the trip to Walsenburg & got the barrels… and stopped at a favorite thrift store – April's Attic. We drove back to Alamosa to get my phone… and wouldn't you know it… the person who was supposed to go to Salida to get it – didn't! He said he would go Monday & would have it in the office Tuesday. I think I'll call first to make sure! So… since we were in Alamosa anyway we made a stop at the Rainbow thrift store (do you see a pattern?). I found a couple of t-shirts for working outside (on sale, no less) and Jerry found a pair of cowboy boots – and a bear skin "rug". It was actually a cub – maybe a year old - that had we can only presume had been killed (or could it have been suicide?) & then skinned. The thought of having any part of a dead animal in my home would normally be repulsive… but you should feel the fur! It is soooooo soft. The fur is actually longer than I had thought it would be. Yes! We bought it… it was too good a deal to pass up. It will probably be hung on the wall of the cabin when it's finished. (Now if we can just find a Jackalope!) We stopped at another little antique store & Jerry came across several hundred packages of flower & garden seeds marked 2008. They were 5 for $1.00 so we bought several packages & will plant them next spring – hopefully some of the seeds will still be viable.

AUCTIONS!: This morning we drove to Creede to an auction. (This is only the third auction we've been to since we arrived in Colorado.) We had never driven up Highway 149 that follows the Rio Grande. What a beautiful drive!! Back to the auction! They had advertised a queen size full log bed and a tan leather sofa & matching chairs. The sofa was cream – not tan (didn't stay for that)… and there were just so many people there that we finally decided to take what we bought & leave. Our treasures included: 3 hummingbird feeders (& some miscellaneous stuff) and a child's sombrero & canteen (and some other miscellaneous stuff – most of which we left!). Don't frown… we've all done it!
Anyway the auction was located at a home that was on the Rio Grande River. GORGEOUS view… not to mention the house next to it is VERY similar to what we're building (only we're building on a smaller scale!).
After leaving the auction we stopped in Del Norte & Monte Vista at some antique shops… came up empty handed. Not a bad thing considering we have NO storage space left in the camper & the storage units in Ft. Garland are all full. Oh well.

BUILDING: Sunday afternoon Jerry got all the joists nailed in (the extra 6 spots on each hanger) and took measurements for the wood we need delivered for the front deck & cabin floor. The footings will support a 900' square foot cabin, but we've decided to build smaller – roughly 600 square feet… and have a nice observation deck on the north (view of the mountains) as well as along the front of the house (west).
I collected more rocks for my rock garden / flower bed while Jerry finished nailing the joists. And when we got back from the auction I continued my rock hunting. I moved some of the bigger rocks around to enlarge the space I had already made. I then went thru all the seeds to see what we had – and will start planning where to plant them in the spring.

GARDENING: I believe I mentioned in a previous post that I had cleared most of the area where we'll plant a garden next year. There are a couple sagebrush plants (front center & big one to the right) that I may have to blast out as I have tried digging them out to no avail. I'm thinking that I will need to get some railroad ties to wall off the garden space. I'd like to keep the new dirt, "fertilizer" and compost contained – less likely to blow or wash away. We will probably have to fence in the area as well to keep the deer out. There should be plenty of room for the composting bin close to the garden.

THINGS FOWL IN NATURE: I've also been reading CHICKENS (by Sue Weaver). From what I've read, 4 chickens should be more than enough to supply our egg needs. I'd like to have some pretty chickens – like Brahma or Wyandotte as these are "cold hardy" breeds. The book says that standard white hens make really good targets for hawks & other predatory birds – but they don't see the colored chickens as well. I don't want the chickens close to the garden area (don't need them eating MY veggies!) so I've been trying to figure out where a good place would be. I'd like to have them fairly close to the cabin… but yet not TOO close! It would be nice to have them just close enough that I could run out the front door & grab the eggs… or toss out some leftovers for them – instead of having to walk across the yard (I use that term loosely!) in all kinds of nasty weather. Having them closer to the cabin would also make it easier to keep a heat lamp going (attached to the solar hook up). And it would be better to have them close enough to keep an eye out for intruders (coyotes, fox, big cats, etc.) I've made an executive decision (for what that's worth): I DO NOT want a rooster. I don't want to bother with having to incubate eggs & mess with chicks… nor do I want the NOISE of a rooster. We have a neighbor down the road who has one & I hear him every morning about 7:30 as he practices sounding the alarm to get up! Quite pitiful! My dad took down the old chicken coop on the farm in Kansas but I had pulled out the feeders & waterers so I'd have them available when I'm ready for them. The nesting boxes were long gone so we'll have to build some. Will have to find out what Jerry thinks about where to house any chickens as we'll also have to build a coop / condo (off the ground) for them … and have room for a "playpen" & a "greens" garden of their own. I want "free range" chickens… but not with too much freedom… yeah! It's a control thing!

August 10, 2008 - Sunday
A few days’ worth....
We moved the camper to the lot on Tuesday morning…got it all set up just in time for it to rain! Another day lost. Oh well. It did quit raining long enough for us to put some salmon on the grill. While I was cooking pasta I had the light on over the stove… but when I switched on the light over the table neither light worked. I guessed either the solar battery didn't hold a charge or maybe we blew a fuse? At any rate we had NO lights in the camper… and ended up eating our dinner by the light of our lanterns. It's starting to feel like home here. We're enjoying the VERY quiet, VERY dark (but starlit) nights. So far we've not had any wildlife experiences… just hear coyotes in the distance – during the day!

Wednesday we finally got the rest of the joist hangers nailed in place & the floor joists set (we're still short 4 joist hangers & 10 - 2x12s). Those of you wise in construction knows that each of these joist hangers requires 10 nails into the outside stringer… then 6 more nails into the joist itself. My elbow & wrist were really sore by the time we got done. I kept thinking we should have rented or bought a nail gun for this project! We discovered we've been spoiled having big lumberyards to get supplies from… places that rarely run out or carry a very limited number of things… so working with a small town lumberyard has been an experience. The nearest Lowes or Home Depot is almost 100 miles away in Pueblo (there's not even a Menards in Colorado!). We tell them how much we need delivered & they send us what they have… which is usually about ½ of what we asked for. We've been fortunate to get "free" delivery due to the amount we order.

Wednesday afternoon Skeeter started going kinda crazy like there was something outside. We didn't hear anything so we figured it was a "dog" thing. Pretty soon we heard "hello?!". I looked out the window & there was a little red car parked in our driveway. We were being paid a surprise visit from some neighbors down the road. They just wanted to welcome us to the neighborhood & find out a bit about us. They live in Boulder but spend weekends & vacations here apparently. Nice gals… hope to get to know them better in the future.

Thursday morning Jerry cranked up the generator to see if we "had power"… everything in the camper seems to running fine…and then he discovered what the problem was with our solar battery. One of the clamps wasn't securely fastened to it so he tightened it & all our battery operated things worked just fine. Even my computer worked… but when I tried to get online… the "insufficient coverage" message popped up. I hope this will not be the norm! Ugh! Thank goodness for the coffee house! That's where I am now… having a good cuppa coffee & working away on this! Hopefully I'll be able to copy & paste this into my blog… who knows?!

A quick trip to Alamosa…We got the joist hangers and we'll get the rest of the 2x12s and also the floor decking ordered for delivery for Monday. Jerry's cell phone died so we stopped at Alltel to get him a new phone. They had a deal on one model where we could buy one, get one free… and of course, sign up for another two years of service. We made our usual stop at Walmart & picked up a couple of nice chaise lounges…and some grass seed. We figured that as much as it's been raining lately we should at least TRY to plant some grass!

This weekend was Blanca's 100th Anniversary with lots of fun things going on. There was also the dedication of the War Memorial here in Ft. Garland. We're also making a trip to Walsenberg to pick up a couple of barrels (Jerry found a deal too good to pass up in the paper). We'll only make the trip if LaVeta pass is open. It was closed again last night due to mud / rock slides!

We'll be in touch… By the way… we have officially passed the 60-day mark… for those of you who are counting!

August 4, 2008 - Monday
Well rats!!!
This morning we went to San Luis - the county seat - to take care of some business there. We stopped at the local market to pick up a couple things & on our way out... a RAT ran from the alley under a parked car & across the street! EEEEKKKK! I just hate rats! I don't think I've even seen one since I left NY (it was in the subway & was nearly the size of a dachsund).
Anyway... our lumber was delivered this afternoon & we had every intention of continuing to work... but the clouds rolled in, it cooled off - down to almost 55 degrees - and started to rain! We decided that was enough & headed for town. Needless to say, we are still parked in the RV park... at least until tomorrow. Hopefully we can get moved BEFORE the rain tomorrow.
Other than the rat & the rain it has been a rather uneventful day. Just doing some catching up with some people I knew from college years ago... Have a peaceful night.

August 3, 2008

Go Green! Doing your part for the planet!
Here is a link to an interesting slideshow presentation regarding plastic bags.
http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080506/MULTIMEDIA02/80505016
Several stores offer cloth bags for sale as an alternative to taking home your groceries (or whatever) in yet another plastic bag. We have a mesh one that I think was one we used for laundry (it's small with a shoulder strap) that is great ... and I got 2 of the ones Walmart had at the checkout. I'm surprised that more people don't use them! I'm not faithful in using them... but I do have them! I always justified getting the plastic bags because I "recycled" them in my trash cans instead of buying other trash bags... but that's coming to an end!
Plastic drink bottles are another issue. Although they're very convenient & can be recycled... do they all really make it to recycling? Jerry & I are guilty of having several in our possession... but we do refill them & reuse them. There are several nice, heavy & reusable drink bottles on the market - but I guess people are too lazy to fill them. We also have some of these (somewhere in our camping gear) but don't use them!
Another gripe I have is the fast food places that hand out the 32 oz plastic cups & then frown when you bring it back in to reuse instead of getting another one. I haven't found a good re-use for them yet... maybe starting veggies - but you'd have to poke a drain hole in the bottom.
Being out here - preparing to live off the grid & hopefully as organically as we can - I've been spending more time reading labels for biodegradable this & eco-friendly that. It takes a lot of time... and not all stores carry those types of items - especially cleaning supplies, personal hygiene items (shampoo, etc.) & paper goods. Someday I'll make the switch from paper napkins to cloth napkins & do away with paper towels completely. I have switched to baking soda & borax for a lot of cleaning... and just switched from years of using JOY dish soap to a product from PLANET. When my bottle of TIDE is gone I will be switching to PLANET or 7th Generation laundry soap. We will most likely start composting... another big change! .
I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts & ideas on recycling, reusing, composting, natural (organic) products, etc.


August 3, 2008 - Sunday
*Yawn*...no building accomplished today...

Today was sort of a wasted day... well... maybe not entirely... but we didn't go to the lot to work nor did we go to Forbes Park after more wood like we had thought we would. Instead, we made a trip to Alamosa to look for chaise lounge chairs (we think we deserve something comfortable to lounge in during down times)... with NO luck! Every place we looked was either sold out or didn't carry them to begin with! Ugh! Since we're going to be moving to the lot tomorrow or possibly Tuesday morning we thought it would be wise to pick up more groceries so we stopped at Walmart. We needed to get a few things like a garden hose, a small cooler & dogfood anyway. We bought items that would not have to be refrigerated. We're not sure how well the camper fridge will work being run off & on during the day by the generator... and we've not tried it at all running on just propane. So $155 later... we had LOTS of boxed & canned groceries and filled our already quite full pantry. I spent some extra time really looking at labels... trying to find things that are bio-degradable and eco-friendly (toilet paper, dish & laundry soap, etc.). Staying in town for the past 2 months has been tough on our budget because it's too easy to stop at one of the local restaurants to grab a bite to eat... and visit. I guess this isn't any different than living in Lincoln. Anyway ~ since we'll be about 8 miles out of town it will be much better for us to just eat "at home"... and going out to eat will be a treat. Speaking of going out to eat... we stopped at Calvillos - Mexican buffet for lunch. Flan has become on of my new favorites...along with sopapillas & honey and chile rellenos (sp?).
When we got back I started digging into cleaning the camper & reorganizing things. I really let things go because I have just been too tired but since we're going to be hauling the camper to the lot I figured I'd better just get it done... that way it would be a nice way to start over! It rained for about an hour while I was cleaning... not suprising since it was rather overcast & breezy most of the afternoon. There is probably a load of work clothes that needs to be washed... as well as the sheets (we leave the camper windows open all the time & sand blows in... so it's like sleeping in a sand box!).
I found my hummingbird feeder the other day packed away in the patio box... so I picked up some instant nectar concentrate to feed the one hummingbird I've seen out there. Hopefully it will attract a few others before time to migrate. Our friends Jim & Jenny have several feeders on their deck & the hummingbirds are just thick in the evenings!
Barring any rain or roads to muddy for delivery - the rest of the 2x12 floor joists & floor decking will be delivered tomorrow afternoon. Jerry bought some joist hangers at the auction yesterday so I suppose we'll hang those & be ready for the wood when it arrives! Progress is being made... I can see a light at the end of the tunnel & it's not a train!

August 2, 2008 - Saturday
Day of rest? ... Auction!... Pizza!

Yesterday we hung four floor joists (that's all the wood we had until we get the next delivery on Monday). While we were working - mid-morning - I heard what I thought was a coyote howling. Strange since they usually do that at dusk/dark. Skeeter was very interested in the sound... and headed down the driveway... but was obedient when I called him back. I wasn't sure if he'd come back or take his chances investigating the sound. Since running out of 2x12s kind of put us at a standstill we decided to go to our lot in Forbes Park to load wood we had cut a couple years ago & left stacked on the lot... and bring it to the building lot. On the way to Forbes Park we were planning to make a detour & drop off Jenny's mail... only to discover to young men in a truck calling about a lot. Jerry backed up & asked them what they were looking for... someplace they could ride dirt bikes & snowmobiles, park their RV & do some hunting... all things that are not allowed in the gated community (read: over governed / restricted) of Forbes Park where they currently own a lot. Jerry told them that we had a 5 acre parcel for sale about 4 miles up the road... which might be exactly what they wanted. We drove up to show them the lot & they were very impressed! We exchanged information... & hope to hear from them about the possibility of selling them the lot!!! We had noticed that Jenny was home so we stopped on the way back down the mountain to drop off her mail... and she invited us back for dinner when we got done loading our wood. Once we got into Forbes Park... less than 1/2 mile from our lot we noticed a herd of about 100 elk cows in the meadow! They are truly a sight!! After we unloaded & stacked the wood we came back to the RV park to clean up & headed off to Jenny's cabin for dinner & margaritas. She's a wonderful hostess & we always enjoy visiting with her (& her husband).
This morning I met friends for breakfast at the coffee house while Jerry previewed the auction. Following breakfast my friend Jenny & I headed over to the auction. The auction was made up almost exclusively building supplies / materials. Jenny wasn't going to buy anything but ended up spending about as much or more than we did! Jerry bought a few tools needed for construction (Jenny talked him out of a few things - like a cement mixer & ladders - because she had the same tools we could borrow). Surprisingly it got very warm - about 95 - and the backs of my legs got sunburned while standing outside. When will I learn?
Tonite we went to San Luis Valley Pizza with friends Ron & Kathy. We had lots of interesting conversation & lots of laughs! We look forward to spending more time with them. They live about 3 miles from our lot in the SDCR.
Tomorrow is church (skipped last Sunday so have to go tomorrow) and then maybe swimming at the Community Center or possibly taking Skeeter to the lake... he needs to blow off some steam as he was cooped up at the camper all day today.
Hope everyone had a great weekend. We'll be in touch...................