First I want to apologize for being "lame" and not posting original pix on this here blogger-ette! I haven't carried my camera around with me in awhile, so be patient as I get "back on track" while making that a prioritized habit! It seems much more personable/interesting to attach pictures taken as things happen---not that this blog is either one of those descriptions!? :-)~
So for now, please enjoy my wonderful "lifts"...
Okay, lets back up a few years...say...13 years, when I had decided to buy that 10ft camper I mentioned in an earlier post! For the reasons I had decided to experience that type of adventure with my older kids, is the exact reason why I have decided to do the same with my younger son. Only...no camper (Cooper got lucky)! The "reasons" would be (in case you haven't read the earlier post), that as I sit and watch...I don't like what I see. I see a lot of waste (money/time) and for that reason this observation compels me to prepare my children for alternative living! It will be their choice as to how they live their lives, but at least they wont "jump in" without knowing how to swim...or in this case, jump in without knowing how to make a paddle out of found objects!
Now what I am doing is NOT original, and anyone who might possibly read this who also "pays attention", will probably roll their eyes and say, "Where the hell have you been for the last 6 decades?" Well, this is not my first rodeo...but for my 8 year old it is! Over the years I slipped! I hate the fact that I have fallen into the hands of anything BUT sustainable living! Today, I want to re-surface and in the process, teach Cooper something I feel he needs to know...something he will not learn in school or from his immediate geographic circle. I am calling this experience "retirement plan 101"...! If all goes well, Cooper will retire while in grade school!
I have never understood why people spend 3/4 of their lives around making money...only to spend more than they earn--buying things they don't need!? I realize that one has to generate SOME income in order to afford a FEW modern amenities that is "required" to live? Like an indoor swimming pool, 3 walk-in closets to store clothes/shoes one never wears and 4 cars just because one...can??? Wait!! What?? I think the underlining word in that sentence was "required"...? Ex: Food...water...and shelter??? Why do people choose to become slaves to their wallets, paying for shit they don't need!!??? What do these ((things)) that we kill ourselves wanting, have to do with retiring? I mean, seriously...what do we do when we retire (besides travel)? It seems the norm, when retiring, is to minimize? So, why buy it in the first place? If one doesn't minimize, then the other option is to ((hire)) someone to maintain all these ((things)) we wanted, but never NEEDED? Spending more of that retirement! How much do we NEED? Seriously? Would one have had to work so much if one hadn't of spent so much? Would one have to work at all, if one didn't need anything that required the use of money? I think the bigger and most immediate question for myself is...why have (((((I))))) been doing this? I am not really asking anyone else...to each their own...(?)...I am asking myself!
I want to post a video that I am in "awe" over! I think this video will give a visual as to what I am attempting to convey, plus it will alleviate unnecessary typing coming from my end (I hate to type)...check it out!
Awesome, wasn't it? Now...if watching THAT didn't make someone think, then I don't know will???? Okay, enough lecturing, so I will narrow it down to 3 words: off--the--grid! It is time...to start (((moving))) and I do not mean my lips! I haven't met a pair of lips in a loooong time that DON'T look tired! People talk too damn much (me included)...so I've decided to ((move)) a little more...I want to dance, and at the same time I want to figure out how to live without...gas! Yep, gas! Um, that would be natural gas...that still sounds wrong...hmmm...lets see...you know, gas utilities!? Right!
Retirement plan=
FUTURE: DON'T SPEND MONEY!
TODAY: REACH A POINT QUICKLY, WHERE I DON'T HAVE TO SPEND MONEY!
Listen, it has taken me a few years to make this mess...pardon my progress as I clean it up! *smile*
Step 1: Our first step in our home was eliminating natural gas. Which for us meant no heat and no hot water! Or at least not through our central heating system or hot water heater! Our gas was cut-off March 1st, and wouldn't you know that it snowed the very next day! FanTASTic!!! But hey, no worries...were we prepared? Huh? Hell no! It was freakin' colder than a well digger's ass! But were we warm? Huh? Yes! For now...becaaaaause...we are cheating!
We still have electricity so we created what we are calling "hot rooms"...! We have 2 space heaters--one has been placed in my bedroom and the other one is in Coopers bedroom! Now, we only turn the heaters on when we are occupying that particular space. This means that we are (actually) not using as much electricity as we were, because we are congregating in one room as we heat that room. Also, we are spending more time TOGETHER because we are sharing the same small warm space. There are no walls separating us! Even as we do our own individual things...we are together!
The kitchen is another "hot room"...! It is heated by the stove which we leave on warm (again, only when we are using that room). Fortunately my kitchen is small and has 2 doors that close it off from the rest of the house...also, it has shared space with the laundry area so the dryer (when used) helps keep the kitchen area warm!
TIP: In case you don't know about the "dryer trick" when it comes to using the dryer as a heat source, what you do is...the vent hose attached to the back of your dryer (you know, the big ugly aluminum foil looking thang' that vents hot air to the outside) should be rerouted to ventilate inside so that the hot air isn't lost. You then stretch a pair of pantyhose over the opening...the same opening from the hose itself that used to vent air to the outside of your house. This way while the dryer is drying, any dust will be trapped and not blowing around inside your home--the pantyhose acts like a filter which you can remove as it gets dirty! The opening from your house, that the tin foil hose use to fit into to take air out, should be blocked so that "critters" wont sneak in! Stuff a hand towel in there...works like a charm! Tataaaaah! A heater is born!
Whew...I am outta' air...that took more "wordage" than I was expecting! I reeeeally need to get my camera out!
Note: So you say, "Those space heaters will run up your power bill!" Yes, they will! Especially if we were running them all day long (24/7)! But we aren't! We have the heater thermostat on and we only run the heaters when we need too! Besides, throughout the rest of the house power is not being used--where before, power would have been used! In other words...no lights, TV, etc. because we aren't using those rooms right now! As far as the oven? We cooked before? The only difference is we are considering it a heat source now! It always has been a heat source, we just didn't observe it that way before! Same with the dryer...
The other "hot room" is the living room. Same deal as the kitchen (closed off), but it required the use of heavy curtains to create "make-shift" walls! We have a fireplace in the living room, so between using the fireplace and having the heavy curtains to contain the warmth created from the fire, we are quite cozy! Now, I went ahead and bought 1/2 cord of firewood for starters! It was expensive, but was worth my while to get a jump start on gathering firewood! Plus, the kids that delivered the firewood were way awesome! They started their own firewood company called "Liberty Logs", which also helps fund the their college education so I was glad to help them out! Either or, I have another option in the works for "fuel"...! I will share that information later on down the road in another post...
FYI: I have posted their FB link below! These guys were the most reasonable out of everyone I called! They deliver too!!!
FIREWOOD FOR SALE! https://www.facebook.com/LibertyLogs
Note: I thought I would throw this in...Remember my electric blanket from an earlier post? I am using it at night while I sleep and I turn the heater off in my room for the night! And yes, I will be careful! ;-) Keep in mind that use of electricity is temporary as we prepare to "disconnect"...
BTW: The rest of the rooms we are calling "cold rooms"...the last I looked my interior thermostat read 56 degrees! Chilly! Burrrrrrrrrr!
As for hot water...we boil our water using a hot plate! We have one large pot for the tub (which takes an hour and a half to reach boiling, so we plan ahead). and a small pot for washing dishes. We are using a whoooole lot less water than we were using before! Cooper enjoys the fact that "bath-time" is quicker now (he hates to bathe because it takes away from his playtime--go figure)! I showed Cooper how to bathe "camping-style"...! Originally, I referred to the technique as "hobo bathing" but he didn't like that terminology! So, we came up with "camping-style"...! Funny how important word choice is!? It is the same dang-darn process...but whatever works, right?
Soooooo, we are cheater's for now...to say the least! I just need a little more time to prepare for when the lights go out! My goal is to be prepared by April 1st, but we will see??? Hey! At least we took the first step...loose lips!!! Right? Right! The weather is the big "what if"...! If it was just me, no problem...but I have a little guy and I want to make sure he is comfortable! Also, I want this experience to be a fun one and learn as we go! No need for this experience to be a living nightmare for Cooper! I don't want him to frown...I want him to smile!
There are a few things that I have intentions of building and some purchasing will be involved! But wait!!!! Screech! Earlier I said don't spend money...right? Ouch! Yes, that is our ultimate goal! But, some supplies will need to be purchased! Then there are future purchases to save for...example: solar panels! Investments will be necessary whether it be investing time, labor or even generating income to contribute! Whatever it takes to successfully accomplish our goal! Some sacrifices will be made... isn't that inevitable when it comes to progress!? Now, buying a pair of shoes I don't need or eating out every day is not an investment in my book! Therefore not acceptable within this project! We want to pro-gress, not re-gress! So the key word would be: Waste! We don't want to do that! By way of researching and planning, retirement is just around the corner!
Blah, blah, blah...loose lips I tell ya! My mouth hurts...or in this case, fingers! Enough "ventilation"...time to generate some fuel, meaning...I need to eat!
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