Roll up the streets

I had to work later than usual yesterday, and was stuck eating chex mix for dinner...again.

I am struggling with the fact that not only is everything far away, but also, the piddly stores that are around close at 6pm around here...sometimes 8, but evening is the only time I have to go to any of them. I have to figure this can't work for many other people either?

I mean I grew up with stories of how hard farmer's have to work "sun up to sun down", when do they have time to grocery shop between 9am and 6pm? The rest of my neighbors seem to be factory workers, or childcare providers...same problem as I see it.

I never have everything I need. I am constantly making lists of things that I need from the city house, the grocery, Target, the hardware store. Trying to remember these lists and the water jugs every time I do get to leave is a hassle. Don't even talk to me about going to the bank. It's 90 min one way...oh and I lost my cash card and sunglasses, so I am a little reliant on cash and my car's visor at the moment.

Last summer when I was at the farm by myself, it was fine that there was nothing to do at night because I was overstimulated at work, now quite the opposite. I need to get out of here at night, but to where? I used to enjoy the slow pace,and going to bed with the sun, but today it sucks.

The spending from this spring and the month without income is catching up with us this month...I'm more than a little worried. I'm sure it will smooth out by September, but then we have to pay tuition again...ugh.

Voluptuous Update: it's still summer, and that's pretty great
Simplicity Update: Sister J and DH started a cottage industry this weekend, I went in for my Trellis consultation...

Standards

You know how people when they are camping or at the cabin, talk about "camp clean" or other such phrases to indicate that somehow, away from every day life, things don't need to be as perfect. You can wear clothes three days in a row, shower less often, eat marshmallows and gatorade for breakfast, wash dishes in cold water...these are just examples.

Many visitors to our off-grid life say these things, and you know it's cool, I've let some of my standards slip...but I'm not going in the same direction as everybody else...

You see, I'm a "make your own cleaning supplies" "cook from scratch" "tree-hugging, dirt-worshipping, environmentalist". And since moving here I must bleach everything! I live for Chlorox, and hand sanitizer.

I actually served a PBH sandwich to my dear sister with a mouse turd on it...now this gal took it in stride, because this is actually not the first time I have offered her poop as food. The sight of that 4 year old with bird guano in her mouth that 8-year-old me told her was candy is STILL priceless.

I spend most of my day wiping things, and I don't even HAVE small children...ok DH counts as twin toddlers, but that is another matter entirely.

I feel the need to boil things, bleach things, do laundry in hot water. Good clean dirt does not bother me...dead chipmunks, and squirrels, any insect, any poo, makes me FEEL infectious...aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

I even spritz down the chickens daily because their dirty feathers make me feel like we're living in a trailer park. They dig it though...until they are in the freezer, they hit the chicken lottery, just sayin'.

In the shower yesterday-where I do my best thinking-I noticed how tan my feet were in comparison to my legs. I do tend to wear long skirts or dresses with no shoes, it's a look not everyone can pull off I assure you. But then I bent down to wash them with soap and my "tan" went down the drain. Potentially, I've been walking around with filthy feet for weeks!

This is not so bad though. When DH and I were first dating, we were sitting on the front porch, my alabaster and manicured feet in his lap and he said "I wish your feet were dirty" Fearing a fetish that would end our relationship, I cautiously asked why. He said, "Because that would mean you were outside having fun, and that's the life I want for you." Pretty good standards.

Voluptuous Update: I am wearing a sundress today that hasn't fit around the middle since 2005.

Simplicity Update: I am wearing a sundress today that I have been storing since 2005.