Well, I'm back! I don't know if that excites you or not but here I am. At least I am sort of here - I still live off grid and have no computer but my daughter has moved home for a while and she has a computer that she is graciously let me use when we find a place with free wifi.
Things are going well in some respect and we are struggling in some respects. For example, lighting - we have chosen to go with battery operated lanterns which cost $4 a week to run instead of the oil lamps. We used oil lamps for a long while but after having the cats knock them down in the middle of the night, spilling all the oil, and having to buy new wicks all the time, we chose a different way. The Coleman lanterns are $22 at Walmart on the camping aisle and they give off more light for less money then the oil lanterns.
We are cooking on propane more then the woodburning stove for the fact that it is just easier.
The woodburning stove is fantastic for heat if you get seasoned wood and don't get lied to by the man who sells it to you. We have remedied that.
Storage remains a problem, after all, we are eight people living in 450 square feet. We are using Rubbermaid bins for blankets and toys and we pared down our library to just our favorites so that only one bookcase was needed. Some tough decisions there! We are sitting on our barrels of wheat that we as preppers have put away. They make fine dining table stools.
We are using two ice chests to keep our food cold and yes, the ice is an extra expense but for now it is a must.
We are still warming water and pouring it into a Rubbermaid bin for a bathtub but when the income tax check comes in, we will buy a propane shower. That is until we drill a well and use a water catchment system - we are saving up for both.
We charge dd's computer when we can and then are able to watch some dvds at night. This has been great for decompressing.
We do laundry at the laundromat once a week.
We have our cell phones and I check my email every few days from there. We have bought lots of board games and crafting items for everyone and we have joined a new church that has lots of activities for the kids and mom!
Now for the struggles - I would love to take a hot shower!
I miss my computer.
The lanterns take some getting used to - I am used to brighter lights.
Since I don't have a dutch oven yet I can't bake and I miss that.
Storage!!!
Right now we have no grass around the cabin, only dirt and it gets tracked into the house very easily. I sweep about a hundred times a day.
My "coffee maker" only makes 2.5 cups and I would like to drink more without having to get up and make more.
All in all, it has been a wonderful family adventure - we even cut down a tree from our property for Christmas - and we are enjoying our new life but there are a few things I would change if I could.
I am not sure when I can update but now that I have access to a pc maybe I can be more regular.
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12 comments:
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Thanks for the update! Hang in there :) Regarding the water heating system, we use a solar water heater and love the results! Is there a reason you are choosing propane?
I am so happy to see you here...living off grid is hard, much harder than folks think...but you will learn so much...We had a couple of generators so that helped alot...we could use the computer, televison and fridge...Gasoline is an extra expense but we even ran the washing machine a couple times a week using the generator make sure its big enough to run it, the money saved at the laundry mat paid for the gasoline..anyway...I am excited to hear even more of your adventures.
I am so glad to hear from you. Step by step, day by day.
I have been waiting on your update since I have just recently found your blog. We have recently moved out of the city into the country. Not off the grid but we would love that. What part of Texas are you in? We are in Texas as well about an hour and a half east if Dallas. I look forward to your updates.
I've been wondering how your family was doing since making the move. Glad to hear an update. I'd say a bigger coffee pot is definitely in order! We have a peculator pot (camp stove type from Walmart) we can use on our wood stove (if it's hot enough) or on the camp stove if the power is out. Even when we use the electric pot we usually transfer to the metal pot and keep it on the wood stove. Praying for your family and looking forward to more updates as you can. Some pics would be nice! :) God bless!
Welcome Back!!! I have missed you and have been wondering how your new life is going! I do hope that somehow you will be able to upload some pics of your new abode... I like real-life and want to know exactly what to expect when we get to make our big change :)
You are an inspiration, it is so lovely to read another post from you as I have missed reading them. Sending prayers and strength as you continue your amazing lifechanging journey!
JES- solar doesn't work well in my area, just not enough sun to make it worth it. Our first thought had been solar but it hasn't worked for others around here so ....
True. If there isn't sun, there isn't heat :( And it is wise to work off of the experience of others in your area. We learn a lot from our neighbors when we moved out here… Take care :)
So glad for the update. It sounds like the entire family are adapting so well, and so quickly. I hope you get a hot shower real soon.
I have to chuckle because those darn energy -saving lightbulbs are probably as dull as a lantern! So much for advancement in science! I hope you can always access a computer always as your blog is so interesting. My backyard is muddy too, and we've been in our suburban house for 33 years...sigh...when my kids were little I can imagine how frustrated I would be with them playing in and out with the mud. In my case, we are not getting the snow we normally do get, and snow is nice and clean for kids and playing in it! Coffee...yum!
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