Friday, May 7, 2010

I am hiding

Well, not really.  Everyone knows where I am and they (hopefully) know not to bother me.  I am having a few minutes of me time so I can blog, read mail, listen to voice messages, and enjoy the peace and quiet before the heat of the day kicks in.
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The other day, we got two 275 gallon water containers.  We have one by the washing machine and the other is on the back of the pick up truck.  We fill the one from a nearby creek that never runs dry (and running water is cleaner than standing water such as the lake) and drain it into the other container.  Doing it this way means we will always have an empty one, but if we were to have both filled, we would never be able to move the one from the back of the truck.
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With the one filled by the washing machine (we build a stand so it is above washing machine level) we ran the generator and did laundry.  We used the 40 quart stock pots to catch the water draining from the machine and used it to water the garden (we have tomatoes and peppers put in) and to rinse the bedrock down.  One load of laundry uses a LOT of water.  Between the wash and rinse, we filled the stock pots eight times.  Four for the wash and four for the rinse.  I wonder if there is a way to use less water and still have clean clothes?  Water is a precious commodity.  Even living near a lake.  We take for granted having sinks and turning a faucet and water comes out.  Or having a shower.  Or a flushable toilet.  What happens when you are suddenly responsible for your own water beyond paying the water bill and maybe putting in a filter?  What if you suddenly have to get your own water, filter it and boil it for drinkability or filter out sediment so you can have clean clothes to wear or water to wash with?  This isn't some happy camping trip that ends after a couple of weeks.  That is why I am very excited about the water tanks we now have.  We have a way of storing water to last more than a couple of days.  And, I can now shower without going into town.
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It is amazing the number of things that are commonplace that you intellectually know won't be, but aren't ready for the annoyance, aggravation, and exhaustion of it not being.  And even on the hottest of days, we have to keep a campfire going just so we can have water ready for boiling.  Firewood is a constant chore.  This is another thing.  Even after the house is built, gathering firewood will be constant.  In the summertime, less so, but will still need to be done so we can have winter heat.
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I asked about garbage collection for around here.  Talking with the locals, I got "There is none.  Most people either bury it or burn it."  I don't like that.  I don't mind burning paper, but plastic and Styrofoam?  I don't think so.  And glass and metal don't burn.  So, we will need to find another option.  Our trash usage will go down considerably once the house is built.  Some things are one time purchases.  (Solar panels which are packaged in cardboard, plastic, and Styrofoam for example.)  Other things are repeat (such as spaghetti sauce) which will change next year when we have a full garden.  Until then, we need to figure something out.
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The children continue to have fun.  They like to pretend there is a cougar in the woods that they are scaring off.  They also enjoy going in the woods and bringing back dead limbs for firewood.  The girls still don't understand the whole "don't waste water" concept, but they are young and still learning.  Their baby doll got a bath in a stock pot of clean water.  Well, it's not clean anymore.  But the doll is!
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We leave out late tomorrow night/early Sunday morning for St. Louis then back to Terre Haute.  I am trying to make sure we have everything we will need for that.  Meanwhile, I am going to enjoy this wonderful day God has blessed me with and rejoin my family down the hill.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

A nice meal with a representable table with the help of nice set of stock pots will surely warm your day.