Unanticipated Observations

As I have mentioned in previous posts, we have recently moved to a larger and more rural place. In preparation for the move, we made plans and more plans. We tried to anticipate all of the new things that would cause problems or that would change the way that we normally do things. Despite this preparation, there were a few things that snuck up on us.  

#1 - A Circular Staircase is a Cat's Paradise

It didn't take the cats long to discover that the dog couldn't climb this particular staircase. They have taken to it as a refuge when Rosco (our dog) wants to be extra-playful and chase them. 

Safety isn't the only thing that they enjoy about this structure. They sit perched on the steps on a regular basis. It's as if they have found a place to sit and feel their superiority over us mere humans. I wonder what they are plotting while observing the world from "on high". 

#2 - We Have Seen a Decrease in Eating Out

We are in a more rural area where it takes almost thirty minutes to go anywhere to purchase items. I knew that this would be an adjustment, but I didn't anticipate the creativity required when the idea of taking an hour to obtain a small item was beyond ideal. 

But this situation isn't all bad. Prior to the move, we were eating out too much due to convenience and some laziness on my part. Now, food plans for the evening are being made each morning and things are running smoother at dinner time. 

Another perk is that it is forcing me to learn new skills. I had purchased deli sliced ham, turkey and horseradish cheddar cheese (my favorite) from a local store. When we planned to prepare our sandwiches, we discovered that we were out of bread. Do I load up four kids and spend over an hour driving and purchasing a loaf of bread on this very cold day? Or do I come up with an alternative solution? 

I dug through some cookbooks and found a recipe for honey bread. I had attempted baking my own bread in the past but wasn't very successful and had quit that pursuit. Feeling forced into it, I tried a different recipe and method. I am glad that I did because I now know that I can bake bread!! It may seem like a little thing but it's nice to have a few different skills to add to your knowledge base each year and this was one for me. A bonus was that this bread was made with fresh ingredients, honey instead of sugar and didn't contain the preservatives that the typical bread in the stores contain. Oh, and did I mention that this baking warmed up my home on the very cold day?! Win! Win! Win! 

Look how pretty it turned out:

#3 - Combining Trips Out of the House Becomes an Art

When the kids were smaller, I had become a pro at packing a diaper bag with all of the necessary items for each outing and anticipated mishaps. I didn't realize that particular skill would ever be useful again. When planning our participation in a field trip or activity, it becomes an evaluation of other errands could be done along the way.

   - We will be passing the library so we might as well return books and pick up ones on hold.

   - I need to go to the bank so I might as well add that to the list while we are out.

   - Our inventory for the local store is running low, so a quick stop in to drop off more items wouldn't take too long. 

   - We are running low on milk, so a quick trip past the dairy farm on the way home would take care of that issue. 

Before I know it, we have a full day's worth of errands and activities planned. This is good for efficiency and gas mileage but can make the day a long one.

Since we will be out for a large part of the day, we have started packing a snack bag. This helps to prevent any hungry meltdowns, by the kids or myself. We also reconfigure some of our schooling to be completed in the car. This includes documentary DVDs, audiobooks or podcasts. We may include a few reading books or workbooks, but this isn't our primary focus during car-schooling because I have several that get car-sick, and we try to avoid that mess as much as possible. 

It has started to remind me of the book "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie" in that one thing spiraled into many and now we are packing the vehicle with so many things that we look as if we may be moving out. I've even been known to write my list of out on a post-it in the car so that I don't forget anything. 

#4 - The View is Spectacular, but the Wind is Brutal

Our house sits on a hill. The views have been amazing. 

The wind on this hill can be fierce. We haven't always heeded the wind advisories and discovered that items like light porch furniture and decorations do indeed go flying around when the wind picks up. The wind even tore the doors off of the greenhouse before it was completely built! This is an adjustment, and we are becoming more aware of the wind conditions in our area and what we need to do to prepare. 

#5 - Waiting on Completed Construction will Test Your Patience

As many of you know, I am not the most patient individual. I know it. I've accepted it. If you want to really test your patience, hire someone to build something on your property. 

Our new property didn't have outbuildings, so we decided to build them. First, the land had to be excavated. Then, we attempted to find a used greenhouse/hoophouse but couldn't find one and felt that we were running out of time. We purchased a greenhouse kit to build (more on this in a future post). The barn materials were paid for and scheduled to start. We were on track!

Then, came the delays. The greenhouse kit company was being slammed and it took longer than anticipated to obtain the materials. We saved over $500 by driving to pick up the materials but that took time. Time became scarce as we divided it up between children's activities, outside jobs, customer orders for the Christmas season, building projects, etc. 

The Kentucky weather hasn't helped. As anyone that has lived in this region can attest, the weather in Kentucky is rarely predictable. A windstorm slowed our greenhouse project by ripping off the doors. We ended up with rain, rain and more rain. What happens to an excavated piece of land when you receive a lot of rain? It becomes a mud pit. The dog didn't mind as he discovered his inner pig and rolled around in the mess, but this further delayed the building projects.

One wise lady recently told me that God doesn't care about our To-Do Lists. We will never be able to complete all of the things that we want but, in the end, it will all work out. I'm trying to heed those words and learn to be more patient. It's not an easy lesson for me, but I'm trying. 

#6 - Estate Auctions Are a Great Way to Increase Your Homestead/Workshop Supplies at Decreased Costs

Some people find estate auctions sad events. I understand that the idea of the items collected in a person's lifetime being laid out and auctioned to the highest bidder could be sad, especially when those items previously belonged to a loved one.

While I understand the reasoning behind some people's sadness regarding estate sales, I don't quite see it the same way. We cannot take our physical possessions to heaven with us. We won't need them there so why shouldn't these objects be repurposed for use by someone still on earth? 

Personally, I enjoy estate sales. It is a mishmash of items that someone once found useful or beautiful. The audience is full of people with different tastes, needs and wants. The variety of items mixed with the variety of buyers can make an unexpected item sell for high dollar when the bidding becomes fierce, and another item be sold for a fraction of the original value. 

When you are building up your workshop or homestead, the cost of buying everything new is prohibitive. We discovered many treasures at these local estate sales that have helped us to continue on our journey. We purchased wood-working equipment from an estate of a gentlemen that had an amazing workshop. We have purchased gardening equipment, space heaters and a pressure washer to help us on our property for a fraction of what they would have cost if we purchased them new.

I like to think that the previous owners are looking down from heaven and appreciate that we are utilizing items that they once found valuable in building our business and homestead. We are truly grateful to them for the opportunity to purchase these items that we could not afford otherwise. 

#7 - A Woodworking Workshop in the Basement Produces a lot of Dust

Our house has a large basement that the hubby quickly took over for his workshop. It's a great improvement from his previous workspace and he is enjoying it. 

I knew that his work produced a lot of saw dust as we utilize this for chicken coop bedding and other projects, but I never truly appreciated the true amount until it continued to creep through the vents into the rest of the house. I would find layers of dust on items soon after cleaning and I could smell the dust in the living room after an afternoon of the hubby working in the shop. A solution had to be found. 

We found the pipes from a dust collection system of a woodworking shop at an estate auction.

The hubby configured a way to make it work with the saw. You can fix quite a few things with duct tape! 

He got creative in designing and building this contraption. 

Finally, the hubby hooked it all up to his previously owned dust collection system.

This became an immediate priority as we didn't want to risk the air quality that we were breathing in the house during the winter. The hubby did a great job devising a solution. The organization and cleaning part was pushed back to a later date!

We continue to discover new and challenging aspects as we grow but that is simply part of the challenge. If things were always easy, it could become boring. And no one wants to be bored, right?!