Let the Adventure Begin

I didn't think we would ever make it out of Central Texas but it's done now!    Getting out of the city, away from the hustle and bustle, the noise and the traffic.... all behind us now. Let the adventure begin!

We made it to Oklahoma and met the Pioneer Living folks. They invited us up to visit with them awhile and lend a hand on the homestead. We took them up on the offer.  They have a really nice place out in the middle of BFE.  Which is way off the beaten path for those that don't know :)
There are huge garden areas here with super sandy loam.  Chickens and rabbits as well.  They even recently were given a horse! 
  John met us at the gate on his ATV and guided us to a spot to park the RV.  What a nice family!
Carrie made a great dinner for us on our first night here .  Taco soup with tortilla chips topped with sour cream and cheese.  Yummy!  John brought out a jar of caynne peppers he had put up last summer.  He used a bread and butter mix instead of the standard vinegar.  I have to say I think he is on to something. The peppers were spicey with a hint of sweet.  I definately want to get his recipe (actually its Carrie's recipe) and do some experimenting.  I am thinking that jalapeno's would be pretty good put up like that.

We have been getting settled into the RV and trying to make it "home".  Mars has been really busy doing man stuff around here and things are coming along nicely.  Today he and John are out working on planting something.... potato's and carrots I think.  

Yesterday, John made homemade dough-nuts and sent some over to us via his sweet nine year old daughter, the Flower Girl.  Those were some darn good dough-nuts I have to tell you!

So we are safe and sound and life is good!

Today's first  photo is courtesy of the Flower Girl.  She brought them  over to us yesterday.

Reach For The Stars

Things are moving along now at a pace that is unexpectedly faster than I thought.  I mean it took almost 3 months to sell the RV.  And then poof...sold... time to move forward at almost breakneck speed. I knew in my head that things would go fast once it was sold.  The reality of it is a bit more intense.
  We found a trailer that will suit our needs.  It needs a little bit of work but the roof doesn't leak (its been raining alot here) and the floors are solid. It is mainly cosmetics though so that's really not a big deal. 
We laid out some large cash today. (500 bucks is large for me) New tires all around,  but now we are roadworthy.  It had to be done. The old ones were dry rotted.  Not to mention the new truck tires. Didn't make it any easier to let go of the money though! We are rolling on gold people!!! 
We got all the "road" lights working today....Made the 60 mile trip back to the la casa....still need to work on the clearance lites as there is a flicker in them but things are looking ok. 


The crazy prepper lady will be here tomorrow to pick up the old homestead. I am gonna miss this place.  We had some good times here. But to be honest I am glad to just be getting away from all the BS that goes with living in a highly populated area.  I miss the country. So now we only focus on what is still left to be done to make this new beginning move forward.


Lots to be done for sure.  We have most everything moved into storage except the stuff we have been using daily.  Oh, and the furniture.  We have to get that big ass couch outta one RV into the other. That should be a load of laughs.
  Ever tried moving a full size couch out of a 24" door and sticking it into another one of the same size?  You should try it just for giggles!   I will have nightmares I am sure.  Not to mention all the cussing and moaning while it happens! 
We are loosing about 20 feet of space with the "new" RV so there are still things we are going to have to work out.
  The plan is to get everything that is left in the old place into the new place tomorrow. Anything that we have left here now is essential to day to day living stuff anyway. 
Then on Wednesday (till however long it takes)  we will pull the "new" RV over to the storage and sort thru all that, pack what we need for daily living.  What room we have left we will pack other essentials. Mars refuses to leave his baby tiller, the generator and a few other must have tools. Go figure!

As the idea is to eventually find some land in Arkansas or lower Missouri, we are going to find a "central location" to find new storage. I think they call it "staging"?  LOL  Then we take what we can in that direction and return to Texas for the rest of the stuff in storage here in a month or so.
One UHaul trailer later its all centrally located.  Cheaper rates and closer to the "Prize".  One good thing about all this is that we have been really focused on what we really need to keep and what is excess.  Not much "excess" left. 
Well enough of all this, I'm starting to bore myself.  

Reach for the stars guys! 

Snow on My Skin

Well things are in motion.  People ask me what's next and to be honest... I'm not really sure.  We have options.  The one thing I do know is that I am not afraid.  Which says a lot for me.  I have always been the eternal worrier.  And right now I am just not feeling it! (the worries)  I will probably come to my "senses" soon but for now I am going to ride the tide.  Worse comes to worse I can always call it my mid-life crisis.  No harm no foul. 

Kronic and I were talking in chat and he mentioned something that somehow touched me deeply.  You have to know first that he is a rough and tumble Texan that takes no BS from anyone.  He told me that he gets up every morning and makes a note to himself. Today his note to self was..."Get out and feel the snow on your skin, No one else can feel it for you."  How profound is that?

For once I am not too concerned about the unknown. Well mostly not  anyway.... Hey I am a Capricorn. Its what we do!
I have lived, like a lot of people, afraid to step out into the uncertainty of life.   I don't want to spend the rest of my life wondering "what if" any more.   There have been way to many "what if's" in my life to date that could have been opportunities. If I had only dared to live,
love and laugh.  A life not lived is a terrible waste.  A life not lived to the fullest can only be called a tragedy.  We are given such a short time in this world.  I don't want to waste another day wishing I had done something that I could have done if not for fear of trying.  There is no sense in looking back and bitching and moaning about what might have been.  You can't get back time that was lost. Time to leave all that behind.  Time for me to dare to try. 

So I suppose the answer to "what will I do next" is ..... well I'm not sure.  I do know that I am just about done with worrying about what others think of what I do with my life.  It is mine to do with as I please.  So if I end up flushing it down the proverbial toilet....then so be it.  I want to live each day like it was the last one granted and to be happy with it- even if it doesn't work out like "I" think it should.   There is a rhyme and a reason for every single thing that happens to us.  We just need to be open enough with our own heart to accept it.  Nothing in this world happens without an action and a reaction.  If I choose to react in a positive way,  what harm was done?  Negative only brings us all down. 
And so, when you ask what will I do now?  The only response I have right now is.......
I will Live, Laugh, and Love.  I will see the rainbow and not the clouds.  I will strive to feel the snow on my skin because no one else can feel it for me!

Things are looking up!

Things have been crazy around here.  The crazy prepper lady came back (after much BS and game playing)  and actually bought the RV yesterday.  I could tell ya that story but you wouldn't believe it anymore than I did!  The one thing that matters is..... she SHOWED ME THE MONEY!!!!!
After three weeks of game playing its finally a done deal. You wouldn't believe all the horse shit we have been dealing with from her. But hey, its over, and the trailer is sold!

Onward into the fog. 

Resume

I read this in Reader's Digest and thought it was pretty funny.  Unfortunately, it is also a sad comment on the educational system and what it has been producing.  Yet another case for homeschooling.  Or McDonald's employee of the month.

                                          RESUME

OBJECTIVES
"Assertive,self-motivated, and goal-oriented individual seeks a position that utilizes my computer training and experience and/or bartending skills."


EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Last Job: "Restaurant manager, Cleaned and supervised employees."
Job Before That: "CFO for a wholesaler of women's slacks.  We also sold men's bottoms."
And The Job Before That:  "I work in the store's men's department, stalking shirts and pants."
And Before That:  "Bum.  Abandoned belongings and led nomadic lifestyle."
First Job:  "Administrative professional, I coordinate meetings, make travel arrangements and assist security staff with badgering."


REFERENCES
"Scott"
"My girlfriend"
"None, I've left a path of destruction behind me."


SKILLS
"Fluent iN both English and Spinach"
"Excellent memory; strong math aptitude; excellent memory."
"I can type without lookingatthekeyboard."
"The ability to use short bursts of muscle force to propel myself-as in jumping or sprinting or throwing and object."
"Able to whistle while pretending to drink water at the same time."


INTERESTS
"Gossiping"
"Michael Bolton"


EDUCATION
"Moron University"
"Attended collage courses"
Academic achievement:  "Recieved the Smith Schlorship Award."



source" resumania.com

Coming To A Town Near You

In case you missed it last night Audi had a commercial on that touts the "Green Police".  I found it truly disturbing.  It seems they are trying to get us all "used" to the idea that it is ok to spy on your neighbors. This is the future they seem to want for all of us.

Freedom, Liberty, and Justice

Let's not forget the true definitions of freedom, liberty and justice.  Use them or loose them.


free·dom (frē′dəm)

noun

   1. the state or quality of being free; esp.,
         1. exemption or liberation from the control of some other person or some arbitrary power; liberty; independence
         2. exemption from arbitrary restrictions on a specified civil right; civil or political liberty freedom of speech
         3. exemption or immunity from a specified obligation, discomfort, etc. freedom from want
         4. exemption or release from imprisonment
         5. a being able to act, move, use, etc. without hindrance or restraint to have the freedom of the house
         6. a being able of itself to choose or determine action freely freedom of the will
         7. ease of movement or performance; facility
         8. a being free from the usual rules, patterns, etc.
         9. frankness or easiness of manner; sometimes, an excessive frankness or familiarity
   2. a right or privilege



lib·erty (lib′ər tē)

noun pl. liberties -·ties

   1. freedom or release from slavery, imprisonment, captivity, or any other form of arbitrary control
   2. the sum of rights and exemptions possessed in common by the people of a community, state, etc.
   3. a particular right, franchise, or exemption from compulsion
   4. a too free, too familiar, or impertinent action or attitude
   5. the limits within which a certain amount of freedom may be exercised to have the liberty of the third floor
   6.
         1. permission given to a sailor to go ashore; specif., in the U.S. Navy, permission given to an enlisted person to be absent from duty for a period ordinarily of 48 hours or less
         2. the period of time given
   7. Philos. freedom to choose; freedom from compulsion or constraint

jus·tice (jus′tis)

noun

   1. the quality of being righteous; rectitude
   2. impartiality; fairness
   3. the quality of being right or correct
   4. sound reason; rightfulness; validity
   5. reward or penalty as deserved; just deserts
   6.
         1. the use of authority and power to uphold what is right, just, or lawful
         2. the personification of this, usually a blindfolded goddess holding scales and a sword
   7. the administration of law; procedure of a law court

Addiction?

I don't really know exactly when I started prepping.  I have always been frugal. (ok ok cheap) I started noticing the prices of groceries starting to rise a bit a couple of years ago.  I started stocking up on things that we normally used. You know, an extra couple of cans of green beans when they were on sale.  That extra bag of sugar when it's on sale. Slowly but steadily I was able to build up the pantry.  It made me feel better knowing that we had a couple of weeks worth of groceries put away.  Being self-employed at the time you just never knew how long it might really be between contracts.
And then a little over a year ago, I ran across a couple of blogs that got me curious and eventually I found my way to the American Preppers Network.  I had found  a home.  I also found out that I had a new name!  I am a prepper.  The initial shock of finding so many like-minded people about blew me away. It also inspired me. 
One thing you have to know though - the one thing they don't tell you - is that prepping is addicting.  Once you start to see your preps growing you just want to do a "little" more. And a little more.  So you go from a few extra cans of food in the pantry to realizing that you need to find a place to store those beans.
Then comes the realization that maybe this year would be a good year to grow something besides tomato's and peppers.  You know, eat what you grow.  Hey, another way to save some money! I'm always up for that being frugal and all.(ok cheap)
So you get your garden spot picked out and ready to go. Then the fun of deciding what you want to grow. Things you know you like and will eat.  With a little luck and a bit of work things start popping out of the ground. And before you know it, your eating fresh veggies right out of the garden! Oh there is absolutely NOTHING better than that first bite of homegrown tomato still warm from the sun.  Eating it out there, standing in your garden! 
Then you realize you can't possibly eat all these veggies.  What to do, what to do?  The prepper "addiction" kicks in and you decide canning can't be all that hard.  After all, people have been doing it for years right?  So if you are cheap (there I said it) like me you start looking for the best deal on a canner you can find. Jars, lids, rings, a cheap set of canning tools and you are in business. 
Ok so now that you have those items you find yourself picking up one or two extra packages of lids every so often. You know, just to make sure you won't run out....

FoodSaver Bags

Ranger Squirrel  hooked me up with this great deal if you are a FoodSaver owner... Folks it doesn't get much better than this...  over 45% off bags and free shipping!  It only runs to the 7th of the month so grab it while ya can!

http://jardencs.rsys1.net/servlet/website/ResponseForm?qHkKLgE8T.40.26777EhHrLlDqHtLlFntHpsDJht

And no, I get nothing from this blatant plug.  I wonder if that's a good enough disclaimer?

Unemployment Anyone?

 And today for your viewing pleasure... pull up a chair and get your popcorn ready.... we are in this for the long haul.

Chili

 
Let's talk chili.  Such a wonderful dish with about a million different ways to make it.  Sometimes we use stew meat. When we are blessed with venison we use that.  Sometimes we use course ground hamburger.  This time we just used plain hamburger that I found lurking in the very bottom of the freezer. Once again, I want to say I LOVE MY FOODSAVER.  These packages were in there from Oct 2008.  It still looked, cooked and tasted like it had just been bought!  
I WILL NOT put beans in my chili.  Sacrilege!  If I want chili beans then that's what I will make.  Real chili does NOT have beans!  Ok, I got that out of my system.  LOL   One of the things I love about chili is the yummy things that you can use the leftovers in. (or is it on?)  
Mars made this last batch on Sunday.   I got lazy and didn't make cornbread so we had crackers with it instead. We have had chili in some form or another for the last few days.   For lunch yesterday we had Frito Pie with onions and cheese.  I have been a Frito Pie fiend since I was a little kid and I was in heaven with this meal.  

Dinner last night was Baked Potato stuffed with chili, cheese, and onions.  As if I hadn't eaten chili for almost every meal this morning I made chili and eggs with hashbrowns and toast!  We got a good run for the money on that pot of chili. And I didn't resort to chili beans either!!!


Well it looks like the RV is still up for sale.  After all the hours spent talking with this woman over the past week - she no longer will answer her phone or her email. I never did pull the ad's off Craigslist so that is a good thing.  Anyhoo......karma will do what karma does will it not?