lwheelr
Lovin' The Homestead
Some of the members from church swarmed into our house today, and packed everything that didn't move, except a few dirty dishes and some things that I stood over and begged them not to touch. I'd have preferred the help more spread out so I could supervise better, but they came when they were able, so we took the help because we needed it badly. They brought meals along and stowed them in our freezer, to make the next week easier for us as we finish cleaning and the last of the packing.
Immediately after they left, my son went to make bread, and my daughter started to bake some things ahead for the next week. Fortunately, they had not packed the mixer bowl (they packed all the other bowls and implements). Then we discovered they had also packed the flour.
I think the women really understood that we still had to live for five more days. The men, I think, figured, "Hey, we just brought you pizza and stew, you don't need to cook, so you don't need dishes." Never mind that I can't eat the prepared food they brought (even the homemade stuff, for the most part, except a pan of excellent moose stew made by one family), and that all my food has to be cooked from scratch.
So the next five days are going to be interesting - bringing new meaning to self-sufficiency - or borrowing from the neighbors! Fortunately, my next door neighbor is my mother, who has a wheat mill, and was happy to loan us a mixing bowl and spoon for the other things we had to make today. So the crackers, bread, and pancakes were all prepared in spite of the missing flour.
Somewhere in the back room that was designated the "truck room", in a nameless box or bag, is hidden my bathrobe, our spare towels, all of our kitchen utensils and bowls, a few randomly chosen food items, both wheat mills (though one is broken), and probably all the extra toilet paper. I haven't the strength or energy to go on a treasure hunt every time I need something.
The next five days shall be an adventure in creative make-do.
We determined that it was less costly to purchase an older used livestock trailer, and to put a hitch on our Nissan (to tow our small 6X8 box trailer), and a gooseneck hitch on our truck, than to rent a van and have to wonder how to get both cars down there. A big livestock trailer would hold the animals in the back, and our household goods in the front (plus we have part of the pickup bed, the back of the mini-van, and the small trailer).
We managed to find a 24 ft trailer, for twice what we wanted to pay, one of the hitches for half what we expected to pay, and have the hitch installations scheduled for this coming week. We'll pick up the trailer on Tuesday, pack it on Wednesday and Thursday, wrestle the animals in on Friday morning and roll the wagons immediately thereafter.
I still don't know how we'll get everything in. But if we start with my bed, and put the shelves my father made for us in next, then everything else can be prioritized. We'll be leaving about half our furniture and items behind, because there is no room to take them. Things can be replaced. This is a chance for a new life, and is not worth hanging on to stuff that isn't really all that important.
I'm still not able to do a whole lot, but I am able to be up part of the day now. So I can at least sit down and pack now, or supervise. I feel the baby kicking regularly, so he's hanging on in spite of the difficulties.
Immediately after they left, my son went to make bread, and my daughter started to bake some things ahead for the next week. Fortunately, they had not packed the mixer bowl (they packed all the other bowls and implements). Then we discovered they had also packed the flour.
I think the women really understood that we still had to live for five more days. The men, I think, figured, "Hey, we just brought you pizza and stew, you don't need to cook, so you don't need dishes." Never mind that I can't eat the prepared food they brought (even the homemade stuff, for the most part, except a pan of excellent moose stew made by one family), and that all my food has to be cooked from scratch.
So the next five days are going to be interesting - bringing new meaning to self-sufficiency - or borrowing from the neighbors! Fortunately, my next door neighbor is my mother, who has a wheat mill, and was happy to loan us a mixing bowl and spoon for the other things we had to make today. So the crackers, bread, and pancakes were all prepared in spite of the missing flour.
Somewhere in the back room that was designated the "truck room", in a nameless box or bag, is hidden my bathrobe, our spare towels, all of our kitchen utensils and bowls, a few randomly chosen food items, both wheat mills (though one is broken), and probably all the extra toilet paper. I haven't the strength or energy to go on a treasure hunt every time I need something.
The next five days shall be an adventure in creative make-do.
We determined that it was less costly to purchase an older used livestock trailer, and to put a hitch on our Nissan (to tow our small 6X8 box trailer), and a gooseneck hitch on our truck, than to rent a van and have to wonder how to get both cars down there. A big livestock trailer would hold the animals in the back, and our household goods in the front (plus we have part of the pickup bed, the back of the mini-van, and the small trailer).
We managed to find a 24 ft trailer, for twice what we wanted to pay, one of the hitches for half what we expected to pay, and have the hitch installations scheduled for this coming week. We'll pick up the trailer on Tuesday, pack it on Wednesday and Thursday, wrestle the animals in on Friday morning and roll the wagons immediately thereafter.
I still don't know how we'll get everything in. But if we start with my bed, and put the shelves my father made for us in next, then everything else can be prioritized. We'll be leaving about half our furniture and items behind, because there is no room to take them. Things can be replaced. This is a chance for a new life, and is not worth hanging on to stuff that isn't really all that important.
I'm still not able to do a whole lot, but I am able to be up part of the day now. So I can at least sit down and pack now, or supervise. I feel the baby kicking regularly, so he's hanging on in spite of the difficulties.
Good luck in the new place? Where are you going to be?
Good luck to you all!!
