Our patch of earth

Mini Horses

Sustainability Master
Joined
Sep 2, 2015
Messages
7,074
Reaction score
14,468
Points
352
Location
coastal VA
Glad to hear from you...…..been wondering where you were and things are working out. Sounds like you have found how much you actually CAN do without, LOL. It will improve with time. Hey, my grandparents both lived long lives as did most of their kids with NO electric, no plumbing, etc. I remember bucketing water, baths in a washtub, kero lamps and wood cooking stove, no frig, all that. I know it can be done! Now, I'd miss some conveniences but, could do it.

They didn't have a phone or vehicle either. :idunno

Don't forget us.....
 

Lazy Gardener

Super Self-Sufficient
Joined
May 14, 2017
Messages
4,626
Reaction score
5,876
Points
292
Location
Central Maine, Zone 4B
Yep, it can be done. Hubby and I moved into our home mid-winter w/o plumbing, (no kitchen, no bathroom) minimal electrical, nothing for heat aside from a wood stove and a pile of green wood that was frozen into the snow bank. Only house on a dead end dirt road. Our shower experience: standing on the front steps with the truck backed up to the steps. The showeree would then get doused by a bucket held by the showerer who was standing on the tail gate. It does get easier! But, building a home while living in the home is not for the faint hearted.
 

Mini Horses

Sustainability Master
Joined
Sep 2, 2015
Messages
7,074
Reaction score
14,468
Points
352
Location
coastal VA
Bet that "shower experience" was a sight.....hope it wan't winter! LMAO

I had it a touch better when I built this house...living in an 8X14 camper. Had electric from the temp power pole, a porta pot on site, no running water as well not in yet, so hauled in 50 gal water tank. Had little electric stove & heat, a tiny tub...so I heated water and took 4 gal jugs of warm water in there....wet, wash, rinse. Gray water line to ground. LOL. Better believe when well was in I was glad. And electric in the house, so AC ran in summer, even tho not completed inside & no occupancy permit... The dog & I were thrilled with a cot on the floor, being cool. I did a LOT of the interior myself, took a while but I was all good. You adapt. :lol:
 

baymule

Sustainability Master
Joined
Nov 13, 2010
Messages
10,704
Reaction score
18,604
Points
413
Location
East Texas
You moved in! That's great! Progress is being made. Don't stay away so long, I love hearing about your journey to the freedom of your own home.
 

Lazy Gardener

Super Self-Sufficient
Joined
May 14, 2017
Messages
4,626
Reaction score
5,876
Points
292
Location
Central Maine, Zone 4B
I don't mind a VERY cold shower or bath. It's invigorating. When we did the bathroom remodel a few years ago, I set up a kiddy pool on the deck, and showered there. Nothing like scrubbing up with nothing but star and moonlight to light your path. It was November so, I had to be careful coming back in b/c of the frost on the deck! Thankfully, we live in a very rural area, and had not at that time taken down many trees!
 

flowerbug

Super Self-Sufficient
Joined
Oct 24, 2019
Messages
6,174
Reaction score
11,729
Points
297
Location
mid-Michigan, USoA
i've taken showers with 1-gallon of water heated by the car heat blowing on the jug of water. had to walk through a muddy ditch to get to the woods to do it. so kinda a wash there on what got clean and what got worse. i did smell better when done... lol mosquitoes sucked, literally...
 

Reice

Lovin' The Homestead
Joined
Jun 8, 2019
Messages
27
Reaction score
87
Points
65
Location
western OK
And... I has internet. :D Yep, I'm back, bwahahaha

Happy Turkey Day Everyone!!! *gobble gobble*

We also did finally get the power hooked up, yes!! Got so used to living with extension cords I regularly forget I can turn on a light, haha. Since the home didn't have power to it when we got it, we weren't real sure what we were in for, electrical-wise. But no fires had to be put out, not yet anyways. There are some plugs that don't work, and some light fixtures that don't work even with new bulbs. Will work on those as we get to them. In the mean time we work with what we got. I finally have a working stove, oh yeah!! And a pretty darn nice one at that. I swear this given to us freebie stove may have been used just once since it was bought new. Zero complaints here.

Today the hubby is working on getting the dryer working. Laundry was backing up a bit due to waiting on decent days to be able to line dry. Truth be told, I am now a fan of the line drying. Everything just felt.. I dunno, cleaner. Even the stiff towels didn't bother me when I see that it absorbs water oh so much better and feels fresher.

Had vehicle issues for the past 2 months to go along with this. My precious minivan decided to take a crap one morning, was running perfect before that, even with 200k miles on her. Ran the codes and started fixing what we could when we could, but still wouldn't get her running again. Was a nightmare getting that heavy beast dragged out here to better work on her, but nothing was working to get her running. My parent's (both 71) hated the thought of me being out here alone afoot, so they do what they do... fix it with what they got. Without asking, they found a cheap vehicle that needed body work, but ran. Dad is a body man, has been all his life. The back end of this vehicle was crunched. You guys probably won't believe it, but dad fixed it by hand making and attaching a back bumper.. from washing machines. I kid you not. Spray painted it to kinda match the rest and you can almost not tell from a distance. So, for $400 they put together a car that runs to let me drive. I tell you what, about to be adios to minivan, hello Sebring. It runs great and is better on gas. Still don't know what's wrong with van or how to or how much to fix it. She did us well for 2 years and never left us walking. But this is why I buy em cheap and drive them til they quit.

Other than that just waiting for grandbaby #2 to be here any second. She's trying to make and early appearace at 36 weeks and mom is on light duty/bed rest. And, not-so-lucky-me gets to be in there for this one, too. Grandson nearly drove me to nervous breakdown at his birth, lol. So here we go again.

Oh, internet I got a bargain on. Went through pcsforpeople.org for low income families. Qualified and got a hotspot with the $16 a month plan. It's decent reception and works so far out here. Unlimited data, except after 23gb I get deprioritized. I can live with that.

That's all for now, time to get ready for Turkey Day with the family, huge group at the parents house, oh boy. Laters all. :D
 

frustratedearthmother

Sustainability Master
Joined
Mar 10, 2012
Messages
20,486
Reaction score
22,524
Points
453
Location
USDA 9a
Wow - lots of changes but overall moving in a positive direction! Glad to hear that and welcome back!
 

Mini Horses

Sustainability Master
Joined
Sep 2, 2015
Messages
7,074
Reaction score
14,468
Points
352
Location
coastal VA
Nice to hear from you and all the good news. Hope you had a good Thanksgiving!

We'll be hearing more now -- with electric & net both up. Good.
 
Top