Most of you who know me know that I am a compulsive recycler. I describe it as an addiction because I literally can’t stop myself from picking up recyclables whatever and wherever they are in hopes I’ll be able to reclaim what little value they have left in the post-use waste stream (along with helping to make the planet a little more picturesque and critter-friendly).
Probably the biggest change for us in making this move was leaving behind our precious Space Coast community after 16 mostly sunny years.
Wood-burning stove, check.
Water supply tank, check.
Still working to bring our basic off-grid utilities into service a month after arrival, so here’s an update on how the pieces are coming together.
Many people make trips to ‘town’ to fulfill their basic needs, including entertainment. For us, this trip is not an option. It is a necessity.
After nearly four full weeks of living off-grid, we’re starting to recognize the daily rhythm and truly appreciate our beautifully rustic surroundings. We’re challenging ourselves to stay home for as many days we can, and so far have made it five before needing to go to town for one reason or another. Going thirty days will be a true feat we’re looking forward to accomplishing!!
We’ve done a real good job of highlighting all our successes so far, but I did want to reveal a few of the not-so-joyous frustrations we’ve encountered over the past few weeks to give everyone a true picture of what’s been going on around here.
I confess…
Coming into ‘monsoon season‘ here, we wanted to make sure the yurt was trimmed out appropriately with a stylish and functional rain awning. Ben and I examined a few different places to harvest precious rainwater with this tarp and barrel rigging, but we ultimately decided to kill two birds with one stone, as they say, by creating the front door rain cover AND a catchment all in one.
Monday came and went with little fanfare. Ben and I both woke warmly to sun streaming inside the yurt. The teakettle went on quickly to start us up for our first day of telecommuting. Power was plentiful and we hungrily gobbled bandwidth on our wi-fi while still in our nightclothes. It was definitely refreshing to be in touch with old office mates and inquisitive colleagues while enjoying the New Mexican mountain splendor.
The moment we’ve all been waiting for… A REAL place to poop!! It may not look like much, but this custom-built unit provides a comfortable and sanitary perch to take care of daily business without the use of a shovel! 😉
Against our bodies’ protests, we are still pressing forward with our aggressive start-up schedule… Yesterday, we successfully brought the PV system on-line and fired up the Internet in the yurt! HOORAY!! This was a critical element in putting together our master plan, and everything worked like a charm.
