Thursday, September 19, 2013

Highlights & Happenings


September is here and with it has come a new school year.  We are well into our second week and things are moving right along.  This year has brought unique school challenges.  With two older children our schedule is nothing short of hectic.  Miss Serenity has secured a job at our local grocery store as a checker.  She is working three days a week for five hours a day.  Serenity is acquiring a huge amount of discipline as she juggles her school workload along with her gainful employment.  She has noticed how challenging it is to go to school in the morning work all afternoon and still have home chores to take care of in the evening.  Oh, and of course she has been hunting as well.


Master Hand Grenade delivered his application, along with a cover letter and letter of reference to the same grocery store that employs his sister earlier this week.  He is applying for any job that might be available with the hope of become an apprentice in the meat department upon his 18th birthday.  His plan of action is to check in with the store manager on a weekly basis until an opening comes along.  In the meantime Hand Grenade has been working on our winter wood supply and helping me with general "Estate Management", in addition to his normal schoolwork.

Princess Dragon Snack and Master Calvin are taking their roles as students very seriously.  Dragon Snack is reading up a storm and I can hardly contain her from doing multiple math lessons a day.  Calvin is so excited to be in school that he claps his hands every time he gets one of his letters right during reading or when he executes a flawless E in handwriting!  It is so much fun to teach excited littles.

Last week we added to our household number in the form of a Tibetan Mastiff.  He is a beautiful dog that we love already.  Tibetan Mastiffs are known for being people guardians and are unlike any dog I have ever met.  "Grimm" stalks silently through the house, checking in every room at regular intervals.  He is very alert, highly intelligent and somewhat aloof.  He likes to be petted but does not feel required to fawn over us.  So far he seems to be the perfect dog for our family.


Along with getting ready for winter and doing school, the kids and I have been cleaning, cleaning, cleaning.  We have gone through every room in the house along with every outbuilding.  Just yesterday we cleaned out our shed (that is attached to the shouse).  It seems to be the depository for everything that has no other permanent home.  Without regular cleaning, it can become impassable within a matter of weeks.  Due to the fact that our generators are in the shed, I make it my personal mission to inspect it at least once a week and take whatever measures are  necessary to ensure its tidiness.  As much work as the cleaning was, we were handsomely rewarded when we made a trip to the dump to dispose of our garbage.  There, sitting next to a dumpster, was an old, chippy cupboard.  The doors had been damaged by water but the structure was sound and somewhat charming.  After a quick inspection, Miss Serenity and I loaded our treasure onto the trailer and headed home.  Within minutes we had the cupboard unloaded, the doors removed and had scrubbed every inch of our find with bleach water.  It turned out beautifully (if you like the country shabby look, that is).  I had been needing a new bookshelf for quite some time and our dumpster find was just right.  Oh, the blessings we reap every day!


As I mentioned, we have been busy, busy, busy - and this weekend will be a continuation of that busyness.  Sunday is the Sustainable Preparedness Expo in Spokane and we will have a booth.  This year it is being held at the Spokane County Fairgrounds. We think it will be a much better location than last years event, which was held at the Spokane Convention Center.  If any of you are planning on attending, look me up!

That's it for now - be back soon!

10 comments:

  1. You have been busy! What a great transformation from cupboard to bookcase! Congrats on the find! I have a few cherished finds from the dump, too! One is an old clerk's chair -- leather back pad with sculpted oak seat, from about 1890. Just needed new leather on the back and a little grease on the wheels. So great to save nice furniture!

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  2. Enola,

    (captaincrunch)


    I have been real busy the past week working on a 1990 Toyota truck I purchased.

    This will be my third Toyota truck since 1995. In the past week I replaced the timing chain (normal maintenance item at 125.000 miles) tune up, valve adjustment (old style mechanical valves like on a diesel)another maintenance item and I worked on and replaced other items. This truck is in extremely good condition, just needed a little love and it is good for 500.000 miles at least.
    I had a 1991 Toyota that was all exactly the same and I had it for twelve and half years and drove it through four states and went on many surf trips with it including one big trip back in the 90's on the California coast.

    The older Toyota trucks are the best trucks for any third world environment and are used extensively in Central America, South America, Africa, Asia, etc. You can easily mount an old Soviet era 12.7 mm heavy machine gun in the back and drive around at 80 miles an hour blasting away like the insurgents did back in Somalia.
    Since America is becoming another third world banana, socialist democracy. I might as well equip myself with an appropriate vehicle for the changing times.
    On the dog thing, no giant dogs here. My mother has four little adopted/rescue mutts with loud barks.
    Imagine, eight ears constantly scanning passively 24/7 and barking. Acting as a little pack, alerting a woman in her seventies as she grabs her revolver.
    That's how I have things set up at my mothers house.
    No dogs at my house, just beware of the owner.

    Gotta go surf today. Trophical storm in the Gulf of Mexico, bouys are runnin' seven foot at seven seconds. Nice juicy A-frame style waves with 84 degree water temperature.

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  3. Love your find of the new book shelf cabinet....
    And the fact that you were able to clean, clean,
    clean....I am older and have bone issues and a
    nerve impingement in neck making most chores
    almost impossible to do.....
    And when will you be selling your books from
    your home? I would like to purchase one from you.
    Love from NC

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  4. Enola,

    You must be very proud of your children doing their school work and looking for jobs at the local store. I can't help but get excited when kids love doing school work. When our youngest was growing up it was a major battle to get him to do any school work. My husband and I would spend hours every evening working with him. When he finally graduated high school it was a major relief for both my husband and I. Now he's a certified welder and doing pretty good for himself.

    Your Tibetan Mastiff "Grimm" is a great security dog to have and he's gorgeous too. I wish you much happiness with this guy.

    Hey and by the way, great find on this bookshelf!!

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  5. Will you also have a booth at the Denver Expo in October? We are planning on attending and I would love to visit you and your family and purchase a copy of your book.

    Kindredly,
    Shan

    Honey Hill Farm

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  6. I would like to hear more about your Tibetan Mastiff as I am looking for a good guard dog that does not increase my liability premiums.

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  7. Enola and Family,
    It was great finally meeting you and your wonderful family at the Expo today. You guys keep up the good work.
    Paintedmoose (Linda) and Family

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  8. is there any way you could do a post on how you prepare the rabbit?

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  9. Enola, you familiar with this guy? http://thedeliberateagrarian.blogspot.com/

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  10. anyone notice that the three boxes on top of the bookcase with the draping hand grabs look like three stacked up smiley faces? :) :) :)

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