I Wrote This on Tuesday

It’s sunny in my room today. Earlier, I was hanging out in the boys room/living room because that’s where the sun is in the morning. What a drastic change from this sun is from the morning. It was windy and snowing. All the snow has since melted, just like last week, but unlike last week, warm weather is predicted to follow in the next few days. Last week was cold cold cold! 

I can’t really give you a week by week rundown because all the days blend. It’s been a fun, challenging, lonely, lively and unpredictable six weeks. I can count on one hand the number of showers I have taken since the move. One of only a few challenges. The first weeks were spent trying to assimilate into this new and very quiet environment. Our small trailer is located 10 miles from Williams toward the Grand Canyon and another 2 miles off the highway. My neighbors are blue birds and coyote howls. 

Actually, I do have real people neighbors, but I think it’s like summer in Phoenix here; you don’t leave your house very often. I have taken a few walks, but have not seen any one else about. 

In the mornings, there are a few roosters that crow until well after sunrise and the cows reply. Number Three always yells for the animals to shut up if he is still trying to sleep after I have sounded the get up alarm. It’s a half hearted plea on his behalf. We all know that if they were our animals, he’d be the first to wake up with them, feed them and give them water. (We had to give our Phoenix chickens to our dear friends Jeanette and Mary because we are just not ready to have them here yet. When we do get more chickens, they will most likely be from up here so they will be already acclimated to the snow and cold. 

Since I don’t have a job yet, I have been knitting and reading a bunch. I finish one to three novels a week, depending on length, and I have been working on some original knitting designs to consign with my friends Phoenix co-op. I have come up with a few head bands, a scarf and some cuff designs. I did have an interview today at Safeway for a Starbucks position. I won’t find out anything until next weeks drug test, but I am sure I have the job. 

The lonely I feel is partly because of my distance from anyone, partly because I see Tris for only 48 ish hours a week and partly because I just don’t know very many people. Most of you know me, you know that I am not a shy person, but geez am I having a hard time finding a knitting group, a sewing bee, women who want to cook dinner while having a glass of wine or anything else! I have gone so far as asking people to be my friend, like the grocery store clerk and the lady I babysat for yesterday, who by the way, is a crafter and really cool girl. (I met her when I helped deliver a baby in Sedona. She is an labor and delivery RN. We reconnected through a mutual acquaintance.) The only thing I have yet to try is joining a church, and God help me if that’s my only viable option! I’m fairly sure there are no churches for the likes of me. Maybe I’ll look for a coven. 

Besides that boring and depressing stuff, life here is pretty rhythmic. Our alarm goes off before the sun rises and the rooster crows. We are up two hours and twenty minutes before we have to be at the boys school. It’s a full two hours too. When we get up, I put the boys clothes on the radiating heaters to warm them up. Each boy gets dressed, one at a time. Then it’s breakfast preparation time. Usually Number Three and One want a hot breakfast and Number Two wants cereal or fruit. At 7:05, my alarm goes off again to signal that it is time for me or Number Two to turn on the car. We leave it on for 15 minutes to warm up, otherwise it’s rough and cold going for the 40 mile drive to school. 

We leave the trailer with heavy jackets, snow boots (when appropriate), gloves, lunches, books and instruments in hand by 7:30, and that’s if we are running late. It takes about 40 minutes to drive to their school in Flagstaff. Unless it is snowing and the people of Northern Arizona forget how to drive, like this morning, then it takes a bit long and much more patience on my part. For the most part, on I-40, I drive 10 under the limit to save on gas. We are driving T’s truck and it takes a little over a tank to drive for a week. 

Every other Monday I stay in Flagstaff because I drop off and pick up the baby children from school. Those days I usually spend a good deal of time at the Flagstaff main library branch. I met a really cool lady there, but I don’t remember her name. She’s a knitter also. Sometimes I spend time at Macy’s Coffee, downtown by NAU. They have superb coffee and awesome vegan food. Here’s a tidbit about Flafstaff that astounds me; none of the bathrooms have coat hooks, either inside the stalls or outside. What the crap is that about? What are you supposed to do with your coat while you pee? 

I will leave you with that and a promise to update again very soon. This weeks readings include a book on making cheese and another by MaryJane Butters called For the Farmgirl in All of Us. I am also reading Living Artfully, by Sandra Magsamen, Water For Elephants, so I am ready for the movie, and the second book in the Dragon Girl series, The Girl Who Played With Fire. 

Just a few shot of the trailer. I have hung up a few pieces of art work since these were taken. The one at the very top is our sunny room. To the left is the boys room/living room. Middle is the kitchen and to the right is the fridge, the bathroom and the view to our room. Tight living, but organized. 

Ugh. I'm Sorry

I had this whole fucking post written out and it was gorgeous, but the universe apparently has other plans for me, so I guess I will try again later. Blah!

Beautiful Tuesday Borscht!

On this weeks menu of new things to try is Borscht. Follow that link to the recipe I used. Borscht is a Ukranian soup made mostly from root vegetables, mainly beets, onions and carrots. Add veggie broth and cabbage and voila! The soup is red and warm and amazing!

Even if you hate beets, you should try this. I am not sure when my own taste buds evolved to enjoy the flavor of beets, but I am grateful! The soup is garnished with parsley, chives and sour cream. I am also serving hot sour dough bread with my soup.

Root veggies are the staple of cold regions. After the harvest, root veggies keep the longest at the coldest temperature. So if you live in a cold region, consider root vegetable soups as your staple too. The tasty veggies are seasonal, which means less petrol usage and maybe a bike ride to the market, if you don't have snow yet. Also, cabbage, bot a root veggie, grows and stores very well this time of year. (Cabbage can be wrapped in foil, with butter (or sub) and minced garlic and thrown on the bbq for a delicious treat!)

In other news, Christmas music is 24/7 on the radio here. Warm sourdough, hot Borscht and Bing Crosby, I am in heaven, I think!! Hopefully I will post a pic or two from our Tofurkey Day celebration.

Something New Every Week

For dinner the boys and I have been trying something new once per week. They grumble, but I enjoy cooking new things. The first thing new we tried was potato leek soup. It was a hit! That was a while ago and I can't really remember what has been in between, but this week we put a new spin on the shepherd pie. I think we did, at least. I have never had one, so I really don't know. Tris and I saw this at the Pine Country Restaurant in Williams last weekend. (They should call that place Pie Country because last time we were there, I counted 41 pies on the menu!)

So the shepherds pie goes as follows, layered in this order: a veggie burger patty, mashed potatoes, peas (or veggie of your choice), topped with gravy. The whole thing was vegan and wheat free and mighty delicious! I googled a recipe for vegan gravy and I hit the jackpot! Check out the recipe if you are so inclined.

The picture doesn't do the flavor any justice, but it was devoured by all. The brussle sprouts in the picture were on the stalk still when I bought them at Trader Joes. I sauteed a half of an onion in olive oil, then set the sprouts in to slow cook. They were still crunchy at dinner, so I would say they came out nearly perfect. Number 3 ate three servings! Have you ever heard of such a thing? Crazy kid! Number 2 gagged his way to swallowing just one, but it stayed down.

I wonder what surprise I will cook up next week. I will try and make this a regular thing, but with Tris being gone all week and finals just around the corner, I may not be able to follow through.

UPDATE: A post or two ago I was talking about how I should be in the boys room reducing the stuff. Well I did it today. I have one whole box of just tiny underwear! Not a small box either. I also have three more boxes filled with clothes that don't fit anymore. Still working on it, but I hope to be done by Friday!

Me and My Lady

Sometimes you just need something pretty to look at...

Someone Call the Plumber!

Oh wait, we are the plumbers! Not because we want to be though! The douche bag who sold us our trailer lied to us. When we asked about the plumbing he said it was great! the first time we went to see it, yes we went more than once, we had the kiddos with us. We explained that we were moving in the winter and that we would need something with working appliances and hot water. He and his lady assured us that all was working. After we thought on it for two weeks, we decided to another look at what we might be buying. Again, we asked about the plumbing and again we were told all was well. We inspected, paid, got the title and were on our way. Later that evening while we were testing things, we called to ask about the hot water heater. We weren't sure where the pilot was lit. No return call. We knew then that there was a problem.

Fast forward to this past weekend. We did some research and figured out the hot water heater, which does work, by the way, but when we plugged the water in and turned it on we found six obscured burst holes in the pipes! Three of them were hidden but easy to get to, one was a slight pain, but the other two are under the shower! Tiny space, no light, big holes! We did an epoxy fix job on the four easier pipes and tried a clamp job on the shower pipes, but we are just going to have to replumb. I'm up for it but Tris is pissed! Well, she's getting over it, but what a weekend! I'm excited because I get to plumb! I'm looking forward to doing the whole trailer, but I am not so sure Tris is feeling to zealous!

In other trailer news, we bought bails of straw to go around the bottom of the trailer to keep some warmth in, plus we have to have a small light bulb on under the trailer at night. These are things about living in the cold I did not know. Alls well that ends well and this story will have a happy ending! (In two weeks...)

Update!

Is anyone else wondering what the fuck the Queer Hippies are up to? I am and I am one of them! The weekends have been full of deep cleaning and deep contemplation. Do you know how much shit you can accumulate in 6.5 years? That's how long I have been in this house and this crap has just piled! Furniture, toys, clothes, books, photos, music, stuff, stuff and more stuff. So that's what we have been doing. De-stuffing.

This weekend we are having a yard sale. You know you want our stuff, right? Wrong! Get rid of your own stuff! It's so freeing! When we move, December 18, just so you know, we will have fewer than 20 boxes of only the most necessary items. There are a few things we are putting into storage. I cannot part with my art collection. It is by no means up the standards of Bette Porter's art collection, but it's mine and I enjoy it! The treadle sewing machine comes too. When I go electricity free, I will still need to sew pee pee swipes, napkins and wrap-n-mats!

The photos have been taken out of albums and put in one photo box. One box for a whole shelf of memories! Why didn't I do that forever ago? We bought 5 new locally made ceramic bowls from an Empty Bowls event a few weeks ago. Along with some plates from another local potter, we will have the 5 dishes we are bringing to eat from. We each also have only one ceramic mug to drink from. I have found and thrifted solid silver silverware to take with us. The dish load will be drastically reduced, which is great because water will be a scarcity up there. There is no well, only a refillable tank.

The next big project is the boys room. I should be working on it right now. They have so many clothes. I would like to reduce that to 7 shirts, 7 boxers and 2 long sleeves and 1 jacket each. Pants numbers are still up in the air because I think 7 is too many, but I am not sure what number will be just right. They don't have many toys here because they play outside most of the time. We will be investing in a new bike for Number 3 and puncture proof tires for Numbers 1 and 2.

I am feeling a bit overwhelmed with what still has to be completed for this weekends big sale, but I know it will all be pulled together in typical last minute Queer Hippie fashion!