Living Life, 2016 a Year in Review!!

Oh my. I can’t believe that it’s been a year and a half, about, since I’ve updated this blog. My gosh, life just keeps keepin’ on. Life continues to be amazing, beautiful, and always an adventure. Most recent updates on life:

• Cylus is now barreling towards his third birthday and he’s the most amazing little boy ever. I loved the baby he was, the toddler he is and can’t wait to see the boy he is becoming. 

• Cylus has a baby sister! Ms. Aurora is over a year old and has been a joy to her mama, granny and pretty much everyone she comes in to contact with. She’s a super sweet baby, slightly crazy, and her own little person 
  
• 2016 was an amazing year for me. Highlights include my daughter getting married (Feb 9th)
  
• San Francisco Green Tortoise Hostel during Dan VA specialist trip, 
• Traveled to Costa Rica for the second time (also Feb/Mar)
• Grand daughter Vera turned 1 (March)
• Steampunk Event at the Nugget
• Eldorado dancers at the Mo and meeting Brooke
• Going to my first Burning Man Global Leadership Conference (I had no idea)
• Went to Seattle for Comicon, to see Mike (hospital), and stay in Seattle Green Tortoise Hostel, went to history of Horror film exhibit at the Experience Jimi Hendrix museum in Seattle, Mariner’s game
• April saw the origin of Z Pack good times at the Mo, trip to the boat and playing hooky 
• Weird Earth Day at the Mo followed by even more weird rage quit
• Finding out about Aurora, 
• Jazz Festival 
• Hip hop show at the Mo! 
• McQueen fundraiser at the Mo
• Doors to Recovery and meeting Ariel
• Villains party
• Aces season tickets
• Attended my first multi-regional summit
• Nada Dada at the Mo
• Pan poetry for meeee
• Awesome Clint Jolly foody event at the Mo
• 4th of July on the boat
• Cylus’ first birthday and party
• Compression and nieces and their friends
• House sitting in Cold Springs for Chris
• Hanging with the Kiwi’s at the Mo, 
• The Full Monty
• Becoming a BM Regional Contact!
• Burning Man
• Giant Bug Zapper Burn on the playa, 
• Space Whale and octopus, 
• David talk at the Mo
• Food purge at the Mo post playa, 
• Yoga fest with Brandon and Heather
• Reconnecting with XS friends
• Celtic Celebration 
• 23 & me 
• Reno Bites, 
• The Wizbang thing 
• Zombie Crawl at the Mo
• DaVinci at the KC, 
• The birth of Aurora
• TLT tree from foraged materials
• Geek Con
• Kate Bush listening party at Tom’s, 
• DISC training and assessment
• Ally training 
• Kow Bus!
• Santa Crawl at the Mo. 
• Cody in a box
• Prime Rib Christmas
• Scary Santa with grands and finally....
• Picasso and wine, trees and 
• Parts per Million. 
• Whew!

December 12, 2016

 

On that day, I have an email string with the guy at the land place stating he would be sending out the contract for our land. We were actually doing it!!

There are so many reasons. They are more clear to me today and mean more today than they did when I first started discussing these things with my son….

In our massive consumerist society, when does one have “enough”? It seems we are constantly told to BUY MORE. MORE stuff, MORE house, BIGGER things. That’s crazy making. I don’t want, nor do I need more. What I have is ENOUGH and as resources improve, how about using any extra to, ya know, HELP PEOPLE. Or MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE?

I was an adult before I knew or understood where my food came from and I really think in just the the last 20 years or so have we started or realized we needed to question where our food comes from, how it’s made, and what’s in it. I am trying to learn, but some things are harder than others. I know if I had to kill my own meat, and I may get there, I will probably cry when the animal dies. My husband is a hunter, for which I am grateful. I can now grow vegetables and am proud I have taught my children this also and now they are teaching their children.

So, this has become the dream. The off-grid dream. Our largest consistent challenge remains water. It is literally what will give life to this place. We have some plans, we have a quote for $15k for a well that may or may not yield water, and we have a temporary solution by being able to get water from a neighboring homestead, but that’s shaky. We are close to a military installation, and mining activity is rampant out here, so there may be contamination. Right now, we don’t have funds for a well.

We are loads ahead, now, of where we were in 2016. The dream is still alive and I would say more so now than it ever has been, but I’ve sort of jumped all around here, when what I wanted to do is just begin the story and tic the why’s. I’ve done that, so let me end with a picture….

Peace