Yesterday marked our 4-month anniversary of moving down here. In some ways, it feels like we’ve been here much longer, while in others, it feels like no time at all.
We had to make two trips to town this week. On Monday, Rick had his appointment with his new primary care physician. Although he wasn’t due for his annual wellness check, we needed to establish a doctor for prescription renewals and to get a referral to a cardiologist. The cardiologist will then refer him to a facility that will monitor his pacemaker/ICD. While we were out, we stopped by Walmart to pick up prescriptions, a few groceries, and a garbage can. Our next stop was 412 Lumber, where we picked up a board, lag screws, and ordered metal for the cabin siding.
On Wednesday, Cat had an appointment with the PCP. We had the same nurse and doctor, both of whom were wonderful. She was due for a wellness check, and her vitals were great. She had to undergo blood tests and wait for a call to schedule a mammogram. Before the appointment, we dropped off trash, filled our water totes, and visited the post office. There was a package waiting for us, and we finally managed to mail out the kids’ Christmas presents. After the appointment, we indulged in Sonic for lunch—yes, again! Then it was off to the laundromat. We made another trip to Walmart to grab another trash can and pick up more of Rick’s medications. One trash can is for collecting cold ash from our wood stove, which we can use in the garden or for our future chickens. The other will serve as a temporary water holding station for showers until we set up our rain catchment system and IBC totes. By the time we got home, we were exhausted.
Amid all this, Cat pulled out our new portable oven that sits on the wood stove or propane stove. The hardest challenge was getting to temperature and maintaining it. So far, she's made an Oreo cake, rustic biscuits, cookies, and meatloaf. We definitely need a new biscuit recipe, and the cookie bars were a bit overdone, but the other two dishes turned out great. Unfortunately, many of the baking supplies are still packed away in the black hole, so we are limited in what we can create right now. She’ll do her best to get more baking done and hopefully master that oven. Eventually, we’d like to add a bread oven to our outdoor kitchen, but that’s a project for the future. Cat is also following another woman participating in "Canuary" this month, so for now, she is just collecting recipes since all my canning supplies are, you guessed it, packed away in the black hole.
Another project we’ve been tackling is setting up our solar system. We decided to install the rack on our bathroom roof, believing it would be safer there and wouldn’t take up valuable ground space. Plus, they’re out of sight unless you’re on the side of the cabin, which helps with curb appeal. We also installed two 8-foot ground rods, which proved to be a bit of a challenge, but we got it done.
Yesterday morning, we finally celebrated Christmas with our friends. It was wonderful to be together, enjoy delicious food, and exchange gifts. They gifted us some adorable light-up Christmas sweatshirts, while we gave them essential oils and an axe. We also received a delivery of our metal and wood, so siding and fascia are on the horizon. Stay tuned for that update!
Today was amazing! It was supposed to rain, but instead, we enjoyed cloudy skies with sunshine. We were outside in t-shirts and jeans working on our solar setup in January—how incredible is that? The temperature reached the high 60s, which we absolutely love. Tomorrow, rain is expected, but we’ll see. We have a to-do list ready if the weather cooperates. The cabin smells fantastic right now; Cat made banana pancakes with elderberry syrup and a side of ham steak. It feels great to be back in the kitchen.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read our blog. We do this to keep friends and family updated on our progress here, allowing them to feel a part of our journey, even from afar. It also serves as a record of our accomplishments. Our secondary hope is to inspire others to pursue their dreams or tackle projects they’ve been stuck on. We welcome your ideas and comments to help us along the way. Guests are always welcome! While we can’t accommodate sleepovers until spring, there’s a hotel about 18 miles away.
Remember Small Steps Gets You Miles
Rick & Cat
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