Life Without Wheels

This is day six without a working vehicle. Thus far, the only thing we've needed a vehicle for is to go visit Sweetie's mother.

I haven't thought much about the truck and Sweetie's had some exercise by walking next door to his mother's pole barn to work on his tractor. So, there is a silver lining in every cloud!

I've noticed we have a new routine after breakfast. We sit in our respective chairs - usually each with a cat on our lap - and talk. I've heard lots of stories from Sweetie about his old life; a few observations regarding his son; a few rants about his sister the bitch; and then we've discussed homestead projects.

We need to rebuild part of the woodshed and have plans to build a small shed for the lawn tractor and mowers. Both projects will utilize our scrap lumber pile. Then he said he's decided to sell some of the hundreds of tools he has! We checked Ebay and Craigslist and decided we'll first hold a Spring tool sale. If there's any leftovers, we'll try Ebay or Craigslist.

I've challenged myself to cook some different meals. Yesterday it was chop suey - with mushrooms for Sweetie. Tonight it's red beans and rice and tomorrow it's scalloped potatoes and ham. The great thing about a well stocked pantry is having variety!

I walked TWO MILES yesterday and came home all tuckered out. Slept like a baby last night. Good thing too, because I tripped while carrying firewood and landed on my stomach over the basket of wood with my left hand bent backwards beneath me. Ouch!!!

Sweetie was holding the door open so he helped me up. Once inside, I got out the FROZEN hand towel (stored in a gallon zip lock bag) and wrapped it around my hand. Yes sireeeee! Another one of my obsessive/compulsive habits. After about 35-40 minutes I slowly began to move the hand which had about a 1/4" of swelling in one spot. Today it's; no pain, no swelling.

This morning Sweetie's brother called and said he may have located an engine for the truck. We'll know more later today. If his brother picks it up, he'll bring it down in the back of his truck when he comes for his mother's funeral. She's still hanging on so who knows when we'd get the engine. His brother is charging the engine to his credit card and said not to worry about the cost just now. We've given him car/truck parts and used mobile home skirting; cut firewood while visiting there; and passed along a few other things when we can so what goes around does come around!!

In the meantime, Sweetie has relied on the kindess of neighbors to get him to his mom's - and his sister continues to do what she knows best - bitch. I just keep reminding myself that her day of reckoning will come.

I read somewhere that the average American has less than a week's worth of food in their house so we'd be starving by now. Thankfully we're preppers!!!!

Well, it's time to do the dishes (horrors of horrors two days worth!) and then take a walk. Keep prepping folks. Treesong