28 Days Later (Not The Movie)

After Seven weeks of "camping" on my new property, I'm waxing poetic today.

A couple days ago, I was struck by how much more attached or in tune I have become to, generally, nature. More specifically, the cycles of the moon. When you're out camping under the stars (and rain clouds and thunderheads) for such an extended time, the cycles of the moon become plainly obvious. Even the movement of the planets among the stars is obvious.

I used to go to sleep very late at night and wake up around noon (or sometimes later). But, over the past seven weeks, I've been sacking it in shortly after sundown and getting up shortly after sunup. Do I feel better after spending so much time on a "natural" waking cycle? I don't know. I still get pretty darn irritated and annoyed with and at things.

Anyway, the past seven weeks have been, at the very least, interesting. But I am so VERY ready to be done with this extended camping trip. Today, the plumbing connections are being made so we'll have indoor plumbing soon--maybe by tonight! (You don't really want to know the details but having those connections made will vastly improve the quality of life for us.)

On the other hand, as I think I said 28 days ago, this experience could be sucking a lot harder if it weren't for the running water. Oh, and the trailer's refrigerator and freezer finally got to working well. (Well, it works well enough.)

And, finally, we're able to move ahead with the telephone connection. We were supposed to have trenched the 650 feet (from where the pole is going to be to the house) to a depth of 18 to 24 inches. However, the bedrock is--in some places--only four inches below the surface. UGH! But, we and Verizon got that worked out. Sometime in the next 30 days, I should have phone service!!!

The house is in one peice. The roof is on. My new washer and dryer are installed. Soon--very soon--I hope to be able to move in...

Three weeks.... And Counting...

It's been three weeks now that I moved out of my old house. And it's been three weeks of "camping" in the dirt of the new property.

Three weeks of dirt. Three weeks of heat. Three weeks of doing nothing. Three weeks of water that tastes like pipe dope. Three weeks of "showering" with a hose. Three weeks without plumbing. Three weeks without decent phone service. Three weeks without a damn home...

The house was delivered a week ago and is still in two peices. Electricity is going to take a good three to four additional weeks to get hooked up. It's really starting to get on my damn nerves.

On the other hand, there are some benefits. I have however been reading. A lot. In the past week, I've read When the Wind Blows, Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, Pop Goes the Weasel, and The Andromeda Strain and half of The Terminal Man. (I think there might be a couple more but I can't be sure.)

I've also been staring at the stars for a very long time. I've seen more meteors and satellites in these past three weeks than I'd seen my entire life previous.

I've apparently been losing weight. (Yes, that's a good thing.) I've seen all sorts of birds, lizards, insects, and assorted wildlife. Heard the nightly chirp-ing of at least one bat (eating said insects.)

All in all, it sucks but it could suck a lot harder. The one saving grace is that we have running water. Without that, the whole experience would REALLY be pissing me off...