Everyone had projects...

Over the weekend, everyone had their hands full of... 'gratifying' work. Gratifying because although it's work, everyone here is... here by choice. We all in (our) own way,  made a decision to embark on this venture ... And part of living close to the land, where the work is never ending ... entails first making peace with that fact... and then learning to embrace the moment...  Many people work very hard at what they do ... moving paper from the 'in box' to the 'out box'...  For (us) ... this is the work we choose ... and it's very fulfilling.  So Sunday found Tom working on the upstairs bathroom. He finished installing a recessed vanity, painted and hung a new light fixture. Denise, in between giving a hand him,  was following up on emails/blogging and cooking an early Thanksgiving dinner, because Tom won't be able to here later due to work. And Henry bounced in between jobs, like Leo Getzs (Lethal Weapon's I&II) What ever you need... Henry Getz... ;-)  And I wanted to finish my slab by the house for the generator...  

The gang's all here ... They always gravitate to where the action is. And they have a taste for wet concrete. Denise had told me the story of having to wash their little beaks out because they loved to eat the mix she was using to make her walkway. So no real added pressure ... I just had to keep an eye on them so they didn't become, self inflicted, lawn ornaments.  I gathered all the cement bags I could find, put some rocks/gravel into the form, put the cement mixer in place and got ready to go. 

Someone had mentioned that the mixer worked great,  as long as the red 'thingy' didn't fall off the motor mount.....   Well,  here we are, Henry & I, after the red 'thingy' fell off the motor mount...  190 pounds of concrete, that needed final mixing, and a home... fast! We had to get Tom to help roll the 'thingy' back up to the form and empty it out. I later found the problem was a stripped bolt that was wasn't engaging... so Henry and I just had to go slow and nurse it to make sure it didn't fall off again.  And look at this kid... I've got on pants, long sleeved shirt and a sweatshirt... and he's out here like it's So. Cal... :-)  I've said it before, and I'll say it again ... Henry's a great kid!

So I'm getting close to the end ...  using up misc. bags of cement, screening out useless lumps that have  hardened prematurely ..... when the gang really starts closing in... They've been patiently eyeing the job since the beginning... working their way closer & closer...  This is a shot of the fellas (boys are white, girls are more brown) right next to me... not even 2 feet away. They were just 'waiting' for their moment... thinking that the 'new guy' doesn't know about their past shenanigans... 

Well... the 'new guy' turns his back for a second... and next thing you know... they're all stomping around like they're making grapes into wine...   F___er's  ;-)   Thank goodness they didn't get a chance to buffet on it, or then the new guy would have to call for help. But as luck would have it,  not today ... not on my watch.

And these are just a couple of pic's of my pad... I love it!  Finally got most of my stuff out of boxes and situated... now it's just fine tuning here and there. It's one big room, with the bathroom on one end and the kitchen on the other leading to a little deck. There is a small room downstairs that leads to the shop and my laundry room. I'm using it more for storage since it's gloomy and cold down there. 

I've been up here almost 3 weeks and I'm just now really starting to mentally & physically settle in... In the evenings I usually have one of the French Canadian radio stations on while cooking or whatever. It helps me keep my french up... they discuss more world issues... and it's interesting to hear how they perceive (us) in the U.S.  They don't 'Hollywood' the news as badly as we do... and since it's playing  in the background... I don't fall into the 'negativity' of the whole affair. Which is great because that frees up more energy for me to focus on the positive things I want to attract into my life's experience... ;-)  (A-H)...  and it's working!

And finally... my little wood burning stove. What a joy it is to light a fire at night... turn off my electric heat and finish up my computer work in it's warm glow...  Funny thing too,  all while living in O.C. ...  mentally manifesting 'my land' ... every time I smelled smoke, I would 'envision' myself  standing on 'my land',  and that it was 'my' wood burning stove I could smell.  And knowing that our sense of smell is so incredibly powerful (from a meditation point of view), I used that as one of the tools to help me get closer to acquiring my own dream.  And clearly,  I am one step closer...    remember this one?  paraphrasing of course...    "The journey of a 1000 miles starts with the first step..."   (SR)  :-)    take care all...  Alexis