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Cold and pampered
It’s cold in the house today. How cold is it? Evidently not cold enough to inspire either the lad or me to start a fire in the stove. I think it’s around 55 degrees in here, but we’re bundled up and we don’t seem to be suffering very much. Or at least not enough to do anything about it. Sometimes tending the stove is a bloody chore. It’s a simple equation though—too cold=start a fire. Must not be too cold yet.
I was browsing through my new favorite blog last night. I feel soft and pampered after reading it from beginning to end. Yes, I have to haul wood and stack it and drag it in the house and feed the stove and all that—if I want heat. By some people’s standards, that’s a somewhat extreme lifestyle. There are occasions when I think so, too. But after reading about Shasha’s new lifestyle, well...I feel particularly pampered and surrounded by luxury. For one thing, I have running water....
Shasha, her husband, and five children recently purchased an Amish home. They are deep in the Amish country. They have decided to live their values of a simple life—Shasha was involved up to her eyeballs in the 90% Project. Their new Amish house has minimal electricity (overhead lights) and no running water. Water must be fetched from the springhouse. It’s cold where Shasha lives. Very cold. Fetching the daily supply of water in buckets from the springhouse in sub zero temperatures is enough to make me shiver and ache. Shasha’s husband is a rural ER physician who is only home a couple of days per month. So, Shasha and her children are moving house and coping with the new lifestyle on their own. With some help from the Amish neighbors on occasion.
Shasha is documenting their new lifestyle as it happens. It’s a little scary and it’s darned hard work. But satisfying. Even so, she is exhausted and sore. And she gets my vote for superwoman. Good golly, it’s eye opening to see how much we take for granted in our lives. Just a fascinating blog. I know she’s dog tired, but I still can’t wait until her next post.
OK, you had better post something today or we are all going to think you froze to death. You are NUTS!!
And I read some of your new favorite blog. WOW. I am not sure if I admire this woman or if I think she should be given a room with padded walls. (I think I want to follow her for a year via her blog and see how it all turns out--would like to know how her kids are dealing, too) I guess I admire her although never, not in a million years would I want to do anything even remotely similar (I do remember HAVING to help my mother can virtually everything that came out of the gardens or off the trees while I was growing up and I hated it!!) It all tasted great and certainly we were far healthier than our children, but you could not pay me to do it again.
Trying your recipe for making my own butter is as close to going back to my roots as I want to be!! And on that note I am going to nudge the thermostat up a bit cause it is chilly in here. ;)
Wow, not sure I could deal with that level of simplicity. I loved it when I lived in Tahoe, dealing withthe elements, but having basic needs avaiable is something I cannot do with out. Maybe I am just spoiled. Stay warm!
Well after spending over three freaking hours out in the “Elements” shoveling,again, I for one think she is off her mother F-ing rocker!! LOL. I have had so enough of this sheot every one here calls snow!
I am going to be so sore and stiff tomorrow, I am going to think I am off my rocker for shoveling all of it lol.
Are you alive? Haven’t heard from you in a bit. Post, email, call. Something! Hope the lad is home to help shovel you out. We got about the full amount predicted here, and it is snowing again. Suppose to flurry tomorrow, have a mix on Tues. and then another storm the end of the week. WTH?
I WANNA GO HOME. Wanna come with me yet? LOL.
Once Shasha’s life gets settled into a routine and all the moving is completed, I think her life will even out. You have to admit, moving in the middle of winter is a challenge insofar as she hasn’t had the benefit of a winter’s experience yet nor are all her resources at hand and organized. I think they are going to do some upgrades in the house (running water) which will help. It’s interesting that we don’t find the Amish to be nuts for their lifestyle (at least I don’t think we do), but anyone else who tries it merits a certain amount of ridicule. Why? I agree with the reasons why she is doing it. And it will be fascinating to watch her family adjust and flourish. I am pretty sure they will. A good life certainly shouldn’t depend on luxury.
Having said that...I have almost made up my mind to hire the neighborhood snow plow guy to dig out my driveway. That would be a luxury. A very, very lovely luxury. I’ve had enough snow. My first concern is keeping the woodpile dug out, along with a path to it and to the back door. By the time that’s finished, I don’t have enough oomph to even care about the driveway. While the lad is here, he helps a lot. But he won’t be here much longer and I’ll have to deal with winter myself. Or make arrangements for a little bit o’ luxury.
I posted on Thursday and Friday. It’s only been a day. Sheesh. I know I said I’d try to post more often and I sort of have. Almost as many posts already this month as for the entire month of December. I spent the day cooking yesterday. It was my turn to produce a scrumptious meal and I’ve had some worthy competition lately.
Cyn, my house is very, very warm today. Emphasis on the very. 
I’ve had the stove cranked right up and the thermometer says it’s about 75° downstairs. Pre-paid heat even. It’s going to be frigid over the next week and I want to get the walls and floors and furniture warmed up enough to help keep the temps constant in here without having to blast through the woodpile. At this point, I actually think I’ll have enough wood to last well into April. Sometimes it’s a pain in the fanny, but I surely do love my wood heat. It’s so cozy.
No to be fair, I think the Amish are off their rockers too lol! Good to here you are going to have the snow plowed! My neighbor was suppose to talk to a friend of theirs about plowing for them and for us, really cheap. But she obviously didn’t in time. Sigh. It will be well worth it to me! The BC helps as much as his little body can. He did all the slushy stuff all by himself this past week. The girls and he are sick so, just me and the shovel today! My back is already showing signs of protest as I bend to check the potatoes and meatloaf I am cooking tonight. Thankfully I don’t have to leave my bed if I don’t want to tomorrow! GC1 has the day off, GC2 can take the bus if she is feeling well enough to go to school, and the BC is definitely staying home for the next couple of days. So no one needs a ride anyplace, thankfully.
While I sure would not want the Amish lifestyle - in good weather or bad! I don’t consider them to be nuts cause they have always had that life--so for them, it is nothing out of the ordinary. For someone who has never lived that life and does know what else is out there, it has to be awfully difficult. I will be checking in on her blog now and again to see how she does. I just don’t quite get it!! ;)
My word? Mercury which is going down, down, down. the house was toasty earlier but now feels a little too cool for me, so I think I shall go and curl up under all my blankets.
I have been going back further and further, reading bits and pieces of her blog when time permits, but got tired of it so am asking you cause I was trying to find the answer and could not....what made them decide to do this? How old are her kids? And unless the kids are saints and perfect children (could be although I have never met any) I cannot imagine them embracing this lifestyle...I think I am developing some kind of weird interest in this whole thing...........oh wait, let me correct that. Interest in I am somewhat fascinated--not at all interested in doing anything even remotely similar!! ;)