One Sunday harvest from one tomato vine.

The economy sucks. It’s horrible out there. People are losing jobs in record numbers. The “basics” cost more now — a LOT more — than they did just a couple years ago. It’s harder to make ends meet than it has been in recent memory. And, according to the “experts” (and my own gut), it’s not going to get better anytime soon.

So why am I enjoying this mess?

It’s put me back in touch with some of the things that it’s easy to forget… like how to enjoy the simple pleasures. It makes me remember that it’s much easier to save money than to make it. It becomes glaringly obvious how much better life is when people pull together to make things easier instead of wandering apart.

Case in point — I’m cooking again. Dating someone with kids and having my own grown children nearby has expanded my “standard” meal from a quick two-person deal (for my daughter and me this time last year) to a five or six-person meal… often expanded by one or two more than that!

I’m keeping a tight rein on the health aspects of the cooking for varied (and necessary) reasons. I enjoy seeing the differences in the way the people around the table are trimming down, pumping up with energy, and feeling as good as they look. I’m cooking from scratch most of the time. Almost nothing goes to waste.

Despite the tough economic times, I’m not pushing as hard as I once did. My client load has lightened and I’m taking it in stride. I enjoy expanding my “daily” work to things outside the office. I don’t spend 16-18 hours in front of the computer these days. Honestly, it’s nice.

I have a tiny garden to tend. Mostly it’s just herbs, tomatoes and chard (oh, and weeds) … but it’s amazing how much has come out of that little patch of earth. My Roma tomatoes have escaped the blight that many gardeners in the area have endured with their own tomatoes. That one vine has produced enough for us to have fresh tomatoes at one or two meals a day, and I’ve had extras that I’ve used in cooking. The other vines haven’t done much — other than provide some HUGE green tomatoes for deep-south lovin’ green fried tomatoes (only once this year, so far.)

I’ve probably spent less money on fluff in the past four months than I have in years and I don’t miss shopping… at ALL. I like finding ways to make our food budget shrink while our food quality soars. I enjoy scouring Craigslist and the local Goodwill for the things we need or want around the house.

Yeah, I’m nesting. I know this. I have an appreciative audience, which helps enormously. And the best thing about all of this? We all sit down three times a day together and “break bread.” We have family time without a television or even a radio. We sit and eat and talk. Yeah, TALK. We do this several times a day… EVERY day. We are getting closer all the time. It’s nice and I notice the effects on interpersonal relationships around the house.

I think the speed with which we are accustomed to living life has not been a benefit to family life. I think grabbing something at a drive through, munching whatever can be found in the fridge while watching TV and sink-hovering to devour “fuel” for our bodies has starved our souls.

I like working together, pulling together to make life better with less. Yeah, I’m a simplicity girl… but it’s nice to have a whole group of people working together to make the most of everything. It’s truly joyful.

So if you wonder why I’m smiling so broadly while everyone else is cursing the “hard times” — now you know.

I love Hulu. Yeah, I know, I’ve said it alot. I don’t bother with cable, I get all my content online. It’s a good place to be (and is cheaper than paying cable and Internet bills, IMHO).

Google Labs is always coming out with something cool and new (if ONLY they had the same stuff for my google apps paid account!) and now my favorite video site has a “labs” offering too.

So if you want to go check it out, you can play around in Hulu’s Lab too!

Ok, anyone who knows me knows that I love a bargain. I love treasure shopping. I love the “hunt” for cool stuff. I also adore Goodwill and other thrift shops. (I would have been a pirate a few hundred years ago. Not for the stealing part, but for the finding of the loot.)

For years, I’ve said that you can find ANYTHING you want at Goodwill if you look hard enough and are patient enough.

Now I knew there were some exceptions to that rule, but only the obvious ones. I’ve wanted a platinum or 18K diamond ring for awhile now (I love ebay for trying to find those types of items) and I know that Goodwill isn’t hte place to find that… or at least I thought I did.

Last week, while looking for a few final “necessities” for my new apartment with my son… he found some jewelry that appeared to be sterling in the mass tangle of the jewelry basket. I checked it and it was, indeed, sterling.  So we start digging.

What we found, essentially, was an estate collection of sterling jewelry along with a couple pieces of gold. The most impressive piece was found by my son… it’s an 18K white gold band with a beautiful (and perfect) diamond in a tension setting. Simply lovely. He had it checked out at a jewelers and has since “loaned” it to me to wear.

The cost for this treasure? $1.00

So, I have to amend my earlier statement to include everything — not just nearly everything — is available at Goodwill if you look hard enough and are patient enough. I’ve picked up leather coats, gold and silver jewelry, crystal, sterling flatware, designer purses, down comforters and an assortment of other delightful items at Goodwill in my travels. During this economy, it’s nice to know there’s a place you can score a $2,000 ring for $1 — isn’t it?

Have a great day and happy hunting!

The last two weeks have been amazing.

*Shhhh!* (Just saying it may jinx my luck, so I’ll whisper the rest…)

I’ve not even taken the time to blog because I’ve been so busy and so bubbly and I didn’t want the good stuff to end. (Yeah, sometimes I really AM that superstitious.)

Eliminated the Storage Unit

I’ve made so much progress since the first of December, that I’ve been amazed. During the first week, my youngest son came down and spent four days with me, helping me to clean out my storage unit (there are only three items left — and those will be cleaned out by the end of the month). So that’s one monthly bill that’s now been eliminated. I despise storage units. I think they represent the conspicuous consumption in our country.

Having one was a painful prospect for me, but with all the moves in the last two years… one became necessary. Now, I’m glad I had it. My son just got his first (rental) house and with the stuff in my storage unit and at my farm, he’s got pretty much everything needs now. It felt really good to help him get started. That was my combination Christmas gift and housewarming gift for him.

Organized Boxes

Byron also worked with me to organize and clean out the boxes of stuff that needed to be sorted. I donated a slew of stuff to Goodwill and go the farm in a condition that I can begin working on the cabin again. THAT feels really good!

I also “found” some of the things I’d been missing that was driving me crazy… like the charger and extra battery for my camera, among other things.

PurpleStates.tv and CNN

In November I was invited by PurpleStates.tv to be their representative blogger from Kentucky. They invited one blogger from each state to talk about the economy and politics and the impact on the local area. Quite a feather in my cap… and a great deal of fun. Then, my particular piece was picked up by CNN. Nice, huh?

Airstream finds a new home

During this same first week in December, I received a deposit to hold my Airstream for an out-of-the-country buyer. Her representative flew up on a Wednesday (in his little Cesna) to take a peek at Serenity. The details were all arranged and she was delivered to North Carolina today.

The most exciting thing is that the buyer (currently residing in the Bahamas) is shipping her overseas to the UK where she plans to summer in her during 2009. An interior decorator, she plans to completely rework Serenity. I feel confident that Serenity’s found a good home with someone who will appreciate her. Of course my RV is doing more traveling than I am. *shucks!*

Like my purchase of the farm from a lady in Israel, my sale of Serenity has an interesting international twist. God bless the Internet! (The buyer found me on Marketplace on Facebook.)

The Credit Card Bites the Dust

By the middle of next week, my credit card will be paid off and filed away for emergencies only. In the current economic situation, I can’t afford to owe money, so I’m eliminating that as much as possible and as quickly as possible. I’ll be running on a cash basis now.

Too many people owe too much and acquire what they can’t afford and don’t need and hope that they never have to pay more than the “minimum” without any intent to pay off their debts in full. It’s a disease of our society and it’s sinking our country. I refuse to be a part of it.

The Apartment Comes Together

I’ve been living in this apartment for six months. I’ve lived with very little of what I want and need. Why? Because I couldn’t get what I wanted and needed moved in by myself. So, I’ve lived in this limbo-land. I despise limbo… it’s my least favorite place to be.

Byron helped me get things moved in last week in between all the other stuff we did. Last weekend I arranged, decorated and organized everything in the main room. This weekend, I’ll spend the time required to finish the work up.

Pops has agreed to help me build the euro-style sink and cabinet I need to add the final touches. I think we may try to do that in January. I still need to get my final measurements and draw up the plans.

This tiny apartment is becoming the efficient, organized, workhorse that I always wanted to create in a small space. I love tiny houses and tiny spaces. Always have. Now, I’m creating one here. It’s pretty amazing.

My father saw what I’ve done here and informed me that there’s “apparently a whole movement on living in smaller spaces” — duh… really? Go figure! I don’t think that man has ever read any of my blogs. And sometimes I wonder if he actually HEARS me when I speak. EVER.

A lead on the truck

I bought a truck a few months ago that needs a new transmission. It’s been sitting and waiting for me to find the time and the money to get it up and running. The only thing I wish that it had that it doesn’t (other than a new transmission) is a manual transmission. Last night, while talking to some family, they told me that they knew of a truck of the same model that was for sale. It was priced right because the body isn’t great. The engine and the transmission (a manual, btw) are both in great shape.

Long story short, I’ve asked them for an estimate on taking that truck and transferring the transmission to my truck. It will be alot less expensive than getting a new transmission and I’ll have the extra parts to help keep my little old truck running. It’s not that I relish the idea of having a “spare parts” truck around… but as the times get leaner, I’m sure that would be more welcome.

Chances are good that I’ll have the truck I wanted with the manual transmission that makes me happy, an extra engine and extra parts all for less money than it was going to cost me to get the current transmission fixed. Now isn’t that sweet?

I just have to find a place to properly store it on the farm so I don’t end up feeling like (or looking like) a hillbilly…*where DID I put those cement blocks?*…

Selling on eBay

I may spend this weekend getting some of the extra stuff I’m ready to discard put on eBay. I’ve been planning to do that for ages, but always have a good excuse why I’m not doing it yet. I’m too busy, there’s too much else I need to be doing, it’s a drag, maybe I should rethink it… etc., etc.

I’ve noticed that as I have made progress in these areas that are so important to me, it’s given me the stamina to forge ahead and do even more! So, maybe after the open house this weekend (a Christmas thing that my landlady is hosting), I’ll be able to do that.

(My landlady is awesome and is so impressed with what I’ve done with the little place, she asked if I would be willing to let her show it off during the open house. I’m flattered to the point of distraction and, of course, agreed.)

So, I’m going to take a couple of the boxes of stuff that need to be listed on eBay and try to get them up this weekend so they will sell before Christmas and I can get them shipped out for holiday delivery. I’m actually excited about this.

Buying on eBay

I’ve been evaluating what I want in life lately. And at the ripe old age of 42 (almost 43 now), I can honestly say that there’s very little on my “want” list. And many of the things I do want I now have or have made plans to achieve… like getting out of debt, fixing the truck, finishing the cabin, etc.

Other than these big items the rest are smallish things. I made my list. I want a nice pair of diamond stud earrings — not too small, not too large. Good quality, preferably in platinum with screw on backs so I can wear them without worry. I know it’s not “living small” but I don’t care, I want them. Besides, if I have those I can sell most of the ones I currently own on eBay, right?

I want a pair of black leather boots like the ones I wore out a few years back. They were Cole Haan, western styled and made me feel ten feet tall, bullet-proof, and a just bit cocky whenever I wore them. You simply can’t wear that kind of boot without exuding attitude. The replacements will probably have a less slick sole so I can wear them on a bike, but they must easily lend themselves to the creation of that aura of attitude.

I want a bike — one larger than the beep-beep. Probably about a 650 cc — and I want it with the running board styling rather than traditional motorcycle styling. I want it to have a comfortable seat for Alex. And I want a thick leather jacket to extend the riding season a bit. Now would be the perfect time to buy it since it’s off season, and since gasoline is now down to about $1.50 per gallon… but I’m cash poor, so it will have to wait.

This week I nailed one of those items. I bid on and won a pair of tiny diamond studs. I took a chance on them, despite the fact that they were smaller than what I wanted. I figured they would work well until I could afford the size I sought. Thankfully, the size was misquoted. The seller quoted them as just under a quarter carat for both… when in fact they were EACH right at a quarter carat. In platinum, acorn style screw backs and good quality stones… all for *drum roll*…

$76.00!

I’m a jewelry lover and this kind of find was, well, amazing. The seller received them from an old flame and said it was “time to move on” so she was selling them. It’s probably the best deal I’ve ever made on eBay! I have priced them out based on the size, clarity, color and setting. Value for these little gems is between $600 and $900! Currently they are securely screwed into my earlobes where they will stay for a very, VERY long time.

Popping the cork

Over a year ago I bought a bottle of champagne. I purchased it in the hope of drinking it soon… when things started to turn around and life got good again. It’s now been in my refrigerator for over 12 months… waiting. Tonight, I go against my “never drink alone” rule and pop the cork on that baby. It’s not an expensive bottle… but it does have a cork and that’s good enough. (I have absolutely NO “taste” when it comes to wine and such because I despise most of what other people tell me is “the good stuff” — but that serves my budget well.) *I just hope that it’s not so old that it has turned to vinegar*

So tonight I relax in my newly redecorated tiny apartment, sip a glass or two of bubbly and reflect on the fact that despite the crumminess that has been 2007 and 2008… that ALREADY 2009 is looking a bit better!

And all this… ALL of it… has happened since December 1st!

(Pretty photo courtesy of razvandm)

Reduce the amount of energy you are using by monitoring it. Studies prove that people who keep tabs on their electric meters, tend to use less. Monitor yours with MeterRead (TM) by Mark E.Barton. (This is a free app until Tuesday – then it will be $2.99)

Reuse stuff you no longer want by giving it to others who need it with Local Reuse by Manifest Interactive. Get stuff you need (for free) from your neighbors. This is a great “freecycle” type concept for the iPhone with a nice interface. Unfortunately, it’s not in use in my area, so the screen is always blank on offers. (Maybe I should go ahead and clean out the storage building!) Free, of course!

Recycle – quick, fingertip-access to what kind of plastics can be included in your recycling bin with free app Recycler by Siavash Ghamaty.

Other apps for you to consider:

• Go Vegan with an easy-to-start assortment of Vegan Recipes on your iPhone using the VeganYumYum Mobile by VeganYumYum. It’s free (and it has great photos!)
• Avoid foods with nasty additives with Food Additives by Andrew Middleweek for $3.99.
• Find safe, healthy and green products to make better, more earthfriendly using GoodGuide by GoodGuide, Inc. (Free!)

Podcasts to consider:

• NewlyGreens by Kaisen Productions “provides tips and strategies for sustainable living.”
• Green is Universal Vodcast by NBC Chicago
• Green Air by CBS News – “Offering the latest environmental cultural and consumer tips on going green.”

So go forward and step lightly with that carbon footprint. Enjoy!

(photo courtesy of Alvimann of morguefile.com)

I’m loving Hulu. If you haven’t discovered it yet, go there now. If you have finished with the Thanksgiving meal and need a little kick-back time (and you aren’t a sports fan), Hulu will come to your rescue.

I’ve registered so I can keep the cool stuff I find in my queue — and so I get automatic update emails when a TV show I’m following has a new episode, but you can view without registration.

Right now (since I don’t watch TV) this is where I watch: Bones, Chuck, Lipstick Jungle, Terminator, The Starter Wife, Heroes, Burn Notice, Crusoe, Valentine, and Battlestar Galactica. (There are also complete seasons of cancelled series and others I’m not currently following).

And I recently added a few great movies to my queue as well. There are some second rate titles on Hulu, but there are also a great number of top movies (and old favorites).

As a few examples, the ones currently in my queue include: The Professional, A River Runs Through It, Requiem for a Dream, GhostBusters (because my daughter has never seen it… ditto for Xanadu), Kiss The Bride, Sense and Sensibility (because it’s been awhile), Hans Christian Anderson (also for Alex), and Rob Roy.

(I only wish I could view this over my wi-fi on my iPhone. That would make it even cooler!)

If you want an all-night horror movie fest to go with your indigestion, this may be the best place to get those too. Why get out to go rent something when you can stay in and save time, money and gas?

Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!

My uncle came by yesterday afternoon with a cooler full of venison for me. I don’t usually have venison, but it’s so nutritious, I’m going to be cooking with it more this year. I found space in my freezer for about 25 1-pound ground packages.

Venison is one of the best low-fat meats (even lower fat than salmon, turkey and chicken!) And, it’s now being commonly farm raised for the meat quality. My venison was of the wild-caught variety and may be a bit stronger tasting (and more nutritious) than the domesticated type.

This high-quality red meat also contains fewer calories than other red meats and the additional bonus of offering a great source of heme iron (a readily absorbed variety). It’s also a great source of B-12, Niacin, B-6, and riboflavin. And is a good source of phosphorous, selenium, zinc and copper.

So, I’m investigating good recipes for ground venison and hope to find a few that make me plan to have venison in the freezer every fall. I have a farm that’s simply loaded with deer and an uncle that’s always looking for a great place to hunt. (He also has a butcher that takes it from felled to freezer without the need to dress it out.)

I referred to my bookshelf for all the nutritional values. (The World’s Healthiest Foods is a great resource. My copy is well-worn.)

From that book, I learned that I shouldn’t serve the venison to my sons (both of whom have had kidney stone problems in the last couple years), because the meat does contain purines, which can encourage the growth of uric acid based stones and gout in people with those tendencies.

That appears to be the only “downside” to eating venison instead of beef (and even beef has a moderately high level of purine).

(Note: photo courtesty of jpkwitter)

I’ve been enjoying the free Amazon selections to build my ever-expanding music collection for ages now, and I thought it might be time to share a few valuable links with my readers.

The samplers are an excellent way to try the freebie offers and these are particularly good:

• Very Best of Naxos Early Music – Classic, alter-boy style album (12 songs)
• ECM Touchstones: The Amazon Exclusive Digital Sampler – A Jazzy sampler (10 songs)
• Celebrating 10 years of Music – by Christian Hommel - A classical sampler for you (11 songs)
• This is Daptone Records – R & B retro stylings for your ears (14 songs)
• Best of Nuclear Blast – Metal Mix – not my cup of tea, but my eldest would like this – (10 songs)
• This Is How I Roc: 2008 Yep Roc Label Sampler – Alternative and rock sampler from this label – (11 songs)
• Vanguard Records and Sugar Hill – Sampler of five excellent songs – Instant personal classics done in my favorite styles of music. (5 songs)

In addition, you can go and peruse over 500 of their free mp3 selections here.

I just wanted to share a particularly good resource with my readers this holiday season. Pick and choose as you will…personally, my musical tastes are a bit eclectic. Enjoy!

After spending years of preaching about simplicity, I’m finally enjoying it. I mean REALLY enjoying it. Over the holiday weekend, I moved from the cabin on the lake into an apartment in the tiny town that rests 10 miles south of my farm. The changes and decisions I’ve made leading up to this lifestyle leap have been numerous.

Since it’s just Alex and me these days (and the puppy, Prince, of course), our space needs aren’t that great. I spent quite a bit of time determining if I wanted to travel or stay put, move to the farm or move into town. I’ve evaluated everything from my personal life to my business model — from my bills to my living quarters — from my personal belongings to my life choices. I’ve applied the 80/20 rule to it all. ALL of it.

It’s been exhausting.

But, finally, it’s really making a difference.

I have one more load to make from the cabin on the lake… which will be complete this weekend… and that’s all going straight to storage. I have the apartment set up almost exactly the way I want it in just under a week. The apartment is a second-floor suite in what (until recently) served as a bed and breakfast. It has nothing in the way of frills and everything in the way of essentials. It has character and charm. Alex’s room is shaped like an A-frame with rough hewn side walls and painted plaster ceilings. The rooms have hard wood floors, great tall windows with natural light, and central heat and air. There’s even an old claw-foot style tub. It’s perfect.

I have a grocery store two miles from my home. My daughter’s doctor (and my own) is one mile away. The vets office is within walking distance, if Prince ever has a need. I have my moped here and can use for nearly everything we need. In addition to being useful, it’s a cheap form of mobile entertainment in an age when gasoline is over $4 per gallon.

This afternoon, Alex and I donned our helmets and went out to explore. We located the city park (complete with swimming pool, tennis courts, and playground). We went downtown and poked around in a second hand shop just for fun. We also found a pawn shop that has great prices on used DVD’s (cheaper than rentals — 3 for $10) and passed by Kroger, Save-a-Lot (groceries), Kmart, the Dollar Store and three hardware stores all in a 1/2 mile radius.

There is pizza, Mexican, Chinese and fast food within two miles of the apartment and we stopped to enjoy a soft-serve ice cream cone at a local shop that serves 24 flavors of soft-serve. 24 flavors of soft-serve!! I had pina colada and Alex had tutti fruit. The cost for our thoroughly enjoyable, three-hour outing? Under $3 including gas and treats.

The lady that owns the apartment is probably one of the sweetest women I’ve ever met. She lives downstairs and rents the two upstairs suites. She’s more than accommodating and is a genuinely thoughtful individual. We shared a quiet cup of jasmine tea on the stone-floored front porch the other morning, just after dawn, under the shadow of the two-story southern colonial columns, looking out over a field of hay. It was one of those mornings that made you just breathe in deeply and feel thankful. That was the moment when I knew I’d found a place I could finally feel a restful sense of calm. I had only been here one day and wasn’t completely moved in and I knew I’d found “home.”

There’s a yard here for Alex and Prince to run in… and it’s not a yard I have to mow or tend. There are flowers all over and a small vegetable garden. The street is a tiny one without any real traffic.

In the back of our suite is a second entrance that consists of a tall deck landing with a built-in bench on each side and steps that spiral down to the back yard. Alex has already claimed it as her “reading nook” — but she may have to share! I park my car near the door and my moped goes in the garage.

I have no stresses here.

There is one bill that covers my rent and all my utilities… ONE… it’s simply amazing! I had that experience once before, but that was in my college days, and the place was an efficiency and a dump — and although I loved it and spent time painting it and fixing it up, it was still torn down three years after I moved out. This is a lovely place. And the price per square foot is actually less than I paid then… and that was 21 years ago!

I have the ability to use my cell phone anywhere in town… even where I live! Now that’s new. I’m enjoying high-speed cable Internet (so I eliminated my DSL and land line bills) and have the ability to use cheap VOIP long distance. I’m cutting bills left and right! The “unlimited” long distance service before cost me $30 per month, Skype’s service for unlimited is costing me $2.95 per month. I have paid off most of my bills, so I don’t have huge monthly obligations. That’s liberating!

I think I’ve been looking at this idea of simplicity all wrong. I think I confused “rustic” with “simple” and I won’t make that mistake again. Being a technology lover, making my living over the Internet, and having to constantly find a “work around” because I live in the boonies is a horrific way to survive. It’s not living. Being a person that’s all about family and caring for my kids… yet having to work 12-18 hour days for years just to be able to be at home when the kids get back from school… is kind of missing the point.

I see that now.

I love my farm. I love the cabin I’m building there. It’s paid for and it’s mine. Initially, I rented this little apartment to serve as an office. It was cheaper than renting a commercial space and the atmosphere was much more conducive to writing. With the decisions I’ve made about how I do business, this was important. The change in my business model to an emphasis on writing and less work in the various fields of technology support, made this “office” seem like a good fit.

But, what I thought would be a place to work is quickly becoming a place to live. When I need the wide open spaces, I have my farm. If I decide I want to work on the farm, I can do that without driving for 45 minutes. I can be there in 11 minutes. I’m 45 minutes closer to my parents now too. With gas prices, this is a big deal too. I’ve recently purchased a little truck (with cash) and am in the process of getting the work it needs completed. Once I finish that, I’ll be able to do the work I need on the farm without so much outside help. I’ll sell the car and keep the truck for long-distance travels and farm work with the moped for the “around town” errands.

I’ll be setting up my utility room on the farm as my first priority. I have a washer and dryer in storage right now and I despise laundrymats. Getting that set up will mean I can go and do my laundry while I piddle at chores on the farm. And, instead of feeling all this pressure to get things done, I’ll be relaxed as I work. It will be at my own pace.

It’s amazing that I didn’t figure all this out ages ago. I was so busy fighting to be completely independent, that I was indenturing myself. Craziness!

But all that’s over now. Life is getting better every day and I’m genuinely happy for the first time in a very long time. Happy in the morning, happy in the evening, happy in-between. I think I may actually have a LIFE now. Go figure.

And the bonus I wasn’t expecting… I’m sleeping at night, all night. That hasn’t happened in as long as I can remember. Who knows, with all this reduction in stress and with the sleeping and eating better (except for that soft serve), I may just feel better physically too. It could happen!

Right now, I’m enjoying my work AND my time away from work. Life is pretty sweet.

My blog may still be unfocused, but I’m starting to gain a bit of that elusive edge in my life. I’ve finally quit straddling the fence on what I plan to do next with my life. I’ve spent my last multi-hour session on eBay salivating over RV options for the foreseeable future. I’m no longer going to be visiting all the forums and blogs dedicated to the “on the road lifestyle” and conversion vans will no longer catch my eye… at least not for a few years.

Last week I bought a small truck. It’s an old one, but it’s solid. I will be replacing the transmission before long, but the body, interior and engine appear to be in fantastic shape. If I get a wild hair, I may paint it. Time will tell. (I always have wanted a seriously purple truck!).

Confession: I love driving a small truck. It makes me happy. I prefer a stick-shift, but this little automatic is still pretty darn sweet. The truck gets excellent gas mileage and I don’t believe in keeping up two vehicles, so once the truck is on the road, I’ll be selling my car.

With that truck and a relatively inexpensive topper, I can do most of the travel/camping stuff I want to do — without the need to purchase an expensive RV and learn to maintain all the systems onboard. I’ll go more simple in my plans and will actually be able to begin the traveling (at least the shorter trips) sooner.

I’m already planning a woodworking project with my father, the moment I have the truck and topper ready to travel. He’s going to help me build a bed-frame in the back with storage space underneath for holding all the camping stuff. I’ll be able to fit a marine-grade cooler, my kerosene cook stove and my good-sized tent under one side with food, clothing and supplies under the second half.

At some point in the future, I may invest in one of those tents that connects to the topper to make a “living space” while retaining the truck bed for the sleeping area. I’m not sure at this point that it offers anything worthwhile over having one of the two tents I already own pitched right beside the truck. Heck, since I prefer the one that is large enough to permit me to stand up, I may give the smaller one to someone else. After all, simple camping will soon be possible without even PITCHING a tent! I’ll only pitch the tent if we are staying put or more than a couple of days — at which point I’ll prefer a larger one with more creature comforts.

If I’m feeling particularly inspired while building my little travel thingee, I may even do long “drawers” so there’s no crawling back in the hole to pull out stuff — and so nothing gets lost. I already have a memory-foam mattress that I think will make the sleeping experience pretty darn awesome. And if I like it and use it alot, I may even insulate it for more “all season” use.

It should also break down easily for storage outside the truck, so I can still use my truck to haul wood, move furniture, bring in fruit trees for planting and whatever else inspires me.

I figure the truck will buy me quite a bit of independence/automomy without much sacrifice. It has three seatbelts, so Alex and Prince (my puppy) and I can travel in comfort — and if it’s necessary, I can squeeze in one extra person from time to time.

I’ve listed Serenity, my airstream, on Craigslist and will (hopefully) have her sold within the next few weeks. I posted her on Facebook marketplace a few months back, but had continued to battle with the “do I want to sell, do I want to keep” decision. There was basically no traffic on the marketplace, so I was able to continue with my internal battle. It was a tough decision, but selling her is the right one for me now. I’m simplifying!

With my new emphasis on the 80/20 rule as it applies to my life… I figure using the truck and setting it up like this will give me 80% of the joy of being able to travel, camp, take off and be free at a moment’s notice with only 20% of the expense, effort and hassle.

One major life decision down, a few dozen more to go!

My mother sent me this. I’m all about taking care of the environment, but I’m not sure this is the best option. (Personally, I think I like the LED option best). Take a peek:

Toxic Lightbulbs

I’ve looked at other “simple” clothing lists and I find them to be too extensive for my needs and desires. I’m going to lose weight … someday… but for now, I’m tired of waiting for the “right” wardrobe. Now, I’m ready to simplify what I have and get rid of what doesn’t fit, isn’t flattering or isn’t comfortable.

I figure when I do lose weight (note the “when” is not an “if”) that buying new clothes will be a treat instead of a chore.

After pruning my wardrobe (again) and after trying to determine what I REALLY need in my closet to do my work, feel comfortable, and have what I need for any “event” without needing to dash out and buy something new — I’ve settled on the following list of basics.

Shirts/Blouses

• White pin-point tailored oxford button-down shirt
• Long-sleeve natural linen (ethnic) tunic top
• Silk patterned suit blouse
• Plain white t-shirt
• Black “Attitude” T-shirt (Janice Joplin one right now)
• Long-sleeved button-down shirt (lavender mini-check)
• Lavender long sleeve crew-neck cotton shirt
• Bright 3/4 sleeve shirt, princess seam button-front with collar (solid red)
• Black silk (washable) or Khaki tunic-length tank top
• Sheer, flowing patterned shirt with butterfly sleeves (for over tank and camisole tops)
• Black short sleeve Mock-turtleneck (for hot weather) / Black classic turtleneck (for cold weather)

Sweaters

• Cotton fine-cable twin set (in Oatmeal)
• Black V-neck all-weather fine-gage cotton sweater
• Black short-sleeved collared sweater (ribbed)
• Dark sleeveless sweater (chocolate brown or black)

Bottoms

• Pair of Jeans (yes, just my favorite pair)
• Pair of casual black/dk brown twill pants
• Pair of khaki slacks (cold weather) or long khaki shorts (warm weather)
• Long indigo skirt (Denim or Tencel – my preferred fabric)

Sets/Suits/Full Outfits

• Swimsuit
• Scrub suit (for lounging and painting and remodeling)
• Tea-length machine washable patterned sheath tank dress
• High Quality Basic Black All-Season suit (jacket, long skirt, slacks)

Unmentionables

• Sleepshirt
• Four camisole bra tops (brown, white, black, lilac)
• 3 pair white socks/5 pair black socks
• 2 pair of tights/hose (one light, one dark)
• 2 white bras/2 black bras
• 10 pair undies (5 each black and white)

Accessories/Other Stuff

• Black leather organizer purse
• Go-bag (electronics/mobile office or weekend of clothes)
• Keen Sandals (or tennis shoes)
• Pair of basic black leather heels
• Boots (work, hiking or western)
• Silk scarf (multi colored/patterned)
• Leather coat – stadium length
• Leather gloves

By most standards, this list is sparse. That’s ok. It’s not colorful. That’s ok, too — I prefer basic. By modern “norms,” my housing desires are also small.

I don’t want multiple closets or a huge one and I prefer to hang everything because I find that folded clothes seldom look as good on as hung ones do. It’s easier to find what I’m looking for in the bleary-eyed a.m. hours if everything is hanging in one place. (It’s also faster to hang clothes than it is to properly fold them, and I’m all about the efficiency.)

The way I see it, I have a washer and a dryer, and I’m not afraid to use them. I prefer NOT to have enough clothes that I don’t have to keep things done up. I don’t like having mounds of dirty clothes and with my most recent purge, I can’t. I may cut back more in the future, but this is good for now.

Now, I have only the clothes I really love. I have just a few of them and all is right with the world.

I’m on a rampage. It started in my closet at 3 a.m. (Couldn’t sleep, dunno why.) I have been reading Unclutterer (I find it inspiring most of the time). And I came upon a post about simple clothing. Now, I’ve already “simplified” my clothing a number of times. But something hit me (in the way things can only hit during the wee hours of the morning) and I started tearing into my closet.

With my family size cut in half, I’ve discovered that the extra hangers lurking in my closets are like the extra baggage I’m carrying around in my head. And it’s time to purge physically as well as mentally — which helps with the empty I feel in my heart at the moment.

I decided it’s time to take the next step. So, I started with the closet. I’m just anal enough to like matching hangers, so I’m getting rid of the ones that don’t match. I’m giving them to my mother. She knows how to distribute goods as needed throughout the family. I fuss at my parents for all the excess “stuff” they store and organize and maintain, but the fact is the rest of us (extended family included) go to them for that odd little something we need (from a replacement computer cord to a dress belt for a new skirt). Or maybe for some extra hangers.

So, as I clean things out and minimize my needs and my wants, I wonder if I’m able to do it only because I know they are my safety net. I fuss at them for the stuff they keep. I act all holier-than-thou about my smaller footprint, my smaller amount of “stuff” and my simple life goals. Yes, I give most things to Goodwill, and I’m starting to eBay some of the larger or more expensive pieces that I no longer need or want… but the other stuff, I always offer it to my parents first. Then, I give them crap about all the stuff they keep.

I’m sure there’s some deep psychological something going on here, but for now, I’m headed back to my room to finish my most recent purge. I’m far too busy to think too hard about too much on a holiday Monday.

Cheers!

Apartment Therapy has some of the best “living small” resources around. I particularly like their contests. The Small Cool 2008 contest just ended (this is the fourth annual event for tiny spaces that rock). If you want to check out the winners for some ideas on ways to decorate your own smaller spaces, visit the page dedicated to the “living small” contestants.

My father offered me the following story yesterday. I found it both shocking and worth sharing:

A man and his faithful hunting dog get lost in the woods. They travel for several days trying to find their way home, without success. They are getting really hungry and are in danger of starving. So, this hunter lops the tail off his best friend and roasts it over a campfire, eating one part and throwing the other part to the dog.

The dog eats the tail, and then enthusiastically licks the face of the hunter.

He told me that is how our government works. He said that the dog is the people, the hunter is our government. ‘Nuff said.

“I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. . . .  In proportion as he simplifies his life, the laws of the universe will appear less complex, and solitude will not be solitude, nor poverty poverty, nor weakness weakness.” – Thoreau

This interesting little tiny home is built on the top of a billboard support. I find it interesting, since just the other day (being the alternative housing nut that I am)… I looked at a billboard with the surrounding platform and thought to myself, that would be a cool place to put a tiny house… as long as you didn’t have to climb to the top with an armload of groceries.

And voila! Someone else has already developed that idea into this cocoon-shaped house. Kinda cool. See a larger version of this house on Flickr.com.

GrassRoads.Blogspot.com recently published some great shots of Pakistani “Magic Buses” (including the one to the left). I’ve always thought that the gypsy look with wagon homes was a cool, overdone look, but this style is even MORE ornate and creative!

There was a book I read back in 1989 — I actually got it from the public library in Lexington Park, Maryland — that had tons of photos of gypsy and alternative mobile homes. Most were hand-built and all were amazing.

I think I can trace my fascination with tiny homes in general and mobile homes (non-traditional) to that book, way back when. I only wish I could remember the NAME of the book.

I’d love to have it in my own personal library now.

I found a cool “tiny house” RV online today — a 1978 31′ Airstream on eBay that is simply too pretty not to go and ogle. This classic Airstream has been taken down to the ribs and built back beautifully — and better than it was originally. (The owners took the 6-Million Dollar Man approach… “We can make him stronger, faster, better…”) And better he is.

The pricetag is a bit higher than your average Airstream, at $170K, but it’s oh-so-nice. Look at all the custom Airstream photos here.

Need another bonus? This particular Airstream was featured on Wonderfalls (a great little TV series — and one I enjoy on DVD at my house). So it’s not just pretty and cool — it’s also FAMOUS! *grin*

Download a PDF of interior Airstream renderings here.

I saw one of these several years ago and salivated ALOT! You can have one on eBay (if you bid quickly) today for (as of this moment, just over $12K). When I looked at them they were over $30K.

Quick! Go look before it’s gone!

Be sure to look at the interior shots (the prettiest thing about these is the wooden walls). Loft is great play and sleeping place for kids (that’s what I was thinking when I looked at them).

This one also comes with the decking. If I had the extra cash, I’d be saying “Look what I just bought!” instead of “Look what you could buy!”