Chores abound. So much to do. Sal and I made a list…some thirty items on it. Things we must do – and SOON! Then we got down to fixing the plumbing and making that all good. And, it is good. Now. Bloody marvelous. After a few days I looked over at Sal and she had the chore list out and was adding something…..”Adding a new chore…?”
“Kinda. I just wrote down ‘Fix the pump and water system’ so that I could cross it off the list. Crazy, eh? But I like to cross things off the to-do list even if we do them and they weren’t on the list.”
“That’s insane!”
“I know. Anyway…what’s next?”
“Lower stairs to genset shed and a new approach deck.”
“That’s not on the list.”
“I just stepped through one of the stair treads and checked the others. They’re all gonna go.”
“I’ll put it on the list.”
We are currently in the middle of that chore. Sal can hardly wait to cross it off the list.
Yesterday we took a day off and went to clean up an old community building. The local government is buying it for us (the community) and we are planning on restoring it to heritage standards. But, in the time between it falling into disrepair and being bought was almost ten years. It was never in great shape, having been built in the 30’s. Worse, in the last few years it was occupied as living quarters by a squatter who was deranged, unhygienic and disreputable in the extreme. Part of the deal was the community would clean it up. It was a horrible mess.
The building is about 25 by 40 give or take and it is sagging and leaning and is all sorts of rotten. Plus it sits on piles. It was ‘home’ to a genuine nutter who resided without running water, good heat, refrigeration and none of the mod cons one would need to exist out here. But somehow he did. For at least two years–without even taking out the garbage once. AND he saved his used toilet paper as fire starter. The place was rodent infested and disgusting. About 14 or so people showed up and worked for about four hours simply to ‘bag’ all the crap and make the place clean enough to walk around. Some of us wore paper masks to keep the Hantavirus and Ebola at bay. NOT ON THE LIST!
But some things NOT ON THE LIST are good chores anyway. A good neighbour gave us six good sized crabs the other day. We cleaned them and turned a couple into crab cannelloni. We were too busy snarfing that down to add ‘crab-cleaning’ to the list.
ANYWAY….the point: a lot to get done and we are doing it but it seems that we are doing much more than is on our list. So…..what is the point of the list….?
I dunno.
Our Off the Grid Home 
True it is hard to come up with the definitive list because all lists are evolving. Priorities change and s**t happens! Life happens! The joys of being alive and self directed. No clock to punch. And work is piling up.
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Absolutely! AND it’s beautiful out. Things are looking good….soon to the garden….
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Those crabs are beauties. I’m not sure what lists are for, because if it was a priority, a job would get done, right? Shopping lists are good though, but even those have their limitations when they are left on the kitchen bench.
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Sal has always been a bit nutty about lists. Once I asked her what she was doing….”making a list.”
‘What about?’
“I am making a list of the lists I have to make!”
……swear to God…….
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🙂
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Man, I am totally with Sal! I do that all of the time.. we start with our to do list but 90 per cent of the time we are just dealing with urgent stuff that isn’t even on the list… My sense of accomplishment really needs to see the list with the item and a line drawn through it… go for it Sal… I’m with you…
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And to think…..at one time in our lives we held down full time jobs, raised kids and did urban activities…..!!!
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It is the season to see things that need doing. Wayne was a bit afraid to go back to the cabin after two winter months away, but things were in pretty good repair. No broken cables, protective boom still anchored on place, and no mice gained entry. At this time we at least remembered to close the sliding glass door. Unfortunately, I can help at all at this time due to surgery recovery so I’m careful not to point out any minor problems. Everything can wait until a month or two from now when I can again take on my share of the chores. One thing that is going to give this year is the garden. I’m not going to do very much so we can spend more time cruising, maybe even to the Broughtons. – Margy
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If you do, please stop in.
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Lot of dead air around here with davidicus awol.
Gonna reach out to ‘untidy mind’
I was recently on your continent, grandchildren must receive tribute.
Stumbled on to an 8 part podcast, sponsored by the AUSTRAILIA N broadsheet
It’s about the devastation an Aussie con man created in Austrailia ,and to a lesser degree Canada.
Google “who the hell is Hamish?” Pretty easy,no paywall, the perp will be sentenced in the coming weeks
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Yes, the list just seems to keep getting longer at this time of the year. More items added than there crossed off. Keep trying to tell myself that none of it really matters, more important to enjoy the sunshine and the bird song. Just heard my first hummingbird of the year, perfect timing! As for the “heritage” building…..bit of bah humbug coming from this end of the channel i’m afraid!! All the best.
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I just finished “our life off the grid” I sooooooo loved your wit !! You definitely surprised me !
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Thankyou Madam Bean. Appreciated. Now go read ACCIDENTAL FUGITIVES. It’s getting no attention whatsoever….mind you, the only little wit in that book is Trump.
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