Downsizing Continues!

We are settled down now in our small house in a small beautiful valley.  And we continue to downsize in order to live more.  Because everything we own takes up money, space, energy and time. Really digging down to what we need- really need.  Not what we want, not what we might need someday (which never comes by the way)

So we said goodbye to Big White.  She went to a good home back in Alberta to be a snowplow.  Yay! We just said goodbye this weekend to Shelly- that's the travel trailer that was our home on wheels for a year and half.  Going on more adventures with a new family.  Fun.

What's next.....?   We'll keep you posted.

The Tree

Handmade felt wall hanging and shroud.  Maybe for Margaret Atwood?

Dimensions 33 inches wide by 77 inches tall

All the stuff!

We have all our stuff literally stuffed in the carport- this is a side effect of putting all of the shop tools in the back of the sea container.   We have been unearthing things out of the boxes- but there is nowhere to put anything in the house yet so it is in piles!  It's making me crazy.  Over a year with minimal stuff has changed me.  My clothes box had too many summer shorts- why did I need these?  Our CD's - they are now all on the ipod.  hmmm.  More than five forks would be nice- but there are only four of us and maybe company can bring their own.  No more BYOB it will BYOF!  Bring your own fork. I am looking forward to some things- putting them in a place.  If there is no place for them to live then I will have to find a place (this does not include "in storage") or it will have to hit the road.  There is a theme these days of cleaning out, getting rid of, being free.  One of my mentors Mors Kochanskis- used to ask us to think about how many hours or days or years of our lives went into something.  For example he used to drive an old Dodge Dart that if you asked him he could tell you exactly how many workshops he had to teach to buy that car.  It wasn't worth it to him to have a fancy newer car and work four times as many workshops.  So I am thinking- how much of my time goes into taking care of this stuff.  Cleaning it, putting it away, finding it....maybe I don't want to spend my time that way.  Maybe time and space and breath are more important to being a full human?

Unearthing of the stuff.

We decided we wanted to live in the Creston area.  Looked at houses and properties and ended up in Wynndel on a half acre lot with an small, old, but well built house.  We've been working on the house for the last month and a half, using the tools we had in the trailer and a bunch we borrowed from my gracious sister and her husband.  Sort of continuing on in the Ditzler/Perry fashion kloodging it together- making it work.  Our new mantra when we think of something we want to fix or do is:  how do we do it smaller, do we even need it, is there another way?  Trying to not spend money where we don't need to.  Trying to not make work.  Trying to not be in a hurry or stressed.  It's amazing the old habits that came rushing back when we bought the house.  Worry about money instantly- for no reason- we're fine.  A feeling of rushing- no need- we don't have a schedule.  After a year and half of regrouping it is now practicing new habits and new ways of being within our regular life.  I didn't actually want to get our stuff out of the sea can.  I felt so light and free without it.  Wanted my art stash, pizza stone, kitchen aid, summer quilt.  That's about it.

But we opened it up, loaded it up and made it here.  The kids and I took one trip with a teeny useless 5x6 ft uhaul.  Got the table and chairs (which were last to go in) and all of the random shit that goes in last because there was no where else to put it)  Then Greg, and I rented a big car hauler and a 6x12 ft uhaul and hooked up both trucks.  Loaded everything to the gills and just about fit it all!  We had to leave Bertha- the red canoe, three greenhouse fans that Greg wants as environmental art and our wooden outdoor chairs!  That's it!  One more reasonable truck load and we are fully here- no more ties to Alberta other than family.  Big white made one more trip hauling a big, heavy load.  She kept overheating so Greg had to drive the whole 6 hours with the heater blasting and the window open.  Of course it was a 30 deg C day.  No break down.  Not even a flat tire.  Stunning.

It was daunting to load and unload.  The car port at our new place is stuffed full because the house isn't fully ready to move into yet.

I found my salad spinner and cast iron frying pan!  Greg used his pin nailer, air compressor, chop saw etc to install some flooring- made it way easier.  But there are a lot of thing we don't want anymore and likely never needed.  Creston Buy and Sell will be busy as will kijiji and Gleaners.  Gleaners is a charity in the Creston Valley that takes in usable clothes, shoes, household, farm, building stuff and organizes and resells it.  It puts hundreds of thousands of dollars back into the community here.  It also runs the food bank which apparently takes 15 years of Gleaners volunteering to do.  There are many things that the kids weren't ready to let go of because they were still kids when we packed.  Now they are teenagers and don't really play with toys that often.  It is all a process.  I really need to get rid of some stuff!

One last trip

We bought a house in the beautiful Creston Valley of British Columbia.  Actually gets four seasons including spring!  Has lots of fishing, hiking, fun stuff to do that's close.  We can grow food- including fruit.  It's quiet and not busy and everything we need is close.  Bonus is that my sister lives here. We love hanging out together, but have always lived far apart.  We had about two weeks of limbo before we had to be anywhere for papers, signing, transfer of money....blah, blah.  So the end of April we ended up heading out to the Olympic Peninsula west of Seattle, Washington.  Ocean, eagles, wind, waves, sand, but we all got a horrible flu.  Ten days of coughing, aching, headache, fever, chills, nasty sick.  Can't think of a more beautiful place to be miserable.  Still managed some walks, sunsets and exploring.

Same clothes- re-newed people inside

These two have grown up so much in last year.

Cancer man.

Our last night of this year long journey was in Missoula, Montana KOA.  The trailer ahead of us at check in had its bumper falling off!  They pulled into their campsite and Greg noticed that the man was walking very slowly with a cane and upon meeting him it was clear that he wasn't old, but sick.  His wife had a limp because of knee surgery.  Greg went to help them remove the spare from the bumper and heard their story.  This was their farewell trip together.  He has terminal cancer.  They look like they were maybe in their late 50's early 60's.  Just another reminder of why this year was a good idea and that it is possible to wait too long.

Airplanes and rollercoasters.

Since we drove past it last spring, Leland has been asking to go the the Hill Aerospace Museum.

Part of our timing in heading north is to be in the Salt Lake City area for opening day of  Lagoon Amusement  Park.  Tons of roller coasters and sick scary rides.  I went on the wooden roller coaster that has been around since the 1920's.  Creaking, rattling, banging, up down and turn but no upside down.  Also on this crazy ride that takes you way up high and then you free fall down.  Yikes- my stomach stayed at the top.  Of course the kids and Greg went on way more rides.  One of the called Wicked even scared Greg!