Tag: projects

Winter Weather

I’m afraid I don’t have a ton of information worth sharing at present, but am feeling compelled to write something.

We have been living in the camper for 4 full months, with 2 1/2 to go.  Mostly I don’t mind.  However, when the 3 of us are here, plus the 3 big dogs, I find I feel a little short of breathing space.  Megan’s family comes on Tuesdays generally as they are both off work that day, that makes 6 of us for supper plus the dogs.  I can’t complain about our self imposed tiny living, but sometimes I’m tempted.  I take my time doing laundry at Sean’s, folding the clothes and enjoying what feels like wide open rooms.  He wouldn’t mind if we were up there more, but it’s his house now and I don’t want to take advantage.  When I have had big things to cook, I’ve used his kitchen, besides laundry that’s the extent of my coveting our old house.  He stops in after work several times a week and I can’t pretend that I don’t love seeing more of him.

We have been working on the apartment to some extent.  The work really goes easier when Jon and Sean are able to help.  My back has been giving me grief, so I haven’t been on hand as much.  When I’m feeling short on patience with our living situation, I look at Pintrest for kitchen ideas, that seems to keep me focused.

The last few weeks have been wet, snowy and cold.   Today is October 16th.  I look at the temperatures in Brunswick, then Nassau almost daily.  We watch our favorite sailing YouTube channels and anticipate our travels coming up in just a few months.   We haven’t set a course as of yet, but I’m looking forward to getting on the boat and making those plans.  I’m missing the warm weather, already.  I envision it being cool in Georgia when we get there in December and then the trek down the ICW being gradually warmer each day.  I don’t know if that is, in fact, how it will go, but in my mind it is.

We will start homeschooling Matthew next week.  We decided to start at the beginning of the 2nd quarter rather than wait until the big move.  We are a little apprehensive.  Matthew seems to have an overly romantic view of how wonderful it will be.  I pray my patience level is adequate.   Mike and Matthew have already decided that Mike will teach math and science and I’ll do the rest.  I like this idea, being fully aware that if it is observed, or voiced that Mike is a better teacher, he will take over.    It may save headaches if he would just do it, haha!

As far as curriculum, we plan for now, to keep using the resources from his current school, Black Hills Christian Academy.  BJU (Bob Jones University) is used for most subjects, with Purposeful Design and Words Their Way.  We will see how we like it for the rest of the school year, then decide how to proceed for 5th grade.  We have talked to a few homeschooling families and watched several reviews and tutorials on You Tube trying to decide what to do.  It seemed this is the most straight forward and he’s already used to it to some degree.  We can always make adjustments as needed.  If anyone has pointers feel free to share in the comments.  We really are open to suggestions or to learn from your experience.  We will hopefully have a handle on routine before we get on the boat.

Since we will be starting the homeschooling process sooner, we plan to take a short trip to the boat in early November.  One friend who is keeping an eye on her says she needs a good washing.  So far Hurricanes Florence and Michael have both bypassed the Brunswick Marina.  We are super grateful for this, of course, but are itching to go see her and make sure all is well.

I have been brainstorming ideas with a friend, Jennifer,  from church on small gifts we can keep on the boat to share as we go along.  Again, if anyone has ideas, share them, please!  We are thinking some tea bags with a scripture, or some sample oils, etc.  Mike and another friend, Larry,  talked fishing tackle, which Larry graciously donated.  I’m, also, trying to come up with a [business/boat] card design.  I need to find a program that I like to design it, then print.  Mike is repairing our bimini cockpit cover that we brought home and is customizing it for solar panels.  We have lists for provisions that we are always adding to,  but I think this is a never ending project.

I’ll write more as the Spirit moves.  I’ve included just a few pictures from the last few weeks.  Just life, messy and uncensored.

Slainte Mhath~

FYI~ YouTube sailing channels we love:

Sailing LaVagabond

Delos

*Sailing Zatara

*Sailboat Story

*Sailing Britican

**Sailing Doodles

Distant Shores

S/V Ruby Rose

*Children onboard

**dogs on board (at least in the beginning)

 

On being “homeless” and a gazillion pictures

We did it!!  we closed on both houses this month and are officially “homeless”.  This seems like an odd thing to have aspired to, but we have, at least temporarily.  We are still in our little 5th wheel camper and still own 10 acres of land.  There will now be a slow progression to building a small apartment for ourselves after finishing one for our daughter’s family to live in while keeping an eye on our “home front”.

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As per our usual, we had signed papers with the Savery’s for the Blunt house, spent a day packing up and when we went to leave, the battery was dead in Mike’s trailblazer.  While it was connected to the charger, we went to the grill and had a steak, thinking this would be ample time to let the car charge….wrong.  Right.  Joe and Bethany were gracious enough to let us hang out during their supper, while further charging of the battery happened.  I’m telling you, this is a sweet family.  We finally were able to embark on the journey home at 7:30pm.  Two hours later, with a loaded to the ceiling car and a flatbed trailer also loaded, Mike struck a fairly good-sized deer.  We had already joked that there were signs we weren’t supposed to leave Blunt, but this was toooo much.  I had been following in the Conestoga (aka mini van).  I hadn’t seen the deer right away, but quickly figured out what had happened when I drove past it and Mike was stopping on the shoulder.  Thank God the radiator and other mechanical parts weren’t harmed!!  As it was, the passenger side headlight, fender and inner wheel well, and door were damaged.  The frame where they attach was also bent.  So, in true Mike Preys fashion, he pulls out a few straps and a rope, pry’s the fender off the tire, ties it all up and we went on our way.  By midnight, after arriving home, he had located and messaged someone with a trailblazer they were parting out. Then he had all the necessary replacement parts by 5pm Saturday. He also has a few extra parts, in true Mike Preys fashion…..  Sunday, between church, taking care of grandson, Lucian and an event at church, he managed to get all the broken pieces off the car.  Today, Monday he has just about everything replaced.  He is finishing up the bumper and will be done.  Don’t anyone say the cobwebs have time to collect on this man!

Tearing aparat the trailblazer
With “new” gold doors, hood, etc.

 

In other news…. Matthew is adjusting at his new school.  It’s been slow going.  His grades have not been what we are used to seeing, but are improving.  There have been a few other issues that I won’t dwell on, but suffice it to say, things are looking better.  He is playing soccer in Spearfish for the first time this season.  His team, while not showing any inclination to win, yet, seems to get along pretty well and his coaches are also very nice.  He plays mostly defense and is good at it.  On Saturday, he ran 4 miles for a jog-a- thon that benefits his school (if interested in donating/supporting get ahold of me) then had a game immediately after.  His Birthmom, Kristi came and ran with him.  What a blessing she is for him!! We picked up Luc and headed to Kyrihns birthday party in Rapid City in the afternoon.  He was able to spend the night with Lynn and the boys.  Everyone was exhausted and I was in bed by 8:30~ unheard of!

Marking a lap
Matthew running
Birthmom Kristi and M.

We had a chuck wagon supper last night at church.  Our Pastors wife, Cindi had been planning this for eons and it came together amazingly!  There was so much love and time and seat put into it, such a blessing and honor to be able to help the little bit that I did.  It was a free community event and I believe we had around 70 guests.

chuckwagon
Chuck Wagon Event

Voyager has weathered the weather (;-)) well, so far.  We have a few friends keeping an eye on her.  It’s a little harder that we expected to be here and not knowing how things stand with her.   Mike is still toying with the idea of him just flying down sometime to check in and get a few more projects cranked out.  I guess we will see how this pans out.

Things are tight in the camper ( I feel like it should have a name, as well…. masculine maybe; Angus?  Malcolm?).  What we NEED to survive seem to grow…. mostly in shoes.  My  shoes.  I think as long as all our “stuff” is stored in a nearby barn, it’s likely to keep accumulating.  I’ve been trying to keep order to it, but now that Mike and Katniss are home as are our belongings from Blunt, I feel a little overwhelmed.  It’ll come together and I’ll get a system worked out, probably about the time we head south to Georgia.

Anyhoo…. it looks like we might get some September winter weather next week.  We wouldn’t want to get off without that kind of memory to sustain us while sailing.  South Dakota fall storms are notoriously bad.  Mike wants to plant us in the barn (camper and all) before then,  but I can’t stand the idea of being holed up in there for 3 months.  I might be sorry next week.

Stay tuned~

Slainte Mhath

 

Progress

Reader~

So, what’s happening?  We have been frantically working to get the house in Blunt ready to sell.  Our buyers (THANK YOU Joe and Bethany) have been uber patient with us getting things done.  In some future post, I’ll show several before and after pictures.  Mostly, suffice it to say this has been our biggest project to date, and we have had A LOT of projects.  Closing will hopefully happen later this week.  Here’s a teaser of 1 room that we have completed:

 

So-that’s a sample of what our life looks like right now.  Mike is also working at the ER in Pierre, up to five 24 hour shifts per month.  Since Matthew has started school, I’ve been home (in the 5th wheel in Sturgis) during the week and traveling on weekends to help and bring home belongings.  Fall soccer has also begun, so that hampers my travel plans, somewhat.  Of course,  I have had a few small assignments at home.  I’ve loaded dirt from the future apartment ground floor into the tractor bucket.  I’ve also dug a trench for the drain tile.  There’s been a few other small chores, but nothing worth mentioning.  Mostly I’m running errands and taking care of the home front.  When I go to Blunt, I’ve focused on taping and mudding drywall and painting.  I’m ok with a break from the drywall work for awhile, especially ceilings…..

Yesterday we closed on our Sturgis house.  It’s now officially Sean’s.  I miss the house daily, but I am soooo glad it’s staying in the family.  He gets to host the big family get-togethers now!!  I have visions (probably due to my preference for historical literature) of this being a family estate that is passed through the generations.  I really do hope that’s the case.  Sean is single, ladies, with 5 acres and a nice 4 bedroom house and 2 dogs…. see me if interested 😉

A trip to Brunswick to see Voyager was planned for the end of September.  We thought we would take my dad and get further prepared for the “big trip”.  However, with hurricane Florence taking shape, others behind her and the multitude of happenings on the home front, we have decided to wait.  The next trip may not happen until after Christmas, now.  This makes me nervous as that will be when we take the rest of our gear and we had  hoped for the last drive down to be a light one.  I think what will need to happen is we pull a small trailer.  Dad will be with us and maybe he will fly back.  These are things that will need sorted out.

I’m hoping that life will be settling down somewhat now that the 2 houses are sold.  Mike will still need to travel to Pierre for work, but we should be able to put a dent in the projects at home, I hope.  Matthew has some school events, soccer games and piano lessons to attend to.  That keeps us running, besides all the other.

I’m thinking I need to do an entry on books and what everyone is reading.  I’m not really sure how to do this without giving bland book reviews.  I’ve been trying to broaden what I read, so maybe that’s a starting point.  What are YOU reading?

Also, I need a catchy signing off phrase….. whatcha got?

Until next time……..  Fair winds