Modern Off Grid Prefab House Contemplates The Zombie Apocalypse With No Internet.

With Monday came rain. I mean, it wasn't just a shower, it was a deluge. From sunup to sundown, a trees-waving, pasture soaked, rain-thundering-on-the-roof monsoon. In the modern off grid prefab house we watched it all, cozy and dry. I was grateful the horses are now on pasture- I didn't have to trek through the wall o' water to feed; instead, I just put comfy warm woolen socks on, responded to emails, and let the downpour pummel.

But it was a reminder that in choosing property, to always look at elevation.
It's another reminder to always consider grading around your home site, too.
(But hey, our cistern is now full...!)

Pip 1 was considering the Zombie Apocalypse.
"I mean, we're off grid, so we'd have power and all, but WHAT ABOUT THE INTERNET?!? HOW WOULD WE LIVE?"

We soon found out.
With high winds / bad weather *we* are fine and cozy, but the internet went out!

I contemplated this as I watched a small tornado slowly turn, gather itself, suck up topsoil in the field across our road, then dissipate.

I didn't get any pictures of the dust devil forming
but here it is dissipating, cool huh?

Our internet was out all weekend.
WHAT DID WE DO?!? OHHHHH MY GOOOOOOOOSH HOW WILL WE LIVE???

I lounged in bed and read Julia Child's "My Life In France" then started "Moll Flanders."

Pip 1 hoisted his sister up to see how big his next Potato Cannon project should weigh.

I read three French cookbooks.

For a Zombie Apocalypse he's rather relaxed.

Hanging out, talkin' to a friend...

Finally, the sun emerged at the off grid prefab house!
The battery bank began charging again.

We set up a volleyball and badminton net.

And of course, now that it was sunny again, we rode and mowed and messed with dogs donkeys and horses...

The Zombie Apocalypse Without Internet t'ain't so bad, y'all.

And neither is Pip 1, whose body and (overactive) mind are finally catching up to his fast-paced brain. Now I can channel his high energy into bigger jobs: splitting and toting wood, tractor jobs, and one night, he spent over two hours cleaning the off grid fridge.

Not even I knew I had three bottles of Prosecco and four bottles of Bavarian mustard in there! It is now sparkling clean. Thank you for taking on this job with a thorough and good attitude, kid!

Reading Club

I thought this article was great but would have called it, "How To Raise An Adult" vs. "How To Raise An American Adult"...
We also have a rule: "When one person is working, everyone works." So while I make breakfast & wash pans, Pip 1 feeds the dogs & horses, lets out & feeds the chickens, while Pip 2 sweeps the house and wipes down the table. Chores are assigned by ability, not gender, and often swapped. No one is paid; this is what you all pitch in to do to run an efficient home...
Diagnosis of Life-Threatening Alpha-Gal Food Allergy Appears to Be Patient Driven aka "No S***, Sherlock."
For those following our alpha gal Girl journey know that her diagnosis was garnered by Facebook, that everything I (and then the doctors) have learned in order to protect her came from crowd-sourced social media of other alpha gal suffers, and that just last week I prevented a reaction by questioning the pharmacist and doctor and their procedures to ensure that my child was SAFE. Doctors and pharmacists in practice are generally NOT researchers, that is why they are called practitioners. Alpha gal security depends upon (constant) research.
Climate change is causing a major redistribution of life on Earth
"...For communities, this might include changed farming, forestry or fishing practices, new health interventions, and, in some cases, alternative livelihoods."