Recent Posts

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Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board / Re: Mindfulness and codependence thread

« Last post by lighter on Today at 09:21:04 AM »

I made three batches of a chow fun flavored chicken and pork dish this morning.

Yesterday, the pug's food was cooked, mixed, portioned and frozen in, generally, 2.5 day portions.  Lots of goopy flax and chia seeds, plus ground flax and eggshells, pork, beef, yams, peas and green beans this batch.....avocado oil.

Pug's R eye was red, but steroid drops cleared it up.

Judging, less, is changing internal things, IME.  Feels insulating, from reactivity.  I suspect it's something else.

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Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board / Re: Adventures in renovations... again

« Last post by sKePTiKal on Today at 09:12:35 AM »

Stock a couple of squeegess. Tell guests to use after every shower. I despise glass doors to clean!! One never gets them squeeky clean; water spots & soap remain - always.

Yes, one can RainX them and that helps - but you HAVE to get them spotless first. Hol recommended a 5-7% vinegar and citric acid spray and it DOES help, but the vids I've watched repeat the process 2-3 times and scrubs with 00 steel wool (beware scratching!!)

I'd go with shower curtains as my preference. They can compliment the decor; are washable; and relatively inexpensive to replace or change up.

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Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board / Re: Farm Journal - 2025

« Last post by lighter on Today at 09:11:35 AM »

Oh....I like the historical fashion/sewing vids too.  The girls sew, so it pops up in my feed. Very interesting.

About giving up .....on homesteading....
on anything really.

It's not giving up/failing, to put down something that's not working, IME.  It's facing reality, and turning towards something that can work. 

That's the thing about judging......it's builds an unhelpful story around things, that otherwise can just be what they are, sans all the chemical dumps, IME.

Not failing/giving up. 
Discerning, and pivoting, yup yup yup.

And the lime washing and repointing.  Is there anything more satisfying to watch?  I'm not sure there is.  Check out Castle Impossible.  Love it.

Lighter

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Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board / Re: Adventures in renovations... again

« Last post by lighter on Today at 09:02:43 AM »

Der boden is in, and he is spectacular!  There's  different To VP plank colors involved, so threshold selection took a bit of time.  I ended up at store where flooring came from. SO good!  Did the hallway, also,   4 thresholds, in all.  Furring up threshold where LVP meets kitchen tile. 

If today goes well, all tile will be installed, but for the wall where exterior door going in.  It's set for 7/22 delivery, still. 

 The "helper" tire out old flooring, trim,vand helped with install.  I couldn't watch, and went upstairs, which was first time I left the job while contractor here.

Floor protector paper down, this morning.  Waiting for contractor to arrive.  8 boxes of 1'x2' tiles in CrV.  Bullnose on site. 

Been shopping shower doors.  I haven't bought a ready made shower door.  Ever.  Thinking will be short, hard to clean and generally disappointing   Any advice?

Lighter

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Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board / Re: Farm Journal - 2025

« Last post by sKePTiKal on Today at 08:56:54 AM »

Yup, there's a lot out there that can be helpful & interesting in little ways/big ways. I'm also watching the vids of people giving up & moving on - for whatever reason. A lot of people think any old person can make a homestead work. Then they find out how much hard work is involved in building/developing a property. How it's impossible to get up & travel when you have animals.

Then, there are the people who find their individual "self" and freedom to BE, in their projects. Whether it's gardening, preserving, learning to lime wash & point stone walls... Building complex roofs. And the work become their joy.

I'm also watching a LOT of sewing vids. Historical fashion and techniques. Fancy dress patternmaking, tailoring. It's hitting the part of the summer, when I'll take refuge in the studio because it's too awful outside for me to work.

Still have some herbs to plant & garden to weed & tend; still have marigolds to get in out there. But I have to get motivated/moving VERY early in the morning to do so. Some days don't work out that way. And it's OK with me, that it doesn't get done RIGHT NOW. It's not going anywhere.

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Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board / Re: Animal Stories

« Last post by lighter on June 30, 2025, 05:48:45 PM »

Sounds like a very bright spot in your life, and garden, Hops.

Maybe you could give the Central African chap some transportation, till he can repair his vehicle?

Not sure if that's a few days, or more, but it might be very fulfilling.

Lighter

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Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board / Re: Farm Journal - 2025

« Last post by lighter on June 30, 2025, 01:38:24 PM »

Watching castle and chateau renovations, on a budget, make me feel so much lighter about my projects, Amber.  I also absorb creative solutions, I might otherwise not have on board.

Lighter

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Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board / Re: Animal Stories

« Last post by Hopalong on June 30, 2025, 12:54:44 PM »

And I dropped the thread AGAIN!

Well, my neighbor offered to let me place it under her deck where other bunnies have  lived, because there was no place in my yard where it'd be safe from Pup. I mostly knew it was dying when I carried it over there, and several hours later she told me it did and was "all sorted." That was kind of her.

Meanwhile, I had Abdalla thin out that perennial bed and cut it back, so it'll be a less sheltering place next year. I may even put some gravel in the depression where she makes her nests to discourage a repeat. Abdalla is a new helper I found; I like him very much. A refugee from Sudan 20 years ago, he's now a citizen with a FT job at the Univ in their environmental/landscaping etc department. He's doing this extra gigging either after work or on weekends. His wife is from the UAE, I believe -- she and the 3 kids are there for the summer. He lights up like a chandelier when he mentions his family; his English is excellent; he has a wonderful personality with a huge smile. Speaking of huge, he is that too.

The other fellow, from the Central African Republic, is still doing what he can and desperate for work, but his truck died and he really struggles to plan transportation. He came once in early spring and did more in two hours than most would do in five, but I worry for him/them, because he clearly really needs work, but can't get there.

My yard guy, Esteban, is from Mexico and a "permanent resident" here with green card, so I worry less about him than I do the others. And Edid, my cleaner, has been here 20 years but never went through the citizenship process, so is undocumented.

Two days ago I met another fellow, recent arrival from El Salvador, who is going to replace half my kitchen floor. He brought his lovely HS-junior sister in law to translate.

When I think about how hard these people work, how gracious and kind they are, and what they've been through to save their families' futures, I am awed. Grateful.

hugs
Hops

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Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board / Re: Farm Journal - 2025

« Last post by Hopalong on June 30, 2025, 12:39:26 PM »

Me too. UK cottages. Nice antidote to over-designed tiny houses (though I love the really individual ones) parked in stunning landscapes in NSW or NZ.

One of my favorites is a nerdy young gay guy in England who's lost both his parents and just moved to ab isolated rundown stone cottage in Ireland and is fixing it up, room by room and lots outdoors too.

I've enjoyed several women-in-wilderness ones too. Interesting. Never thought about how many times I'm drawn in by people living alone in wilderness or isolation, with only their camera for a friend, but talking to the world.

hugs
Hops

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Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board / Re: Farm Journal - 2025

« Last post by sKePTiKal on June 30, 2025, 08:25:15 AM »

Apparently, France requires an additional bit of info to be registered about a car, with the state. Not just VIN number. That's the gray card that is flustercating him. He's right; it should be simple to do online - but when the internet is intermittent, the webpages don't function correctly... it's easier to go do it in person. (Seems like overkill on the info - but it's funny what info people think is important.)

Brian is loved for his "Dad jokes" while working with Dan & Nick on the Chateau. He's an easy-going, cheerful, friendly guy. And anyone the puppies love that much, has to be OK - their "jerk-o-meter" is pretty accurate. I like the way he talks to his audience like we're right there - tells us to get in the car when he's heading for his little adventures or pack a bag and shows us places we wouldn't ordinarily see on the usual "tourist channels".

The Chaumont channel is also really positive - even when it seems their task today is impossible, monumentally tedious or difficult (like all the rope work off the turret to finish the slate roof & copper trim). I don't know what the arrangement is between Dan and his wife (the first videos are them renovating a French farmhouse) but his little boys are with him on weekends. Dan's living in a yurt on site, while the reno is going on.

I watch a lot of these renos, not so much the other chateaus - but UK cottages. It's my escape to other places, other problems (that I don't have to solve), and a way to just check out for awhile.