Of noses, heads, a neti pot, and some almost news
I haven’t been this sick for this long since before I was pregnant with Lila, back in NY when I got walking pneumonia and had to take a week off work. I spent Easter in bed, and thanked the heavens that Chris was at home to handle the feeding of the people, the chickens, the baby plants. He left Lila coughing in bed with me for a few hours watching Little Bear on continuous loop while he mowed some of the lawn. She’s mostly fine, just a nasty cough. Afterwards the two of them decorated the eggs I boiled the night before.
Tyler spent part of the day hammering on his anvil outside my bedroom window. I love that he’s interested in something that involves actual labor, but dude, a hammer? On an anvil? Outside my bedroom window? My head hurt so bad yesterday that I wanted to chop it off. Nothing helped, and I took so many drugs that I’ll need to do a major liver cleanse. I tried Claratin, Tylenol Sinus, three ibuprofen, double drained the sinuses with a warm salt solution with the neti pot. That’s some freaky shit right there people. I’m hovering over the sink, trembling with fever, with a ceramic teapot thing shoved up my nose. Water’s going in one side and trickling back out the other. I felt like an alien.
I’ve used an entire box of tissues in two days, two bags of Riccola honey-herb cough drops, and thank you baby Jesus for the Alka-Selzer Plus Nighttime Gel Caps. You’re my hero. Today the headache is less, but still there. If it persists I’ll need to go find some of the strange things Elise suggested in her comments. Nasalcrom. Sounds like a surgical tool.
Spending a day in bed when you know there are about 4 jillion things that need to be knocked down just isn’t restful. We’re all pretty stressed out around here as we’re finally articulating our frustrations about this pretty big lifestyle we’ve chosen, and how it’s not working for us in so many ways.
A piece of property (7/8 acre) adjacent to Chris’ parents’ is up for sale. It has a gorgeous little house and a detached 2 car garage. We looked at it on Friday (with me hacking and still trying to tell myself it was allergies–sorry to anyone I may have contaminated) and I fell in love. It’s been on the market for a few months and every time I’ve driven by the house I’ve had a surge of yes that’s only gotten stronger now that I’ve been inside it, and have walked around on the land.
There are a few downsides, sacrifices in privacy being a main one. A development of brand new homes is going up right behind, and two of the houses are within spitting distance. Maybe 100′ between us and them. Hello fence!
Here’s the main thing. I love living in the country for a lot of reasons, and can see myself living in a more country setting one day when I don’t have small children. But it would need to be a specific kind of country setting, where the people are a community. We have moments of community out here, mostly centered around who needs their garden rototilled. Otherwise, it’s keep your head down, and stay the hell off my property.
I miss community. With every bit of me, even the solitary bit. I miss people. My kids miss people. All of our people, the ones we consider true friends, the ones we seek out in our free time, live in town, and they don’t enjoy coming out to the country to spend time with us. I can’t help but wonder if it’s because they sense our lack of commitment, and know that we’d rather be closer to them.
I’m getting dizzy sitting here now, and think I’m going to go drain my sinuses with Mr. neti pot one more time. I’ll write more about the reasons for putting down the bucolic dream in the next few days. It’s tied to education, learning, marriage, parenting, health, and sanity. I have a lot to say. But today, Chris is talking with our mortgage broker, to see if it’s possible. If it isn’t, we’re going to start working towards it anyway, and the right property will come along. If it is? It’s going to happen fast, and we’ve got a lot of work to do around here to make the place saleable. Wish us luck.
Oh, and I’ll have about 17 (of our 25) chickens who will need a new home…
"Autumn is the eternal corrective. It is ripeness and color and a time of maturity; but it is also breadth, and depth, and distance. What man can stand with autumn on a hilltop and fail to see the span of his world and the meaning of the rolling hills that reach to the far horizon?"
~Hal Borland
April 17th, 2006 at 10:54 am
i took one look at that house pic and heard a huge resounding Yes . . . sending you well wishes and warm yummies . . . for your snot fest and your possible new home and just because you just don’t near enough know how cute you are
April 17th, 2006 at 12:12 pm
That’s a cute little house!
As someone who had privacy and now does not have it,(I have 2 acres in the middle of a tiny town in the middle of nowhere)I can say that I REALLY wish I had more privacy. I miss not having people being able to view my house from all directions and the general lack of solitude. We have good neighbors now, but who knows what the future will bring? Anyway, I’m a peace and quiet kind of gal…but, hey, that’s me. I hope you find what you’re needing/missing and still have space for a lovely garden!
Also? I hope you’re feeling better soonest, dear. I’m sending you get well soon vibes. You poor thing. xo
April 17th, 2006 at 1:43 pm
Kate, my dear, you know I’m banking on that intuition of yours…
Blair…we don’t have very much privacy here either. The house is very close to the road, and two neighbors spend a lot of time paying acute attention to every little thing we do over here. So for us, at least we would be closer to people we can relate to. I wouldn’t have one big garden, but many smaller ones, which is fine with me.
thanks for your well wishes! xo
April 17th, 2006 at 6:19 pm
Hope you feel better soon!
We’re putting an offer on a house tomorrow because i had a YES moment today with a house.
It just felt RIGHT. Good luck with your house! I’d opt for being in town at this point in my life too
April 17th, 2006 at 9:19 pm
I was just telling someone about the beautiful pictures of your land in your blog recently. Who… Oh, my friend who is building a treehouse without a tree that strikingly resembles the shed you are building. And I was talking about how amazing you are in your homesteading efforts, but my god, if it’s ruining your life, get the hell out of there. Anything that can help should be done. I’ll be your poster child for the effects of an environment that gives you what you need. Off to google neti pot…
April 17th, 2006 at 9:20 pm
I’m back. Yuck!!
April 17th, 2006 at 9:22 pm
Now I’m going to go google “deviled egg plate,” since all the beautiful deviled eggs that M had made slid right off the plate onto the floor when E went to take the plate to that table. All that lovely cheerful help gone to waste–except not, because we just picked them up off the floor, scooped the filling right back into them, and put the plate on the table. Except for the one that fell off a second time. That one M just ate right there in the kitchen.
April 17th, 2006 at 10:05 pm
Hmm, can I come be part of your community? In a couple years. Please. I need me some country, but I don’t want to be lonely. Anyway, I’m excited for you on all levels. And I’m wishing you wellness all around too.
April 18th, 2006 at 2:14 am
Your face and boobs remark had me flying in, YES! Isn’t that depressing? Meh. And you know how to do that “read the rest…” thingy, you’re my new heroine. Kudos! I have no advice to offer on the house really, am one of tose “follow your gut and let it be airy and filled with light and I need some birds singing”, which isn’t so easy to find when you live in Lisbon. Anyway, happy to have found you, hope you feel better soon (you should, the green mucous is a sign of things going as they should within you, with the bad elements losing the fight).
April 18th, 2006 at 7:01 am
Here I am worried about moving my furntiure. You have CHICKENS to deal with. haha.
I love the whay this house looks. I looks like there is a top florr with slanted ceings from the inside? Does it have that? I love when places have that, its so charming.
April 19th, 2006 at 7:01 am
Is this house in the greater kent area? Because a short commute for your husband is worth its weight in gold. Plus I could help you paint or clean or whatever if you need some help if and when you move in. (I love stuff like that!) For me and Darrell, living in town is great. We are close to family, we have really nice neighbors, and we can walk to the bank, library, post office, etc. We value our privacy, too, so we have some combination of drapes, curtains and blinds on every window. Good luck, I hope it works out. And I hope you feel better soon. Great looking porch, by the way.
April 19th, 2006 at 8:48 pm
Man, I feel like I have not visited your blog in a while. I’m so sorry you’ve been ill. Isn’t it nice to be able to scream “yes” instead of whisper “I guess so”? I hope you get exactly what you want, and no less.
April 21st, 2006 at 12:48 pm
i don’t think the chickens will like the trip to massachussetts, and what with me driving by the station today and seeing prices up to $3.09 (HOLY!!!) those chicks wouldn’t be worth their weight in gold…nor would too many motels along the way let you check them in. but, if you do make this happen and you do also make the trek out to the fam, vin’s offered our house as a respite for your upright piano. he’s such a generous soul you know. sending you lots of positives for health, home and peace of mind. xo
April 21st, 2006 at 6:57 pm
Oh gosh. It’s a charmer.