Tanks, Tanks and More Tanks!

Well...it is a new day. We still have not heard from our contractor. He is sometimes difficult to get ahold of, so Dave left messages at all three numbers for him today. He might even be gone for the weekend.

Dave had to work today, but he got the water tanks refilled before he left. I will still need to dump the black water later. I am hoping to wait until he gets home so that we can flush the tank at the same time. When he turns the water on later, we will all need to take showers, too. Somehow, this weekend I need to get his work shirts washed. I hate leaving the water on for the washing machine. It is leaking too much for that.

We ran out of propane this morning in the small external tank. The other small tank is not filled, yet. We have two. Usually we keep the second one filled, too, as a back up; but we had decided to use up the propane in the rig tank. After work, Dave will switch us over to that much bigger tank. He thinks that will probably last us through most of the summer. At some point, we do plan on refilling at least one, if not both, of the small external tanks, too. It is always good to have a backup. You just never know when something might happen.

It was while I was bringing the water for our hot cereal up to a boil this morning that the propane ran out. We figured it would happen soon. Thankfully, I also have an electric hot plate. So, I used that to make our chocolate Malt-o-Meal! We also have an electric roaster that we were blessed with by another family, plus our microwave/convection oven. So, we are not without cooking resources.

Thankfully, we had to replace our water heater while we were staying at the RV park before we moved onto our land. We now have one that is dual. It runs on both electricity and propane. The electric keeps it hot. If we use it to the degree that the electric cannot keep up...the propane kicks in, too. This REALLY helps a lot to make our showers last a wee bit longer. It helps a lot in this situation, too. When we are out of propane, the electric still heats. And if we lose power, the propane still heats. Either way, we have hot water! Yay!

So, today we still have a water leak and are using our water storage tanks. We have no propane, either, but that is temporary until Dave gets home tonight and switches over. It is cold outside, but warm inside. Our son is still sick...but feeling much better overall. Life goes on...and we will fall into its rhythm. Hopefully, the spring and summer will bring enough dry weather on the right days for us to get some things done.

From our Little RV on the Hillside to wherever you live, we wish you blessings and Yahweh's Shalom.

Thunder, Rain, Goals & Privacy!

Yesterday, we had some rain. We also had some thunder...and I do mean thunder!! It was almost directly overhead. The rig even shook once or twice. It was so loud, it made me jump one time. How awesome and incredible! How powerful!

The night before it rained so hard and so much that Dave had to go into work late because he could not drive across the creek. He had meant to park on the other side and forgot. Usually, we don't hear the rain because of the insulation on the roof...but we heard it that night. Every time we woke up we heard it, so we know it rained hard and steadily.

Last night, he left the van on the other side, which turned out to be a good thing. It did not rain as hard last night as it did the night before, but it must have been raining steadily. He had to cross the creek using the tree so he could turn on the water and bring back our garbage can.

With the water leaking again, we are back on our tanks. So, Dave went and turned on the water so our son could shower and I could refill some water containers to use for flushing the toilet. Using the containers helps to make the water in the tank last longer.

It is getting warmer at night, which is so nice. I look forward to being able to take our oil heater out of the rig. Then we won't have to walk around it to get from one end of the rig to the other. In small spaces, everything that has to be left inside really impacts us one way or another.

I also need to get a plastic bin to put shoes outside in so that they are not in a box in the kitchen. In the winter we will all need to keep one pair inside or else our feet will freeze putting those frozen shoes on! In the summer, it won't be that big of a deal. But they need to be in a plastic bin with a lid so they will stay dry...and hopefully mildew free. We also need to keep the bugs out. The bugs around here tend to like me...a lot! *groan*

A lot of things are easier in the summer...when it is not raining. The rain makes life harder as we still don't have adequate protection for a lot of our things that are outside. There are quite a few things under tarps, but we found out that tarps won't keep them dry or mildew free. Between the wind, the sun and time...tarps break down pretty fast. Or water gets under them and wets everything from the bottom up. It seems like no matter how we plan, nothing goes quite right and so we have a mess on our hands.

The goal...although we hesitate to even set goals anymore...is to get the tent room up so that I can have a dry place to start sorting through the stuff that is under the tarps. I need to get rid of the bad stuff and somehow sort and either pack up or pass on the salvageable stuff.

Another very important goal, if we dare to set them, is to get the laundry room finished. There are so many areas that alone would impact. It would provide a warm dry place for storing things like seasonal clothing and become our food pantry. It would also become a haven for times when someone just needs to be alone. Since we will hardwire a phone into it, it will also provide a quiet place for phone calls, so long as no one is washing! It would also be nice for our son to have a warm, dry place to go watch a dvd or read a book or something while Dave and I have some all important privacy.

Having three of us in one small space with no real privacy has been one of the toughest things of all. It is very hard to discuss adult things when there is always another set of young ears around. And for me, the introvert who regroups in solitude, it has probably been the toughest. My two guys are extroverts and love to be very much engaged with others. I love engagement, too, but when it is constant it just drains me.

One reason setting goals is difficult is because we are always having to "put out fires". This water leak is just one example. It seems like every time we plan to get something done, something always happens...something that drains us of time, money or both. A lot of times the weather works against us, or something breaks and has to be fixed. It is hard, when it is just the three of us, to get much of anything done; although, we have actually accomplished quite a bit between the three of us. Naturally, we have gotten the most done in the shortest amount of time when we have had some help.

Yesterday, Dave worked on the trench at the far end of the meadow. It is draining fairly well, but still needs to be deeper to fully keep up with heavy rains. Thankfully, our meadow is not flooding nearly like it was, but there are still plenty of low spots we need to work with. There is another drainage gully that feeds into the meadow that still needs to be diverted. With a small bucket or backhoe we could make fairly short work of it, but we have no funds to rent one. So, it is shovels and a hoe. At least we get a good workout in the process! *smile*

Yet, we know that Yahweh/God is in control. Truth is...we have the necessities of life. We don't have what we want, but we have what we absolutely need. Yes, we have to be creative, especially in the area of privacy, but it is not impossible. It only FEELS impossible a lot of the time. Spontaneity is practically dead, although not totally. We have to work hard for what we do have...such as it is.

Yes, we have to do a lot of things that people not in this living situation don't have to do. It is quite a bit more work. But it is not impossible. Some things are a lot harder to do, like washing dishes. One thing I am really hoping I can find...and get...is a sink with no divider. I can work with it being so shallow (about 4 1/2" deep), but the divider is a real hindrance to washing big pots and pans. Even the dishes don't lay flat in the sink. Water constantly goes all over the counter, too, if you are not real careful...due to the divider and the shallowness of the sink. We have looked at the plumbing beneath. We could only add another inch or two, at most, to the depth of the sink...if I can find and afford one.

We also have to trust Him that my PTSD won't get to be too much in this situation. Right now, I do feel pretty overwhelmed. That means that I really have to look at all that I am doing and pare down even more. I have to get things down to a manageable level. Such is life. It is hard, but not impossible.

It says in God's Word that we have been given everything pertaining to life and godliness. I have to admit that there are times when I am tempted to disbelieve that. Yet, I know that God does not lie. If it feels like we do not have what we really need, then it is our own perceptions that are off...not God.

I have trusted Him. I will continue to trust and love Him...no matter what happens. That does not mean, however, that I will always be a "happy camper"...or that I will not struggle. Pain is still pain. Hassles are still hassles. It is more a matter of not letting the pain and the hassles rob me of the deep inner joy and peace that I have in Yeshua/Jesus.

Well...I have a lot to do today and a sick son to care for. These are my thoughts for now from our Little RV on the Hillside!

I hope that all reading this is having a very blessed day. I know that I intend to!

Low Creek Versus High Creek at the Crossing!

Here is a picture of low creek. It has been lower...almost totally dry, but this is fairly typical. It is easy to walk across and drive through.




This, on the other hand is an example of high creek. Notice the cement blocks on the left are completely buried. This is not the highest it has been...but it is an example of being too high to drive through or walk across.



Thankfully, when the creek does get high, once it stops raining, it lowers pretty quickly...usually within a few hours.

Double Rainbow!

In April of 2007, we saw a beautiful double rainbow. Of course, pictures never do them justice, especially from an inexpensive refurbished digital camera. However, I did take some photos and am putting the best of them here.














I hope you enjoyed them!

Bed to Couch!

There are some who have expressed curiousity about our bed to couch, couch to bed set up. Every day I/we have to convert it both ways. Here are some pictures showing the conversion one way.

Making a couch to a bed (and back) involves several steps. These pics were taken last year. The blanket is now changed and there are some minor differences in the appearance of the RV, but it is basically the same as now. This is the procedure for going from bed to couch. Just reverse it for couch to bed.


This is the foot of our "bed". You can see the back of the driver's seat.

This is the head. Behind the head is the kitchen.





On Dave's side there is a sleeping bag with foam inside under the sheet and blanket. First, I fold up the sheet and blanket on my side over his side.

Then, pulling it all toward me, I fold what hangs over between Dave and the wall towards me and over the rest.


It is basically folding the bedding into thirds over the sleeping bag.




The bedding gets rolled up and the two straps wrapped around it. Wrestling to get the straps on gives me extra exercise! *smile*

Then I get to wrestle with it again to get it into the driver's seat between the steering wheel and the back of the seat!



The pillows are then tucked into place.






The bed is ready to be made into a couch.


It folds up into a "V", which then slides into the upright position.





This last picture was taken about two years ago when we were still staying at an RV park.

Moving Our "Box " In!

These pictures are actually from last year. When we moved out here, we put most of our belongings in a 40' shipping container. PODS - Portable On Demand Storage aka our "box" or "pod". When the box first arrived, we had it stored somewhere. After we moved onto our land, we needed to have the box moved here with us.



The guys are measuring an open space we have to see if the box will fit in there.







The truck arrives! The driver has to back into the space.













This is one LONG box!











Dave put boards underneath it to keep it off the ground. He and the driver are checking to make sure all is well beneath it.

Water Leaks & Continuing to Trust!

We still have a water leak. The thing that spins and tells us we have a leak has started spinning faster again. We did take care of one secondary leak, so we are not sure if we have one or two leaks. Today, we are going to turn off the water and go back onto our tanks.

We are pretty sure it is two. We are trusting Yahweh to provide for this water bill coming up. We already know it is going to top $200... and that was before we continued leaking. We do have the name of our trustee, who we are told might be able to help with it; however, we are not sure what his phone number is. There is no number next to his name, so I am trying the numbers above and below his name (for other trustees of other townships) to see if they have his number.

*sigh*

Gotta keep trusting in Yahweh. He works through all things! We praise Him and thank Him in all things, and for all things.

Abba, we know that You are doing something in all of this. Help us to see it and to always keep our hearts and minds focused on You. Amen and amen!

Leaky Hoses & Water Pumps!

Well, we found our minor leak, which turned out to be not quite as minor as we thought. It was in our water hose going into the rig. One end actually had a slow spray, but it was covered with insulating foam. We also found an occasional drop or two from our water pressure regulator that is between that hose and the water pipe. The hose is now replaced with one of those braided steel hoses. At 2500 pounds of pressure capability, I don't think we are going to have to be concerned about the hose splitting or spraying or anything else...only freezing!

The pressure regulator drip is VERY slow...an occasional drop or two. When we get the chance, we need to get a big regulator and put it at the meter so that there is not so much pressure on the regulator by the rig. That might even stop the occasional drop we now see. If not, we do have another regulator somewhere. The water pressure is so high here that we have actually had pressure regulators by the rig explode...literally! We need to check the water meter again to make sure it does not still show a leak.

Today, I call the water company to see what the new bill is likely to be. They came out at the end of last week to get another reading after the major leak was fixed. Then, I also get to call our county trustee and find out just what it is that trustees do! Since I was told they sometimes have funds to help people out with emergencies, I figured I would ask for help with the water bill. Our electric bill is also high because the remote reading portion of our previous meter did not work. So, they estimated our electricity and fell way short. When they put the new meter in, they did a manual read on the old one and yikes! So, maybe we can get help with that, too.

Thankfully, both companies are willing to work out payments with us. However, when you already live so close to the paycheck, that can get a bit tricky, especially trying to work out payments with TWO utilities at the same time. Of course, our electric bill should hopefully be going down with the warmer weather on the way...that is, if the weather would please get here and STAY here! It has snowed twice in the last few days, not sticking, of course! If we use less electricity, then the added amount to help pay for the current bill may not hit us so hard!

Yahweh/God HAS taken care of us. He has not provided what we have wanted...which is actually probably a good thing in many cases...but He has gotten us through many things. We have not been wanting for food, clothing or shelter, although we have not been very comfortable many times in that shelter! *smile* He has made us use our creativity a LOT!

We would also not have known about the water leak at all if we had not gotten a higher bill that I called the water company about. The way the meters are read, it could have been a bill for up to a month and a half, which would have made sense. They insisted on sending someone down to check the meter reading and I thank Yahweh they did! The leak could have all been on one bill and it would have been even worse because we still would not even know we had a leak! He IS watching out for us. I truly believe that!

We have also grown in ways that we just would not have grown. That is something that, looking back, we would not trade. We have changed...in good ways! We still struggle with some things, but we just keep working on whatever we can do to make it better. Some of it is simply going to require either a miracle or acceptance and being content to do without...to accept what is. There is nothing wrong with acceptance and being content; however, there is also nothing wrong with continuing to hope for the miracle!

Today is laundry day. Hopefully, our hose to the laundry room is not frozen. We are also concerned about our water pump in the washer. We had a few really cold nights when we did not get the washer all wrapped up. I will be SO glad when/if we finally get the laundry room finished! Then all we will have to do is keep a little heater in there to keep it above freezing and pray for no power outages. Hopefully, the water pump is fine. I will find out today.

I also get to dump the black water tank again. Woohoo! Oh, such fun! NOT! *laughing* I am SO grateful to have a black water tank to dump...seriously! What if our rig had not had a bathroom? Where would we be now? Well, obviously, Yahweh would have had to provide another way! Outhouse, maybe? *smile*

Well, it is another day here at the Little RV on the Hillside! The sun is shining here upon us. I hope that YOUR day also has sun shining...both physically and also mentally, emotionally and spiritually! Trust your spiritual wellbeing to Yeshua/Jesus. He will NEVER leave you or forsake you!

Assorted Thoughts on Spring, Easter & the Resurrection!

Yesterday, the weather was beautiful! I was in and out of the rig and really enjoying it. Ahhhh...methinks that Spring has mayhaps finally sprung! Away from me, sendentary lifestyle! I am casting you off! I even sprinted a short (VERY short) distance up our driveway. It surprised me that it did not tire me immediately. Hmmm...mayhaps I am in better shape than I thought? In spite of my rather sedentary lifestyle?

I am so looking forward to better weather. Today is pretty nice, although a bit on the cool side. Normally, I really love the rain. However, we really need a spell of dry weather around the days that Dave can work on things outside. The rain and mud have really interfered a lot with getting things done outside. It takes a while for us to get things done. It is a whole lot harder when the weather does get with "our" program! LOL!

I am sitting here listening to beautiful worship music and thinking of this coming Sunday. I like to call it "Resurrection" Sunday because that is the real focus of the day for me. If it were not for Yeshua/Jesus' resurrection, He would be a liar and not the Son of Yahweh/God that He claimed to be. Oh, I am sure that I just opened a real kettle of worms with that statement. It is something I will address more in a different post at some time.

Right now I am thinking of this coming Sunday. I have been looking at the history of "Easter". I found some links on the subject. One is here:
http://wilstar.com/holidays/easter.htm

This is another. It has some really interesting links on the subject. They are well worth reading, even though it does mean a bit of link to link work:
http://www.religioustolerance.org/easter.htm

Within the Christian church and followers of Yeshua/Jesus, there is a bit of disagreement as to what is "right" for us to do regarding this day. Personally, I believe we should be educated as to the history and meanings of ALL things we do. Doing something simply because "we have always done it this way" or because "everyone else does it" just does not make sense to me. I think we really need to look into why we do any of the things we do. Then, I think we need to take the information we find to Yahweh and His Word and seek guidance from Him as to what is "right" to do.

We each stand before God for ourselves and the choices we make. It does not behoove any of us to stand in judgment of another. I do not answer for anyone else's decisions any more than any one else answers for my decisions.

Yeshua said:

Mat 22:37-40 NASB
(37) And He said to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'
(38) "This is the great and foremost commandment.
(39) "The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'
(40) "On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."

Love of Yahweh/God and of our neighbor should be our main focus. Part of my love for Him is to learn all that I can about Him and to obey His teachings in every way that I can. I fall very short of that and certainly am in no place to judge any one else!

Part (and only part) of my loving my neighbors as myself is to encourage them to seek the truth and be willing to accept it, no matter the cost. Get the facts, take it to the Lord, and do whatever He shows you to do. Pretty simple, huh?

There have been many times that Yahweh has shown me something and I did not want to obey Him. I wanted to live by what I thought were "liberty" and "grace". What He showed me was that He knows best and that His grace and liberty are not license to do whatever I want. His grace is what gives me the liberty to be able to accept His forgiveness and love and to follow His teachings.

Anyway, for whatever they are worth, these are just my thoughts and ramblings on things. Whatever your take on it is, I hope that everyone reading this will have a very blessed and enjoyable weekend. I hope that you will remember what Yeshua did for you and rejoice in it.

However you choose to celebrate Resurrection Sunday, it is my hope that you will not allow those celebratory things to overshadow what it is that you are celebrating. Or mayhaps, I should say WHO you are celebrating!

Shalom and B'rakhot (blessings) to all reading here from our little RV on the hillside.

The Water Leak is Fixed!!

This is before it got fixed after Dave dug it out almost down to the pipe.


Woohoo!!! The major water leak is fixed. The contractor who put in the lines came out and fixed it. The water company sent someone out to read the meter again so that we will know what the final "damages" are.We are all so grateful that it turned out to NOT be under our laundry room! It was about a foot out from the edge.



We are leaving it open for a few days to make sure it holds. The ground slopes downward where the leak was, so Dave is going to put a pipe from the leak to the side of the hill. That way, even when it is filled back in, if it leaks again, we will know right away because the water will run out the pipe and down the side of the hill.






Now that we know how to tell from the water meter if we are leaking, we have also confirmed another leak. We suspected that we had a very slow leak where the water hookup to the RV is, but with all the rain, we could not be sure.

Dave dug along the side of the pipe and drilled into the side of it so that the water could start to drain into a trench he dug that runs over the side of the pad. This will give it a chance to "dry" out and we can see if it is leaking there, too. If water persists in dripping into the trench, even when it is not raining...we will know we have found the other leak.



The leak area is behind the hay bales. We had hay bales around the water hose going into the RV so that it would not freeze in the winter. The hose was also wrapped in insulation.

Well, signing off for now from the Little RV on the Hillside. :)

High Nature Traffic Area & Rambling Thoughts!

We were looking out the window this morning, my son and I. He commented on all the traffice out there. We saw a chipmunk going back and forth, a squirrel going back and forth and assorted birds. I guess our place is a popular place.

I sat on the couch looking out the window and enjoying the beautiful music of a PBN Praise Until Dawn podcast. Soothing music...soothing sights for the eyes. Our living situation is difficult, yet we are blessed with a peaceful and beautiful place to live. I often think of the conveniences of living in town, yet, along with that is the trade off of what we have here. Of course, right now there is no other option. But, if I had a choice, I don't really think I would mind the rural living so much if I had a reliable car and plenty of gas money. *smile* There are so many things we would see in town that we would not see here.

I like the idea of neighbors, but not so close that I can see in their windows, and they in mine. Not so close that conversations can be overheard...or TV's or stereos. See, I enjoy quiet and solitude. I would just like to have some things be more accessible to me, you know? I like being able to look out and see nothing but Yahweh's beautiful creation. I also like being able to go outside and see other people's homes within walking distance. This can be the best of both worlds if one has the resources to not be isolated.

The times when it is hard is when someone is sick...when the closest medical care is about 30 minutes away minimum. It is hard to have to get to appointments with no transportation. So, I pray for an economical car. I know...it would take a miracle to get one. But you know, I have seen Yahweh do it in the past. He can certainly do it again. *smile*

In the meantime, I am learning to be content and to appreciate all that I have been blessed with. I have so much more than a lot of people have. For that I am very grateful.

High Creek & Tree Crossing!

Well...I am bushed. Two afternoons of trenching really tired me out. And, somehow, the last two days were not very restful. Not really sure why. Perhaps it was just all the extra stuff we have been dealing with. Having PTSD, it does not take much above the already higher energy expenditures that go with this lifestyle to drain me.

We did find the leak. It looks like it is not actually under the edge of the laundry room like we thought. It appears to be about a foot out from the edge. The hole is about two feet deep, but Dave did not get to the pipe yet. It rained today and is supposed to rain all day tomorrow, so the contractor won't be out until probably Thursday. The end of the laundry room is jacked up to make it easier to dig out.

We had to go out today. All the rain caused the creek to raise pretty high. So, we crossed our creek by using the tree we had felled to lay across the creek. I am putting in pictures below.



Looking upstream.





Looking toward the road.



Going across. Notice the rope tied across to hang onto. There is a special loop that hangs from the rope that our son can put his hand through.




Looking down.





Looking downstream toward our drive through crossing.





The roadside end. The tree will not roll on us when we try to cross.










The RV/meadow side. What odd things you can find trees growing around!

Update on Water Leak!

UPDATE:

Hubby found the leak. It is under our laundry room. It appears to be right near the edge so he is hoping that it can be dug out or worked around easily. The contractor who put the lines in is coming tomorrow. He does not know yet that we found the location of the leak, but we had told him it might be under the laundry room. He said that, if it is, he thinks he can work around it without us having to dismantle it. Hubby and son are clearing out around it as much as possible.

The water company will work with us on the bill. I will also call the trustee and see if we can get any help from that resource. First, I want to see the leak fixed so that I can get a better idea of what the bill will really be. So far, it is going to be close to $200. Our normal water bill would be around $45, so that is a huge leak for us.

We did get the holding tanks flushed and filled so we do have "running" water. Praise Yahweh! The water pump needed to be primed. We had to drain the tanks and turn off the water after filling it. When we went to start it up again, we could not get the pump primed again. It is a very old pump. Hubby was getting discouraged. So, we prayed, accepting our Abba's will, whatever that might be. After praying, I got up, tried it again...and it worked!

We are always learning in more ways to trust Him and thank Him in all, and for all, things!

Trenching to the Creek! Success!

Note the big rock in the foreground. That is what we were running into the closer we got to the creek.


There is water flowing through it!


Here the water is flowing down the bank toward the creek!

Meadow Trenching Pics!

This is actually not too bad. Usually, there is a huge "puddle" right here and it is fed from a drainage "stream" that runs through the middle of our meadow when it rains heavily. We have been working at both ends of the meadow to deal with the problem. At the "source" end, we have a trench to drain the water toward the creek and we started a kind of dirt "dam" to help block the water from going through the meadow.

This is the source end. The water drains from down the hillside and across from our neighbor. It usually creates a very large "pool" right in the middle of what you see in this picture. This nothing compared to what it usually looks like in a rain storm. The beginning of the trench toward the creek can be seen in the bottom right of this picture.



This is the beginning of the trench to the creek. Below are more pictures of the trench with the final one ending just short of the crest. There is a big stone in the trench preventing it from being dug deeper.

The "Blizzard" of March, 2008!Pics!

The view of our meadow from our "living room" window.





Birdwatching through the window.




Looking across the valley.

Looking down our creek.





Looking at the driveway from our pad.



Our creek crossing.