I Am Still Alive

 

It's been quite some time since my last post, so I guess I'll put something on here even though I still hav'nt done much in the house lately. I do plan to start picking away at things soon. There are several reason why I have chose not to be working on the house and they are as: #1 I am lazy. lol. Well ok, it's more like just burned out. All I've been doing for the last 3 or so years was work, and in my spare time, build on the house. And for 25 years before that, work, work, work. This is the first time in my life, that I could actually do what I want, and not feel guilty about it. Well actually for awhile there, I still did feel guilty about it. I always had guilt if I was having fun. Don't ask me why, cuz I don't know. I've done my time and I want to enjoy life without worrying about stupid things. So I decided to look after some priorities before finishing the house.  Some may think that the house is priority, but no it's not. It is quite liveable at the moment. Education at the moment is priority. As I have mentioned previously, I have been doing some stock trading and investing. Progress has been kind of slow, but I am getting better all the time. There have been times that the more knowledge I have gained, the worse I seemed to do with the trading, but I can say that things are really starting to look more clear all the time. Trading stocks, however, is not an easy money making scheme and nor did I ever think that. But I can honestly say that it is alot harder to succeed at than I thought it would be. I have heard or read many times that most people who enter the markets usually do not succeed. I have also read things like there is a 90% failure rate amongst new traders. I totally plan to be one of the 10% who succeed. It is getting better all the time. I have spent alot of time in front of this computer learning and at times I have also thought, what a waste of time. But, the more time I spend studying and experiencing, the better it gets. When I started driving trucks, it took me years to become a good bush driver. Alot of people who drive trucks, myself included, seem to think they have it all figured out once they get about 4 or 5 years under their belt. What they fail to realize usually is that they are just starting to learn things. When I quit my job in July of 2012, I was still learning new things after 25-30 years of driving or more. So I guess, trading is kind of the same, it takes time, experience, dicipline,  education and the burning desire to succeed. I am making a little money here and there, just not quite as much as I had expected to be at this stage of the game. I am not even a little bit concerend about it though. Life is going pretty darned good for me now. When I started planning to get out to the acerage here and start building my little house, the stock  trading and investing was actually a part of the whole plan, I just chose not to mention it.   

I have mentioned my friend Jo-Anne in previous posts, but at the time, she did'nt know I had a blog and I did'nt want to put her  picture up without her permission. She was a big help when the solar panels went up, and of course she helped out alot with other things. Don't tell anyone, but I think she is trying to break me out of my frugalistic and hermit ways. lol. Just kidding, I think she has learned to accept my ways. I do spend  time with Jo-Anne periodically, usually on the weekends. During the week, I still seem to remain a bit of a hermit. lol. I usually don't have a reason to leave my acerage all week long. I guess I plan it that way.

I took this picture today. It has been quite a snowy winter. All systems are running pretty good. The power, water, heating etc. It all has performed for me alot better than I have expected. At first my honda eu2000i generator was taking taking alot longer to charge things, and did'nt seem to work well with my system, but I eventually found out that it was because of a wiring boo boo in the 4 wire extension cord that plugs into the house. Once I figured that one out, the whole charging system was like day and night. It used to take me 6  hours to charge a days worth of furnace operation. Now I think I can charge 2 days worth in about 3 hours with that little generator. I really don't need one any bigger than that, although, it would'nt hurt to have one a little bigger. The honda is now having a rest though, as the days are getting longer. The last time I used it for the house was Feb 25 2013. It has snowed off and on recently, but the large battery bank can go a few days without a charge, especially if I keep the fire going instead of running the furnace. The last couple of days the solar panels have had me charged right up.  When it snows in this warmer weather, it don't take long for the snow to slide off the panels. It snowed today for a bit, but then it cleared up and the sun began to shine.

I haul my water in two tanks that I just leave on one of my trailers. I haul 1.35 cubic meters in one and 1.25 in the other. This is a total of a little under 600 gallons , I believe. I have been hauling one load per month so far. I do conserve my water, but I know, I could conserve even more if I really wanted too.

Unloading the water into the cistern.

When I installed my pex type water lines to the tub and sink etc, I used 3/4 inch line all the way except for when lines branched off, then I used 1/2. But even though the water lines don't have a very long run, it does waste a fair bit of water while waiting for the hot to strart spewing out. The frugal in me, says to catch that water and use it in the toilet, so that is what I do. It is a whole toilet flush down the drain, if I don't catch that water. Sound like a pain in the arse, but it is all automatic to me now. I could,nt imagine wasteing perfectly good hauled water like that. I am also in the habit of not flushing the toilet each and every time it get used. That is also a minor little issue, although alot of people may think I am a nut case on that one, but I don't care, I think I would feel sorry for you if that is the case.

 

When I do my dishes, I first collect a whole toilets flush worth of water, while it is getting to the hot stuff.

I did not purchase a propane gas range yet, but I've been getting by without it just fine so far. Once in awhile, but not very often, I use this coleman camp stove for cooking. I do also use my microwave quite frequently. When I make coffee it is usally the instant stuff, and the water is nuked in the microwave. Sometimes though, I have put a coffee pot on the wood stove. I also use my propane bar-b-que on the deck on the nice days.

Most of my cooking in the winter time is done right inside the woodstove though. Using the camp stove with those little green propane bottles is not a very frugal way to go. I could hook the camp stove directly to the gas source I guess, but I just don't see the need for it. I just minimize the usage of it.

This is an example of a full meal cooked in the wood stove. I have cooked just about anything in there such as chicken wings, hamburger patties, hot dog, beef sausage, baked potatoes, etc. All wrapped in tinfoil of course. It works really well for me, and I do it alot. I got this idea when I seen Margy  at powell river books baking potatoes in hers. lol.   

 

 

So anyway, like I say, did'nt accomplish a whole lot on the house lately, but I do hope to get a burst of ambition and start doing some things soon. I hav'nt missed going to work at all. Just loving the freedom. That's what it's all about with me, the freedom.

 

Oh by the way, I had a look one day at my website traffic/visiter counter thingy there, awhile ago, and I noticed that one day (I think in February)  I had an unusually large amount of traffic to my website. Anyone know why that happend? I'm just curious. It's like I was maybe mentioned in an article or possibly on a radio program or something maybe. Well anyway, sorry it took so long for me to post something, I will try and be a little more frequent in the near future, but I'm just not the kind to post about my every day life all the time, even if it is'nt  so boring. lol.

Also thanks for being patient and following my blog. I see some new followers coming in all the time and it sorta makes me think that I should be a little more conciderate and post something once in awhile. It will come sometime. Take care.