Saturday 29 November 2014

Miracles DO happen...

I can't believe I'm actually getting to say this, since I had almost given up hope, but I'm happy to announce that Sir Hendrix has finally been moved. After weeks and weeks of talking to the tow truck guys and the bus owners almost daily, trying to get somebody to go over there and do it, we finally had a nice sunny day yesterday and got the call we've been praying for. Adrian was so excited. He's been so fed up with the whole thing, he was ready to just tell the owners to keep it and move on. I kept telling him it would be foolish to give up now, since we had already invested so much time and money into trying to get it going and that his persistence would eventually pay off. Luckily he does listen to what I have to say once in a while and stuck with it. So, here's a nice little life lesson for you. If you want something really bad, it most likely won't come easy. You've got to work hard for the things you want the most and if you are persistent and don't give up, even if you want to do just that, it will happen. Here's some proof of that statement. A picture of Sir Hendrix all ready to be loaded up and ready to head to his new home.



I wish I could've been there to witness it all, but I had more exciting things to do. I had the pleasure of doing two weeks worth of laundry at the local laundromat and after that, I got to do the groceries. Yay me! Here's the kids making the best of day full of tedious chores.


Back to Sir Hendrix who's being hooked onto the tow truck in this next picture. 


AND he's finally on the road. After standing on a lot for 8 long years he finally got to go on a 60 km long drive on scenic roads on the most beautiful, sunny day we've had in weeks. Nothing but blue skies. I think he's smiling in this next picture, but I can't be sure since I can't find my glasses. Last time I saw them, Noah was trying to put them on the dogs' behind.


Adrian followed the whole way. Now, I wasn't there but I'm pretty sure he was smiling the whole time. Either that or praying he wouldn't have to witness one off Sir Hendrix's tires falling off. I know I was anxious until he called me and said that the bus had been parked at the local mechanics for the winter, where they will check him out and hopefully tell us it won't be to expensive to get him running smoothly again. A girl can dream, right?


And this is the beginning of what I like to call 'The Sir Hendrix experience'. I will keep you guys up to date on any news from the mechanics regarding Sir Hedrix's condition and will hopefully let you know soon, whether we will turn him into our future mobile home or our new stationary guest house. Either way, we're very much looking forward to his transformation and are very excited about this new project we get to sink our teeth into. Sometimes it is nice when things fall into place, especially when these things are free.

PS: I'm also happy to announce that Broody and her gang have started laying again and just in time, too. Adrian refused to let me buy eggs at the store considering we've got 5 chickens in our backyard, which is understandable but annoying, since I love eggs and was really starting to get quite agitated. I couldn't eat my beloved egg sandies in the morning, I couldn't bake and I couldn't make pancakes or french toast for the kids. In two words, it stank. But this week has taught me once again that patience pays off and when it does, it feels so much better because you've been waiting for it for so long. So please people, don't butcher your chickens when they stop laying, as I have suggested a couple of times, but show a little kindness and patience. After all, Christmas is coming up soon.

Tuesday 25 November 2014

Winter chicken coop - check!

So, the sistahood has been successfully moved into their new crib and they are happy as can be. As I have said before, we had an old run-down shed at the back of our property we didn't really have any use for, so Adrian has beefed it up a wee bit, insulated it, put a heat-lamp in, built a bunch of laying boxes, put a window in, created a little chicken playground with various ramps and roosts, threw a bunch of straw around and voila - new sistahood head-quarters are off the to-do-list.



It's one less thing we have to worry about and a big weight off our shoulders since we started feeling pretty bad for not getting them out of the cold weather sooner. But time is money and we don't really have either :-) Anyways, it's done now, the girls are pleased and have been clucking happily ever since they've moved in. It was so much fun to watch them check out their new home. We've also bought some ground oyster-shells to provide them with some extra calcium and hopefully their water won't freeze anymore. Right now it's getting dark here at around 5 pm so we're leaving the light on for them until we go to bed, usually anywhere between 10 and 11 pm, which gives them about 14-15 hours of light. We're staying positive and expect them to start laying again very soon. One of them has started molting which, as I have explained in my previous post, is the process of shedding old feathers to grow new ones and every time I look at her I can't stop laughing. Poor thing does definitely not look pretty right now. I've tried taking a picture for you guys but she got real cranky and told me to get out of her house. Guess it's understandable. I don't really like having my picture taken on a bad hair day, either. Hopefully she'll get through this no problem and will be able to supply us with eggs again very soon. We're happy we got it done and won't have to worry about our gals freezing anymore. It's one less thing at the back of our minds and we're ready to move on to the next job. There's always something that needs doing around here after all.

Here are some pictures of Broody and her homegirls.




Hopefully the next good thing I can write about is going to be the move of Sir Hendrix, since the weather has been fairly mild these past few days. I will keep you guys in the loop.

Saturday 22 November 2014

Winter is here and can no longer be ignored...

So, here it is. The most dreaded season of the year. Winter!!! 


I tried to deny it for as long as I could, but it is no longer possible. I guess I have to accept that it's here and won't go away for a looooong time. At least the Rocksta is loving it and can't get enough of the snow. He looks a little depressed every time he gets called inside and spends his days lying in front of the door, so he won't miss somebody opening the doorway to freedom.


We have been sitting in the house for 4 long days last week because it just kept snowing like you wouldn't believe. Well, Adrian still went to work but he's a real Canadian, and a little snow won't stop him from going anywhere. It takes him about two hours longer to get out of the house though, and the snow-blower he bought last year certainly has been a smart investment.


 Here he is taking a little break in his Igloo.


I was trying to go buy some chicken feed 3 days in a row and backed out each time because the snow squalls just wouldn't stop, and I've got two small children in the car with me. Thankfully it has stopped snowing long enough for me to get it done yesterday, so the sistas won't starve for a little while longer. Adrian has started building the winter coop for the them today, in hopes of them being more comfortable so they might start laying again. Poor things don't seem all too happy out there. We're hoping to move them into their new home either this weekend or the next. Anyways, not much has happened last week and everything has kind off come to a standstill, due to the crazy amount of snow that has been dumped on us. On the upside, Noah got to built his first snowman with his daddy and was a very happy boy. They were out there for a long time and Noah is loving the snow. Adrian showed him how to make snow-angels and pulled him around the yard on his sledge. It was so much fun to watch them. It's very uplifting to watch the world through the eyes of a child. Everything is just so exciting and fun and new to them.


We've bought some snow shoes a while ago, so hopefully we get to go on a few winter hikes this year since I was pretty much stuck in the house all last winter, due to being pregnant with Mia and big as a house. I've got high hopes that this winter is going to be better and more exciting than the last one and will try to stay positive. And one more good thing about the winter is that work usually slows down and Adrian gets to spend more time with his family, which makes everyone happy. Hope everybody is staying warm and safe out there and has lots of family cuddles in front of a warm fire. Talk to you guys soon.

Wednesday 19 November 2014

If it's so cold you have to wear mittens, you probably won't get eggs from your chickens



Adrian and I never had chickens before so we really don't know much about them. Here's what I knew and why I agreed to keeping some on our property.

  • Chickens lay eggs
  • Chickens are funny looking and I'm all for fun things
  • Eggs are yummy and good protein
  • Free eggs don't cost a thing
  • It would be fun and educational for our children
  • It would be an even better source of food than planting a garden because they would provide us with product year around (or so we thought) 

As the days got shorter and colder and the snow started falling, our egg supply suddenly dwindled. We went from 4 eggs a day to 3, then down to one and some days even none. So one morning, I was craving an egg sandie for brekkie and what do you know? No eggs in the fridge. Again! So I got mad. I mean, we were spending a lot of money on organic feed, we were keeping them clean and comfortable, giving them the liberty of running around on our property all day and they couldn't even supply a small family with eggs? Seriously, try harder! I decided to take advantage of this burning feeling of anger and went out there to confront them.


They saw me storm towards them and I must've been a rather frightening sight, for all but Broody - the head of the sistahood, as they like to call themselves - vanished inside the coop so they wouldn't have to face my wrath. Cowards, the lot of them! So I said, "Hey Broody. What's up with the not laying nonsense? Don't you think considering the amount of money we're spending on class A feed should be motivation enough for you guys to provide us with some product? You're not doing your job, girl, and I want my egg sandwich! Like yesterday!" I guess I must've ruffled her feathers because she got right in my face and rudely interrupted me mid-sentence. "Don't you come to my crib and try blaming this on us. You want eggs? You gots to do your research, sista. You want a carpenter to build you a house, you gots to provide him with the proper tools to do so. He can't build you no house with his hands alone. Now, get away from me before I forget my good manners."

I was kind of confused and yes, I'll admit my confidence was shaken. What did she mean by that? So I retreated, for the moment, and decided to come back with new ammunition. I went back inside and did what everyone does when they seek information of any kind. I started googling. You won't believe what I discovered. Well, people who did their research before purchasing chickens probably will, but the rest of you might understand my surprise. Apparently chickens don't lay eggs in the winter unless you trick them into thinking it's still summer. How about that? I mean, did you guys know that? Apparently they need 14 hours of sunlight for maximum egg production. Hm, I knew they liked to laze around in the sun, so do I, but I didn't quit my job of being a full time mother and left my kids to their own devices just because the days grew shorter. I thought this was rather a matter of laziness, but I was wrong once again.

Chickens produce more eggs in warmer climates because there is a better chance that their offspring is going to survive. If it's too cold, it doesn't really give them a reason to keep laying so their bodies just shut down.

Here are the main reasons your chickens will most likely stop producing:

  • Not enough light - days are shorter in the winter and chickens stop laying when they don't get enough light. So if you want them to keep laying, you have to provide them with artificial lighting. Guess we have to get a move on and turn our shed into a chicken coop sooner rather than later, so we can install a timed light and keep eating egg sandwiches.
  • Not enough water - water freezes in the winter and the chickens become dehydrated. Eggs are mostly comprised of water, so I guess you can see the problem here. It's an easy fix, though. You can simply buy a heated water dish.
  • Inadequate nutrition - Our chickens are free range chickens so on top of the feed we're giving them, they also roam our yard in search of extra calories (insects, clover etc.) and they need a lot of those in order to produce eggs. In the winter they don't get that natural source of calories so you need to provide it for them. They also need lots of calcium which you can provide by giving them some oyster or ground limestone and egg shells (crazy right, but kind of makes sense since the main ingredient in egg shells is calcium carbonate).
  • They're molting - molting means the chickens are shedding their old feathers and grow new ones, and this process takes 7-8 weeks on average. The egg production will most likely drop or stop completely because feathers consists 85% of protein, and since they're putting all their effort into producing feathers, they won't be able to keep up the egg production at the same time. 

Now that I did my research and know that the chickens aren't lazy, but we are simply not doing our job to help them produce, I did feel rather bad for yelling at Broody. I have since apologized to her and promised to put some effort into making them more comfortable and provide them with what they need during the long, cold winter. She has forgiven me, even though she did pout longer than necessary and we're on good terms once again. I'll let you know if we can turn this dry spell around, so we can get back to collecting at least 3 eggs a day and to providing our family with fresh, vitamin and protein-rich breakfasts.


Saturday 15 November 2014

How to keep sick, bored, and grumpy children happy and entertained

First things first. Here's a little update on Sir Hendrix who is still sitting on the exact spot he's been sitting on for the past 8 years. We just have not been able to get somebody to go out there and tow this bus home for us. It is quite ridiculous really. You'd think people want your money. What's up with that? We finally found someone who said he could simply tow him for us, instead of pulling him onto a float and driving him home that way, but now the weather has decided to work against us and it just keeps snowing. Arrrgggggh!!! But we won't give up and will keep you guys updated on any progress we're making to finally solve this frustrating situation.

Now, I want to say up front that this is a post for mothers. It will probably be rather boring for everyone else, but so is sitting at home for weeks on end with two kids that can't seem to shake this ongoing cold that is driving everyone crazy. I dare say, there is not a lot that is worse than caring for two sick, whiny, needy, and grumpy kids who seem to have an endless supply of snot running out their noses, while they cough and sneeze in your face without the slightest care for your own welfare. Well, maybe caring for 5 sick kids. What I find even worse than the sneezing though, is the running away as soon as they see you coming towards them with tissue in hand, and the wiping of their tiny noses on anything they can find, including mommy's pants, sleeves, hands, and furniture of any kind. And the hardest part is, you can't really go anywhere to rant about your misfortune or simply have the kids let off some steam by playing and running around with other kids. I take my little ones to play group twice a week. They love going there because they have plenty of toys, books, play dough and best of all, other little people they can play with. But lately, I've been debating whether or not to ever go back there, since we have been trying to get rid of this cold for what feels like a year now, and it just keeps coming back for more whenever we socialize. I do realize the kids need to get out and I can't hide them in the house forever, but I can tell you it's a vicious circle.

The only thing you can do to make life bearable while being stuck in the house is by doing activities and crafts. So I thought I'd share a few things we like to do at our house when we get bored and need a little special time. WARNING! Do not try any of the following things with your own children, if you don't like a messy house. Just thought I'd give a little heads up for all the neat-freaks out there. Personally, I have given up on the idea of a spotless house a long time ago and I don't even feel guilty anymore. I'm waaaaaaay past the point of caring and am simply trying to survive each day without a major meltdown. Here are three things that are easy and cheap to make and last forever.

#1 - Salt dough 

I like this even more than play dough because you actually get to keep what you've made, and whenever I work with salt dough, I think of my own mother and how we used to make hand-prints and little figures together.

Here's what you need and it really isn't a lot:

2 cups of all purpose flour
1 cup of salt 
1 cup of lukewarm water  

That's it. Easy peasy, right?

All you have to do is mix the flour and salt in a bowl and gradually add water until it forms a doughy consistency. Knead your dough for about five minutes or longer. The longer you knead it, the smoother it gets.

Now, for the fun part. Play with it. Make whatever your heart desires. There really is no limit, just be creative. You can use it just like play dough and after you're done, you can either air dry your creations or bake them in the oven, which is a little quicker. Bake at 200 F until your dough is dry and hardened. This can take up to 2-3 hours, depending on size and thickness. You could turn up the heat to 350 F but your dough might turn brown. If you're planning on painting your creations with acrylic paints it won't matter, but you could also simply cover it with foil. I don't usually do this next step because I don't think it's necessary, but some people like to seal the dough. You can use urethane, spray on sealer, paint on water based sealer or future floor wax. Our favorite things to do with salt dough are hand and foot prints. Their fun to make, their cute and a real cheap and special Christmas gift for grandparents ;-) Here are some we've made.


For those of you who don't have the money or don't want to spend it on acrylic colors, since they can be quite expensive, you could simply leave it as is. I have to admit it almost looks cuter without paint. Only problem is, unless you're standing right in front of it, the prints are really hard to see. But it's up to you. This is what it would look like painted.



#2 - Play dough

Every child loves play dough and it is so easy to make at home. You can make play dough in about 4 minutes and it lasts a long time, if you keep it in an air tight container.

Ingredients:

2 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 cup of salt
2 tablespoons of cream of tartar (I have to admit that I've never heard of this before making my first batch of play dough, but you can buy it in any supermarket and you'll find it with the regular spices.)
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
Up to 1.5 cups of water (just pour straight from the kettle into your measuring cup). Add in increments and mix with a wooden spoon until it has turned into a smooth texture and the dough has cooled down enough to touch.
food coloring -optional- (We always add a lot of food coloring because we like pretty, bright things to play with.)

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add food coloring to the boiling water, if you choose to use any, and stir until it becomes a sticky, smooth dough. Once it has cooled down enough to touch, knead until the stickiness has gone. This is very important so don't be lazy and stop before it's right. If it remains sticky, add a little flour to it but be careful and don't add too much or you'll end up with dry, crumbly dough and that's no fun either. 

Voila! Playtime

I'm not the most talented person when it comes to making things out of play dough, but I will bite the bullet and share some pictures anyways.



#3 - Colorful rice, pasta, and beans

This is the messiest craft out of the bunch, especially if your children are very young like mine. Noah is two and loves to throw things around. It's impossible to do anything without leaving a huge mess behind. I lovingly like to call him my little 'master of disaster'. But every time I get out the pasta and rice containers, his eyes light up and he gets super excited. Even if I don't feel like doing crafts with him, I simply give him a few different sized bowls and containers, measuring cups and scoops, different sized bottles with lids and last but not least pasta and voila, he's occupied for hours. It's a great sensory activity that relieves stress, promotes fine motor skills as well as mathematical thinking because it teaches them how much each container holds before it overflows. It also helps them explore their senses, since a child learns the most when it involves things they can touch, see, smell, taste and hear. Noah loves to fill up different containers and bottles and shake them. He loves anything that makes a lot of noise really, which drives me crazy because he usually chooses to be noisiest when the baby is napping. But it comes in very handy for those rare days when you just don't seem to have a lot of patience or are simply struggling with it all and need some quiet time. Put a blanket on the ground before you start. It teaches them boundaries, keeps the mess contained to one area and makes it easier to clean up. Keep an eye on young children that like to put everything in their mouth. Mia is currently going through that phase and I have to watch her like a hawk. Don't leave them to play unsupervised. The last thing I want is your child choking because of something you read on my blog.


Here's what you need:

Pasta (All kinds work. Wagon wheels, Alphabet pasta, shells, elbow macaroni, Orzo...)
Rice (white rice is probably best)
Beans (I like to use white, dried beans like Lima beans)
Ziploc bags or air tight containers
Food coloring 
Water 

Take a bunch of any of the ingredients above, put them into a Ziploc bag or container, add a few drops of food coloring, add only a little water (around one tablespoon, depending on the amount of pasta/rice/beans in your bag) close and shake. Make sure everything is getting coated and add more food coloring or a little more water if it doesn't. Dump everything on paper towel and pat it down. Do it right away, especially with the pasta since the pasta will get soft if you use too much water or leave wet for too long. Let it dry and let the fun begin.


You can use your finished product for lots of different activities. You can glue it to paper to make pictures.



You can play what I like to call the color game. I have 4 different colored Lima beans (red, green, yellow and blue). I place 4 containers in front of Noah and let him separate them by color. It helps him learn, it's fun and it keeps him busy. To make it easier on you, you could just buy different colored dried beans at the store, like red kidney beans or black beans.

If you color pasta with holes in them (for example macaroni, rigatoni or wagon wheels), you can also make necklaces and bracelets. Also, if your play dough is getting a little dry and your thinking about throwing it out to make a different batch, think about forming different shapes like balls, dice, and rings and let them air dry. Place them on a cookie sheet or something similar, and put them up on a shelf or cupboard. Somewhere your child can't reach. Turn them every couple of days until everything is hardened and use them to make jewellery as well.


There is so much you can do, by simply using what you've got in your pantry.

And something else that works wonders for us, when the kids are having a really bad day and mommy is about to lose her sh** is going for a walk and get some fresh air.
They're usually pretty content as long as we're moving, fall asleep at some point during our walk and pushing a double stroller is keeping your buns tight as well. It's a win-win ;-) Winter is here and it's cold out you say? Bundle them up and go anyways. Fresh air is so good for them, especially when they're sick.


So this is it for this week's post. I know it wasn't the most exciting post you've ever read and I will try to keep it interesting for everyone by blogging about a wide variety of topics, but please remember that we're first and foremost just a regular family, living a regular life and not every week is super exciting. Winter is here, days are mostly spent indoors and we're currently not traveling or working on homestead projects, due to the weather. But things will change and I will try to keep you entertained during the long winter months ahead. Stay warm, safe and healthy everyone and drink a lot of fresh honey lemon ginger tea to give your immune system a boost and prevent yucky colds. You'll be hearing from me again next week and feel free to ask questions, email me, or leave a comment.

Saturday 8 November 2014

Sir Hendrix

Here it is. My very first post. Just in time for my birthday. It's my 30th today, and since this is kind of a milestone - the first big one, where you actually realize you're getting old and ask yourself where the time went - I thought I would do something I've wanted to do for a long time now, basically giving myself a gift, and launch my own blog. I haven't always wanted to write a blog, but I have always loved reading and writing, and it has been my dream since I was a teenager, to one day be a published writer. I don't care whether it would be in the form of an article, a children's book or a novel. I've been working on various projects since I was about 16 but have never actually finished anything, other than a children's book, and I have never dared send anything away to a publisher. Probably because this is one of my biggest dreams, and I'm scared of rejection. It's a fear I have to overcome if I seriously want to pursue a writing career, which would be the perfect job choice for a life on the road since you can write anywhere. Writing this blog is a huge deal for me because it's a first. I'm finally ready to share something with the public and it is kind of scary. You get thoughts like 'What if people find this utterly ridiculous or boring?' or 'I might just not be good or fluent enough to make my writing public on social media, yet.'

But then I remind myself, I'm mostly doing this for me because I love doing it and it's my definition of fun. And If nobody ever gets to read this or if people don't like it, that's ok too. I'm doing it to get over whatever it is that's holding me back. A first step to putting myself out there. It's also giving my brain something to do and think about other than poopy diapers and spit up. I can publish whatever I want and I'm in control of everything, but mostly I'm doing this to practice my writing. I have neglected my passion quite a bit since I've had my children. It's hard for me to find the time and it's even harder for me to write in English, since it's not my mother tongue. I learned English in school back in Germany but have never really spoken it much. I've really started learning and speaking the language when I arrived in Australia in 2007. I know I still have a lot to learn, especially when it comes to grammar. Everything I've written since my teenage years, was written in German. But since I live in Canada now and English has kind of become my first language, I am determined to write in English. So, here goes.

I've thought long and hard about how to start this blog and about the first topic I wanted to write about, and I think I've found the perfect one. Our new bus! The very beginning of our traveling life. The house on wheels, that is hopefully going to take us to all the wonderful places we'd like to see. Our second home. Maybe one day even the only home we'll have. Sir Hendrix is a 75 GMC Blue Bird. Yes, you heard right. We gave him a name. We like to give our travel-vehicles names. We like to give them strong, positive names in hopes of spreading good Juju, so they won't break down on us. When you're traveling you're usually on a very tight budget, and it really stinks when your vehicle breaks down, and you have to spend your precious travel-money on repairs. We called our Toyota Corolla in Australia Elmo, after the little red furball from Sesame Street because who's got a more positive attitude than Elmo? Our Van in New Zealand was called Berta Rose, after Berta from 'Two and a Half Men' and Roseanne from, well... 'Roseanne'. Berta and Roseanne are two very strong women individually, but put those two together and BAM! You've got something pretty much indestructible. Stupid? Well, it has worked for us so far and it's fun. I also think if Sir Hendrix could speak, he would do so with a Mexican accent. Don't ask me why. Anyway, he was named after the amazing and very talented Jimi Hendrix. Why? Because he's awesome and old school, just like our bus. And here is the first picture of our beautiful, strong boy because I just know the suspense is killing you guys.


Isn't he handsome? No? Well, come on guys. I realize he's a bit rough around the edges, but there's a good reason for that. This baby has been dumped on somebody's property and was left without care or affection since 2006. And yes, whoever chose to paint this guy an ugly army green and did a horrible paint job at that, was obviously a man. I don't want to offend anyone, but when I first saw him I immediately thought soldier or hunter. Turns out the guy who owned the bus and had been living in it for five years, was actually quite spiritual. Hence, the word wellness on the front. He was very much into yoga and even did a month-long silent retreat somewhere, which is impressive. I couldn't imagine not saying anything for a whole 4 weeks but then again, I like to talk. Anyway, it's pretty cool that Sir Hendrix used to belong to somebody like that, if you believe in good energy and karma and such things. I'm thinking he probably chose the color green because of his connection with nature? Either way, it's gotta go. We're probably going to have it sandblasted and paint it with something a little more suited for a family of adventurers.

Our neighbor, who knew we were looking for a bus, had heard about a lady wanting to get rid of one and immediately thought of us. We wanted to know how much she wanted for it, and he said it was free. Free sounded like a good price to us, so we went to look at it right away. I'll tell you the truth, I wasn't too excited when I first laid eyes on him. But the longer I looked, the more I could see the potential. I know that Adrian can turn anything into something beautiful, so I have no doubt that he can turn this bus into the most amazing camper out there. And do you see that roof rack? I'm planning on having a LOT of sun tanning sessions up there.

However, we did have a couple of concerns. Our biggest worry was whether or not we would ever get him back on the road again. We both nodded at each other, saying the engine still looked good when we opened the hood, but lets face it. Adrian is not a mechanic and I simply like to pretend I know what I'm talking about but have no clue whatsoever. We were also concerned about the condition of the body itself. I mean, it has been standing in the weather - unprotected - for 8 Years now and did look a little bit rusty. But is it just surface rust or is Sir Hendrix a lost cause? Then, there was the matter of getting it out of there and onto our own property without paying a stupid amount of money. The first quote we got was going to be 700 - 1000$ just to have it towed home, and all of a sudden the word free didn't really seem all that exciting anymore. They told us it was that expensive because it wasn't running on it's own, so they would have to pull it onto the float and then drive it all the way home. It was also going to be tricky because the spot the bus is currently standing on, is a bit awkward to get to since there is not a whole lot of space for a big tow truck to maneuver. For some reason it has been extremely difficult to find somebody who is willing to take the plunge and get it out for us, because of its position and the weather and the general work ethic up here simply seems a little more laid back, especially since it's hunting season. Easy, we thought. Let's just get this beast running and drive it home. Would be a lot cheaper than getting it towed. So Adrian went over there a few times, put a new battery in, cleaned all the spark plugs, put some gas in the tank, and he did get him running. Problem is, the breaks aren't working on one side and even if they were, we wouldn't really feel comfortable driving it home for 60 clicks, without having a mechanic look at it. So, we're currently still in the process of trying to find a cheap and safe way of getting him moved. Once he's standing on our own property, we can slowly work away at him. We know it's going to be a project, but as you well know by having seen our cottage, we love projects, and I can't wait for the day we're finally going to be able to take Sir. Hendrix for a spin. It's going to be awesome.

We are aware that there is the possibility that it'll simply be too expensive to fix him up enough to be driven across the world. We'll just have to see whether or not it would be worth it to put a whole lot of money into it just to get him running again, versus just saving up some more money to buy a newer, already working bus. But if that's the case we're simply going to turn him into a bunky and make a space for guests to stay at. As you know, we do live in 720 square feet and do currently have a guest room. But soon enough our daughter Mia will have to have a nursery, so we can move her out of our bedroom and it seems like a cool idea to have a more private spot for guests. My family and friends are all living in Germany so we do get visitors on a fairly regular basis and they tend to stay a few weeks at a time. I know they'd love to sleep in and not be woken up by screaming children at 6 am since they do come over here on vacation. And how cool would this bus look with a bit of fresh paint and a wrap around deck? Either or, a free bus is not too shabby and we're going to turn him into something amazing! To wrap this first post up the right way, I'll show you  couple of pictures of Sir Hendrix's rear end. 



He knows he let himself go a little bit over the years and he does apologize for his currently rather sad excuse of a behind; However, he promised to get back in shape and post pictures of his transformation on a regular basis. I will keep you guys informed on any progress we're making towards getting Sir Hendrix home and will end this first post by saying, I've got a feeling this next decade is going to be so much better than the last. I mean 30 is still young, right? I've still got at least 50 more years ahead of me and I'm determined to make each one count. So follow me and my family and accompany us on this crazy, unpredictable and exciting roller-coaster ride called life.