"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

The Dentist Office. . .

Be careful what you say and do in public.  You may be creating good writing material for someone's upcoming, best selling novel.

The dentist office is a great place to collect writing material.  Most days anyway.

During my visit to the dentist, where my youngest had an appointment, writing material was in overflow.

One woman was sitting in the back corner, with her head leaned back, sleeping and snoring.  Could you imagine yourself snoring at the dentist?

One woman, a young mother, sat quietly, with her head lowered.  I wonder what she was thinking?

One woman, who sat two seats from me, gave me enough material to last a chapter or two.  She sat with a laptop open, papers in one hand, and a cell phone in the other.  However, halfway through her very long phone conversation (and loud I might add), she ended up putting the laptop away.  This woman talked the entire time she sat there, until the office staff called her back for her child.  Literally, this woman talked about people, talked about work, and more.  She crossed her legs, leaned back, and acted like she had the room to herself.  She was annoying too.  

After "Annoying Talks A Lot" left the waiting room, another woman entered.  She sat on the other side of me, with a table in between us.  She too, was fidgeting with her phone, texting possibly or playing games.  That was after she made a phone call.  But this woman crossed her legs and bounced her foot constantly, as if she had jumping beans in her shoe.

Then I was called to collect my daughter.  The fun was over.
 (My lovely ladies paying me a visit where my desk is inside)
 
This morning I was up very early.  The only bathroom is in my bedroom, so it's "Grand Central Station" for the week.

I best get my chores done early, so I can get back to writing.  No waiting rooms today, but I have more writing material - conversations while standing in line to vote yesterday.
 

    

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

You Want an Outhouse?! ~ Morning Sunrise

 "What?" exclaimed the kids!  "Why would you want an outhouse?!

For about the last four years, I've been telling the family it would be nice to have an outhouse.  


Well, we found out we have a leak under the house, under the kitchen bathroom.  This is part of the old farm house, and who ever put in the new parts (before we moved in), did a terrible job, according to Hubby.  


I also found out there is only about 1 1/2 feet or less, deep of a "crawl space" and we cannot go under the house.  I guess back in the 30's or 40's they didn't think that someday those pipes may not hold, and someone would need to crawl under there.

We had to cut a hole in the bathroom floor.

First the toilet was removed.  The seal was good.  The guys moved it out to the side porch.  In the photo above, the toilet is next to the wall, and on the other side of hubby is the stand up shower (that small).  Then the wood laminate flooring was removed.

Once the toilet was removed, they cut a hole in the floor (in the photo it's just below the flashlight).  The sink is 1/2 the size of most bathroom sinks, and is directly across from the toilet.  Due to space issues, hubby's legs are out the bathroom door - ha ha!

Then they cut the hole bigger.  I was in my room, shaking my head, thinking of what this will require - cash, parts, and new flooring.  Maybe a new toilet.  We already have to replace the shower, and dry wall, but lack the funds for that.  

While parts are purchased and re-installed, we closed the bathroom door for the night.  There is no fan, window, nor heater in this bathroom.  The people prior to us, simply tried to update the original bathroom the house had.  They installed the cheapest stand-up shower they could, and the smallest vanity they could.  We have had several under-the-sink leaks over the last 4 years too.
  
For now......6 of us will be sharing one bathroom.  Hubby is back to work today, so this project may take a while.  Let the fight for the bathroom begin....


 On a good note, here is this morning's sunrise.  It's not great photo, as I was on the porch in my jammies and it was freezing out.  Not to mention the on-going traffic wondering what I was doing. I'm glad they have something to talk about today. Ha ha ha!