May was a bit of a wild ride. Off-grid living means that everything takes more effort than you think, and this month reminded me of that again and again. But between the sweat, setbacks, and surprisingly satisfying moments, I’ve made real progress.
Garden Wins (and Losses)
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The potatoes are looking good. I mounded them up this week.
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Carrots are still hanging in there.
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Radishes bolted and turned into sad little red wires. They’re gone now.
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Spinach also bolted – Florida heat doesn’t play around.
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I learned a lot this month about what grows and what bolts when I blink.
Life Fixes & Practical Wins
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Finally caught up on laundry. It sounds like a small win but it’s huge out here.
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Set up a two-rig wardrobe system – dark work clothes in the trailer, everything else here on the land.
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Installed a 6000 BTU mini-split in the bedroom. Total game changer. It’s not perfect (it’s heavy AF), but it gets the job done fast when I need a nap in the heat.
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Cable management and charging station = tidy chaos.
Water & The Well (Hope Incoming)
I had a therapy session early in the month and had to wrangle water just to be clean enough to show up. Not ideal, but I made it.
The best news? Someone is coming to help me get my well running. It’ll take time (flushing and setup), but it’s a major step forward. Fingers crossed he actually shows up.
Emotional Stuff
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Still untangling feelings about people who made promises and bailed.
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My ex promised an AC unit and a generator – both never showed up. I ended up having to solve those problems myself, and I’m still kinda pissed about it.
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Avoidant people + off-grid life = rough combo. I don’t have time to chase ghosts.
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Therapy is helping. Journaling is helping. Planning ahead gives me something to anchor to.
Trashy Art & Creative Joy
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Mold disaster in one of my storage bins, it was gross. But while sorting it out, I found some old acrylic pours I’d done on vinyl records. Now I’ve got new ideas.
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Started crocheting an outdoor mat with plastic yarn made from cut-up Walmart bags.
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Repurposing trash is one of my favorite things: bottle pots, can magnets, t-shirt mods, and book art. It keeps me grounded and creative at the same time.
Random Joys
Watched a bunch of movies this month:
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Damsel (2024) – Girl vs Dragon. Loved it.
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Love Lies Bleeding – Buff lesbians, steroids, and murder. Unexpectedly good.
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Ricky Stanicky – John Cena is hilarious. I’m a fan of him leaning into the goofy musclehead roles.
Looking Ahead
June is about smoothing systems, more creative reuse, and hopefully running water. I’ve got a few projects lined up, and with luck, a little more support to get them done.
Note: This was written before I discovered the water was a bigger issue than I first considered.
