May 2025

There were 12 posts published in May 2025 (this is page 2 of 2).

Wired and Tired

Woke up with my alarm (finally!). Took a Xanax last night to help ease the tension in my neck. It’s working, slowly but surely. Still needed some painkillers this morning, but I’ll take progress over perfection any day.

Started the morning with my usual podcast routine: BBC and Freakonomics. It’s nice to have familiar voices in the background while I get things rolling. Today’s to-do list was long: control box, wire, propane, gas, mulch, bolts for the AC unit… off-grid life doesn’t pause.

Back from town with a few victories under my belt. The control box gave me a bit of trouble, but I managed to get what I needed. Annoyingly, no one sells 10/3 wire by the foot anymore, so I had to shell out $200 for a 50 ft roll. Not ideal, but it won’t go to waste. I’ll find a use for it eventually.

The big generator? Absolute beast. Loud as anything. It needs a 6-hour run-in, so after the first hour I hooked it up to the RV (about a 30% load – gotta stay under 50%). I’ll do a quick oil change in the morning and swap it to a synthetic mix. Fingers crossed, that’ll keep it purring.

Today’s unexpected visitor: a massive wolf spider wandered out of the woods to investigate the noise. I swear it looked offended.

It’s been a long one. I’m exhausted. But I got a lot done, and every little win feels like a step forward.

Here’s to louder days and steady progress!

260lbs of Nope!

Woke up around 6:30am. Neck’s doing a bit better — not quite pain-free, but the painkillers are still doing their job. Progress, right?

Started the morning with my usual background noise: NPR, Reuters, and BBC headline podcasts. It’s part habit, part grounding. Keeps me feeling connected, even out here.

I finally pulled together the shopping list for the parts I need to hook the well up to the generator. Planning to grab everything tomorrow since… well, today got away from me.

First real task of the day: started mounding dirt around the potato plants. It’s one of those simple, earthy chores that feels kinda meditative. Slow and satisfying.

Had plans with the GOM and his dog, but I cancelled. There’s just too much to handle before my trip, and I need to keep focused. I’ll make it up to him next week — maybe with some of that flatbread I made later.

Speaking of productivity: built another cart today!
Still haven’t figured out how to move the big generator onto one though… that beast weighs over 260 lbs. I’ve got an idea, but honestly? I think I’ll just wait and ask the guy helping with the well to lend a hand. Sometimes the smart move is knowing when not to do it solo.

Good news though — the generator’s filled with oil.
Tomorrow I’ll give it a test run so it’s ready for a proper trial this weekend. Fingers crossed nothing explodes.

In fun news: my new Bluetooth speaker arrived and holy hell — it’s LOUD.
Like, “drown out the brain noise” loud. Which, for me, is kind of a big deal. Haven’t tested it outside yet, but I’ll keep it respectful. I want to see how far Happy House EDM travels before I turn the woods into a forest rave.

Dating update? Ugh. The guy I was chatting to gave me the ick. He suggested we meet halfway — about a 50-mile drive — just for coffee and cake. And yeah, I know that sounds harmless, but it felt lazy. No energy. No real interest.
Not the kind of vibe I want to set a precedent for.

Wildlife sighting of the day: pretty sure I saw a grey fox!
Could’ve been a coyote, but this one looked leaner, sleeker, almost cat-like. We had a full eye contact moment. I waved. It stared. Then wandered off like I was just background noise. About 150 yards away. Wild and unbothered. I kind of respect that energy.

Also made some flatbread dough with whole grain flour and a spice/herb mix. Haven’t baked it yet, but it smells amazing already. Might save that for tomorrow’s wind-down.

Didn’t watch anything today — the app updated and wiped all my downloads.
Not mad. It’s a free service. But it definitely left me without my usual background chill-time.