“ I feel like I was up till 4 last night drinking tequila and walking the perimeter with the pick ax…”
Dear Verna,
We got our electricity!!
I completely attribute this miracle to the fact that I went to church on Easter Sunday. Well, that and the fact that everyone we know, including you guys, was praying for us. I’m also going to have to admit to the most probable cause, which is, everyone in the county office was sick of me and said, ‘just hook that girl up already!’ The last time I was there with my architect, I had left with an entire new list of things to do and a ‘back at square one’ starting position. Again. I had to change our permit to an ‘as built’ permit for our shed structure and although it would set us back another 6 weeks, that was what we had to do. A woman I know in the office was working that day and said,
‘Oh! Every time I see a yellow FJ cruiser, I wave in case it’s you!’
‘Oh I don’t have that truck anymore’ I told her. ‘I have a new little electric car now that we live down in ocean view. So much better for the commute.’
‘So you’re here for an EV permit?’
‘No. I’m trying to get an existing structure on our lot permitted so I can get our pole reactivated…’ I trailed off wondering what the heck was this EV permit and could that maybe be another route for us?
Well, is was. The next day I put in a call to the head county electrical inspector and with all the plans and signatures I had already accumulated, they could be put towards an EV permit and our permit was issued that day!! 3 days later, we had electricity. I know. It’s a shock. I have joined the ranks of the civilized and no longer drive past houses blazing with light longingly gazing into them as if into a fishbowl.
Lover has fun explaining to friends that we are the very first temporary/permanent electrical pole in the county to be turned on because of an electrical vehicle permit. “The first of its kind,” he likes to say. And though we can now charge at home, my Chinese blood still has me charging at all the free places all over town, taking full advantage of those who want to give perks to the band of guinea pigs with gas alternative cars. Now to get the solar going and we won’t be burning oil at all to make the electricity for the car. Bringing that global thinking to a local level is difficult!! But so super worth it.
AND, it was getting crazy. I rewired a solar light to a phone charger last week just to get a tiny trickle charge to my always dead phone. We were reaching a new level of homesteading where a spinning wheel in the house would not have been out of place.
One thing that has actually heightened since living off the grid in a glorified camping situation is my self-care! I am regularly doing my face masks and religiously putting on night cream in order to counter the stereotype that ‘one lets oneself go’ when moving out into the country and more specifically, to OV.
I also try not to fall into the trap of long sleeves and jeans every day and try to always have some sort of creative ‘something’ on to keep things fresh. I have to keep things interesting if not for myself, then for Buggie. I love the look she gives me when I have something weird on my head. She has perfected the ‘side eye’ look. Oh and that reminds me, she has a new horrible nickname that was a natural evolution but just stuck like a hitch-hiker seed on a sock. It’s ‘Boobs.’
I know!
Horrible!
Bug-a-Boo became Boo-Boo, which became Boobs. That old ‘you don’t get to pick your own nickname’ really applies here. Noelani was here when it ‘happened’ and she was disgusted but I really couldn’t stop. Oh check out this awesome photo shoot we did with her at the lava tube. Just gorgeous…
And really, though we have far less comforts, there is no diminution of life. It’s rather the opposite in fact. Staring out into that lava tube wall… it would be scary to tally up the amount of time we are just standing there. Staring.
Oh! And we have your rock that Lover brought up from inside the tube. Happy Birthday! 😀
So now that my electricity trials have been settled, I’ve got to work on our water. Right now we have just a small tube syphoning water from the tank, 50 ft to the toilet. Why we have such a tiny tube going all that way, I don’t know, but it takes a while to fill up the tank. Mornings are always so funny because Lover has stated firmly that HE IS FIRST FLUSH!! And I can be second flush… Omg, It’s so funny. Don’t even get me started about the time I stole his flush.
Also, I am ordering a small fridge. We have thrown so much milk away because we cannot remember to buy ice for the LIFE of us… it’s a wonder Boobs is still alive. Although, she knows she is responsible for her own welfare having lived with our two crazy asses this long. She lets us know when it’s breakfast time, and treat time, play time, and when she needs more water. SUCH a good communicator.
So glad you guys got to take a mini vacay after doing the Merrie Monarch fair. The paintings Ed is doing are just fabulous- thank you so much for sending those pics. Seriously can’t wait for the next time we travel but in the mean time, I’ve been trying to be sure we take time for fun and exploration in our new hood. Lover had never been to green sands beach before so we hiked in on one of the most beautiful days. This island, I tell you. Just stunning.
I’m off to Kona now. I have a Paint and Sip class at Gerties tonight. So continues the endless hustle of an artist’s life! Today’s mantra… The Hustle is Real.
;D Hahha!!!
Ciao baby, and safe travels home!
KK
