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I Can’t Live Without. . .

Thanks everyone for the wonderful welcome back.  I’ll answer all your questions later this week and if there’s anything you’d like to know, I’ll try to answer.  I love questions and so does Mountain Man.  Today, as we prepare for Thanksgiving (yes, Mountain Man is cooking our feast), I’d like to share some thoughts.  Here goes.

It’s gray outside. A light breeze ruffles the dogs’ fur.  I sit in my chair reading an inconsequential novel listening to the drone of Mountain Man’s chainsaw in the distance.  I am suffused with contentment.  How little I have of my possessions yet it doesn’t matter.  Just a few short weeks ago, it was very different.

We were headed to our small ranch home, small meaning just a little over 1,000 square feet.  We meaning Mountain Man, me and 7 dogs all under one roof.  “How will we live in such a small space with you working on the house?”  I asked Mountain Man.  “Don’t worry about it.  I’ll do the house in sections and we’ll use our multi level living concept.”  he replied.

Multi level living means our bed occupies a place in the air and the dogs take advantage the floor space underneath it.

So, I started packing for a 6 month stay in the Ozarks.

Mountain Man is always practical, firmly centered on the job at hand and the best way to accomplish that.  He can be a stern taskmaster and when it came to packing for the Ozarks, I once again learned how focused he can be.

What should I take?  Better question was what could I stand to leave behind.  Certainly not my beloved dish collection and definitely not the sun catchers in the windows.  No, I can’t leave behind my favorite linens and all the dogs’ toys have to go as well.  Khrysta needs her saddle pads, I need my books and my apron collection and my favorite nightgowns and sweaters.  Oh, and we’ll be there for the holidays so all the Christmas decorations have to go as well.  Soon I had our mud room filled with boxes.

“What’s all this?”  Mountain Man asked.

“It’s the things I need this winter.  You told me to get packed.”

“Well start unpacking.  We can’t take all this stuff.  We have no where to put it.”

“But it can stay in the RV.  We’ve got the RV.  Why can’t we use that?”

“You know we’re trying to sell it.  We can’t put all this in the house.  We don’t even have closets yet and the dogs need the floor space.  I can build you some shelves but that’s it.”

I unpacked a couple of boxes and thought that would be enough.

“You have to do better than this.  Here’s the guidelines, you can take two of everything you really need and use.  Just two.  Think Noah’s Ark.  Keep your eye on the goal.  Don’t get distracted.”

If I heard that saying one more time, I thought I’d scream.  Two of everything?  How will I live?

Back went the dishes on the shelf.  The sun catchers went back in the windows.  The linens were put into the closet and the dogs toys were put away.  Khrysta’s holiday halters and saddle pads were put into the tack box.  With every item I unpacked, I gave a huge sigh.  I didn’t want to leave my beloved treasures.

We left before dawn and as Mountain Man locked the gate, I said a silent goodbye to my possessions.  I’d miss them.  

We had a wonderful trip.  We sang songs at the top of our lungs, the dogs barked at passersby and Khrysta got lots of attention at truck stops.  We laughed.  We marveled at the beauty of our country.  We ate junk food, got very little sleep.  We talked to people at gas stations and discovered just how kind strangers can be.  We made memories. 

Now, here we are.  In this tiny little house pulled apart.  And, it’s okay.

I sit on the deck Mountain Man built for me because he knows how much I enjoy reading books outside while the dogs play. I marvel at his vision for this house and I am in awe of his skills.

Khrysta nickers from her pasture.  She too is content in this rough field she now calls home.

At night, we’ll climb into our bed in the sky.  The dogs will gather underneath us.  We’re happy and healthy, anchored by love.  Not immune from bad times; no one is, but sure that faith will carry us through always.

And I won’t be dreaming of the things I’ve left behind.  No, it will be of sweet memories of the people and, yes, the animals I love.  Things, they might make our lives brighter but objects themselves will never bring joy.

Today I am thankful for the amazing people, including you my wonderful readers, who are with me on this journey that is life.