Mountain Lane Homesteaders

Homesteading. No one ever said it would be easy.

11:22 AM, Tuesday, December 5, 2006 .. Posted in Living in the Woods .. 15 comments .. Link

Good morning. I just thought I'd better pop in and let everyone know that we have NOT been eaten by the bear! In fact, we haven't seen him again since that one night several weeks ago. What I think is that while we have continued to walk, no make that run, the hamster wheel of life, Monster bear has found himself a nice cozy den somewhere to wait out the snow, slick roads, head lice, bronchitis, truck in the shop, missed appointments, undone septic, and general winter exhaustion.

I think I want to be a bear.

I will spare you all the nagging details of the above annoyances of life but let's just say that while there's been nothing earth shattering (death, job troubles, relationship issues, etc.) life's day to day has been less than idyllic for the past few weeks. At first I was still reading and commenting on blogs even though my soul was not able to produce anything worth reading. Then it digressed to simply reading without making many comments. I knew it had gotten bad when I stopped even checking in on my friends. Time wasn't really the issue (well, except for during that whole ugly lice incident). It was more a matter of spirit. I haven't been in a depression as much as in an astonishment at the increasing number of things seeming to prove the theory "If it can go wrong, it WILL go wrong." Now I know that is simply negative thinking but never-the-less it sure has seemed that way!

This morning I had an eye appointment to get new contacts. I've been in my glasses for quite a while now and have really been looking forward to going today to get a new set of contacts ordered. I wasn't sure whether to try and take my van because we've been having trouble getting it out of our "driveway" and up the small incline onto the county road. In order to be on the safe side I reluctantly decided to take the truck and let Sam tackle getting the van out this morning (which he did with no problem). So at the appointed leave time, off I went to trudge up the snowy slope to the truck, hopped in and turned the key. Nothing. Not a click, not a bit of life. Did you see it coming? I didn't. But when it did, it just didn't surprise me much. So, here I sit, talking to you with my glasses perched on my nose for yet another day. I've rescheduled for tomorrow. You see, these things are not the end of the world kind of happenings. But things like this, one after another, can really work on getting a girl down.

So this morning, I'm thinking about that bear out there somewhere all rolled up into a ball snoozing away. Although rummaging through people's trash for food and being hit in the backside with buck shot don't appeal to me much, the quietness of a cave and shutting out the cares of the world for a few weeks sounds heavenly. I think it's time to take advice from a bear. I can't go anywhere anyway, so for a little while today I am going to huddle up here in my cozy warm cave and not worry about whether it will be cozy and warm tomorrow.

Thank you to all my friends out there who have been encouraging me to keep telling our story. Today's chapter isn't terribly inspirational but it's real.

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11:33 AM, Tuesday, December 5, 2006 .. Posted by mc2rwe
Holy smoly! I was so excited to see a "recent post" by you so I eagerly clicked on it.... now let me say that I am having complete and utter sympathy pains for you Darcy. Chin up and know that someone in Arkansas loves you, is praying for you and wishes that there was something that they could do to make things better...

Kat
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11:41 AM, Tuesday, December 5, 2006 .. Posted by Andrea
Perhaps living in harmony with nature rather than fighting against it is the best thing. Like the bear, all he wants to do is exist. I think we humans try to do more than simply exist and that's when we get into trouble.

I can so relate with your post here. I will keep you in prayer.

Glasses are a good thing, by the way. :-)

Love~ Andrea
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11:45 AM, Tuesday, December 5, 2006 .. Posted by katenicholl
We have missed you, we all love you and are VERY glad you are back! Please don't hibernate...what would we do without you!

Catherine :o)
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1:01 PM, Tuesday, December 5, 2006 .. Posted by southernbelle
I felt like you a week or so ago too. Thanks for sharing. You'll soon be in the Christmas spirit and have those glasses put away in a drawer! I enjoy your blogs.
Cool

3:11 PM, Tuesday, December 5, 2006 .. Posted by teapots66
Cool, you put up a post! And I like the new blog decorations! Your blogging friends have already posted so many things I might like to say to you, so I'll just say, I agree, Amen. Look how many friends have missed you! I know these mundane things really get you down, especially when they come all at once. We had a year when it felt like our van was in the shop (to the tune of $1,000, or more, every time) almost the whole year. What a drag! And you've had other things on top of that. Sending love your way, hope it helps (and soap is coming your way, too). Chris
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3:40 PM, Tuesday, December 5, 2006 .. Posted by kimmie
praying for you & yours!

lice is no fun!
Hey there!

3:40 PM, Tuesday, December 5, 2006 .. Posted by JoyceFamily
I've been checking in on you, and am so glad to see a post from you again! I appreciate your honesty...and I know you realize it's just a rough patch on the long road of life. Saying you wished you were the bear reminded me of something - check out my blog! Take care of yourself.
Eleanor
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6:01 PM, Tuesday, December 5, 2006 .. Posted by j706nancyr
Glad to hear from you again. Maybe the bear will let you cuddle up with it and sleep through the winter....although we would all miss you! And you gotta remember...bears wake up hungry!LOL
Good luck with everything.
Nancy
It's good to hear you are

10:08 PM, Tuesday, December 5, 2006 .. Posted by MissionaryMom
still alive and kicking. I hope tomorrow goes better.

Carol
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6:48 AM, Wednesday, December 6, 2006 .. Posted by Sadie
I think it\'s pretty amazing that you can have such a long string of bad luck, then write about it so eloquently and with such warmth that it makes me smile. Go figure. You are well on the right road when you can accept a stalled truck (and a disappointing change in plans) with such grace.

Thanks for posting again! It\'s nice to \"see\" you when we live so far away.

Someone sent me this email today that I thought was fitting:

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head. \"Well,\" she said, \"I think I\'ll braid my hair today.\" So she did and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head. \"H-M-M, \" she said, \"I think I\'ll part my hair down the middle today.\" So she did and she had a grand day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head. \"Well,\" she said, \"Today I\'m going to wear my hair in a pony tail.\" So she did and she had a fun, fun day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn\'t a single hair on her head. \"YEAH!\" she exclaimed, \"I don\'t have to fix my hair today!\"

Attitude is everything. As the saying goes: \"The kind of life you will have isn\'t determined by what happens to you, it\'s determined by your reaction to what happens to you.\"

Have a Good Day.

Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

love you! I hope today is much better, and you get those contacts at last. Sadie.
Awwww!

9:36 AM, Wednesday, December 6, 2006 .. Posted by Jonash2004
Hey, you have some great, encouraging friends on here! I love the whole bit about the lady with 3 hairs. Oh.my.word.
Hang in there!
Ashley
Already been said

9:56 AM, Wednesday, December 6, 2006 .. Posted by Pattisea
I don't think I have anything new to add, but I was thrilled to see a post from you after such a time!

Also, I know how wretched head-lice can be! My daughter had it one year and we just could not get rid of it! We finally did, but I had nightmares regularly and one day threatend to move to an orphanage in Nicaragua (sp) where I knew most of the kids had lice...then we would fit in!

A hint; if you have electricity, try using a blowdryer on the victim, while hanging over the tub...the bugs fall out. Then you can nit-pick with out worrying about new eggs being laid as you work. My sister did this and was finally able to get rid of hers (Different occasion).

Take care and just know that it will pass. REALLY!

Patti
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3:45 PM, Wednesday, December 6, 2006 .. Posted by morningsunshine
I also went away for awhile, not even commenting or reading. but I am back, and have caught up on your posts. I was looking at the pictures of your home; you are a regular Carolyn Ingells! in a one room cabin
Warm hugs

11:58 PM, Wednesday, December 6, 2006 .. Posted by Ashli
I was glad to see you post again. You tell stories so well, you see, and as a gentle soul it comes out so much like music floating through words and meaning that I just can't help but stop in and wish for your posts.

I hope you understand that I'm sincere in these words I speak. No many can really tell a tale that makes me tingle with excitement in the morning before my warm tea. :o)

For a stranger to say such words I'm sure you're feeling a bit...stalked, but trust me, I'm just a simple lady in a home filled with laughter, warmth, and the eager feeling of a good story.

Feel better, stay cozy, but do know that I look forward to hearing from you again. And, you know, I couldn't BEAR to see you stop posting :o)

::: smiles and winks :::

Warm blessings to you and yours.
Pretty!

8:33 AM, Monday, December 18, 2006 .. Posted by HarvestMom
Oh lovely snow Darcy! Enjoyed your update!
Blessings, Theresa

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About Me

My husband and I along with our 3 children, moved from Iowa to Montana 3 years ago fulfilling a long time dream of living in the mountains. Last summer we purchased and moved onto our bare land and are currently living in our home made cabin which has evolved from a shed to a barn to our cabin and future guest house. The foundation for what we now call "The big house" is dug and waiting for our next burst of energy!