Sunday, July 22, 2012

Shotgun shack redux: mortgage-free in 320 square feet

This lady shares how they actually did it.  Their home is 320 sq. ft.  Could you do it? 




80mph Storms




On the 29th of June we were settled into bed and I was checking Facebook one more time before turning off the Ipad. I noticed one of my husband's friends in Maryland makes a comment about bad weather and staying safe.  But I really didn't pay attention to it.  Because just the day before I was watching the weather channel and the top guy was saying that even though we were having 100 degree weather it really wasn't producing severe weather.  So I wasn't concerned.  But as I began to turn off the Ipad, I thought I would check the radar just to make sure everything was okay.  I what I saw amazed me.  We had this huge storm system coming our way and would be at our door any minute.  It was a bow shaped.  I remember from when we lived in Alabama for some years.  A part of tornado alley.  That when something is bow shaped that means strong winds.  And sure enough the radar was showing 80mph winds.  Normally when we get bad weather we all head to the basement, but it wasn't tornadic so we didn't make the boys come with us.  So I told Chip that I was going downstairs just in case and Anna was coming with me.  Chip said he was coming but the boys was staying in their beds.  So we headed down and next thing we knew it hit.  It was lightening so bad it was like morse code out there.  And the winds just never stopped.  It hit the house and you heard it.  Finally JD comes down.  Nothing ever bothers this boy.  So I asked, "why did you?"  He said, "when my bed started shaking I knew it was time to go."  Wow!  Then Charlie came down.  We were down there for maybe 30 to 45 minutes.  It just seemed like it wouldn't end.  I have never in all my life been through anything like that.  And I lived in Louisiana and went through a hurricane, and Alabama and tornadoes, but this was different. We lost our power for about two days.  I couldn't believe that this was also in Ohio and came all the way and kept its strenght to Virginia.  I am just thankful the only thing we had was some fencing and one piece of siding that had to be fixed.  Then the following weekend we had bad weather and then the weekend after that we had a microburst in town.  It destroyed one building and knocked a house off its foundation by 10ft. Unbelievable.  And  I recently read an article on CNN that we should expect more extreme weather from now on.  That doesn't surprise me.  Considering the mess America is in..   









Come back soon!

We The Tiny House People (Documentary): Small Homes, Tiny Flats & Wee Shelters


I think this is great!  We need to simplify our lives.  We have become a nation of McMansions, bigger is better and keeping up with the joneses.  My husband and I continually talk about selling our house and moving onto a couple of acres and building a small house.  Only what we need.  I am tired on keeping up with all this stuff.  Tiny House People.  I don't know if I would go as small as some people of chosen to do.  But it gets you thinking.  Enjoy!



           

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Distraction of My Favorite Kind

I am trying to read/study the torah portion for this week and this is continuously going on outside my office window.  There are three of them fighting over the feeder.  Lol!  They are so cute!

 Come back soon!