like a band of gypsies

i'm really not so good at pacing...i'm more of a glutton, or maybe just more all-or-nothing. it's been crickets here on the blog, but of course not in real life, so now i'm gonna dump it all out for you because gluttony likes company, yes?

here are some moments from the last several weeks.

the boy is now taller than the ggma:

the kid was craving a raspa, so we headed west for a couple of days:

where i caught these hoodlums smoking cigarettes! (kidding! they were CANDY.)

and we soaked up some slow-n-good west tx time.

on the way home, the silver armadillo hit a milestone:

(this is in no small part due to the two brilliant and amazing magician shops of JR Brothers and Meyerhoff. these fellas have saved the day more times than i can count.)

the kid has a few projects going on, mostly having to do with animals we cross paths with and his love of succulents, but also the rebuilding of helm's deep, and the climbing of trees:

oh and i cooked once! we have a lot of snack dinners around here, let me tell you. so when i attempt something hardcore like tinga and polenta, it's a big deal. and a mess!

but was sooo yum.

(312 reprizzent! when in chicago last summer i got called out for being a tourist when i ordered a 'three twelve'. that's a 'three one two' y'all...)

another event was a 3 day shenanigan-fest for one special lady and her radassical homies who (whom?) i am honored to know:

it really looked most of the time like this:

oh so fun and soul-cup-filling.

in house/farm news, all 200+ fence posts have been set. next is stretching the wire. foundation has been started for the boy's greenhouse. and the carpenters have been kicking butt: we may not have a roof, but we have stairs. how many people can say they have a stairway to heaven? literally?

and as of yesterday, upstairs walls!

i am in constant awe and gratefulness for the folks (including the mr. and my dad) whose work and skills are part of this venture. it's so REAL and so CLEAN, to know and talk to the person(s) who are physically hammering nails to boards of the shelter in which you will lay your head. i am finally getting a little excited for my turn, for my part, where i get to make it cozy. because, um, i'm not so good at walking around on rafters and such. 

and!! the west called again. the mr. and i drove out for a few days of sun and storms and tequila and hot springs and blooming ocotillo. rain in the desert has a smell i cannot describe. being out there gives you poetry goggles...but the words don't stick once you're back. so you have to keep going. 

it's fun when these things happen: a guy on a poster in the holland hotel...

looks a lot like our favorite sherlock holmes:

until next time, happy trails...

better than black gold

(Let's just say this first photo reflects how I felt recently, hence the quiet, but I think I've got my bounce back.)

Onward, yes?

We here at self-inflicted chaos HQ have been busy. It's a slow busy, for the most part...we strive to 'mosey', but sometimes we forget and it gets a little stressy all up in here.  

House/farm update first:

fence posts...that say 'hi'! (I will say hi back every time I see it, you know this.)

boy got to drive this:

and this:

and found this:

and i haven't seen any of the following yet in person, but some foundation action:

and the roof is coming along. 
Perhaps the BEST news we have had (so far!) since this whole venture began was when this happened yesterday:

I'm not going to pretend I'm even interested in knowing how a well works, but we hit lots of water at 42 feet, when we'd been thinking we'd have to drill 450. And when you're planning on getting your farm on somewhere it doesn't always rain, this is good news! (and a bonus...the well will cost less to drill!)










You like how I say 'we'...as if I had anything to do with it. I also use 'we' to spread the blame around on my plate: "we are grouchy", "we are feeling a little stressed"...ha! At least I'm fair.






Our little buddy was released back to his home sweet home. I miss him chilling out in my scarf or riding shotgun with me, but it seemed the thing to do. We marked where we let him go, so we can leave that space untouched. And yes, I go talk to that space in case he's around and wants to visit.

In other funny little creature news, I spent some time alone at the cabin, where I found some treasure stashes when I was cleaning. Apparently mice like to have some snacks while they read poetry. I get it.

The boy wrapped up his Shakespeare performances (you can like the troupe's fb page here):

And they got to march in the Honk! parade, which was redonkulous fun!!!

Whilst the Mr is doing all kinds of manly things here and afar, the boy and I have been having various shenanigans, including a brilliant and funny scavenger hunt he set up for me (while I was sleeping!!!) that ended up with a lovely pot of tapioca. We decided to save it for our Harry Potter III movie night.

(these were $6 at the antique mall!)

what. a. kid.

town house, country house

here it is, folks. surely there is a country song perfect for such a moment, but my mind draws blank. watching this happen was simultaneously momentous and a bit sad somehow. a few trees got a trim, lots of people worked together, and others were delayed wherever they were headed on this (incredibly windy) tuesday morning. 

as close to a parade as it got, though i did secretly wish i could ride in the house. 

time for this lady to procure some work gloves. 

it's all about the bunny

our newest addition is getting a lot of (my) attention. it's nice with so much going on and up in the air (STILL waiting to move the house, much to the chagrin of the former owner of the house who wants it OFF his property) to just sit and hold a wee creature. he (she?) is taking milk from a tiny bottle the mr and the boy got from an ag place. 

there really isn't anything much cuter than a baby bunny licking its lips. 

and we can make the ass drop

all the *@#%#! paperwork has been signed, ridiculous amounts. 

now begins the real work. the test of the sanity we have left.

the house had an addition, which came off. we will reuse the windows and salvage as much of the lumber as we can.

last week it looked like this (the back part is gone):

see how it's crooked? that's because they get under the house with these hydraulic "pillows" they fill with air to lift the house up, put the skid thingies on wheels underneath (i really should use this as an opportunity to learn the terminology), lower it onto them, secure it and whatnot with wood blocks to its frame, and voila, a house on wheelz.  

(faith, y'all...i didn't know he was under there till i started taking the photos.)

from the front:

it's really hard to capture. 

how cool are these beauties, found on site:

which we have decided were for hooch. because this house is old, like prohibition old, we think. exact date built is unknown. 

i'm not aware of the spot where the house will live. but somewhere near here:

i must again give a shout of thanks to the parental units who keep housing us while we stay to take care of business, eat their food, drink their whiskey, and relax in the peacefulness of the prepared environment that is there for us.

sundowners:

i've started packing already in the hopes of being really organized when the future move catches up with us. this is what happens when you leave the tape/sharpies out:

(eco-disclaimer: don't judge my plastic bins. (i hate plastic bins.) the storage barn that will hold these items has been known to be home to brown recluses and a lady needs some peace of mind. i'll reuse them, promise.)

there could be an entire blathering post about how i am having issues ooze up around the fact that i am coming back to a place i left behind. for my own dignity, i'll skip it. (and, duh! it's a little late now!) it warms my heart to see this at the local hardware store (the healing begins):

if you're in need of a chuckle, you can read reviews of this dandy item here. (thanks kami!)

ok, that's all for now. believe it or not, i held back. much love.