Friday, January 18, 2013

Realities of Off Grid Living

So you wake up at 5am and there is only darkness... clouds have blocked out the few stars that might give a little light. You don't get to just flip a switch. You get up in the dark, grab your flashlight (because I am a girl and don't like to stumble around in the dark)  and gather your clothes... in the dark you get dressed, you have to stoke the fire (in the dark), you fumble with lighting the propane light so you can see a little bit. Pour your coffee as the kids start whining about getting the generator going so they can watch early morning cartoons. You get your boots on, find your gloves, and grab your coat and head out to the generator... for the next 3-4 hours you get to pretend you live like regular folks with electricity, tv, internet and all that...

The rest of the day is spent doing chores and playing with children. Then as the sun slips down past the mountain, generator goes back on for another 3 hours or so. And then we slip into darkness to wake up and start all over in the morning.

Actually the whole TV/Internet thing is the only thing that is different than when we lived on grid. Instead of being on all the time we are limited to a short period in the morning and in the evening on short winter days and it will be even less time when the sun is up in the sky longer.

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