The Anyway Project update

Well, one month into the Anyway project and I think that we are doing pretty good. There are some areas where we haven't reached the goal we set ourselves for the month but other areas where we have gone far beyond what we planned to do All in all pretty good.

So lets see...

Domestic Infrastructure: Well, nope not much got done on this. We got the roof on the shed but we still have to add more siding to it. We did not get tarps for our wood but we are stacking it in the shed so it is mostly out of the elements. I did not get a thermometer for the cold room. But I have been using a cooler with frozen water to keep some of our left overs chilled. The cooler is also in the cold room and the room keeps pretty cool. For January we will try to get some of last months goals completed. Thermometer and Shed.

Household economy: We did not track expenses but we did keep a pretty frugal Christmas. We paid off a couple of bills. We had car expenses this month and that definitly put a crimp in our lifestyle...such as it is. So our goal for this month is to open a Christmas club account that we can access next December when, again, our car will need to be inspected and registered. This should make our next December easier. I still want to track expenses. We are spending a lot of money on food lately. Partly, because of our move and the fact that we just did not put up a as much last summer as we have in the past. I want to have a comparison for next year to really gauge how much we can save by providing as much as we can for ourselves.

Cottage Industry: Well, I got the Etsy shop up and running. Tristan has photos and possibly some blacksmithing work that he would like to post on it so I think I will try to help him with that. We have been able to put up some more firewood and a neighbor has half a cord of wood for sale. This should keep us going for the rest of the winter.We can then focus our energies on finishing the shed. We also have to start thinking about sugaring season. We need more taps, maybe larger collection barrel for sap. Tristan is going to help us make an evaporator pan for sugaring this season.

Resource Consumption: We weather stripped all doors leading outside. We put plastic on some drafty windows upstairs that shall remain unmolested by cats. I sewed a curtain for a doorway leading to our utility room; there was quite a draft coming from the bulk head in this room. My goal for this month is to start sewing some window quilts for a big sliding glass door and the window in Evan's room.

Outside work: well I forgot to include a goal for this last month. But I am going to be teaching knitting to some kids at Mark's school starting this week. We will be knitting for Nest Maine; a charity knitting group that donates hand knitted woolens to those in need in Maine. I noticed that our local Adult Ed does not have any knitting instructors. I am thinking of writing up a proposal to teach an basic knitting class and maybe a class in sock knitting.

Family and Community: I did not join the Maine Time Bank or the Coop yet. Our month just got away from us. Those are still on my to-do list. My other goal is to have a date with my husband this month. I think it would be nice to institute a game night also.

Time and Happiness: I have been so busy getting Tristan where he needs to go. I have been busy holding the fort while Mark is gone three nights a week with lessons and chorus practice. I need to take a little more time for myself. I found a wild foods class at this great school around the corner from us. There is also a medicinal wild herbs class offered though our adult Ed. So I would like to register for those classes.