The 2nd Half of the Trip

The second half of my trip was absolutely incredible; there are no other words to describe it.

I had left North Carolina glad to have seen my friends and to have been able to surround myself in a bit more environmentally aware area than where I am currently located. However I was reminded that every time I visit there, I am always saddened and appalled by the amount of racism that still exists in this world and in this nation. People near and dear to me can attempt to explain the racist reasoning to me, but it seriously does nothing but break my heart that humans still attempt to judge each other based on the color (or "culture") of one's skin. Thus I can't help but admit that a part of me was very ready to leave North Carolina.

My next stop, as mentioned in a previous post, was to meet the best friend of my husband and his wife, and she and I were to explore Savannah, GA. On the way down to Georgia from North Carolina, I again was amazed by the beauty and history of South Carolina. I had a bit of time to spare and so I indulged myself with a side trip to Charleston, SC. My original intention had been to attend undergrad in this historical town, so it was great to finally see what life could have been and where so much of our nation's history unfolded.

This is along the harbor in Charleston:
You can still see where the old carriages traveled:

I greatly enjoyed meeting my husband's friend, and it was great to meet the woman who has been a fabulous support to me over the last few months as we have found ourselves in similar situations. I also really appreciated that she too is of a frugal mentality! Thus other than a coffee and lunch, no other money was spent at any of the three places we checked out!

We went to the Bamboo Gardens where we could see lots of neat plants. Here you can really see the moss that the south is known for having:

Next we checked out Tybee Island and walked along the Atlantic shore:

And finally we spent the rest of the afternoon into evening in Savannah, GA. We'd looked into doing one of the bus tours, but neither one of us wanted to spend that much money. Instead we swiped one of the tour maps and checked out the historical sites by ourselves on foot. We definitely got our exercise that day, but we also saw everything we had wanted to see.

This picture is of historic River Street along the river in Savannah:

Altogether the trip really was incredible. My financial expenses were based on two meals, a couple of coffees, a few drinks, and about five tanks of gas, but the benefits were well worth it. Timing wise it turned out to be one of the only weeks for me to have the car away from the husband that long, and the trip itself really solidified for me just how much my own lil' family means to me. I really enjoyed having the freedom of time alone and being able to make decisions on a spur of a moment, but I also really wished that my husband (and truthfully the dog too) would have been able to enjoy all the little moments with me as well. I returned feeling that as long as my lil' family is here, then this place, and wherever we are, will be my home................otherwise known as...happily settled.

Welcoming Major!

I am a huge fan of cats. My husband is a big fan of dogs. My husband and Anna have taught me to love dogs...and he's hoping I'll learn to love football. I taught my husband to love wine.....and maybe, just maybe Major is teaching him to love cats too.

Last Friday we drove to the nearest large town in order to spend part of a day away and to attempt to find new running shoes for the husband. While there we ventured over to Petsmart to comparison price dog food and to look for toys that the dog wouldn't be able to chew up quite as easily. And I'll totally admit it...I wandered into the cat adoption center...and fell in love...with Major. He was much larger than the other cats there (although he's supposedly only 9 months) and his personality reminded me so much of our dog--somewhat independent and able to entertain himself, yet he demonstrated his love to me by chewing on my hand. He officially won me over when he spent a good ten minutes playing with nothing more than a big feather. However that day we left the store empty handed and I have to admit, I left the store rather heavy hearted.

When I woke up the next morning still wanting him, the husband decided we should go back for him. So I put in a call to Petsmart to make sure he was still there, and the manager broke the rules and put him on hold for us to guarantee we could get him after our 50 minute drive. We also brought the dog along, hoping we could see how they would interact before bringing him home for sure. While probably not the most financially or environmentally savvy to drive all the way back to pay the "donation" fee for a humane society cat, we have thoroughly enjoyed having him here. When we really thought about it, his donation fee covered his neutering, all his shots for the year, and a month's worth of flea and heartworm medication---which was probably over $100 cheaper than paying for all of that ourselves by picking up a stray cat. We also saved money by transporting him home in his covered litter box and therefore didn't have to pay for a carrier or $9 for a cardboard box for that purpose. (Luckily both animals travel really well--something that will be very worthwhile on our eventual move back to Oregon.) And there's something nice about adopting shelter pets and providing them with a home, especially when we've received so much entertainment and love in return.

The two critters continue to get used to one another. Anna's got a little more playful tendencies than Major might like sometimes, but he's often the one who is egging her on. So as much as there is increased silence in our house due to the fall season, there are also moments full of barks, purrs, hisses, and yelps! We're still adjusting to litter box mode (my childhood cat had been primarily outdoor and always let us know when she needed out in order to go), although since that's my job the husband is much more inclined to clean up after the dog! ;-) For the most part I try to do it all in one swoop every day to cut down on the amount of baggies we're throwing into the trash, and I'm hopeful I can look into some more environmentally friendly cat litter options.

While I'm still on the animal post, I thought I'd share the link to Rhonda of Down to Earth's great dog biscuit recipe. These are the ones I made for Anna before going on my trip and I'll need to make some more this coming week. I used peanut butter for the flavoring which she seemed to enjoy. Since we didn't have powdered milk, I used a lil bit of regular milk and then had to add more oats and flour to the mix in order to get it to the right consistency. My cookie cutters are quite large so I just cut out little squares and triangles for her that were about the size of the other dog biscuits we'd been giving her.

I'm wanting to look into other natural pet recipes, bathing, and treat ideas. One of the articles my husband and I read lately discussed the lack of regulation over pet products and how independent testing has shown a decent percentage of said products contain toxins. While I recognize that my dog is only estimated to have a 7-10 year lifespan, I don't really want to be doing too many things to damage or lessen a happy and healthy life for her. Currently we are using the pet shampoo that the humane society gave us for free for the dog, but I wonder if anyone has any "natural" suggestions? Or does anyone know of any books that discuss this stuff?

Happy petting to all of you from all of the craziness here in our household!

The Silence of the Season

It seems that fall is landing upon us here in Louisiana and I really don't mind it too much. I originally noticed this on my return drive into Louisiana coming back from my trip. With my sunglasses on, I could see the leafy trees just beginning to get that slightest tinge of yellow. I also spent the first three days back wearing jeans and a sweatshirt, as a dry cooler front had come in and the dry 80 degree weather left me with goosebumps on my skin. Even with the return in mugginess and temperature over the next few days, the AC had been dropped considerably and the last two days it has pretty much been shut off. It dawned on me this morning how consistently the AC was running, as there seems to be a silence that's settled over the house now. The AC this summer has probably been my biggest environmental downfall.

My husband just started a 14 day training program yesterday. Luckily he gets to come home for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but it does mean for even earlier mornings for him than normal and working on the weekend again. This morning I woke up when he got home for breakfast and discovered he was soaked by rain. Thus with the rain coming down non-stop, I'd cleaned the entire house and taken care of the animals' needs by 9am. With the husband long gone already, the dog and I headed out into the drizzle to do our usual 1.5 mile loop around the neighborhood. I was surprised to once again notice the silence that was surrounding us. Although we had the occasional dog barking greetings at us, we only passed one other person and minimal vehicles on our jaunt this morning. I'm sure it was partly due to the rain (something this Oregonian isn't afraid to venture out in), but also to the fact that it was mid-morning on a Saturday and I'm sure plenty of people were still tucked up comfortably in their beds. It was sort of a nice change to have the neighborhood and paces to ourselves for once.

I'm sure that part of today the silence of our household will be pushed away. I have a girlie movie and the Sicko documentary waiting to be watched while the husband is at work this weekend. We also have been watching the 30 Days episodes on DVD and I'm sure that either that or football will be turned on this evening for my husband. However, these rainy fall days make me want nothing more than to be curled up with a good book, a tasty cup of coffee or tea, and snuggle down into a blanket--something I've been doing quite frequently lately. I recently ordered fellow blogger Green As a Thistle--Vanessa Farquharson's Sleeping Naked is Green and have been enjoying it quite a bit.

Thus here's to silence, here's to fall, and here's to my plan to have many blog posts this week! ;-) I hope each one of you is enjoying a wonderful weekend!

Road Trip (Louisiana to NC)

So the road trip has been going well! It's been nice to catch up with old friends and to see more of the South of the country. I really loved driving through the beautiful states of Alabama and South Carolina, and the history along the roads I traveled through South Carolina was incredible! Along the road you pass tobacco and cotton fields and can see the old plantation homes with their outbuildings. So much history to make you think along the journey about how much has changed in this country yet how much is still left to be improved.

However one of my favorite things about being here in North Carolina where I've been staying this weekend is that several transplanted Oregonians are also here. It's been wonderful to actually converse with others about things like local produce and steps toward sustainability. The husband of my best friend has a converted diesel truck so he and I spent time yesterday talking about things such as veggie oil and alternative energy sources. We also took their recycling to the nearby center and they accompanied me to a farmer's market store....I felt like I was near heaven. One of Oregonians is also part of Ft. Bragg's Environmental Program and she and I were able to talk about the steps they are being implemented to increase sustainability on Army posts across the country.

However being away from what is now home has also made me realize just how much I love and appreciate my own little family of my husband and our dog. I'm glad to have been able to get out and see and do while I can, but I'm definitely going to be ready to be back home too. My best friend, her husband, my husband, and I are all from the same home town (and her husband actually introduced my husband and I) and I think it's been interesting for them to see me feeling so settled, as this is really the first time they've seen me since I got married. Tomorrow I leave for Georgia where I will be visiting my husband's best friend and his wife. She and I have been engaged in a lot of supportive emails over the last two months and it will be wonderful to finally meet her and to see the historic Savannah!


I hope everyone has been doing well! Blessings to you and yours!

Of Recent Happenings

So many times I intend to sit down and blog yet just never really get down to it. However several good things have happened in the last few weeks:

--I made sun tea re-using a bulk sized old pickle jar, and it actually turned out really well!

--I made Amish White Bread from scratch which my husband loved and we used for several different things. And once it got old and crusty the dog loved it for a snack too.

--The husband hung a second laundry line in the garage, so now it's much easier to do all the wash on the same day just about. We still run the dryer for a few things but for less time and for less stuff.

--The couple living with us has their own place now just down the road, which makes it very convenient for our husbands to commute to work together most days and it's nice to still have them close enough yet far enough away for privacy also.

--Ironically the wife was over here the other day telling me about how they've continued to recycle now in their house and how she even caught herself washing out a plastic ziploc bag to re-use the other day. ;-) So it's nice to see that some things will indeed stick. The husband gets this big proud grin every time he buys something organic and can't wait to tell us.

--I've made a new friend in the last week who has a dog similar to ours, who is actually close to my age and interests. We're just getting to know each other but at least it's potentially some positive community!

--The 3 of us in my family: husband, dog, and I found a great hiking/camping area about 30 minutes from here. We went hiking two weekends ago and had a really great time. The particular trail that we went along had placards naming many of the flora along the trail, and it was great to finally be able to start putting names to the plants I've been wondering about the last two months!

--The husband and I have also continued to realize that for the most part we really enjoy our own cooking together other than processed/prepared food around here, so it's been great to spend the evenings when he is home coming up with stuff. I also really enjoy that we actually sit down at our dining room table to eat and enjoy each other's company.....I just feel it's a really good habit to get in and a great part of our day when it does happen.

--Last week I applied for 5 jobs. Although 3 of them aren't very likely to go anywhere due to the process around here of who gets priority, at least I felt like I was moving toward something. I also attended a fair like thing on post for wives wanting to get involved and was connected with two ladies who are passing my information up the chain. Who knows if it will ever pan into a job (this whole process has happened before) but again at least it's nice to know that people definitely think I'm employable. Although apparently my husband saw a headline the other day that stated that the unemployment rate for military wives is at 18% right now, so obviously I'm not the only one with these same frustrations. I had a frustration last week when after only 3 weeks of being open (and right as I was about done with the application) they closed the sub teacher application process...so now I'll have to wait until October when they reopen if I don't have a job before then. (Although I couldn't help but think as I drove out the parking lot that day: Well maybe God doesn't want me in the school system down here....)

--And since the husbands can now commute together (and because there has been a lot of drama around this place lately), my husband is letting me take the car and go visit my best friend in North Carolina for a week. Since I don't have a job yet, it's really the perfect opportunity and driving will make it a much cheaper trip. An additional perk is that another one of my buddy's and his family are stationed in Alabama and I can stop along the way to finally see them also. And if it works out I'll get to go visit the husband's best friend and his wife (who I've been in contact with a lot lately) who live near Savannah, also. So hopefully it's going to be a fabulous trip!!

--The trip though will be done fairly frugally. We took the car in for its needed oil change yesterday and I'll buy gas. I'll pack granola bars and water, etc for on the way, and then will eat at the homes where I'll stay. The best friend and I are going to head to the beach one day, as I've been missing the actual ocean for sure, but most everything we do will be on the cheap. I've still got birthday money and just enough from our monthly budget to cover the trip, and the mental health break will definitely be worth it! Although I'm going to really miss my own little family for sure!!

---Yesterday I made oatmeal white chocolate chip cookies from things found on hand and using my Granny's recipe. Today I hope to make dog biscuits from scratch so the husband has something to give the dog while I'm away. Then I've just gotta focus on packing! ;-)

Big hugs to everyone....hope the last several weeks have been wonderful!

How Time Gets Away

Sometimes I really don't know where the time gets away. I spent a few weeks being extremely homesick, a few days being incredibly frustrated about not having a job, every day interacting with the guests in our home, and most days filling up the time somehow or another. The days of homesickness were difficult but the husband and I have had some good conversations and his support has been wonderful. It's definitely been a challenge continuing to adjust to this area with minimal resources, but somehow I'm just not up to the point just yet of pulling on my shoes and forcing major change in this area. However, I am starting to get there. Case in point: coming from Oregon I seriously thought that styrofoam was pretty much only used for packing materials sometimes. When you move to Louisiana you discover that take out containers, disposable plates, etc are all made of the evil styrofoam. One more Sunday of after church fellowship and I'm pretty sure the question will be leaving my lips "Why in the world are you still using styrofoam?!"

The dog, while adorable, has proven to be quite the handful. We now have to know where she is constantly and even then she still takes a mile when we give her an inch. The same morning my husband found her digging a hole in the backyard and chewing on the neighbor's cable wire, she also broke off his habanero pepper. Several days prior she had dug out the flower box that was blocking the opening under the fence so she couldn't access the neighbor dogs. And after two "accidents" on the living room carpet, she resides in a baby-gated area of our kitchen. Although that area shrank when we discovered her chewing on the kitchen cupboards! She definitely is trainable (she's already picked up a few commands and is doing much better on our walks) but she also likes to push the limits for sure! However at 10 months and in a second home, much of this is to be expected and hopefully she'll age out of some of these behaviors too. For now, we keep her in the kitchen or outside and make sure that we can see her, and 8 new cinder blocks don't allow her access under the fence. The beauty of the blocks is that we hope we can plant flowers and veggies in the openings......well, as long as the dog doesn't eat them!

I've been getting stressed lately about the debt load that I am now carrying due to my student loans and still trying to pay off my/our car. While I'm very good with money, I also don't like to place my financial burdens on my husband's shoulders and the transition to currently being financially dependent on a man has been a struggle. However with the house now being settled, a regular financial schedule is able to be implemented especially as we get into more of a routine together. I'm still anxiously awaiting a decent job though so I can contribute something more to getting out of debt, and I'm seriously wondering why I didn't get an education in a more technical health field---as the jobs there are consistently available.

However I've also been pleased to see some major strides here in our household. My darning thread and needle has come back out (albeit to fix the dog's toys and make them last longer), our housemates come home seeking praise everytime they make a new stride in the organic/sustainable/natural department, the husband and I have been attempting evening walks with the dog when he's not working which have become some of our favorite moments, we finally settled on and hung my old drapes up in the bedroom, and we're consistently talking about how to make more strides here (ahem, I'd love a way to compost!!, let's cook more from scratch, and how about another laundry line in the garage?!). And ironically, while I hate using plastic from a health standpoint, here in Louisiana I'd almost rather prefer buying plastic over glass because at least we can recycle the glass.

Additionally after my morning run today, the dog and I went on a decent walk and finally checked out a trail that heads at the start of our neighborhood. The dog did the best she'd ever done running the trail and being surrounded by woods and that earthy smell did my soul some major good. Add onto that the fact that I've re-engaged with one of my devotional books....and I'm starting to really feel like I'm doing well again. Now if only....I actually could blog with some consistency! ;-)