Looks Like A Fireplace, Heats Like A Woodstove

When we built our house, Hubby and I knew we wanted some type of supplemental heat that used a renewable resource. In other words, a wood stove. However, the general decor of our home is kind of contemporary/modern, and a regular free-standing wood stove would not have worked with our style. A fireplace would have looked better, but they are notoriously inefficient.

We searched high and low, and eventually found this fireplace/box: http://www.highcountryfireplaces.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=21_25&products_id=34

Due to size constraints, we did not purchase the blower with it. Nonetheless, it comfortably heats an open space (living/kitchen/dining combo) of about 1,200 square feet without the blower (part of that has a vaulted ceiling, too). Some of the heat goes upstairs, too, but in a shit+fan situation, we'd probably all just camp out in the living room.

The only downside: cooking in it would be a bitch. We'd have to let the coals die down and then put in some type of tripod or grate.

Still, I have alternative cooking methods (charcoal grill, sterno stove, build a solar cooker), so overall this is a minor quibble.

Here's a pic of it (ignore the baby gate, please):

Food... Food...Food...

As food prices continue to rise - and as times grow more uncertain - I've decided to refocus on my food storage plan. I've kind of been slacking a bit lately. We had some personal issues (death in the family), financial issues (no spare cash), plus the holidays, regular social engagements, etc. All of that added up to me completely ignoring my food storage and other preps.

Well, the holidays are over. Hubby's aunt has passed. And we're back (barely) in the black. So I figure it's time to tackle my preps again.

If Hubby had his way, we'd buy freeze-dried foods that we can store and forget about. This is nice in theory, but incredibly expensive. It's not just in our budget right now.

But I don't want to let expense get in the way of stockpiling, especially since I am concerned about the state of the current economy and my expectations for it during the upcoming year.

Although I hate to do things piecemeal - I am more of an all-at-once kind of gal - I figure it wouldn't hurt to simply start adding more canned/boxed/shelf stable goods to my pantry. To keep this in budget, I'll shop sales and use coupons. Here's how I calculate it:

Canned veggies and soups can be found on sale for about 60 cents per can. If I spend just $20 extra dollars per week, that's about 33 cans. Assuming one can per person per meal, and four people per meal, that's 8 meals. So for $20, I can get basically a week's worth of lunches. Every month of doing this gets me a little more than a week's worth of total food for my family.

Not super fast progress, but at least it's progress of some kind.

My Depression Fighter

So I did some self-analysis yesterday. And I realized this about myself:

I am a "project" person. I pick a project - raising chickens, prepping, dieting, exercise - and then research the subject extensively. I spend hours and hours reading forums, blogs and books. Then I spend more hours creating a game plan. Then I tackle the project. When I reach "maintenance" stage, I move on to the next project.

So, I figure the best way to combat some of my stress and depression is to tackle a new project. Hubby's suggestion: my garden.

As he so thoughtfully pointed out, my garden last year was a dismal FAIL. It definitely lacked any kind of real plan, as well as any work on my part. (In my defense, my youngest wasn't walking yet, so being outside for extended periods of time was difficult. Especially since we don't have an ounce of shade in our backyard during the daytime.)

This year, however, Little One is fully mobile. Which means she and her big sister can happily play around outside, flinging sand outside the sandbox and tossing feed to the chickens. So I have decided to follow Hubby's advice (Hey, sometimes even men get it right) and start working up a real plan for my garden.

I'm in Zone 6, bordering Zone 7. All of you seasoned gardeners will know what this means. I don't, except that it should help me find appropriate times to start planting things in the ground. I've never started plants from seeds indoors. I have no idea what I want to grow this year. And I have no idea what grows well in my zone.

This should be an interesting experiment.

So Damn Stressed

I feel overloaded with stress. Not sure what to do about it, but am about to lose my mind...

New Diet Plan

To kick-off the new year, I've started a new diet plan in an attempt to lose those last pesky 10 pounds. It's called The Primal Blueprint, and it's based on the idea that we should eat like cave(wo)men: meat, fish, nuts, seeds, vegetables, fruit, and lots of fat. The basic theory is to totally eschew grains, processed foods, and anything that wasn't available before agriculture. Dairy and wine, however, are both considered "sensible indulgences." (Thank goodness, because I don't think I could successfully follow any plan that didn't include wine.)

As many of you know, processed foods are basically the only way I eat: frozen pizza, frozen french fries, chicken nuggets, bread, Doritos... you name it. If it's been handled in a factory, I probably consume it on a regular basis. Fortunately, Mark Sissan, the author of The Primal Blueprint, also suggests following this plan on an 80/20 ratio. Basically, he gives you a 20% allowance for slip-ups, especially when real life (social events, parties, etc.) get in the way. So there's a little breathing room, especially if you're turning this into a lifestyle.

Workouts are basic and cave(wo)men like: long walks/hikes, short sprints on occasion, and functional strength training like bodyweight exercises. I can get behind that.

Three days into this lifestyle and I don't feel much different, but only time will tell...