An Uncommon Life

"Lend your voices only to sounds of freedom.  No longer lend your strength to that which you wish to be free from.  Fill your lives with love and bravery and you shall lead a life uncommon."  Life Uncommon–Jewel

A Day in an Uncommon Life

This morning we woke up later than usual.  My husband is usually up first, and Agador will usually curl up in my arms or next to my face with his motor running and a kitten smile of content.  Of course, we do perform the same morning rituals as everyone else.  We brush our teeth first thing in the morning.  Because we do not have running water, we go outside.  This usually involves some acrobatics because Agador is an indoor cat; however, he has a knack for a split second transition from playing with his eggplant (toy) to bolting through the closing door and around to the other side of the trailer. 

After we brush our teeth, my husband makes coffee while I perform more acrobatics to clean Agador's dish.  Coffee involves planning.  Although our trailer has propane heat (when it is working), we bought an electric infrared heater to divert the costs.  Unfortunately, using the heater and the coffee maker at the same time results in a small power outage.  My husband and I then sit across from each other drinking in the warmth from our coffee cups.  While I do my homework (I am going to college online), he reads the news.  

Running Water

Originally, we were going to build on the property on which we are currently living.  Since our plans have changed, we never did dig a well or septic.  We are fortunate to have neighbors who are close friends.  They let us shower at their house and fill bottles for home use. Bottles are filled about once a week (we have that many).  With the exception of one other experience in my life, running water has always been a given.  I am more thankful for the simple fact that we have water.

Aside from waxing furniture, washing dishes is my favorite task.  As a former yoga and meditation instructor, I find the task to be one in which I can pour my mind and being.  Eight months ago, washing the dishes meant lifting a lever, moving it to the left, and waiting for the water to get hot enough.  Today, I can wash dishes in a total of ten cups of water.  It all begins pouring a jug water into a cast iron pot and bringing it to a boil.  Silverware, wiped clean the previous night, are set in the hot water to sterilize.  As the water cools a little, Agador and I will play fetch.  When the water is cool enough, I wash as usual and rinse outside (more Agador-abatics occur).

Laundry Day

Again, we start by boiling water.  I'm just kidding–we go to the laundromat.  However, one of the most exciting days of my life was when we bought a line for the laundry.  I have always wanted to line dry laundry, and I got my wish.  This falls right in with the meditation thing.  Hanging laundry is like meditating.  During the winter, the clothing stiffens like cardboard and takes longer to dry.  Regardless, I have decided that I prefer it to machine drying.

Slowing Down

Our days move along much like everyone else's.  In the evenings, I complain that I have another paper to write for school while my husband reviews the drawings for the house we will build.  We take Agador out for a walk and enjoy a glass of wine.  Without many of the conveniences, our lives have slowed down.  It may come as a surprise that the absence of things normally taken for granted does not constitute hardship.  Things take a little more time to get finished, but we are left with a greater sense of accomplishment as the day comes to an end.  This is what I call freedom.