The number one question always seems to be why which in itself is a few different questions. Why move from California, Why Oklahoma? Why leave your extended family behind?
Why move from California? I'm sick and tired of the politics and ridiculous rules and regulations in this state and the social expectations of living in the city. I can't park in my front yard without risking a $75 ticket. I can't replace my windows with upgraded more efficient windows without getting permission from nanny.gov and paying them a fee for the privilege. My neighbors are so
close that if they choose to smoke a cigarette on their front porch, I have to close my front door not to smell it. The tax rate and overall cost of everything here is higer than most places in the country. The cost to rent a one bedroom apartment in this area goes form $850 a month and up. Constant sirens and helicopters going over looking for criminals and we're in a "good" part of town. I can't even shoot a pellet gun in my own back yard without breaking a city ordinance and risking a fine. I could go on for days on that one question alone.
Why leave family behind? That one is not as easy to answer. The easiest way is to say that it's not our first choice, but while we are leaving Deb's family and most of mine, there are some of my relatives closer to us out there and we are still only a 24 hr drive away. Sometimes you have to choose what's best for you and your own even if it means some of the family doesn't understand.
Another set of questions is what are you going to do for power, water, cooking, etc.?
There is no power on the property and while we could pay an outrageous amount to have it brought out and then have a monthly electric bill, we've made the decision to go with solar. We'll start with the minimums and build it as we go using a generator as a backup. When we take a realistic look at what we use on a daily basis and just how much of that is waste we can see where we don't really need as much. It means taking a step back from the normal consumption mentality that the American population sees as normal, but in the end we'll be better off.
There is no water or well currently on the property, but we do know that others in the area surrounding the property have put in successful wells, and with a monthly average rainfall of 2.5 inches rainwater catchment will be a huge part of the water source until we are able to dig a well.
Cooking and heating will be primarily propane based until we get the house built and then it it planned to have a wood stove for most of it.
Primitive doesn't mean poor. If it weren't for the tornadoes we'd build a yurt like the on on the left and live in it. Google yurt and look at some of the interior shots and tell me that's primitive. Why do you live in a square house with plaster or gypsum walls and a tar shingle roof? Who says that's a "normal" house? In most cases it's a house built with the cheapest materials but the lowest bidder so the seller can make the most profit possible from you.
Frankly I'm also tired of working 40+ hours per week to make someone else rich while I eek out a living trying to maintain what society considers a middle-class lifestyle. Look, I spend most of my extra time when I'm not working farting around on the internet or watching TV. Even if I do get outside and get any exercise it's only to ride a bike, take a walk, etc and all of it in the city. Everything else requires I spend part of that money they let me keep after working all week that I can't afford to spend.
Society as a whole has been told for years that there are certain things you "have" to have to survive. I've written on this subject before but it's my belief that in my lifetime that society is going to collapse and while it won't be complete anarchy it will be the end of life as we know it and the start of an entirely new way of living. The more self sufficient you are before that happens the better of you'll be and equally important will be not living in the city.
Do you have a job waiting for you there?
No but we'll have enough cash for a few months and I won't be looking for full time work anyway. We'll just need enough for the property payment, propane, food (until we get crops and animals going) and a small building fund until the house is done.
There are more, but I think that's enough for today. We're heading out to the trailer tomorrow to get it ready for the trip so that when we're ready to leave we can hook up and go.
Until the next time...
I'm really proud of how well you have thought things out. I know how hard it is to walk away from family and how much you miss them. I don't have any regrets about leaving the US and moving to France. My life has never been more stable. I am looking forward to reading more of your posts.
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