My Off-grid and need to be frugal diary

AnimalTribe

I meant to do some extra walking today as I need to lose a bit of weight, but I was so busy sorting out a wardrobe that I forgot. Hopefully, I will do better tomorrow.

There's not been much sun or wind today so the fridge and freezer will have to be put on powerpacks overnight otherwise the generator will switch on. Even through thick stone walls the generator is loud and disturbs my and DH's sleep if it goes off overnight

AnimalTribe

Plenty of sun today so lots of electricity generated. It meant I could microwave some jacket potatoes for tomorrow.

I remembered an extra walk so hopefully it will become a habit and help me lose a bit of weight. 

Other than that it was just a general tidy up day, and then a relaxing evening watching a film with DH and the dogs happily asleep at our feet.

AnimalTribe

There's not much wind today but there's plenty of sunshine so the powerpacks are charging for when they are needed overnight again.

I've cleaned doggie smeared windows, did some financial stuff, and got rid of a whole lot of filing that had been lying around for a while. DH has changed the car battery and given the car a wash. The car gets absolutely filthy on the country roads. One of the dogs ran around the yard like a lunatic whilst DH was car washing, which is a good thing as it takes a lot to keep her occupied. 

I managed an extra walk, and for the first time it was warm (not hot, but warm). If it's like this tomorrow I'll be able to do some proper gardening.

Dinner tonight is jacket potatoes with fried onion and mushroom, simple but delicious.

AnimalTribe

It’s been sunny for most of the day, so I did a lot of gardening – weeding mostly. It’s overcast now, but windy so there’s plenty of electricity being generated.

DH and I cleaned the bathroom between us, so that made it an easy job. I managed to get an extra walk in, but I’m tired now. I’m not the most houseproud of people, I clean enough to be reasonable, but no more. I’d rather be doing other things.

I think the rest of the evening I will spend reading a book.

AnimalTribe

It's been raining all day and so foggy that I can't see past the garden gate - so no outside activity today. 

The generator has gone on, but it will top up the batteries enough to last overnight. I've spent the day doing bits and pieces. I sorted out the DVDs in the house and there are a lot I can get rid of. 

One of the things my DD bought me for Xmas was a memories book. I fill in the book and then give it back to DD. It's more a present for DD. The book pages have questions like: What is the best memories of your parents?; How did you meet my dad?; What's your favourite music?; What did you and dad do on your dates?; etc, etc. Although it's a sweet idea, it's really time consuming and not my kind of thing at all. I've been putting it off but I decided that filling in a page a day would probably be manageable. It will mean a lot to DD so needs must.

AnimalTribe

The weather is still awful here so no gardening and no extra walks. I've done all the usual tasks, but my extra has been to sort out another bookcase. I'm deciding what I'm getting rid of and dusting the books I want to keep. Between us, DH and I have thousands of books, so it will take time. It's not a chore though I just love handling books. I have enjoyed all the jobs I've had, but I think my perfect job would have been as a book seller. At the moment I'm reading some vampire detective novels, but I enjoy a wide range of genres.

There's been no sun and no wind today, so the generator will switch on at some point.

AnimalTribe

It's been another sunny day here so lots of solar powered electricity and lots more weeding done.

I've seen the first pied wagtail of the season and my favourite rabbit has been sunbathing in its favourite place. I assume it's always the same rabbit as it chooses the same spot and the same time most days.

I've been cleaning more bookshelves - I think it's because it's spring and the cleaning urge has bitten.

Tonight’s dinner will be canned soup. I usually make my own but I always buy a few cans for winter as an emergency. I do have home made soup in the freezer, but if DH and I got snowed in over winter, and the freezer went off – well you have to have emergency standbys. That’s the thing with living off grid and remotely, you always have to prepare for ‘what ifs’ and have backups of most things.

teapot2

I've seen a few pied wagtails out and about here too, lovely wee birds.

AnimalTribe

teapot2 they are always the first visiting birds to show up and they are a lovely harbinger of spring. They always look so bouncingly happy.

Another sunny day so lots more electricity generated, and two loads of washing done first thing. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get into the garden as I had a dentist’s appointment in the city. I am one of those people who do not like going to the dentist, even though the one I see is absolutely wonderful – it’s just one of those things. But it was just for a checkup and a scale and polish. There are no NHS dentists available where we are so DH and I pay just over £600 a year dental insurance for both of us. This covers 2 checkups per year each (with scale and polish) and all of the basic stuff - fillings, extractions, x-rays, etc. It doesn’t cover the really expensive stuff such as crowns. But so far neither DH nor I have needed anything other than the standard stuff. So I think it’s a pretty good deal.

It’s a 120-mile round trip so DH and I tried to make the most of the city visit. We went shopping at a couple of places (and I have massively overspent) and DH posted some eBay sales.

AnimalTribe

Another beautiful sunny day today and more electricity generated by the solar panels. It's been too nice to stay inside so I've been out weeding. DH is painting fence posts. The first wild primroses have appeared so more like spring every day. I think I've overdone it today so the rest of the day is just going to be reading or crafting. Dinner tonight is a veggie burger with fried mushrooms layered with lettuce and tomato. The burgers were a reduced price bargain.