I think we'll be "roughin' it" soon. Anyone have experience with extended camping?
Hey Ladies!
Well, J and I have been doing everything we can to get out of the financial chaos we were left in after J's clients ripped us off to the tune of $18,000. (Long story, search my old posts if you need more info) However, it has been a real struggle.
We've been discussing camping out on our property once the weather breaks to try to save the $600 a month we're spending on rent and catch up on everything else that is behind. We've looked into yurts and tipis, but we don't have any cash to work with at the moment, so it's looking like we may be setting up the camper van for a while. And J will be working, with the time and matrials he can spare, to buld some sort of shelter to have up there by the time the cold weather hits again in the Fall.
Has anyone else had to camp out temporarily? Any words of advice or wisdom to pass along?
I love camping out, but this is not the ideal situation I'd had in my head. But, we've not had a lot of luck in catching up on all of financial strains we were put in by J's clients. We've had our phone and electric shut off (back on for now, but due to be shut off again on the 7th) and I am betting we'll be getting an eviciton notice in the next few days. We just don't know what else we can do to cut down our monthly spending and be able to get back on our feet again. We're between a rock and a hard place and moving up to our property seems like the only way we are going to be able to land on our feet.
Now, our camper van has a bed, sink, toilet, and 12V fridge. Chances are, though, that we will set up some sort of outdoor kitchen. Does anyone have any suggestions for ways to warm and store water for bathing or showering?
We won't be making the move until April 1st at the earliest, so we have a month to prepare. I'd really appreciate any advice or suggestions anyone might have.
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How Time Flies ~ Luna Blue is Two!
Tree hugging, vegetarian, breastfeeding, cloth-diapering, home schooling, drum playing Step-Mama to my sweet Nico Sage and Mama to my curly Kaya Jade and wee Luna Blue. Lovin my hottie ~ J. Blogging From the Boonies My Etsy Shop
I've roughed it for a time before but we didn't think it was roughing it but living off the land LOL
We had an old beer keg painted black up on a rock for heating in the sun for showers. No morning showers, and the water got really hot!!
We really learned how to conserve water and treated it like gold.
We had to carry it a distance to our cabin but it was such great tasting water.
Hammocks for sleeping in were fun too!!!
Your girls will most likely look back on it as the best time of their lives.
Well. Shoot. Sorry it has come to this for you for now!
When I was a kid, my family of 6 lived in a tiny travel trailer for a few months (til my folks could find a house when we moved to a new area) The trailer didn't have a toilet (we used a community toilet) and the kitchen was very much like a camp stove set up.
My mom grew up in a log cabin with an outhouse in upper Wisc. and they managed fairly fine (they had a sauna house with rocks heated by a fire and buckets of water to bathe in)
It sure does sound like a challenging adventure Meeshi.
Maybe J could get enough lumber here and there to build a nice cozy shed to live in at first and then you could incorporate that into the real home as you go along and get more resources.
We used to have family and friends save their gallon milk jugs to fill with water. We would keep them sitting out in the sun and because the plastic is so thin they would heat quickly.
If you know someone with a big freezer, milk jugs can be frozen to use for ice in coolers and as they thaw you have cold water to drink.
We only bathed when absolutely necessary, but it was warm outside so we played in the river several times a day.
Maybe this is TMI, but we also used to take a handicap potty thing, the kind that sits ontop of a regular toilet, but has legs and handrails attached. We would set it up in the woods in between 4 trees and run a rope around them to hang sheets off of to create a bathroom.
This was many years ago when we only had 2 kids, now we stay in a RV so there is no 'roughing it'.
If I think of anything else I'll edit this post.
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Is there anything I have that I can send you that may help? I mean, I really don’t know what you will need, but if you think of something. Clothes? Blankets? Food items?
I know I am not being of much help…I am just worried you will be cold, it sounds silly, but that is my worry.
You will be fine, you are an amazing, intelligent, strong person.
My only thought…and this may seam silly…but one of those fire pits, you can get grills that you place on top of them, for cooking and putting tea kettles on. And maybe for a quick shelter a pergola with mosquito netting…I don’t know if this helps, they are just thoughts.
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"The night sky was bright with anticipation."
You are resourceful and smart, and I know you will find ways to deal with living in a less-than-optimal situation.
That said, I am concerned about you and your family roughing it while the weather is still cold - I know that in NY, you can expect snow/frost/freezing temps through the end of April. If it was just the two of you, I'm sure you'd make it, no problem. But with the two girls...their little bodies won't tolerate cold as well as yours, and if they get the inevitable spring colds and viruses, they won't heal as well while roughing it as you described. Also, you might find that J's ex won't be too happy about N visiting you guys under these circumstances.
I don't mean to be the voice of doom. I'm just wondering if there isn't another way for you to live, at least until the warm days and nights of summer arrive. Can you stay with family for a while? Can one of you take a temporary job just to make ends meet? It might not be an ideal situation, but it might be safer than camping out from now until summer, kwim?
I say this with kindness and hope you take it with that regard.
Tara
I've done it - as a kid - so forgive me, my experiences are from 25 or so years ago..but roughing it is roughing it.
I personally would not be concerned about CPS. It is your land, and you homeschool. The only way CPS would get involved is if someone complained. And there are no laws against living in a van.
We lived in a trailer, starting in March, in Northern Ontario, for well over 6 months. This trailer was the smallest you can imagine. We were right by a crick. We had a hole in the ground with a stick to perch your butt over, an outdoor fireplace for cooking on, and I know we had a source of heat inside. I *think* at the beginning we had a propane heater, but I know they installed a pot belly stove (with all the necessary metal sheilding, etc.)
It was the time of our lives. Everything was magical. When spring finally came, we built our small (15x15) house to live in. Eventually it became my Mother's art studio when we built a large house in later years.
We sponged bathed inside the trailer.
We were clean, warm, well fed and well loved.
And now and again, when we had had enough, we would visit some relatives for the weekend and have really long showers.
However, for years after that winter, my parents felt that being in the north was not worth it in the winter. We would pack up our car and head south for the coldest three months...camping in the Keys. Thye figured that the cost of heating and clothing etc would more than pay for our camping fees. I have heard things are crazy expensive now so I don't know if that is still possible.
You are an awesome Mom, Meeshi, from all the posts I have read from you. Solve the heat source issue and then go for it.
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Jeni - wife to a great guy and mama to 3 at home plus one adult child who is expecting Feb -09!
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first of all, ((meeshi)) miss ya mama!!
the summer before 5th grade i was w/ my dad & his new family in northern cali. decided to stay & go to school, he was building a house so we decided to move out of the rental we were in & live outside ( on our property)for 3-4m while we built the house. it was awesome, i loved it. we slept in tents, ate at a picnic table, used the creek for bathing & refridgeration & water - planted a huge garden. i recall my step-sis & i made a "dresser" w/ cinder block, wood & then draped plastic over it...lol, got wet a few times w/ summer rain, but it worked.
we were prob. 12 miles at least from our small town of 500 waaay up in the mountains. i have such fondness for those days.
you could do it if you had to. but when i did it it was summer, so i'd worry about the cold too.
man meeshi, i'm sorry mama. keeping you in my thoughts
Since you have a while have you looked into getting a job at night or weekends? That way J could watch the kids and you'd be bringing in some money. Maybe see about moving into a cheaper house or apartment?
It may not be your dream vision of how things should go but sometimes we have to bite the bullet and *gasp* give up our visions temporarily.
I would do that before dragging my kids out to live in a camper when it's still cold, without running water, heat, etc...
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Claudia
Mama to one in heaven, and three by my side
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We do what we can, when we can, and let the rest go ~ Val
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"Simplicity is not about poverty or deprivation. It is about discovering what is "enough" in your life -- based upon thoughtful analysis of your lifestyle and values -- and discarding the rest. "
Welll...CPS will not do a thing unless someone complains, this is true. Are you willing to take the chance that no one will? How is Nico's mom going to react to this? I know my ex would sue me for custody in a hurry.
I think you would do a great job, don't get me wrong, but I have been a foster mom for 5 years now and I have seen CPS make decisions (and make them STICK!!!) that would make the hair on the back of your neck stand up.
CPS can remove your children if they feel they are not receiving the care the kids need. No electricity would be a huge red flag if it lasted a while. All it takes is one complaint and a social worker with an agenda. Whether they are right or not, if they can convince a juddge that the kids *might* be at risk they can remove them. I would not want my kids subjected to even the remote possibility of them spending the night in an emergency foster home or a receiving center...and they do not hear your side of the story until after the kids are gone, that happens a lot....
That said, I am really sorry you guys are going through this. I hope there is a different solution out there for you.
Meeshi HON I have a ton of links for you. You need to go to your library and see if they have any of these, if they don't, then you need to consider getting some.
Here is free information on building your own yurt. http://www.woodlandyurts.freeserve.co.uk/byo.html
Since you will be on your own land, you could harvest some of the wood to make it from your land. Or J can probably come up with the wood needed. If those plans aren't extensive enough, you can get the book http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...936843-6007025
That one is the best.
See if you can get your hands on this one http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...936843-6007025
It would be great inspiration for what you are doing.
Have you thought about a Tipi, if you haven't, you should. Here's an excellent book on the subject. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...glance&s=books
I only mention the tipis and yurts because it sounds like you were interested in them and if you could make them yourself, it might be worth it. I know that you are having finance problems but you might be able to find the canvas for either of these from an RV or canvas awning place for cheap or free if they are getting rid of some then its only sewing and harvesting wood off your own property. Or check your local freecycle, someone might have some canvas they are getting rid of (or anything else for that matter that may help you).
Before you buy remember to check out the library, Half.com, overstock.com and of course ebay.
This site is a cobwood (think cordwood with cob instead of cement mortar) site, He has a book out that has lots of good ideas in it. http://www.thatroundhouse.info/
Bender tents require no sewing, just canvas and tarps and only use saplings that you can find on most wooded properties.: http://www.enslin.com/rae/gypsy/bender.htm
They don't have to be that formal, in the book I mentioned above, Circle Houses, in the back it tells you how to build benders. It basically tells you to sharpen the thicker ends and put them in the ground, then tie the tops together. then weave sapplings in and out, make sure to leave space for a door and tie to the supports. Drape canvas over the structure and around the door (and window if you have one). For a door you can just roll up the canvas if you don't make a wooden one.
The same book shows pictures of a greenhouse made from plastic sheeting and saplings if you needed to grow some of your own food. I don't think most benders are big enough to stand in though, but they may give ya'll a seperate bedroom from the camper and give ya'll a little more space.
I know this isn't the way you would have liked to live on your property but think of it this way, its a little experiement in primitive living that your children can learn from. I'm so sorry that your having to go through this. If I lived closer you could use my books instead of trying to find them. Most of mine are in storage right now though <sigh>.
Honestly, I tried to talk my husband into something similar, though not quite as rustic and not because we had to. But he said no. I was going to live in yurts and have plumbed water, compost toilets and solar electricity. So we are downsizing big time to pay off bills so that we might get the property that we want in a few years.
I know I have more links and stuff that might help but I honestly can't find them or think of them right now.
I'm so sorry your going through this. I agree, J should make some playstands and wooden toys for sale on the market board, that may buy you some more luxury anyway. Also I know I already mentioned this, but beg your local freecycle for stuff. You'd be surprised what people get rid of.
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