If it seems as though I’m not posting very much or with any real enthusiasm lately, it’s not because of any loss of interest in the blog. It’s just that nothing really happens here most of the time, most of what does happen is quite routine, and I have most definitely lost interest in filling in the blanks with quasi-political quacking as has been my practice for lo these many years.
Example: Here’s an unusually busy morning so far at the Secret Lair…
Baking day! I intended to take a morning walk to the chickens before I started bread, but that got short-circuited by Neighbor L proclaiming laundry day. If I were to have any hope of getting my dirty clothes to her by the appointed hour of 9, I had to start baking right away because all told it takes 2.5 to 3 hours. Didn’t miss it by much.
Meanwhile I sorted out my laundry, got it and Torso Boy and some treats for the hens into the Jeep, and off we went as soon as the loaves were on the cooling rack…
TB knows the signs by now and was very excited about seeing the Nice Ladies, which got him into trouble. He wanted out of the Jeep and I wouldn’t let him. He got mad and snarled at me, which is only the second time he’s ever done that. The first time, in which he also bit me, was early in our relationship and bought him a boxed ear. This time I just snarled right back and told him to get his rotund ass into his own seat. Which he did, promptly if with rather poor grace. He had forgotten the incident and forgiven me by the end of chicken chores.
Which of course came rather late in the morning, what with baking and laundry. I was hoping there were some eggs, because I was nearly out at the Lair…
I didn’t have a lot of hope because they usually lay later in the day, but instead I hit the jackpot…
Apparently L picked up eggs early yesterday, and that combined with my late arrival today meant there was a bonanza.
Exactly seventeen eggs! Which is exactly how many I needed to fill the Lair’s ready-egg storage. I didn’t plan to take these particular eggs home, though, because…
…the new ones are clean and there were already sixteen in the powershed that were covered with chicken shit and the remains of at least one broken egg. I normally take those home and leave the clean ones for L to use or give to neighbors. They clean right up if you soak them with well water for a few minutes. For long-term storage you should leave fresh eggs unwashed, but these will be used up in a few days.
Then back home to bag up the bread when it finishes cooling, process photos and make this blog post, and then…
I’m going to take my bike on a ride from the cattleguard at the county road to town, just because it’s a beautiful cool clear day and I feel like it – not because there’s any particular reason to, I was just there yesterday for a new trashcan and chicken feed.
BTW that bike rack works perfectly as long as you make sure everything is good and cinched down. I took it on my rounds this morning, which tends to get very bumpy and uneven indeed, and it stays on the rack like it’s nailed there.
So you see: Unless something goes drastically wrong, which does happen but not terribly often, my days are quotidian and repetitive. On an even more average morning than this one has been so far, I’d have been sitting and reading a book for at least part of it. And it doesn’t really produce even one reliable daily dose of scintillating blog fodder. I try to keep TUAK entertaining, but sometimes it starts to feel a little labored like a stand-up routine that’s been done too often. Short of going back to political filler – and I have completely lost interest in who’s impeaching whom and for what or which little child is being paraded around as the prophet du jour – I really don’t know what to do about it. Suggestions are welcome, I guess.
I personally like the reports of what’s going on(or not) at the Lair. If you’re looking for something to post on a day when you can’t think of anything, you might consider posting of list of what you’d like to stock up on for your winter pantry for future care packages from your readers. Hint hint.
For blog content, the first thing that pops to my mind is that if you do a lot of reading, you could of course always review the books you read..?
What Colorado Hermit said. It’s all interesting, often educational and motivating, and I love the photos, reminds me of the times I’ve been a short term desert rat. Your everyday life posts are still my first morning read with homemade bread, spam, eggs and coffee.
I read your blog daily and love it. The posts are entertaining, educational and witty. Keep them coming!
I enjoy anything you wish to share.
You could always chase Laddie around the Lair with the remote control mouse…
}:-]
Your “a day in the life” style posts are always my favorite. Your formal reviews are also always interesting and can bring you new readers as folks discover them in searches.
I like to think some day I can be there.
Joel your day in the life segments, as boring as you thing they are, are an island of calm in a sea of turmoil. Where else can a guy go to get away from the rocks and shoals of hate and anguish that fill the world wide web? Your boring slice of life is an elixir of sanity in an insane world. The content of your blog is fine so don’t worry about it.
In other words, Life. We have this idea in modern America that life is a “continuing adventure” or something. But it isn’t. We just confuse ourselves with F*c*book, and TV and whatever that we think it is.
Life is mostly about cooking, cleaning, in some cases getting the eggs. etc. All the rest is noise. Does anybody remember what they were doing at work 10 months ago? 10 years ago? Do you remember where you lived 10 months ago or 10 years ago? Who you “hung around with” every week? What your house or apartment was like. You probably remember if you hated your boss, and little else.
The Buddhists have a saying. “Before enlightenment: chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment: chop wood, carry water.” That’s life. As Mike points out, most of America has lost touch with it.
i agree with the above. i love tb’s antics. i’m 77 and i love your talking about what you consider mundane.
Nothing to be concerned about, Joel; what you may view as “boredom caused by excessive disconnection from events” we regard as “consistent peace of a wide storm’s eye” and we’re jealous.
Life, everywhere, always, comes with challenges, but you and TB have achieved a comfortable parity with it.
Ditto to the above.
I’d like to see more mundane stuff like…what’s the deal with underneath the cabin? Did your constuction method resist nature? Are there scorpions and spiders everywhere, and did you seal the walls so nothing can climb up and in?
I’ve fantasized about an outback cabin for decades, although I pictured a mountaintop. I’m always looking for life tips for future me.
Is that old chicken area just decaying away? That would be a good place for fruit trees. I’m still convinced your old ones died because the soil suffocated them.I deal with similar soil & climactict….climactic…climate conditions here.
Continue posting Quotes,
I enjoy them.
esp Qotes about Liberty .