Considering that there is a dirth of particularly exciting news to report I will be answering fan mail today. This is an e-mail from Mum, it doesn't state a location. Mum writes (among other things)...
Hello chick
...We would really like to know what you are up to. eg
...We would really like to know what you are up to. eg
1 what exactly are you doing day to day?
2 how do you feed yourself?
3 are you alone in the cabin or do you share?
4 are your hosts going away or not?
5 how is your money lasting?
6 are you keeping warm/cool enough?
7 are you happy?
...
Love you to bits
Well Mum, first of all, thanks for reading. In answer to your questions;
1. My day to day activities vary depending on what needs doing. There are certain chores that need doing everyday and we all do them in rotation. This includes things like feeding the animals and making the dinner. Beyond that Peter and Wendy ask for 4 hours work a day in exchange for full room and board. This can be just about anything from gardening to general carpentry. I have been spending most of my time on the apple shed.
The apple shed
The apple shed is a pretty big job and I've been trying to finish off the outside so its nice and cosy inside. I think I've done a pretty good job so far except for when I almost cut off my left index finger with a rusty saw. That would have been a bit shit for my guitar playing.
2. Mostly I feed myself with foodstuffs. As I said before we get free room and board in exchange for 4 hours work a day, so as long as I'm working I can feel free to just get myself some food whenever I want. If I don't manage to do 4 hours work I have to forage for whatever I can find in the woods. Kidding. I can just pay a little money towards food if I want and still feel free to help myself. Dinner is cooked by a different person each day and we rotate it, so we only have to eat Jeff's crappy food every 4 days. Thank God. Everyone hates cooking here so the meals tend to be as simple as we can make them but with so much fresh stuff to eat here the meals are never as crap as Rustlers burgers or McCain's Microchips.
3. I am all alone in the cabin, which is ace. I live in the middle of the woods in a little cabin on my own. It has a sweet wood stove, running water, and a never ending bathroom. I was sleeping in the fold away camping bed until a few days ago but I have moved up into the loft where there is a foam mattress and it is much cosier. With the camping bed gone there is loads of room for me to stomp around downstairs, which I do for around 3 hours every night, usually shouting 'FEE FIE FOE FUM' and pretending the various insects on the floor are people who have wronged me in the past.
4. I don't think Wendy and Peter are going away now. I think that money issues may have stopped them, or something has just changed. I think Wendy would still like to go, and is staying hopeful but it looks unlikely.
5. My money is lasting fine. I spent quite a bit in the first week while I was in San Francisco, but there isn't anything to spend it on here. I tried to pay one of the chickens a dollar to pose for a photo but it just looked at me indignantly. I upped the offer to five but it lost interest and walked away.
6. I am keeping warm. There is a stove in the cabin and it doesn't get all that cold here anyway. I am also keeping cool, I bought sun glasses in SF (see earlier post).
7. Am I happy? What kind of question is that? I'm not in a deep dark hole of despair if that is what you're wondering. As for happy, I'm fine. I'm not bouncing around grinning like a fool the whole time though. That would be stupid. I'm having fun and I'm enjoying being here. Every now and then I stop and look across the mountains and think I would rather be here doing this than sitting in front of a computer all day.
Where would you rather be?
...
Love you to bits
Mum
XXX
Well Mum, first of all, thanks for reading. In answer to your questions;
1. My day to day activities vary depending on what needs doing. There are certain chores that need doing everyday and we all do them in rotation. This includes things like feeding the animals and making the dinner. Beyond that Peter and Wendy ask for 4 hours work a day in exchange for full room and board. This can be just about anything from gardening to general carpentry. I have been spending most of my time on the apple shed.
The apple shed2. Mostly I feed myself with foodstuffs. As I said before we get free room and board in exchange for 4 hours work a day, so as long as I'm working I can feel free to just get myself some food whenever I want. If I don't manage to do 4 hours work I have to forage for whatever I can find in the woods. Kidding. I can just pay a little money towards food if I want and still feel free to help myself. Dinner is cooked by a different person each day and we rotate it, so we only have to eat Jeff's crappy food every 4 days. Thank God. Everyone hates cooking here so the meals tend to be as simple as we can make them but with so much fresh stuff to eat here the meals are never as crap as Rustlers burgers or McCain's Microchips.
3. I am all alone in the cabin, which is ace. I live in the middle of the woods in a little cabin on my own. It has a sweet wood stove, running water, and a never ending bathroom. I was sleeping in the fold away camping bed until a few days ago but I have moved up into the loft where there is a foam mattress and it is much cosier. With the camping bed gone there is loads of room for me to stomp around downstairs, which I do for around 3 hours every night, usually shouting 'FEE FIE FOE FUM' and pretending the various insects on the floor are people who have wronged me in the past.
4. I don't think Wendy and Peter are going away now. I think that money issues may have stopped them, or something has just changed. I think Wendy would still like to go, and is staying hopeful but it looks unlikely.
5. My money is lasting fine. I spent quite a bit in the first week while I was in San Francisco, but there isn't anything to spend it on here. I tried to pay one of the chickens a dollar to pose for a photo but it just looked at me indignantly. I upped the offer to five but it lost interest and walked away.
6. I am keeping warm. There is a stove in the cabin and it doesn't get all that cold here anyway. I am also keeping cool, I bought sun glasses in SF (see earlier post).
7. Am I happy? What kind of question is that? I'm not in a deep dark hole of despair if that is what you're wondering. As for happy, I'm fine. I'm not bouncing around grinning like a fool the whole time though. That would be stupid. I'm having fun and I'm enjoying being here. Every now and then I stop and look across the mountains and think I would rather be here doing this than sitting in front of a computer all day.
Where would you rather be?
Alright, not sure if you read these little comments but I really can't be bothered with the rigmarole of sending emails, so this is how I will tell you of all the amazing thing's you are missing back home.
ReplyDeleteOn that subject, Gerry, the bloke who is our usual model at life drawing, farted the other day as he was getting up onto the table. It sounded like an old man chewing on a snickers and gently whispering "jaaaasper". No-one laughed but me. It was the highlight of my week.
I can't believe they are letting you loose around their farm with rusty tools! Unbelievable. I have an image of you hacking the hooves off 'Old Clover' their prize winning horse, and swapping her shoes with logs. Maybe it's a good thing Wendy and Peter are gonna be staying there after all.
Are anymore travellers gonna be coming to stay whilst you are there? Or will it just be Wendy, Peter, Toodles and yourself for the duration?
Anyway, don't cut off your hands with a rusty saw or fall off a horse or anything. I dont want to have to sit in the special seats in the front row of the cinema because your in a wheelchair. People already think I'm your carer when we go anywhere as it is.
Christoffer, ajed ten and a harf.
Well done little grasshopper. You are learning well the ways of the woods. Have you ever thought of writing for The Guardian or even a newspaper? Your column reminds me of Hadley Freeman, an american writing in england. Yes, come to think of it she gets a bit sarky too.
ReplyDelete