Last weekend I spent a day and a half working on my tiny free pallet house. It’s been terribly difficult to find time to build but it really felt great to be working on it again. When you sit at a desk in front of a computer all day every day it’s nice to get out and do physical work. I know that sounds moronic to those who actually ‘work’ for a living but it’s still true. Anyway I’ve posted more photos on my Tiny Free House blog if you’re curious.

We were running an errand today and on the way home spotted this guy in his extra large yellow 4×4 with the words ‘YES ON 8′ written boldly on the front, back, and sides. For all I know it was written on the roof too just in case the CHP in the helicopter wondered where he stood on the issue of gay marriage. Now I’m pretty sure there is something wrong with this picture… don’t you think he’s protesting just a little too much?

Then… if that wasn’t funny enough… moments later the COWBOY UP dude pulled in behind him and followed him in traffic for a while. All I have to say is that seeing this made the trip worth while. We laughed all the way home.

коли под наем

This is funny, tasteless and completely politically incorrect (except for the Obama part of course), but definitely funny.

You might have read in the New York Times article that Julia and I long to move back to Mendocino County, downsize, and simplify. Here’s what Steven Kurutz wrote in the article.

“Instead, he wants to be a living example encouraging people to downsize, even if it’s only to a moderately smaller home. The Janzens plan to do just that, as soon as the housing market bounces back and they can sell their current home without taking a loss. The couple wants to move back to Mendocino County, where early in their marriage they lived in that 450-square-foot cabin.” – NY TIMES

When we lived in Mendocino County before we lived in a little place called Redwood Valley and and made pilgrimages to the coast which was about an hour away through some very twisty roads. When we move back someday we want to be much closer to the coast, just not right on the coast. Here’s a photo of the village of Mendocino.

I’m pretty sure a historic home in the village of Mendocino will be out of our reach… I guess it will just depend on how successful I’m as a writer, blogger, whatever. I think we’ll probably look for a piece of land that’s just inland, outside the coastal commission’s jurisdiction and in the sun a little more. Having a peek at the ocean will be enough for us. Owning a home right on the ocean comes with too many maintenance and zoning limitations. Definitely not a simpler life.

Every day we listen to KOZT online. KOZT is one of the last real radio stations owned and operated by real radio people who have escaped the world and hidden out up there. If you’re a Beatles fan they run a great radio show every Sunday from 8AM to 10AM called Breakfast with the Beatles. We listen to is to stay connected.

But for now we’re stuck in our big house, like millions of Americans. I’m hopeful though. I read economic reports coming out of the bank I work for every week, public reports… no insider information here. We still haven’t hit rock bottom but I know a lot of people think we’ll have a good recovery once consumer confidence comes back up, maybe as soon as the holidays. In any event I’m certain I’m in my house a job for a few years, nothing can recover that fast, but I’ll keep doing everything I can everyday to move toward this goal. Being proactive is the only way to go.

Photo credit wikimedia commons.