A brief update on all homesteading things that's gone on lately:
Our beloved baby rabbit from the most recent video post, despite our best efforts, mysteriously died overnight even though it was living in the heat of my bedroom. I'm not sure what it was lacking, but you can't fix dead. So we decided that we will definitely not be attempting breeding until late winter so that by the time babies are born, spring should be rolling in.
This last Sunday Lauren and I tore down the PVC framed structure around the rabbit enclosure because the PVC was just not holding up against snow weight. Partially my flawed, rushed design and partially the materials I selected. So we spent all day outside Sunday (it was snowing up here) and built a proper shelter with new, heavier 6mil grade black plastic around a wooden frame that will be easy enough to take apart come summer. It was a long, cold day but we have been watching Alaska: the Last Frontier (a show about Alaska homesteaders) and felt motivated to brave the frigid weather and actually ended up having fun.
But, onto the big life decisions. There are a few, but I have to go to work in a couple minutes so I will only expand on one of them: getting back in the uniform. Since many of you understand bits and pieces of army lingo, it's most efficient to explain in military terms. So if you don't get the paragraph below, I'll translate.
If you're one of my army folks, you might be rolling your eyes because of how adamant I was about never going back in. But I have a little under two years left on my original contract and didn't like the idea that if the IRR called me up, I would have no say in my MOS. So I figured I'd look around to see what was available in my area and found a hospital unit that needs a medic (68W) so I put in my packet to reclass. Waiting on orders to get cut for my first drill and I didn't have to extend or change my original contract.
Translation: I'm going to be taking this upcoming spring semester off of class completely so that I can go to Texas and train to become a medic for a Cedar Rapids hospital unit in the Army Reserves. This will cancel out the "we'll call you if we need you" status that I've been in since I left active duty and I owe the government no additional time, only now I get paid and when I'm done they can't call me if they need me unless there's a draft. Since I've deployed before, I have a waiver that exempts me from any kind of unit mobilization outside of training, so if the unit has to deploy somewhere I don't go unless I want to. Sadly, I will have to shave my beard for the remainder of my contract, but I accept it.
Like I said, there are a few other life decisions being churned around and I'll keep you updated on them as they happen. Good luck to everybody in finals out there, stay safe this winter and have a merry Christmas this year!
Our beloved baby rabbit from the most recent video post, despite our best efforts, mysteriously died overnight even though it was living in the heat of my bedroom. I'm not sure what it was lacking, but you can't fix dead. So we decided that we will definitely not be attempting breeding until late winter so that by the time babies are born, spring should be rolling in.
This last Sunday Lauren and I tore down the PVC framed structure around the rabbit enclosure because the PVC was just not holding up against snow weight. Partially my flawed, rushed design and partially the materials I selected. So we spent all day outside Sunday (it was snowing up here) and built a proper shelter with new, heavier 6mil grade black plastic around a wooden frame that will be easy enough to take apart come summer. It was a long, cold day but we have been watching Alaska: the Last Frontier (a show about Alaska homesteaders) and felt motivated to brave the frigid weather and actually ended up having fun.
But, onto the big life decisions. There are a few, but I have to go to work in a couple minutes so I will only expand on one of them: getting back in the uniform. Since many of you understand bits and pieces of army lingo, it's most efficient to explain in military terms. So if you don't get the paragraph below, I'll translate.
If you're one of my army folks, you might be rolling your eyes because of how adamant I was about never going back in. But I have a little under two years left on my original contract and didn't like the idea that if the IRR called me up, I would have no say in my MOS. So I figured I'd look around to see what was available in my area and found a hospital unit that needs a medic (68W) so I put in my packet to reclass. Waiting on orders to get cut for my first drill and I didn't have to extend or change my original contract.
Translation: I'm going to be taking this upcoming spring semester off of class completely so that I can go to Texas and train to become a medic for a Cedar Rapids hospital unit in the Army Reserves. This will cancel out the "we'll call you if we need you" status that I've been in since I left active duty and I owe the government no additional time, only now I get paid and when I'm done they can't call me if they need me unless there's a draft. Since I've deployed before, I have a waiver that exempts me from any kind of unit mobilization outside of training, so if the unit has to deploy somewhere I don't go unless I want to. Sadly, I will have to shave my beard for the remainder of my contract, but I accept it.
Like I said, there are a few other life decisions being churned around and I'll keep you updated on them as they happen. Good luck to everybody in finals out there, stay safe this winter and have a merry Christmas this year!
Love the bunnies. Sorry to hear about one not surviving. It is a good thing you are learning things now rather than on a homestead. I am also pleased that you are allowing God to lead you in how to spend the rest of your contract time in the service rather than it being at the discretion of the government. You will be a great asset for the medic unit. Let us know where and when you are going, and for how long. Paul is now in Austin and Amanda and CJ will be headed here the first part of 2014, so if you are anywhere close when we go to visit, we might just stop in and see you if it works out. Oh - you can always regrow that beard - that is one benefit of having that Smith genes flowing through you :) Keep seeking God's desire for your life and have a very Merry Christmas! Love you.
ReplyDeletePoor bunny :( Good lucky in Whiskey training, you'll at least get the new barracks! Be ready for the mass of multiple services... it's actually sort of refreshing to see the Navy and Air Force marching around.
ReplyDeleteA note about the style of your blog - reading the white on black sort of hurts the eyes.