July 2005

California Dreamin’

Again this year Jacque and David spent several weeks in Southern California in the early spring. Having stayed in the yurt the previous two years (see july2003.htm) this year we split our time between our daughter Kimberly’s family in San Diego and Jacque’s folks, John and Kay Blix in Oceanside 30 miles further north. For the last three weeks we house-sat for the Blixes while they took a trip.

As usual we enjoyed being with our grandson Erik who is four years old already! He’s a lively boy who enjoys his preschool, doing puzzles, playing with trucks and cars and most recently taking hockey lessons! He speaks both Spanish and English and mom and dad hope he qualifies for a Spanish immersion program next year when he starts school.

David was able to again help with some handyman projects around the place and get in a few bicycle rides. Unfortunately, son-in-law Felipe had knee surgery while we were there and was unable to participate in most of the bicycling. (He’s since recovered nicely and returned to most activities.) We also reconnected with our friend Jeff Saar who hosted us in the yurt the previous two years and took a hike with our simple living friends Jimmy and Mary Harrison. Because of the unusual amount of rain in the San Diego area last winter, the flowers were particularly prolific and colorful this year. We had hoped to get to the desert to see the bountiful desert flowers in bloom but didn’t quite make it before they peaked.

International Association of Sustainable Businesses and Organizations (IASBO)

Almost immediately upon returning to Seattle, David headed off to Eugene, Oregon for the semi-annual IASBO conference. We heard interesting reports on what the City of Eugene is doing in the way of sustainability including habitat preservation, energy and fuel use, water use and solid waste and recycling. For details on Eugene’s efforts check out their website at www.ci.eugene.or.us/environment/city_policy.htm. We also heard about the Sustainability Leadership Academy, a certificate program offered by the University of Oregon and a new approach being taken by the Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB) to protect the purity of its water source.

As usual the highlight of the conference was the field trip. This time we had a tour of the Burley Bicycle Cooperative, the manufacturer of Burley bicycles and bicycle trailers, the community food bank, Eugene wetlands and a local company that mass produces compost. David again enjoyed connecting with many folks working on sustainability projects throughout the northwest.

Repaired Anything Lately?

In the throwaway society we live in it’s become a lost art to have anything repaired let alone repair it yourself. Indeed, the cost of repairing anything smaller than a car or house often isn’t worth it. Or is it? Recently Jacque’s steam iron quit working. It’s a seven year-old, Rowenta iron that she uses almost every day for her quilting and sewing projects. (Almost never for clothes ironing!) She paid about $70 back in 1997 for the iron and a replacement would now cost almost $100. Having worked in the small appliance business back in the 1970s, David decided to see if he could fix it. Although he was able to get it to work again for a few minutes, it quickly failed again. We then recalled a local shop where we had bought parts for our pressure cooker a few years ago and sure enough they thought they could repair it. Bottom line; for about half the price of new one, Jacque is happily steaming away again. Of course, if it had been a cheaper model it may have not been worth it. On the other hand, many times a product fails because of a minor problem…a loose wire or screw, a worn gasket or washer or simply some lubrication can often add new life to and old friend.

Although not as readily available as they once were, there are still a few shops around that repair things and it may still be worth it especially if it’s a higher end item like Jacque’s iron. A few years ago David mother’s bought a new TV when her old one died. David turned around and got the old one fixed for $75 at a local shop replacing our 20-year-old model with one only 10 years old. We’ve also had luck finding repair parts online and even found replacement coffeemaker carafes in thrift stores for two or three dollars.

If something is broken, it’s worth it to at least try to fix it. After all it’s already broken! The worst case is that you can’t fix it and throw it away. Or you may get lucky and be able to repair it or have it repaired for little or no cost. Next time something breaks, give repairing a try. You may be surprised.

News Briefs

• Jacque continues to be the chief gardener as David has kept busy with his handyman business. This year we again are enjoying a bumper crop of raspberries and the rest of our garden is coming along. We’ve planted beets, carrots, lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, green beans as well as a number of herbs. We harvested some asparagus but have had trouble establishing a productive bed. David’s favorite, parsnips, refused to germinate this year too.
• Our dog Sophie is still with us. As reported last time, she has an inoperable tumor behind her eye. She’s surprised everybody so far and still enjoys chasing the ball, swimming and eating and although she’s slowing down (who isn’t!) she still seems to be enjoying life.
• David’s last Your Money or Your Life study group has morphed into an ongoing simplicity book study group. What better book to start out with but Getting a Life!
• We recently enjoyed a potluck/picnic with friends from our earlier voluntary simplicity and sustainability study groups. Thanks to brewmeister Robert Stephens we enjoyed excellent homemade beer along with our potluck items.
• Since posting our “special” for Getting a Life remainders on the site last December, we’ve had a steady stream of orders from across the country. Several orders have included inspiring letters from readers and fellow Your Money or Your Lifer’s. We have about 250 copies left and there ain’t no more so if you want signed copies for $6.95 each, place your order soon. See ordering information on front page.

On the Horizon

• The annual Simplicity Forum Congress is meeting in Estes Park, Colorado at the end of August. After missing last years meeting, David is looking forward to re-connecting with the “heavy hitters” of the Simplicity movement.
• David is also planning a self-contained bicycle trip down the Oregon coast in September. The current plan is to leave from home in Seattle and cycle through southwest Washington crossing the Columbia River to Astoria, OR. To start the coastal trek.
• Harvest time is coming! We’re beginning to harvest produce from our garden. Jacque has already canned several pints of green beans and we now have a food dehydrator that we will be putting to work as well.

Book Recommendations

Our latest recommended reads:

• The Lilypad List:7 Steps to the Simple Life by Marian Van Eyk McCain. Findhorn Press, 2004 ISBN 1-84409-037-X. A great little book for those who want to explore simplicity from the inside. Written in an easy style using a frog pond as a metaphor for discovering and living a simpler life. See the complete review by David Heitmiller coming soon on the front page.
• Nothing Left Over: A Plain and Simple Life by Toinette Lippe. Jeremy P. Tarcher Putnam, 2002 ISBN 1-58542-160-X. Another look at the simple life from a self-examination perspective. The author explains how she has come to live a simple life in New York City. Living in the present moment and going with the flow are major themes in this interesting and well-written book.
• Don’t Just Do Something, Sit There: A Mindfulness Retreat by Sylvia Boorstein. HarperSanFrancisco, 1996, ISBN 0-06-061252-5. Jacque liked this practical guide to planning and implementing your own meditation retreat. Boorstein is a practicing psychotherapist and Buddhist but the method can be used by anyone regardless of their specific spiritual path.
• Reclaim, Recycle, Reuse by Alan B. Hayes. Sally Milner Publishing (Australia,) 1992. At the other end of the spectrum, this little book is chock full of very specific recipes and formulas for reducing one’s footprint on the earth while living simply. From creating energy-efficient homes to making your own cleaning products to chemical-free gardens, this book will guide you. Slightly dated, but still full of useful information if you are unfamiliar with these topics.