I decided to do a second post today. I really wanted to write about losing our dog, Riley, and the unexpected impact regarding country life without a dog. I shed a few tears on that one but the grief is worth it for the wonderful years we had together.

So for something a little more upbeat... or I guess WAY more upbeat, I woke up to a moose this morning! Even better, it turned out to be 2 moose!!

I'd been lying in bed thinking about getting up and then I heard a noise. I looked at the cat and realized he'd heard it, too, so I jumped out of bed and checked the windows. Then I had to leap back on the bed because I remembered that it's underneath one of the bedroom windows -LOL!

I saw a big animal on the road and thought the horses from across the way must have come back for a visit. In my defence, it was still that early morning light. I watched a bit longer and then saw the profile of the animal's head - a moose! I grabbed my phone as it's the only camera we have at the moment. I'm putting the images up, too, but they're not very good. Honest to God, it crossed my mind that I felt like I'd be trying to tell you I saw a sasquatch and here's the photo and can't you see what I saw?!

I thought about going outside for a closer shot but then realized my Mom (hi Mom!) would kill me if the moose didn't get me first.

Well, we lost our dog, Riley, nearly 2 weeks ago now. Troy and I have been so glad that she got out here and was able to enjoy the wide opens spaces but we thought it would last years, not months. Turns out she had spondylosis and her back just gave out. Our hope that we'd be able to extend Riley's life through managing her pain was strong but in the end her heart was willing but her body failed. Troy and I will always be grateful to the Pioneer Vet Clinic staff and especially Dr. Tim for his support and efforts. It's never easy to lose a beloved pet even though we know from the moment they enter our lives that we're going to go through some grief.

While we've gone through the grief process before, there's an unexpected element now that we've moved. Security.
I knew that I relied on Riley as an early warning system and as a deterrent to intruders. Now that she's gone, I do not head out on walks around the property and the door is always locked. I miss our companion time together hiking the property and learning it's nooks and crannies. Although I try to remember to be aware of my surroundings at all times, I recognize my limitations in that area.
It just isn't safe for me to do hikes, etc right now. I think I'd brave another skunk encounter but not the bears! We've also had a truck drive in for what appeared to be a "casing of the joint" a few weeks ago. In checking around the community, it is consistent with what other people are experiencing so it behoves us to be cautious. (Yes, I did spell that right - I looked it up!!)
So while I would normally take the time to grieve the loss of our companion, the demands of country life seem to be dictating that we get another dog or 2 as soon as possible. Fortunately, I don't feel like I'm replacing Riley (or Genie, Baron, Jekyll, Rocky or Cassandra) but I for sure feel pressure.
We had Mom's chihuahua/terrier out for a few days. Somehow, not quite the same. He's a barky little guy but not much of a deterrent, you know? Our cat, Stanley, enjoyed Milo being around as he's really been missing Riley, too.
It's got me realizing that we're going to have a variety of animals - livestock and pets - and that we will likely be going through this more and more. Something to think about if you're leaning towards a rural life, too.

How can it be another season out here already? I've been out here since mid-May so spring, summer and now fall. It has all been incredibly beautiful. Thankfully, I still am enjoying every minute out here. Not that life doesn't get in the way of utopia, of course, but that lets me know that it was a good move. If I'm happy out here during the tough times, then I'm in the right place!

I know I wrote back in August that we finally got the internet hooked up. It lasted about 3 or 4 days. We may never know the real reason it stopped working. The internet company said it was an electrical issue and the electrician said it was a moisture issue because the box containing everything that was to be weather-proof wasn't. Regardless, the electrician got us a fantastic weather-proof box and the internet company re-installed the point-to-point system and it has worked like a charm ever since. Despite the setback in time and money, both the companies were wonderful to work with and got the problem solved. So now I have access to the outside world right here at home.
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This is partly where reality comes into play. When we first looked at the property we had a plan. Knowing that plans change, we weren't surprised when they did. Changes have a big impact on budget and that in turn has an impact on what you can accomplish given certain time constraints. No surprises, just adjustments I guess you could say.

The biggest financial decision we made on this property turned out to be putting in a road, or as I like to call it, our drive. Originally, we were going to put all of our buildings in the little clearing. Then the contractor walked the property with Troy and came up with what seemed like a brilliant idea. We haven't regretted it once. Even though it set us back in the other things we are able to get done this year, the drive makes the property. It provides us accessibility well into our forest and to the path that takes us to the creek. We believe it was worth every penny, too, because it affects the rest of our lives here and the rest of the life of the property which is something we take seriously, too.
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The other unanticipated expense was the water well. Again, our contractor was able to get someone in who gave us what we have found to be a fantastic price. It's a little bitter-sweet as we had planned to use an alternative water source for this year and hadn't planned on spending that money. On the other hand, it increases the value of the property and we planned on doing it next year anyhow. The thing is, we don't have a pump for the well so we are not able to access the water just yet. Not to worry, though, as Troy brought home a water cooler. Not sure why it's named 'cooler' when it also has a heated water component. It has been a game changer as the solar water shower I was using over the summer just isn't effective in this cool fall weather. I have hot water on demand now and it makes life much easier. I still need to haul water but we have so many containers that it's perhaps once a month so not a big chore. I collected rain water all summer so didn't go without for bathing, etc. It didn't take any effort to set up some barrels under a catchment system, either, so no spent energy there. Last night I heard about a natural spring not far away that runs all year, too. I'm hoping Troy and I can head out there this weekend to explore. I hear the water is very tasty!

We also don't yet have a heat source beyond space heaters. We've got loads of logs from the road construction and lots and lots of deadfall so a wood-stove seems like an optimum choice. We also have a furnace in the ATCO trailer we're living in over the winter. It needs to be serviced, though and then we have to buy the tank and the fuel. As every decision has to have significant impact AND has to fit into our current income, it's a decision not to be made lightly. I think our options right now are buying a wood-stove for about a thousand dollars or spending a similar amount on getting the furnace going. The thing is, I hear there are regular power outages here through winter and the furnace needs power to run. We have a generator so we wouldn't be totally stuck and, let's face it, there's no plumbing yet so no pipes to freeze. ...just us and the pets! So far, the various space heaters are working fine but we've only just been down to freezing. Also, the wood-stove, once purchased, provides free heat. 

So, all that said, we are happy here. We have everything we need, or will have it by the time we need it. We are cozy in our little temporary home.​