While someday I dream of living an “Off Grid” life, I’m not there yet. In the meantime I practice mini survival skills and often set obstacles in my day to day living to challenge myself. If I do not personally plan out these challenges, they are then given a higher ranking as I award myself mental merit badges.
This weekend I took on two unplanned obstacles so I could keep my skills sharp since the comforts of farm life sometimes lull me into a false comfort zone in which I become lazy and dull.
My first challenge was arriving at my friends house on Friday after a long, hot day in the sun setting up my booth for Art in the Park. Volunteers made sure I had plenty of water to drink, and Art in the Park has trained me to keep two frozen wash clothes with me at all shows...so I was able to clear away the sweat on occasion and get temporary relief from the heat.
I went about setting my booth up at a sloths pace in an effort to conserve energy. I’m not positive if this method really worked, however I did complete my set up before sunset and I was still standing upright...so I’ll chalk it up as a success.
Upon arriving at my friends home I was tired and dirty...and did I mention, dirty and tired?? She wasn’t home, so with dark approaching I went to let myself in. Key number one at door number one, didn’t work. There were two keys, so I felt pretty good thinking the second key would grant me entry where I could then collapse in a heap on the floor till regaining enough strength to make it upstairs to shower and sleep. Ends up, door one was a no go with either key, so with duffle bag, my cooler, my friends two coolers...because she didn’t have access to a freezer...my backpack, and my fans battery bag...I headed around back to door number two with what looked like enough survival gear to last a month. Again I tried key one...nope....by now the duffle bag strap is cutting off my oxygen and I wobble as I try key two...no go. Finally I get the brilliant idea to set all my worldly possessions down on the patio as perhaps they are throwing me off kilter and not allowing me to properly align key to lock.
Now functioning freely I attempted entry again at door two with both keys...no success...so leaving my belongings on the patio I head back to door one to try again...no such luck. A slight panic starts to set in as it is growing rapidly darker and I am be motivated for success by the fall of a shower and comfy bed. As what seemed to be a last option, I head to door number three where I find the screen door locked. At this point my typical animal behavior kicks in...Fight or Flight? As I head back to door one I am running scenarios through my head...how long before the neighbors call the police? If I’m arrested I’ll skip the shower without a doubt. Will they give me one pillow or two? I like at lest two. Will I get head lice? Will someone bake me out in time for me to do the show on Saturday? What friends can I call and crash on their couch if I don’t get arrested? I was in the process of planning things out as I stood at door two trying to gain entry as I used the handy dandy flashlight from my phone to shed light on lock as I again tried to gain entry into the house. As I squinted trying to see what I was doing I got a brilliant idea that perhaps I should put my glasses on so I could properly see what I was doing. So I trek back to my van and grab my glasses. I head back to door two with my two keys, cellphone flashlight and glasses on...Whalah! Magically the door opens. What a sense of relief as I pull my things inside listening for police sirens....nothing but crickets and the distant chatter of folks enjoying an evening outdoors.
With that challenge successfully conquered on Friday night I allocated myself some bonus mental merit badge points. With everything now running smoothly I waited till load out on Sunday afternoon to initiate my second challenge. Busy with tear down I placed my backpack with my money in a tote which I padlocked for safekeeping so I wouldn’t have to keep my pack strapped to me as I worked.
This weekend I took on two unplanned obstacles so I could keep my skills sharp since the comforts of farm life sometimes lull me into a false comfort zone in which I become lazy and dull.
My first challenge was arriving at my friends house on Friday after a long, hot day in the sun setting up my booth for Art in the Park. Volunteers made sure I had plenty of water to drink, and Art in the Park has trained me to keep two frozen wash clothes with me at all shows...so I was able to clear away the sweat on occasion and get temporary relief from the heat.
I went about setting my booth up at a sloths pace in an effort to conserve energy. I’m not positive if this method really worked, however I did complete my set up before sunset and I was still standing upright...so I’ll chalk it up as a success.
Upon arriving at my friends home I was tired and dirty...and did I mention, dirty and tired?? She wasn’t home, so with dark approaching I went to let myself in. Key number one at door number one, didn’t work. There were two keys, so I felt pretty good thinking the second key would grant me entry where I could then collapse in a heap on the floor till regaining enough strength to make it upstairs to shower and sleep. Ends up, door one was a no go with either key, so with duffle bag, my cooler, my friends two coolers...because she didn’t have access to a freezer...my backpack, and my fans battery bag...I headed around back to door number two with what looked like enough survival gear to last a month. Again I tried key one...nope....by now the duffle bag strap is cutting off my oxygen and I wobble as I try key two...no go. Finally I get the brilliant idea to set all my worldly possessions down on the patio as perhaps they are throwing me off kilter and not allowing me to properly align key to lock.
Now functioning freely I attempted entry again at door two with both keys...no success...so leaving my belongings on the patio I head back to door one to try again...no such luck. A slight panic starts to set in as it is growing rapidly darker and I am be motivated for success by the fall of a shower and comfy bed. As what seemed to be a last option, I head to door number three where I find the screen door locked. At this point my typical animal behavior kicks in...Fight or Flight? As I head back to door one I am running scenarios through my head...how long before the neighbors call the police? If I’m arrested I’ll skip the shower without a doubt. Will they give me one pillow or two? I like at lest two. Will I get head lice? Will someone bake me out in time for me to do the show on Saturday? What friends can I call and crash on their couch if I don’t get arrested? I was in the process of planning things out as I stood at door two trying to gain entry as I used the handy dandy flashlight from my phone to shed light on lock as I again tried to gain entry into the house. As I squinted trying to see what I was doing I got a brilliant idea that perhaps I should put my glasses on so I could properly see what I was doing. So I trek back to my van and grab my glasses. I head back to door two with my two keys, cellphone flashlight and glasses on...Whalah! Magically the door opens. What a sense of relief as I pull my things inside listening for police sirens....nothing but crickets and the distant chatter of folks enjoying an evening outdoors.
With that challenge successfully conquered on Friday night I allocated myself some bonus mental merit badge points. With everything now running smoothly I waited till load out on Sunday afternoon to initiate my second challenge. Busy with tear down I placed my backpack with my money in a tote which I padlocked for safekeeping so I wouldn’t have to keep my pack strapped to me as I worked.
Everything with tear down went smoothly, even had a volunteer help me fold up tent walls and get them neatly stacked for pick up by the volunteer golf carts. I had everything in a nice pile and was asked if I was ready for a golf cart to load my stuff and take it to my van. I told her I would move my vehicle closer before tying up a golf cart. With that in mind I reached into my pocket to grab my van keys so I could go move it to the loading lot.
In my pocket I found one good brand of chapstick tube which was empty but I kept scraping the plastic across my lips all weekend in hopes that I might get the last tiny bit stuck at the bottom of the roll. I also found a tube of nasty off brand, gritty orange flavored chapstick which I donated to my trash can today...there was a lifesaver wrapper, gummy bear wrapper, a wad of lint, and something that I think was doggie biscuit crumbs...lets just pretend it was doggie biscuits...makes me feel better since I’m not current on my tetanus shot...but for my friends who think I should be current on tetanus...let’s just say that I am. Life is easier this way.
Anyhow...while my pocket held an assortment of treasures...it did not hold any keys to my van. As I stood in the sun and tiny beads of sweat emerged from inner skin layers and rolled down my nose I envisioned myself like a skier down a snowy slope. As I blew the sweat from my nose I mentally saw myself drifting through the air like i was parasailing. While I entertained myself for a brief moment, reality kicked in...my van keys were in the back pack locked in the tote....the keys to the tote were locked in my van. 🤔🤔🤔
Use to be I wondered how folks come up with little sayings like...”She’s not the sharpest crayon in the box”....well mystery solved. I can check that off my things to wonder about list.
While pondering how to resolve this challenge I did a little dance much like the one the little bird does as he comes and goes from a cuckoo clock. I paced back and forth till my MacGyver like skills kicked into action allowing each to free my backpack and keys...and yes...the tote is still usable.
As far as weekends go, it’s not the most mental merit badge points I’ve ever scored...but all in all...not bad.
The flower picture is simply because I am currently going through a love/hate relationship with locks, and flowers are easier on the eyes.
In my pocket I found one good brand of chapstick tube which was empty but I kept scraping the plastic across my lips all weekend in hopes that I might get the last tiny bit stuck at the bottom of the roll. I also found a tube of nasty off brand, gritty orange flavored chapstick which I donated to my trash can today...there was a lifesaver wrapper, gummy bear wrapper, a wad of lint, and something that I think was doggie biscuit crumbs...lets just pretend it was doggie biscuits...makes me feel better since I’m not current on my tetanus shot...but for my friends who think I should be current on tetanus...let’s just say that I am. Life is easier this way.
Anyhow...while my pocket held an assortment of treasures...it did not hold any keys to my van. As I stood in the sun and tiny beads of sweat emerged from inner skin layers and rolled down my nose I envisioned myself like a skier down a snowy slope. As I blew the sweat from my nose I mentally saw myself drifting through the air like i was parasailing. While I entertained myself for a brief moment, reality kicked in...my van keys were in the back pack locked in the tote....the keys to the tote were locked in my van. 🤔🤔🤔
Use to be I wondered how folks come up with little sayings like...”She’s not the sharpest crayon in the box”....well mystery solved. I can check that off my things to wonder about list.
While pondering how to resolve this challenge I did a little dance much like the one the little bird does as he comes and goes from a cuckoo clock. I paced back and forth till my MacGyver like skills kicked into action allowing each to free my backpack and keys...and yes...the tote is still usable.
As far as weekends go, it’s not the most mental merit badge points I’ve ever scored...but all in all...not bad.
The flower picture is simply because I am currently going through a love/hate relationship with locks, and flowers are easier on the eyes.
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