i think i'm heading in this direction

[beast]

Raven’s Bread Ministries is dedicated to serving the needs of a small but growing band of people who are dedicating themselves to an ancient calling - that of the spiritual solitary or hermit. In the 1950’s, a revival of the eremitic life began as more and more people discovered their need to live a life of dedication in silence, solitude and simplicity. Seeking the solace of God to counteract the fragmentation of modern life, one by one, individuals began to withdraw from the “madding crowd”. Some dared to call themselves hermits; others simply followed the attraction of the Spirit luring them into a lifestyle which healed their hearts and nourished their spirits. Many feel they are the only person in the world to find the noise, confusion and stress of present-day culture unbearable. They are not - in truth, they are part of an ever-expanding company of people who are embracing eremitical life.          

 

Source: http://www.ravensbreadministries.com/


i find myself desiring solitude more and more

[Anonymous]

i saw that on the news tonight at dinner.

i think I already am one

[beast]

i've been dreading going back to work tomorrow all day. i just want to stay home, drink cocoa , and enjoy my virtual life.

[Anonymous]

i can understand that

it doesn't feel good out there in society

[beast]

it really doesn't.

i also feel like i'm being lied to all the time. Sometimes a conscious effort but mostly by people that don't even know they are lying.

on the bright side- i made some headway on making cd's. i was listening to Santana on my player as i was driving today.

you got 79 minutes coming so far. if you don't mind the 70's bootleg 8-track sound quality.

[Anonymous]

well, us poor folk can't be choosy.  my neice tells me songs cost 99 cents each.  that can add up quickly.


everyday this week the local dinnertime news did a story about the new and various types of crime... in fact, the food bank even got robbed last week

but it's not just that, it just feels 'not right' out there

i just want to get the house as comfy and clean and organized and stocked as i can and just hunker down

there can be a day or two when I don't even talk...except maybe to tell the kitty she's had all the wet food she's getting for the day

I have to figure out/learn how to make the house more energy efficient

[beast]

i have an old drafty summer cottage that never was winterized properly. luckily it's small. I don't run a furnace. I have a wall heater in the living room and sometimes i use a fan to spread the warmth around. sometimes i use electric heaters in this room and the bedroom but mostly i just put an extra shirt on and sleep in sweats when it gets really cold.

 My doors are really drafty. the only way to really fix them is to get new ones.
 
 i think maybe that is what you need with your windows. Caulk and what you did should help some.

[Anonymous]

well, there's no way I can afford new windows.  I got alot of windows, 16 and a 2 6' glass doors... neighbors who got new windows say they cost 20-30K with rebates.  Even the guys who did my roof, who said they'd do windows for half that, would stil be more money than I could even imagine paying. so i have to make what I got work.

i wear thermal tops and pants under my clothes everyday and sometimes a sweatshirt over that. and I wear merino wool boot socks. i have been keeping the thermostat off at night and it comes on in the morning to 67 until mid morning, then down to 60.  it's usually about 64-65 in the house during the day, but we are getting into the cold weather with freezes at night and that's going to bring the days and nights temps down another 10 degrees. 

[Anonymous]

where do you caulk the windows?  like where they butt into the drywall like in photos 3 and 4?

[beast]

usually from the outside to seal it between the window frame and the house

maybe some silicone in any other cracks you see from the inside.

[Anonymous]

it's got to be something i can do from the inside
60% of the windows are on the second floor, i can't get to the outside.

and yes, i have curtains, thermal curtains or wood blinds on all the windows.

[beast]

i don't think you'll be able to stop the cold from getting in 100%.

i don't use my front door at all during the winter. i stuff it on the top, sides and bottom with old rags and tea shirts to keep the draft out.

 maybe just put plastic over the windows you don't think you are going to have to use for a while?