WATER, YOU SAID WATER

Water becomes all important when it is not provided by the city or county and doesn't flow in pipes into your sink or bathtub. Where do you get it? Of course, drinking and cooking water is easy - you buy it. Glen, the owner of the property where I live has a well and I can use it for everything else. There were two huge barrels of water under the sink when I came, so I have put off going to look at this well: how I can get water out of it specifically! And, then have the muscle to haul it back home. Also, there is a solar shower bag hanging on my back porch and it is hanging from a secure line. It would be to heavy to fill it with water and then to hang it back on the pole. (The shower "room" solar shower is easier to take off and fill and rehang). Some kind of hose, or a bucket with a long, long curved spout might work.

Over all it is tricky not to have a faucet at the kitchen sink. You fill the water into a bowl with a cup and add dishwashing liquid, wash it and then I have been rinsing it off and laying on a bamboo drainer over the sink. Yes! I do have a double sink that allows excess water to go down the drain and out the building into a French drain. That is great! It is awkward, and you do have to take a little extra time. (No, disposable just won't work).

And, washing with the solar shower outside is easy...in fact, I washed my hair for the first time today. The nozzle was a little small, and it was hard to rinse. So, after I slipped on my shorts and top, I walked to my back porch and applied my conditioner and then did a final rinse with drinking water in a gallon container. No, I don't use a towel. I am dry this time of year pretty quick. I have one pair of shorts though, and really need another.

On cooking: I have a two burner propane stove. (I have had less before this. Once I lived above a carriage house with an electric burner, really tiny fridge, and a microwave. And, then another time I had to cook on a boat with the ferry rocking me back and forth. It took three of us to save dinner one night)! Anyway, not only can you make 8 meals out of one little 1.5 pound whole chicken, but you can save money as well and eat like a king. (This is for one person)

I only have one pot, one skillet, one knife, etc. (You get the picture). One organic whole stewing chicken (less than $5) plopped into a med size saucepan with lid half filled with water sprinkled with olive oil. Add three cloves garlic, salt (coarse sold by bulk) and peppercorns, handful of fresh basil (I have it growing in the window) and cook on low for 45 min. Turn off the stove until it cools, about an hour. Have two storage containers ready and rip the dark from the white meat. Take half of the dark meat and add to liquid in pot. Add half a pound of noodles and cook for 15 minutes. At the end, add another handful of basil, more salt and pepper, and julienne one roasted red pepper (bell) out of a jar ($1.99 a big jar from Sunflower Foods). It will make two or three meals.

Then, or later, shred the rest of the chicken and add mayo, salt, pepper, half a bunch of celery chopped, onion and mix. This chicken salad can be used on bread, salad, etc and is enough for three meals.

Now, take the bones from the chicken, half cup of water in a pot and add one can of garbanzo beans, one of black beans or whatever, rest of the onion, rest of the celery (just stick it in there whole leaves and all, three pods of garlic and a little olive oil. Add a little olive oil. Hell, add a little wine! Then, add a half cup of brown rice. Cook until done. Who knows? Until it tastes good!! This is worth at least two, three or four meals.

I will usually cook on Saturday or Sunday and once a week I also buy a great REAL loaf of crusty bread, a half pound of Starbucks whole beans to grind, organic half & half, six organic eggs, flat corn tortilla shells for tostados made with beans, onions, cheese, homemade salsa fresca, a bottle of good red wine, lots of drinking water, something sweet like a little box of cookies - sometimes!, organic peanut butter, some canned pinto beans, two fruits on sale and two veggies on sale. I always use salt and peppercorns I grind myself, wine or balsamic vinegar, good olive oil, a little organic butter and fresh herbs I have growing in the window. If I had an oven once a week I like to bake my own bread, but that is not for awhile. I vary what I eat, but it is mostly veggies, fruit and chicken, eggs, coffee, water, wine. Simple, but truly gourmet!

So, here I am on Sept. 5 on Saturday with my food ready and I can work on my writing again today. Yesterday I woke up and greeted the sun, pressed some strong coffee from my French press and got to work. My three properties: a literary novel called Moondance, the first in an Indiana Star series called The Tesla Effect, and my memoir is being prepared to send to a literary agent in NYC. I have been working for years on this work while also working 60-80 hours weekly as a managing editor of various newspapers.

Oh, tomorrow I want to tell you about my encounter with a pair of two grey wolves up on Wilderness Gate Road if I haven't already done so. Have I?

Enjoy Labor Day weekend, Lia