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Ethical living

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Original poster

Living 'green', finding it a bit wearing.. anyone else?

69 replies

Yarrow · 05/02/2007 19:55

My dh, dd nearly 3 and ds 6mths moved to small cottage in rural area. Living a green lifestyle as in woodburner for central heating, rayburn for cooking/hot water, real nappies, composting , recycling, growing veg, no supermarket shopping, only eating local and organic. have slip ups from time to time but totally passionate and comitted to the planet so feeling good MOSTLY... but it is bloody knackering with small baby, keeping fires going to be warm etc AND cos we live rurally I have to drive to get any where. need some sympathy! please...

OP posts:
mousiemousie · 05/02/2007 19:57

should you not move to a town then driving no longer necessary or else travel by donkey

Original poster
Yarrow · 05/02/2007 20:04

Unfortunately dont have a donkey and I can't stand folks, so no way am I livin near them

OP posts:
Original poster
Yarrow · 05/02/2007 20:10

I was jokin there (not about the donkey)... so sympathy please, anyone??? please..

OP posts:
MrsBadger · 05/02/2007 20:14

eat more (fair trade, organic, transported by ship not flown in) chocolate?

helps most things

LittleB · 05/02/2007 20:16

You have my sympathies - but also congratulations sounds like you're doing really well. I used to live in a farm cottage with woodburner, aga etc and its a pain to keep them going - especially when you've been out all day and come back and its freezing and takes ages to warm up. That was rented and they decided to sell up - too expensive for us - so now we live in a modernised cottage and we have central heating and can walk to town - which is handy now I have a dd (I do washable nappies, composting, goood food etc). I never lived in an isolated spot with a child though and can see it would be tiring - do you want to swap - you can lie in bed in our house and listen to the drunks staggering up the road at night chucking up on the pavement, or the lorries queing in the rushhour traffic in the morning! There are pros and cons wherever you are, although yours sounds like hard work many would happily swap with you - let me know if you fancy moving !

Original poster
Yarrow · 05/02/2007 20:24

No, I love it here. it's so beautiful! we see mountains and fields. its like a disney movie on winter mornings with dear and hare and pheasant etc but its the cold house thing, or the rayburn has gone out or the wood got wet. I just cry.

OP posts:
Original poster
Yarrow · 05/02/2007 20:25

and I wonder what it is all for. Can't I get a medal or something?!

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Original poster
Yarrow · 05/02/2007 20:27

and is my 3yr old getting to see enough people? We dont have a tele either cos mostly wots on is pants.
sorry havin conversations with myself.. thats how lonely I am!

OP posts:
frogdelalune · 05/02/2007 20:29

Yarrow, ,I know how hard it can be.

Please accept a woven bucket full of sympathy and a knitted bio-degradable medal

When dd was born we were living in a caravan with no phone, no electricity, no toilet, 10 miles from the nearest shop, a mile from the nearest neighbour and the second day the midwife was due to come, she couldn't because we were snowed in.

Sounds like you're doing brilliantly, and should feel very proud of yourselves.

Original poster
Yarrow · 05/02/2007 20:30

Thank you all, but how DID you cope? did you have friends similar?

OP posts:
tirnanog · 05/02/2007 20:31

DONKEY,did someone mention donkey? We have a donkey.

Original poster
Yarrow · 05/02/2007 20:32

can I borrow it to do the shoppin?

OP posts:
tirnanog · 05/02/2007 20:36

no,cause I need him to do that

Loopymumsy · 05/02/2007 20:36

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LittleB · 05/02/2007 20:36

I guess we coped because those nights when you curl up in front of the fire by candlelight, or come in from the wet and sit on a warm aga - which is cooking your stew - or see badgers etc in the garden all make the hard work worth it? That and some chocolate and good red wine! We invited friends over to stay quite alot too.

tirnanog · 05/02/2007 20:38

I sympathize Yarrow,we are trying to live th good life but it can be hard by times.

Original poster
Yarrow · 05/02/2007 20:43

You are so right Little B. I just need reminding sometimes. DS teething and have bucket full of smelly nappies to deal with which isn't helping.
Have got a trailer Loopymumsy but 2mile very bumpy track before road and isnt 6mth old too young yet for it?
minus 5 outside tonight!

OP posts:
frogdelalune · 05/02/2007 20:45

It was hard at times but worth it in so many other ways. It makes you appreciate everything so much more.

Getting mains electricity called for a huge celebration.

We still have a compost toilet,burn wood and coal and have a back boiler to heat water, and pump our water from the river (when it snows or is very cold it freezes, and we have to collect it in buckets from the river(sometimes having to break ice to do so ))

I do use supermarkets though (nearest one is over 20 miles away) as the local shops are very limited (and pricy)

Original poster
Yarrow · 05/02/2007 20:47

Also...anyone got any tricks to keep wood ash from getting everywhere or do you just have to live with it {or clean it up}

OP posts:
tirnanog · 05/02/2007 20:48

This time of year can be difficult but the weather is improving and the days are begining to stretch a little,you are bound to be quite tired with two small children,but how wonderful to be doing what you are-full respect

Original poster
Yarrow · 05/02/2007 20:51

wow frogdelalune! we want a composting toilet in the larch extension we are going to build (at some point).how did you know how to devise toilet? from books?

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Original poster
Yarrow · 05/02/2007 20:52

thankx tirnanog. I think i am at low ebb.. probably got touch of S.A.D or something

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Loopymumsy · 05/02/2007 20:59

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mousiemousie · 05/02/2007 21:03

It sounds like you need some local green friends, Yarrow.

If its any consolation living a rat race lifestyle is probably just as tiring but with less feel good factor attached!

tirnanog · 05/02/2007 21:04

Being green isn't easy in the winter,I find it hard too,but I would hate to live in a sterile centrally heated box,and like you I can't stand living too near other people!