A word (or several!) of explanation

I want to add a little something about what we're doing and why. I know it doesn't sound realistic - but why not? We know that stresses still happen in life no matter how hard you try, but when it's for your own benefit it's not about someone external imposing that stress on you. That's the difference. And yes the regular 'job' income needs to stay for now - we know that - but the grand plan is to get away from that completely. This isn't going to be an overnight project. This is a lifestyle shift. This is about saying 'we don't want to be part of that system any more'. And it can be done. It'll involve a lot of hard work and energy. And at the start it'll involve that hard work at the same time as holding down a full time job. We're not under any illusions that this will be an easy thing to do. But it's something we are determined to make happen.

However there are lots of ways round the system if you think creatively. Things don't need to be bought - they can be made. Wind turbines etc can easily be made from scrap stuff if you know what you're doing. That's kind of the point. If you take the time to do it all for yourself, then actually you don't NEED to spend money on things. We know we need cash to start off - but once we've done that initial capital expenditure then actually running costs become self-sustaining.

The whole picture is more complex than we've posted here. We know that, and that's deliberate. This blog isn't to set out our life plan - it's to try and diarise some of the steps we take and show people it can be done. We're not eco-warriors. We're more 'trying to get back to what life should be about' - living off and with the land. Nothing more or less. Doing things for ourselves. Not being part of the system that says we need the latest gadget or label. Good honest hard bloody work for our own benefit rather than someone else's.

Watch this space. We WILL get there.

Sonia