Settling Into the Silence

We live here now.

By “here,” I mean: outdoor toilet, bucket showers, and a solid hour of off-roading just to reach pavement — then another 20–90 minutes to groceries. Luxury. 😅

The high desert nights are cold. The days can be hot and a bit dusty. The wind has strong opinions about our tents.

All five of us are sleeping in the bell tent — plus two dogs and two cats — and somehow it works. The chickens have a run, but prefer chaos and flight. Every night we tuck them into the bus so the coyotes don’t file paperwork on them.

We’ve officially built Tent City:

• Bathroom tent
• Closet/changing tent
• Food storage tent
• Dishwashing station headquarters

The bus floor is partially pulled up and getting prepped for rust barrier and sealant before insulation. Progress feels slow, but it’s real.

The gas generator runs about an hour a day to charge the solar battery setup — enough to keep internet on, devices alive, and my workstation running. We even test-drove the upright freezer (it passed). For now, coolers and dry ice are MVP.

It’s a little feral. A little wild. A lot of adjusting. Jam packed with beauty.

But we’re here. We’re doing it. And somehow… it already feels like home.