My First Blog Post

For the past few months, some of my friends and family have suggested that I start a blog. I am not sure if I really have anything to say, but my friends seem to think that keeping a record of what I am doing would be in my best interest.

Last August my boyfriend and I moved to San Diego to try and start a new life together. He had a transfer with his job and I was sure that with my teaching experience and Spanish language skills, that I would have no trouble finding a good teaching job here. Boy was I wrong! So now I am an underemployed woman, trying to create a life with her boyfriend, while trying to take the blessing (curse) of extra time off to pursue other interests.

I have been working hard at gardening. We have a few small raised beds in our yard, but they are mostly shaded during the day and not so great for most vegetables. In April we got a community garden plot where we are growing the majority of our vegetables. I love canning and preserving and am hoping the grow enough vegetables to get us a year's worth of salsa, spaghetti sauce, pickles, dilly beans, and anything else I can imagine canning. We also got a food dehydrator so I am experimenting with dehydrating as a food preserving technique.

About 5 years ago I thought that it would be a cool idea to learn how to sew. I hate going shopping and it's always been tough to find clothes that fit and look good. While at Target with some friends, I found a Singer sewing machine on clearance for $50 and bought it. With some help from my gramma and some classes at Treadle Yard Goods in St. Paul, MN (oh how I miss that store), I started to pick up some of the basics of sewing. Since moving to San Diego, I have had more time to sew and I am finally feeling more confident following patterns. I would like to learn more about alterations and tailoring and fashion in general-like what kinds of fits are best for my body type.

I have also been experimenting with creating my own lip balms. Through various San Diego listservs, I met some people who have hives and more beeswax than they know what to do with. So far I have made three different batches of lipbalm to give to friends and family and I am working at perfecting the recipe.

Jason and I enjoy camping and backpacking and have made a 2010 resolution to go backpacking 12 times this year (once a month, although we are a few months behind). So we are exploring the areas surrounding San Diego.

Jason and I eventually would like to get some land in a beautiful place, probably in or near the mountains, where we can have enough land for a big garden, chickens, goats, maybe some alpacas (Jason really wants them...). I feel like now I am developing the tools that I will need to live the sustainable life that I dream of having.

I can't promise that this blog will be focused because my life isn't focused at all. I can't promise that I will be diligent about posting because sometimes experiencing life is more important than recording it, but I think that this will be a good exercise for me. I often feel like since I am not making anywhere near to the salary I made in Minnesota or working in a very meaningful job, that I am not doing anything with my time. Hopefully this will help me make sure I fill my time with meaningful things and help me feel like I am doing something useful.