Clock is ticking. in A small but passable life.

Saturday evening we went over to the student union to use the internet. I didn’t quite get caught up on everything.

Sunday I spent the day sorting backpacking gear and repackaging food. The pile is getting massive and the food supply is growing to enormous proportions.

Sunday evening we went over to the university library. Jassy and Clayton hadn’t been there before. The wifi WEP key I’d hacked to use at the student union worked fine at the library. I finally got caught up on all my internet stuff.

Today Jassy and I went out to run errands. We went by the post office and I turned in the two P.O. Box keys that they wouldn’t let Jassy turn in back at the end of December. I got my $4 deposit back. Nice. We stopped at the credit union. We went downtown so I could go to Social Services. I got my food stamps approved for another six months. It only took an hour and fifteen minutes. Next stop was the thrift shop. I found a Nalgene bottle for fifty cents. I now have four of them. We went next door to the Asian market where Jassy bought a ginormous bottle of soy sauce. Then next door to a new Dollar Tree where I found a little notebook for $1 (everything is a dollar!). Jassy bought odds and ends.

We then went to Walmart. (I know. Shut up!) I bought two canisters of stove fuel, a package of Bic lighters, 16 AAA batteries for my headlamp, and a camp towel.

The last stop was Food For Less. I finished out my grocery list for the backpacking trip.

I now have $1 left.

But I’ve got everything I need for thirty days out.

Oh yeah, I ordered a new piece of equipment, a d.light- http://www.amazon.com/d-light-Solar-Rechargeable-S20-Lantern/dp/B00BJELHS0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1425344429&sr=8-3&keywords=d.lite

It came in just three days by mail! I love it already and can’t wait to use it. I’ve tried so many ways to read without electricity at night. There was always something that wasn’t quite right. I’m hoping this little jewel is the answer. I tried it out in the pitch black bathroom. Awesome!

Now the only trick is going to be hauling thirty pounds or more of groceries two hours by foot into the area where I want to disappear for a month. The only good thing is that it is all downhill hiking. And I could always make two trips. We’ll see.

I may be trying to take too many luxury items- the Kindle, the French press, a ceramic coffee mug, 24ozs of chocolate chips, the NOAH weather/AM/FM radio, the iPod, the little solar panel.

At least the hike out, uphill, should be at least thirty pounds lighter.

The ten day forecast is looking sweetly warmer. Starting March 7th the nights will be nearly up to freezing and the days in the low 50’s. And by the following Wednesday the sixty degree days start. Fantastic!

Jassy is ready to go. The backpack her mother lent her should do nicely. She is using our old equipment; our two-man Eureka tent and my old 20 degree synthetic sleeping bag. She’s debating about her yoga mat. I had no idea those things were that heavy! Anyway, she should be fine. She won’t be carrying any food. She’s only going out for a couple or three nights and I’ll have plenty of food to share. She is both excited and I think a little anxious about her solo hike back out. I could volunteer to hike her out but I won’t. She’s not too proud to ask.

Anyway the clock is ticking.