2021-05-30
Unpacked

UNPACKED

It’s 5:40 AM, and after sleeping a good six hours, listening to the crinkle of plastic with every movement, because we have moving covers on almost all the mattresses still, as three of four of us are still sleeping on the floor, I woke up sore, but excited.

Excited about taking on the day, seizing a good 12 hours of hard work before my engine burns out for just another day at Hacienda Dominguez & Chelenzo Farms.

The fact that only Milo got to sleep in a fully assembled bed last night and that we finally ate dinner at 10:15 (Olivia Luz fell asleep in the car before we got home from our errands in town and picking up take out at TheRanch), is a good example of where we’re at in terms of unpacking. We just unloaded the last of what we had in one and a half 28’ semi trailers a little more than 24 hours ago and so Chelsea and I spent most of yesterday setting up house.

Milo and Olivia helped too...sort of, they “unpacked” some of their belongings, strewing them across their bedroom-floors-without-beds and then tended to the baby chicks for much of the day.

When we went into town around 6 pm finally and landed at Tractor Supply Co, Olivia begged for us to get some more Americana chicks, which lay blue eggs. I said “Hell no!” Well, not exactly in those words, but with droopy eyes and a weary demeanor, I pleaded in return, for us to wait. “If you help us get our home in order these next few days, we’ll get some when we return on Wednesday to pick up our (second) chicken coop.”

Fortunately, the über-kind and helpful store manager showed and talked with us about all the variety of chicks they have and carry, including the “Turkens,” which do not grow feathers around their neck, “I don’t know why anyone would want one of those. Maybe as a pet.” Adding, “ We get them Americanas in all the time,” which tampered the urgency I was up against.

Anyway, there’s work to be done and I would like the kids to wait. The 2,000 square foot once-empty shed is now chock-full with boxes, crates and other containers and reminds me of the closing scenes of two of my favorite movies. First, the warehouse scene in Citizen Kane, where one of the warehouse searchers says, “I don't think any word can explain a man's life” as the camera pans over which the oppulence of artifacts and treasure collected from the protagonist’s worldly ventures; and likewise, the final scene where you see that the Ark of Covenant is tucked away by the government among so many other “Top Secret” relics in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

On one hand, it’s nice to feel like my life is like a movie; on the other, not so much, because I’ve got to unpack and organize all that shit before the rodents move from their nests in the insulation on the periphery to the middle with all our own worldly possessions.

That all said, it’s now 6:00 and I’m sharing a few panorama views from our observation tower-cum-office now, because all the work is worth it when you can take in the long day before you like this.

Even if the children don’t work a little harder and focus on helping out - it’s all good, because they are learning by example. And their smiles, laughter and constant “Papa, look at this,” constantly remind us, their parents what we are doing this all for, and I am wholly grateful for the opportunity.

My thanks goes up and down and all around to She who, He, Them, They and all the gods, goddesses and spirits that allowed me to be here now to marvel at this wonderful life and magnificent Earth.