Simplifying Life in a Complicated World

For those of you that know me, you know I am not your average woman living in the Midwest.
Yes, I like to go out and have fun, but shopping? No.
I also do not drink beer or eat brats, and yes, I have still survived living in Wisconsin! (I do love cheese, so I am not a total Wisconsin failure!)

We recently put in a wood stove so we rarely need to use the furnace, and with the orchards, grape vineyards, nut and berry bushes, honey from our bees, veggies from the garden, and the baking I love to do, we hardly use the grocery store.
Am I what most consider, normal?
No, and I love it. So much so in fact, that we are looking into getting a windmill for a power source.

Now with all of this “back to basics” living I am trying to do, I am tied to my computer. Talk about a clash of two worlds!
For so many years I balked at computers and all they stood for, but my job at the time necessitated me to get comfortable with them.
I did (kicking and screaming in my head all the way,) so much so that people came to me after a while to ask how to use them and do various things.
Life makes strange turns sometimes.

Now, the life I have chosen requires me to use my computer, all day, everyday.
Yes, I still use pen and paper, but to send out anything or communicate these days, it is almost all done via e-mail.
Communication is critical to timing for it is an “if you snooze, you lose” situation out there. We need the Internet to stay abreast of information - this coming from someone who has not watched television since 2000, with the exception of September 11, 2001 and the last Presidential debates.

So when my mouse and keyboard died recently, I realized, no matter how much “out of the norm” I try to live, I have to join the 21st Century and the technical world.
At least I spend less in paper, whiteout, and I have better-looking nails thanks to the miracle of my Microsoft Word program.
There are advantages to technology, but I will still remain as simple as I can in every other way.
Now, who’d like some homemade bread with wine from our vineyard? And of course, I won’t forget the cheese!