Diary of a Mad Woman Gone Sane

I suppose I should better describe the monsoon season for those of you who might not live somewhere that has monsoons. This year was a proper monsoon season, unlike any I've experienced lately. I've lived in Arizona about 3 decades, off and on. I keep trying to leave, and just keep coming back. Anyway, back to the monsoons. Everyday for 2 months I get notified that there's a flash flood in my area. One of two things will occur; no rain except for all around me on not at all, or the floodgates of hell will unleash its wrath from above. The sky suddenly becomes dark and the air becomes humid and thick. The air becomes heavy prior to the storm. Almost as if Earth's gravity has changed. It's recommended that all travel is limited. In my younger years, I'd be willing to drive when there's a flash flood warning. However, today I do my very best not to. I try to wait until the road is drier, if possible. This year roads became flooded in minutes. Rain f

Many years ago, my dear husband mentioned wanting to move off grid after our son was done with high school, following some travel around the United States, at least. I couldn't see myself living off grid and figured this was probably some delusional thought on his part. I am not an outdoor type of person. I don't hate the outdoors, but it's just not part of my personality. I don't hunt, fish, camp. I do love hiking and nature, but I'm barely qualified for the off grid life. I've had to learn on the fly, ask for advice and help, figure out things I had zero experience with, and googled a great many topics. I've learned that my brain works in a different way than what is required for this life. I've learned about wood burning stoves and wood. I've learned about propane, about solar, about snakes, about bugs, about things I never wanted to know about. I have  backup food, propane, wood, and water. I don't run out of anything. Always have

I have always seemed to live in places where there is cattle. Maybe, because they're everywhere. I have been to farms and enjoyed mostly the baby animals. Who doesn't love babies? I have never lived with them nearby. I'm a city kid who knows people with farm animals. I live on open ranch land, so I usually have cows wondering around my place. They've not gotten close until recently. One day I went outside and noticed cows in my yard. I had no idea what to do. I know how destructive they can be. I made noise and yelled at them to leave. They didn't budge. Among the cows were 2 large bulls. One of them began chomping on a black cherry tree that I'd just planted. I banged on a trash can lid I have. The cows and calves started to move on, but the bulls stayed. One of the bulls was right by my fence, stepping on everything and driving the dogs insane. I finally called the rancher and asked him to come get the bulls out of my yard. Within a half hour, some

Luna Jade is my next oldest after Kiwi. I was selling out on the Navajo Nation for the first time. A girl walked by with a tiny puppy,  so I asked her where she got it. The girl directed me to a girl in the bed of a truck with a singular black puppy. I told her I'd take the puppy. Then the girl who had the other puppy came back and said she wanted the puppy I was holding, until she found out she was a female. I preferred a female dog. At this point, I only had Kiwi. She was tiny, 2 or 3 weeks old. I was told that she was a black lab/pitbull. I got her milk and canned puppy food. She fit in my hands. Her eyes were still blue. She slept with me. I'd set her next to Kiwi and Kiwi would move away from her. Emo cat was bigger than her and they'd both sleep under the wood burning stove. It was still chilly in April. Luna was born sometime in March, so I made her birthday March 20th which was a full moon. She loves the full moon. In fact, she usually stays outside all