The Team
My Partner Curtis
I’m most often asked if I’m doing this alone, or if I have a partner. It’s a question that I usually dodge. Why? I’d have to say because I’m telling MY story. Not my partners. Though he’s a huge part of my life, I make sure to keep my own identity intact. If he wants to write his own blog, he can. I’ve even offered to scribe. That said, he acts as my editor and deserves credit there.
About Curt.
He HATES social media. Passionately. So, I try to mention him as much as he wants to be present on the internet. That said, when I post a thing that I did- I did it. Very rarely will I post something that we did together and not give him the credit that is due.
He’s a mechanic by trade and a good one at that. Not only does he know a lot - but he’s really good at figuring things out. Since I’m a parts person, I know what the parts are - but not how to put them together. In my opinion, our trades are a dream combo for what we’re doing now. He knows how things should be done and I figure out where to get the stuff. Also, we both have strong ‘MacGuyver skills’ which definitely helps.
He understands electricity. Still mostly witchcraft and voodoo to me, I hope to have that ‘lightbulb moment’. Until then, setting up the solar panels has been largely his doing. I listen and semi-understand as he tells me what he’s done or is going to change. But I don’t really get it. I WILL fix my motorcycle headlight on my own, eventually.
I’d like to hit on a bit of a contentious topic.
I personally feel that a woman who’s partnered up is seen differently. People make their own assumptions. That’s okay, assumptions are normal. But to be clear, we live in a very equal partnership. There are no ‘pink jobs’ or ‘blue jobs’. To me, that principle is silly and hindering. However I realize that’s an unpopular opinion, and I respect anyone’s choice in how they live their life.
An example of our equal lifestyle - Curt does 95% of the cooking and cleaning. *Gasp* - how could it be? Well. We both work hard, and he likes it done ‘his way.’ So he does it. It’s simple, really. We both have the same amount of time in a day and decide what’s important both independently and dependently. Genders aside.
A Curt word:
When asked what he’d like to add to this blog entry:
‘I just want to say, I’m so proud of you hunny’
..he then stares off into space as he often does, for what feels like an entire minute before asking,
‘Have you seen my beer?’
Awe, that’s my partner ❤️
When it comes to delegation and tasks, often whoever is better at a thing does it- unless the other wants to practice. Today we’ve been pulling dead trees out of our forest. He’s been running the chainsaw, clearing paths and de-limbing trees. I’ve been ‘yarding’ lines to those trees and pulling them out with the tractor. We’re both capable of both jobs. He’s better with the saw, I’m better with the tractor.
He’s a dad. His kids live on the coast, so he often goes there to be with them. Into the busy suburbs. I don’t go with him. The last time I was there, the house was shaking due to nearby road construction. After so much time on the mountain, it felt very, very odd. Like a panic attack. I’d rather not be there, the kids are grown enough that they don’t need me there - so I stay in my off-grid oasis.
Though sometimes difficult, the time apart is nice. I continue to work on projects, take time to read books, and do whatever. As you might’ve read in another post - I like to be alone. When I wrote ‘I didn’t see another person for a month’, that includes Curt. He hiked out in the snow to see the kids. I stayed, melting snow for drinking water, and splitting wood to stay warm.
Teamo
A few years ago we hiked the Camino in Spain. We were both tired and sore, carrying our heavy packs 30km/day on average. While sipping on Rioja wine to numb the pain, we came across some graffiti that read ‘Teamo’.
‘That’s us! We exclaimed’ We’re a team. A dynamic duo. Sometimes we work together. Other times we divide and conquer. We’ve been Teamo ever since.
John and I are "the wonder twins!" (that was a cartoon from the 70's when we were kids...).
Anyway, we DO tend to have those blue and pink jobs you refer to, but it works for us. I love to cook, bake, garden, sew, paint... a lot of inside jobs. He'd rather be outdoors or with his head in a toolbox. That's us. That said, cross-training is really important and it's on our list of to-do's. He knows everything about the solar system he built (that mysterious voo-doo electricity! I AGREE!), plumbing, etc. and I keep us fed and warm. No matter who does what, it's so nice to have a partner who is there beside you, going in the same direction.
I am so proud of the both of you! I have seen how the two of you each do your chosen jobs around the property. Looked pretty normal to me. You each do what you love to do. Great Teamo!