Life on the farm in the #UndisclosedLocation is swinging towards spring at a rapid clip.

And we have to replace our rooster so we can hatch more chicks, since our preference is breeding rather than just getting fertilized eggs.

Bought a small poulet, just barely more than a handful of bird, for about $4. Built him a small enclosure with a heat lamp, a feeder and a waterer out of a plastic tub. Perfectly sized for just the one bird.

And a warning that our gosling plans need to be larger.

Le sigh…

Ran into a limitation of the health system in the #UndisclosedLocation. (Ok, I know there are a few, trans care is sadly lacking for example.)

Had to get a blood test (ANA) that wasn’t covered, and I can’t seem to get an ordered ultrasound at my local hospital without hoops.

Biting the bullet and paying out of pocket with a private provider so I get the images and radiology assessment in hand.

And I may need to get a private bile acid blood test.

Two bloods and a u/s: €90.

Grr…

Just feeling a bit isolated…

Downside of the #UndisclosedLocation is that I’m in a tiny town.

Had to go to a large city on Tuesday, and connected with a lot of people that day. Now, the craving for connection and community is hitting harder than the absolute exhaustion of pushing myself beyond my limits.

I love it when an area just… shuts down for a day.

Back in #Vancouver, if snow stuck by my sea level flat, the entire city would just… pause. Buses would run, emergency vehicles would roll, but nearly everyone else would wait at home, at least for half a day.

In the #UndisclosedLocation, the roads are all but empty today., at least where I’m passing through.

Started my outbound travels…

Eighteen hours until I’m in #Hamburg and #39c3.

(The #UndisclosedLocation has a lot of advantages, but it’s also near the middle of nowhere. At least the return home will only take something like 8 hours.)

so apparently gift giving is a tradition at #39c3

so i made some from scratch

from the #UndisclosedLocation to the hands of a few (you know who you are..)

I usually translate things I receive in the #UndisclosedLocation. Par for the course when you’re that rare L1 B1 speaker of a language.

But I just died a bit laughing at the translation of my street address.

(Street number redacted)

Almost a year in the #UndisclosedLocation.

It still blows our minds that we just pulled the trigger to come here last year.

And it’s been a trial, but so far we’re doing what we can to make this work.

Feels good to have a stable foundation with someone you love when you’ve made a leap of faith this big.

To anyone who bashes public healthcare systems:

They can run faster than your private systems (unless you’re spending huge wads of cash).

In the #UndisclosedLocation, I live in the boonies. Yet not only am I able to make appointments with specialists off the hop, but I can get in to see them in less than two weeks. Usually less than one week.

I wish the state paid these medical professionals more.

They deserve it.

The cold-wet season seems to have started early in the #UndisclosedLocation.

Still adjusting to the rhythms of life here.

And ADHD makes me forget things… and screw up timing on others.