DP Photo Challenge: Afloat
Are you thinking what I think you’re thinking about my title? My blog is not meant to teach or help people get through their lives, so I offer little advice. However, here is one thing I have learned: you cannot always depend on people. But here is one thing you can depend on from me: if I say I’ll never do something, like go bungy jumping off a bridge in New Zealand or write a title like that, I probably will.
Have you ever heard of the “ tiny house movement.“ Apparently, people are building tiny houses and living in them. But when we talk about tiny houses here, we’re talking tiny. Tiny as in teensy-weensy, 200 (sic: hundred) square feet, size of your bathroom. In California, they have a couple of communities of tiny houses, all wood with steel roofs, gingerbread trim, lofts. They build a house on top of a flat-bed trailer, so you can easily move them. Kind of an upscale version of travel trailers. A travel trailer with panache. You can pull the thing with your Porsche. Today, you’re parked at Lake Havasu; tomorrow, you’re parked above a cliff overlooking Swami’s near San Diego, and watching the surfers rip up the waves.
My tiny house is a motorhome. When I’m not out of the country, I live in it full-time. When I’m out of the country, the thing sits in storage in Tombstone, AZ, a couple blocks down the street from the OK Corral. Sad part: I’m getting used to living in larger houses. I love the concept of a tiny house, the effective efficiency. But man, I’m now spoiled. My motorhome is 30 feet long. I was thinking of upgrading to a 45-footer, with three slide-out extensions, and a diesel engine.
Remember Y2K? The Artist Formerly Known as Prince was partying like it was 1999. Many people probably were. Everyone else was a little worried about what would happen when the clock struck 12, and ushered in the 21st century. No, sorry. It would only usher in the year 2000. The dawn of the 21st century began in 2001. Everyone thought everything was going to explode at midnight. Who knew what could happen? I drove my RV into the wilderness, sat beside a secluded lake (where I could fish if it came to that…even though I was vegetarian) as far away from people as I could get, with a cache of bean soup and–of course–peanut butter. Why? Humans do dumb things when they believe they must, herd instinct takes over.
Don’t tell anyone: I had a gun in my RV. I hate guns, they scare the sh*t out of me. But I have seen disaster movies. I have watched the news, and I know what horrors the human species is capable of during times of peace, let alone disaster up the wazoo. This is my tiny house below on December 31, 1999. Imagine a man, later that night, sitting inside and eyeing his revolver lying on the dash, as he peers through the curtains at 11:59 pm, 1999.
Then one day in Amsterdam, I see somebody’s brand new houseboat being towed by two tugboats down the Amstel River (I think it was the Amstel). And I think to myself, yeah, now that is one fine houseboat there. And now I’m thinking I’ll just buy a houseboat like this one. And float in the Amstel. It’s still a tiny house–relatively. Just not tiny-tiny. It’s a more livable-tiny house is what I’m thinking.
You can view other challengers here: Afloat
Photo REHAB: http://new.inlinkz.com/luwpview.php?id=473972
Badfish & Chips Cafe 
Reblogged this on The Blogging Path and commented:
Yeah, I can imagine living in a “tiny house” but only on dry land. Why buy anything when y’all can hang outdoors in a hammock tied between two trees? Now, that’s tiny!
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Flynn, thanks so much for the reblog on your site, The Blogging Path, I truly appreciate it. I think that’s the first time I’ve been reblogged. I hope your readers get a kick out of it!
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Ooh, I’m honored to have been a “first” reblogger of yours. Hehe! Just don’t be too spoilt with a larger house: it’s too much to clean, repair, and maintain! Another reason why I can’t leave home. Ugh.
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You’re right…I do not want a BIG house. I think something around 800-1000 sq ft would be just about all I’d want to keep clean. And thanks again for scoring my reblog cherry.
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Did you really do that? Seriously? You did realise that everywhere west of Samoa it was already after midnight and into 2000 🙂
In Sydney they were partying to beat the band.
This past new year we celebrated New Zealand new year in Oz – got to bed earlier that way 🙂
I love tiny houses. That one in Amsterdam looks ideal. I like your motorhome too. I have a thing for miniature. Did you ever go to Madurodam? It’s not far from Den Hague and it’s an entire miniature town of all the major sights of the Netheralnds from canals, to airports to Rotterdam railway station, all to scale. It’s amazing.
I’m scared of guns too. When I used to cook in wilderness hunting camps in northern Canada the guys taught me how to use a gun in case a bear came into camp when they were all out hunting all day. Never did get used to it. I decided I was more scared of guns than bears.
Alison
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Well, I did drive into the wilderness. That photo is Jan 1, 2000. I did not, however, have the gun loaded nor sitting on the dash; that was just for dramatic effect! But I was worried I might have to use it. Never been to Madurodam, sound cool though…maybe this summer, I’ll take a side trip there (depending on where I go this summer). Was thinking Hawaii…but…now I’m considering not Hawaii.
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I like the concept of tiny house..but first, if I ever going to relocate to a tiny house, I should start getting rid of unnecessary stuff 😀
The boat house is always nice to look at, especially those in the canals. The maintenance, from what I have heard, is quite tough.
Like your post!!
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Right…you gotta have a storage unit somewhere, or get rid of your extra stuff. I love the idea of living on an Amsterdam canal, but yeah…I do not want to deal with keeping up the underside of a boat!!!
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Ah… Sigh… Brought back memories of Y2K. Me? I set my coffee pot to start at the usual time the next morning and went to bed. Adorable post about little houses.
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Yeah…those were the good old days, eh. I think many people just hoped the cyber-geeks would fix things and all would turn out fine. I did. But I was able to flee the city, just in case.
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[…] Photo Challenge: Afloat – “Floating Fireball” scrapydotwoAfloat : The Photo Challenge Badfish Out of Water3 Good Reasons to Buy a Tiny House Siemens PhotographyThe Daily Post weekly photo challenge: Afloat PURSUIT OF HAPPINESSAfloat Lonely […]
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I am here wondering why you took so seriously those talks about the millennium catastrophe. That just helped the IT companies make loads of money as everyone was scared that all systems could go down.
Still, yours is s a funny story and I loved the motorhome.
So, you are going to buy a houseboat and live in my city?
PS. Your blog is looking good, like a pro! Congrats!
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It wasn’t just a “story” to make someone money. They had to fix the issue. Luckily they did. And by Dec 31, 1999, most likely the issue was fixed. Still…better safe than sorry is all I’m saying. And I was able to drive off the grid…just in case.
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*dancing* tiny houses, like Hobbit Holes! Now THAT’s tiny! Yes, yes, I know, it’s fantasy, and well, maybe, just maybe, I’m short enough to have fit in one of them anyway 😛
You tiny house is tinier than ours. We lived in a 60 footer, 14 wide, on a slab in a motor court. We’ve have preferred, after eight years, to have lived out in middle of nowhere in a two room cabin. BUT, I have to say, it was the coziest little place we lived in. This house feel ginormous compared, but we did have to leave half or stuff out in a shed that was 10’x 10′ so we didn’t even have a true place for our stuff.
But I’ve learned my lesson… so, now, looking at that houseboat, I’m thinking YES, that’s it! A houseboat! Only not on the Amstel. No, I’m thinking maybe in a marina, somewhere warm, but far enough way from places that it feels peaceful. I saw a pic not long ago at a blog that looked like a nice peaceful houseboat kinda place.
So I’m sitting here, imagining you sitting in your RV on 12/31/99 and you’ve got all this peace outside, and nobody nearby and you’re inside… Say what!?! Iffin there was gonna be some sort of end of the world, be outside in the night, looking up at the stars, and embracing the beauty of a moment. You know, “be here now”
So, at 12:oo am, what did you do?
I can’t remember much, other than, we ushered out the old year, and in the new year, like we always do. Opening the back door for the old to slip away, and opening the front door to welcome in the new year. Course, I don’t pay much mind to the calendar year anymore. I celebrate New Years Eve on Samhain, and do a reading on Nov 1, to see what Path, Practice and Persona I’ll be hanging with over the next 365. 🙂
Travel on dude… I’m gonna call you Jack, from now on. 😉
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I didn’t think that night was a problem, the planet would not explode, no need for me to be outside (for hours). I wasn’t worried something would happen at 12:00am. I was worried about the fall-out disaster, a few days or weeks later. The panic. I don’t think I would have bought an airline ticket for that night, though, even though “experts” said or thought the problem was fixed.
And Jack??? You’re not going to believe this, or you will by now. I thought of using Jack as a pen name. Just recently.
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Of course I believe! Are you thinking I’m talking about Kerouac? Because I am. Besides, Jack is a favored name in my family. We definitely have ESPN (play on words or whatever that initial thing is called).
You know I love post apocalyptic stories and movies, right?
I won’t even buy an airline ticket now lol
Isn’t hard to believe that was already 15 years ago?
Peace Out!
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almost like it were yesterday…15 years…I got old since then.
Kerouac…hmmm. No I wasn’t thinking any particular Jack. But I like Kerouac. Fine. Only problem with Jack is that it was my step father’s name. And I have issues with him, wouldn’t want the cosmos to construe some kind of link there.
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Well, then we have to come up with another name. No Jack, even if of all trades.
Tell me, do you prefer exotic?
Let me work on this… don’t go away.
First, how do you feel about Rhet?
More exotic?
Let me know.
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This is funny. I’ve used a number of different names in my life. Some people only know me by Keir. Some others only know me as Max. Some people just call me Butthead.
And now I have this problem: I think the hermit crab I’ve called Duncan and referred to as male, I think he’s female.
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I don’t know. Names are funny things. And with a mind as feathery as mine, I’ll like Jacques one day, and not the next. I forgot…I was also known as Paco. I still like Paco.
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Keir. That’s a beautiful name! And exotic, but well, you want a nom de plume which isn’t connected to your name. As for Max. I had a best friend in college whose name was Max. Tis a great name! And I would distance myself from those who use sticks and stones, and are likely the butthead, and just are jealous of you. Pish. They are gone.
Now Duncan. I don’t think that the hermit crab cares whether the name you gave him is masculine or feminine. The hermit crab is quite in touch with both sides of his gender line. So, Duncan, and she can continue to be king and queen of the hermitage.
So, what’s it gonna be on the nom de plume? We can keep working on it. 🙂
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Yeah…nom de plume. I’m sure the next name will simply arrive when needed. I could go with Jacques. Or Jock. Or even Jack …if I could just forgive the past, they say forgiving sets you free. I’ve never believed that. I’ve always said screw that forgiveness jive. Who gets through their life without a little holding on to things? I feel pretty free. Free with a bad memory of days long ago. We call that life don’t we?
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If the name Jack brings you negative thoughts, it’s not good. It could interfere with your writing, set up roadblocks. But, as you say, the name will arrive when needed. It’s happened to me 🙂 It is a difficult rock/hard place situation with forgiving. The energy wasted in not forgiving hurts only you. But you feel free with those days of yore bad memories, and you could even give them a little push. Write it down on a piece of paper, all of it, and head for that private beach, make a bonfire, and bring a bottle of your favorite poison – JD, or Johnny Red, or whatever – and offer up your memories to the fire, and let them drift as smoke into the ether. Poof, it’s gone. Should it creep up somewhere down the road, just look it in the face and say, “excuse me, but do you have a token to enter this head space?” It won’t and will be denied access, and wander off to find somebody else to bother.
Yes, calling whatever we do, life, is pretty much, calling what it is we do, life. 😛
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As usual, Fim…very good advice. But…No…I’ve decided. Forgiveness is highly over rated. Forgiveness is for sissies.
Name: Lately, I’m thinking something Scandinavian. Maybe, say, Gunn.
My favorite poison: Pomegranate juice.
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Errr…………I live in a tiny house, where two is crowd. My friends call my home, Dolls House 😛 The only difference, it’s concrete and not afloat 😉
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REALLY!!! How cool is that! I absolutely love the concept. Or did. Well, OK, I still do, but I have gotten used to a bigger space. I love my motorhome, and love living in it. It’s bigger than most tiny houses. And it has oodles of storage under it. Post a photo of your home!!! I want to see it.
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I will, soon.
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if ya ever jaunt over the highway 160 way to durango an pagosa springs colorado or nearaboutZ yell at da Q 🙂 my adventure this summer is possibly lake powell for a week! 🙂 will be a blast i have a motorhome similar to urs…an will take my ultralight trike also if i go this sept 🙂 @ least ur land house won’t sink! ….. lol 🙂
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Lake Powell!! I love it there. Are you going to rent a boat? If you do, make sure you visit the Rainbow Bridge…I’m not sure you can get there by bike?? If I get to CO, I’ll definitely look you up.
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if i go this season ill take my ultralight trike an prolly stay down south, have been to the bridge by boat before is awesome agreed!..i hear the water level is way down now , will be interestin to see if i go this season.take care 🙂 Q
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good luck…I’m about to plan my summer, also…we’ll see what happens there, too
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I do have visions of living in a tiny house, but I’m not really, totally sure I could do it! Hell, my last car was bigger than a tiny house!
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I hear you. That motorhome is maybe 300 sq ft, that’s 100 sq ft bigger than most tiny houses (and minus the panache of gingerbread trim). The motorhome is livable for one (maybe two if she’s a tiny woman), and there is quite a bit of storage below. Still, I’m thinking maybe 800 sq ft is more doable. The sad thing is those tiny houses do not come with a tiny price tag.
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” Humans do dumb things when they believe they must, herd instinct takes over.” That’s true. You can’t say that something is very true, because things are either true or false, but still, it’s very true.
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Ha! True or not, right. That thought is…er…very true.
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really great take on the wpc word – and loved this part
” I drove my RV into the wilderness, sat beside a secluded lake (where I could fish if it came to that…even though I was vegetarian) ”
how cool!
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yeah, I’m just real happy I didn’t have to deal with the disaster, nor fish!
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🙂
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[…] Photo Challenge: Afloat – “Floating Fireball” scrapydotwoAfloat : The Photo Challenge Badfish Out of Water3 Good Reasons to Buy a Tiny House Siemens PhotographyThe Daily Post weekly photo challenge: Afloat PURSUIT OF HAPPINESSAfloat […]
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The tiny house concept definitely looks nice. I’ve stayed in boat houses during one of my trips to South India… it was awesome. But I think it costs a lot when it comes to maintenance… 🙂
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Hey, you just reminded me: many years ago, decades, I stayed in a houseboat on Dal Lake in Northern India. It was fantastic. Except I got sick, from the food or water, thought I was going to die.
And right–maintenance, I don’t want any part of that expense, really.
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So you visited Kashmir, the paradise on earth. Such a bad thing you got sick.. 😦
Yes, maintenance is a big thing for these… 🙂
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Kashmir was (is) very cool! Sick…not so cool.
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Thanks for the visit, the like and the follow! Am enjoying exploring your blog. After taking a year off in 2011 and living out of a back pack for a year, I realised how little I needed in the way of stuff. Sold some, gave most of it away and headed for Japan. Would love to keep things small on my return home and uncluttered! Thought this link to a super small house might be of interest.
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Leanne, THAT is SO freakin cool. Thanks for passing that on, and commenting!! If I ever get back to New Zealand, I’m going Grand Theft Auto that tiny house.
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You’re living our dream. We couldn’t make up our minds whether we should live on a boat and spend our retirement working our way up and down the inland waterways of Ireland or buy a plot of land and make a home for ourselves out of a couple of storage containers. In the end we decided on an old terraced house in a small town with a marina, where we can moor a boat. The house didn’t cost much more than the price of a decent sized boat. Now we just have to save up for the boat. 🙂
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VERY spooky. Right there on my desk, right there, lies a drawing I made yesterday of a house I designed out of containers.
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Have you seen the container homes at one of the docks in London, or the container hotel there? They are a great way of building, and recycling and I think in the future will be used a lot more, if only we could get rid of the planners. They put a stop to everything doesn’t conform to their way of thinking and get in the way of innovation. There’s a saying here in Ireland that ‘when the landlords left, the planners took over,’ so that even on your own piece of land you have to their approval for everything. Have you ever heard of the guy in England who built his own castle and hid it behind giant hay stacks for five years?
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Planners, red tape, crap–I hate those guys. I wanted to buy a tiny house in Arizona that had a 40 foot container as storage. I wanted to make it into part of the house. But the planners said no. The guy with the castle had the right idea.
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i gotz my house on a hill….an like u a motothome…to travel an be mobile with…this summer i plan on exploring the backroads of my very own state 🙂 take care. 😎 Q
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COOL!! I can’t wait to get back on the road in my rig…but that may be a while…
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yeah same here will be spring time fer a summertime trip to lake powell here is my dream 🙂 this 2016 happy holidaze 2 u 🙂 Q
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sounds good! Love Lake Powell, London Bridge!
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Just looking through some of your old photos and wondering if the fact that the Daily Post is withdrawing from WordPress will inspire you to share some of your favorite photos this week, for their very last Weekly Photo Challenge.
On my way to look at Campers to live in part time while I travel the country photographing stuff…and visiting people, including Blogging Friends.
Oh Mr. Fish, I miss you so…Where are you?
Kathie
May 31, 2018
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hey…I wasn’t aware of the photo thing. If it’s not too late, maybe I wwill publish something. I’m in Bali. In July I’m taking my daughter on a cruise around Tahiti and French Polynesia. Then I’m off to Easter Island. Good luck with the camper gig!! Miss you tooooo!! really
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I wrote you an email too. You get that?
What a great thing to do with your daughter. The trip I talked about in my email was in part to take my son and grandsons to to meet my daughter and her family.it was amazing.
Have a wonderful time in Bali and on the cruise. How cool!
Write me if you can.
😊
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