Pete and I have spent the last couple of hours in comfortable companionship in the basement space that is our homespace away from the vardo. "Nice morning," he said. "Yes, a new normal ha?" I said. Pete continued reading the comics in the one slightly risky wooden chair that is part of our minally accomodating seating choices. JOTS has not moved from the nest she finds most pleasant, a nest made from the organic cotton sheet that serves as lots of things in our life. So far, JOTS nest is the most purposeful use thus far. When we made the choice to build a tiny home on wheels we included the awareness of an extension cord life as essential; the vardo would not provide all the basic needs. In less than a year we have lived in three different communities/with three different families-friends. We have learned through those experiences to value the progress we have made and to re-evaluate what else we need to add back into our lives now that the intense spin of a life fueled on adenalin is slowing down. The metaphor of a braided or unbraided life is one I have used to explain the process, and the metaphor has found its way into the tales I've written: Sam and Sally was the first, and Wood Crafting came during the year just passed. Blogs have been the venue of braiding the different voices or views of our lives, and to that process I am grateful. Written braids have served my healing journey over and over again.
Through the access of keyboards and internet I watch the changing look of information as websites, community networks and blogs change: a reflection of the authors' evolution. Self-publishing becomes an organic function that all comers get to experience. In particular, I observe how The Canary Report and Planet Thrive evolved during the past two years and less. Both sites focus on the community of MCS and EI (multiple chemical sensitivities and environmental illness). Both authors live with MCS and each braids their individual personality and focus with different styles. Each of those community networks has given me and hundreds (thousands more likely) of people with MCS the support, forum for voice, and resources to make informed decisions to aid in a healing journey that fits the unique need of the individual. Many other resources for the environmentally affected population are now available, among them HEAL, MCS America and CIIN (Chemical Injury Information Network) have served over the longer period of time. I include these three among the many because I have used the information found there in my own life.
