When I was in my 20's, (200 years ago), I devised a plan to create a commune. My idea was to build an apartment complex, carefully screen the applicants, and have it be a self-sustaining little community. I had visions of a central community garden and park, a workout room where the treadmills and bikes were generators, a volunteer-based daycare and other such amenities for a very low rental rate and a minimal amount of required volunteer work for the good of the project. (I know, I know "required volunteer work" is an oxymoron ... get over it ... it's the easiest way to explain it quickly).
Well, I didn't do it.
Despite that, the idea of communal living has remained in the forefront of my brain for almost 20 years and I have spent countless hours exploring and extolling its virtues.
At present, I live across the street from my parents and within 2 miles of all 7 of my siblings. It's pretty close to having a little village of our own. We hang out regularly, watch each others' kids, and are generally around to assist each other with our assorted needs of daily living.
But ... across the street is as close as it's ever gotten.
That, however, is about to change . . .
Due to Xrad's recent divorce and new graveyard-shift job, my exceptionally low income, and the fact that the much-beloved little cottage I live in is being sold, we have decided to move in together.
That may not sound like much at the outset, but consider this: Xrad and I are both financially poor single moms. We will be the only two adults in the house. We are both full-time students. Xrad also works full time and I run a small business in my "spare" (haha) time. In addition, we will be co-habitating with and caring for 11, yes eleven, children. The majority of these children are age 6 and younger. We have decided not to split the house into "my space" and "your space", but rather to occupy the thing in its entirety as one large, way-beyond-the-Brady-bunch family.
This will be something.
Because both of our surnames begin with the letter M, we have decided to call ourselves The Family M, and have told the kids (to their utter delight) that we are the M&M family ... lots of sweet and colorful people all packaged together. (I refrained from furthering that some of us are nutty....)
ANYWAY - let this serve as an introduction, and notification that the countdown has begun: 21 days until the uniting of The Family M.
Celebrating the adventure,
~dRM
Well, I didn't do it.
Despite that, the idea of communal living has remained in the forefront of my brain for almost 20 years and I have spent countless hours exploring and extolling its virtues.
At present, I live across the street from my parents and within 2 miles of all 7 of my siblings. It's pretty close to having a little village of our own. We hang out regularly, watch each others' kids, and are generally around to assist each other with our assorted needs of daily living.
But ... across the street is as close as it's ever gotten.
That, however, is about to change . . .
Due to Xrad's recent divorce and new graveyard-shift job, my exceptionally low income, and the fact that the much-beloved little cottage I live in is being sold, we have decided to move in together.
That may not sound like much at the outset, but consider this: Xrad and I are both financially poor single moms. We will be the only two adults in the house. We are both full-time students. Xrad also works full time and I run a small business in my "spare" (haha) time. In addition, we will be co-habitating with and caring for 11, yes eleven, children. The majority of these children are age 6 and younger. We have decided not to split the house into "my space" and "your space", but rather to occupy the thing in its entirety as one large, way-beyond-the-Brady-bunch family.
This will be something.
Because both of our surnames begin with the letter M, we have decided to call ourselves The Family M, and have told the kids (to their utter delight) that we are the M&M family ... lots of sweet and colorful people all packaged together. (I refrained from furthering that some of us are nutty....)
ANYWAY - let this serve as an introduction, and notification that the countdown has begun: 21 days until the uniting of The Family M.
Celebrating the adventure,
~dRM
Whew! It's gonna be something!
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