Foundation For A Better Life

pics:  our home so far, our garage sale, us at Dee Williams'


We decided we needed to make some big changes this year in order to improve my health. Lifelong physical ailments, the worst of which being migraine headaches, were always a mysterious fact of life. Anyone who has had one knows that one thing you do when you experience migraine pain is question , WHY? I always wanted answers.
My work schedule changed from 5 down to 4 days a week a couple years back. I was concerned about finances but soon discovered I was about to get an answer to my question. I was experiencing an impromptu clinical unmasking of sorts.

Our home environment had, by preference, become mostly chemical-free and preferred activity took us to the woods or the beach. Spending more time in less chemical helped uncover my bodies' adverse reactions, exposing my sensitivity to chemicals and giving this mechanism a name, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.

Through my own research I'd already learned that the pesticides I'd been exposed to as a kid had likely wreaked havoc on my system. I turned to a friend who is a toxicologist, another who studied and understood Eastern Medicine, and one who worked as a health coach and nutritionist.

Our home was becoming unlivable. The scents of neighbors' laundry, household and personal products were creeping in. We had to move. But, where? Then I thought of Dee.

A few years back I proclaimed Dee Williams to be one of my heroes. She built a tiny home on wheels and was featured in the local paper. I was impressed with her tiny carbon footprint and honest intent to live in harmony. This was our answer.

So this year we started super downsizing. We had a huge garage sale in April. We gave a lot to Goodwill, books to the library, and specific items found appropriate owners on a website called 2good2toss.




We had to decide what we really wanted to keep, all with the idea of fitting it into a 117 sq. ft. home. Now we want what we have and are not burdened with stuff we aren't really sure why we had anyway.

We moved into the living room of our apartment, keeping us further from windows where fragrances intrude, and getting the feel of living in a smaller space.

My husband, D K, has taken the lead in research for truly MCS safe building supplies for our new home. He is my hero, and has been on board the whole way, doing everything he can to make me safe. I can't emphasize enough what it means to have the unconditional support and understanding of another human being. (Not to under emphasize the important role of our 2 mini daschunds.)

D K and I saw Dee Williams speak and visited her home. We have benefited from the generous sharing of information that exists in the tiny home movement, not to mention, the calming sense of solidarity The Canary Report has offered.

We feel blessed to have found a site on which to build our tiny home on wheels, and another where we will park upon completion, where there is fresh air and private room to roam.

We bought a couple books, found a great green energy guy and enlisted the help of another friend who is a carpenter and on standby.

Construction is finally underway, after months of gathering materials and planning. With the help of my brother and sister-in-law we will finish the foundation.

Right now I feel desperate. There have been setbacks and I thought we'd have it built by now. I feel exposed. But I feel hopeful and grateful, too.

Our wooden and aluminum foundation fastened to a 18 ft. trailer will soon be a safe haven, a real home. It will provide a way to take road trips again since hotels and tents aren't an option. It will help me avoid the the things that make me sick, offer moments, maybe hours, where I can stop thinking about my MCS and what smell might creep in. It is truly a foundation for a better life.

D K and I will post our progress with pictures.