The Realities of Living Off Grid | Home in the Wild

(grunts)

TORI: I think that we kind of take for granted the amount of knowledge and experience that we have when we're heading out into the backcountry. For us, it might just kind of be your regular adventure but for others, it's a huge endeavor, and scary, and there's a lot to learn.

JIM: I can't believe that we just rolled in here just before dark and found a gorgeous campsite.

-(Wesley giggling) -

TORI: Wes, you are in a very good mood this morning. This one, on the other hand, this one... is up to no good.

(Huddy gurgling)

Ow!

JIM: Water's boiling, honey.

TORI: Do you just wanna do oatmeal this morning?

JIM: Yeah, yeah. It's oatmeal or no-meal in these parts.

TORI: For Wesley's meals in the backcountry, because of his low muscle tone, he isn't able to chew efficiently. So, we puree all of his food or give him as much soft, mashable food as possible. It can be a little bit more challenging if we are trying to live off the land as much as possible. Foraging for foods and things like that for him, we do have to make sure it's something that he's gonna be able to eat, first of all, and also it's gonna be easy on his tummy.

JIM: I think Wesley is just responding so well to being in nature. But I think he's also just happy to spend more quality time with us. He just seems to be, you know, more engaged with his surrounding. Don't you Wes, huh? You little champion, my best bud. Yes you are!

(Wesley and Huddy murmur)

So that was some pretty good feedback we got from the physiotherapist about just getting Wesley outdoors?

TORI: Totally. And I think it'll be a great thing to prepare him for going to school. 'Cause he's starting school pretty much right when we get back.

JIM: I'm probably gonna cry when we drop him off at school.

• TORI: Oh, yeah. For sure.**

JIM: 'Cause our special little boy, he can't really communicate and it's a big day for him. He's gonna make some friends, he's gonna learn, you know, they have devices for him there that we can't really fit in our house. But, I think it's gonna be great for his development and for him to make some friends.

TORI: He's never really been away from us for that--

• JIM: No he hasn't. No. -**

TORI: That long. You know what I mean?

JIM: Your brother's gonna go to school

-and then learn stuff. -

(Huddy babbles)

TORI: As far as when we one day live off-grid, unless we're prepared to do some serious homeschooling for him and Hudson--

JIM: Yeah so that's the other thing, homeschooling is a lot of work as well. We'll find a way to make it work, you know?

• TORI: Yeah. -**

JIM: We'll find a way to do both things.

TORI: When we first started dating there was this romanticized fantasy of living off-grid in a log cabin in the middle of nowhere, which sounded beautiful. But, having Wesley now and his needs, I do worry about living there full-time. I'm excited about it, I'm nervous. I think that I'm just more of the logistical person when it comes to the kids. I don't wanna be irresponsible with it. I don't wanna be taking Wesley, who does have these complex needs, so far away from help. To start, I'm really looking forward to having that off-grid property that we can go to a couple times a year and gradually make it home.

JIM: (whistles) North, time to do dishes.

(North barks)