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Bootstrapper
Bootstrapper: From Broke to Badass on a Northern Michigan Farm | Mardi Jo Link
Poignant, irreverent, and hilarious: a memoir about survival and self-discovery, by an indomitable woman who never loses sight of what matters most. Its the summer of 2005, and Mardi Jo Links dream of living the simple life has unraveled into debt, heartbreak, and perpetually ragged cuticles. She and her husband of nineteen years have just called it quits, leaving her with serious cash-flow problems and a looming divorce. More broke than ever, Link makes a seemingly impossible resolution: to hang on to her century-old farmhouse in northern Michigan and continue to raise her three boys on well water and wood chopping and dirt. Armed with an unfailing sense of humor and three resolute accomplices, Link confronts blizzards and foxes, learns about Zen divorce and the best way to butcher a hog, dominates a zucchini-growing contest and wins a years supply of local bread, masters the art of bargain cooking, wrangles rampaging poultry, and withstands any blow to her pride in order to preserve the life she wants. With an infectious optimism that would put Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm to shame and a deep appreciation of the natural world, Link tells the story of how, over the course of one long year, she holds on to her sons, saves the farm from foreclosure, and finds her way back to a life of richness and meaning on the land she loves. This ebook edition includes a Reading Group Guide.
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LauraBeth
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After separating with “Mr. Wonderful” after 19 years of marriage, Mardi Jo Link is saddled with debt and on the brink of losing her farm.

“Nobody likes a drunk farmer. Or rather, farmeress. Nobody likes a drunk farmeress. Nobody likes a drunk, soon-to-be-divorced, in-debt, swollen-eyed, single-mother farmeress, because she simply can‘t get any work done this way.”

She‘s wrong because you‘re going to love her. #onmyown #musicalnewyear

Cathythoughts I love what you‘ve written here ♥️♥️♥️ 5y
LeahBergen What‘s up with the cuddly twosome in the background? 😮😮 5y
See All 25 Comments
LauraBeth @LeahBergen poor Teeny Ginger hurt her back a few days ago - we‘re not sure how - but she‘s been in a lot of pain. She hasn‘t walked much so she has been camped out either in Bitsy‘s bed or by Bitsy‘s food bowl - which is a total power move on her part 😹 But Bitsy has been understanding. ❤️ 5y
LeahBergen @LauraBeth Oh no!!! Poor Teeny Ginger! 😭😭 5y
Cinfhen I agree @Cathythoughts and I‘m charmed by Bitsy‘s kindness 💕💕 5y
AlaMich Yay for Bitsy!! And I hope Teeny Ginger feels better soon! 😻🐶❤️ 5y
RealBooks4ever Hope Teeny Ginger gets better soon! 😺💜 5y
LauraBeth I‘m not going to make a separate post about it on Litsy - I‘m pretty torn up over it - but we had to say goodbye to Teeny Ginger today due to a congenital spinal cord defect. We loved that rabid raccoon to pieces and are heart-broken. Bitsy was Teeny Ginger‘s Comforter-In-Chief during her last days and we saw how bonded they had become @LeahBergen @AlaMich, @Cinfhen, @RealBooks4ever 💔💔 (edited) 5y
AlaMich @LauraBeth Oh, I‘m so very sorry! It was clear from your posts how much you loved her. 5y
LeahBergen Ohhhhh, I‘m so very sorry to hear this and I‘m all weepy for you now, my friend. 😭😭 Sending you love and big hugs. ❤️❤️❤️ 5y
mabell Oh I am so sorry! 😥😔💔 5y
vivastory Oh, I'm so sorry! That's heart breaking 😔😢 5y
LauraBeth Thanks @AlaMich - we all loved her a lot 😿 5y
LauraBeth Thanks @LeahBergen - forever grateful for you giving her the Teeny Ginger nickname. Her “real‘ name was Sugar Bear but we defaulted to Teeny Ginger around our house a lot. ❤️ Hopefully, when we‘re ready to adopt another kitten or cat later on, you‘ll give a fitting nickname! 5y
LauraBeth Thanks @mabell 😿 5y
LauraBeth Thanks @vivastory 😿 we had gotten very attached to her 5y
TNbookworm Oh no I'm so sorry😿 Bless her little heart❤ 5y
LauraBeth Thanks @TNbookworm - it was all very sudden and unexpected 💔 I take comfort in knowing that during her short life, she was very loved and worshipped - as all cats should be 🤗 5y
Lreads I‘m so sorry about Teeny Ginger. I know how hard it is to lose a fur buddy. Hugs to you and Bitsy. 💕💕💕💕 5y
LauraBeth Thanks @QuietlyLaura ❤️❤️ This loss has just hit us all so hard because we loved her so much. Especially my daughter - as she was the one who had picked out Teeny Ginger when she was struggling with her depression this past spring. I‘ve never lost a cat that young and so suddenly - it‘s been a heartache for sure 😿😿 5y
Lreads I know. Lots of hugs to your daughter! 💕💕💕 I have Depression, too, and it makes everything so much harder. 5y
LauraBeth @QuietlyLaura it does - I hate that you have it. Big hugs to you ❤️❤️ 5y
Lreads Thank you for being you! ❤️ I‘m always learning how to manage and cope. 🙂 5y
136 likes12 stack adds25 comments
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tea.n.books
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#aprilbookshowers, day 20 It must be something about Michigan, but we all secretly want to own a farm someday. I connected so hard with Link's memoir, and despite her hardships, all I could think about was my family's little farm in Northern MI. I can't wait for planting season 🌱🍅🌽 #ruralsetting

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tea.n.books
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I picked up this book because it's set in Northern Michigan, and I'm a sucker for Michigan stories. I wasn't sure how I was gonna feel about it, "witty" divorce stories aren't usually my thing, but apparently memoir audiobooks are my jam.

3 likes1 stack add
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Leelee08
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Starting this memoir and enjoying some pasta and wine....😍🍷

Suzze Looking forward to what you think, I've eyed this many times. 7y
85 likes4 stack adds1 comment