Well, it’s time for another exciting countdown!
In a little over two weeks, we’re packing up our lives and heading somewhere new.
This time, it’s going to be different.
With my recent surgery… inflation… and the fact that we don’t want to be forced into less-than-ideal circumstances if/when our savings run out, we made a touch decision.
We decided to take some of the pressure off of me and my inconsistent freelance earnings, and Chad got a job.
It’s an on-location position. Which means we’ll have to take down our sails and drop anchor, so no more crisscrossing the country following whims and fancies, at least not right away. However, we’re going to middle of nowhere Wyoming, which is perfect! A big common denominator of all of our favorite parts of the adventure is nature and at all the spots we found, the worst part was leaving. So now we get to bask in nature as we explore Wyoming.
This is the new plan: We’re hoping to live in our tiny home at least 8 months out of the year. In the coldest period, we’ll rent an Airbnb. The goal is to bolster savings, and perhaps invest in some land or a rental property somewhere. Once we’re comfortable with the amount we’ve saved, we’ll get back on the road.
I’m really excited to see if we can make living in a tiny space while holding down a “real” job, work. We’ll be in an RV park, so will have water and electricity and with the gym and library in walking distance, what else do we need?
I am so excited to experience life in small town America. This is an opportunity most people never get a chance to undergo. As someone who’s lived in four countries in both rural and city atmospheres, this is going to all be new.
I can’t wait.
But in the meantime, again. I’m having to deal with my things, again. The washer and drier are going, churning germs out of some recently thrifted sweaters.
I’m rooting through boxes stacked in the closet at my mom’s house, getting rid of more things. A random silver platter, a green dress I got in 2008 that I never wear, a maroon dress I wore in 2019 to a wedding, a tight little number that I feel too bloated to pull off anymore. I get rid of leggings that are starting to get a little baggy around the knee. I sweep through my tank tops as well, culling 5 from the herd. A pink one, a mustard yellow, black, and white – the black one worn thin. It’s from Target – when they sold Marona – circa 2017. Also from Target (the little boy’s section, to be exact) goes a T-shirt that says, ‘here to rock.’
Indeed.
With Target apparently in mind, Chad and I spent the earlier part of the day there, looking for an eiderdown cover and crisp new sheets. There’s something about a new adventure –a new start – that inspires you to spruce up and prepare. And though it clashed with me not wanting to spend too much money, we still find a nice mellowed out amber colored linen cover, some soft cotton oatmeal-colored sheets, and a set of heavy-duty pillow cases that zip shut. We’re planning to use the pillow cases to stow our heavy winter jackets and blankets inside; cleverly disguise our winter survival layers as fussy throw pillows.
I stand at the register, face flushed as I watch our items tally up.
“Need a bag?” the cashier asks,
“No, we brought some,” I say, looking at Chad.
“They’re… in the car.” he says, “we’ll bag ‘em up in the car.”
Our purchases come to over $300.
We’re at a crossroads, once again. Neither here nor there, spending money in transition to ward off the worst of the ‘what if’s?’ trying to spend our way to a known future, one that we’re prepared for.
Trying to spend our way into feeling better in this urban sprawl, there’s not much else here to do besides shop or eat. Both of us agree, we can’t get out of here soon enough, and I hope you’ll come along on this new adventure. I’m excited to find out what happens next, and of course, write about it here.
TRAVEL & ADVENTURE 