Got up this morning, and put on my jammies. Well, admittedly I did start in my robe, but that was only for about an hour while I had my coffee. A bad hair day kind of started the laziness with pigtails; at least that’s my story.
The Rock ’n Red house has everything I need to create. Great spaces, lots of tools, stations set up to get things accomplished quickly. It also has a hot tub on the back porch which is perfect for mid-afternoon restart soaks. The tub doubles as a great stand-up desk if you just fold the cover half-way back to use as a table. Yeah, I’m brilliant like that. Get a warm water massage while I’m working…I’m all over that. My back hasn’t suffered this much during the whole time I lived in the camper, so I’ve also developed a hot tub Pilates routine. Eventually, I may release a video tutorial. It’s great. I’ve taken the gluing workstation to Baby Blue, who is finally set up with her table and alcove instead of a bed. Keeps all of the fumes out of the house, and Bella likes to pretty much live out there anyway. She’s settled in nicely at the Rock ’n Red house. After a few initial squabbles, the other cats all seem to accept she’s here for a bit. It probably doesn’t help she thinks she’s a princess. She runs to the door when I’m headed outside, sashaying to be picked up. There’s been snow on the ground, and she’s decided she doesn’t like stepping in it. Florida cat, for sure. Now the snow has changed to rain, but she would still rather be carried. She even shakes dust off her paws.
Such a diva.
No wonder the other cats are a bit standoffish. She’s also quite a talker, and I think they get tired of listening to her. Poor roomies. So, she likes to go sit in Baby Blue, where the windows are open and she can hear the neighborhood. Even though the chipmunks do make her a bit crazy. Baby Blue is a little forlorn, and appreciates the company. She hasn’t traveled from her spot since we arrived back a month ago. All her linens and curtains are out and washed. The floor is covered with leaf litter, and the counter with coffee spills. Pretty sure she knows she’s getting a makeover in June, though. Right after Hippie Fest in Kalamazoo. Because we’ll be making a trip there while we have a one-day show at the festival.
April has been spent with preparations to make funds to finance another year’s journey. Creating income to live on the road.
I’ve been so glad I arrived early, even though it did mean I had to put up with snow. (I’m hoping the last snow bank melts off today. It’s been between 70-80 degrees for 4 days now, and it’s raining, making the remaining snowbanks an anomaly.) My year-long From Nest To Life journey has eaten away at my bank account, with many of the larger chunks funding new pieces of equipment, to make living on the road easier and more workable. It’s been costly, but not nearly as much as you might think. I’m going to sit down soon and punch in all of the numbers so everyone can see exactly how economical this lifestyle really is. At this point, I’d say my expenses have been less than half of the cost of living in my stick and board home. At least, that’s the way it’s showing up in my head right now. We’ll see how accurately my numbers line up. I’ll share them when I get them tallied. Now, my first booth sales will begin this weekend, at the Interlochen Farmer’s Market, where I’ll be every Sunday for the next three months. All except the third weekend in June, when I’ll be having a massive garage sale to get rid of all the the “good” stuff I kept to start over in a tiny house. Now I’ve decided to continue my travels, I won’t be needing most of it. It’s a pretty big pile.
So, I’m cashing out.
In the meantime, I spend my days working. I work with rocks; sorting, tumbling, and oiling them. The tiny ones get sorted into boxes for jewelry making on the road. Some of the larger ones end up as candle and incense holders for the market booth. The trinkets I kept for my tiny vision are rearranged into functional art pieces and solar lights, also destined for the booth. Lots of designing, gluing, beading, and wiring have filled my days for the last couple of weeks. Today, the soil temps have finally reached 50 degrees. With the rain that’s coming down, it means it’s time to hit the woods and look for mushrooms. If I find enough of them, I might even share them in my booth on Sunday as well. Maybe. Because I love the taste of morels. Tomorrow, I’ll pack the booth into Bessie, where it will pretty much live for the summer, ready to pop-up wherever. Then comes Sunday’s market, when the bank account will finally start to flow the other way through generated income, for the first time in a year. Other than selling my home, I don’t think I’ve made $400 since I left my job over a year ago. Unless you count the refunds from the utility companies after the house sold. Which was already my money, depending on how you look at it. For me, a total control freak about staying on top of things, letting go of a continuous income stream has been one of the most difficult challenges. It feels rather normal to be back in a place where getting ahead is the goal. But, in truth, it only feels temporary. A time to work, create, and sell, sell, sell.
That’s the plan, anyway. For now.
I’ll let you know how it goes. Because I’m in love with travel, meeting new people, seeing the beauty of our world, and writing. Actually, I’ve always been in love with writing, and that’s the dream I’m ultimately reaching for. Not like this, “I missed posting last week because I was too busy going through all of my junk”, kind of post.