52 Mondays

[Queen]

Congratulations on selling your home, mayble. New beginnings!

We are on our first free Monday and it is glorious, that pressure in your chest that comes from living under the hammer of the clock dissipates almost instantly.

 

[DuneElliot]

After being free of work for 5 months I have had some substantial truck and trailer fixes which have eaten into my savings...now the stress for me is FINDING a job for the winter AND being in a place where my pipes don't freeze. However, it is a minor problem and I'd rather be here than stuck shoveling snow and dealing with the same job I had for 7 years.

 

[VanKitten]

The garden never survives the loss of the gardener.

I never go back and look.

 

[tav-2020]

Hey mably - just found this thread and will keep counting down with you...helps to keep my eyes on the prize too!
And belated congrats, Queen!

 

[mayble]

21?! I think I lost one somewhere along the way.

Busy weekend with family, Mom's memorial service, sending a few more "treasures" off with the kids and even squeezed in a little work on the van.
I look around at all the stuff that I think I'm keeping and try to imagine it all in the van.  Looks like another round of purging will be in order in the spring

I was watching a few videos on YouTube and Bob's interview with Randy Vining came up.  Randy's words on finding your fascinations and talents once free of the drudgery of ordinary life really struck a chord with me.  It would be wonderful to find a source of income that doesn't suck the marrow from my soul.  Maybe it's out there somewhere.

 

[DuneElliot]

I was watching a few videos on YouTube and Bob's interview with Randy Vining came up.  Randy's words on finding your fascinations and talents once free of the drudgery of ordinary life really struck a chord with me.  It would be wonderful to find a source of income that doesn't suck the marrow from my soul.  Maybe it's out there somewhere.

It would. I've been out here for two months now and haven't found anything yet. I'll keep looking but for now it's back to working for the corporation to pay the bills.

 

[mayble]

20 ?
2 weeks to closing on the house, and i'm feeling very fortunate that the buyer is okay with me packing my bags and leaving the rest.  no way would i be able to clear out this house without help, and no way do i want to pay for that help! 

i had plans for the proceeds from selling the house and the stuff, but it turns out my house and my stuff ain't worth squat. :blush:   so, new plan and new attitude going forward
i am still nervous about not having my own home, but i sure am looking forward to being free of all that responsibility, and all that worthless stuff.

 

[mayble]

It would. I've been out here for two months now and haven't found anything yet. I'll keep looking but for now it's back to working for the corporation to pay the bills.

yeah, i think hoping for a life changing experience in two months is a little optimistic.
i think it would take a year or more to truly separate from the old self.

 

[DuneElliot]

yeah, i think hoping for a life changing experience in two months is a little optimistic.
i think it would take a year or more to truly separate from the old self.

While I love the idea of IT or online work I would end up never meeting people if I didn't actually go out and do a job. I'm mostly an introvert but I'm not extreme and do like people generally. Making friends locally was also a priority as I want to be stationary for a few months at a time and really get to know an area, not just do the well-known and touristy/famous stuff...so that's what I keep in the back of mind

One of the things I used to love about guest ranches and working seasonally was meeting new people and making new friends...and having an end in sight for the work. Having dogs makes it a little harder to go back to this kind of work as most places don't allow staff to bring pets.

 

[mayble]

19!
I haven't done a darn thing to the van lately, but I've been packing/sorting/downsizing to the best of my ability.  One week 'til I'm out of my house and into a tiny room in a friend's house.
I've been living "as if" for over a year, in one room laid out like the van, so my daily essentials are ready to go.  My non-essentials and occasional-but-necessary items are limited to whatever will fit in the various plastic totes, backpacks and duffles that I have on hand.
I'm not keeping anything I can't carry myself, which is a damn good thing because I don't have any help lined up for the move lol.  
Moving forward.  Life is good

 

[blmkid]

19!
I haven't done a darn thing to the van lately, but I've been packing/sorting/downsizing to the best of my ability.  One week 'til I'm out of my house and into a tiny room in a friend's house.
I've been living "as if" for over a year, in one room laid out like the van, so my daily essentials are ready to go.  My non-essentials and occasional-but-necessary items are limited to whatever will fit in the various plastic totes, backpacks and duffles that I have on hand.
I'm not keeping anything I can't carry myself, which is a damn good thing because I don't have any help lined up for the move lol.  
Moving forward.  Life is good

Great! 19 left. Your just glowing with excitement. Happy for ya. Like Wet Willie says:

 

[DuneElliot]

This count down has been fun and the struggle is real. Great idea to live in your house the way you would live in a van...I spent a lot of time in my RV with my dogs before moving into it so they could get used to it and feel like it was home before we started moving.

 

[mayble]

Down to 18 Mondays, and it's official - I'm no longer a homeowner! 

So glad to be rid of that anchor!

 

[mayble]

17 more Mondays and I can hardly wait!  
I'm thinking of taking the first year to wander & decompress, then look for seasonal work for the following summer.  A lot will depend on how far I can stretch my savings - it's a long way to Social Security retirement
I keep thinking of the saying, "I'm going to retire and live off my savings.  What I'll do the next week I have no idea."  Hopefully it will last a little longer than that but still, I'd rather run out of money than run out of time.

 

[tav-2020]

17 more Mondays and I can hardly wait!  

Happy 17! so excited for you 

 

[Neal]

I live paycheck to paycheck. My lease is up June 1st. I'm concentrating on mechanical's when I can afford it. I really wanted to hit the RTR this year but next year is a certainty.

 

[mayble]

15 more Monday mornings to get thru before lift off
I have an app called "Dreamdays" on my phone, counting down (106 days as of today!) with a pic of my pup sitting in the back of the van.  It sure helps on those long boring days at work!

 

[mayble]

14
I took the first long trip in the new van over the holiday weekend, 600+ miles each way to spend Thanksgiving with my kids.  The van performed beautifully, and got a solid 15 mpg on the x-way at 75-85 mph through the hills.  Definitely not my preferred mode of travel but for this trip I was all about covering the distance rather than savoring the ride.  10 hours in the driver's seat is a bit much for one day, for sure! 

Now I'm really looking forward to more leisurely travels.

 

[mayble]

13

 

[DuneElliot]

I am back on a countdown as I am now working again until mid-June. I have not yet decided what the summer will bring...Alaska or just lots of backpacking...will depend on my savings