so i tend to type outloud. not always editing what i am thinking... and often there are revisions after i have time to re-read what i have written and get pen to paper with a calculator.
this is a much easier way of looking at 2014.
to meet my goal.
i need to save $250 a month
i need to make $250 a month.
i need to stick with my budget.
simple!!
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Monday, February 10, 2014
yes, it has been a long time since i have written.
2014. started off very differently than any other year. we packed up and went on vacation. I took my son out of school for 2 weeks and away we went. January 14th
was the 10th anniversary of my father's passing and I wanted to do something to celebrate his life. he talked about a trip his family took in 1937 to Tahiti. all five of
them went on a freighter to Tahiti. they brought back all sorts of carved wood items. not sure how they got them all on the boat or from los angles to grants pass Oregon.
couldn't think of a more fitting vacation that to go on a cruise to Hawaii. by going off season, the rates were super low! I researched and we couldn't even go to Hawaii by air for 5 days for what the cruise rate was for 15 days.
What I kept hearing myself say to new friends on the cruise was this: "we live a very very simple life during the year, so that we are able to go on amazing vacations like this" This vacation was thanks to my dad. But I hoped to go on many more...
So "simple living for a rich life" was making more and more sense to me. not only does simple living give you very rich moments of experience, but if my simple living could also allow me to save money, rich experiences on vacation could also be a reality. I came home from vacation with a plan. I would make sure that all of my bills were carefully looked at to make sure they were at a minimum. I would give myself a weekly budget for food/gas/household. I would save money every month. and I would track every penny to make sure I wasn't overspending.
So my plan is:
$1200 to pay my monthly bills.
$100 for my sons music lessons.
$400 a month for food, gas, household.
$200 a month of orthodontics/extra medical
$400 a month savings/travel.
that is $2300 a month.
yes, that is it.
this is less than I made 30 years ago!!
but my disability puts me on a fixed income and limits the extra you can make.
$2300 is my number.
I share this with you because I want to show you how we and you can have an amazing life by living simply which will let you go on richly filled adventures.
the most challenging part of this budget is the $100 a week. it really makes me think my meal planning, my errand planning, what do we really need versus want to splurge on.
I started the last week of January.
the first week was great. actually saved $23 of the $100.
the second week was more challenging. needed to buy supplies for valentines day.
had 2 prescriptions to buy. and needed to buy batteries. I was able to keep within my $100, but not a penny saved.
this is the third week. i splurged on taking my son to the movies yesterday and have bought my gas for the week. i have $43 left for groceries. milk, cheese yogurt, fruit, veggies and eggs. i will look at what is in the freezer for protein. have plenty of bread in the freezer and plenty of cereal available.
my $4800 of income this year: teaching fiber and textile arts to local students and teaching in the bay area every other month. will make and sell items to fill in the difference if needed.
vacation plans:
spring break- 5 days away.
may break- 2 days away.
memorial day-home
summer- 2 weeks away.
labor day- home
birthday celebration- 5 days away
thanksgiving-home
winter break 2 weeks away.
40 days away.
sounds like a great year!!
i will be blogging to report in my progress of keeping on my plan!! hope to share to share ideas as well as i learn different ways to save money.
#1 January idea. make your own mocha instead of buying one.
to make costs 30 cents. to buy $4.00. so for every mocha you make
instead of buying you save over $3.00. i drink at least 4 a week. that is over
200 a year. saving me $600 a year!! that's a lot of spare change.
simple living for a rich life has a new plan and is ready to enjoy life!!
was the 10th anniversary of my father's passing and I wanted to do something to celebrate his life. he talked about a trip his family took in 1937 to Tahiti. all five of
them went on a freighter to Tahiti. they brought back all sorts of carved wood items. not sure how they got them all on the boat or from los angles to grants pass Oregon.
couldn't think of a more fitting vacation that to go on a cruise to Hawaii. by going off season, the rates were super low! I researched and we couldn't even go to Hawaii by air for 5 days for what the cruise rate was for 15 days.
What I kept hearing myself say to new friends on the cruise was this: "we live a very very simple life during the year, so that we are able to go on amazing vacations like this" This vacation was thanks to my dad. But I hoped to go on many more...
So "simple living for a rich life" was making more and more sense to me. not only does simple living give you very rich moments of experience, but if my simple living could also allow me to save money, rich experiences on vacation could also be a reality. I came home from vacation with a plan. I would make sure that all of my bills were carefully looked at to make sure they were at a minimum. I would give myself a weekly budget for food/gas/household. I would save money every month. and I would track every penny to make sure I wasn't overspending.
So my plan is:
$1200 to pay my monthly bills.
$100 for my sons music lessons.
$400 a month for food, gas, household.
$200 a month of orthodontics/extra medical
$400 a month savings/travel.
that is $2300 a month.
yes, that is it.
this is less than I made 30 years ago!!
but my disability puts me on a fixed income and limits the extra you can make.
$2300 is my number.
I share this with you because I want to show you how we and you can have an amazing life by living simply which will let you go on richly filled adventures.
the most challenging part of this budget is the $100 a week. it really makes me think my meal planning, my errand planning, what do we really need versus want to splurge on.
I started the last week of January.
the first week was great. actually saved $23 of the $100.
the second week was more challenging. needed to buy supplies for valentines day.
had 2 prescriptions to buy. and needed to buy batteries. I was able to keep within my $100, but not a penny saved.
this is the third week. i splurged on taking my son to the movies yesterday and have bought my gas for the week. i have $43 left for groceries. milk, cheese yogurt, fruit, veggies and eggs. i will look at what is in the freezer for protein. have plenty of bread in the freezer and plenty of cereal available.
my $4800 of income this year: teaching fiber and textile arts to local students and teaching in the bay area every other month. will make and sell items to fill in the difference if needed.
vacation plans:
spring break- 5 days away.
may break- 2 days away.
memorial day-home
summer- 2 weeks away.
labor day- home
birthday celebration- 5 days away
thanksgiving-home
winter break 2 weeks away.
40 days away.
sounds like a great year!!
i will be blogging to report in my progress of keeping on my plan!! hope to share to share ideas as well as i learn different ways to save money.
#1 January idea. make your own mocha instead of buying one.
to make costs 30 cents. to buy $4.00. so for every mocha you make
instead of buying you save over $3.00. i drink at least 4 a week. that is over
200 a year. saving me $600 a year!! that's a lot of spare change.
simple living for a rich life has a new plan and is ready to enjoy life!!
Thursday, August 8, 2013
may to august 2013, chapter one.
how on earth have I not written since may? do I start where I left off? or do I start where I am and reference back? and why have I not written for so long?
to begin with, it seems that I don't find myself writing during the summer months like I did during the colder months.
it could also be that since the middle of may, I have had a series of mishaps... started with injuring my knee. then a breast biopsy. then a carpel tunnel flare up. then rolling my foot and cracking a bone. all on top of fibromyalgia flares thanks to the warm/hot weather. I have been in either a splint, a soft cast, using a cane or crutches since mid may. I am getting very very very tired of this added pain and inconvenience.
the good news is that this summer has also been filled with lots of fun, rest and adventures.
let me start with memorial day weekend. and then move to the end of school. summer camp. teaching summer camp. trip to Alaska. friend visit. home. summer camp. home. home. teaching summer camp and topped off with a few days at the beach. and finish with how this summer fits into my theory of simple living for a rich life.
like many of my friends, I had a very best friend all the way through high school. not to say that I didn't have many super good friends as well. but, this gal and I hit it off the first week of high school and are still good friends. i was able to connect with her via facebook a number of years ago. and have continued our friendship from many years ago. i was invited to her wedding over memorial day weekend. like many of us, she was getting married for the second time. i hadn't been able to go to her first wedding and was determined to make it to this one. from a small mountain town in California to Houston Texas! this was the first time i had a weekend without my son since i adopted him, nearly 7 years ago. i was so excited about having a weekend solo, traveling to a city i had never been before, meeting her fiancé and spending time with my friend of nearly 40 years. the weekend couldn't have been better. my mom and son took me to the airport early Saturday morning. i managed to get myself through the airport hobbling with a brace on my knee. realized i hadn't flown in a long time...
security procedures had changed quite a bit! thank goodness i had easy shoes to take on and off, and had packed my cpap machine in a small carry on bag. what an ordeal. finally got to the gate, where an attendant looked at me and asked if i might want a wheelchair at the other end to take me to my ride. oh my goodness, why didn't i think of that!!! here i was with a torn meniscus, bursitis of the knee and fibromyalgia and i didn't think of asking for help. not me, miss independent. well, i must say having a wheelchair at the other end ready to take me to my ride was a blessing. i was from now on going to ask for that assistance.
whether you speak of the spoon theory, or simply you just have x amount of energy and you want to use it wisely... a wheelchair is a blessing. i found my ride and drove to her house. we screamed in delight, seeing each other after 25+ years. realizing that we may have changed a bit physically, grown intellectually, and blossomed emotionally, but really were just the same as we were years ago. same laugh, same facial expressions, same energy. it was so wonderful.
well, without going into extreme detail, i can say that this was one of the most beautiful weddings ever. they got married in front of their fireplace in their living room. and had their reception in their backyard. a collaboration of friends created every detail of this celebration, from the amazing food, to the beautiful tables, to the twinkling lights. what a celebration of love, friendship and life. other than the obvious thrill it was for me to reunite with my best friend from high school, the emotion of hope filled the air, that yes, even in your fifties you can find your soul mate who will travel the next chapter of your journey with you. i am so thrilled for the two of them!!
next chapter for me was to get home, do as much physical therapy as i could to get my pain levels under control. as well as finish out my son's first grade year of school. during this last week of school, the big decision of where he should attend next year was on the table. realizing that he needed special services specifically for the ptsd/anxiety he deals with from the first year of life with his birth mother. there were options, yes options. in this little town, the special ed department is amazing. it wasn't until the day before school ended that we decided that he would go to the school in the next town so that he could attend special ed for half of the day, and immersion the other half of the day. he would be bussed from our front door! and it was clearly the best choice for him. the downside is that we both had made friends at this school and now were faced with having to start all over.
shortly after i returned from Houston, i had my normal follow up mammogram. and darn it all, it had an abnormality... nothing new for me. i have had 2 biopsy surgeries and 3 aspirations, but this one really scared me. first time on the left side. first time i couldn't feel the lump. first time a new technique was going to be done. a stereotactic biopsy. thankfully i was able to schedule it while my son was in summer camp the following week. dang, this was not how i wanted to start my summer vacation.
every time i have had an abnormality, i have taken an inventory of my life. what was i doing, what did i want to do differently, how could i simplify. what i learned from this round was there really wasn't anything i would change. imagine that!! i really love my life. what an amazing gift to receive from this "bad news". i knew that if the results came back "cancer" i would fight like hell! and beat it!! i knew that i could put in place a care team for myself and my son. i knew it was going to be ok. and it was. no cancer.
whew! the next chapter of the summer was to teach my most favorite group of girls; sewing, baking and cake decorating. but before we could leave on this adventure, i had to pack for this week and 10 days of traveling afterwards, clean my house so friends could enjoy it while we were gone and organize doggie care for the duration. these projects took an amazing amount of energy. by the time we actually left i was already exhausted, but i was thrilled my house was clean! we were packed! and i had my dog sitter lined up. after 5 days of teaching... i drove back up to the mountains to drop off our dog. six hours of driving in the hot sun... but alone with the music on was a mixed blessing. now all i had to do was to wake up at 5am to start our vacation adventure.
how does this all fit in to 'simple living'? i realized that during the school year, i am very thrifty. we live where there isn't a lot of places to spend money. the local yarn/book store gets most of my shopping!! as well as the thrift store. by having a very lean budget we are able to live on quite little, and that allows me to save some for travel during the summer. simple living for 9 months for a very rich 3 months of vacation, that suits me very well!! and has started a new way of looking at my budget for me. i don't mind being thrifty in order to have adventures! it really sums up what i was going after by moving up here. simple living isn't about depriving yourself. but being mindful of how you spend your money, with whom you spend your money with and why you are spending it. we eat at home for the majority of our meals. we go out very rarely for meals. i tend to like what i make better than most restaurants. and it makes going out very special. we don't have any fast food joints in our town. so when i treat my son to fast food, two towns away, it is a huge treat. same with coffee.... the closest starbucks is two towns away. and pete's is miles and miles away. years ago i thought i couldn't go a day without my "coffee". what i realized is that i was spending a ton of money on a hot drink i could make from home for pennies.
nobody cares up here if you are wearing a hundred dollar pair of sweats, or 14k gold earrings, or $100 sneakers. i can wear my $5 pair of sweats, a tee shirt from the thrift store and earrings that i make, and fit in just fine. do you have any idea how much money that saves each month??? let's talk about cars!! the best car up here is an old suv, 4 wheel drive. you don't want a new one because you are likely going to run into a deer, tree branches, snowpiles, or something within the first winter up here. during the spring and summer, your car has sap, pine needles, dirt and dust on it. and who cares???? so that cks off food, clothing and transportation. and saves a ton of money!!
to be continued....
to begin with, it seems that I don't find myself writing during the summer months like I did during the colder months.
it could also be that since the middle of may, I have had a series of mishaps... started with injuring my knee. then a breast biopsy. then a carpel tunnel flare up. then rolling my foot and cracking a bone. all on top of fibromyalgia flares thanks to the warm/hot weather. I have been in either a splint, a soft cast, using a cane or crutches since mid may. I am getting very very very tired of this added pain and inconvenience.
the good news is that this summer has also been filled with lots of fun, rest and adventures.
let me start with memorial day weekend. and then move to the end of school. summer camp. teaching summer camp. trip to Alaska. friend visit. home. summer camp. home. home. teaching summer camp and topped off with a few days at the beach. and finish with how this summer fits into my theory of simple living for a rich life.
like many of my friends, I had a very best friend all the way through high school. not to say that I didn't have many super good friends as well. but, this gal and I hit it off the first week of high school and are still good friends. i was able to connect with her via facebook a number of years ago. and have continued our friendship from many years ago. i was invited to her wedding over memorial day weekend. like many of us, she was getting married for the second time. i hadn't been able to go to her first wedding and was determined to make it to this one. from a small mountain town in California to Houston Texas! this was the first time i had a weekend without my son since i adopted him, nearly 7 years ago. i was so excited about having a weekend solo, traveling to a city i had never been before, meeting her fiancé and spending time with my friend of nearly 40 years. the weekend couldn't have been better. my mom and son took me to the airport early Saturday morning. i managed to get myself through the airport hobbling with a brace on my knee. realized i hadn't flown in a long time...
security procedures had changed quite a bit! thank goodness i had easy shoes to take on and off, and had packed my cpap machine in a small carry on bag. what an ordeal. finally got to the gate, where an attendant looked at me and asked if i might want a wheelchair at the other end to take me to my ride. oh my goodness, why didn't i think of that!!! here i was with a torn meniscus, bursitis of the knee and fibromyalgia and i didn't think of asking for help. not me, miss independent. well, i must say having a wheelchair at the other end ready to take me to my ride was a blessing. i was from now on going to ask for that assistance.
whether you speak of the spoon theory, or simply you just have x amount of energy and you want to use it wisely... a wheelchair is a blessing. i found my ride and drove to her house. we screamed in delight, seeing each other after 25+ years. realizing that we may have changed a bit physically, grown intellectually, and blossomed emotionally, but really were just the same as we were years ago. same laugh, same facial expressions, same energy. it was so wonderful.
well, without going into extreme detail, i can say that this was one of the most beautiful weddings ever. they got married in front of their fireplace in their living room. and had their reception in their backyard. a collaboration of friends created every detail of this celebration, from the amazing food, to the beautiful tables, to the twinkling lights. what a celebration of love, friendship and life. other than the obvious thrill it was for me to reunite with my best friend from high school, the emotion of hope filled the air, that yes, even in your fifties you can find your soul mate who will travel the next chapter of your journey with you. i am so thrilled for the two of them!!
next chapter for me was to get home, do as much physical therapy as i could to get my pain levels under control. as well as finish out my son's first grade year of school. during this last week of school, the big decision of where he should attend next year was on the table. realizing that he needed special services specifically for the ptsd/anxiety he deals with from the first year of life with his birth mother. there were options, yes options. in this little town, the special ed department is amazing. it wasn't until the day before school ended that we decided that he would go to the school in the next town so that he could attend special ed for half of the day, and immersion the other half of the day. he would be bussed from our front door! and it was clearly the best choice for him. the downside is that we both had made friends at this school and now were faced with having to start all over.
shortly after i returned from Houston, i had my normal follow up mammogram. and darn it all, it had an abnormality... nothing new for me. i have had 2 biopsy surgeries and 3 aspirations, but this one really scared me. first time on the left side. first time i couldn't feel the lump. first time a new technique was going to be done. a stereotactic biopsy. thankfully i was able to schedule it while my son was in summer camp the following week. dang, this was not how i wanted to start my summer vacation.
every time i have had an abnormality, i have taken an inventory of my life. what was i doing, what did i want to do differently, how could i simplify. what i learned from this round was there really wasn't anything i would change. imagine that!! i really love my life. what an amazing gift to receive from this "bad news". i knew that if the results came back "cancer" i would fight like hell! and beat it!! i knew that i could put in place a care team for myself and my son. i knew it was going to be ok. and it was. no cancer.
whew! the next chapter of the summer was to teach my most favorite group of girls; sewing, baking and cake decorating. but before we could leave on this adventure, i had to pack for this week and 10 days of traveling afterwards, clean my house so friends could enjoy it while we were gone and organize doggie care for the duration. these projects took an amazing amount of energy. by the time we actually left i was already exhausted, but i was thrilled my house was clean! we were packed! and i had my dog sitter lined up. after 5 days of teaching... i drove back up to the mountains to drop off our dog. six hours of driving in the hot sun... but alone with the music on was a mixed blessing. now all i had to do was to wake up at 5am to start our vacation adventure.
how does this all fit in to 'simple living'? i realized that during the school year, i am very thrifty. we live where there isn't a lot of places to spend money. the local yarn/book store gets most of my shopping!! as well as the thrift store. by having a very lean budget we are able to live on quite little, and that allows me to save some for travel during the summer. simple living for 9 months for a very rich 3 months of vacation, that suits me very well!! and has started a new way of looking at my budget for me. i don't mind being thrifty in order to have adventures! it really sums up what i was going after by moving up here. simple living isn't about depriving yourself. but being mindful of how you spend your money, with whom you spend your money with and why you are spending it. we eat at home for the majority of our meals. we go out very rarely for meals. i tend to like what i make better than most restaurants. and it makes going out very special. we don't have any fast food joints in our town. so when i treat my son to fast food, two towns away, it is a huge treat. same with coffee.... the closest starbucks is two towns away. and pete's is miles and miles away. years ago i thought i couldn't go a day without my "coffee". what i realized is that i was spending a ton of money on a hot drink i could make from home for pennies.
nobody cares up here if you are wearing a hundred dollar pair of sweats, or 14k gold earrings, or $100 sneakers. i can wear my $5 pair of sweats, a tee shirt from the thrift store and earrings that i make, and fit in just fine. do you have any idea how much money that saves each month??? let's talk about cars!! the best car up here is an old suv, 4 wheel drive. you don't want a new one because you are likely going to run into a deer, tree branches, snowpiles, or something within the first winter up here. during the spring and summer, your car has sap, pine needles, dirt and dust on it. and who cares???? so that cks off food, clothing and transportation. and saves a ton of money!!
to be continued....
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
trailer part 3
I barely slept last night waiting and worrying about what I had done to my car. I had asked my local friends for referrals as to who to call. One of those items you don't think about until you have to when you have moved to a new area. The mechanic that was on the top of everyone's list didn't answer... I left a message and then called again. He had a one week wait for service but he steered me towards the only other mechanic on the hill who has transmission expertise. I called him asap. So nice and understanding when I explained what had happened. He said he would come by at lunchtime, pick up my car and deliver it before the day was done. OMG how wonderful!!!! He did just as he said and was on time! that never happens up here!!
So here is the good news. When a ford explorer's transmission fluid becomes too hot, there is a release valve that dumps the fluid out. Yes, all over my driveway! The best scenario is when you can drain the transmission, fill it up again with fluid and it runs smoothly. Yes, this is what he did and it does run smoothly. Great news!!!!
I asked my mechanic, yes, my mechanic as I have found the one who I will go to from now on.....
would he be willing to ck out my car and see if anything else needs to be worked on. I was set up to see him back on Monday.
It felt so good to have someone take a look thru my car. Well the good news is that I didn't need a new transmission. The bad news is that I did need a new radiator, front brakes, and two new tires.
Schedule for the following day.
My son and I arrived at the mechanic's after school. We set up camp with snacks, the ipad, a few good books and comfy chairs and waited... and waited.... and waited... for the work to be done.
Additional parts needed to be ordered and driven up the hill... but by 5pm. all was done!!
All of this unexpected repair had cost a lot of money... I made the decision that instead of camping the following weekend, we would stay home. Up here the county fair is a really big deal!! and school is out for the duration of the fair. We had a 5 day weekend when no one else does. What a prime time to go away! This year though we would go to the fair, spend time at home, relax, garden, have park playdates and relax some more. It was a glorious 5 day stay-cation.
p.s. The trailer is still in our driveway waiting for it's first camping trip this summer. My car is driving well. And the two new tires will be put on tomorrow. All is well.
So here is the good news. When a ford explorer's transmission fluid becomes too hot, there is a release valve that dumps the fluid out. Yes, all over my driveway! The best scenario is when you can drain the transmission, fill it up again with fluid and it runs smoothly. Yes, this is what he did and it does run smoothly. Great news!!!!
I asked my mechanic, yes, my mechanic as I have found the one who I will go to from now on.....
would he be willing to ck out my car and see if anything else needs to be worked on. I was set up to see him back on Monday.
It felt so good to have someone take a look thru my car. Well the good news is that I didn't need a new transmission. The bad news is that I did need a new radiator, front brakes, and two new tires.
Schedule for the following day.
My son and I arrived at the mechanic's after school. We set up camp with snacks, the ipad, a few good books and comfy chairs and waited... and waited.... and waited... for the work to be done.
Additional parts needed to be ordered and driven up the hill... but by 5pm. all was done!!
All of this unexpected repair had cost a lot of money... I made the decision that instead of camping the following weekend, we would stay home. Up here the county fair is a really big deal!! and school is out for the duration of the fair. We had a 5 day weekend when no one else does. What a prime time to go away! This year though we would go to the fair, spend time at home, relax, garden, have park playdates and relax some more. It was a glorious 5 day stay-cation.
p.s. The trailer is still in our driveway waiting for it's first camping trip this summer. My car is driving well. And the two new tires will be put on tomorrow. All is well.
trailer. part 2.
oh, it felt so good to cool down and fall asleep. it had been such a long hot day....
i had the daunting task of moving the trailer this morning. juiced up on two cups of coffee, got my courage up and went outside. now, it should be fairly easy to back the trailer up the driveway, right?
started up my car and put it in reverse. oh lordy, not so easy. the car groaned and groaned. i couldn't get enough momentum to push it up the hill. so i cleared out my carport and drove it back down until
my car was in the carport. this should give me some more steam...ok push!!!
it is so hard to both push my trailer up the hill and get it where I want it. so afraid it was going to jack knife. ok, I am giving up on this idea... especially since I am smelling something burning... I decided that I would try to just move the trailer to a spot that I can unhitch it and still be able to move my car around and out of the driveway.
another half hour passes and still no success. at this point I decide I better go and get my next door neighbor to try to help me. at least he is another set of eyes and can get me lined up better. on our way to get him, he comes out his door wanting to know what is burning?? he opens the hood of my car and cks the oil, no it is just fine. now the transmission fluid, oh my the dip stick is smoking... oh what have I done????
we decide one more push up the hill. he helps me get lined up right and steers me in the right direction. success!!!! I am up the hill!!! I drive around the block and he helps me back the trailer down the driveway. success!!! we unhitch the trailer and they it has sat for the last 2 weeks!!
back to the car. we both know I have done damage... but to what extent??? nothing I can do today about it. nothing is open on sunday up here. nothing to do but wait til tomorrow....
i had the daunting task of moving the trailer this morning. juiced up on two cups of coffee, got my courage up and went outside. now, it should be fairly easy to back the trailer up the driveway, right?
started up my car and put it in reverse. oh lordy, not so easy. the car groaned and groaned. i couldn't get enough momentum to push it up the hill. so i cleared out my carport and drove it back down until
my car was in the carport. this should give me some more steam...ok push!!!
it is so hard to both push my trailer up the hill and get it where I want it. so afraid it was going to jack knife. ok, I am giving up on this idea... especially since I am smelling something burning... I decided that I would try to just move the trailer to a spot that I can unhitch it and still be able to move my car around and out of the driveway.
another half hour passes and still no success. at this point I decide I better go and get my next door neighbor to try to help me. at least he is another set of eyes and can get me lined up better. on our way to get him, he comes out his door wanting to know what is burning?? he opens the hood of my car and cks the oil, no it is just fine. now the transmission fluid, oh my the dip stick is smoking... oh what have I done????
we decide one more push up the hill. he helps me get lined up right and steers me in the right direction. success!!!! I am up the hill!!! I drive around the block and he helps me back the trailer down the driveway. success!!! we unhitch the trailer and they it has sat for the last 2 weeks!!
back to the car. we both know I have done damage... but to what extent??? nothing I can do today about it. nothing is open on sunday up here. nothing to do but wait til tomorrow....
Saturday, May 18, 2013
trailer. part 1.
finally, I have a chance to sit down at my computer and write. when you don't see updated posts you can be sure that my life is not simple during that time. all sorts of projects that were meant to be simple or simplify became far more complicated.
1. little camping trailer...
my son and I explored an rv land on the way home from the bay area a month or so ago. we discovered we really liked the tent trailers but didn't want the netting as the barrier between us
and the wildlife that lives near us. I loved the fact that I could see behind me when towing... I
remembered that years ago, I saw a "tent trailer" that had hard sides. It popped up like a chalet...
so after the weekend of rv shopping, I went online and found one of those trailers... a 94. priced at
about half of what it was worth. I called asap. and found out that it was in fresno and had been
traded in the day before by the original owner. within a day, I put down a deposit on it. it would
be ready for pick up in a week or so. being that fresno is about 3 hours away, a Saturday was our
only possibility.
finally that Saturday arrived, we woke up early, got in our suv and drove off. I knew we had the type
of hitch needed, yeh!! so easy pick up... when we got there we ckd it all out. met my expectations!!
we drove over to the service department to get "hitched". we discovered that yes, the hitch was right,
but the electrical that worked the brake lights and blinkers was missing... "missing!!?" oh my goodness, did not expect that. the mechanic wasn't so happy with us either. he said to "sit", and
he would try to get it working... 5 hours later, after sitting in the 100 degree sun in the service bay,
without food- just a few vending machine treats, he said "let me go get the damages". holy cow,
what was this going to cost me?.... he came back wanting to know what I had done, the boss was
going to comp the whole bill. near to tears, I hugged him. don't think he has been hugged in awhile!!
the other guys sort of lined up, I think all hoping for hugs as well... I didn't hug them all.
we were finally on our way. oh crap! I am pulling this huge trailer, or at least felt like it. they had
drained my battery while working on my car, so I couldn't turn off the engine and we were so
thirsty we were about to drop. so I did what any other trailer hauling mom would do, I drove thru
the drive thru!! we ordered lots of drinks... and drove off our merry way.
driving down the 99, is like driving down a dirt road after a rainstorm, bumpy bumpy bumpy..... now.
time for gas. found an easy station to pull off for. while we were at the pump, this dad looking guy
very embarrassed asked me if I could spare a few gallons... he had run out of gas, had two girls in the car, and didn't have any money left. feeling like I really needed to pay forward our free service bill, I said no problem and filled up a 4 gallon container for him. I don't think he was expecting ever to get
home that night. and off we went again.
I decided that I didn't want to go the twisty way, so we would drive to Manteca via 99 and then cut over east... shopping at target was my bribe to my son... we bought a few things for the trailer and headed off. hungry!!?? yes, as we drove thru the in and out burger drive thru. this one was tighter, but we made it!! I even asked the guy behind us if our lights were working, yes.
ok. now we are hot, tired, not hungry, and really ready to get home. knew we had another 2 hours to go. so I drove, and drove until a small car passed me and then stopped us at the stop sign... oh gosh, now what!? the stairs of the trailer had come down, and were about to scrape on the ground. thanks to the jiggling of hwy 99... fixed them. and drove off again. were we ever going to get home....
my biggest worry of this entire trip was how I was going to back down my driveway to get the trailer where it needed to be. by the time we got home, it was dark, my son was asleep and I decided to forget driving in reverse and just drove down the driveway. parked. turned off the engine. got my son. and went to bed. we would deal with it in the morning.....
1. little camping trailer...
my son and I explored an rv land on the way home from the bay area a month or so ago. we discovered we really liked the tent trailers but didn't want the netting as the barrier between us
and the wildlife that lives near us. I loved the fact that I could see behind me when towing... I
remembered that years ago, I saw a "tent trailer" that had hard sides. It popped up like a chalet...
so after the weekend of rv shopping, I went online and found one of those trailers... a 94. priced at
about half of what it was worth. I called asap. and found out that it was in fresno and had been
traded in the day before by the original owner. within a day, I put down a deposit on it. it would
be ready for pick up in a week or so. being that fresno is about 3 hours away, a Saturday was our
only possibility.
finally that Saturday arrived, we woke up early, got in our suv and drove off. I knew we had the type
of hitch needed, yeh!! so easy pick up... when we got there we ckd it all out. met my expectations!!
we drove over to the service department to get "hitched". we discovered that yes, the hitch was right,
but the electrical that worked the brake lights and blinkers was missing... "missing!!?" oh my goodness, did not expect that. the mechanic wasn't so happy with us either. he said to "sit", and
he would try to get it working... 5 hours later, after sitting in the 100 degree sun in the service bay,
without food- just a few vending machine treats, he said "let me go get the damages". holy cow,
what was this going to cost me?.... he came back wanting to know what I had done, the boss was
going to comp the whole bill. near to tears, I hugged him. don't think he has been hugged in awhile!!
the other guys sort of lined up, I think all hoping for hugs as well... I didn't hug them all.
we were finally on our way. oh crap! I am pulling this huge trailer, or at least felt like it. they had
drained my battery while working on my car, so I couldn't turn off the engine and we were so
thirsty we were about to drop. so I did what any other trailer hauling mom would do, I drove thru
the drive thru!! we ordered lots of drinks... and drove off our merry way.
driving down the 99, is like driving down a dirt road after a rainstorm, bumpy bumpy bumpy..... now.
time for gas. found an easy station to pull off for. while we were at the pump, this dad looking guy
very embarrassed asked me if I could spare a few gallons... he had run out of gas, had two girls in the car, and didn't have any money left. feeling like I really needed to pay forward our free service bill, I said no problem and filled up a 4 gallon container for him. I don't think he was expecting ever to get
home that night. and off we went again.
I decided that I didn't want to go the twisty way, so we would drive to Manteca via 99 and then cut over east... shopping at target was my bribe to my son... we bought a few things for the trailer and headed off. hungry!!?? yes, as we drove thru the in and out burger drive thru. this one was tighter, but we made it!! I even asked the guy behind us if our lights were working, yes.
ok. now we are hot, tired, not hungry, and really ready to get home. knew we had another 2 hours to go. so I drove, and drove until a small car passed me and then stopped us at the stop sign... oh gosh, now what!? the stairs of the trailer had come down, and were about to scrape on the ground. thanks to the jiggling of hwy 99... fixed them. and drove off again. were we ever going to get home....
my biggest worry of this entire trip was how I was going to back down my driveway to get the trailer where it needed to be. by the time we got home, it was dark, my son was asleep and I decided to forget driving in reverse and just drove down the driveway. parked. turned off the engine. got my son. and went to bed. we would deal with it in the morning.....
Thursday, April 25, 2013
seasons....
I am learning that we really have two seasons. October 15th - April 15th and April 15th - October 15th. During the Fall/Winter season, I was nudged to be more quiet, slower and introverted. All I wanted to do was to bake, cook, read and knit. I spent a lot of time finishing up home projects.
Building and caring for my nest. I thoroughly enjoyed this time.... felt so content just at home. I experienced for the first time, snow! The most beautiful wonderland. I couldn't believe how I was moved emotionally each time the snow fell. Pure bliss... until I had to shovel the driveway!!
We live in small home and in the winter it just seems cozy. The fire was on most of the time and we snugged down at night with pounds of covers on top of us. It was so hard to get up in the morning, especially when it was 17 degrees outside. No I don't have auto air or heat, just a propane fireplace which kept us warm all winter!! Wanted to be the mountain momma with a wooden stove, but decided I would rather be warm. Best money spent!!
Now it is April 25th, 10 days after the beginning of our spring/summer season. It is still cool in the morning, mid 40's, but warms up in the afternoon to low 70's. The sun is beginning to warm up the earth, the daffodils are blooming, the birds are singing; mother earth is waking up from winter and is stretching her arms and taking a big breath of fresh air!!
My desires are shifting to wanting to be out in the world. I have been visiting all of the shops that I know the owners of, been taking more exercise classes, and finding that my creative juices are beginning to flow easily... I have been moving my baking company from concept to reality! All things fresh and new are right in front of me everyday... I feel refreshed from my long winters rest.
Ready to move forward towards new beginnings....
One of the bonus benefits from living in the country is that if you are willing and able to... you can become a part of the natural process and cycle of the seasons. It feels so good to be in sync with mother earth. Thank for showing me how I can live as one with you.
Building and caring for my nest. I thoroughly enjoyed this time.... felt so content just at home. I experienced for the first time, snow! The most beautiful wonderland. I couldn't believe how I was moved emotionally each time the snow fell. Pure bliss... until I had to shovel the driveway!!
We live in small home and in the winter it just seems cozy. The fire was on most of the time and we snugged down at night with pounds of covers on top of us. It was so hard to get up in the morning, especially when it was 17 degrees outside. No I don't have auto air or heat, just a propane fireplace which kept us warm all winter!! Wanted to be the mountain momma with a wooden stove, but decided I would rather be warm. Best money spent!!
Now it is April 25th, 10 days after the beginning of our spring/summer season. It is still cool in the morning, mid 40's, but warms up in the afternoon to low 70's. The sun is beginning to warm up the earth, the daffodils are blooming, the birds are singing; mother earth is waking up from winter and is stretching her arms and taking a big breath of fresh air!!
My desires are shifting to wanting to be out in the world. I have been visiting all of the shops that I know the owners of, been taking more exercise classes, and finding that my creative juices are beginning to flow easily... I have been moving my baking company from concept to reality! All things fresh and new are right in front of me everyday... I feel refreshed from my long winters rest.
Ready to move forward towards new beginnings....
One of the bonus benefits from living in the country is that if you are willing and able to... you can become a part of the natural process and cycle of the seasons. It feels so good to be in sync with mother earth. Thank for showing me how I can live as one with you.
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