Each weekend has been a whirlwind of decision making, packing and a long list of to do’s.  It’s been interesting, to say the least.  We have made multiple calls to try and see the availability in placing our fifth wheel in a permanent place until we are ready to hit the road.  Needless to say, it was a little disconcerting to hear, “Sorry, we have been booked for the winter since last year”.  Didn’t realize all the snowbirds would be coming down for the winter.  Finally, success.  Deposit paid to secure our spot.  It means a long drive to work but comforting to know we have one.

Then we made the calls to the movers and storage companies for quotes and availability.  We are still working on that aspect but at least we have a ballpark of the cost to store our items until the next place.  Mitch then started researching trucks for additional towing capability when we start to leave the flat land of Florida and explore various terrains that demand more capacity.

In the mist of it all, we took time to have some lunch.  We reminded each other that this stressful time will be over and move on to a more simpler lifestyle. Together we are grateful for the years this home had provided a loving environment to raise our family and share wonderful memories with those we love.  We took pride in knowing we took a handyman’s special and with our hard work and creativity we made it into a home to be proud of.  I left lunch feeling blessed to be able to have had these wonderful memories.

As you know, selling our house and most of our possessions hasn’t been an easy task.  From the moment we decided to sell and eventually travel full time in our RV, there have been a few hurdles to overcome.  Some of them tangible, others emotional.  The internal stress for me had manifested in neck aches and headaches.  Lately, I have been thinking, what a PITA this has been.

Well, the pity party abruptly stopped when I realized there are many individuals who do not a home anymore due to a visit by Hurricane Florence.  Those people are not worrying about selling their stuff because they have no stuff.  Imagine the devastation of realizing everything you have is now swimming underneath the water barrage sent by Florence and then the ongoing rain for multiple days.

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our own struggles we lose sight of the most important things in life.  Each of us needs to stop and take count of the many blessings in our lives.  When you take the time to reflect on those gifts suddenly the issues that seemed so big before are pale in comparison.  We send good thoughts and prayers to those affected by Hurricane Florence.

Here is a house update.  We received an offer seven days after we put it on the market.  Oh no – reality has hit.  The house is under contract pending inspection, appraisal and loan approval.  The date set to be out of the house is the end of October.  That part gave me a pit in my stomach for many reasons.  I started to calculate all the outstanding items needing to be done before we could meet that deadline.  The other disappointment was my daughter was coming to visit for her birthday which is two weeks later.  So she not only misses the opportunity to have one last dinner in our home but she has since informed me she doesn’t want to stay in our RV.

The race was on to find a place to park our rig.  We had no idea of the difficulty in securing a place.  We called over a dozen places only to be told space was available only until November then they were booked solid.  It seems all the snowbirds come down for the winter and each time they head back North they leave a deposit so they can come back year after year.  My sister has offered her home until we can find a place.

The inspection found an issue so I guess it’s back to the negotiating table.  We are looking forward to a resolution and moving forward.  One step in front of the other until you get to where you are going. Sometimes it just takes a little longer to get there.