The Year of Living "Homelessly"

I don't "do" blogs.  I generally like to keep in touch with friends and loved ones in a more personal way, but have given in to pressure from various sources to keep a log of my travels so therefore I am writing this journal and sharing it with whomever wishes to spend time catching up with my latest travels, news, adventures and mishaps.

When the economy went to hell last year, I got "laid off" from my job. Having spent the past 30+ years in real estate related fields and, seeing the handwriting on the wall for the near future of the market, I decided it was time to take a break and re-evaluate my life.  Call it a "mid-life crisis" if you will. I like to think of it as a course correction (a much more "sailor-y term for a gal who likes to hang out on boats)

I downsized to life in an 18.5 travel trailer and set off to see America, collect my unemployment and see where life lead me. I figured that in a year the real estate market should improve and I could always go back to a job in that field again.

All my major belongings were packed up and put into storage and I said "goodbye" to the lovely beach house in northern Florida and set off for what would become an interesting year of living "homeless". I love a challenge and this seemed like a perfect opportunity.  Could I last a year? How would living in 180 square feet work? I have spent a fair amount of time staying on sailboats and I decided that living in a small space would be no different.

I am lucky. There are many truly homeless folks out there who struggle every day. I have a little money to tide me over and have had places to park the camper. I try to pick up work wherever I can and have done things I never imagined I would do (clean up after horses for instance).  I look at each day as a new adventure. Sure, there are days when I go into panic mode. Money gets really tight and I take a gamble each day not having health insurance. But I am so much better off than the poor souls truly living on the streets.

In the past year I have travelled to the far reaches of the US (Washington State) to the South (Texas, Georgia, South Carolina) Up North to Ohio, West Virginia, New Jersey and of course to my old home area of the mid-atlantic.  I have reconnected with friends and family, visited loved ones and done some odd jobs.  Have had a great time and have learned that life is about living and not about how much stuff you have or what kind of house you live in or even what you do for a living.

I will share some memories, some stories and some thoughts on here and hope that you will find what I have to write interesting.

Stay tuned for more to come. I hope to be able to live my dream of being just like Charles Kuralt! Maybe "Sunday Morning" will come looking for me. ha ha

J.