I last wrote about happily saying goodbye to a lousy 2018, then I decided to change my attitude, and can now honestly say thank you December, and thank you all too.
I found an interesting and mixed bag of suggestions and ideas from my last post, and appreciate every one. Thank you. It took me a long time to write and put that out in the cyber-world. I’ve always strived to encourage people to follow their passions, and I lost it. I need to follow my own advice. Now if I can just pin down what the current passion is.
Change starts with the story we tell ourselves.
Heavy hail storm
Saturday the 8th I had a jewelry sale, some collected and created over the years. I’d put up a flyer at the post office community board and signs made from boxes at the appropriate turns and corners. Nice I can sit in the warm house and see people/vehicles come into the driveway. Throw on a coat and hat, greet them, and lead them into the shed where I set up the jewelry. Plus put out the calendar and sold more of them than jewelry. But that’s OK. I set a $100 goal and broke it by a bit. Not terribly busy yet 85% made purchases. I am happy. The next Saturday was a little slower yet still made almost $100. This was as much about networking as anything. Mostly local people.
I am still applying for paid summer Ranger jobs and I’m considering a few other jobs through Workamper.
Found a centipede under my desk Sunday morning. If it’s not one thing it’s something else. I’m told this 3” centipede is tiny. Holy shit, they can be feet long. YIKES!
Over the weekend, I listed the big RV for sale on Craigslist. Maybe you know somebody interested.
2004 M34-TLB 36’ Keystone Challenger 5th-wheel with 3 slide-outs. Electric front jacks, central air, furnace, walk around Queen bed, washer and dryer hook ups, day and night shades, household refrigerator, nice size bathroom and shower, laundry chute to basement, tons of storage. $14,000.
Several neighbors decorate outside for Christmas, some more than others. Since the 2013 Yarnell Fire I don’t have any decorations, nor really space to store them. Now I’m living in a small and full space with a cat so certainly don’t need a tree inside. But all things Christmas were 75% off at the local thrift store so I got in the spirit. I think that’s enough.
Sold out of calendars. However, I still have calendars from the first batch with a tiny printer glitch on about every other photo. I will mail those out for $5 each paid for through PayPal. I’m framing good photos from some of those to hang on my walls.
I’m making a plan for the January 20th lunar eclipse which we’ll be able to see all of from beginning to end in North America. Come join me for a campout along Palm Canyon Road in the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge. It’s where I shot for the last January lunar eclipse. I’ll post more, but be thinking about it.
Don’t wait for things to get better. Life will always be complicated. Learn to be happy right now, otherwise you’ll run out of time.
Sounds like you have been busy, good luck with the job hunting.
Thanks George.
Someone is going to get a nice rig, Gaelyn. Real cabinet doors! Your floor plan is similar to ours. I wish the manufacturers would start putting the desk/entertainment center back in the slides like that.
Here’s hoping for a great 2019!
Yea, those doors are oak. I hunted for two years to get this floor plan. But it really is too big for just me to drag around.
So wonderful to read this happy sounding post, Gaelyn. Things are looking up. Will you live in your camper if you sell the big rig and get a ranger job? Centipede? I was trying to find it, but then just maybe figured out kitty humor? A little dense here in the early am
I do feel better. I could take housing at a park or live in the camper. Sorry, there was no pic of the centipede. Kitties do provide humor.
Have you considered taking the 5th wheel to Q and putting it on consignment at or the RV lots? Lots of exposure during January! I think it will become a harder sell the later we get into 2019.
I did think of that but don’t want to remove the camper to haul the 5er anywhere.
I sure messed that up — ” at or the RV ” should be “at one of the RV”.
HI Gaelyn, I sure wish I could afford to buy that R.V. Its looks stunning. I have always wanted one like that to travel the world. Oh boy wouldn’t that be something. However, age is against me now for all that travelling but I can still dream. Nice to hear that you managed to sell some of your jewelry,it helps a little I guess. But I hope you will soon get the job you really enjoy that of a Ranger. Good luck in the New Year for this.
I’ve loved and lived in this RV almost seven years, but it’s huge and rather a pain to handle by myself. I’ve been referred for a few summer Ranger jobs, so now I wait.
Glad to hear you are doing well with a little change in outlook. Life sure is a pain in the ass sometimes isn’t it? Loved your photos, great stuff. We don’t get centipedes that big back her in ‘the tropics’. 🙂
Thanks. This year has sure been the pits, but I continue to remind myself it’s not forever.
I missed the first post and so went back and read it and this one. I didn’t take it that you were griping in the first post, just being honest. Definite change in attitude in the second post. Sounds like you are thinking about things.
I keep thinking about retiring but I don’t have a burning passion to go do something. Besides, Heather’s new career as an excercise instructor is zooming, and Logan is slowly working his way through school.
My financial planner says to wait to collect on SS as late as you can. It pays 8% more every year you wait.
I’m trying to make life better. Thank you for understanding.
Everyone is entitled to have a crappy, day, week, month, year… and to vent from time to time. I think it’s actually healthy to do so, to let it all out. You can’t move on and until your clear your head. One day at a time, Gaelyn! It will all come together.
Thank you. I really feel done with the crap.
Gosh Gaelyn I missed that earlier post and went back to it. but I wouldn’t have thought of it as whining — just laying out the facts and asking for advice and recommendations — which you got , and much better than I could have done anyway. This post of course in comparison does sound far more positive. And I wish you all the luck and/or blessings in the world (whichever you believe in or both). You deserve better. (All these fairly useless words are just about all I was able to offer to our oldest son who was out of work for over a year a few years ago during a downturn in the economy for his line of work. He was in his mid 50s at the time; is now happily back at work .
Thank you Sallie. It’s been a rough year and I am more than tired of it.
Yes, good luck. Your cat looks like ours. Ours is a derivation of a Norwegian Forest cat, but hubby says she’s a Norwegian summer cat!
Sierra is a rescue so no idea. Just a sweet, soft, silky cat.
Great advice in your closing sentence! The GrandGirls are both teens now and things are always complicated, take a deep breath and deal with it. Glad to hear you are formulating a plan, which I hope will bring you to a park somewhere in the desert southwest.
Life, is complicated. I’ve been referred to a few parks for summer and may have some things lined up here at home.
Changing our self-talk makes a huge difference – keep up the positivity! Love your Christmas decor choice. That fence has such character.
Oh so true. I love the fence.
Wow, lots of things to comment on here. Love the idea that we can change our stories. I’d love to figure out how. And how did you ever bring yourself to sell your beautiful jewelry? And where will you live at your upcoming park job if you sell your 5th wheel? I know the right job is headed for you. Congrats on selling out of calendars. I’m not at all surprised.
I am trying to change my story, not 100% successfully mind you. I’m not selling the jewelry I wear, only stuff I’ve collected for a while. I could live in the camper or take housing at a park, if it happens.
Delighted to read this post. It sounds like you are on the mend. Great that you have sold all calendars and sold some jewelry as well. In the UK now but will try to keep track of what you are up to. Take care, hugs from us both. D & N
Thanks to you and many others for some gentle reminders. Hope all is well in the UK.