Monday, June 23, 2014

Some Say I'm Crazy

It's all about that little sound in the back of my head, you know the one, the internal time clock that is telling you, "You need to start doing something about retirement and fast"
That sound has always been with me, but as I get older it keeps getting louder.

I have been trying to figure out for over a week now on how to write this post. I still don't know how to really say it so I am just typing and letting the words flow.

I think unbeknownst to myself, I have been preparing for this moment for years. As a prepper I have acquired many things and gained much knowledge to live as simple as I can. I have been doing the best I can with what I've had for so long to live "under the radar", so to speak, but with a mortgage and a house that ran on 100% electricity, I did what I could. Well, that's all about to change.

I know here lately I have turned from the hard core homesteading lifestyle and decided to just live a little by doing some traveling and cooking chili all over the place. When you live your whole life as a Homesteader/Prepper, every once and a while you need a break and that is what I have been doing this past year. To be honest I never really understood the prepper movement anyway but to each their own. I have never really knew any different.

Saying all that, we are about to make a major life change.
August 1st we will no longer be living here at the Mini Farm. We have already cleaned the house out of just about everything we own. Everything was given to friends, family, Good Will and what is left will stay with the house.
The plan is to move into our camper at an RV park about 15 minutes to the South. My middle daughter Hannah (the one who just had the baby) will move into our house along with my youngest girl Kylee (the one who just graduated) and take over the mortgage. It is cheap enough that they can afford it and have a place to call their own. So much for the parents kicking the kids out, in this case it's the parents are kicking themselves out.
Here's the deal, we just don't need a big house anymore. Candy and I decided to downsize a few years ago when the last daughter moved out anyway. This way Kylee gets to stay home and attend college and not have to pay much in rent while Hannah can start her life with her new husband and baby in a place of their own.

What's my plan you ask, well remember those buildings I bought a couple of years ago? They will be moved over to my dad's farm and in the back of the property we will set them up and make them into a "Tiny House". The design will be about 90% off grid with a real outdoor kitchen and a bathroom just like the bathhouse I have now. We will staying in the camper until this is completed.

If I don't do it now I never will. It took a lot to improve the Mini Farm and build it from nothing. Just to walk away from everything is hard because this is the second time in my life I have left a fully functioning homestead. His place is already set up and with some of my additions like the water tanks and stuff like that we will improve it to be more self sustainable. His gardens will become the community gardens and momma and Candy will put up the harvests.

This is the direction I am suppose to go. I plan to continue to work for another 18 years and by then I should be in a position to retire by doing this.

So, do you say I am crazy, don't worry, most do.

Later,
Jerry

       

22 comments:

  1. buddy - i do not say this lightly. i think that you are an awesome father and an awesome G-Pop, Candy is an awesome mother and g-Mamma! you both are such awesome parents and people! man, i wish you guys were my parents!

    other than that, all i can say is that you guys know your game plan and are following it through. you both got visas so driving that RV up here ain't gonna be a problem.

    i really love how much you both love your girls! much love to you and yours always. your friend,
    kymber

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  2. Nope but that is coming from a crazy dude.Good luck on your future endeavor and be well.

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  3. When I first read through your post, I laughed so loud I scared the Moose! I was not laughing at you, I was laughing with you. We have really been talking about this same thing (minus the small homes). We are actually going to start spending more and more time in our RV at parks (so we can still work, we need Wifi), and see if we can actually really make the move before we sell everything off or put it in storage.

    Do I think you're crazy? yep, just as crazy as we are!!!! Best wishes!

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    1. Thanks Izzy, we have talking about this for a while now. I think it's the path I am to follow.

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  4. MDR,

    You are just moving on to the next stage of your life which you have planned out very well. Downsizing sounds so nice right now. Good luck in all your endeavors. I'm sure there will always be amazing outcomes.

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  5. You're NOT crazy ...you have a plan and a goal and a timeline. Crazy people seldom have any of those things, certainly not all three of them!

    Hugs,
    HB

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    1. Thanks HB, I am building a loft just for you when you come up.

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  6. You are not crazy in the slightest. Crazy is hanging onto things that don't fit your needs or that you don't use any longer. Crazy is buying a house because "it's expected". Crazy is paying for the privilege of being imprisoned by your own mortgage. I've had conversations with at least 3 people within the last 6 months all of whom are rejecting the "traditional" model of stuffing ever increasingly large houses with stuff in favor of simplifying and minimalizing as much as possible. My wife and I are finally in a position to be rid of the boat anchor that is our mortgage, and we have no intention of looking back like Lot's wife. In the process, we have been purging ourselves of a couple of decades and several households worth of accumulated stuff (most of which was left behind by my inlaws). If I could get away with living in an RV, I would. I may still find a way yet. For now, with the little one, we have to find something small, but not too small, close but not too close, cheap but not too cheap, etc. If I ever decide to own a house again, it will be one I design and build to my specs and for which I pay cash as I go.

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    1. I know what you mean Daddy H. With the house empty, we still can live the same way we always did. It's amazing with all the crap we had we never used.

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  7. Good for you! I'm so happy for you :) You're not just doing something for the girls, you're doing something for yourself too. You are priviledged :) Please keep blogging about your progress.

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    1. Thanks arta, I plan to blog about the whole process. Thanks for your interest.

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  8. MDR,

    We only live once, I say start living your dreams.........
    Don't wait any longer, life is short. My husband and I have been discussing the same thing. We have a little bit more of debt to pay off, and when we do we're going for it. We're following our dreams, down sizing and living out of a travel trailer. We will do a little traveling, and in the process of traveling maybe work for some of the park services along the way. Then purchase a few acres, and plop down our trailer far away from everyone.

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    1. Sandy that sounds like a plan. If we did not have my girls taking over the house payment we would not be able to do this for another few years.
      Good luck with yours

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  9. not crazy just another chapter in your life sounds good to me

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  10. I actually know three couples who just left their homes, furniture, and bills to children who just refused to leave home or take any responsibility around the house or with bills. These kids were in 30s and 40s. At least you're leaving is on your terms and within your own plans. It sounds like an adventure..

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    1. I am glad my kids are not like that and yes they are on my own terms. I do have to say it is a little scary though.
      Thanks PP

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  11. We've thought about giving our big house to our daughter and building us a smaller house. It would be on the same property, but we just want a smaller house to take care of. One that is off grid and all. So no, I don't think you have lost your mind. I think you are just a few steps ahead of us. But then again, maybe we have lost our mind also. lol

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    1. I guess it's a new movement SFG, most everyone I talk with about it wants to or has plans to do the same thing.
      Good luck with yours.

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