So It Begins….

It takes a lot of courage to sell your home and move into a 30’ RV. Another way to look at it is that you must have suffered a stroke somewhere along the way (I have, actually) and are willing to throw caution to the wind. Motivations aside, we did it. There is a degree of romanticism involved and, to be certain, uncertainty.

Our brief career as real estate agents is behind us, and we turned the keys to the Johnson compound over to its new caretakers this past Tuesday. I have a good number of friends in the real estate sales industry and mean absolutely no disrespect to them, but selling a home is not a difficult proposition. Times have changed as have the rules today. I owe our success here to Sharon’s tenacity. A lecture or two recounting our success at selling various vehicles, boats and the jetsom and flotsam of life convinced Sharon that we could sell ourselves and save a pile of money. I was not convinced, but am now.

We have stored our earthly possessions, our cars and clothes in Springfield, as one day, perhaps sooner than later, we fully intend to return to normalcy with a new compound somewhere, likely still in western Missouri. Sharon has enjoyed stability most of her life, raised on a farm, but embraces travel with gusto. My life has been anything but stable, the result of being an Army brat and the penchant of the Highway Patrol for relocation as you advance. We love people and are excited about the prospect of meeting new folks. Our years of RV travel have eliminated many of the surprises attendant to a nomadic lifestyle.

Health concerns prompted me to fight my absolute love of food with a little belly shot once a week. GLP-1 has managed to consume 23 pounds of excess in 5 weeks. No more pre-diabetes, no more high blood pressure and no more runaway appetite. Long term success remains to be seen, but I sleep better than I have in 30 years. By the end of the year I will be at my fighting weight, last seen in the Academy. For those who see us as long in the tooth for this adventure, fear not, age is just a thing. We refuse to let the old man (woman) in.

We will develop a good number of relationships with interesting folks who have a story to tell, and write about them and the places we find. We are “off the road” travelers who revel in hidden eateries and places. Our parameters are clearly defined with little travel in blue states and a reluctance to spend even a single dime in them. We are done with mealy mouthed Democrats and their abandonment of sanity these days.

God willing, we will return to our roots wiser, and with a deeper appreciation for the geography and culture of folks different than us…..but not too different as in liberals. We’ll stay in touch and keep the Taz-M-Haul’s awning lights on!

Have a good week!

SR