Saturday, April 23, 2016

Done and Done

While we have moved forward with our plotted course to move out of our home, sell it, and hit the road houseless, the last three weeks were full of the final to-do’s and extra-long days doing them. Even though everything seemed to be falling into place with the listing, selling, inspections, and the like, we had to maneuver around a setback or two, more than a few obstacles, and our share of headaches the last few months.

Our biggest headaches seemed to center on back injuries. My husband, Dennis, brought in the new year by injuring his back when we were going to need his back more than ever in the upcoming months. Fortunately, with physical therapy, massage, and a lifting brace for his back he performed remarkably. Injuring backs came to a head just days before our large furniture move on April 9. One of our friends who had helped us out moving this and that into our storage unit over the last two months, and was scheduled to help with the big move, put his back out. Then, the day of the move we found that a cousin of ours, who was scheduled to help, injured his back the night before. Fortunately for us, we have amazing cousins who came to our rescue last minute. It was like a mini family reunion with major cousin love moving us on.

The last two weeks were a combination of cleaning out this and that, boxing up the kitchen, food removal, and preparation for the next two months on the road. We held onto our mattress until a few days before closing and stayed in a nearby hotel for our last nights in town. Even with the ups and downs of the move testing our patience, all was officially wrapped up with the signing of the final papers Monday, the house officially closing on Wednesday, and the check hitting our bank on Thursday. Done and done!

During the packing process, Dennis found two dozen bottle rockets. After we locked up the house for the last time, he set up a launching tube and fired them off in groups of four to six at a time. When the final one had popped, I shouted at the top of my lungs, “Wahoo, the Clark’s have left the neighborhood.” Done and done indeed!
Fireworks photo courtesy of Epic Fireworks



Sunday, April 3, 2016

Steps in the Right Direction

With the pending closing date set at April, 20, we are only weeks away from making the big move out of our home. We passed the house, well, and septic inspections with no issues to deal with, and as of last week an appraisal was done. While we are anxious to dismantle the home staging and get on with the business of wrapping up what we have left to move out, we continue to be in a limbo stage until the home buyer’s bank gives them approval of their loan. We are not expecting any problems with their loan application, but it is in our best interest to be patient and sit tight.

Waiting during this period prior to the acceptance of the buyer’s loan application has allowed us to slow down a bit and plan for our first few destinations. We really couldn’t do that before this because we didn’t know when the house would sell. Planning our initial destinations strengthened our resolve to be houseless and travel for the next few years. I know I was filled with a giddy excitement and I could tell my husband, Dennis, was feeling the same way. Anyone who knows Dennis would not necessarily put giddy and Dennis together, but I can tell you he was giddy, nonetheless!

Approximately three years ago we talked about moving. Two years ago we decided we didn’t know where we wanted to live and we knew we would be traveling extensively so why have the expense of keeping an abode. Since that realization we have aggressively laid down the tracks and set an intentional course on a new direction in our lives. While we are definitely changing how we do everything, change and this new direction have filled our lives with a knowing that we are headed in the right direction. How do we know we are headed in the right direction? Because with each step we take, doors begin to open, and life seemingly falls into place showing us we are on the right path.

Question mark sign courtesy of Colin Kinner