When I moved north to take responsibility for caretaking a small farm in Virginia I thought I would be here for a year. Due to an unforeseen change of circumstances, the owners of my little farm are moving up here on April 1 instead. When I came here I had no idea what I would do when my time was over but I was completely confident that something would come up and the path would become clear to me. I still believe that but the fact that it has to happen so much more quickly than I expected is a little unnerving.
I have to keep reminding myself that, unlike a lot of people, I'm actually in pretty good shape. I have a job that is completely portable and I have a healthy bank account. I also have a large, loving and accommodating family. If a new opportunity doesn't come up in time, I'm in no danger of becoming homeless. My biggest concern would be deciding where I want to relocate.
I've decided to try and find another housesitting situation and have signed up with a service in the hopes of getting one lined up that I can move to straight from here. I've got some promising leads, at least one of which I imagine will pan out. If not, I'm looking at becoming a roommate. Remember when I was thinking about renting out a room in my house? It turns out there are a lot of people doing just that. They're not all college students either. As a result of the economic downturn amongst other things, there are lots of people with nice homes who are struggling to make their mortgage payments. I'd like to give co-living a try. There are several areas that have always appealed to me and it's neat to think I could go to any of them. Maybe I'll head to the beach. If I didn't like it as much as I expected, I could just move along somewhere else. There's something awfully appealing about that path.
I'm sorry I won't get to plant the big summer garden that I had envisioned. I'm sorry I won't get to raise baby chicks and poults and keets with my batch of birds. I'm sorry I won't get to see the rhododendrons blooming on the Blue Ridge Parkway, which I'm sure are going to be spectacular. Mostly though, I'm excited. I'm a forward-looking kind of girl and I can't wait to see what happens next!
Anyone need a housesitter?
Friday, January 08, 2010
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11 comments:
Mary, wow! What a jolt that must have been to you - your "roll with the punches" muscle is really going to get a workout in 2010. But know what? Your move to VA certainly kickstarted a new phase of your life, and maybe that was the true purpose of the opportunity. You are poised on a springboard to a new phase - and this time unencumbered with a house to sell, possessions to sort through and dispose of, disengaging from beloved friends and neighborhoods, etc. Whatever comes your way will help you, in the end, define exactly where and what kind of environment you choose for your permanent home. Let the journey take as long as it takes - I'm glad you'll be able to try out different surroundings without the burden of long-term commitment. We're there with you in spirit, if not bodily, as you face your challenges and step forward into the next chapter - keep us posted! You really have our attention now, girl!
You could always oversee the building of a rental cabin on the property for the ability (in writing) to stay in it for one year. A potential problem would be phone line/internet stuff.
But the beach sure sounds nice. I bet especially so right now with all of that snow and ice!
Let me know if there is anything I can do to help out. Have you tried www.caretaker.org ?
I really admire your attitude. I wish I dealt with sudden changes as well as you do. I like how you quickly assess your situation, figure out other options and get ready to move on.
It seems you just got there and now talk of moving in three months. If I remember correctly you bought some chickens too.
Good luck with your search for your next move. Maybe you can take your chickens with you :).
@Jill - You're exactly right - it got me out of my small town and out of my rut. Now I'm ready to move on to my next adventure! Thanks for your good wishes!
@Everett - you gave me a splendid opportunity and I'm thankful for it! I know the next step will be just as rewarding as this one has been!
@oilandgarlic - I have to admit that's a fairly new found skill & I had to work at it! It takes practice but you can do it!
@Carole - Thanks Carole, I've amassed chickens, turkeys and guineas while I've been here. The farm owners are taking them over and I know will continue to provide them a good home. I don't think traveling with poultry would be good for me or the poultry!
Gosh, that's too bad. I loved the whole Virginia adventure.
LOL! I don't suppose you'd like to move to lovely Arizona? My son will soon be in need of a roommate.
Pet chickens are welcome, too!
Seriously... Sometimes I think how neat it would be to build one of those mini-houses and put it on a piece of land way out in the country. If you were pretty much free of physical junk, that might be a feasible idea.
The other thing I think would be grand fun, if I had less baggage holding me down and a more adventurous spirit, is get a small RV, toss the dog in it, and start driving.
So many possibilities, when you're not tied down!
@Funny - Palm Harbor homes is going to be debuting their tiny home - the "Osprey" at the Las Vegas homebuilder's show this month. I love this tiny house and am going to be watching for pricing information. Throwing a little dog in the RV and hitting the road? Sounds like a Sue Henry novel I just finished!
Big changes for both of us in 2010!
Hmmm... Found a PDF of the Osprey online. It's not much smaller than an apartment I lived in comfortably for a year. Kinda cool... Only problem from my point of view is that there's not any storage space. That place where the washer/dryer is, off the bedroom, appears to be the only place to store clothing & linens, unless you enclosed the deck off the bedroom (which would be too bad).
And check out the living room: except for the wall between the l.r. and the bathroom, there's not much room for bookcases. Presumably that's where you'd put your entertainment center, if you weren't the bookish type. I think that's so because there's so much window space...it would be very bright and cheerful in that little place.
Assuming the sun were out, that is. ;-)
Interesting idea, isn't it?
Okay Funny, you're raining on my Osprey parade! I'm traveling pretty light these days but I'm sure you're right. On the other hand, I'm definitely bookish but now indulge at the library so that's no issue. I'm trying to find someone going to the Int'l Builder's Show in Vegas at the end of the month who would check out the new tiny houses, this one included, and guest post for me. Know anyone heading that way?
Hey Mary,
I wrote an article for MSN Money about living rent-free (housesitting, caretaking) that mentions a publication that might help you. You can find the article at http://tinyurl.com/nxozcl (shortened because it was 92 characters long!).
I agree with Jill that this could be the kick-start to yet another phase of life. Just make sure to share the details with the rest of us... ;-)
Hi Donna - that's a great article! I do subscribe to The Caretaker Gazette as well as a couple of housesitter/caretaker-type services. One part of me would love to get hooked up with someone who owns different seasonal homes and just switch to the off-season one. Another part of me looks forward to the change of new houses and new locations. I do wonder about the longer-term overseas ones. What do people do about a car? Thanks for stopping by!
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