We got the notice yesterday that the closing on the sale our house would be today at 2:00 PM. We were ecstatic since we really thought the house would be taken before we could sell it but we prevailed with the expert assistance of our real estate agent Joseph Herrera. He really kept us motivated and confident that we could sell regardless of the issues we had in the house. If you need a real estate agent then you can't do better than Joseph. We owe him a debt of gratitude. If you are looking to buy or sell in the Charleston metro area call him. He's professional, hard working and knowledgeable. Unfortunately we woke up to an email delaying the closing until next week due to a paperwork snafu by Wells Fargo Bank. Hurry up and wait.
Life here at Bull Run has turned into a nice routine for my dear husband and me. We're parked in a forest which, when the shooting range (the park has a shooting range) isn't active, is very quiet and peaceful. We are under the flight path to Dulles so we do hear jets but if you know me you'll know that I don't mind that at all. When I'm out in the park working I love to see the variety of jets that are headed into Dulles. It's one of my things.
This has been my week cutting, stacking and transporting wood. Not my favorite thing to do, especially in the rain. At the end of the day we usually run some errands, grab a bite to eat, come home, and walk the dogs. Then it's an evening of reading and music or sometimes a movie on iTunes. I also have time to write -- like now. I'm just now finishing an article that I'm writing about a very esoteric process in healthcare information technology. It's off to my editor soon (Matt) and then hopefully to a trade journal or industry magazine.
We haven't had a TV since starting this adventure. We initially thought we'd have DirecTV in the trailer but we procrastinated and found out that we really weren't missing much so it never materialized. We were watching a lot of TV when we had it home. Now I get my news online from several different news sources so I scratch that news itch every day. I have to admit that I'm not missing TV for the most part. The shows that I do want to see are available on iTunes or streaming on PBS.org so I'm not missing much.
Our plan for using cellular modems for our Internet service hasn't worked out as well as we would have liked. We learned early on that streaming a TV show or two really ate up our allotment of gigabytes. We have two accounts now that we try and balance throughout the month. We need a better solution than what AT&T and Verizon offer. That's a work in progress.
Fall is bringing us cooler weather and rain and I'm loving it (as is Matt). We've already had a night were we had to fire up the furnace--which thankfully ran right off the bat without any need for adjustments. When it's running it sounds like a jet engine outside at the outlet port. We use propane fuel and the heater goes through it pretty quickly. I have a feeling we're going to be wearing warmer clothes in side to preserve our fuel. Nothing to drastic though.
As you know I work here at the park to pay for our site. I have to work 60 hours per month. We have rotating assignments each week. Last week I was on bath house duty. This week I'm working in the wood pile. It's a dramatic departure from what my career has been in the last 30 years. I'm joined by other senior executives and successful business people that are here in a variety of mobile-home based vehicles. We all live on the same street in the campground and I've made some friends who like me have escaped the 9-5 grind and are slowing down to enjoy their lives a little more. It's funny to be working alongside a former CEO cleaning the bath house or working in the wood pile with someone who ran a successful real estate business for 20 years. It's interesting that we don't introduce ourselves as a former CEO or real estate broker. We talk more about our lives outside of work, what brought us to this lifestyle and certainly little tips on how to made our jobs more efficient. It's fun and on top of it all I'm losing weight from all of the physical labor involved with my jobs. I guess the best part is interacting with the park visitors. I miss those customer service days that I had so much of early in my career.
Charlotte and Gracie are also into the grove. Charlotte is barking less at anyone or any vehicle that passes our trailer. That is a good thing. Gracie sleeps, eats and randomly barks. Last night she was standing at the food bowls barking because one of them was empty. She'll bark at the water bowl if it isn't full enough for her tastes. They are happiest when we're all here in the trailer and they can sleep next to us while we do our work.
The food here in Northern VA has been amazing. It's like an international smorgasbord. We've had Latin American food, Korean barbecue, Mexican food, good old American diner food and Indian food. We're planning on finding a Dim Sum restaurant soon. I'd also like to try some Spanish food too. The world is represented here and the restaurants reflect that. The only problem we have is deciding what cuisine we are going to try next.
I've managed to see my favorite aunt in the world several times since we've parked here in Northern VA. She was a very important person to me when I was a kid and has remained important to me all my life. Her health is failing but she's hanging in there. I'm glad we're close and can see her often. I've promised her that I'd make chicken and dumplings for her while I was here. It's my mother's recipe which I think was handed down to her by her mother. The dumplings are the size of an egg. Now that's what I call a dumpling--none of those noodled type of dumplings for me. I want those soft light big dumplings cooked in chicken broth.
I hope by the time I write again the sale of our house will have closed. Keep your fingers crossed for us.
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