It is getting closer and closer to our departure date. We are leaving on Sept 23! We wanted to stay a bit longer to close up some things but there are very limited flights from DIA to Aguadilla and so that was it! We are off on our journey in 2 weeks! Yikes and YAY!
I have quit my job, handed over my phone, stopped our health insurance, disconnected the internet and cable, and given away my plasma TV. Cassie is nearly there as well (she is working right up to the end). It is a strange feeling to realize that I am now starting to float away from all of the things that connect us to the bigger whole of society.
For internet we have been going to the Library which gives us an hour of surfing a day. This has been beneficial because we make our time more efficient. We post things for sale on craigslist, setup our remaining bills to paperless, check FB/email, and also have an opportunity to pick up/drop off books. We have been reading more since there is no TV or YouTube to mindlessly watch. And having the extra time has been useful. I have been using it to take care of a few outstanding issues at the rentals.
Laying Down Thick Plastic as a Weed Barrier
When it comes to weed barriers I don’t mess around anymore. When I did my first landscaping projects I would use the fabric they sell at landscape companies. I quickly found that Colorado weeds don’t care about it. they will simply grow thru, around and in the fabric. I suppose if I wanted to use weed killers, that would work ok but since I don’t I use this thick black plastic sheeting. It is the best thing I have found so far. It does have drawbacks in that it traps moisture and can get moldy, but that isn’t a big problem here in the Colorado desert. I also wouldn’t use it if I were going to put plants in and around the area.
6 Tons of Rock
I am getting better at the shoveling rock gig. I was able to pump out 6 tons in about half a day with a wheel barrow and a shovel. It is hard work, but I find that when I am working toward my own goals, it feels pretty freaking good!
We have also been continually cleaning out the house. Most of the rooms are empty and I have just listed our cars for sale on Craigslist. When we no longer have our cars we will REALLY be disconnected. We say we will be losing our “legs” since we’ve always had a car. Once those are gone, we won’t have much except some clothes and our cat.
Empty Room
Being unplugged from a lot of the distractions not only saves money, but gives me time to focus on my life. It has been extremely freeing. When we sell the cars and the house rents, I won’t have any real financial responsibilies that aren’t covered. We will have a water and electric bill in Rincon and that’s about it for “fixed” expenses.
Now that we have cleared out everything, we have decided to really think about what we bring into our lives. I think initally when we arrive in Puerto Rico we will need to get a vehicle and we will also have some food and “fun” expenditures. We will also get some furniture and we will be fixing up the property and structures a lot. We are currently looking into health insurance. But we can take it at our own pace and we will be much more selective about what and how much we plug into. Plugging in is the norm, but a life unplugged definitely has its perks. It is a freaky feeling, this freedom thing.
