At 9:12 AM this morning (July 12, 2014) I pulled away from the house that contained my room for the last time. I have lived here since late January of this year and I have mixed feelings leaving it. It is a nice room in a nice neighbourhood and Landlady has been good to me. I know that, however crazy, this ‘Urban Nomad’ endeavour is something that I must do, at least for now.
I got up at the usual time (for me), played a bit of LOTRO (Lord Of The Rings Online) this morning and then started my day. I decided to start early and slowly load up the truck and Wanda rather than in a rush.
I took Landlady’s advice and backed Wanda up to and part way up the driveway. She told me that she was going to be up and gone early this morning so she gave me my damage deposit back (in full) last night, even before the move (very nice). I figured that she had gotten a ride from a friend so I thought nothing of blocking her car in.
I tell you this was the easiest move that I have ever made. Can you ever say that you moved from one house to another when the new house was parked in the driveway of the old one? Hmm? I can, trust me, it was sweet, and didn’t take that long; I don’t have much stuff now.
I had just loaded up the last of the stuff into Wanda and was about to start the cleaning of my room when I heard some movement upstairs. I thought this was odd as it was almost nine and Landlady was supposed to be gone by now.
Sure enough it was Landlady just getting up . . . we have very different definitions of “Up and gone early.”
She was running a bit late and because I was parked behind her I had to either clean fast and go or move Wanda, clean then lock the house and put the keys in the mailbox. I cleaned fast because I didn’t like the thought of leaving the house as a “Thief’s Special.”
After that I:
• Deposited the refunded damage deposit into the bank
• Had a nice breakfast at IKEA. (remember, free coffee with your $1.00 breakfast before ten) (doors open at 9:30).
• Stopped by my storage unit to put my extra bedding into storage
• Went to Canadian Tire to pick up Firewood and a portable Propane BBQ.
I am now sitting in an information booth parking lot (stealing Wi-Fi) just inside the entrance to Kananaskis Country. I can’t check into my Camping Spot at Mclean Creek until 4:00 pm and it is now 1:00 PM.
I decided to go camping this weekend to celebrate my big move and to have the space to sort through my stuff and find homes for things and decide what I still have to get rid of. I will camp tonight (Saturday) and tomorrow (Sunday).
I can do this because I will just get up early Monday and drive to work. The campsite is not that far from Calgary, but still remote and in beautiful country . . . (I love this province) city life and still easy access to open and wild country.
As I sit here and unwind it is not lost on me the fact that (for all intents and purposes) everything I own is with me. I mean in storage I have: two framed pictures, two small tables, and bedding which will be used to pad them for their trip to the coast (Vancouver) . . . that’s it. Everything else I own is either in my truck or Wanda.
While I am safer from some events than other people, you know, those who live in houses and other stationery housing. I mean if any of the following were to happen, I can just drive my house away:
• Fire
• Flood
• Riot and/or Breakdown of social order
• Godzilla
• Apocalypse
• Zombie Apocalypse
• The rise of the machines and/or the Apes
Other things I am not so protected from, and in fact more vulnerable and exposed to the risk of losing everything, such as:
• Car Accident which writes off Treabilla and/or Wanda
• Carjacking
• Home Invasion
Still other things I am just as exposed and at risk as anyone else, such as:
• Meteor strike
• Nuclear Holocaust
• Ice age (but then again I do have a furnace)
• World War 3
In all seriousness, I wish to convey that I know that this lifestyle is not for everyone and not without its risks but it also has its upsides. For one, and for the first time since I was 18, I don’t pay rent . . . to anyone.
Sure I pay for Wanda but that is only $122.00 every two weeks, and that is payments on ownership of her, not rent. There is a chance I can see some of that back down the road, should I sell her. With rent, once you pay it, it is gone and you don’t get any of it back, ever.
As far as I figure, if things go as predicted and we do have a warmer than usual winter, I should be forced to rent a room (or tough it out in Wanda with no water) for four – maybe five months, January to April sure, but possibly December, and even April is iffy, but I know I will have to pay for the full month, and April 1 is pushing it in Calgary.
I am on track for getting my first Credit Card done by the first paycheque of September. On the outside I may have a bit left over for the second of September paycheque, but that is at the latest. I know this is what I need to do, I am looking forward to getting caught up on these @#$% credit cards, then on to the fun part of saving up for my move and paying down Wanda.
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