Wanda, Let’s Never Fight Again

Okay, so Wanda was in for service and we didn’t have a fight, (nor could she actually leave me) but I wanted a catchy blog title . . . so sue me.

The lovely Irish lass at the RV dealership did come through for me in so far as late yesterday afternoon she proudly phoned me to say that Wanda was finished.

She even arranged to have Wanda placed in a place where I could pick her up even if I got there after the dealership closed. It was nice that someone was actually interested enough to make sure that the repairs were done ahead of schedule.

I did get to pick up Wanda and most of the repairs were done but for two they needed to order parts. They will contact me when those parts are in and then Wanda will go back into service to get those two things repaired.

In case you are wondering the two things which needed parts are: 1) the facet end (for the kitchen sink) and 2) the freezer door decorative panel and holder on the bottom.

As I settled into Wanda for the night and puttered around, that feeling of not wanting to move out of her even for the few months of the dead of winter returned. I know it is illogical and irrational, but moving out of her for winter, seems like admitting defeat, like admitting I couldn’t do it. I hate that feeling.

I know that it is foolish to think this way and that when the time comes logic and good sense will win out over emotion and stubborn pride. Still the wheels are turning as to how to stay in Wanda for the winter. It is too soon to pay for a place to stay, yet, but if a golden opportunity came my way, I would not turn it down. December will be the time to really get down to final winter preparations; that is if this good weather holds.

As far as Tanea is concerned, it is going well. Between yesterday and this morning I did get all of part one edited. I will continue editing part two and move on to new chapters this weekend.

I almost didn’t pick Wanda up yesterday as I wanted to be there when the parts department was open so I could get a few extra keys cut for Wanda. I lost my only other set of keys so now the only keys I have are the main set and one spare door key I keep hidden so I am never completely locked out.

I will go back this afternoon and take care of this as I do want two extra sets, one for me, and one for a guest. I will keep the main set on my main key ring. With a set of keys with just the trailer door and storage key on it, it will be more convenient for me. I will be able to leave the trailer without having the gigantic truck key jabbing into me in my pocket. I need to be careful as too small of a key-ring makes those small keys easy to lose (it has happened).

I will try an interesting experiment with regards to charging Wanda. I will plug in all three or four days in a row this weekend. I will see if this dramatically improves the recharging capacity so I can avoid being forced to plug in for 24 – 48 hours straight. This is always a challenge for me as I am never in the same spot more than 12 hours on the outside.

Just because sunrises help put you in a more positive mood, here is your sunrise shot.

Time to get to work, take care all.   

Survived First Night in Treabilla

Okay, after work I did go to the nearest little library and read and edited for a few hours. I didn’t close the place as it turned out that I was too frazzled and tired to edit till nine (when they closed). 

It was just as good as I still needed to reorganize things in Treabilla so I could sleep in her. That didn’t take long and so I settled in to bed in the back seat. This was the interesting part.

The curious thing about the way the rear doors are built means that sure they hide when the truck is closed up, looking cool. Yet they must be closed first, and then the front door. That means that whoever is in the back seat must get in there first then the rear door is closed then the person in the front. When driving, this is not a problem, yet when you want to sleep in the back seat it produces a challenge. 

For me, I had to set things up in the back seat then close the rear door, then I sat in the front seat and closed the front door. I turned the radio on (it turns off after ten minutes). Then I climbed over the large armrest in the middle of the front seat and into the back. I had to do this in reverse to get out in the morning. 

I was warm and fine in my sleeping bag in the back seat, yet I could have used a bit more legroom. I made do though and just pulled the sleeping bag over my head to block out the light from streetlamps. 

This is what my bed last night looked like. 

And to end on a happy note, this is the sunrise this morning. 

The editing is going well, and I am getting into the swing of things and this story again. I am looking forward to forging on ahead with new pages (well, new novel pages, yet old screenplay pages).

I have at least one more night in Trea and then hopefully Wanda will be done and ready to be picked up Friday afternoon. I will survive one way or another. That was what this was to prove, with a few revisions to this process, I could live in Treabilla, not desirable, but possible.   

Wanda is in For Service

Okay, so a new chapter in this adventure that has been my life since December 2013 begins today and runs for a few days at least. I put Wanda in for service this morning at 8:00 AM in the RV Dealership. 

As I may have mentioned there have been a number of small niggling things that need attention. Since I have warranty on Wanda, I have put her in for service to get them fixed. Here is a shot of her disconnected *sniffle*

The lady at the RV Dealership was nice (and had a delightful Irish accent *rawr* . . . of course I didn’t say anything about it). I politely asked if I could get this back ASAP as this is my home. That came up when she asked me if I wanted it winterized.

She: "Would you like us to Winterize it while it is in for service?"

Me:  “Winterize? I’m still using it!” 

She: *blank stare* 

Me:  “This is my home.” 

She: “I’ll see what we can do to get this done by Friday.

Me:  “That would be nice, as I don’t mind sleeping in my truck for a few days, longer than that would be an inconvenience. 

She: *blank stare* 

This brings up an interesting point, since Wanda is in for service what I am reduced to is  just Treabilla. She has a back seat and so I took a few supplies with me:

• Sleeping bag/pillow

• Bread & spreads & snacks to make lunch with.

• 5 gallon reserve water jug (full)

• Laptop

• Ace

• Phone Charger package

• Some clothes

I will be fine for a few days. I plan to go to a nearby Library and hang out there, using the AC power this evening and next, then find a nice place to bed down for the night. 

On a writing note, I have reached a plateau with regards to the secondary novel I have been writing. This is good because it means I can focus back on Tanea. 

I now have a good idea as to the character that is the novel’s Narrator. Sound strange? Your narrator is a character in so far as they have a certain point of view and that will impact how the story is told. If your narrator is a teen girl, she will tell the story differently than an old woman, particularly if the story is being set in a high school. 

As for the narrator who is telling the story of Tanea, he is an old man who is a historian and very knowledgeable but he is a cheeky smartass; essentially me in about fifty years. 

I imagine that he has found some tome of knowledge, some evidence as to the whole story of Tanea and its peoples. It may be fun to work that into the novel somehow, hmm like a preface with him sitting down to tell someone about what he has found, thus tells the story. Hmm? 

Anyways I will now edit what I have so far from this point of view, then get to where I got to in part two and continue from there. 

Well I should get back to work (I was late but still had to blog)

Payday at Last.

Okay it is payday but this is the thinner paycheque. Rather this is the Paycheque which has more financial commitments coming out of it, so I have less discretionary income. 

There is my insurance payment, Treabilla payment and at least one Wanda payment, not to mention the minimum payments on credit cards. Then there is fuel for Treabilla, toping up the Overdraft and yes groceries and incidentals. 

So my payday often gives me an image of me receiving a modest wad of cash and being surrounded by a group of people. Then one by one I dole out that money until a small amount is left over for me. Then the countdown to the next payday begins. 

The later paycheque of the month is the most fun as that one has that block of money that I can do something with. As I said earlier this month I will leave it in the account and try not to spend it, so as to keep myself afloat and out of the overdraft. Again this is another test of will for me. 

This payday has a bright spot though, as I will pay off the last of the first credit card, bringing it down to zero. I know that at the end of the month there will be another small interest charge or something, but this is the last of the large pay-down.  

I may put a bit into my savings just for me, as a symbol to start my savings; who knows. 

Just for fun and because it looked nice, here is another sunrise picture, for all of you late-risers. 

Writing is going well, but I will admit that I am working on a different novel, one which I will more than likely not publish, but I feel compelled to write it. I always write what comes to me, and don’t judge it. It keeps the ideas flowing and any practice in writing is good practice. This one is written in reflective first person as we see the main character slowly go nuts; an interesting character study to say the least. 

They are sure that what they want and is trying to do is right and sane and that the world is insane. I am still not sure how it will end, but as a good writer I will leave it open for a follow up novel. Just in case I do release it and people like it. 

This has nothing to do with Tanea and the break is doing me good. I find the process of converting a screenplay to novel in such a direct manner tedious and lacking of a certain amount of spontaneity. I have snuck in a few changes but for the most part the story is good and solid. It just needs to be written in a manner in which does the story justice. 

Well, off to work now.

Back to the Grind

I had a nice, relaxing and moderately productive weekend. I did not write as much as I could have done. I did relax and yes went for a hike or two. Here are a few nice shots I got.

This is Sunday morning’s sunrise.

  

This is the moonrise obscured by clouds, making a cool effect.

This is an owl, (I think) that I saw in a tree. He looked bigger than a crow and sounded different, reminiscent of an owl.

And yes the wonderful vista during the day.

Tomorrow is payday and then the day after that Wanda goes in for service. That means that I will pay my bills but also that I will be camping in Trea for a few days. I can hope and ask that they get Wanda fixed in a day but who knows. Also they do not give out loaners, as the demand isn’t there.

A friend of mine sent me some statistics which he apparently got from the Statistics Canada website. This was meant to make me feel better about myself and my situation, but it made me feel a bit more frustrated for everyone else out there.

All I will say is that it is true that I am doing better than most people out there and that is good, but I still  have vivid memories of not doing as well as I am. Yet I am not doing as good as I would like, I am still tied to this 9-5 job that is not my passion, just to pay my bills.

Okay, enough stalling, now on to the statistics (for Canada): 

• Only 75% of people aged 25 – 64 are employed.
• The average income is $20.00 / Hr and/or $35,000 /Yr
•  Each average adult carries approximately $40,000.00 in non-mortgage  debt. 

Okay, I am well above that last number with Trea payments/Wanda/Credit cards. I may be down around this amount if you factor Wanda out, and consider her a “Mortgage.

This may be normal but that doesn’t make it right. I just have reached a point where I just want to get off of this hamster wheel that is never ending debt. My main motivation for doing this whole "Urban Nomad" thing is that I am sick and tired of working for "room and board."

I want my freedom to do what I want to do and not constantly need to earn and give away a large amount of money each month, just for the privilege of living and have nothing for me in the end.

Anyways, I am on my way and doing fine. Wanda’s batteries are charged and Trea liked the run as well. I will stay the course and get these debts paid down and hopefully have a novel or two to sell, and may even write a book about this experience. 

Relaxing On Tunnel Mountain

I am in one of my favourite campsites, a federal one on Tunnel Mountain in Banff.  It really is the last campsite of the season as they are closing the “full hookup” side on Sunday. Since I am planning on staying until Monday morning, that means I had to stay on the “Electricity only” side. Since I am self-contained, and I am here for the electricity, that is fine with me. 

I made sure to get you a nice shot of sunrise over the Rocky Mountains, enjoy it, I did.

It is a luxury to have full electricity as I can watch TV, leave the water pump on and use the laptop as long as I want. It is these little things that are nice and I miss from renting a ‘cubbyhole.’ 

I am doing the right thing and am on the right track. It is nice to always be home and have the freedom to roam where I wish. If I had an unlimited  source of cash I would wander for quite a while. 

From a financial point of view this trip was not good, but from an emotional one, it was needed. It is a nice way to finish out the warmer and camping season. I am enjoying myself but I am looking forward to getting my butt firmly out of the overdraft. 

Every so often it is important to spend a bit of money and live a bit. This is good for your sanity and to remind you of the flavour of life. I have been too focussed on spending next to nothing. I know I could spend less and still strive to do so, but I spend a bit now and again, treat myself with a meal out, now and again. 

I do keep looking at the larger picture and imagine myself out of overdraft and with another card on its way down. Those happy thoughts keep me going, that keeps me motivated. 

Writing, is a way to keep me occupied and a creative outlet. Speaking of which, I should get back to it. 

How to Measure Your Fiscal Health

I have been a bit busy of late, sorry for not blogging. I have found that even with plugging in overnight twice a week it is not charging Wanda up enough, it tops up the batteries but not quite good enough. Every now and again, every few months I need to plug in for an extended period of time. 

With that being said, I will be going out to a campsite this weekend for the last camping trip of the season. This will let Wanda get properly charged up and me to write up a storm. It should be good for both me and Wanda. 

Camping in a campsite gives me a strange sense of normalcy, I have power, water, sewer and can park and belong there; I am not trespassing or on someone’s good graces. 

Here are a few thoughts that a recent conversation with a friend had sparked in me. 

There are a few ways to measure how you are doing, when paying down your bills. I know of three methods: Credit Score, Debt Ratio and my own method.

1) Credit Score

The one way which is used by various lenders to help determine how much of a risk that you are is your credit score. This is a three-digit number that some credit guru’s put together with help with some arbitrary formula; the higher the number, the better. This is usually available on your credit report. 

2) Debt Ratio

Then there is the Debt Ratio. This is found by first getting that credit report and doing some math of your own. First you add up all of the available credit you have, for example, all of your credit limits, the maximum amount that you can borrow on each of these various credit sources.

Next add up all of your current balances, that is how much have you actually borrowed to date on each and every one of these various credit sources available to you. 

To find your debt ratio, just divide total current balances into the total available credit. This will give you a decimal number, this number will let you know how much of your credit you have leveraged, the lower the better when applying for more loans. Generally they like to see something near .5 or half. This will vary depending on lender.

3) How Many Weeks Before I Am Screwed?

Then there is my personal method of calculating fiscal health. I call it the “How Many Weeks Before I Am Screwed.” It is simple, I imagine that right now, today, through no fault of my own I am now jobless. It could happen for any one of a thousand reasons: company downsizing, job made obsolete, etc. 

Just imagine for whatever reason you are now jobless. Imagine your last paycheque in hand and whatever financial resources you have. Without getting another job or another source of income, how many weeks would it be before your fiscal machinery grinds to a halt? 

How many weeks would it be before you start defaulting on payments with no way to make good on them? That is why I call it “How Many Weeks Before I Am Screwed?” Currently I am at about 8 to 10, better than I was a year ago, but not where I would like to be. 

As for you, just give your own life this little test and see how fiscally sound you really are. Perhaps you are not as better off than me than you think. Maybe you have nicer toys, and a greater cashflow, but this little test will equalize it all out.

I haven’t looked up my credit score or calculated my Debt Ratio, as I know that it started out at pretty much 1.0  which means maxed out. By next year I plan to be below 0.5 as I then drive it down further. I also plan to then save up a storm for the next phase of my life. 

For me, right now, I see no need to check these numbers as I have a plan and am working that plan. I am not looking to get more debt right now, I am looking to pay the debt that I have off.