I wish I would have written sooner.

This year has been THE adventure to say the least.  I started off the year in Florida, quitting my job of 11 years to go "On the road" with my boyfriend, our dog and our new to us RV.  The RV ended up in the shop and we ended up in the Ocala woods.  We had a fabulous gathering this year, and thank goodness for that wonderful experience because we will not be going back this year because there was a forest fire and we feel that the forest needs time to heal.  After Ocala and the RV repairs, we actually left.  And then we broke down again and thought we would never actually leave, but we did.  Stopped in Georgia to visit some friends, stopped in North Carolina to pick up someone else, stopped in Tennessee to pick up another person, broke down in Oklahoma for a week, ran out of gas in Texas, had a nervous breakdown in New Mexico, contemplated stabbing someone in Nevada and finally made it to California.  We stayed in spot for a few weeks with and old friend, but I felt super isolated and we really had nothing to do and had depleted all of our funds.  We took a chance and moved across the state where we ended up staying until December when we had the RV towed again, and that brings us to where we are now.  There were a few weeks in June/July that we went to Montana for the National Rainbow Gathering, and now we are staying in a lovely little cottage with a beautiful view of Knocti and Clear Lake. We have two rooms with two kitchens, two bathrooms, two TV's and it's just about wonderful.  There are six of us here and two dogs and it's fabulous.  I know some people were/are shocked at how I have been living without modern conveniences like heat, running water and in a large communal group, but I think they are just jealous because I get to be free.

Days weren't always great.  There were fights, arguments, complications, waffling, and rude, selfish, demanding people.  The summer was really stupid hot and the winter was miserably cold.  I did miss temperature controlled indoor spaces.  It was a challenge to earn enough money to just provide for our basic needs, but we have been able to provide for ourselves and others.  I tried very hard to ensure the happiness of others, as it seemed as though it was in my job description for the year, but I feel like I have neglected my own happiness in this.  Some people may say something clever here like, "You should really stop and take care of yourself," or, "You didn't really have to do everything for everyone."  However, I have found that I can truly only be happy when the others around me are happy.  I am a sponge.  I have learned that when the people I am around are upset or angry I can't really handle it, in my own head, so I do everything I can to help them and sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't.  At any rate, this year has been a learning experience.
Some things I have learned...
Everything will work out
Effective communication is the most important thing in the world
To ask for help when I need it
Drunk Mark and sober Heather don't really get along
Don't share a small house with six dogs
I am truly a housie at heart.  I like not having to put on boots and two jackets to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night
My car takes a beating and keeps on ticking... with some repairs of course
Being a flatlander makes it really scary to drive out here
I'm really not a big fan of jam bands
I still don't like Kombucha, coconut water or Chai.
I should have put more things in storage for when we return to Florida
Who my true friends really are
and plenty more, but my back hurts from sitting in this weird position while using the computer so I will add more later.


The time that we have spent in

There is a drum circle in the kitchen...

It sure has been busy these last few months.  I spend my days molding young minds and teaching them hope to use sarcasm properly. lol At night I have been sorting, and packing all of my belongings.  I have either sold of given away most of what I owned in preparation for my new life.  Bonnie and I have moved into a cute little apartment thing in Dunedin.  It's a super cute little town; we are 2 blocks from the water, 5 blocks from downtown and 1 block from the Pinellas trail.  Perfect location.  Last night we could hear drumming coming from somewhere downtown. Sadly the drummer only knew one beat, but it reminded us of cleanup this summer when a huge rum circle started in the kitchen.
Bonnie probably won't be here terribly long :( but soon, (2 months) Mark will be back, and we will spend our last month in town at this cute little place by the water.  This is a good change.  I needed to move.  That house was just making me depressed.  Bad memories, bad juju.  I miss the boy, I wish he were here now, but he's working hard; only had one day off so far this month.  We will have the most amazing life together.  I just wish he would hurry up and come back to me so we can get started.

Yes, I did tell my bosses I was taking leave in January.  I am sure you all wanted to know.  They are all very supportive and completely get what I'm doing and why I'm doing it.  I just wish other people would understand, but I am not wasting my time on people  who just want to judge me.  I want to travel and see the country, I want to grow my own food, I want to write a book, etc etc etc

Today we are getting the new place all purdy like and then I will take some pictures.  :)

I blew up the computer

Gawd I miss writing.  I have so much to catch up on.  I literally had no time for writing this summer, and then the motherboard fried, then I had no time again.  Stop the Insanity!  LoL

So I am back in Florida, and the school year is 1.5 months in and my house is being auctioned this week.  Yea, I didn't expect it this soon either, but we have to do what we have to do.  I am completely stressed out to the point of not being able to sleep, clenching my jaw and literally pulling out my hair, which btw if you haven't seen, is in fact dreaded.  Yea, I didn't make it very long into the national gathering before I had one giant dread.  My friend Roger helped me separate them and now they are finally starting to lock up and look pretty cute.  I am not Sideshow Bob no matter how many people call me that.  :\ . 

I had the most amazing experience this summer.  I met so many beautiful and wonderful people, saw some of the most breathtaking sights, and explored many new adventures.  Even the bad stuff was good.  It was a summer of learning and growing and becoming a better human, as well as fun.  I brought a friend home (and her dog) to live with me while Mark is out west working because I knew after spending so much time together I (and Zooey) would be a basket-case if I had to be home alone for 4 months.  I was right.  People here don't get it, they don't understand how my views on life have changed,  but really this all was put in motion years ago, lifetimes ago if you think about it.  Now we have a 3rd person living here and her dog.  The problem is that we are in the middle of selling off everything in the house and I am super stressed out with work and the house and I miss Mark and it's really hard for others to take my feelings into consideration because this combination of craziness has not afflicted them before.  Regardless of any of that, I'm having a hard time and I would like that to be taken into consideration when I flip the fuck out.  Come on, it's bound to happen.  

The book?  ah yes, it's all in my head now... I need more info and a computer, but some of the possible chapters so far... There's a drum circle in the kitchen, princess wave, topless Tuesday, infested, pizza anyone?, manifestation, truck stop showers, cattail hollow, and many more.  I know, I sound like and infomercial.  

I will post more detailing some of the amazing adventures I had, but I need more time for that.

I know you are eager to know what is next for me, and all I can tell you now is that something big is on the horizon.  In December Mark and I will reunite and together will begin a new chapter of our adventure.  

I think sometime in August is when it really hit me... this man is my soul-mate