Day 18: Quartzsite Musings...

It's been a long, dry stretch, so I'll do my best to catch up! We are having the exact ball we thought and hoped retirement would be.  However, like jumping out of an airplane for the first time, till you do it, no amount of research and investigation will fully convey the experience.

First: Took me a few times, driving past the sign...

...to get that the geologist's term, 'quartzite,' is different to the town name, "QuartzSite!"

Second: A major realization, as a result of a trip back to frigid, chilly Colorado..

I went back to finish cleaning out the garage: prospective renters were put off by not having all the shelves cleaned off. There was room to park two cars in it, but...

It was COLD, there: below zero F, both days, and snowy on the ground. I came from PHX, in the morning, which was 58F, to arrive at DEN, to a brisk high of 16F.

Yep. This full-time snow birding was a good choice! 

Having been born and raised in Colorado, I remain a proud citizen of the state,, BUT...a lifetime of dealing with winter was one of the main reasons Renee and I chose to follow the RV life. Being there in cold Colorado reinforced that notion, but, more significantly, led to a realization, one that really fully dawned on me upon my return.

When I was back in the empty house...

...Renee called to talk about this-n-that, and she asked, "Being in the house, do you miss it?" The question caught me by surprise, and I had to think about it. 

After a few silent seconds, I replied, "No. Not really. Yea, the space is nice, and the freedom to move over 5 acres of land might be cool, but it's not home. it's just a rental."

The full realization didn't take place fully till I returned to our home...which is now Harvey II! It was then the entire picture became clear: Where we live is now home. 

Keenesburg is no longer our home...it's just a house.  That was an entirely unexpected conclusion, and it filled me with great joy, and some relief.

Our 200 square foot home, with little storage space, not much room to hang pictures, or to display tschotskis..is just enough.

It's enough to be comfortable. It's enough to share this journey with a wonderful partner. It's...enough.

We can plan and dream and till we commit, we never know if the leap was a good one or how we'll land. The research may increase the chances of a good landing, but the old shibboleth comes to mind: Behold the turtle...he makes no progress until he sticks his neck out.

A number of our friends have said to us, in slightly different ways, that they couldn't do what we have done, and frankly, we weren't, and couldn't be sure...till we jumped. It is an INCREDIBLE feeling, floating on a parachute of dreams, that by the grace of the Universe, is holding us up and allowing us to float along in our dream.

Come join us!