Last Trip
Reflection
As I reflect on our last trip, 2024 has been a good season for #VanLife. If the count is correct, there were 40 nights spent in our beloved #CamperVanBeethoVAN. The timing was right. I can feel in my body a sense of uneasiness and a feeling of…
“It’s a good thing we did that when we could.”
Just before my birthday in May, I discovered that the company I had been working for was low on funding. We had 3 choices…
To find more funding
To get acquired
To cease operations
Acknowledging the Journey
I love this group of people, more than I’ve ever loved a group of colleagues. And I firmly believe in the work that we do. So, of course, I was crushed. I had also had a few false starts in my business…
- Workshops that didn’t have enough sign-ups to run
- Promotions that didn’t get the response I was expecting
- Potential clients who ghosted me
I say this not to wallow or complain but to acknowledge that this shit is hard. And I know it is all part of the journey.
Summer Time
With summer approaching, it felt like a good opportunity to say fuck it, let’s just have fun. At work, I was told to pull back and only do the things that had to be done to keep the lights on. And I did those things with my whole heart. In my business, I worked with my marketing manager to focus on content and my message. She’s the magic behind everything you see here. Because I recognize that I may have been a bit too eager to get my offerings out there without first giving people the opportunity to get to know me and what I stand for.
Our Pup
The other factor in all of this is our pup. He’s an old man, and at 11 years old, he has lost most of his vision. A few years back, he recovered from bilateral torn ACLs, so it’s important that we keep a close eye on him. He does love camping with us, but he’s not up for the long hikes like he once was. He’s also made it clear that he’s way happier on the couch than out by a campfire. And we are extremely fortunate that my parents love him so much. Because of their eagerness to look after him this summer, he got to get spoiled with omelets, massages, and dairy products and we got to have responsibility-free weekends to enjoy our van. From the Berkshires to the Poconos to Delaware, we had a blast.
We slept in.
We met great people.
Ate good food, often stopping at local farms for treasures.
We sat by the fire.
We hiked.
Sometimes I barely even looked at my phone, other than to receive dog pics.
Winter Blues
Now that winter is coming, it’s easy to sink into depression. I’ve been down this road before. In an effort not to do that, we’ve made the following list entitled…
How to Make Winter Suck Less
- Fires on the Patio: Because we don’t have to be camping to have a campfire; the firepit will do just fine.
- Get out into the Hot Tub: We installed it years ago and it was out of commission for a while. I’m pleased to say it is now fixed and allows us to get outside in any temperature and still stay warm.
- Go Hiking and SnowShoeing: Because nature still welcomes us, even in the cold.
- Go to the Farmers Market: Natick’s year round market is one of my favorite discoveries.
- Put Finishing Touches on Our House: Since we’ve been having so much fun, we’ve neglected some things. Now is the perfect time to cozy up and make our home more homey.
- Grill More: This is my hub’s thing more than mine, but I’ll gladly eat whatever he decides to grill.
- Explore More: Money is tight right now, but it wouldn’t be out of bounds to go out for a drink and an appetizer and just get out of the house.
- Read Books: Nothing better than curling up by the fire with a blanket and a good book; my favorite escape from screens.
How About You?
How about you? What is on your list to make winter suck less? Or if you love winter, tell me about it? Contact me…
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