A New Start.

"The richest man is not he who has the most, but he who needs the least" --unknown

Well, I do believe I have whittled things down to an interesting version of the bare necessities.  I have gas for cooking.  I have power for air conditioning.  No cable (and even the antenna TV doesn’t work that well from my new site--so essentially no TV...except for some weird, obscure Dutch cooking show channel).  I do not have the ability to store more than this  weeks provisions.  I have no mailbox. No garbage pick up.  No home address.  Just me, Duke, Murphy, and Domino.  

I have: two plastic bowls, two plastic plates, one coffee mug, four spoons four forks and four knives...and four tervis tumblers.

I DO have a lot of clothes still...though (and this is not a slight to Columbia) after the realization that attending Columbia weddings was not a condition of my wardrobe anymore I was able to knock my total load way down.  

I feel like the verse from the Lord's prayer “give us this day our daily bread” is very applicable to my current situation.  I cannot store up more than what will feed my immediate needs.  Fran has forced me to realize what I can live without because I cannot carry more than what is absolutely necessary.  And that, as the quote above states, has me feeling very rich in what I have been forced to "let go of" and thankful for what I have with me.  

...Okay, maybe I haven't sacrificed and let go of that much.  Perhaps my saddle, fishing rods, surf boards, 11 different hats and 2 shotguns weren’t “absolutely necessary,” but I did leave a few things at home (especially when it came to shoes). And besides, one must match her hats to her outfit!

So yes, I’m technically “roughing it.”  But in some ways I’m actually in a more civilized setting than I was before.  I have to clean up after Duke--who seems to have forgotten that I once did this with him in Charleston and is mortified by the process.  I am only 0.15 miles from a Walmart. I have access to a killer gym here, and I had nearly forgotten what it was like to workout in a state-of-the-art facility like the one I have access to now.  

"Is this necessary?"

I will attempt a “get to know your neighbors” gathering for Friday evening if it doesn't rain...just drinks and maybe some light appetizers.  

This involves the following of my direct neighbors.  First of all (enjoy the humor here), my direct neighbors to the left are Tom and Bruce.  I met Bruce out walking Duke. He was walking two chocolate labs (one of which looks like a bear and reminds me of my Aunt and Uncle's old lab named Lucy).  When I moved to the new space and realized we would be direct neighbors we started talking about the dogs getting to know each other even better which progressed to, “What do you do for a living?”  

“I’m a traveling physical therapist.”

“I’m an occupational therapist!!!” Bruce says.  “That's my partner, Tom, coming back now.”  

“Your partner....really?  That’s funny...”  It just got funnier and funnier from there.

Later, as I am talking with them, the male chocolate lab starts barking from inside the Motorhome and Bruce knocks on the outside wall and says, “Duke--be quiet!” 

“Really!?!?  Your dog’s name is Duke?”  This is weird now.  

To my direct right are Doug and Sharon.  I haven’t talked to them as much but they are very sweet and nice.  Both appear to be in their early 60’s.

One camper down from them is Robert.  He builds the really big towers that hold power lines way up in the air and almost look like cell phone towers.  His wife and two kids are only 4 hours away.  The long hours with specific projects make it necessary for him to be able to “go to the work,” so he is used to this kind of life (being away from his family a lot).  We are the only two “long-term” campers here under 50 years old and I was thankful to be able to just chill and have a beer with him today after work and workout. 

Shenandoah River

Otherwise, work is great.  My job will be almost identical to what I was doing in Camden.  My preceptor, Bryan (field trainer), is funny and easy going.  I shadowed him this afternoon and will again tomorrow all day.  This area of Virginia is just beautiful.  I will be riding around the Shenandoah River area for work and it really is beautiful and amazing scenery.  I can’t wait to see it in the fall.  

Note to self: Go buy a decent camera.