September 07th, 2019

Guess what... I did it! I packed everything I "need" into my truck and a 29 foot RV... well, toy hauler actually... and hit the road. This was MUCH more difficult than it sounds though.


A little backstory first...oooh, there's a train going by where I stopped to sleep - SQUIRREL 🤣
Ok, before I'm derailed (sorry, couldn't resist) the BRIEF backstory for those of you who don't know me well...


1996, I graduated high school with a 2 week old baby in my arms (well... she was in the stands during the ceremony but I digress). I had multiple bad relationships the first 3 years of her life ... until I THOUGHT I found my forever. After nearly 20 years together - on April 13, 2019, we separated and after a few weeks, I knew it was permanent because I felt the desire to LIVE ... and he made me feel otherwise.


I had struggled with suicidal thoughts for as long as I can remember. In February of this year, I came to the realization that if I exited prematurely, I'd have the same shit show over again. But, until I was away from my ex for about 2 weeks, I still struggled. Then, I found ME and for the first time in my life, I am finally pursuing my true life's purpose (at least that's the Divine messages I have been receiving since making the big decision).


That big decision is what I'm living now. A nomadic life. A month or so before that day in April, I woke up from a dream where I was traveling. Going wherever I felt called whenever I felt called.

No restrictions.

Completely free.

Sharing my light with everyone I met. When I woke up after that dream I thought, "that was a really cool dream; but, I can't do that... what about my husband, my 4 cats, my 3 dogs, my studio, etc." All the THINGS that were tying me down.

Then my ex and I separated.

I still thought "what about my cats, and my studio?" So, I continued to think it was just a dream.


Nope. Confirmation that this is my path was on its way. In mid-May, I go to the Unstoppable Influence Inner Circle Retreat in Florida (where I got to present a workshop... perhaps one day I'll talk about that). The first session, the amazing Melissa Walsh takes us through a meditation. During that meditation, I see myself traveling again. Once again...I say "but I can't leave my cats." Then, the second session (the also amazing) Angela Hoover took us through a conversation with our higher self. Well, mine asked "is Idaho your home?"


Again, the cats come to mind. I'd already paid my dues to participate in the BOSCO Open Studios Weekend... it just didn't seem possible. That evening I sat talking with one of the other gals at the retreat (hi Jina) and I had a revelation. I don't know if she said it first or if it came from me but, it was this...

"I can't let my cats dictate my life."

So, I opened up to the idea. The next day, we had an hour of time to do whatever we wanted. Noone else wanted to go to the beach, so I went alone, with my journal. I asked all the questions in my writing...
"If I sell the house and travel what about this... what about that... what about each and every thing."


I wrote it all out plus a request. I asked the universe for a sign. Three to be specific. And then, the magic happened. Now remember, I'm in Florida at the time - and had been for 4 days at that point - I asked to see 3 yellow birds in the next 7 days. I was going to be back in Idaho the last two days of those 7 days so it wasn't a completely crazy request. I hadn't seen a single yellow bird since arriving in FL. The first 24 hours after the request, not one yellow bird. By the end of the next day, however, I saw six. SIX yellow birds. The following day I saw a HUGE yellow bird painted on the side of a semi.

"Ok," I say.

Then I notice I keep seeing the number 96 over and over - it's on license plates, mile markers, distances, exits, trailers... over and over and OVER again as I drive south to visit my brother. So, I look up what angel number 96 means. This is what sticks out to me...

"Angel Number 96 is a message that it is time for you to detach from your material items, particularly if you have had any obsession with any material possession/s or a need to own them. You are encouraged to 'let go and detach' and trust that something in your life is about to be replaced with ‘better’."
(Check out "Angel Numbers - Joanne Sacred Scribes" if you see numbers repeated)


MESSAGE RECEIVED.


I text my daughter (who happens to be a realtor) and tell her I'm selling the house and traveling. I tell her all the signs and she says "the universe is screaming at you to do this."


In June, I began prepping the house for sale. Painting walls, repairing cosmetic things, hiring someone to clean up the disaster of a yard, removing a bee hive ... all sorts of "fun" things. My sister helps too... a lot in July -amidst our shenanigans (these WERE actual fun things but that's a whole other post... a couple of highlights were skydiving from 15,000 ft and getting upgraded to front row seats at the Garth Brooks concert). We finally got the house staged (thank you Wilson Homes at Amherst Madison) and listed on the 26th. We received an offer on August 13th. I moved out - officially - today, the 7th of September.


Going from 2600ish sq feet to a 29ft toy hauler was not an easy task. I donated several truckloads of items. I put some in storage (mostly keepsakes, heirlooms and my awesome bed frame from Mexico) and kind of look like a hoarder at the moment in my new home. My truck is packed full. This RV is packed full. I am sure I'll purge more as I go but for now, I have the things I need and some things I think I "might" need 🤦 (I'm an artist, I can't help it).

That PLUS three cats (my daughter took one back...I had two of hers). I couldn't part with the other three (two are sisters and can't be separated - one of them fetches ... you can't get rid of a cat that fetches. The third is named after my Papa, Hezzie - she even partially amputated her own tail to get his nickname too...Stub). I re-homed 2 of my dogs, I had to put the third- good old Hondo - down in June... the same day I got stranded in a little town called Cottage Grove, OR (again, a whole other post would be required for that story).


I have never had an RV so this is all new. Brand - spanking - new. So, I got my 2020 Grand Design Momentum 29g toy hauler one week before closing on the house. One week before I was supposed to be leaving on my first road trip to San Francisco to see Metallica. (That story started the first day my sister and I were supposed to Skydive but got grounded because of the wind. After she went home, Metallica's "Master of Puppets" came on my Pandora and I thought "hey, I should see a Metallica concert during my travels." Well, they're actually on their international tour right now. I was bummed until I saw an anomaly. They're performing in San Francisco with the symphony. So I hit "buy ticket." The first night was sold out but there were tickets for the second night, I see the cost and say,

"OH HELL NO!"

And put my phone down.

The song is still playing...

I think to myself, "I've wanted to see these guys in concert since I was in the third grade but never went because tickets were 'too expensive.' They aren't going to be touring forever."
​
The song is STILL playing...


"I'm doing it!" I say. "I'll regret it if I don't."


So, I did it. I bought the ticket (three times the cost of what I would've seen them at if I had just gone to a show in Boise...🤦). Now, I'm sleeping at a truck stop because it took FOREVER to move everything out of my house and studio. I've had a KOA outside of San Francisco booked for two nights but haven't gotten there yet. Mainly because (besides the fact I have a lot of stuff) there's the whole "contents will shift during travel" issue so loading everything in was a puzzle to be solved.


But I did it! Now, I hear the generator humming. Strange pops and creaks. The sound of trucks on the interstate, rain hitting my roof and, that occasional train rolling by. I've had very little sleep in the past week and - to be completely honest - I haven't bathed in many days (I've lost count - gross 🤣). So, I better sign off of this Day 1 of my #travelingartist adventures. Tune in to see what tomorrow brings! Love you all! Go so something that brings YOU joy.