The How, the Cat, the Question
“How are you doing this?” is the number one question I’m asked. Since I can think of nothing else to write about, I’ll write about that. 
First, living on the road can be cheap or expensive. There are those who do it on 6K a year, and there are those who insist it can’t be done on less than 100K a year. (They eat out every night, have parties, drive 500K motorhomes, and stick to the luxury campgrounds.) And then there’s everything in between.
We are using my meager writing income and Glenn’s income from Alaska. After we save enough to upgrade our “home,” Glenn will retire, and we’ll use his retirement.
The decision was made easy by the fact that I didn’t want most of the stuff we had. And the piano studio was just paying to live in this community I didn’t like, with overpriced rental homes that was just holding stuff I didn’t want. Although, in the last two weeks, I’ve been BOMBARDED with phone calls for piano lessons. The economy must be improving, because while this used to be the norm, the last two years have been pretty slow. I don’t regret my decision, though. I’m just so happy, I wouldn’t trade this for the world.
I almost forgot to tell you: CAESAR’S BACK!!! Didn’t I say he’d come back? He was waiting by the camper when I got home last night, sitting there like, “I found mommy, and now I’m not moving until she comes home.” He snuggled with me ALL night! I’m SO happy!!!!!
Um, yeah. Like I said, not much to talk about. So I’m going to steal a page from Melanie’s book: ask me anything, any question, and I will (probably) answer it. It can be about camping, my new life, my old life, reading, movies, or anything. Not that I’m that interesting, LOL.
Here’s a question for you: What do you dream of doing when you retire?
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Natasha Fondren is a writer traveling the U.S. in a camper with her four cats. She is currently enjoying the lizards and desert heat in Arizona.
Hail Caesar! That’s great. Cats are adventurers.
Well, it takes a lot of guts to do what you’re doing. Here’s a question, which maybe you’ve answered already….do you plan to flee the snow zones this year before winter arrives?
What would I do if I could retire? Write fiction full time. See what might happen if I didn’t have to think about any work besides writing fiction. Maybe nothing great, but I’d like to find out.
Yeah, Eric. It’s funny, when I got him, he was sleek and muscled like a racehorse, hence “Caesar.” Within a week, he turned into a big lug, albeit a loving one.
Oh yes, no snow for me this winter! It’ll be my first winter (hopefully) without snow. I’m so excited! We’ll head down to New Mexico, Arizona, and California. I’m not sure where we’ll end up!
Just from my experience in the last two weeks? It’s worlds easier to write fiction when you’re not working another job.
I’m so glad Caesar returned!
I’ll have to think about potential questions and come back…
Me too, Janna! I keep looking at him and kissing him!
So happy Caesar is back! My cat’s been needy tonight and keeps coming by me to snuggle. Makes it hard to write.
Your life sounds great to me! When my husband retires, we might live in a smaller house by a lake about 45 minutes from our current house. If I start making money off my books, we’ll travel.
Edie, it’s such a toss-up! I love it when they snuggle, but then sometimes, they insist on being in the way, LOL!
Yay for Caesar! I’m so happy for you!!!
My question is really dumb, but here goes: I am a confessed product junkie. Every square inch of my body gets another product. How the heck do you do that sort of stuff in the camper? Are we talking no creams, no gels, no bubble bath? Sniff. Excuse me. I got choked up there for a minute.
Awww, Robin! Well, right now, I’ve got a whole half of a bench (and considering I’ve only got four…) filled with toiletry stuff. I have to winnow that down. Truth is, I love buying the stuff, but I’m so lazy, I never use it!
Ummm…Excuse me….I just realized that I was having a senior moment when I posed my question to you.
LOL, Eric! I don’t expect you to remember my life!
Hmmmm….okay here’s a question for ya.
Why did you decide to do it in the first place? The camping that is.
As for what I want to do when I retire? The pipe dream would be hitting Powerball then spend the next six months telling every single person who’s ticked me off at work just exactly what I think of their abilities to function as an adult in this world.
Realistically, walking. I hope that by the time I retire I ain’t wheelchair bound.
Georgie, I went camping for the weekend with a friend, and I just noted how extremely happy I was. I thought about writing, and how it was portable, and about how Glenn’s career goals (at the time) were portable. So I put two and two together, did a little research, and discovered that there were 1-2 million people living like this. I just sort of knew it was perfect for me!
I really hope that you aren’t wheelchair bound, too, Georgie!
Woo Hoo! Kitty came home! Yaaay!! Thank goodness. Now you need to change all your doorknobs, locks, etc, because that’s one smart cat!! (lol)
What would I do upon retirement? Hmmm… well… in my dreams I would be writing again. And doing needlework and quilting and putzing around on either a little farmstead with a big pond or creek running through, or living on a larger body of water somewhere. Love being near the water.
LOL, Elizabeth! When Cat #2 almost got out (trying to reach Caesar, I might add), I rigged up a tie sort of thing, PLUS I figured out how to get the top half and bottom half of the door (they fold when closed) permanently attached. We are really solid, now!
Oh, wow, your retirement sounds lovely! I’ve always wanted to complete a quilt. I started one in college, but I never finished it. I like the quilting part, I just hate sewing the pieces together!
Sounds like you have a good plan for your retirement. me, I love my nest, and that’s the reason for not going on the road like I once considered doing. It’s not the stuff (except books) so much as the friends and community.
What I dream of doing when I retire? Writing full time! Honestly, that’s my life goal, to just have all the time to write I need, because my job eats my life. Not as bad as it used to (thank got the 70-80 hour weeks on any and every shift are over!) but it still takes more time than I like. I don’t focus well and am fairly slow at writing, so more time off will allow me to get more progress.
The other thing I am looking forward to is retiring early. I can go with 20 years at 57, and so it works out I can retire on my 58th birthday with 20.5 years. Nine more years!
Writtenwyrdd, I can definitely see missing community! I’m not sure I would’ve left if my foot had been well–I just loved Taekwondo and that community.
I don’t focus well, either. Writing is like a second job, and it’s difficult to work two jobs!
Nine more years? That’s AWESOME! I just read a thing about how the earlier you retire, the longer you live. Which makes the fact that the government raised the retirement age to 65 very suspect!
Oh, and I forgot to say I’m so glad your kitty is back!
Thanks, Writtenwyrdd! I couldn’t be happier!
Are you happy?
I think thats the only important thing no matter where you are. But it sounds like you’re having an adventure and those are always good for the soul.
When I retire …I’m not sure thats possible in New Jersey, they seem to want to tax retirement out of us. . . But if I can I’d like a house by the beach where I could let my dogs run in the surf. I’m probably write even more than I do now if thats possible.
Aimless, LOL… I can tell you’re not on Facebook. Oh wait, aren’t you? You don’t get on there much, do you?
Yes, I’m happy. Blissfully happy. I can’t stop saying how happy I am. Every morning, I wake up and think, “Wow. This is bliss. This is the life.” I am trying not to expect the feeling to fade. I had no idea how unhappy I was until I left.
LOVE your retirement! A house on the beach would be a dream.
I am so happy he is back!!
Let’s see, questions. Is there anything you miss with your new life? When do you think you’ll go to your next location?
I miss the proximity of organic stores, theaters that play art house films, and Borders being ten minutes down the road. Oh! And my water dispenser that used filtered water and put out automatic hot or cold water.
We’ll go the first week of October, after Glenn gets home, the Jeep is fixed, and he sells the boat and deals with a couple doctor’s appointments. Then it’s to Mount Rushmore and South Dakota!
Sounds like you made an excellent decision, Natasha. I can totally see myself doing something like this one day. There are so many places I want to go and so many things I want to see. My dream for the near future is to go part time at the job and write. From there, it will be a gradual full time writing gig. Fingers are crossed. I can see where your new lifestyle meshes with your writing. Travel + writing = bliss.
Love the new website, by the way … and welcome home Caesar.
Liz, that sounds awesome! My dream, too! LOL! My writing gig is paying part-time wages at full-time hours.
Thanks! I’m SO glad to have Caesar back!
I think the key is “things,” as you say. Things are expensive and create expense. But if you live simply you can live frugally.
Amen to that, Charles. Glenn wanted to store his things in a storage facility. I was appalled at the idea of spending nearly $100 a month to keep things he wouldn’t be using!
Some people are attached to their things, for sure. Things can make you poor.
I’m so happy he came back!
That’s interesting about the differences in what people can live on. It’s the same thing down here — we live on the cheaper end while there are other ex-pats who live in fancy houses, go out every night, etc, and think the same way as the “upscale” motor home crew.
Question for you… hmm… How did you end up in the town you just left?
That’s interesting, Melanie! Wow, going out every night. I don’t understand how I managed it in college!
That’s sort of a long story. The first day of my last semester of my Bachelor’s degree, I got mono. I ended up sick for seven or eight years, and went back to school I don’t know how many semesters. (I was so sick, it’s all a haze.) At some point, one of my friends said, “Hey, this town needs piano teachers. Here’s a bunch of students who want lessons.” So I drove out every day, teaching in their homes while I continued going to school. Eventually I moved out to that town. I loved it at first. It was different, then.
The town was different then? Or the experience of being there? ‘Cause I feel like CF hasn’t changed…ever. Which I guess is the point…? -___-;;
The parenting style changed drastically. The first and second grade parents have a whole new way of looking at things. It’s terrible. I suppose the non-payers have the been alike all the time.
And I changed, too, LOL. In my twenties, I wanted the house and the things and the like. In my thirties, I realized what a drag all those things were!
Is there anything you’ve always really wanted to write (a style, genre, specific work, etc.), but haven’t gotten around to writing or learning to write? (Apologies for the awkward phrasing.)
What are some other skills you’d like to acquire or hobbies you’d like to pursue?
What is one of your biggest regrets? (Doesn’t have to be your biggest, as my guess is that’s rather personal. I dunno.)
What is your favorite book? (I can’t believe you haven’t told me this, but if you have, I can’t remember.) Favorite movie?
There are many more questions I could ask, but I’ll stop here for now.
Oh, no——wait! A great one (or two):
What is my biggest piano-related deficiency, and what have I done throughout the years (could be one specific incident, I guess, but probably not) that’s irked you/made you pull your hair out/made you desire to drive the Jeep off the nearest cliff? (There must be something, even if it’s not that bad! XD)
Ha ha, this is fun! =)
Oh yes, Joey! A spy thriller.
I read in numerous places that I should write what I love to read. Um, I think my spy thriller got up to 3,000 words after nearly two years of research and six solid months of writing. Um, yeah. It was pitiful.
I’ve always wished I could write poetry. I also want to learn the cello. I want my foot to heal so I can get a black belt in Taekwondo, plus I’d like to play with a few other martial arts. I’d like to practice Ashtanga yoga a lot more diligently and with instruction.
Biggest regret would be torn between three things: missing out on my twenties (I was pretty much sick in bed the entire time); hurting my foot; and collecting things. Oh. And don’t tell Glenn, but there was this one who got away…
Jane Eyre is my favorite book. The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath is pulling up close, as well as The Bell Jar. Oh, wait, then there’s Neil Gaiman’s Anansi Boys. And all that John Irving ever wrote. Wait, put John Irving write under Jane Eyre.
Favorite movie? I love so many. I can’t even remember all my favorites!
You were an awesome pianist and musician. It was all there. You just didn’t have the desire, which is fine, you’re an awesome poet. The only thing I can think of is your tendency to speed up when you get annoyed with your memory. Actually, I used to think of them as “musical temper tantrums,” and the memory makes me laugh.
Oh, wow. Where was my head? I knew a lot of this stuff. Of COURSE you’ve wanted to write a spy thriller! Duh! >.<
I am quite confident you could write awesome poetry if you worked hard enough. If you're not willing to invest the effort (which I'd imagine you aren't, given you have real writing to do, LOL), though, it's not really worth it. (Which is to say, either just write when you're emotional and just want to write a random poem, or go the whole way. In between's no good.)
The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath? Wow. I would have never thought to have read them. Interesting. And I've read a bit of The Bell Jar myself now, although not enough to understand its greatness. (I'm sure I'll get there, though.)
Ah, my musical temper tantrums——fun times! (Of course, there're also the times when I just have an actual "temper tantrum" and go play a really dark song on the piano loudly. Also enjoyable. XD)
LOL, Joey! It’s just like you and piano. We’re not willing to invest the effort!
I love reading it, though!