So Many Changes

Wow, the past three weeks, have brought so many changes...good ones...but totally different that what I was mapping out to do. I was all set and ready to start traveling once again and follow my gypsy spirit. But I guess the universe had a totally different plan for me.

I am now staying here for the Winter Season...for a number of reasons. My girls asked me to stay longer, my oldest is dealing with some health issues, and wanted me to support her , which I agreed to. CC is so strong and independant, so for her to say she wants mom around longer, was a huge staying factor. My youngest JC is working so hard, at her new job and just completed her first leve in college for Early Childhood Education...she needed a bit more time to be grounded and focused. It will be good to be with family during the holidays this year, and am now preparing holiday plans .

My boss also offered advancement in employment and my company is now supporting me while I go take some University classes in a Human Resource Management Program. Totally unexpected but definitely worth it for me, as I could never afford to go to University. At my age, I am both a bit nervous yet also excited at the possibilities and opportunites that are unfolding.

So traveling plans put aside for now, family gatherings and education plans are embraced!

When window of opportunities present themselves, walk through the doorway and embrace them!

At least I now will have a warm place for the winter season, and for those of you that know me, know this is a good thing, as I like to be warm during the winter. So now onto finish the scrapbook projects and get them out in the mail for those requests that have filled my mailbox :)

Not very active

Sorry for not posting much these days...with working in the office these days, I am so tired when getting home that I am just crashing in the lazy chair. Not doing much else these days.

Working on Saturdays as well, to save up money for traveling again. I am now counting the days until November 18th when I will be getting back on the road again. Just another few weeks. I had hoped to get on the road by end of October but know that there is a huge order coming in and I need to get it all organized before leaving it for the next person.

I am eating better again, making sure to eat breakfast, which helps get me through the day. I had stopped eating it for awhile, but with working all day long, I had noticed I was losing energy quickly by mid morning, so am taking food with me again to nibble on. Back to eating smaller amounts , more frequently through out the day and that makes such a huge difference.

All is well with me, just working lots and trying to get ready for winter season. With my first full paycheque I went out to Old Navy store to purchase a bunch of long sleeve shirts and warm fuzzy socks. Next cheque will be to purchase a new pair of winter boots. Then I am set :)

Hope everyone is doing well . Let me know what you are up to :)

Bad Weather

On the weekend we had SNOW...it is too early for that white stuff.

Tonight we are having a rain storm...

Now colder...don't feel ready for this cold weather....time to find warm places, get extra blankets, and big fluffy pajamas :)

Put on the pot of tea and join me in a quilting gathering :)

Bonding with goals

It has been a very busy and crazy week for me...I have realized that I do not like chaos anymore, can't live with it. I had worked so hard at making my life simple that I want that peaceful life back again that I had during the summer season.

I am not enjoying my job. I do not want to be working full time, even if it does provide an income, but that income is what I need here...and I am quickly realizing that I do not want to be staying here long term any more. I do not like being behind a desk all day...I like my freedom to roam and wander about. I am not cut out for an office job any more I don't think. Too restrictive for me.

My youngest daughter now has a job, working in a daycare, and they have provided her with a course through the local college to get her level one. She is also now making plans to move out of where we are staying and move into a place with friends. So progress is happening. It is good to see that she now has goals and is working towards a plan. She has been working towards making changes, and trying to do things differently. Slowly but surely she is putting things into place for herself.

I got together for a visit with my older daughter and we went shopping together and out for coffee. That was fun! It was good to see her, and it was very good to hear she is now making plans to return to school and go to university next year. She is going to work towards getting her bachelor of arts. So that will provide new opportunities for her.

So it seems like both my girls are doing better. It is good that I came back , to show them that I am still here for both of them, and support them. They needed to know I would return I think, but it is also good to see them making life plans and creating goals for themselves...definitely happy they are both making plans to further their education.

I am now saving up money and making plans to return to Ontario. I miss my friends back there, and would like to be back there before Christmas. Next week is Thanksgiving here in Canada, and am glad that I will be spending it with my girls. That will be good.

Anyway hope everyone has a good week to come, and finds ways keep warm in this colder weather. We actually had snow here this weekend, but fortunately it does not seem to be staying long.

Keep Warm, and have warm thoughts :)

Realizations wants and needs.

I want to only work part time.
I want to have fun in my life.
I want to spend more time with nature.
I want to move away from this city.
I want to explore life adventures.
I want to be traveling again.
I want to feel alive.

I am discovering that I want to make new goals, and create plans.
I am putting plans together to get on the road and travel again, this by working and saving money. I had such a good time during the summer months, and enjoyed reconnecting with old friends and meeting new ones. I miss them alot and want to get back on my road trip so that I can visit with them again.

In another month, I am hoping I will be on the way to Ontario again.

Sunday - Day off from Work

Well I sure have been pretty lazy today. I am thoroughly enjoying my one day off from work this week. I have been taking it pretty easy, had blueberry pancakes for breakfast , took a wonderful bubble bath, and most of the day on and off have been playing on the internet.

Checking in with Facebook friends, Vandweller tribe, and catching up on email replies.
I am doing pretty good...not entirely happy about being back at where I am living, but renting a room close enough to work is an okay thing for now, and gives me warmth for the upcoming Winter Season...but not my ideal place .

I have been crazy busy at work, and have been reminded that I do not want to work full time forever, but having a job through the Winter Season can be a good thing for me, as most of you know I tend to become a hermit, and can become pretty comfortable with that. I am most definitely NOT a winter person, so forcing myself to get out of the house, can be good for me, and if there is a job with a paycheque, well definitely a good incentive for me. So I guess for this year I will not be so much a hermit :)

Being a mom to two teen daughters ,( well I should correct myself as my oldest just turned 20 two days ago, so she is a young woman now, no longer a teen :)) can be a challenge some days, but if feels right to be back here helping them out, so for now I am okay with my choice to return to Calgary. At least for awhile until they are more grounded and back on their feet. Funny how life can turn in a moment's notice. But they are both recoginizing that they have good support systems , just have to remember to reach out and connect with folks. I think unfornately they take after me somewhat , and become hermits except for work. My youngest lost her job, and is now living on welfare, I am not happy about this turn of events, but at least she has an income for awhile, until she figures out some stuff for herself. I help her out also as I am living in the same house as she is for now, we are both renting from my old work friend. So I am going to help out with food so she eats healthier.

My oldest decided that after breaking up her engagement, she is redecorating her apartment, so that has given her a purpose and distraction, and a new outlook ...at least in her personal space. I am helping her out with some new decorations and celebrating her birthday when I get paid next week :) A good mother /daughter bonding time together, as we are also going to go shopping.

One thing I have realized is that it has been a long time since I have worked in an office setting, and do not have any business clothing..I had a uniform from when working as a security guard, so did not need many clothes as when at home, mainly sweat pants or pajamas...kept two pairs of jeans for going out, and working nights before, well ya know did not go out much except on weekends. But now that I am working again in an office, need some business outfits, so my daughter and I are going shopping next weekend for some. I just picked up two dress pants and three shirts to get me through until then.

Anyway, back to exploring the internet and still working on that food list I talked about....will be posting it soon :)

Have a good week everyone! Oh and Happy Birthday Katie, have a wonderful celebration of life and have some fun!!!!

Weekend Reflections

WOW, what a week this has been. I feel good about my week, feel I got alot accomplished, and in many ways am glad that I came back out west to Calgary and am working back with the same company.

I am liking my job as administrative assistant. There is tons of variety, and no two days are alike, so that is good. But oh the hours are so tiring at the beginning. This is because the last person in the job was not happy with their life, and did the bare mininum in many areas, so many tasks that needed to be done, are not done, and I have been working ten hour days to get caught up. I think in another week, it will feel smoother and I will not be working so many hours, ( thank goodness) but admit , I am looking forward to my paycheque that will be more that I had originally planned.

This is not something I want to do long term, but for now it feels good to have some income flowing again, and will be able to save up some more money to accomplish those goals I had set for myself...and give me a bit of stability through the winter months.

My boss has put in a microwave and small fridge in the storage room, so I can keep food in there and even got a coffee machine with my favorite coffee! He is even going to get me a shelf so I can put some dried foods or canned foods there for meals during the week.

That made me feel really good :)
He has been great about accomodating my needs so that life is easier for me. That way I can work hard to make the office run smoother and life can be somewhat easier for him, at least work wise.

I have not decided where I am going to stay during the winter months...but figure another couple of weeks and I will figure it out. I have put out requests to some friends and will see what unfolds. I do not need anything big, as I now do not have much in the way of belongings, since I did such a good job of downsizing.

My scrapbooking projects has been put on hold for a little while , so that I can regroup, get organized with working full time again, and figure out a space to work on scrapbook projects.

I have not been able to keep up to date with emails, reading vandweller messages and Facebook, but got some time on the internet today. I have seen some tribe members coming together to help out members in need and it made my heart happy to know that our tribe still works together like family. This is why we create community with one another.

Thanks for all your support, and yes will get to replying to my emails within the next few days. Know that I am doing well, getting myself grounded again, and feel good about where I am at. I know that you care, and I feel your warm support flowing. I feel loved and know that I have a great support system !

Whirl Wind Week

Wow, my life got turned upside down in a matter of days.

I am now back out in the West as got a phone call from my oldest daughter who was needing me, and an email from my former boss who was wanting me to return to help him with some work.

Took a couple hours to reflect and thought, okay , what the heck..here goes my gypsy spirit traveling once again. At least I have an income flowing again for awhile, however long that is...and will visit with my girls , will be here for Thanksgiving now....so now sure how long awhile will be, but I will be going back East again....

For now have a better job, with a better pay ( my boss incentive was a raise, and he paid my way back) and I have a place to stay ....will be able to get some more supplies for the winter months which will be good, getting better prepared for the cold that is forth coming for sure.

Now will have some money to get some things done faster hopefully!

Hope everyone is having a good week.

Feeling Crappy

I am still not feeling very well...sleeping alot today. Another woman who lives in the house is also sick and fighting a cold, so I suppose my body is trying to fight off sickness...but sure is weird that I am sleepy so much today.

I did go out for a morning walk , which was good, but came home and slept for 3 hours this afternoon and it is early night and already feeling like I am ready for bed.

Crazy, but sure hope tomorrow I feel better.

feeling sick today

Earlier this morning, helped friends move into a house down the street from where I am...went well, made a pot of home made soup and took it over for them..they had ordered in chinese food, so had some and it tasted yummy.

This afternoon, I am feeling really crappy, having to go to the bathroom every hour...had a hot bubble bath, but still not feeling great, so just been playing around on computer and Facebook .

Sure hope tomorrow feeling better. Have started looking for a part time job, will see what is out there, as I hope to save up some money so after the winter season do a bit more traveling about and hope to get my passport so can go on some of the vandwelling gatherings planned.

Hope everyone had a good weekend and a good start to a new week.

Street Address and New Id

So I got my first piece of Ontario id the other day. It was a library card. Interesting way to get my new card, as I did not have id with an address on it, and no utility bill which they say they require...so instead what they do is send you a card in the mail, and when you receive it you bring it into the library to get your card.
It worked out well for me, as I am staying at a community house, and no bills are in my name...really no way to prove I live there other than sending me mail.

Thought I would share this for anyone that might need a way to start off getting new id in Ontario.

Check with alternative communities to see if you can use their place for address purposes. The Catholic Worker communities are good ones for this, and they are all over the world..including many in the usa. So for folks who are needing a street address, you can explore this as an option.

Interesting Week

This has been an interesting week....have been doing more baking, even made home made zuchinni bread earlier this week. Ha ha it was gone within a hour as everyone loved it so much...have promised to make it again. It was really moist and yummy.

A couple of folks in some of the apartments do not have their own stove, so decided that sharing baking goodies would be a good neighborly thing to be doing. Certainly has put some smiles on faces this week .

A friend of mine does some catering deliveries so we have been blessed with left overs the past couple of weeks for our household. Yummy home made soups are a real treat, it has been good to have some home made mushroom soup on hand , makes a great sauce for pasta :) One of our favorite dishes here, as it is quick and also pretty cheap to feed a crowd of folks.

Still working on food list, hope to have it complete more of less next week and will post it of non cook foods .

Have a good day!

Weekend is Here

Wow this week has just flown by...there is never a shortage of things to do around here to keep busy, it is sometimes finding the time to sit and relax that is a challenge...but of course that is what afternoon tea time is all about. How did I ever fit a full time job into my life, with so many fun activities to participate in...oh wait, that happened when I got here :)

I am happy the weekend is here, a friend of mine within the community here is getting married and we are having a huge celebration. I will have the opportunity to reconnect with many friends who are coming here from out of town who I have not seen in many years. It will be wonderful! Some of them I used to travel with when my girls were younger, and some of them I worked with at a retreat centre.

I also have a friend who is coming from out of town on Saturday and we are going to pull an all nighter catching up with one another :) We have been chatting through email and on phone but have not had a chance as yet since I have come here to see one another due to her work schedule and my crazy traveling. So am very happy we finally are going to be able to connect in person, I have known her since I was in my teens, and we used to be best friends for so long until life took us in different directions and we lost touch for a few years. It will be so good to hang, go for a drive and blast music and just have fun together like we used to.

Last night I made homemade pizza with english muffins...just added tomato sauce, grated cheese and some veggies...they were very good, and sastified my craving for pizza.

My experiment with no shampooing is going pretty well. I am enjoying it. Have still been just rinsing my hair with water , have not used the baking soda on my hair, but I am using it for my deodarant and LOVE it. So much better, and is cheaper too :) One of the other woman in the house I live in has also decided to try it , and she has a friend that has a young daughter and the daughter has NEVER used shampoo for her hair and it looks GREAT...and the little girl is 6 years old. So that encouragement and inspiration has kept me going. I kind of feel like it is really easy where I am living to try out all these new ideas as alot of folks in this community are into trying alternative living styles. So that helps alot. Makes it comfortable to "be different" and yet here I am not so different, for the first time I feel like I actually fit in with other folks, cause they are also doing things off the norm of society. Pretty cool!

I love reading other vandwellers blogs to see what they are up to, what new things they are trying out, ways of living. Thanks Katie for sharing your idea of no shampooing, as it motivated me to do some research on the internet and found a whole new following of your idea which I never knew before was out there. Feel free to share more ideas :)

Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!

Budget Further with No Shampoo experiment

Well the past couple days have been sunny, so have been outside more...has been good...the weather is a bit cooler so that must mean that Autumn is just around the corner. Even wore my hooded sweatshirt, and I have not had to do that for quite awhile!

I have gotten to eating oatmeal again for breakfast. Quick and cheap and it sticks with me for most of the day until almost dinner time. I still have my afternoon tea time, but do not have such big snacks if I have oatmeal for breakfast...so it lasts me longer and helps keep my food budget stretch farther.

I also read Kate's posting about going no shampoo, so have decided to try it out for awhile and see how it works for me. On day two of no shampoo... so far have just been rinsing with warm water...and have started to use Baking Soda for deodorant and it works , and is so much cheaper also. Thanks Kate for the tip. I have been enjoying reading your posts and learning to try new things! It is really help me stretch my budget farther, which is a good thing :)

Will update you on how the experiment of going no shampoo works out for me!

Hope everyone has a GREAT week.

Board Games

A few friends have been gathering to play Board Games...this surprised me as I did not realize that some folks still really enjoyed playing board games. I know that I used to love playing them when I was younger, and also my girls did too...but then lost interest or got side tracked with television shows and of course the internet and just did not play so much. My youngest daughter and I would play scrabble sometimes but that is about it.

Well now I am hanging out with some folks in a community who weekly gather to play board games...so wondered what your favorite board games are to play?

Feel free to comment, I want to hear all about your board games !!!!

Raining Outside

Wow, it is raining again!

Of course it has only been a few days since the last short rain...but it does seem to me that it has rained a fair bit since I have gotten here to Ontario....fortunately I am in a place where I can stay nice, warm and dry :)

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Change of look to blog

Since wandering about on my journey and traveling, I have been wearing denim again. It has been very comfortable and I have enjoyed being able to dress in a much more relaxed clothing style. So thought that I would carry this on to my blog, as I am feeling very relaxed these days!

New journey, new look!

Greetings from the Open Road

Greetings to all

Sorry for not posting much sooner, as I have lost track of time while wandering and how long it has been since I posted in the blog. I will try to be much better at getting to a computer.

Thank you for your patience as I have been traveling around, reconnecting with old friends and making new ones. This continues to be a wonderful experience and I am loving my time being on my journey.

My journey has been GREAT!!! I have loved every day...and have been having so much fun it has been absolutely incredible! This has been the best experience of my life :)

I am still in Canada, and have been traveling from Western Alberta to Eastern Ontario...making some stops along the way, but just hanging out with friends and enjoying having time for myself ..and best of all, just relaxing and not working, as I have been taking time for an extended holiday! Greatly overdue.

I have finally settled in Ontario now, and am staying with friends at an intentional community, and am feeling for the next while, however long that may be , will be making my home base here. I had felt I wanted a home base until next Spring or Summer as did not think traveling around through the Winter months would be much fun.

I am currently staying in a old house, near the lake , so get to take many lakeside walks and quiet prayer time sitting by the lake.

One of my favorite past times is to wander along the path by the lakeshore and go down to where there are sailboats...I grew up with a sailboat, so love to watch them when I can!

The other day I was able to watch some sail boats, and it was great fun.

As I was wandering back from one of my lakeshore walks, I was very pleased to see a family of ducks swimming by...so of course I stopped to watch. It was delightful way to spend some time just sitting quietly!

I will make an effort to blog more, so folks know what I am up to...but for the most part, I am taking the time to enjoy life , and finding small ways to celebrate life each and every day!

I will be working on getting my passport next so that I can make a trip across the border into the USA, but that journey will be made next year!

Beautiful Morning

Ahh the sunrise was gorgeous this morning...and the birds are singing and sun is shining....it is so clear. What a wonderful way to start my new journey!

This morning I am feeling pretty good, slept good last night...I am glad that I had my flannel liner inside my sleeping bag, just feels cozier somehow :) All snug as a bug inside!

I am heading East bound , towards Ontario to start off...have some dates planned with some friends for get togethers and campouts and am really looking forward to reconnecting with my brother who I have not seen in a few years. He has remarried and now has two young children, so will be fun to meet his new family and go out on a boating trip on Georgian Bay. I have missed boating, been away from Georgian Bay since I was a teen, and will be fun to get back on the water there and see the old family house.

I am feeling quite energized this morning. Hope everyone has a great weekend and gets to enjoy this beautiful sunshine!

New Look to Blog

A couple of folks had shared that they had a bit of a hard time reading my blog with the dark back ground and light green writing....so have changed the look and style to reflect summer season and a lighter background to make it easier for you.

The daisy back decorations is in honor of my mother, who passed away a few years ago. Daisies were her favorite flower.

Feel free to leave comments to let me know if this is easier for you to read.

Kylie

A Gypsy on the Road

As of today, I am officially a Gypsy on the Road for the next while...not sure for how long, but my theme song will be " On the Road Again" by Willie Nelson.

Will be updating along the way as adventures unfold, and I am able to access the internet and when I can step away from being a tree hugger or playing in the woodlands :)

Ready to Get on the Road!

This past couple of weeks, have been spent getting the final errands and chores completed for my road trip...time has just flown by so quickly, as I am working right up until two days before leaving. I decided to hold off an extra day as I knew I would a day of sleep before hitting the trails.

My daughter and I have been spending quite a bit of time in between chores and errands to play in the local park and have some fun and bonding mother - daughter time before I take off. Last weekend, we decided on the spur of the moment to put together a picnic and spend an entire afternoon in the park , enjoying the sunshine.

It was quite a lot of fun being "big kids" for an afternoon! Guess you are never too old for fun and playtime...even in a local playground!

I discovered, that I am still too short to reach the ground..my daughter had a good laugh over that one...still a short stuff!

Canada Day

I spent a wonderful day off from work, celebrating Canada Day with my youngest daughter.

We went shopping together, had a good steak dinner, and just hung out with one another.

A relaxing day indeed!

Sunday - Day of Rest

Well Sunday is a day of rest....well for most people...for me it is the day I start my week of working. I don't mind it, as I have been working nights..working Sunday night to Thursday night. The nice thing about that is that I have been getting every weekend off from work. That has been a luxury for me. I am used to working shifts, and have usually had to work on weekends, which is not great if you have family living with you.

But the past year , since I started at the new work site doing security work, it has been pretty steady night shift and having weekends off. It has been in a quiet community health centre...a good place to work and within walking distance from my house, which was a real blessing saving time on travel.

There is something to be said for having a steady days on and weekends off. It is good to know what your days off are, and to look forward to them, being able to spend weekends with your family is a real blessing.

This weekend has been a good example.

Yesterday I had a headache, spent most of the day relaxing in bed, and had a good sleep with my window wide open...woke up today, feeling wonderful. My youngest daughter Jen and I went out for ice cream and a bit of shopping for my road trip that is coming up.

The sun was shining, we were both in good moods, and had a wonderful day of mother- daughter time. ...came home, and got some household chores done such as laundry ...and we shared a pizza that we got from M&M Meat store and I made a spinach salad for supper...it was delicious.

Now I am getting ready to head back to work, and start another week of night shifts.A real blessing to have a steady income, to have a roof over my head, good food in my tummy, and be able to take road trips and holidays.

The past two years working for this company doing security work, has provided me time to for personal and professional growth, learn and develop skills in a new career, and do some healing after feeling burnt out in my last job.

I have been very fortunate to have opportunities for meeting new people, trying new careers, taking time for life learning, and creating community in my life.

Hope every one is enjoying a glorious weekend !!!

New Camera - New Pix

My daughter and I went out for our Sunday ice cream get together, and I took along my camera and took some photos of the Urban Nature in our neighborhood....here are some of the gorgeous trees and neighbor gardens .

Counting Down

Road Trip - Count Down - 19 Days !!!!

The sun is shining, it is a glorious day, having a good weekend...feeling positive, and ready for my next adventure!

Okay have begun the daily count down now....went shopping at Canadian Tire, picked up a cooler, and couple other small supplies...

Now getting ready to pack, put some boxes in storage or sending ahead to my destination.

Yeah 19 Days until I hit the road.

Camera - Sony Cyber Shot

Here are photos and info about the Sony Cyber Shot camera that I purchased.

The easy-to-use Sony CyberShot S930 offers a great value introduction to the Cyber-shot experience. The Sony S930 is packed with serious features like Face Detection and SteadyShot image stabilisation for clearer pictures in any situation and exposure settings while a 3x optical zoom lens and 10.1-megapixel resolution deliver crisp, clear images.

Key features
SteadyShot
Face Detection
2.4" LCD screen
3 x Optical Zoom
10.1 Mega pixels
ISO 3200
In camera red-eye correction

10.1 Megapixel Super HAD™ CCD Image SensorA powerful 10.1 megapixel 1/2.3” Super HAD™ CCD image sensor helps you capture gorgeous images with superb contrast and clarity down to the finest detail. With 10.1 megapixels, you can create stunning, photo-quality prints up to A3+ (13x19”) size, or crop your images and still come away with high resolution shots.

Extend your reach with 3x optical zoom3x optical zoom lens captures sharp images, even from a distance, and enables close-up shooting up to just under 2” (5cm) from the subject.

SteadyShot™ digital image stabilizationSteadyShot™ digital image stabilization compensates for camera shake and helps prevent blur by capturing two photos at high shutter speeds and combining them into a single clear image.

Face Detection technologyFace Detection technology detects up to eight individual faces and controls flash, focus, exposure, and white balance to deliver accurate, natural skin tones with reduced red-eye. It can also give priority to children or adults. Newly added Face Motion Detection adjusts ISO sensitivity and accelerates the shutter speed when facial movement is detected, reducing blur in the subjects face.2.4-type LCD DisplayFeaturing outstanding luminance, superb colour reproduction and a high-resolution 112,000 dot screen, this LCD is ideal for precise composition and viewing of photos.

Sony CyberShot DSC-S930 retouch features The Sony DSC-S930 is equipped with tools to edit, archive and share. The Sony camera has in-camera retouch features like red-eye correction and image management to easily sort through thousands of photos in calendar view or album view. You can group favorites and filter by baby, adult, all faces or smiles.

The PhotoMusic feature offers an HD slideshow mode with transitions and music for viewing on the camera or television.

GPS unit for the Sony CyberShot DSC-S930 A newly developed GPS unit kit GPS-CS3KA can put geotag data to pictures taken by the Sony CyberShot S930, these can then be viewed on maps with Google Earth software and uploaded on major web sharing services. The key benefits over the previous model are higher sensitivity, built-in memory card and SD slots and an LCD display for enhanced usage

Good Day with Daughter

It was such a good day yesterday with my youngest daughter....one of those rare days, where we just were able to connect throughout the day and enjoy each others company....she was in a good mood, and that seems to really determine how the days play out lately. ... also helped that it was payday for me, and we were doing some grocery shopping....and I had a bit extra to get some special treats. We decided to really go out and have a special dinner since I am leaving soon...so we splurged big time and had a STEAK DINNER...and oh gosh was it so yummmmy.
When my daughter wants to really take the time and make an effort, she is a fabulous cook for an 18 year old...she made us garlic butter shrimp for appetizers, a peppercorn steak, corn, peas, baked potatos with sour cream, and I helped by making a salad !!! She even cleaned up the kitchen.......Did I mention she was in a good mood :) For dessert, we bought creme brule from the local M&M meat store, and it was pretty good.

Today, I have a cash paying job doing some administrative assistant stuff for a friend who is a consultant...rather than have a regular assistant, she will pay cash for working and helping her out for a day, this time, I get lucky and get to help her...I say lucky because there is also lunch thrown into the deal, and she usually makes home made bannock :) This is a friend that I have helped out previously on many occasions and she is really good to work for...I enjoy her company and we usually have a lot of fun together, as she often has various projects on the go, so the work is interesting also. Looking forward to seeing what today brings !

So this is a bonus, since I did not know about this job until last night when she put out the emergency request by email, and I was the first to respond :) This will be extra money for road trip, or I might just put this into the cookie jar for my Van fund :) Either way it is a bonus which I am very grateful for.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

New Camera

Well I managed to get a new digital camera at Walmart this morning.

It is a Sony Cyber Shot which I have used before, and I remembered to get a memory card for it as well :) Decided to get a 8 gb memory card to hold lots of pics along the way :)

So am going out this weekend to take pics and will share them here for my favorite spots within Calgary city. Just to get started on the photo journal part of this blog...oh I am so excited to finally have my own digital camera again!

Hope everyone is having a good weekend. I am enjoying the glorious sunny weather so far, and continuing to get ready for my road trip!!!!!!

GRATITUDE JOURNAL

I love working night shifts, so that when doing exterior patrols, I can feel the night cool breeze flowing ....and during the days, I can shut the curtains to block the bright sun so that I can sleep.

I feel grateful that there are so many opportunities for new adventures unfolding in my life right now, it will be hard to choose which ones to explore first, while embracing the networking and reconncting of friendships from long ago.

I feel blessed, that I have a good relationship with my daughter, so that we can talk through rough patches in our lives without totally destructing what good stuff we have gathered throughout the past few years to get to this good place we are in.

I feel truly blessed that I have a good job, and a wonderful boss, who lets me take time off from work as needed .

I feel grateful for the paycheque I gather to explore and try new foods, that provide comfort, and sustance...and oh so yummy treats.

I feel lucky to have a good doctor, who takes the time to explore all tests and see what needs to be checked and gently reminds me of getting back on track as needed.

I feel so lucky that there are wonderful cyber friends and connections that check in to say hello and keep track of me, when I forget to let you know I am okay....hence making more of an effort to blog regularly as requested :)

Thanks everyone for sticking by me, as I have explored, tried and tried again to make changes...the fruits of my labor the past year are finally paying off :) And we can all jump up and down, do a little jig and celebrate that this road trip is finally happening!

Interesting Blog

I have been stumbling around on the internet and came across this interesting blog.

Thought you might want to check it out, about a guy that went to the woods, found simple living, and is now back to the city doing a bit of traveling. Lots of videos blogging also on his journal.

Interesting blog

Doctor Update

Interesting turn of events........went to the doctor for my follow up appointment after having tons of tests done....and the end result was they all came back good....I am now cancer free, thyroid is good after the surgery, and my other tests such as cholesterol, and diabetes test came back good. The only thing now is the doctor says I need to lose about 30 pounds so that it does not continue to affect my liver..as I have issues with my liver, and my extra weight is causing some problems.

Okay , now I have never had an issue with my weight, in fact have always been on the slimmer side, so the fact that now I have been told to lose weight by my doctor...well where to start? Guess those late sugar fixes are now out...but working night shifts is hard when you are awake and you like to eat...but the other problem is I also eat during the day...guess eating both day and night does not make for a healthy eating habits. Lucky for me it is summer season, and I LOVE fresh salads and fruit and veggies, so that will be the place to start with, and take it from there. I CAN DO THIS!

Had a good talk with my daughter about the changes coming up....she has since lost her job, and she is feeling a little vulnerable...so reminded her of her choices , and that this does mean we are going to be separated for good...just a little holiday and then she will be free to come and join up with me, but right now I need to take this trip on my own, find a place to have a home base to work from, and reconnect with my friends...but yes I am moving EAST and getting set up. Have my glasses, going to get my learners and then purchase a van, and set up camp!

There are so many opportunities for both of us, and she wants to stay close to me, and likes the choices I am making for myself, and wants to continue to be part of it...we are both interested in getting some land some where and creating a home land base for us to work with....so that is a good sign.

I just want to get going, the date is not coming fast enough for me in one respect, but then again, it is giving me a chance to get some more cash together, and have a bit on reserve, which will be a good thing...hang out for the remainder of the summer, do some fishing with my friends, go camping, and just travel around...and start networking for temporary contract jobs like I used to do previously and loved. Just need to re -establish contacts to get the ball rolling :)

All in all a pretty good day...glad that I went to the doctor and got the results, so now am good to go, and my doctor knows what I am doing, and told me she thought it was a good idea for me as I have not been happy with my life being in one spot :)

Road Trip Here I Come !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Glorious Morning

I thoroughly enjoyed my walk home from work this morning...the sun is shining, the birds are in the trees, chirping..and it is nice and quiet at home...my daughter is away at her friends until tomorrow night, and my house mate just got a job and he is away, until just after lunch...he is working as a city bus driver.

A good night at work last night, and I was busy making my lists of what foods to take on my road trip. Anyone have any good suggestions?

Kylie

Road Trip Count Down!

I leave on July 16th...counting down the days now. It is now official...spoke with my boss this morning and have arranged for a leave of absence from work, that way the option to return is there.
So getting packed ...and am ready to go...got my tent packed, sleeping bag rolled up, and just need to get a digital camera, throw some clothes together and rolling on down the road!

Oh baby I am so very ready for this Road Trip!!!!

it is amazing what a couple of hours will do to change your outlook on your day and new week will do :) My daughter has taken off for a couple of days, needs to hang with some buds she says...I can understand that one, since I am taking off on my own adventure...so will see her in a few days, for now peace and quiet in the household!

Kylie

A New Week

Well a new week...not off to a great start....life with teenagers can be a challenge some days!

But as I keep reminding my daughter, she is now 18...old enough to be making decisions and living with the consequences of her actions...and thus the fallout that tends to happen. I will always be supportive of her, but when her actions cause her to follow a difficult path, then she has to live with her choices or take action to make changes.

As I am being constantly reminded, the apple does not fall far from the tree...and she can be stubborn, not as much as me perhaps but still stubborn even when it works against her.

This to me is not a good trait, for me, I am oh so stubborn, but I turn it into determination and have it work for me...if I see if is working against me and I am banging my head against the wall, I choose then to step back , reflect, re-evaluate the situation and then either move ahead and fight for what I believe in, or walk away...I do not keep walking and making the same tread marks and go in the same circle.

Why do people keep doing the same thing if it does not work for them...all you do is go in circles and wear tread marks in the ground .....change your path, do something different, take a risk...have some faith, that there may be a possibility of a different outcome. Fight for your beliefs and certainly stand up for yourself.

Okay enough venting now...moving on , to go and enjoy a hot bubble bath, relax, so that I can get some sleep . Oh this is gonna be a long day :(

Gratitude Journal

Today while reflecting, I realized it had been awhile since I had done a Gratitude Journal so thought that I would write one here today.

* I feel blessed that I have a good family , wonderful daughters who continue to inspire me and amaze me with their creativity and maturity.

* I feel very grateful for the wonderful circle of community in my life, that continues to support me especially on my journeys that take me to weird and wonderful places in my life

* I feel blessed to have had two wonderful careers in my life...community development that provided me both professional growth opportunities and personal growth that continues to develop within me, and my second career of being a security guard, that has given me stability and some time of healing when it was much needed. A career that has provided some good learning opportunities that will carry me through old age now!

* I feel very grateful to have had a good home based, to jump off from to explore my wild and crazy adventures, knowing that I could always return if and when I wanted to.

* I feel blessed to live in a country where there are many wonderful foods, to enjoy, celebrate with, and stuff your face...I love good food, especially a great BBQ surrounded with friends sitting around a campfire! Nothing beats food cooked outdoors over an campfire :)

* I feel very grateful to have connected with many online folks, who have similiar dreams of being a vandweller and have shared their knowledge and information to create a tribe of wonderful and quirky folks!

Here is to celebrating life, and the crazy journey that we take together to form community in the unique way that we have. Cheers!

and many blessings
Kylie

Family

Well today is Father's Day...not a great day for me, as I am not really in touch with my father...but I did bite the bullet and call up my brother to wish him a Happy Father's Day. He is now a father, I have yet to meet my two little neices ( found out today from his wife they had another daughter earlier this year) and told them I would be traveling their way the end of July and would love to stop in and visit. My brother was not home, but did leave a message....it will be good to reconnect .

Today the weather is a bit cool, rainy, so glad that I do not have to be outside today....so am puttering around the house, doing household chores like laundry etc....am going to make a pot of chili for supper tonight, it just seems like that kind of day...will have to make home made biscuits rather than cornbread as we have no cornmeal and I just do not feel like taking a trip to the store...so will surprise my daughter with home made biscuits. yummy.

Anyway just wanted to say Happy Father's Day to all you vandwellers who are fathers or "adopted" fathers and have a wonderful celebration day with family ( whether biological or community members that you have taken on as family)

Enjoy your time with loved ones, as life is precious...this I was reminded of recently when I had a cancer scare, but fortunately for me I am cancer free! So celebrating life and all the good things on your journey is important to do. Take time to slow down, smell the roses, and enjoy your day!

Kylie

Living Life on the Road

Well huge changes...counting down now to the day I leave the city to lead a life on the open road for the remainder of the summer...I am going to be living out of my tent, camping out and moving East...I have a place to stay when I get there ( an intentional community that I used to live in) and will be traveling around reconnecting with friends that I have not seen in several years but have kept in touch with via email.

I am feeling so free, and so excited...all my small goals are being completed, and I am taking this next step to facilitate the transition to move into a van and become a vandweller. I have a friend in Ontario that has been looking at vans for me, as she works as a security guard at an auction house...

My daughter is working full time to October, and will stay here until just before Christmas, at which point she will come to celebrate the holidays with me and then decide what she is going to do...she also talks about moving to East as there is a college there she wants to attend in another year. She wants to travel also a bit before going back into traditional school ( the past two years she returned to homeschooling ). She is registering with Willing Workers on Organic Farms and hopes to do some volunteer farm work while traveling throughout the next year before heading back to school.

I have some scrapbooking consultant jobs lined up in Ontario when I get there, but other than that, I will be just working temp jobs or get a part time security gig for when I want a steady job...not too worried about working until Autumn season.

I have plans with a friend to go fishing, and there is talk of a road trip further East to New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and PEI...but for now , am not making any concrete plans, just want to get on the road and traveling again...have had itchy feet for quite some time, and just decided it was time!

So I will be purchasing a new digital camer and will be taking pics of my road trip along the way.

Stayed tuned for updates!
Blessings
Kylie

Finally Updating

Sorry it has been awhile since I have last blog...I will add some updates and share what has been happening the past month and a bit. Lots of changes coming in the near future...good things, accomplishing my smaller goals, and now leading to my long term goals. Feeling good and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel of dealing with some of my medical issues.

The biggest change that is coming in about a month, is that I am moving to Ontario..been reconnecting with friends and an intentional community that I used to live in many many moons ago, and there is openings and I am joining them again. Feels right, and brings forth the simple living goals that I am striving towards.

I have gotten my new glasses, took awhile, am about to write my drivers exam and then on to getting a van, which will happen when I get to Ontario.

I am going to be taking a Master Gardner program which is being offered online and has a practium component to it, which I am very excited about. There is also a Field Naturalist program that is being offered through a college in Ontario and is a year long program...am looking in to getting prepared so that I can take that program next year!

Lots of changes, but really just working off my list of goals that I have been wanting to accomplish and now am taking the steps to make it all happen in baby steps!

My daughter who is now 18 is almost done her year of homeschooling, is writing her exam for her correspondance course next week...and is working at an amusement park for the summer til September, then she plans on joining up with me in Ontario and doing some traveling and working as an intern on some farms. She is also planning on taking a college program in about a year which will lead to working in Parks and Agriculture work.

Will be working over the next few days to back track and let you know how the past month has been ...but know that we are good, and getting ready for our summer road trip.

Blessings
Kylie

Contract for Scrapbooking

I am feeling pretty excited as I have just taken on a new contract to do some scrapbook albums for a co worker...she has several she wants done, and the deal is that I will do them and the payment will be the extra supplies that I need for my scrapbooks, I get to keep.

What is really cool, is that she has alot of outdoor pictures, so will be able to get some great camping stickers and outdoor themed paper, which is what I usually use for my albums, and so will have lots of extra paper and stuff.

Also I will get to create a portfolio of various albums that I create which will help start a scrapbook consulting business that I can take on the road and get jobs while traveling.

L.L. wants some heritage albums also made for her family, for her daughters as she is really interested in geneology and has tons of info, just needs to be put together in an album..which I have agreed to do for her....have not done one before, but found some great heritage , old fashioned patterned paper over at Michaels Craft Store the other day while window shopping, which would be great in heritage albums.

I will also be able to get a few more albums for myself for creating some recipe scrapbooks that I have made for a couple of friends of mine....I put together a camping album a few months ago and sent it off to my friend in Ontario...and with it included some of her favorite camping recipes that they use over the campfires...she loved it...too bad I did not think of taking pics of the pages to use for my portfolio...but will be making some more so will remember to take pics of the pages when done next time.

I have even created a business name for it, and will register it as a home based business so that will also work while traveling.

Any vandwellers want a scrapbook made for them...will only charge for supplies used, if you are interested....send me a message or leave a comment here and I will arrange to create a scrapbook of your vandwelling adventures!

Back to Work

WOW, I had a fabulous weekend...on Friday I had a friend call me up and chat with me about the community house he is creating...so went over there and spent a couple nights there, and it looks like the type of community that I want to become part of for awhile until I get on the road...

Then on Sunday , my friend Susan , ( who I meet regularly and share afternoon tea) and I took off on a day road trip up to the mountains to Banff...had a wonderful time in the hot springs, did a bit of a walkabout, and then had afternoon tea at the Banff Springs Hotel...quite the treat, but it was so good. Definitely worth the road trip.

Now it is back to work for the next five days, but lots to process and make decisions about...feeling pretty good about the direction that life is going.

No Van Yet

Well no new blue van for me this weekend...the van was sold to someone else, by the time I was able to arrange a ride to get to it....but that is okay, going to save up some more money and am already on the lookout for another van.

One good thing that came from this , was the networking, and through my networks, have found a community house, that I am seriously thinking of moving to...has a nice big backyard , and a garage so can work on a community garden,and can rent out the garage when I get my van and create a workshop for puttering around in.

The rent would be cheaper and we would all share food...the downside is it would take longer to get to work, about an hour ...but I think it still might be a good thing for me to do...and there are others who also drive so would have folks to help me practice my driving until I can get to it on my own.

Will decide by next weekend, as am going to stay there again next weekend and make my final deicision.

Weekend Plans

Well tomorrow is Friday, the end of a long week...tonight is my last night working this week, and then on my weekend...and have some great plans this weekend to spend time with some friends.

Tomorrow I am going to go for my learners drivers liscence....I am taking my book into study tonight and then going to the registration in the morning.

Then later in the day I am going to purchase my van....this has been a dream of mine for a few years, and have been working towards becoming a vandweller!!!!

I have been making the transition, by downsizing my belongings, transferred to another job, and changed my life to a much simplier lifestyle.

Sunday am taking a day road trip to travel up to Banff...going out hiking and then afternoon tea with my friend Susan....we have been planning this day for about a month, we were going to go a couple of weeks ago, but then the weather was just too cold, so we waited until this weekend.

I have been working the past couple of days of creating my new blogs, so that all the information I have been gathering , I can have it online and accessible in all one place. This way if my laptop crashes I will still have access to all my info that I have been researching and putting together.

So for those that are interested...I have posted some flatbread recipes, and bannock recipes on my Recipe Blog: http://celticgypsycampfire.blogspot.com

Against the Tide

So I tend to live my life against the tide of everyone else...or at least most folks.

I sleep during the day and work at night...opposite of most people I know, and yet this seems to work well for me, at least most of the time...today..well .... not so well...I did not get much sleep today at all. Only about three hours sleep, and now I have to get ready to head into work, feeling pretty tired.

Oh well, I have been busy today, creating blogs for recipes, and vandwelling tips as I want to compile information and have it all together.

Recipes: http://celticgypsycampfire.blogspot.com

Vandwelling : http://celticgypsyvandwelling.blogspot.com

Just got them created, and found a cool website to decorate the blogs...tonight while I am work, I will start sharing recipes that I have been gathering...the first one being Flatbreads, as that was a request from members of my Vandweller Tribe.

Enjoy

Window Shopping

Okay, I know , I have fallen in love with Vandwelling and still have to wait a
few days to pick up my van.

But went window shopping with my daughter and Canadian Tire this
afternoon.....in the car section there was a "Drive and Grill" that is a small
portable griller that plugs into your cigarette lighter.....cost is $51.oo...it
looked so cool! and of course I want one!!!

My daughter and I went wandering through the car section.....we decided on our
colour theme and will be doing the inside with blue...so to have denim
comforters and have blue and white flowers...there is a steering wheel cover and
seat cover that has pretty blue flowers on it.

Then we went to the camping section and found a portable loo....a large bucket
that already had a toilet seat and a cover on it....looked good...$30.oo...and
found some very cool blue camping dishes, whole sets...that looked cool....we
also found some awesome "coca-cola" theme dishes, but for me the red color is
just too much for my liking, although my daughter loved the red color and wants
to do a blue and red theme inside the van.

Now that the van has become reality she wants to come camping with me on
weekends...so now have to figure out how to put two bed in the van...one along
the back for me as I am smaller only 5'3 and one along side the side of van for
her as she is 6'2...we were talking about getting body pillows and fixing up
the beds to be couches during the day...hopefully that will work, but will have
to see when I get the van next weekend.

Oh how I loved to window shop now that I know the van is coming!

Already planning on weekend trips and have a couple of friends who are now
willing to drive and come camping with us now that I am getting the van...then I
can also practice my driving too.

Bannock

I love to make bannock, or biscuits....we often eat bannock for breakfast with just some butter and jam or for our afternoon tea time ( since I am Irish and LOVE my afternoon tea time) we have it with berries mixed in the recipe for a treat...when doing this I usually add a bit more sugar to make it sweeter, and will often add a bit of whip cream.

Enjoy



Bannock recipes and variations on cooking this bread.

Frying
4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
3 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup lard
1 teaspoon salt
2 to 3 cups cold water
Mix dry ingredients thoroughly. Melt lard and cool. Form a well in the dry ingredients. Pour in melted lard then add enough water that the dough holds together well, but not so much that the dough becomes sticky (if this happens add more flour). Mix with a fork until blended.
Soft, light bannock is made by handling the dough as little as possible. Cook as follows.

Pan Frying

Place in frying pan to cover the bottom. Cook until bottom is browned 4 to 5 minutes. Turn over and continue cooking until bannock is browned and until no dough sticks to a toothpick; or, if in the outdoors a sliver of wood poked into middle.

Stick cooking

Add less water so the dough is a little stiffer. Roll into a long strip and wind this around a preheated green hardwood stick and cook over a fire, turning occasionally, until the bannock is cooked.

Baking

Pour into a frying pan or square cake pan and bake at 400 degrees for approximately 30 minutes or until bannock is browned.

Deep Fat

Make a bit stiffer dough. Knead and work the dough on a floured board with floured hands until smooth. Pinch off fist-sized lumps and shape into a disk. Form a hollow in the center with your thumb and place into hot fat and cook like doughnuts in 350F oil (about 5 minutes). Remove when bannock has browned and risen to the top of the oil. Drain on absorbent paper.

Vandweller Easter Dinner

My daughter who is 18 years old, loves to cook...so she wanted to make the Easter dinner this year and at my request made a meal that would work while being a Vandweller.

She bought a precooked ham , fresh pineapple, fresh green beans, potatos . Turned out a delicious dinner.

Officially a Vandweller

I am so excited....at long last, I am getting a van.....a 89 blue chevy van....picking it up next Friday!!!!

My housemate has agreed to drive me with a friend of his to pick up the van and help bring it back to the house...I will be able to park it in the back for now while I work on it over the Spring and Summer season.........then I have a friend who lives in British columbia who has a homestead, and I will be able to park it on his homestead.

Finally my dream is becoming reality!!!!

My Furry Buddy

I love living in a household with a furry friend...this is Sable ...I will miss her when I move .

Drum Making Workshop

I went to an amazing workshop ....Drum Making ........ had a fabulous time with some wonderful women who I had not seen in quite awhile.

It was so good to reconnect, share in creativty and participate in a ceremony . The potluck lunch was pretty good also!

Definitely a GREAT way to spend the day.

Twists and Turns

Well with any well laid out plan, there are always going to be some twists and turns on the journey....and so goes it with my life lately.........but in the end, it might have turned out for the best, although I am still processing all the events that have taken place the past few weeks.

The end result is: I am still in the city, still with my job, and my daughter has returned home.

Events that led to this decision to stay put...

• my sister life is full of chaos, abusive relationships and she has chosen to live that life...something I am not willing to do.......but did not know the extent of when making original decision to move
• my daughter went to my sister's farm and returned within three weeks saying there is no way she could live with my sister's lifestyle...also discovered my sister had lied about a number of things in her life.
• my boss made me a good counter offer to stay with my job and company with a raise in income and some change of position
• and a friendship has developed into a relationship that has interesting promises for future traveling together.

So now am working towards purchasing a van here, and have been networking to find a place to park it..........my partner and I are also saving up money together and discussing travel plans as we both work towards getting our liscence.

Even with the twists and turns, life is good.....in fact really good.......I have discovered just how much my boss values the work that I do for him, and he is willing to change position to allow me to expand on administrative duties, and still keep my location which is really good. It is a good company to work for, and I feel blessed to have stumbled onto this job a year ago.

A friendship that has been part of my life for the past two years, took an interesting turn after New Years and now has developed into a relationship.........definitely was not planning this, but it feels right and he is good to me............now we are planning on moving in together to save money and looking at purchasing a van for future road trips.

Interesting that since downsizing my belongings, I have not really missed anything even though I am staying put...alot of what I passed along to friends, was stuff that was in storage.........the only things I miss are my scrapbooking supplies that I gave away, but they are easily replaced with a trip to the local Michael's Craft store...........( in fact a good reason to go shopping to get updated and new supplies for the season)

I am now looking towards a goal of creating a mobile scrapbooking business, as I saw an idea that someone else was doing, and it stuck in my mind........it would be a great way to have my mobile life for the future, and still have a source of income...........traveling and facilitating workshops. Some past clients of mine got in contact with me for some contract work, and it has led me to looking at starting up a home based business again.

this time my home business will have a focus on Creative Arts...which will include scrapbooking, life skills coaching, journal writing workshops and also possibly clowning again............( Clowning was a short term career with my daugher, after we both some classes and it was fun ...and now someone has requested my services for clowning again for an event) It has been interesting to see how networking clients from a few years ago still pops up with contract work for me when I least expect it.

With these recent contract jobs, got me thinking of creative income opportunities with traveling and having a mobile lifestyle...lots of possibilites if you are willing to be open minded and think outside the box with your creative ideas!

So this is just a reminder, that even though your plan may not turn out like you hope, keep an open mind and look for the opportunities that are being presented........it might just lead you on a whole new adventure!

This week

This week has been a good week. I have begun the process of gathering with friends to say good bye...getting ready to move East to be near my sister.

My daughter is moving in two weeks, so that she can start the college prep program which starts on March 2nd...so she is going ahead to get settled and started in the school so that finally she can finish her grade 12. That has been a goal for her this year...sometimes a bit of a struggle, as school is not her strong suit...but I am so proud of her that she has come thus far , and is in reach of completing her goal now.
Then we will work towards a college education.....

For me, I have been working on a project that my boss gave me....and knowing it will take a few weeks....and will take me into March...but will give us some extra money for when we move East. I am so looking forward to spending the Spring and Summer on my sisters farm, and we are already discussing putting in a garden for both of us. I can hardly wait. Yesterday when I was in the grocery store, I noticed that the garden seeds are now out...and began looking at what ones to purchase and send to my sister.

The downsizing of my personal belongings and furniture is almost complete...almost all the furniture is gone, taken by a friend who has extended family to share it with...she was suppose to come by and take the rest of it today, but the truck that she was borrowing was not working right, so we made a plan for her to come and get it in two weeks....then I will also start shipping some boxes of books that I do not want to get rid of , send it to my sister....I have been collecting books on homesteading and camping books that I want to keep and will also be very useful when on my sisters farm.

Almost there!

Notice

Well I gave notice to my boss yesterday, gave two months notice so they will have lots of time to find someone else...he is also going to give a good reference letter....

All plans coming together, and moving forward!!!!

Am seriously downsizing and packing camping equipment and supplies....

My sister has already started looking for a van .

Yeah, I am happy that plans are finally coming together.

Excited Updated News

Oh so much has happened over the past couple of months, but I am excited to share my news of finally making my dream come reality.

I am moving to my sisters farm and purchasing a van and going to become a vandweller.

I am so excited...and taking this leap of faith now comes at a really good time for me.

Will share more news as it unfolds, but for the next few weeks will be busy downsizing and getting rid of unwanted/unneeded belongings, furniture and such.

Then making the journey cross country to where my sister lives in a very small town way out in the country.

Will be purchasing a van shortly after arriving, so that can be working on it during the spring season. Hoping to create a piece of paradise with a small garden, campout spot and fixing up a van!

Will share photos and updates ...but first to get me moved across country!

Blessings
Kylie
aka Celtic Gypsy Woman

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

Happy Birthday Jen :)

A day filled with celebration, sharing memories and good times!

Today you turn 18 years old....a major journey in life, as you transition through from youth into adulthood.

Looking forward to our family birthday dinner tonight!

Love Mom

Feeling Sick

I have been feeling kind of sick the past couple of days...I think I have caught the virus or bug that my kidlet has had for the past week..she went to the medical clinic two days ago and we are just waiting to get the results back....

I had to leave work early night before last, and last night I took off to get back on my feet...I am going to be working on Saturday instead so I do not lose a day pay...works out pretty good....

Also we just found out we are getting paid before Christmas, which does not really affect me much...just means I will get a couple special stuff for dinner over the holidays...although most of my grocery shopping will be done tomorrow.

Will catch up on posts when I feel better, most likely over the weekend!

Celtic Gypsy Woman
aka Kylie

Dutch Oven Links to Share

Since I have been researching Dutch Ovens as I am planning on getting one for myself...I thought that I would share some links to Dutch Oven web links and recipes that I have found. I know that some folks have been wanting some recipes using Dutch Ovens.

I am also creating a scrapbook with some Dutch Oven recipes in it, but for now here are some links to help you out:

http://www.dutchovendude.com/dutch-oven-recipes.asp

http://www.recipesfromscratch.com/dutch/index.htm

http://www.cookingcache.com/cat/dutch_oven_recipes/default.aspx

http://www.scoutorama.com/recipe/index.cfm

http://www.scoutorama.com/recipe/index.cfm

Hobo Pie Iron Meals

Making Hobo Pies or Cooking with a Pie Iron

Many of you have probably used pie irons before. They are those long-handled double sided cast iron cookers. There is an infinite number of ingredients that you can use with your pie irons. Experimenting is a lot of fun! You start by opening your iron up and lying a slice of buttered bread on each side (buttered side against the iron). You just add your favorite ingredients, close up the iron and cook on both sides over the campfire. Rotate sides to avoid burning. Your bread will be golden brown when it's done. Cooking time will vary depending on the ingredients - about a minute or two is common. The following are some favorite ingredients to try.

Pizza -- pizza sauce, cheese, selection of your favorite precooked meat toppings, pepperoni, mushrooms, peppers, onions etc.

Fruit Pies - use any fruit topping

Sloppy Joes - precooked ground beef and seasoning mix

BBQ Pork - precooked shredded pork and BBQ sauce

Omelets - one egg and your favorite toppings cooked on one side of the iron

Grilled Cheese - add cheese (maybe even some ham)

Cheeseburger - precooked hamburger, topped with a slice of cheese

Meat Pie - hamburger, onions, potatoes and carrots, seasoning - precooked

Chili - prepared chili and cheese

Hobo Fruit Turnover

I am in the mood for some comfort food...and love apples..so went searching on the web for a recipe and found this one...fortunately I have a pie iron that I bought in the summer, so this would be a great and easy dessert to make over the campfire.

Hobo Fruit Dessert

• Bread
• Can of Favorite Pie Filling

Directions:
Butter a slice of bread and lay it butter side down on the iron. Open the pie filling and spoon some on the bread (not so much that it squirts out though!) Place another slice of bread on top, butter side up and close the pie iron. Place in coals of fire for a few minutes on each side, checking to make sure it doesn't burn. Whalah! You have your hot fresh turnovers.

Comments:

Sleep and Baking

I had a really good sleep last night....I usually work nightshifts and sleep during the day, but Friday and Saturday nights are my nights off...I watched a movie with my daughter last night, and then headed off to bed as I was really tired...WOW I slept for more than 5 hours which is a record for me, as I usually just have mini naps instead of sleeping the required 8 hours. Feels good to feel really rested.

This morning my daughter woke me up and we cooked breakfast together, which was a surprise as she is headed off to volunteer at the camp that she worked for this past summer, they are having a major Christmas party and she is volunteering with the horses to give kids horse rides throughout the day. We made bacon, eggs, toast , whole wheat toast and I of course had my morning coffee, while she made tea....good , healthy and filling.

Now I have the whole day ahead of me, and not sure what I will do...I have a bit of shopping to do today, so may head out and get a couple more Christmas gifts for my oldest daughter, as I drew her name this year for gift giving....She has mentioned that she needs a toaster, so will head over to Walmart to look at what they offer....and there is a Canadian Tire, so am going to look at the camping supplies...I have a bit of extra money, so will pick up a few supplies.....

I try to get some camping supplies each month...adding to my collection to get ready for the Spring Season next year...that way I won't have to go out and do a huge shopping....I am going to be looking at lanterns that use batteries, I know that I saw some at Walmart the other day and am going to compare prices with Canadian Tire....will let you know what I come up with.

I think that I will make a vegetable soup for this evening...my daughter bought carrots, celery, and some rice the other day...and I have some canned tomatos in the cupboard....and was thinking of also making some bannock for some home made bread....have not made bread in a few weeks due to the fact that I bought several loaves when I went to the farmers market ...but now am getting close to being out of bread and payday is not until next Friday...so still another week to go...making either bannock or some biscuits will help stretch the bread that we have left....

I have some dried cranberries so can add them to bannock for some breakfast breads which would be a nice treat or to have a tea time...something that both my daughter and I like to do....and she will be home later this evening as the camp is an hour out of town, so she will be wanting something warm. Yep baking is definitely in the plans for today, and bannock is so easy to make.

Kylie aka Celtic Gypsy Woman

Food List

Today I was thinking of what foods I have been buying lateley...as I get ready for being on the road and wanting quick meal ideas.

I decided to switch to buying spinach instead of lettuce, as I can use spinach in salads, soups, stir frys and also have been adding it to my tomato sandwhiches which as added some good flavor.

I try to purchase vegetables that have more than one use...such as celery, carrots, green peppers, which can all be used in soups, salads, and also sandwiches....more than one use for them makes them more cost effective.

I have been eating sandwiches again , I tend to go through stages...but have been finding enjoyment in sandwiches....and I love cheese so that helps with calcium and getting protein in my diet....

I have been cooking less, as I am getting ready for being on the road and although I will have a small camp stove with me, I am working on creating meals that do not need to be cooked.....

Finding foods that do not need to be cooked is good preparation for being on the road...beef jerky, granola, crackers and cheese, tuna packs, and veggies.....I love eating cereal, and there is so much variety...I tend to add some fresh fruit to add both flavor and added nutrition....easy quick meal and with granola or Harvest Crunch, also filling....

Tortilla breads, pita breads, are easy breads to take with you on the road and are good for making sandwiches...I also eat crackers when I am out of fresh bread...just more of a snack and not a full sandwich...I eat crackers and cheese or meat slices, good meal idea and quick...easy to eat while being a vandweller or on the road.

Another idea is soups...there are lots of places to get some hot water if you have a thermos or two...when traveling I try to always have at least two thermos...one I try to keep hot water in it, for quick cup a soups, hot water for drinks such as hot chocolate, apple cider, tea....and also always have some in case I need a quick filling meal and then use it for instant oatmeal or granola, or shredded wheat....I like to have this at night time, so my tummy is full, but also filled with something hot....I hate going to bed with a cold meal....I like to keep warm at night and a warm soup or bowl of hot cereal is just the right thing.

Hope this helps with some ideas for your road trip or being a vandweller without cooking equipment.

Blessings
Kylie aka Celtic Gypsy Woman

Living Simply

I am working towards my goal of becomig a vandweller, I have moved from renting a large place to renting a room and sharing a place with a friend. I mainly live out of my room and share the kitchen with my friend. But I now am purchasing food as though living as a vandweller and cooking meals as if I was living on the road.

For breakfasts, I mainly have instant oatmeal, or granola with a muffins, or cheese and tomato sandwiches with my morning coffee....when putting on the water for coffee , I also add enough to have with my hot cereal...if I am in the mood for a change, I have also added hot water to granola to make hot cereal also or shredded wheat.

For lunch, I usually just have a sandwhich........and fruit for dessert....

For suppers, I have been making homemade soup or stew lately....and have been making biscuits or using home made bread that I have gotten from the local farmers market....I love making vegetables soups , I can put them in a thermos to help keep them hot...as I work nights, this works really well for me....I have access to a microwave at work, so sometimes have made pasta which I can heat up later...or have gotten some frozen dinners when on sale and have had them at work....having access to a microwave at work has been a real blessing.....

I found a store that sells dried fruits and various trail mixes so have been keeping a supply for munching ....I have begun to buy spinach rather than lettuce as it is more flexible for salads as well as sandwiches or soups . I have been using potatos more than rice as I needed a change and have been making boiled potatos to have as potato salads or heating up for supper later with hardboiled eggs....I have also been purchasing Canadian bacon as a change and can use it for sandwhiches like ham...it has a nice flavor.

I know a fellow tribe member, Wendy who has been posting her monthly grocery list and meal ideas, so thought that next week when I go grocery shopping I will post my grocery list to share with others.

Anyway I wanted to share this info to let others know that you can take small steps and work towards your goals, and even though you might not be ready to be a vandweller, you can live as though you are, by making your life simplier and change your eating patterns to work towards living life as a vandweller so that when it becomes a reality, it won't be a shock to your way of life.

Blessings
Celtic Gypsy Woman
( Also known as Kylie)

Seasons of Change

A new Season in my life path....

Well it is the beginning of a new Season in my life and with it comes working towards my goals and making my dreams become a reality!

I have finally taken a leave from work to take a road trip ....I guess I felt it was time to put action to my goals and focus on creative projects such as my writing . I have been working all summer and will be able to take the next four months and really focus on my goals ...my daughter is going to be homeschooling this year which makes it so much easier to be mobile and travel the roads and explore life. I am excited about this new path and look forward to sharing it with you.

Anyway wanted to say thanks to all of you who have been traveling this journey with me the past year, and for the push needed to get this journal going so as to keep in better touch with the happenings in my life journey and adventures.

Blessings for a wonderful Autumn Season of change and adventures :)

Celtic Gypsy Woman

Gathering Supplies for the Road Trip

I am gathering supplies for my upcoming road trip and will be sharing tips for life on the road in this journal.

Supplies that I have already:

Tent
2 sleeping bags
sleeping bag liner
huge back pack
plastic containers
campstyle plunger coffee pot
camp stove
fuel for stove
Hobo sandwich maker


I am also gathering foods for the trail, and will be going to the bulk food stores to get bulk foods which will be sooo much cheaper.

Also looking at purchasing a van in the next few months which will become my "shelter".

More updates to come soon.

Testing First Entry

Well new road trip plans, new adventures to explore and dreams to become reality. Finally all this planning that I have been working on is becoming reality and I am really excited...it feels like it has taken forever to get here, but now I am ready to focus on my creative projects and get serious about my writing and self publishing .

Folks have asked me to create an online journal to share along the way , so here goes!

I have a gypsy spirit and I am of celtic heritage so thought this would be a good name for self and since I love to travel and want to be on the road again, this will be a good way to keep friends and family up to date on my road adventures.