Two Snails are Go

It’s clearly time that I took this conversation over to Two Snails and get that blog up to date. I’ll get around to that but today seems to be full of busy. We have begun the process of de-cluttering and the first items are already out of the door (I LOVE Sanday!).

I said yesterday that it may be some time before we go – and it will be. Mr L does not finish work until September, so clearly that is the earliest point at which we could go. It is unlikely that we will actually take off at that point however as we need some money. Having decided that we cannot full-time in Brunhilde, we need a better van. That will take cash. We either need to sell the house or wait for my endowment policy to come in. On the other hand, if we were to spot the right van we could choose to cash the policy in early… We are open to all the possibilities but common sense says it will be at least 18 months before we are ready to take to the road full-time. In the interim, Bruni can show us the British Isles on short breaks – really, with her bed, it’s all that we can imagine.

Passports: both our passports are expired. Now, I see much sense in renewing just before we go and hitting the road for the ten year duration. However there is a scenario that would involve the use of a passport in order to view or pick up a van. Should we spot a good buy in France or the Netherlands, for instance, we might want to just up and go. That being so, we have decided to renew our passports asap and will visit the Post Office in Kirkwall to that end, as soon as we are able to go. Weather Gods, please take notice  – a calm day is required next week!We’d prefer it to be a non-working day, please.

Clearly there is much running through our heads at present. Not least has been my pondering on how long we have been talking about going full-time and have yet failed to do it.  Does this mean that we will back out and never actually go.

There are two things here – one is that we have taken significant actions today by declaring our intent publicly and by actually beginning the house clear-out. That was important – to demonstrate to ourselves our level of commitment to this plan. As for not having done it yet – it is my belief  that going sooner, on Mr L’s original plan to escape work as early as possible, that was a poor plan and inherently dangerously doomed to failure. Now that Retirement Day is looming, this is the right time to commit and we are more likely to succeed.

Already gone:

• Dog Travel Cage
• PortaPotti

Advertised:

• Dog bed
• 4 shaft table loom and stand

Next:

• Sorting books and sending to reuse centre or advertising on eBay
• Sorting clothes and sending to charity shops
• a bonfire
• swap  Morgana for a travel wheel – it would good if a Sidekick owner want a Matchless and we could do a deal.