Work

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Back At Work!

I was thinking of attempting the walk to Yablanitsa today, but then remembered that I’m waiting on a PayPal transfer to my travel account so I might as well wait to go to town so I can make a cash withdrawal at the same time. I have other money I could transfer to my travel account if I was desperate for groceries, but I’m not. So I’m okay with waiting a day. I’m just bored with the food I have left and look forward to having the time to do a proper shop at my own pace. 🙂

Thankfully, there was work available to me when I got up this morning. I did a tiny job sitting at the kitchen table on a stool, but that’s as much as I could manage. Now, I’m sitting in the IKEA chair with my laptop in my lap. It’s actually pretty comfortable and surprisingly functional, but it’s hard to be focused and in “work mode” sitting like this!

The time zone difference with my clients is rather trippy (they are seven to ten hours behind me, so I wake up as they are going to bed) and I have to keep reminding myself that I am ahead. So I won’t be missing anything, just getting emails in the afternoon. I may have to adjust my schedule to working later in the day and not be as much of a morning person as I’ve been the last several years.

I do have to say I rather like having almost no emails waiting in the morning as it makes it so much easier to go out with the dogs and get some fresh air and exercise before getting to work. I had all these intentions of walking first thing in the morning when I was on Isla, but then I’d wake to pressing emails I felt I had to answer right away and before I knew it, morning was well underway and the chance for a quiet walk had passed. I think my three months here will do me a world of good, both physically and mentally. They are going to fly by!

Back to work I go. I love how quiet it is here!

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One Day Left

It has been a very full day and tomorrow will be even worse.

I got up and did a small work assignment, then attempted to file my taxes. Attempted because CRA, in its infinite wisdom, decided to revamp its website in the middle of June when businesses have till the end of the month to file their returns. So the return is ready and I have to wait till my last day in London to send it. Hopefully, there won’t be any hiccups.

Then, I did the first dry run of packing my electronics bag. By the time I added my toiletries bag and the French press, I had to concede I didn’t have enough room, so I had to make some tough concessions after already having pared my electronics list to the bone. But I finally got both bags to close without difficulty even if they are quite full.

I then puttered around, putting things away and cleaning while I waited for Charles to come help me with a few things. This included moving things around in the cabin and putting away part of the swing so that he only needed to help me move in the frame. When he and Caroline showed up, I went on the roof, then Charles spent some time throwing things up to me to weight down a new tarp. The roof has actually not been leaking in some time now, even after several huge storms, so the tarp is just insurance and peace of mind.

Tomorrow’s to-do list in somewhat chronological order:

-laundry, including my bedding
-make a run to the post office in the hope that the two missing things for my trip have arrived at the 11th hour…
-do a deep clean of the rig, including the fridge
-put away the water and sewer hoses
-winterize
-bring things to C&C’s for storage
-remove the battery from my truck and put it in storage at C&C’s
-put away the exterior internet cable and antenna
-mow the lawn (easier when there’s no water hoses or antenna cables or swing in the way)
-finalise my packing
-collapse at C&C’s with my luggage to spend the night

On to Лондон!

Nothing behind me, everything ahead of me, as is ever so on the road. – Jack Kerouac

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Four Days Left Till I Leave Indefinitely

The weekend was a blur of good music, even better food (Caroline made a mean venison stir fry with pesto pasta on Sunday night), and WORK.

I have a bit more work to do by tomorrow night, and then I’m calling it off as I really need to focus on my enormous to-do list.

So today, Monday, I’m finishing up work and volunteer projects.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, is going to be my last running around day. I have to go to Assiniboia to pick up my Co-Op equity cheque, get a few things I’m missing for my toiletries bag, deal with the insurance on the truck, and then go to Willow Bunch for an event at the museum. Then, Charles is going to come over to help tarp the roof, put away the swing, and spread mouse poison in the RV (I have a roommate). And then, I might have to finish a work project.

Wednesday, I get my taxes done, do a deep clean in Miranda, do a final load of laundry,and put away the water hose. This is going to be my last night in my own bed in who knows how long.

Thursday, I’m closing up the property, winterizing Miranda, bringing things to C&C’s for storage, putting away the booster, doing a final walkthrough, finalising my packing, etc. I’ll sleep at C&C’s Thursday night.

It sounds all very neat when laid out like that, but there really is a lot left to do, especially to close up the property even though I’ve only been here less than two months.

Now, I really need to get to work. I’m paying for quitting too early on Saturday…

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Dinner and a Concert

I had a lovely last Saturday night in Saskatchewan!

Charles, Caroline, and I drove to town for dinner and then attended at the Shurniak Gallery in Assiniboia a concert by our friends Saskia and Darrel, The Great Plains. I saw them in Willow Bunch last year and had seen them at the gallery in 2013 as well.

It was lovely to catch up with them and they put on a great show as always. I was so touched that the first song in their set was dedicated to me, my favourite of theirs, “My Father’s Land.” They also do a hilarious song called “Cabin Fever” during which I always lose it when they get to the bit about the propane freezing.

A major rain storm hit while the show was on and the puddles were deep on the highway on the way home. I was relieved to get in to a dry bed. So it looks like I do have my roof leak tamed and doing some additional tarping will just give me peace of mind. Charles has me scheduled for Tuesday night to make sure the roof is secure and to do a few other chores around the property.

Well, I’d better get to bed since I called off early today and I have eight hours of typing to do tomorrow and… I’m invited to supper at C&C’s! Caroline is going to experiment and needs a lab rat. 😀

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One Week Left Till I Leave Indefinitely

I can’t believe how quickly departure day is sneaking up on me!

Here’s an update on my giant to-do list:

Reducing Expenses Back Home While I’m Gone

I can cancel the registration on my truck and have very minimal insurance to cover me for liability. This new policy will be $50 for a year. Savings: $70 per month. I have to do this at the last minute, so it’ll happen on my last trip to town next Tuesday.

I can cancel my SaskTel service since my contract is up. When I come back, I can either get service again with them if I can do so without a contract or look at Bell Mobility. Savings: $80 per month, but I lose my phone number. I have to do this at the last minute, so it’ll happen once I clear security at the airport next Friday. By the way, SaskTel has no customer retention program.

SaskPower will let me disconnect my power for a $170 reconnection fee when I get home. I pay a $30.65 connection fee every month. So assuming I am gone 11 months, I would have paid them $337.15 in maintenance fees. Savings: $15 per month over 11 months. I will get a new account number. I have to make sure I reconnect before a year is up, otherwise my meter has to be recertified by an electrician, negating any savings. I was able to put in a work order for this for next Friday or the following Monday. I didn’t realise that a technician had to physically come here. I really like SaskPower, by the way. I never feel like I’m out in the middle of nowhere when I deal with them.

Finding Healthcare Coverage

I actually didn’t have to do much research on this because the options were so limited and others had done the homework before me. I bought a policy with World Nomads. For just over $400, I am insured up the wahzoo for six months. The caveat is that my SaskHealth coverage needs to be valid for my trip. I put in a notice of extended leave with SaskHealth and haven’t heard back yet, but I’m not concerned as they didn’t have an issue with my doing this for my first winter in Mexico. Ha! I got email confirmation seconds after I posted that my request was approved!

Ensuring That I Have Insurance Coverage for Home and My Personal Effects While Away

As it turned out, my home insurance covers me perfectly even with the addition of my outbuildings, the RV no longer moving, and my traveling for long periods of time. The only thing I changed was increasing the coverage on my buildings, which was an extra $0.50 per month. I cannot discuss my home insurance in any more detail.

I got a nasty surprise that my electronics are not covered by my home insurance while traveling because they are used for business. I have an broker working really hard to find me travel coverage. If he succeeds, the policy will be able what I am paying right now for SGI (truck insurance and registration).

Understanding the Schengen Area Rules

What this boils down to is I’m allowed up to 90 days in the Schengen Area in a 180-day period. The area comprises most of Western and Central Europe, as well as some Eastern European countries like Poland, but excludes the UK. Now that I know I’ll be in Bulgaria, which is not part of the Schengen Area, for my full allotment of 90 days there, I have a better handle on how I’ll handle the Schengen Area to make sure that I can be in Portugal and/or the south of Spain for the bulk of January, February, and March.

Option 1: I leave Bulgaria for a Schengen country for a quick holiday at the start of July to open up a 180-day period that would take me the start of January. This would give me the option of doing Schengen countries like Poland and Greece after Bulgaria. I don’t like this idea because I would have to reenter Bulgaria.

Option 2: I complete avoid the Schengen Area until January. After Bulgaria, I’ll likely go to Serbia and a couple of other countries in the Balkans that are not part of Schengen and then very carefully make my way to Turkey. And by very carefully, I mean that I’ll have to fly because I won’t have the land option of going through Bulgaria and I cannot fly through Athens. Or I may travel straight to Istanbul from Sofia and then fly from Istanbul to Belgrade.

Planning My Packing List and Doing a Lot of Online Shopping

That’s done. I am washing the last of the clothes that I am taking with me for sure and will start packing for real in the next couple of days as I make time to take some photos for my series of posts about my packing list. Now that I know I’ll be in the Bulgarian mountains for three months I’m not so much having to make any significant changes to my packing list as being more certain of what items I can add since I actually still have some room and weight allowance left.

Trying to Learn Even a Smidgen of Bulgarian and At Least Getting Used to the Sound of the Language

My internet is behaving better and I can listen to a few YouTube videos every night. I don’t feel I’m making any real progress, but at least it doesn’t sound like complete gibberish now and I’m starting to recognise some Cyrillic letters…

Making as Much Money Before I Go

Definitely happening. I picked up a new client last night that I am still reeling from shock at adding to my list. I’m not making super good money, but steady easy jobs are the next best thing. I’m not worried about work. My clients are very supportive about my Europe plans.

What I’m hoping for my three rentless months in Bulgaria is to have a comparable cost of living as I do in Mexico as that will enable me really replenish my savings. I expect that any savings I have on rent will be lost with weekend jaunts in the area, but I may be surprised. I do think that I’ll save money over being at Haven in that food will be much cheaper and I won’t have all those at home surprises in the budget that I’m sure other homeowners know about.

What I still need to do:

1. My 2015 taxes. I just can’t be bothered when I have so much work, so this will happen probably on Wednesday next week. Before anyone freaks out, I’m a sole proprietor, so I have till June 30th to file.

2. Make sure I’m satisfied the roof is leak free. I had a drip the other day after a bit storm, just a couple of drops, which was do disheartening when I’d gone through two solid days of rain with no leaks at all. I bought tarps that are just the width of Miranda and instead of strapping them down, they will be weighted down.

3. Close up Haven.

4. Advise the postmaster that I’m leaving again and that Caroline and Charles can handle my mail.

5. Make sure I have both physical and digital copies of all my important paperwork before stashing my printer (and a few other things) in C&C’s basement.

I believe that’s it, in addition to a few work and volunteer projects.

I’m ready to get out there, much as I’m enjoying being home. And I am incredibly grateful that I can do this now, three years ahead of when I planned to, and that the project doesn’t involve selling everything I own or putting things in storage.

All those tough early years of freelancing have paid off. I did have to make sacrifices, but I was right that it would be worth it if I just worked at it. I can’t wait to toast with a pint in London the fifth anniversary of the start of my transcription business!