Chapters

The number 9 in numerology is an ending number, as life goes in 9 year cycles.  Sky and I are both in a 9 year and after 28 years together our relationship is ending, or at least, as Sky says, “this is the close of a chapter but maybe not the end of the book!”  A new life beckons and we must heed the call no matter how painful.  The beginning of a new cycle, a number 1 year brings hope and expectations of new adventures, new chapters ahead.  Just as when reading a good book, you look forward to seeing what will happen in the next chapter, you are only sad when you finish a book that you want to go on and on.  This book is far from finished and the next chapter is only beginning.

The Chapters Of Our Relationship.

Chapter 1:  The Meeting

We met while constructing a “First Night” snow sculpture for a group we were both members of called Lifestyle Network.  Families, marrieds, singles, we would get together and do fun things be it game nights, weekend trips, First Night snow sculptures, hikes, you name it.

Sky and I dated, he moved in with me and then I got that message to  “sell the farm” and we decided to travel.

Chapter 2:  Selling The Farm

The property sold quickly, we had a huge moving sale and sold almost everything we owned.  We decided where we wanted to go, bought an “around the world” airline ticket, planned, packed and repacked, said our good-byes to family and friends and off we went.

Chapter 3: Overseas travel

In 14 months we traveled to New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong, Singapore, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, India and Nepal.  But when Mt Everest was “just another mountain” we decided it was time to return home.

Chapter 4:  US travel and crafts

Once returning from overseas we still had wanderlust so we bought a travel trailer and started seeing the US and Canada, traveling coast to coast at least 12 times.  We also began making and selling jewelry at craft shows, sold supplies and our crafts at Native American Pow Wows, and sold rocks at rock and mineral shows.

Chapter 5:  Maine

We settled for awhile on the coast of Maine, parking our travel trailer on friend’s land  We did odd jobs, I was a teacher for people getting their GEDs, I did housekeeping and care taking at oceanfront rental cottages, we joined a meditation group, took classes, made lots of friends and tried to buy property to settle there but it wasn’t meant to be.  During that time, we also went back and forth to India to work with the Tibetan people in Dharamsala and to study Buddhism.

Chapter 6: Searching for home

We hit the road again to find a home, as I was missing gardening and having my own place to live.  We traveled all over the US and Canada, consulting psychics, astro-cartographers and throwing darts at a map!!  We didn’t know where we wanted to settle as it is difficult when there are too many choices!  We were finally led to our place in the Colorado mountains.

Chapter 7: Home construction

The place we chose was a remote, run down shack at the fork of two creeks with 75 acres abutting national forest.  We spent the next several years working 6 days a week, to turn the house and property into a warm and comfortable home.  We built a shop, erected greenhouses, a dog training building and sheds.  We learned how to live on solar with no running water and wood heat. Also, living at almost 10,000 feet in the mountains took some getting used to.  Wind, snow, no growing season, muddy roads, etc. all lent to the learning curve.   It was fun to create as we wished, using many materials from the land for construction.

Chapter 8: Dogs and rocks

Once construction slowed down we were able to concentrate on other things at last.  I got more dogs, which I love to train and show in many venues. I breed and show in conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking and more.  Many weekends I was off to one kind of dog event or another.  Sky’s passion is rocks and minerals so he spent much of his time collecting, buying, selling, polishing and setting up to sell at shows.

Chapter 9:  Separation and selling

Alas, it looks like our separate interests just kept getting more separate with Sky traveling months out of the year.  It came to the point of deciding that we had drifted apart and that where we live is too far from the activities we enjoy.  So, despite still loving each other and still loving the land, we decided to go our separate ways and sell the property.

Chapter 10:  ?

I am awaiting the start of the new chapter.  There is still some editing to do on chapter 9 such as who buys the house and where I go from here!  Who knows, Sky and I may meet again in a future chapter for as long as the book is being written e can be edited.

Stories of our travels, our life at Nomad’s Rest, pictures and more can be accessed in the archives at: terralynjoy.com

 

Until next time….be wild in creating the next chapter of your life, anything is possible!!