A Setback

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The life of an overlander want-a-be can be complicated. Complicated by the fears of how to make life on the road happen. Fear of the unknown. Fear of leaving behind all that is familiar. Fear of running out of money. Although I strive to keep this site about our travels and dream life, our current life here at home is currently threatening said dream life.

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This week, our spirits were dampened with the need for a new roof on the house. We had desperately hoped to avoid having to re-roof before we put the house on the market, howevert not one but MULTIPLE leaks, told us otherwise. Disheartened with the idea of spending so much money, things only got worse when the big day came. Basically, the original roof was crap… and I do mean CRAP, requiring many sheets of new plywood.

Wet sheet after wet sheet needed to be pulled up and replaced as I mentally counted the thousands of dollars being depleted from our bank account. My head pounded, matching the never ceasing pounding on the roof above me, as my anxiety amplified. What did this mean for our plan to put the house on the market in the spring? How could we possibly pay off this much more debt? I could hear the stress in Jim’s voice as I gave him updates…. more plywood on the way, it will take more than one day, who will stay home next week for the roofers to finish up?

Stress, stress, stress. How much more would our bill be for the delays, the extra day required to finish, the sheet after sheet of plywood?

Dreams are a necessary part of life. And as I took several deep breaths, and several advil for my pounding head, I realized my stress was slowly evaporating. Nope, I have no idea how we’re going to pay for this, or what this will mean for the timeline of our intended departure. I also know, as with so many things in life, it doesn’t matter. We will take out a bigger loan to pay for it. We will still make our departure for the life of our dreams out discovering the world. It will happen. I’m not quite sure of the details, nor am I sure of the how’s and when’s, but it will happen.

For this is not just a dream, it is something that is essential to our being. We feel the need to leave the 9-to-5 and explore the world in the deepest recesses of our souls. Such a quest can not be denied. A setback? Yes. The end of a dream? Most Empathically NO!

18 thoughts on “A Setback”

  1. We had pretty much the same experience before our first trip (minus the bad news underneath the old shingles). We hated how having to pay $5K+ for a new roof meant having that much less for travel. But when we assured ourselves that the new roof is a necessary condition to selling the house which was a necessary condition to traveling, which we wanted to do for the same reason as you, it became just another obstacle on our journey that we overcame and ended up being all the stronger for it. Hang in there!

    • Thanks Peter.. I know we’re not alone with this bump in the road, just as we’ll have other bumps when we’re actually ON the road! Never fun to deal with but, such is life. Thanks for the encouragement!

  2. Oh, that’s such a bummer! I’m so sorry to hear this. Setbacks suck, but as you say it will all come together and I’m a firm believer in everything happens for a reason. Sometimes we have to wait a while to learn the reason, but it usually comes around. And your departure date will come around as well. Hang in there!

    • Thanks Patti… I know I know.. belly breathing and patience. lol.. never my strong suits however, as often happens, hearing of others much more serious issues makes me realize how lucky we are that our setback is simply monetary and not medical or otherwise!

  4. What a pain. But you’re right – it’s a setback, not a disaster. The funny thing about dreams is they’ll never just go away, will they? 😉 It’s another obstacle to overcome, another bill to pay, but you’ll make it because you want it badly enough to make it. It still sucks. Hope it doesn’t end up being *too* much.

    • Thanks Carmel…yep.. a pain is exactly right 🙁 But, what can ya do? Hope YOU got moved in and found that box you were missing!

  5. It can be frustrating to have to spend money set aside for something else. I know it may be difficult, but I think it is comforting to have some money at hand to immediately make the repairs.

    Part of the roof on my house back home ‘decided’ to get blown off after an unusually strong wind. It was not pleasant to spend the money to replace the roof, but I was grateful that I had the money at hand and the repairs were done within two days.

    All the best with your travel plans.

  6. Best of luck in fixing your house so you can sell it off … focus on the task at hand and you’ll be on the road before you know it!

  7. Houses. They are expensive beasts! But like all the other obstacles it will soon be forgotten when your sitting on a tropical beach washing down your delicious taco lunch with sub-standard beer! 🙂

    • haha.. oh Emma, you are SO right! Save some of those tacos and sub-standard beer for us 🙂

  8. I love your positive attitude – with that mindset I have no doubt that you will find a way to make your dreams a reality.

    • Thanks so much Amy!!! It’s certainly easier some days than others but we’re sure that this, too, shall pass and we’ll move on with the plan.

  9. Oh honey, I feel your pain. Spending money on things which are no longer your priority feels terrible, but as you say, you gotta do it. I admire your attitude so much and am sending you positive vibes!!! xxx

    • Thanks my dear! All the positive vibes just help us keep on moving forward! It’s all done now and, gotta say, looks fantastic!

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