We are not normal. Either!

I have been meaning to write a post on this topic for a while now - ever since I read Kevin and Ruth's post 'We are not normal.'  As I read it and realized that we were very similar it dawned on me that we are not normal!

WE are NOT normal?!

Actually, I did know that. Derek and I, and Cassia by default, are not normal and we are not living a normal life.

This topic maybe a bit out of the ordinary from this blog but actually it shouldn't be. When I began this blog and chose a name for it - I meant for it to be about HOW we live - HOW and WHY we keep things simple. It has been mainly about travel for the last five months because well - that's what our life has been about.

It hasn't been just about travel - I mean throughout we have been living - buying, making, shopping etc. I really should have been talking about those things also along the way - but well - there are only so many hours in the day - right?

Especially with a toddler.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand.

It would be best if you went and read Kevin and Ruth's post first......I'll wait - go ahead do it now...

Good post - right?!

Ok - so we don't do any of those things either! notta one - nope - nothing

1. Television - we don't have one either - we haven't had a BIG TV (as in our 42" plasma) and cable since 2008, we did have a little TV in 2010 for a bit but with 2 channels - since then we haven't had one at all. The only TV viewing we do is when we are at friends or family. (I have a whole blog post in me for that one - I'll do that soonish - TV or no TV for Cassia - it's a tricky matter!)

2. Microwave - we don't OWN a microwave. We certainly don't have one in the trailer but there is one at the cabin that we live in. I can't say that I have never used it but I RARELY use it - this summer I may put it in storage to ensure that I'm not tempted to use it.

3. Hot Water Heater - we have one in the trailer too but it has NEVER been used - by us or the previous owner.

4. Restaurants - same - occasional. Man if we had the dough we'd probably eat out EVERY SINGLE MEAL. We LOVE eating out if the restaurant is good. But living a life made simple and with a very small budget, eating out at restaurants was one of the first casualties. Yes, you will see that we ate in restaurants on this trip but we saved it for special places and really out of our $15,000 or so spent, the eating out bill was probably about $300 - not bad.

5. We don't tow a vehicle - well this one doesn't apply to us but if we had a motorhome like K&R do we wouldn't tow either.

6. RV Parks? nope not for us either. We equate RV parks with the suburbs - we don't do suburbs either. We rarely pay to park while on the road, if we do we go to State Parks - at least we usually get a little more nature and space then in the private parks.

That's a good list - but I can do better in the not normal department....I'll continue...

7. We don't have a gps - this one really gets people I think because we travel so much - anyone ever hear of a map?

8. We don't have cell phones - WHAT? NO CELLPHONES? nope! I guess we are for sure the only ones in our age group or any age group below us! The only other group without cell phones these days are probably the 80+.

9. We don't shop for entertainment - We go shopping out of necessity. We don't see it as a way to whittle away an afternoon or evening. IN and OUT is our philosophy. Yes, there are times that we get tripped up on something new and flashing - but a few shakes of our heads and we are back on track.

10. We don't buy much 'stuff' and we rarely buy 'new' - ok - we do buy stuff and we do buy new BUT only on things we have to. For instance, Cassia has had very very few new clothes - not none - but pretty much none bought by us. She is our second hand sally - the other day I bought her 2 new shirts - nice ones - no rips or stains - for $1 and you already saw the beautiful summer dress I bought for 75¢.

11. We don't buy paper towels - by this I mean we don't buy things that we see as a waste of money - paper towels and the list goes on and on. One of the things that bothers me about travel is that I can't make as many things homemade as I would like. Due to some time but mostly space and equipment restraints I buy things like canned refried beans, hummus, pita chips, and baked goods and the list goes on. Part of living a life made simple means making things from scratch. That's not simple you say! True - but it is cheap and cheap is good!

I have recently found some great 'homemade' products such as toothpaste and beauty products as well as food items on pinterest (LOVE LOVE LOVE pinterest - just a slight addiction there) - I can't WAIT to get to the cabin to start making!

12. We don't use credit cards - we don't like them and they don't like us. It was an unhealthy relationship so we ended it. Try it - you'll like it too!

13. WE DON'T OWN A HOUSE - and we don't pay rent. This doesn't really make us abnormal among the full timing set but it does make us not normal among our age group for sure!

Preaching? Nope - do what you want - REALLY.

If your way of life makes you happy and is stress free and all the rest - go with it. For us - keeping things simple so that life doesn't get too complicated, too expensive and too hard makes us happy!

Thanks for sticking around even without all the fancy travel pics!

Teresa

Today's Interesting Link: OK - today's link is a doozy! Please please please watch this video - Consuming Kids - The Commercialization of Childhood.  It is important to all of us! Not to toot my own horn - ok - I'm tooting - but I have known about this problem for awhile now and we are doing our best to shelter Cassia from this as much as we can, for as long as we can. 


We live in troubling times - don't we?