Life Changing Experience

2015 was a crazy year for me.

I lost my home, due to my attitude at work. Found out that if you have an attitude at work, work drops your hours to 12 hours or less a week.  Lesson Learned

I moved into a bed and breakfast, loved it. But decided to move from there because of the cost. I just could not afford it with only part time work. People have asked why didn't you just get a full time job. I did put in applications, but didn't hear back from any of them.

Moved in with a friend, was with him for only a month when the owner of the house didn't pay his mortgage, the police showed up and gave us 24 hours to move out.  We moved in with a friend of his, since we were homeless. And living there was too much for me. This guy had so many rules, that I could not live like a prisoner.

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I made a choice to call a friend and he told me that he already had a full house, cause two people moved in with him, for the same reason. He said sorry. I called another friend, he said I could move in, but his house was up for sale. I said it would be fine with me.  I moved in and another month goes by.

My friend comes to me and say we need to talk. I said ok. He tells me that he has cancer and has only a few years left to live. I was in shock. I just sat there for the longest time.  He then continues, I am buying my own property and I am taking you with me. I thought it was a good idea at the time. We take a trip to the property 4 hour dive one way. Its in a little town called Mayo Florida.  It was in the country.

Mayo Florida

One Acre of raw land that needed attention. He put a bid on the property and the owner took it. I thought to myself this could work. 

Preparation started.  I put my two weeks notice in at work. We got a storage unit, and started moving everything.  Everything had to go. My friend had way way to much stuff. He lived in this house for years and years. I mean omg we took load after load after load. His Realtor called and said you need to bring your money for the closing. Back to Mayo we went, first we went to the property so that he could make sure this is what he really wanted. He said ok lets go, the Realtors office was a town away. 45 minutes drive away. We get there and he pulls into a parking lot next to the office. As I was sitting there I look up and there was a print shop. I walk to the front door, a man comes out and I asked if he was hiring. He told me no. I asked if I could fill out an application anyways. He hands me one. I fill it out and hand it to him, I thanked him for his time and headed out the door.

My friend decided to stay the night in a hotel. He said find us one. I searched on my phone, and we found one that we both liked.  Suwannee River Rendezvous Resort  If you get a chance to go, ask for Sue. She is one of the owners and will sit down and tell you all about the history of the property. Lots of fun. 

  

The next day we go back to the property, he is smiling from ear to ear. He kept chanting I am a property owner, I am a property owner.  We stayed there for about an hour more. And took off back to the house. We just needed to pack of our vehicles and move back. I decided that I could live in my tent, its a three man tent. thought that would be fine for awhile until I found a job and then something to live in. The down fall to this move was, no electric, no water, no bathroom, no shower, no internet, "Not a single luxury"

We leave two days later, all packed up and ready to go. We leave at 4 am. We couldn't sleep, excitement was all over us. When we arrived, we start working on the property. It took us a day just to move all the brush and trash that was all over the property.

Trash Pile

Then I put up my tent, I put it between the trees, at the time I thought that was a good idea. Shade from the sun. We built his shed that he was going to live in for the time. We went into town and ate dinner. We came back and went to bed. I woke up the next morning refreshed and ready to go. I get out of the tent, my left leg felt funny as I stood up, I looked down to see its a very red knot the size of a half dollar.

Spider bite

I looked at it and said oh well lots of work to do. I go and make a  cup of coffee. He was already up and ready to go. He said he was up for hours and already moved more stuff to the pile. We mowed the entire property with grass taller than 6' with a 22" toro push mower.  We mowed all day, from sun up to sun down. We found lots and lots of barbwire a piece here and a piece there. It was just crazy.

We were both exhausted, I went to my tent and laid down.

I woke up the next morning sweating, the sun was up. I looked at the time, it was 11 am.  I felt another spider bite. I thought this is not good. I wasn't sure if I was sweating from the heat or from the bites that I had. I check my temperature and it was 100. I told my friend that I need to go see a Doctor. I drive into town, and found a clinic. They said sorry we are closed, you will need to go to the hospital. I asked where that was, they said the next town over. It was over an hour drive to the closest hospital. I thought to myself as I was driving there that, if I had an emergency, oh wow.  The ER said it was spider bites and gave me antibiotics. They told me to clean out my tent and even move it to another location. While I was cleaning out my tent I found a spider with bright blue eyes. Later found out they aren't the eyes. I used to be scared of spiders. But now, it's them or me. I kill all spiders with my bare hands. I have even squeezed the life out of one with my fingers. After I got back from the hospital and getting meds. My friend said come on there is work to be done.  We worked on leveling the ground for his new place to live. He was buying a steel building.

My phone rang, I answered it and it was the print shop. He said can you come in for an interview?  I said sure, but I did not have nice clothes, they were still in storage. He said no problem come on in.

I went and did the interview. He showed me his print shop. He said its a family owned company. Mom and dad started it years ago. Then the Son and his wife took it over. And the brother also owns part of it, he worked in another department of the shop. The owner said he will be in touch. I left confident that I did good. I was just embarrassed that I went to an interview in shorts and a t-shirt.

My friend and I worked from sun up to sun down every day for a week. No days off. We were cutting down mini trees, they were between 8' to 15' tall. There were hundreds of them. His property line was way back behind these trees and he wanted them all down. We had several bond fires.

The next Monday the print shop calls me and offers me a job. I start on Wednesday. I was supper happy. I couldn't wait till Wednesday.

I honestly thought, that I knew a lot about a print shop. I basically grew up in them. My father had a press in our basement and a dark room. I ran many copiers at Staples. I was so not right. There was so much to learn.
My third day at work, a storm hits, its nasty. High winds, and lots and lots of rain. My friend text me, your tent just blew over. Every thing inside is wet. Made me sad.

When it rained it woke up every frog around for miles. It was so loud, that I couldn't sleep.

This was at night, right after a large storm went through. I am not sure if you can hear the frogs in the background.


As days went on living in a tent, I was getting so depressed, and I had way to much time to think. I was always thinking, I was talking to myself, full conversations. I was still working all the time, sun up to sun down 7 days a week. I was angry that I made some stupid decisions, I felt alone, I felt that I had no way out, I felt stuck, I felt sick, I was exhausted, I couldn't sleep, I was low on cash, I had way to much time to think. I was always thinking, I was talking to myself, full conversations. I was still working all the time, sun up to sun down 7 days a week. I was angry that I made some stupid decisions, I felt alone, I felt that I had no way out, I felt stuck, I felt sick, I was exhausted, I couldn't sleep.

My third week at work, one of my co-workers says oh by the way we are closed July 4th thru July 12th. The entire shop closes down for one week for every ones vacation. I thought oh wow. what am I going to do?  I was in a full blown depression, when I heard this news.  I had way to much time to think. I was always thinking, I was talking to myself, full conversations. I was still working all the time, sun up to sun down 7 days a week. I was angry that I made some stupid decisions, I felt alone, I felt that I had no way out, I felt stuck, I felt sick, I was exhausted, I couldn't sleep, I was low on cash, I had way to much time to think. I was always thinking, I was talking to myself, full conversations. I was still working all the time, sun up to sun down 7 days a week. I was angry that I made some stupid decisions, I felt alone, I felt that I had no way out, I felt stuck, I felt sick, I was exhausted, I couldn't sleep......