| Good morning, friends! I hope the week has been kind to you!
Last week was quite a busy one. I moved into a new place and got my things out of storage. As wonderful as new experiences have been, it felt wonderful to be surrounded by the familiar. I don't have my books here yet (my back couldn't take moving all those boxes), but I have my kitchen things, my dad's desk, my bedding, my needlework supplies, my art...so many little things that I have amassed over the years.
It's been a real joy to cook using the huge variety of spices that I own and the cookware that I so carefully selected. I've made some of my family's favorite meals and had my daughter over to eat with me. It's a real "life is good" feeling.
The downside is that my vehicle is truly and
irrevocably DEAD. My Jeep was having some issues before I left, and I sent her to the shop for a repair. For a week, it seemed like the problem was resolved, but then I went outside one morning and started her up...and the problem was, in fact, worse than I had ever thought. The extensive repair required wasn't worth doing on an older vehicle. And even if it was, it far exceeded my emergency fund. (We're talking a five-figure engine replacement here - it's just not happening. And yes, I also priced out used engines - still not within reach.)
Luckily this happened before I signed a lease on a place. I decided to make the radical money-saving move of not having a vehicle for a while. I got a rental that is well-situated for walking. My daughter rightly pointed out that for the past six months, I've been perfectly fine to walk everywhere, and she's right. So until I have saved up enough for a cash purchase, I'll be on foot.
I have mixed feelings, of course. As someone who's been driving since it was legal for me to be on the road, I would obviously prefer to have a working vehicle. At the same time, with the world as crazy as it is, I just don't want to get underneath a car payment. I also don't want to completely exhaust my emergency fund to buy an old vehicle that could also need repairs.
Some other positives to my situation are that I will be able to maintain the increased energy and fitness I developed while wandering all over the Balkan Peninsula for six months. The last time I came back from an extended meander, I quickly slipped back into the American habit of driving everywhere, and my health improvements were short-lived. I'm only a five-minute walk from a good grocery store, a thirty-minute city bus ride from my daughter's place, and a 15-minute walk from a shopping center with other essentials. And with the delivery culture here, it's
pretty easy to get anything I might need brought straight to my door.
I know this is a decision with which a lot of folks will disagree. Many people will see all the drawbacks to this and think it's a terrible idea. Believe me, as a chronic overthinker, I have probably thought of all those scenarios and more. But at this time, I firmly believe I'm making the best choice for both my finances and my health.
I've always been a person who was willing to make drastic changes. This has allowed me to change my life when it needed changing and to extricate myself from bad situations or difficulties. A lot of times, people don't agree with or understand my decisions, but the thing I've learned is that you must follow your instincts sometimes. While my situation is not something I would have deliberately chosen, I feel like I'm making limoncello from the lemons that my vehicle disaster has served me. (Let's be real, who wants
lemonade when you can have limoncello?)
So, new adventures await!
I hope that your week ahead is wonderful!
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