Where We Started

In 2020, boy meets girl. Boy moves several states away to be with girl. After 4 months, they purchase land for camping and relaxation, envisioning a happily ever after. But...this isn't a fairy tale. In April 2021, Rick suffered a heart attack and a stroke, turning our lives upside down. We are incredibly fortunate that the outcome wasn't worse, and we adjusted our lifestyle to our new normal. The land remained our sanctuary of peace and serenity, prompting us to re-evaluate our plans for the property. Our thoughts turned to homesteading. Though it's only a half-acre, the effort we've invested made it seem like a real possibility. We began making plans, determined to make it work despite it not being our ideal land. For a few years, we spent as much time as possible developing the land and nurturing our dreams. We had been building our cabin kit at home, growing increasingly excited as we neared a major step forward. Cat scheduled a week's vacation for July 4th, 2024, for us to build our cabin. Everything was on track.

Then, in February 2024, Rick decided to check on a few things concerning the frost line. That's when everything came to a screeching halt. It turned out we couldn't build the cabin we wanted, nor could we design the property as we envisioned, and some other issues. We were devastated. But, true to form, we grieved and then immediately began strategizing how to make this dream work. We had an opportunity to really think about what we wanted, and not settle for less.  After much discussion and research, we concluded that another state might offer our best opportunity.   Cat's daughter wisely put it, the property up north was our stepping stone. Unfortunately, this would mean leaving the family and friends. Cat had a heartfelt conversation with all the kids, and they gave us their blessing. So, we made a plan to visit Tennessee during the July 4th week to explore the possibilities. We've been busy searching for properties and finalizing our travel arrangements. Stay tuned for the next chapter of our story.

Remember Small Steps Gets You Miles

Rick & Cat