....and what a year it's been! A whole year? Really? Has it really been that long? Yes, it has. I have lived in my van, The Mouse House, for an entire year. 365 days and nights. I have slept in the Mouse House every single night and not surprisingly, I have woken up in many different places but always in the M.H. The journey started even earlier...in March 2018. That's when I sold my house, paid off the mortgage and divested myself of almost everything. I've sold, bequeathed and given away almost every treasure I ever had. I passed on my favourite things (art, antiques and instruments) to my children and grandchildren. This past year I've been very well but I've also been unwell, I've had a stay in hospital with shingles (and visited there a bit with knife wounds as a beginning spoon carver too) I've had several physio appointments for various aches and pains and at times I've been worried and depressed. But...even more often ...I've danced and sung, met amazing vandwellers from all over the place. I've been excited, amazed, and super happy. Lucky for me, when I'm not travelling, I share a bit of land with my dear sweet brother who is very kind and a great (and generous) cook too! Here I can relax and recharge. This year I've grown...and shrunk!! I've moved from a 3 bedroom/office house to a pretty small Mouse House. I've learned how to use a GoPro camera and I've made loads of YouTube vids of my adventures - to share with other 'would be' vandwellers and also to help me remember just what amazing journeys I have been on. Here's the latest one....what tools to have in a van. This is what the Mouse House really looks like from day to day....
I've been asked lots of questions during the last year of Van Dwelling. Here are some answers to the questions I remember being asked.
To end this edition of the vancamerawoman blog here's a slideshow of a few photographs. Thank you for your company this year. Until next time...stay well, be happy.... Clare x To see a lot more of my work (on all manner of fabulous things) please go to...
https://www.redbubble.com/people/colinsart
7 Comments
Hugh Fathers
27/7/2019 03:11:43 pm
That was a good read . . .
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Bronwyn Baker
27/7/2019 03:58:03 pm
Wonderful stuff Clare. Your spoon carving is something I haven't seen before and I'm sure it whiles away the hours. Good to hear about you directing a play in Dorrigo and your brother's close by. Hope the spring brings some rain and warmer weather and your plants will be jumping out of the earth. Safe travels :)
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Helen Ruby
27/7/2019 07:20:14 pm
Oh, what a treat to end my Saturday. You're certainly my sort of woman Clare - a "hooly-dooly-tooly woman". I've had workshops since I was a teenager and even got a bench vice for my 15th birthday, but not any more. My Triton Super Jaws has retired to my office and set up as my cutting table for booklets I make etc. They used to call me Grandmapa when I fixed the grandies toys and anything else that broke around their home. Good memories and I can say "I've been there and done that," and don't miss it, but enjoy my creativity and productivity in other ways - more using my brain with my writing and other interests. My beloved carpenter's apron is going on my coffin at the final farewell!
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Patty
28/7/2019 01:11:13 am
I'm so inspired by your Post Clare....:-)
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Clare
31/7/2019 07:38:28 am
I’d love to hear more about your van build Patty.
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Robyn
30/7/2019 10:22:00 am
Great read again Clare, loved your tool drawer !!!!
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Annie
7/8/2019 01:40:25 pm
Thanks Clare! What a lovely story! Great to see some plants coming along on the block! Good luck with the shows & hope to see you again soon!! Xx annie
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