I don't even know where to start......

[countrygirl0671]

Hello all,

I have been a member for a little bit, but I don't think I ever posted before. I guess that makes me a lurker.

Anyway, I thought I would ask you guys for your opinions and/or advice.

I raised my kids on the family farm (it was my parent's farm). I loved it, and miss it a lot.Due to unfortunate circumstances, the farm had to be sold. But before that, I had to move to the city and take a job there.My kids are now grown.

I currently have a very stable and secure job, but I HATE it!

I opted to live in a mobile home community, because it was further out of town, and I feel more comfortable away from town, but I made the mistake in thinking that I could deal with a homeowners association. The community I live in is very nice, but we aren't allowed fences, or vegetable gardens, or more than two pets per household ( I am currently in violation of this because I own three cats and take care of two strays).

The original reason I bought this place was because rent was getting higher all the time, I was being forced to move every year or so due to the increasing rent. This way, I have one steady house payment.

I am fed up here, in this town, my job, where I live....I want to start over.

I don' t know where to start with this.

I don't have many marketable skills. I am Licensed Vocational Nurse...that's just about all I know.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

[flowergurl]

Welcome to HT!
What part of the country are you in?

[countrygirl0671]

Right now I live in central Texas. Originally, I am from Northeast Texas.

[where I want to]

I know that this is very materialistic of me and, if given time, I have always found a way to love where I was, having my place in the country has made me much more content. I simply rarely see anything that I would want more than what I have. So I can appreciate the importance of the freedom to do what you want. Constant irritation is-well- constantly irritating.
So the first thing I would do is sort out what is the basis for being so fed up with where you live and what you do. Then find a compensation if you are really not in a position to change right now, while you work at a plan to change.
Until you do, are there ways you can get some of what you want? Like gardening in a community garden, or growing vegetables in containers or even asking the HOA if they can find a place for a small community garden. If you have a porch , you can garden. There are many beautiful veggies that could fly under the radar and pass for ornamentals.

[flowergurl]

Perhaps if you liked where you lived you could tolerate the job better?
I know i am not in love with my job, but it pays the bills.
Are you handy with tools and could do repairs to a place that needed some TLC?
Maybe you could find something small in the countryside near there?

[Laura Zone 10]

Love what you do, do what you love.

1. Sit down, with pen in hand, and write down every thing you want. EVEN if it seems unreasonable, write it down.

2. Organize that list into #1 priority, to least priority.

3. Organize that into "obtainable" and "dream".

4. Organize in order of priority the obtainable.

That pares your list into a managable goal.

Next to the goals, write out what YOU have to do to obtain that goal.
Sell the house, get out of debt, have knee surgery: whatever needs to be done to obtain the goal.

Then put those goals in order of importance:
If you have a ton of debt, that has to go first.
Plan the work, work the plan.
Then attack the next goal.

I am starting over, from scratch, and I am north (very north) of 40.
My kids are grown too. (24,23,21)

Life is too short to be unhappy-miserable-settling.
I will never again "settle".
No one should have to 'settle'.

[motdaugrnds]

Not knowing much about this; but seems like a "licensed vocational nurse" would be in high demand in most high schools and colleges. Those are all over the state of Texas; and that is where I'd start, i.e. a job in another location that paid enough to live on and provided insurance needed.

Once the job is had, looking for a piece of land (even uncleared) that is "agriculturally" zoned would be good. (You might even do some local research with the restaurants and markets to see if they would be interested in "home-grown" meats and/or veggies. This could be an income for you later on.)

[countrygirl0671]

Thanks for the replies! They gave me some things to think about....

Also,thank you for the planting suggestions. I have already started planting some tomato plants between my roses, so they hopefully aren't so conspicuous.

I bought some seedlings and will be repotting them today.

I have done a lot of thinking and reading today on the subject of being happy with what you have.

I agree, that I need to be grateful with what I have. I should be happy with my stable and secure job ( even if the pay isn't great). I have a roof over my head, and while I am not in full agreement with the HOA, I do love my home.

I am thinking that I may have just seen the negatives instead of the positives of life.

That should really be my focus.

[Terri]

Originally Posted by countrygirl0671

I am thinking that I may have just seen the negatives instead of the positives of life.

That should really be my focus.

Not hardly.

Is it taking care of people you hate, or is it where you work? This DOES matter, because Home Health Care nurses and nurses aids were in demand, the last time I saw it.

Also, a great many of those small cities that spring up around the big cities have itty-bitty hospitals, urgent care facilities, and old folks homes. So you could change your job without even moving it you take your time and dust off your resume. Of course, you might be sick of doing nursing, which does happen. As a nurse myself, you spend a lot of time and energy caring for very sick people, you get to like them, and then they die. Repeat for years on end and not every nurse chooses to stay in the profession.

That leaves you with good people skills and you might use that to get another job. Perhaps even a job that is located in a small city that is only a couple of miles away from living in houses in the country. Do you have a down payment? Because having a country home with a huge back yard can be turned into a tiny farm, or homestead as your goal would be feeding yourself, which is what I have done. I was GOING to be a farmer myself for a second career and raise berries, but I got sick and now I am not well enough.

SO! I raised vegetables in my back yard, and last year I had enough so that I fed them to the kids, gave them to the neigbors, and gave 10 bagfulls to the food pantry. I hope to do as well this year.

Your job skills are excellent and will translate to either a job in the same field or in another field. If you have a down payment saved you might drive towards the country and see if there is a parcel of land you like. If your mobile home is young enough you might be able to move it.

Or, you could raise carrots and let the neighbors think they are foliage plants. Then there is oregano- also with pretty foliage- and those hot peppers that have tiny peppers that turn bright colors, which is sold in stores sometimes as an ornamental plant, and Alleyyooper over in the bee forum has had "bee yards", which means he keeps his bees on the land of farmers. They get better pollination and he has a LOT of hives, with wax and honey to sell.

My Mom once said that "Life begins at 40". She meant that the kids were past the baby stage so she had time, and that she had the knowledge to do something with her life that she had always wanted to do. So, she had time, a little money, and knowledge. She decided to become a substitute teacher, and she did it for years.

Take it from a former nurse: you have MAD skills. You can stay, or go, as you CHOOSE!

Terri

[Homesteader1]

Try finding a friend on farmersonly.com

[modineg44]

There are all sorts of ways to go from LVN to RN (2 year). My friend's daughter (age 46) recently did this and doubled her pay. She did this while working. Being an RN brings a lot of opportunities almost anywhere in the country.

[Nicole Irene]

I hire a farm nanny to take care of my critters while I am on vacation. She also raised her children on a farm and was forced to sell. This is her way of connecting with the farm critters and giving back to the community (not too many pet sitters will milk your cows!). Anyhow, I pay her $30/day for 1 visit/day; she is worth more than that! She has also helped my husband and I by making a large rabbit waterer for us out of scrap material (not to mention all the day to day care she gave all of our animals).

[farmmaid]

Baby steps.....maybe you could find a family that could use some help in exchange for housing. Still work your job and save $. You may feel more fulfilled helping on a farm and hopefully make your job more tolerable. Maybe an older couple, rent to own situation.

[RoseW]

Midwives, natural birthing is finally coming into its own here in the US. There is a thought....

[RoseW]

Plus, home health care nurse. Us baby boomers are going to need someone to take care of us. Insurance plans would rather see us taken care of at home, than in a nursing home. Much cheaper.

[DW]

Any group growers you could join? Where you work the produce and get some in return for your work?

[WJMartin]

If you are willing to relocate........My family will be selling my dad's place in about 6months, estate, getting appraisal done now. Five acres with established orchard, 1,500 sq.ft. trailer -like house, in small addition, not sure on restrictions but others have horses and goats, garage, barn and chicken house, joins a paved road, fenced, has wind turbin and solar panels hooked up to electric company, 20 - 30 min. to large metro area, several small towns close by......just sayin'. 3 miles outside Crescent, OK.