Did you ever stop to think...?

Did you ever stop to think how much stuff you need to buy to make your life not only survivable but comfortable when you are planning to live semi-off the grid in a foreign country??? It's mind boggling! You need to think of what you will need to travel in (long trip down and short shopping trips); live in (temporarily and permanently); to survive (tools, water supply, ax, chain saw, fishing gear, etc); and to live comfortably (normal day-to-day stuff like eating, sleeping, washing, and just hanging around). I created a list quite a while ago and it keeps growing. Not that it's all expensive stuff but it's stuff that is easier to obtain here in the U.S. than in Central America. Later in this blog I'll be listing the minimum necessities for others who decide to retire and live like me. I might as well save others the stress of figuring it all out. I've been searching the web for info like that but haven't been able to find it in one place. So i'm searching on "living off the grid", "survival living", and key words like that. My son Richard gave me a couple of books on living off the grid. The books are a compilation of things people have sent in to a newsletter type publication. Some is common sense but others are pretty nifty time and/or environment savers that I'll incorporate myself. But...I never realized what it would take to retire in Belize until I sat down and started thinking about it. Now that time is getting short I have to start getting everything together. I bought a chain saw, air compressor and a 50cc scooter today at a flea market. My friend Stu saw them and called me so I met him there and started my quest to buy them. The money from selling my furniture is what I'm planning on using to equip myself. Today I spent $350 and got some very necessary items.

Finally...an empty house!

Well all the furniture is out of the house now. The last of it was picked up today. So from here on out I'm sleeping on an air mattress. I don't have a chair to sit on, a table to eat at, or a bed to sleep on. That just means that I'm getting closer to leaving here for Orlando. I have to stay until at least Friday 10/2 so that I can turn in my laptop, ID card, Corporate credit cards, etc to someone in my group before I head out. So I'm packing like a madman now and the kitchen eating area is full of packed boxes. I'm still downloading movies, audio books, and music to my almost full 1gig and 250meg HDs.

Anyone know where I can get a reasonably priced portable windmill that will power a fridge the A/C, and other electrical things? Not sure how many continuous amps I'll need though until I buy the RV. I want to cut costs as much as I can and being able to use the free wind in Belize will do that plus give me the electric that I need to be comfortable.

I stopped in a new pizza joint today, called ZPizza, after picking up my 6 shot Starbucks espresso with whipped cream. Met the owner, a nice guy from Sweden and we were talking about my upcoming adventure. He has a friend that lived in Costa Rica for 6 months and LOVED it. One more vote for somewhere other than Belize. So needless to say, I'll be checking out Costa Rica and Panama before I plant my garden...

Anyway...back to the pizza. Being born and raised in Chicago and living in NJ for 12 years I know good pizza. You can argue about which place has better if you want but I like them both because they are so different. Well ZPizza is a winner in Alpharetta. Too bad I found it with so little time left here. I got the 18' American with pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, green peppers, tomatoes and onions. Man is it good!

Right after I stuffed in 2 pieces into me I got an invite from a friend and co-worker (Catherine Stultz and her husband, who is just home from Iraq) to come over for dinner. Breaded Talapia with all the trimmings. You know me and seafood (not the joke about the seafood diet). I never pass up a free meal, especially seafood! So it looks like there will be plenty of one of my favorite breakfast treats tomorrow...cold pizza! YUM!!!

Well not to bore you all anymore. I'll be back later as things progress.