100 Day Project day 4
A few years ago while I was knitting with some Alpaca yarn I got this, what I think is BRILLIANT, idea for our retirement. Buy some land and raise Alpacas. My husband and I were enjoying a quiet Sunday home. I looked over and said to him “I have the most brilliant idea for our retirement.” His initial response was “I can’t even process you right now.” Then 10 minutes later he said “OK tell me your idea.”
Drum roll and DRAMATIC pause I blurted out all in one breath “Sell this house, buy a farm and raise ALPACAS!!!” He blinked a couple of times as I basically yelled it at him, shook his head and said “What the F*ck is an Alpaca?”
Once I explained what they were he immediately said “NO” I, to this day think he thought that would be the end of the discussion… Like that was going to happen. Once I get an idea and someone says NO without discussion or thought I take that as a Challenge.
That is when #teamkelly started. I began telling anyone and everyone the dream I now have of buying a farm and raising Alpacas. I began researching how this could happen, is it something we could easily do? How long would it take to convince JV that this in fact a very sound business idea? The wheels were set into motion and there was no stopping me! I started getting Magazines about raising Alpacas sent to me. I made spreadsheets and started looking at real estate listings.
Still a resounding no from JV. However on occasion he has surprised me and at least has listened and we even looked at a few potential places for our Alpaca farm. I was working for a Construction company and this job was really starting to get to me emotionally which was taking a toll on my health as well. One day I was literally sobbing uncontrollably the entire 40 minute drive home. JV had called me earlier in the day as he was attending a large corporate meeting in the USA. He was nervous about some changes happening at his company, but thankfully we were A OK and he called to tell me this. He knew on the phone that I was having a rough day. He reassured me we were going to be ok and we would discuss more once I got home what was upsetting me.
I tried to get it all cried out on the way, but the moment I got in the door I started all over again. The 3 seconds it took to see him after he had been gone a week and to hear his voice was all it took for me to come undone again. We covered the space between us in 3 steps and I collapsed in his arms and wept. Soul emptying sobbing. Bless his heart as he just held me and let me get it all out.
Once I had cried it out and was able to talk we ran through my day. I am the type of person who takes everything to heart and I put everything into my job. I have never had the pleasure of working at my own company, so when I am working I take a lot personally. Especially at this time in my life. I literally fought all day long. Fought with customers, fought with my colleagues and fought with the VP’s of the company. My entire day was all about arguing and fighting to get money collected. My husband knew this was going to come to a head soon and that day was the day.
As I was still trying to get myself together my husband knocked me over with the next sentence out of his mouth. “On my way home today I saw a place for sale that I think would make a great spot for our Alpaca farm”
Time stood still in that moment. I was still ugly crying with snot running down my face and didn’t actually know if I heard him right. As I sat there wiping my nose on my sleeve I was like “Can you please say that again?!” He did in fact say it.
He described the place he had seen and I knew this was not the place I had pictured, however the fact that he even suggested we take a look sent me over the moon. We set up a viewing for later that week. I knew I had to strike while the iron was hot and didn’t want to give him a chance to change his mind.
The house was beautiful and had been renovated. It also had a gorgeous spot for me to have an at home yoga studio. However, the location was not ideal for us. It was on the corner of a busy 2 lane highway, that is a truck route. There was a manufacturing plant across the highway and the other side it was next to a trailer park. Not at all what I was picturing to have as our Alpaca farm. We decided to keep looking. But #teamkelly was in full swing.
Everyone started gifting me Alpaca anything they saw. We were seeing Alpacas every where. JV just kept shaking his head and telling everyone to stop encouraging me. Then in 2019 there was the sweetest little place for sale that was already an Alpaca farm and a Bed and Breakfast. Ok, now this was more like it! I convinced him again to just go and have a look. We had the viewing all set up but then I got sick. I mean SICK with a nasty infection that knocked me out. So we never did make the viewing. By the time I was feeling better the place had already sold. Back to dreaming.
Then COVID hit and now the world of real estate has gone Crazy. A friend messaged me one day that my Alpaca farm was up for sale again. Woot Woot! I immediately asked my friend to get us a viewing until we saw the price tag! In just 6 months the asking price has gone up to over $1 million. I was devastated. There was no way I would ever get JV to even consider. Back to vision boards and day dreams.
As of today we are actually still in the same house and both working full time. Over the years I have not given up on the dream. The #teamkelly squad still showers me with Alpaca gifts and I still keep an eye on the real estate listing to check for my dream farm.
The dream is still alive and well and has been tweaked a few times. It has been 5 years since I planted the seed and I know soon that seed is going to explode.
In the meantime I keep the image of what our little slice of heaven on earth is going to look like and I know it is out there. I trust in the divine timing and I keep looking for those guide posts to show me I am still going in the right direction.
Remember to always let your light shine for it could be a beacon to some one else in darkness.