Monthly Blog Posts (May 1, 2012)

Next to the Forest Service Office in Rifle, CO.

I am announcing that beginning in May 2012, I will only have ONE post per month.  It will run a little like a letter to home… and I will be printing and mailing it out to a few people who don’t do internet or email (very well if at all).  It is very likely that I WILL NOT have internet or cell service at the remote campground I am hosting this summer.  I won’t know that for sure until I get there, which could be two more weeks as the road is impassible at this time.  Hurry up and wait… that’s what it was like getting here.
Also, I will not be posting the location of the remote camp on my blog but if you feel you want to come to visit, contact me via email: charlene.swankie@gmail.com . Camping is not free and it costs $17 per night unless you have an Access Pass and then it is only $8.50 per night.  I don’t know if I will be able to give anyone free camping.  And I don’t know how long a guest of mine could stay either.  There could be limits.
I do have a personal satellite tracking device (SPOT) which will notify ten key people/contacts that I am O.K.  I will be sending out that notice on a weekly basic.  It also has a 911 button and will dispatch the first responders to my location in the event that I (or anyone else I’m with) is injured.  That will work without internet/cell service.
Email, I don’t get a great deal of email anymore and so should be able to reply to any I do receive while I am in town monthly to resupply.
USPS mail:  My mail will go to my SD address and be forwarded here on a regular weekly or monthly schedule.  If anyone chooses to mail something (money, photos, photo retouching work, etc.) to me in Colorado… that would be to:
Charlene Swankie
32201 County Road 8
Meeker, CO 81641
Mail will be brought up to me by co-workers.

My Colorado Welcoming Committee.

That’s my plan, and I’m sticking to it… maybe! 
Have a great summer everyone.
Charlene

Thank you for helping me get to Colorado job.

My new pet (or dinner?).  Do you know what it is?  Landed on the hood of my van as if to welcome me to Colorado.  NeatO.

The view outside my van doors:

Thanks to the folks who helped me get to Colorado, now I am here and the road is not opened and I can’t get to the campground where I will be working.  I could have up to two weeks wait time (that means two weeks without pay).  So I’m looking for more work in the meantime.  Here are the two sketches I just finished today.

An 8 x 10 pencil portrait of ONE face, or ONE pet for about $40. Send scanned (high resolution) photo to me for advanced approval and qoute. Once I accept the photo I'll doctor it in Photoshop to crop out  unwanted things and send you a photo mock-up of how I envision the sketch. When you approve of the mock-up, you can deposit funds to my PayPal account... using charlene.swankie@gmail.com. My PayPal account.  See samples of my work on last post.

I have still not been able to replace those two bad tires but at least they did not blow on the road.  However, I’m not so sure what will happen when I head up that mountain road to my job site.

Bad planning on my part. I am endeavoring now to set money aside each month into an emergency fund... and will be able to contribute almost all my income to that fund from May-October.

Also, I do excellent photo restoration work.  If you have an old photos you want restored, send me a high resolution scanned image for a free QUOTE.  SAMPLES.

Thank you in advance.

Charlene (aka SwankieWheels)

South Dakota Stranded Status (Oct. 1, 2011)

Well, if that don’t beat all… about the time I’m getting a bit of a handle on this darned situation, I realize my AAA coverage expired in Aug. 2011… I been out on the road with no road coverage.  Geez.  O.K. now I’ll ask for help… it’s about $100.00 or at least that was what it was in TX.  I’m going to check here in Brookings SD on Monday and see what it costs.

I might have a job here for a jewelry doing Photoshop work.  I will know about that at noon Sunday (Oct. 2, 2011).  It won’t be much, but right now every $ helps. 

I made up a flyer regarding seeking work… but don’t have the ink to print it.  A cartridge is $10… for black and I’m going to risk buying it though I only had $30 in the bank last time I checked.  Flyer below:

Retiree Kayaking America
NOW Stranded in SD

Due to an emergency root canal, I have run out of gasoline funds and am now stranded here in SD. I am trying to raise funds to continue my trip to Arizona. Not seeking donations, just work. I have many skills:

Ø 25 years of administrative/clerical work

Ø Advanced experience with Photoshop and Photo Restoration

Ø I am a portrait artist

Ø I paint walls (just did a stairway in Iowa)

Ø Professional Genealogist for DAR

Ø Professional Webmaster

Willing to accept any honest job and will work by the hour but probably better for you if I work by the task/job. Not as fast as I used to be, but I am very good. Will barter for parking place and electric hookup.

Email me at: Charlene.swankie@gmail.com

See samples of my artwork at: http://swankiewheels.blogspot.com/2011/09/recent-art-work-sketches-for-gasoline.html

End of Flyer.

I also plan to go to VFW and see if they can help a Navy widow with a parking spot with electric.  That way I can plug in my small heater at night and sleep better.  Maybe even get a shower in the deal? I will offer to do some work in exchange.

My mail package has returned from OH and is waiting down the road for me… but I don’t have the gas to get there yet.  She will send it up here (from Madison SD to Brookings SD) to Gen. Delivery if I want her to and pay for the cost, since it was her error.  My friend in OH had to pay to ship it back, and the Madison mail service who screwed this up in the first place is sending her a check for her postage.  I will need the package soon as my meds are in it.

I have faith that things will work out… but if anyone can help me with the AAA insurance, I’ll pay it back over the winter, or pay it forward as you please.   I am grateful and thank you in advance.

Like Brenda, I am getting a lot of flack for choosing this lifestyle without a huge nest egg… but just know, I had one before I rushed to be with my sister in FL who had cancer and was doing chemo… with a 13-yr. old son giving her fits.  By the time I left there (five months last winter) I was very low on funds… unfortunately, due to the emergency root canal I had to have the day after the Sept. payday… my funds could not get me through to Oct. payday.  So, please, I don’t need any more flack… I’m still hurting from the root canal (no root, no pain, RIGHTTTTTT!!!!) and my face and body(?) are all puffy from it???

Can anyone think of anything else I can try?

Thanks, friends.

37th State: Iowa - Then got stranded in SD (Sep. 28, 2011).

 

 Sunset after my Iowa paddle.

As I was loading up my kayak, a young man came to me and asked to borrow a wrench.  Then he began talking to me about my kayaking adventure.  He noted I also had a bike.  He helped push the kayak into the trailer… then he said “Do you mind if I ask how old you are?”  He was genuinely flabbergasted that I am 67 years old.  So I told him about not being able to walk in 2004… and all that I had gone through to get this freedom and do all I do today.  He wanted to know if I’d be in the area awhile… I think he was going to “show off” his find. 

Flattering, really. But, believe it or not, my paycheck of 9/21 didn’t even stretch to the end of September… and I thought this was the month I could finally begin saving a bit of money and make it to Arizona in time to take classes in jewelry making (turning my rocks into something profitable).  Ha! 

I fell in Monterey CA a couple years ago (April 2008 I think) and messed up my face and broke several new crowns off… almost knocked a tooth out of my head… all resulting in thousands of dollars of bills not covered by my dental insurance.  Well, it turns out I broke another tooth off at the gum line when I fell in Monterey and broke my face(literally)... it just didn't fall out until I bumped it getting out of the kayak in TN.  Then it was sensitive.  I had two posts put in the tooth... and the crown glued back on, but there was nothing really to glue it to.  So last week it fell out again and the only fix was a root canal, a build up for crown prep, and prepping the tooth under the gum line to receive the temp crown.

Before                                                  After

Looks pretty good, but I'm really really sore, my eyes are swollen, and gums hurt... think I'm fighting an infection there.  Insurance paid 80% of the root canal, but nothing on the crown prep build up????   So that cost was over $350.  That was my gas money to Arizona.

Stranded in South Dakota Then yesterday (9/28/11) morning I realized my rear tires were loosing air... and that large chunks of rubber were falling off the tread.  Well, after what happened to co-vandweller Brenda (who rolled and totaled her van last week), I had to fix that too... so I got two used tires, balanced and mounted for $110.00 total.  I could not have bought one new tire for that and it will at least get me to AZ.  That was my food money for the next three weeks. I'm glad I'm not buying gas this winter while I’m parked in AZ taking classes.  What has made matters worse is getting here to my SD mail drop to pick up my mail and learning in spite of the HOLD on the mail forwarding order... two days earlier, she mailed my stuff to the address I was at in OH a couple months ago. 

Really discouraging... meds, new checks, my tabs for my van which expire 10/1... and new orders for sketches with cash and checks enclosed.  And I thought the Sept payday was gonna get me to AZ!  I guess I forgot about the sneaker plans of mice and men!!! But the gal at my mail drop has been really nice.  Then she had to rush off and teach a class... and directed me to a place she thought I could park for the night.  I told her I could not afford a campground.  So we parted with the plan to meet later today (9/29/11) to see about details of getting my SD drivers license.   I went off to check the place she told me about only to find it inadequate for my rig... too small.  Scouted out the area and found a public park, parked and began doing email. 

Then she called me up, said she had come looking for me and where was I?  I told her, she came and got me and took me to the State Park she uses (here you have to have a receipt from a motel or the park in order to prove intent to become a resident to get D.L.) and this morning she will call the Park and make sure they write the receipt out the right way so it will work for DMV.   She mentioned it only costing a few dollars for a tent site, but when we got here she paid for me to have a spot with electric next to a bathroom... on the water.   Right on the water and it's too dammed windy to kayak.  Nice and calm and sunny yesterday but too late to put in when I got here. 

So that's another $18.00 out of her pocket.  She really feels bad over all this... especially since I've been sending her customers... a new one just yesterday. Then I will have to drive another 30 miles to do that – get the Driver’s License.   But there is a Super Wal-Mart there and I believe I can park there until the mail returns from OH. So very frustrating.  I told her the only reason I drove this far north from the Iowa paddle was to pick up my mail and get the auto tabs, and get the D.L. etc.  So, no meds, sore mouth, no art work to work on... just a couple I have already been paid for that I need to finish.  Have plenty of food on board. 

Have a half sister and three nieces about 130 miles away... but haven't heard from them yet about my situation.  At the very worst I will have to stay put until 10/20... and then beeline it to AZ... the bad part of that is  missing three weeks worth of classes. And someone just sent me a $5 donation through this site to PayPal.  Thank you to him, and to anyone else who can help me head south.  I promise I will pay it forward.  My goal this winter is to learn as much as I can about turning my rocks into saleable items… and SAVE money so I don’t have situations like this in the future.

Today I will be looking for work on Craig's List, listing my services, getting my Driver’s License, checking local bulletin boards for odd jobs, checking with newspapers for the possibility of selling my story/???  Just following through with anything I can think of to get out of this jam and trying not to ask for help.

Photographic Restoration Services

I grew up watching my grandmother retouch photo and negatives and color tint black and white photos.  She was very very good.  Later in life I learned to do the same work only with technology… Photoshop.  Here are some samples of my work.  If anyone has photos they would like to have restored, I’ll send you a pricelist.  Another way I might get the funds to head south again.

See samples : http://www.digroots.com/portfolio/a_pages/sample_scrolling.htm#minorenhance

Thank you.

Why or why is the month so long and the dollar so short???

Alright, I’m fessing up.  Here is my budget.  What can I do to make my money go farther, other than NOT buying gas for the van?

Monthly Expenses:

Car and Trailer Insurance	$  70
Dental Insurance	$  34
Hospitalization Insurance	$  38
Verizon Internet Service	$  64 (essential)
Ancestry.Com	$  30 (generates some income)
TOTAL	$236.00
One time only:
New Hard Drive	$  65
New checks	14
TOTAL	$  79

Income:
Social Security	$853
Sketches	90
TOTAL	$943
Expenses (8/22 until today):
Gas	$105
Food and misc.	$100
TOTAL	$284
Balance today	$194

Out of that balance will come September’s bills due prior to 9/21 totaling $72, leaving me with $122 for gasoline and food and emergencies between now and 9/21.  A tank of gas will cost about $90 or more as prices go up again… leaving me less than $30  or so for food and emergencies.  So, I’m stuck at a nephew’s house in Indiana (rather his yard) until I can get more income from sketches or my social security check arrives.

If anyone can think of ways to trim the budget or generate more income, I’d appreciate the ideas.  Internet access is my life line… can’t cut that.  Ancestry.com is my hobby and sometimes generates a little income from doing genealogical research for others… so I SHOULD NOT cut that.   Insurance… I don’t think I should cut… I usually get the value for my $ there… and besides, I do have military health coverage which covers any other medical expenses.

I spend little on fast foods, just an occasional sandwich from a dollar menu, seldom eat out, carry a supply of ham, cheese and bread in my 12v fridge, have a supply of canned meats on hand, keep some cereal on hand and buy soy milk about 1/2 gal a week.  Don’t buy candy or ice cream often… maybe once a month.

So, HOW can I have more money for gas so I can keep on going down the road.  I plan to pretty much just “park” from Oct – Mar… so things should be a little better then.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for any ideas (or photos to draw).  I am also available for photo retouching and genealogical research.

I feel like a caged wild animal when I can not keep going, driving, reaching my goal… and I scare myself.

December 13, 2010 to April 2011

I spent the winter in Florida with my sister and her family. Very nice to be with family. This is the longest period of time we have been together since we were teenagers.  We joked about both of us having to go on tranquilizers in order to have this visit.  No joke, really.

Judy and I went through our mom's receipt box... making her holiday cookies, and hanging family heirloom ornaments on the tree. I scanned all the receipts.  Fun fun fun.

Now May 25, 2011… and I never finished that post.  I had trouble concentrating at my sisters.  Sometimes being with others seems to sap the life out of me… and I become so involved in their lives, I loose myself.  Parts of our visit were very very good.  Other parts, no so much.   I was able to review all the family photos, make some very good scans, sort them, obtain some original duplicates for myself, do the receipt scan above, do some genealogy on my sister’s family (half sisters) for her….  I tried to help her any any way I could… but generally that didn’t work out too well.

 

I was able to save some money and get my trailer repaired and upgraded.  My sister gave me a garage to unload stuff in and I was able to sort and downsize a lot more.  I gave her some family heirlooms instead of dragging them all over the country.  Got to spend time with her and two of her kids over the holidays.  Got to see another one of her boys (Freeland and Associates) who drove down from Indiana to work on her rental trailer, installing cabinets.  While in camp Judith…. I experimented with my t.v. antenna to so if I could get a better signal.  Worked pretty good, but need a better system.

And, best of all, got to have two kayaking paddles with Gary from Washington state.   We kayaked around the Cedar Key area, and also at http://floridastateparks.org/ichetuckneesprings/default.cfm  Ichetucknee Springs.

But, in the end, I think the visit to Florida and time spent with my family, was time well-spent, in spite of the health risks to me.  I left some heirlooms behind with my sister.  The photo is one of me… our mother’s favorite photo… and one that our grandmother, as a professional photo retoucher, worked on.  I had it framed for my granddaughter’s birthday the year she wanted to be a cowgirl for Halloween.   The angel was made by our grandmother… a cloth Mache’ … doll on a ceramic cone.  I bought a very nice glass case for my sister to keep this in… to keep it dust free.  It should be considered an heirloom… and I hope one day it passes to someone who will appreciate it as much as I have.   The lid in the frame was a winter scene painted on a ceramic lid… by our grandmother.  The Hummel figurines were also painted by our grandmother and I passed them on to my niece.   Our grandmother was one extremely talented lady and was appreciated and loved by everyone who knew her.

WE love you and miss you Grandma!

I can’t believe how far behind I am in my blog entries.