April 21, 2024

It’s Sunday morning shortly after 6:00 am. I can’t sleep and my mind instantly takes me to work, to how much needs to be done, to reaching the targets I’ve been given, to getting the billing done, and preparing to pay the HST for the past quarter.  Then the anxiety comes, along with the chest and back pain, and I have to get up to breathe. Now the dogs are up and I have disturbed my husband’s sleep as well. I make just enough to pay the bills and contribute to an RRSP but not enough to save for a rainy day and I have been working for over 40 years and wonder if it’s all worth it. 

My husband has worked for the same business for over 25 years, built the department to a very successful level and has enjoyed being able to bring our dogs to work with him everyday. In fact, our first dog, Zoey a sweet beautiful chocolate lab was named  “Department Supervisor” on the company’s website and her framed picture still hangs on the wall. Zoey (2.0), our white lab and Whiskey, our sheepadoodle, have both been working with my husband since we got them, over two years ago. 

Back in January of this year the company was sold to a young, very motivated entrepreneur and until this past week having the “girls” in the shop has not been an issue. Then my husband was asked “What can we do about the dogs?”, just after he was told that no, I am not going to give you a raise and here are your new targets and if you exceed them then you will get a commission. Hmmmmm 25 years of service without a raise in years, is it worth it?

He too has been working for over 45 years, given the best years of his life, has worked hard and now only feels, frustrated, tired and stressed.

So you are likely wondering what 365 Sunsets has to do with this? 

Well, we are in the process of deciding if it’s time to make a lifestyle change. Pull the plug on what has been ingrained into our way of thinking since childhood, sell everything, become full time RV owners and travel the country. With this comes a multitude of questions. Can we afford to do this? How much will it cost monthly, yearly? Can I move away from my elderly parents and will they forgive me if I do? What happens if they get sick and I am on the other side of the country?  What will my sister and her husband think? What will our friends think? How do we make living in an RV work with two big dogs? How big of an RV do we need? How long will our RRSPs last? Are we too old? Is there more to life than working and accumulating stuff that we really don’t need?

My heart is telling me yes, my head is undecided. I thought this would be a good place to start our story, our journey in making this decision and share my desire to capture 365 sunsets across our beautiful country.