Sunday Morning Positive Perks from your Sassy Small Town Missus
The Great Escape
TWhat transpired in September 2020 I called The Great Escape. After surviving illness, temporary business closure, and living in a climate of state mandates the first half of 2020, we felt in our hearts we needed to make a change and move in a direction that could bring us peace and freedom. For us that meant going South.
September 26th is a big day of celebration in our lives. This day is my bonus parents’ anniversary, my Dad’s birthday and marks the day we found our Tennessee Escape. It was September 26th, 2020 when we first walked our property and by the end of the day we made an offer and would wait 10 days for the acceptance. But it was not an easy mission. When there is a Will, there is a Way. I called it the Great Escape.
It felt an Escape was what it took to travel to TN. During June 2020 through March 2021, if you were a New Yorker you could not leave the State freely. No matter your feelings on that, that is just the facts. So our first trip out over Labor Day 2020 found us boxed in between states we could and couldn’t be in. It was tricky, but in a mad dash we made it in our allotted 24-hour period to walk 10 properties and the last one was a gem on Hilltop Lane. We dashed back, put our offer in, and then the sellers decided not to sell. Dang! It took alot of planning to make the Escape, now Escape #2 was in process.
Even more boxed into NY, what I then called the “Island,” we made another mad dash down the third week of September and looked at 6 more properties. The first one was “The One.” It was on the sunset side of the mountain vs. the previous one which was on the sunrise. Perfect since when I told my Mom we put an offer on a sunrise, she was disillusioned because anyone who knows her knows she loves a sunset.
Thirty days later our sunset piece on Mockingbird Lane was officially ours. We have had many brainstorming ideas about what to name our property and I wanted to call it “The Great Escape.” To me it holds double meaning. On our travels to build and live life, it seemed we were being outlaws for making the journeys. But when we arrived and felt the warmth and acceptance of the community, who were like-minded in their value of the greatest treasure of all – Freedom – it was our Great Escape.
My Aunt asked why we decided to take the escape to TN and after careful thought it was clear. After feeling trapped in your own body with debilitating illness and then feeling trapped in your own surroundings with mandates, we wanted to live. Live freely, with our whole hearts, without bitterness. Life is too short to hold back or allow others to hold you back. It was just that simple. The outlaw mission was a bit of a foreshadowing, when just before we headed out this June my friend Kathy S. gifted me a sign that read “Outlaw Hideout.” Right away we knew it was Mockingbird Lane. A full circle moment. Where is your Great Escape?
To see September 26, 2020, visit My Blog live online (click here) and catch up on Weekly Photo Perks and past Sunday Posts. Like and share your comments.
Truly,
Debbie London
