"Life happens when you're busy making plans." -John Lennon

"Life happens when you're busy making plans..."

story of my life

Let's begin in October of 2014. It was my 30th birthday month, 3 decades strong and 3 decades into this crazy life journey.  I spent the month in El Salvador.  Everything was - for me- magical. The coastline here looks exactly like the pictures you see of Never Never Land. The people are so humble its refreshing- and sexy. The food is GMO free, ladies night is 3 days a week, you can easily eat for a dollar night... and the stars are ridiculous and glittery. I met a magical man and have some amazing friends here.  I feel as comfortable on the corner here in playa El Tunco as I do in my mother's kitchen.  To put it simply- my soul fell in love with this place...here, my skin is smiling.

Ok, so thus began my plan to move to Neverland permanently.  I went back after October to Colorado to continue working....plan being to work my ass off, crash with friends, and be back here in a few months.  Colorado was beyond beautiful- I literally lived in a snow globe. Crashing on a couch on the side of a mountain....with a bridge crossing the frozen creek, and the nicest neighbors ever. But the temp-work scene wasn't working out as easily as I imagined. What I learned from Colorado: Pay it forward. The people are so grateful for the earth they are standing and living on, so kind to others and to those less fortunate...of all the states I have traveled through- this was by far the most beautiful and the people- the most kind.  I decided in the beginning of December, after speaking with a good friend- to come back to Orlando and try out temp work there- besides it's been my home forever and my parents are there.

Onward to Orlando Florida, again. The dust bowl that has sucked me in more than once (the only positives being my parents, my animal rights friends, & Thornton Park:)). My best friend Brandon graciously allowed Boston and I to crash @ his place. It was nice to see family, friends, and the scene again but the temp job I had helping start up a restaurant with a friend wasn't quite panning out. So again I felt as if this part of the plan wasn't working out. On came a conversation with an amazing friend/sister/old house mate who lives in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. And then the offering of her couch and a shoe-in for a serving job. (Note: Serving food at restaurants is something I have done for almost 13 years...I am good at it, really good at it. But there is an internal issue for me with the fact of serving animals who had to die for people's taste buds that has led me to leave the service industry. So please know, in reading this, that this was extremely difficult for me to do- but I did find the tiny silver lining and was there for anyone who had questions, did bring in amazing vegan food for others to try, and had many conversations not only with co-workers but with even guests about the positive effects veganism has had in my life- not only for my diet & health, but my happy spirit.)

So the gypsy and her little dog moved to South Florida. The beach scene was not as snobby as I imagined being right near Miami.  The people were mostly leathered, weathered, beach-bum like people who not only had no care in the world (meaning drinking started at 9am:)), but wouldn't even dream of judging you.  My kind of people. So here we lived, slept on a nugget size couch, and actually was able to put away some money. That was the goal= yay plan is back on track.

Next stop on the plan to move to Never Never Land was another visit- a short trip back to El Tunco to get everything set as to where we will live, etc..  So I booked a ticket for the first 2 weeks in March. Boston stayed in Ft. Lauderdale and I went on the El Salvador . From the moment I was picked up at the airport I didn't stop smiling, even when I slept. Got to see brilliant friends who were visiting from Canada and  made arrangements for Boston and I to stay when we were to return (after only a week back in the states).

Saw shooting stars, spent the days a swimming like a mermaid and the nights like a fairy.
Saw the single most beautiful sunset I have to this day seen on a cliff side with some medicinal magic.
Saw myself being happy for the rest of my days here.

I came back to Ft. Lauderdale to work for a few days, grab Boston and my bags, and to say 'goodbye.' We arrived back in Never Never Land 3 days ago. :)

Back to the John Lennon quote. "Life happens when you're busy making plans." I live by that, at least I must have before but on this new 'move' I seemed to eat my own (quoted) words. It's a quote I tell others all the time. So, the plan changed a lot, but worked out. The plan to move into a place here seemed to be set and I was stoked- having done my due diligence and planned ahead. Once we arrived everything hit the fan. The place was not available- long story, and its the beginning of Semana Santa. The holy holiday week- where both the government and schools are all off (once a year this takes place). So every place is up-priced, almost 3 fold. Spent the first 24 hours worrying about securing a place for at least a month.  At this point in my life my main priority is to unpack my dam bag for once and sit still.

-Breathe. Thankfully I have been coming here for a few years and a friend came through with a beautiful room we rented for the month. In the meantime, we are building a magical house on property overlooking the ocean a few beaches down in El Zonte...with a garden as big as the house and flowers everywhere.

Life is crazy, it is like waves crashing on the shore, or like a river- that is always flowing and constantly changing.  My life is finally happy. I live in Never Never Land. Where the mermaids bask in the glittery waves in the sea, the fairies guide your path at night...the stars are countless, the people are always happy, where nature and living are one.  Right now the magical man is siting at my side, Boston is happily chasing the baby chickens, cilantro rice is on the stove, mangos are covering the ground, and everyone is smiling. I could not in a million years ask for any more, and plan for this. Life does happen when you're busy making plans. That one is for sure.