Friday, August 12, 2011

A Milestone Reached in The "Transportation Department"

Nearly 5 months ago, I committed to the purchase of a Sportsmobile (a customized conversion van) as a bridge to my "pre-retirement". 
Today, I wrote a very big check, and the van shell is now safely in the hands of Paul Meyer, President of Sportsmobile Austin, and the customization of the interior will now begin. 


We tweaked the floor plan a bit this morning, now that I have a need to store massage equipment and supplies for the business.  The van is BIG... and it's beautiful... and I will be able to visit it as needed during its birth cycle at the shop, as we get closer to completion in October, and small things can be added or changed.  What a luxury to have Sportsmobile right here in Austin.

(Do I want handholds, and where?  Do I want a small portable table, or a large one?  Do I need to rearrange the locations of the LED lighting?  etc.  It's great that minor (but important) details can still be fiddled with,  before final delivery.  I can't say enough about how great Paul and his team have been to work with, during this large (did I say nerve-wracking?) decision process.)


I couldn't help but take a bunch of pictures today.  It will be a lot more interesting once the "comforts of home" are added - but this will give a "before" and "after" view.  The photo below also shows how long the thing is (and side windows will be added, of course).


Meanwhile, back at massage school, we are nearly a third of the way through.  I haven't flunked out yet - !  I love it - despite the more and more frequent (and brutal!) anatomy exams.  Only 6 months to go, come Labor Day.  YEAH!  In an upcoming post, I will extoll the virtues of the dedicated massage studio, now ready at the house.

Friday, August 5, 2011

Going back to NATURAL


So: I am now back to near-normalcy, living in the front half of my house, vs living in the whole house, previously.  Now, I won't lie; the cement floor grinding and staining process was hell.  However, I do like the results.

Moving my bedroom into the studio has been interesting.  The first few nights going to sleep looking at my design wall led to some really weird dreams - some which had absolutely nothing to do with quilt art. But, I digress...

I have reached the 25% mile marker with massage school, definitely a decision I have not regetted.  March 1st graduation will come quickly, and I am beginning to draft the business plan, and to contact potential art workshop venues to determine their interest in an on-site massage therapist.  One of our recent fabulous teachers is very schooled in alternative and natural body treatments,, and his first 4 hour class was really quite overwhelming!  With all of the of great information he presented,   I felt like I had come full circle, from when I went to nursing school in Vermont in the 70's (during my Mother Earth period), then spent 30+ years in public and private sector to make a living, and then, Whoa --->  2011, a SHARP left turn back to starting up a health and wellness business.  Hooray.  It feels like being back home...

Tonight I mixed a half-recipe of our instructor's natural lip balm (just Shea butter, olive oil, and lavender oil - yum).  Great stuff!!  Getting back to this focus on health and wellness has also given me the seeds of another idea for a sideline business venture.  (More on this soon!)  Meanwhile, I have got to get into the studio, and get back to sewing again.  It's time.