One year in my apartment

The annual statement from the mortgage company arrived in the mail.  Nineteen more years to go before I will be mortgage free. It has been said that debt is a form of slavery.  While that may be debateable it is definitely a bit of a gamble. When I was in my caravan there was little in the way of debt.  But also there was little in terms of equity - apart from the caravan itself.  Thus it only takes some luck and the price of property rises or some misfortune for it to fall.  There is little I can do about this and so I do not let it disturb me in my slumber.


So where am I now after a year living as most people do live?  I do miss the caravan life.  The fellow nomads with their high interpersonal standards.  That life was very suited to my personality. I am very grateful to have experienced it.  Perhaps I will return to it in my later years.


However I really do appreciate having my own place.  There is far more internal space than I can use.  I have endless internet connectivity.  I have a BT TV subscription - there are hundreds of channels.  I rarely would watch a television set but now I am not adverse.  A couple of days ago I even watched a championship football game!!  I have a washing machine that is always available for use.  Cooking is a pleasure in such a large kitchen.  Rarely will I eat a microwave meal.  The zanussi cooker is getting daily use.


There has been an issue with the roof.  Flat roofs are not so robust and so last week I spent many hours repainting a thick layer of tar to prevent water leakage. I found this physical labour enjoyable.  I could not do it for my weekly living, but to be physically taking care of my apartment was a satisfying activity.

One of the more satisfying aspects of home ownership has been granting myself permission to furnish and decorate it according to my tastes. Of course my tastes are not in any way sophisticated but I am pleased with the results so far.

Here is the newly painted lounge room with very comfortable leather sofas.  I purchased the aircraft posters from a pilots' shop and had them framed.

The bedrooms were also repainted. The master bedroom is a little like a hotel room with television fixed to the wall and a king sized bed.

The kitchen is old and in need of a complete redesign, however I did have it painted and purchased many new essential appliances.

And so my new home is coming together. I still need new carpets and a new glass barricade for the balcony along with a marbled floor.

This has not been a cheap project and I have been working very hard to keep the funds in place. A year onwards leaves me feeling quite proud of what has been achieved.  This blog was about living a life free from financial bondage.  The irony is that it also allowed me to clean up my finances and position myself as a viable candidate to a mortgage company.  Given that my life was lived for many years in a caravan or a campervan - I consider the achievement of the last year nothing short of a miracle.

Peace to All