Let me start by saying: Follow your heart.
So, Cat and I sat down and agreed to each make lists of the top five things we each really wanted for the rest of our lives. No filters, no judgement, just pure honesty. We passed our lists to each other, and they were pretty much the definition of identical. So we said fuck it and jumped.
We have adopted what we call the 5F lifestyle. Family, Fun, Food, Freedom, Fucking.
We purchased 220 acres in Montana, and then last week added 186 more.
The 220 was my grandfathers ranch That I was a 1/6th partner in since his death in 1995. I cashed my family out for their shares, and then last week purchased the 186 from my uncle at a very fair price that included giving his son free grazing rights for the next 50 years.
We own a little more than a mile of river front property, that I can only describe as paradise.
We are in the process of finishing a 2800 sq ft SIP house that has 10 inch thick foam wall with a passive solar emphasis, and although there is power on site, when completed it will be 100% off the grid.
The day the foundation was poured, Cat was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of uterine cancer. After surgery and 6 rounds of really nasty chemo she is cancer free, and her hair has grown back. I can only describe the the end result as I get to sleep with a woman that has an amazing zest for life.
We purchased 6 calves from my cousin and are starting "project perfect beef", and have a dozen hen chickens so we have a lot of really fresh eggs. I have made about 2 acres deer proof, and Cat has promised me "the worlds greatest garden" this spring.
We have been eating VERY healthy, and I am the best shape of my life. One of the lifestyle changes that was a byproduct of the chemo is that we regularly wake n bake, and laugh at each other.
I have a bunch of picture that I will post in tomorrow