Author of Be Ready for Anything and Build a Better Pantry on a Budget online course
A lot has changed for me and for this website over the past year.
We have expanded the website, hiring new writers so we can bring you all the most pertinent news and preparedness content. We publish 12 articles per week now and the site has grown so much from the one-woman show it was just seven years ago.
We have begun publishing PDF books so we can bring you the best preparedness and survival books at a reasonable price. I’m delighted to be able to offer many of our books for free to those who cannot afford them.
And personally, my babies have grown up and begun their adult lives. I can hardly believe those little girls are both living in their own homes now.
And because of this, much of my gratitude this Thanksgiving is for the things I don’t have. This may sound crazy but bear with me.
Here’s what I’m grateful for this year.
Many of the things I’m grateful for are the things I do not have.
I’m grateful not to have a home this year.
That’s right. I’m currently living my nomadic dream life. I’m off gallivanting through Europe, researching collapses, taking photographs, having adventures, climbing mountains, and making the most of my empty nest. I am delighted that I don’t have the expense of a home in the US at this time because this gives me the opportunity to indulge my wanderlust.
I’m grateful not to have a car.
I passed on my car to my youngest daughter before I left, and I am so thankful for no longer having a vehicle. My own two feet are my day-to-day transportation. I’m growing stronger and healthier and I average walking 3-5 miles daily. I lost nearly 20 pounds in my first month in Europe from walking and eating delicious, wholesome food.
I’m grateful that all my belongings fit into 2 suitcases and a backpack.
I sold all sorts of belongings and doled the rest out to my daughters before I took off. My kiddos have my preps and one daughter is storing my beloved books and a couple of boxes at her home. Aside from those things, all of my belongings fit into two suitcases and a backpack. The things I own – clothing, electronics, survival gear, toiletries, etc., weigh 95 pounds. (I hope to reduce this even more over the next few months.)
It’s really cool to see how little I need to feel reasonably well-dressed and comfortable. I feel so much lighter not being burdened with a million things. It’s a peaceful feeling.
I’m grateful for the ability to live on less money.
It probably sounds like I’m living in the lap of luxury, trotting all over the globe. But actually I’m living on less money than before. Aside from the flight to Europe, life here is not very costly. Food is far less expensive, I walk for transportation, and I don’t have any place to put the stuff I’d normally buy. Renting an Airbnb by the month comes with a hefty discount and when you figure in wifi and utilities, I spend less each month for housing/utilities than I did in the states.
I have had to really shift gears to make this happen but it’s been a great experience.
I’m grateful for the family and friends who supported my dream.
There aren’t words to express how grateful I am for the family members and friends who wholeheartedly supported my dream of living a nomadic lifestyle. You all know who you are.
I love you with my whole heart. It would have been much harder to do this epic journey without your love and support.
I’m grateful for technology.
I know, I know. I write a lot of bad things about tech taking over the world. But as I make this journey, I’m incredibly thankful for the technology that allows me to talk to my kids every day and still be a part of their lives. I’m grateful to be able to work from any place with an internet connection. I’m grateful I can reach the people I love in so many different ways using modern technology.
I’m grateful for the readers of this website.
I feel like those of you who comment regularly and read my emails are family too. We’ve been through a lot of events together. We’ve analyzed them, we’ve prepared for them, we’ve shed tears for the losses of others. I can always count on all of you for words of support when things go wrong in my life. I would not be able to lead the life I’ve led without you. Every time you read one of our articles, you help this website grow bigger and you help us reach more people.
My gratitude to you is boundless. I will continue to work hard to be deserving of your trust and loyalty.
Happy Thanksgiving.
I hope that you have a wonderful day, spent with people you love in a place that you love. I wish you all the very happiest of days.
Happy Thanksgiving to you, too. I’m happy to be alive and full of P and V enough to enjoy it. Thanks for the work you expend on this site.
Dear MQ –
Being full of P and V is the only way to be! Thank you for your support.
Happy Thanksgiving!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING/TURKEY DAY TO YOU DAILY…I READ ALL THAT YOU SEND. THANKS FOR YOUR WISDOM AND COMMON SENSE. I ENJOY IT ALL.
I CAN’T IMAGINE DOING WHAT YOU ARE DOING OVER THERE. I DON’T FLY ANYWHERE. ONLY TWICE IN MY ENTIRE LIFE, ONCE FROM L.A. TO OAHU, HAWAII AND AGAIN FROM HAWAII BACK TO L.A. WENT FOR 2.5 YRS. WITH MY MILITARY HUSBAND AND 2 DAUGHTERS WHICH WAS BACK IN THE 80’S. THAT WAS MY EXPERIENCE FLYING. I SWORE I WOULD NEVER GO UP IN A PLANE AGAIN, IT WAS JUST A SCARY EXPERIENCE FOR ME AND SINCE I DIDN’T ENJOY IT I SWORE TO NEVER DO IT AGAIN.
I AM ALONE TODAY (AS USUAL). LONG STORY. KIDS ARE GROWN NOW AND GONE, HUSBAND PASSED AWAY IN MAY OF 2011 SO LIFE FOR ME ISN’T WHAT IT ONCE WAS. NO MORE GOOD HOME COOKING ON THANKSGIVING FOR ME. TONITE IT’S CHICKEN STIR FRY AND THAT’S IT FOR ME AND THE DOGGIE GETS LEFT OVERS HAHA.
YOU BE SAFE OVER THERE, TAKE CARE, HAVE FUN AND KEEP TRUCKIN HAHAHA.
WANDAKATE IN NORTH CAROLINA
Dear Wanda Kate –
I know a lot of folks really hate flying. Life is too short to do things you don’t enjoy! I don’t blame you for staying on the ground if you dislike air travel.
I’m thinking of you this Thanksgiving!
Congratulations, Daisy! Your site’s posts are at the top of my daily reading list.
Sounds like you’ll be ready for the zombie apocalypse.
Winter is coming….
Thank you, Admin User! Happy Thanksgiving!
So good to hear you are enjoying yourself! As we come up on the 1 yr anniversary of the big quake, I still remember being able to talk with you during the Bloom Class, about the experience. Like others, i read your emails first – no nonsense stuff.
take care, keep warm & safe!
Kelley in Alaska
Dear Kelley –
I’ll never forget that. It was so interesting hearing you talk about what was happening. It was like a real-time report, but from a prepper, which makes all the difference.
Thank you for all your support.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving, Daisy, and congratulations on making your dreams come true. You own your own business and now you’re a “digital nomad” seeing the world. It must be very satisfying for you to look back at the road you traveled to this point. Good on you! Thanks for your website and articles. I was able to downsize my own life and stop working in 2017 thanks in part to the good advice i found on your website. So you may be thankful for your readers but we are thankful for you!
Dear Maggie –
I’m so very glad I was able to help! I’ve so enjoyed having you as a reader who feels like an old friend.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving Daisy! Happiness, health, and success to you and your family always! Are your daughters taking care of your dogs while you are traveling?
You remind me of my parents who lovingly restored their vintage Airstream and enjoyed every moment of their travels together. I am so grateful to have those memories of them together. One of my favorite songs is by Montgomery Gentry and is called “While You’re Still Young.”
Life is too short
To put it off anymore
You’ve gotta live it before
It’s too late
I can’t turn that clock back around
On what you’re dreamin’ about
You better do it now
Don’t wait, don’t wait
Take a gold watch
Sell everything
Throw a dart at the map
Hook up the Airstream
Ride into that setting sun
Do something crazy and dumb
While you’re still young
While we’re still young
Take good care and thank you for all your wonderful articles Daisy!
Dear Country Mouse:
I love those lyrics! Thank you so much for your good wishes. Yes, my youngest daughter stayed in our former rental with our family pets.
Happy Thanksgiving to you as well.
I hope you had a good Thanksgiving there in Europe!
Yeah, there is something to be said about when you pack up all your worldly possessions in the trunk/back seat of a medium sized car, and just go. No rent/house payment to worry about, utilities, bills. Gives one a sense of freedom and independence.
Happy travels and safe journeys!
Your new adventure sounds lovely ,and I hope you enjoy it and can understand the benefits of a nomadic lifestyle, especially trying to care for a home as a single woman. Need to be honest though, I find the writing at your site now rather lame at times. I click on a story thinking good I am really interested in this and find the articles by the other writers to have no depth. I don’t find out anything I and (I feel ) almost anyone would already know. If it works for you as I am sure it gives you freedom but doesn’t work for me . The quality of information is poor. Do like selco and Jose as at least there is the depth of reality. JR
Please take care and God watch over you in your travels. If you ever make it to Arizona, look me up. Bought home on 1 acre and readying for my own self-sufficiency.