Things I Cannot Do, Yet
By Angie
@andriaperry (116860)
Anniston, Alabama
June 20, 2017 11:34am CST
There are many things in life I would love to do and since I am one of those determined people that will try till death, I am sure one day I will get to where I wanna be.
No, I am not poor, but being poor in my book is different than most. But I am not rich either. I think people call it middle class. I work and at times three jobs a day, I sorta gave up one to take care of Tony but on his good days and if asked I will do that job also. I work hard and that is a fact.
I have that five year plan, once it was on the ten year plan but I was looking ahead to far, and I can tell you 10 years ago I never thought I would be here doing what I am doing now, and I have the one year plan.
One of the things that is on the five year plan :
Began in 2015 - To be self sufficient - growing my own food and using solar for power and having a well for water. So called off the grid.
Yes I do have some things solar but not the main house, I am growing food and preserving enough for winter if need be to live on it only. I have not got to the well water, although I have phone numbers to call. the money I would save each year would be around $5,000, Doing an estimate on the food cost per year ( I actually could add up what I spend o the penny but not today) I would say if I lived on what I grow or traded food for food I would save $5,000 a year to $7,000 per year for two people.
Another that " was" on the ten year plan was my dream vacation, two weeks and not one. This one may or may not be happening later this year. We`ll have to see where God puts me.
The one year plan is to finish repairs on the old home place and doing a few updates on the house I live in now, I have started both, by doing something here and then doing something there. Its slow due to me taking care of Tony and he could not be around anything dirty due to surgery and chemo.
I had to edit this!
On the five year plan I want to be able to afford health insurance so I can gripe about what is not covered, since I have never been able to do this.
Do you have a 5 year plan? Things you want to do ? Do you set any life goals?
16 people like this
20 responses
@TiarasOceanView (70035)
• United States
20 Jun 17
You are a great doer Andria!
Much credit due you all your life for working hard and focusing and achieving your goals.
Yes I have goals and am accomplishing them one by one at the moment and that is the only way I can do it.
To say the least I have some big challenges to meet these goals.
In five years, I hope to have most of these goals completed. Thats about all I can say about that.
2 people like this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
20 Jun 17
Well that was a lot said! I understand about not revealing them, remember I have a stalker online so I never say what I will do till its already done, besides something that would not matter to them, like if I ate.
1 person likes this
@paigea (35684)
• Canada
20 Jun 17
@andriaperry You have a stalker! That is terrible. I try not to say too much personal stuff on line. So far I have never encountered anything like that.
2 people like this
@LovingMyBabies (85127)
• Valdosta, Georgia
20 Jun 17
That is awesome!! You are doing great and your motivation is amazing to me! =)
I don't have any goals at this stage in my life. With 5 little ones right now it would be harder than I want things to be. We live day to day at the moment. I would love to eventually be able to live month to month but that's not possible for now.
1 person likes this
@LovingMyBabies (85127)
• Valdosta, Georgia
20 Jun 17
@andriaperry That's an awesome idea! Thank you. We will definitely do that. =)
And congrats on quitting smoking, not an easy task at all!
1 person likes this
@marlina (154166)
• Canada
20 Jun 17
@andriaperry I am amazed at all you do! You have great strength.
We are retired and we did a lot of planning before and hard work, so now we don't have to.
You'll get there too with your determination.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
20 Jun 17
You will get there! And like the list you hang on the wall for the children, you and your hubby sit down and make one for you two, what y`all want. Hang it on the fridge so you`ll see it.
By doing the fridge door thing I quit smoking. I set a date and wrote " Quit smoking November 13th." and ya know what I looked at it for months and months, I quit smoking on Nov. 13th and that will be 12 years ago come Nov.
Whether you make it or your goals change, its nice to want something and try to get it.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
20 Jun 17
Nope, I am done planning. We are living the culmination of all our plans and it is even better than I planned for. I applaud all your planning, I hope you succeed at every level and I think knowing you, that you will.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
21 Jun 17
@andriaperry Thank you, of course, plans didn't take into account that my mom would be in a nursing home and hubs would have Parkinsons but then you know what they say about God and plans lol. Still, we are living the dream and just taking every minute as it comes.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
21 Jun 17
Another way to go! you made it. enjoy every moment. 
1 person likes this
@paigea (35684)
• Canada
20 Jun 17
@andriaperry it is a smart way to do it. I find knowing what really matters to me helps me not waste money on less important things.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
20 Jun 17
Good goals. I just add that time limit so that I am looking for that brass ring when I get there.
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (53679)
•
20 Jun 17
Food security is very important in these doubtful times. I would love to do what you are doing - growing and preserving food. Right now we have fruit trees, avocado trees, coconut and banana trees. We also grow some vegetables, but nothing is being preserved.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
20 Jun 17
I would so be on those fruits and the coconuts I would be making and canning milk. I mash avocados with lime or lemon and I freeze it. Bananas can be dried into chips.
If you want to do it start small and work your way up to more.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
20 Jun 17
@Kandae11 yes if you mash them with the lime, I like best, but I will use lemon of that is all I have, they will not turn brown when you freeze them. BUT they won`t last a long long time, maybe a six months in the freezer..
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (53679)
•
20 Jun 17
@andriaperry I am happy with the tip abut preserving the avocados - so many go to waste. When I put them in the refrigerator - they get soggy and dark after a few days.
1 person likes this
@Roland2 (48)
• United Kingdom
21 Jun 17
Wow..... Nice Inspiration here.
I see you have dedicated most of your time on growing foods on your farm for the past five(5) years and now your able to save up to $5,000, well i tell you, that is a little profit compared to that of having no profit saved up for further living and survival. You did a nice plan.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
22 Jun 17
No, I am not there all the way, I am getting there slowly
1 person likes this
@Roland2 (48)
• United Kingdom
22 Jun 17
@andriaperry May the Lord make your harvest be in abundant and sufficient.... Bless you
@GardenGerty (157551)
• United States
21 Jun 17
One by one over the last ten years I have given up on many dreams. On the other hand, you inspire and motivate me. My five year goal would be for both hubby and I to be retired, if we want to be and travel more. I would like to be in better health and more physically active. Only I can really do that.
1 person likes this
@cmoneyspinner (9221)
• Austin, Texas
21 Jun 17
My 5 year plan is to be alive or be in heaven. 
Not being sarcastic and not trying to be funny but my current situation in life is not allowing me to make plans for doing anything except caring for my husband, trying to help my daughter finish high school and hopefully go to college, and trying to earn some money working from home. I don't see any major changes in this daily routine in the next 5 years.
Not being sarcastic and not trying to be funny but my current situation in life is not allowing me to make plans for doing anything except caring for my husband, trying to help my daughter finish high school and hopefully go to college, and trying to earn some money working from home. I don't see any major changes in this daily routine in the next 5 years.1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
21 Jun 17
But those are goals to achieve! You are making life better for two people.
Now what you should do for yourself is think about something you would like or a place you would like to go, make it a secret goal.
1 person likes this
@PatZAnthony (14752)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
20 Jun 17
Yes, we have a plan and it is our year to make it happen! You will get where you need to be @andriaperry
Guess you mean Tony could live for another thirty years. We all could and better plan for it now.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
21 Jun 17
I cannot include Tony in my plan because things change, I have for the most part been solo on my dreams for a while.
@hostessman (11871)
• Tucson, Arizona
20 Jun 17
i have a 5 hour plan, when i get up in the morning it starts and just keeps going till bed time, starts all new the next morning
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
21 Jun 17
I am sure she is happy with her plan, good man to follow her around to keep all the guys away 
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
20 Jun 17
i used to've plans 'n most oft met my goals. these days i jest fly by the seat 'f my britches 's 't times ('s ya well know) life can seem somewhat cruel.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
20 Jun 17
I have had those days and yes life can be cruel.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (73407)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
20 Jun 17
Well good for you. We only figure things out for each new year. Actually I think you have a good idea there.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (73407)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
20 Jun 17
@andriaperry good luck with that. I am planning to get a book of poem self published before the end of the summer.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
20 Jun 17
Thanks. One goal for this year is to finish writing a book and try to self publish, 6 months down and its a no go so far but I have been lazy about writing here the past couple of months.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (215407)
• Chile
20 Jun 17
I loved your posr! And I hope all your dreams come true. My oncologist let me eat all sorts of veggies during chemo because they were homegrown. The pesticides that are added to food are not washed away with water. I hope Tony is healed. I have a non Hodkings lymphoma and it is it complete remission. I stayed away from dirt during chemo. Mylot helped me a lot then.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
20 Jun 17
Way to go! I am glad you are in remission.
Tony is at the moment too and he will take immune therapy in the fall so that he will stay in remission.
@prashu228 (37526)
• India
20 Jun 17
As of now , no plans . I just want to keep working..as I am doing now..
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
20 Jun 17
We planned a long time ago to be right where we are, geographically and financially.
When it comes to wells, they aren't cheap to have dug you have to take that cost into consideration compared to paying for city water, which really isn't city water like it is when you live in a city.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
20 Jun 17
Yes I have. This small town the water is expensive, at the old home place its VERY cheap.
I am glad you accomplished your goal
@Marilynda1225 (79714)
• United States
20 Jun 17
You seem to have realistic goals in mind so I'm sure you'll be able to achieve them. I don't have any big goals like you do as I'm already retired and happy where I am in life. I could always use a little extra money and a vacation.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
20 Jun 17
Well make it a goal to save a little here and there for the vacation.
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
20 Jun 17
No, not really. I'm more of a go with the flow kind of guy. No plans, just spur of the moment.
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
21 Jun 17
Although I have a plan, someday`s I do go with the moment.
1 person likes this
@thislittlepennyearns (58134)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
20 Jun 17
I would love to grow more of our food too.
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
20 Jun 17
It is easier than you think, even just a tomato plant in the flower bed.
