When Will The Sabbatical Begin?

Our Fripp Island Rental Home

I think at this point I want to know the answer to this question as much as most of the people who know about our field trip year plan.  The current answer - "NO TIME SOON!"

Yes, we both quit our jobs and yes, school is out for the summer.  However, the details of making major changes in our family life daunts our waking hours.  Greg is a detail man and I am a big picture woman.  Somewhere in the middle of both our minds we will get it done, but right now, I'm not so sure.

We began the summer with... WORK!  We went to one of our rental properties to ready the home for the summer rental season.  [For those of you who don't know, Greg and I own and manage our own property rental business.  It is not a big business by any stretch having only 4 properties to take care of, but making a go of it in this economy means we have to do most of the improvements and upkeep of the homes ourselves.  Our only vacation rental property is on Fripp Island in South Carolina.]  Owning a home near the ocean means you must work, work, work.  During this week, we have pressure washed the whole exterior, caulked and painted porch posts, hung new curtains, replaced all bedding, installed two new bunk beds, updated pictures and decor, and created a back porch retreat off the master suite.  Hopefully, these upgrades will keep the house rentals up and help fund our field trip year!

While at Fripp, my next hurdle looms large... teaching at the Summer Institute for the Gifted.  Instead of playing golf and relaxing with the family, I must plan lessons for my first season teaching with SIG which I will begin as soon as we return.  Lesson planning at the beach leaves a bad taste in my mouth.  How do I get myself into more work when I am trying to work less???