Thursday, January 03, 2008

Big Decision Time


Some times you have to make decisions in life, right? They can be small decisions or bigger ones, for us just now, they were pretty BIG.

We have been living almost 7 years in Key West and had a wonderful time playing and working in paradise. We fell in love with this island from the moment we came down here from South Carolina in 2001 and decided to make it home.

Since last year the economy of this island seems to be going down hill drastically - our accounting numbers are showing that the tourists are not buying as much art as they did before and the prices of everything are going sky high - so, we had to think of alternatives of how to sell our art and make our living in a different way.

Believe me, we have been thinking long and hard and didn’t make quick decisions. Our thoughts have matured over a long period, starting months ago.

One of the main criteria for us was: We just don't want be "stuck" on this rock and not be able to get away at all - like many others we see here already in this situation because of financial reasons. We don't want to have a feeling of just living from day-to-day and be worrying all the time how to pay the horrendous prices to live in a little run-down shack or a room with no space to work.

To make a long story short: we are leaving Key West for good this month and we will be moving up to the mainland of Florida's peninsula. We found a nice little house in a very arty town on the west coast - and we are very excited about starting our life anew there!

I will be not online for some days after the 20th of January while getting ready for the big move. I hope you all will not forget me in the meantime....LOL...and I'm excitedly looking forward to being back here blogging with new inspiration and new photographs about our new living place.

I’ll be back for sure! Will you? :-)

Isn’t this a good way to start a new year?? We are very excited, both hubby and I – so stay tuned please!

50 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good luck to you guys! I am from Tampa Bay area originally and there is a lot of good culture there. That's on the west coast of Fla, but probably a little further north than where you are looking to go.
I look forward to seeing your pics in the new place.
AL

Naomi said...

Hi Susanne

Happy New Year! I will certainly be back over to visit you and look forward to hearing all about your new home and seeing your photos. I hope the move goes well for you. Florida is a favourite U.S. vacation spot for many Brits.

Gale Rainwater said...

Sue congrats on finding and buying your new place. I hope the best for you in your new venture. Hopefully your sales will take off.
Your fellow photography buddy.
Gale

tomshideaway said...

Good luck, hope all goes well in your new paradise!

Unknown said...

Goodness me, that's huge! Good luck for the move, and I hope you'll find lots of happiness in your new home. Hope to see you online very soon!

silken said...

best of luck to you in your new venture! I hope you love it! :)

S-V-H said...

Hi AL,
You are not bad with your guessing, yes,we will be located a little bit more south from you. :-)

Thanks for reading my post!

S-V-H said...

Hi naomi,

I know that many Europeans love to come to Florida - special now when the USD is so low for you, right?

I'm waiting for the "turn" so I can afford to visit Europe again.:-)

Thanks for reading my post!

S-V-H said...

Thank you TOM,

for reading my post and for the good wishes! :-)

S-V-H said...

Hi gale,

Yep, I hope to for more and better sales up there on the new place.

Thanks for reading my post!

S-V-H said...

Thanks Jenty,

for the good wishes! I'm very optimistic and believe in our great future. :-)

S-V-H said...

Thank you Silken!

I'm sure we will love it!! Thanks for your good wishes to us.

Bob Johnson said...

Hi Susanne, Congratulations on the move, Im sure you'll do just fine, of course Ill be back, can't miss your beautiful sunsets, Im sure they will be just fab at the new place.

S-V-H said...

Hi Bob,

thanks for your comment. Of course there will be MANY and beautiful sunset at the Gulf Coast; they are know for to have the best! :-)) like Key West claims too... and all the other places, right?

Michele said...

Oh wow, that is big news but exciting. I won't forget about you, silly but I'm going to miss you bunches while you are offline though.
So new territory to snap pictures, a whole new world. I'm excited for you. I hope you guys are very happy which I'm sure you will be.
You bet I'll be checking back!
~Michele~

Helen Read said...

Susanne, hope the move goes well; sounds exciting! Blog a Hello when you all get settled. Happy New Year, too.

Heather Dugan Creative / Footsteps said...

I wish you every success, Sue. Happy 2008...

S-V-H said...

Hi Michele,

First of all, I love your new avatar!!!! :-)

Thank you so much for all these nice words and nice to have such a lovely and loyal friend, like you!

S-V-H said...

Thank you so much Helen,

and I promise to write a post when the stress will be over and the internet cable connection is working, hopefully! :-)

S-V-H said...

Hi footsteps,

Thank you so much for the best wishes and HAPPY NEW YEAR to you too! Nice to see you around here!:-)

Wayfarer said...

Best of luck to you. Now you will only be about 5 hours away. I may have to come visit when you get all settled in..;-)

S-V-H said...

Hi Rick,

thank you for your best wishes to our moving plans. :-))

Tawnya Shields said...

Best wishes to you! It sounds like a wise move. I totally understand. I will be here when you get back. :o)

S-V-H said...

Thank you Titania

to stay with me and I'm looking forward to see you back after my moving.

It's so great to know that I have so many loyal blog friends, like you!

Unknown said...

Good luck with your move! I have your site book marked in Google Reader and it will still be there when you return.

I love the ocean, and at this point in my life, can't move near one so I live vicariously through your photos! :)

We have visited the West Coast (Long Boat Key area) many times and I know it has some lovely places too! I'm sure it will be a wise move!

myonlyphoto said...

Susanne, oh sorry to hear that, you have really told great story about Key West. However, things happen for reason, I think they way you describe your new place, you will love it. And Key West no Key West, I will always enjoy your photography and blog - do you have palm trees at your new place, lol? Anna :)

denny said...

Good Luck Susanne!:)

Best Wishes to you.

Anonymous said...

Happy new year and I wish you the best for the new start. And I will be here for you

Earl said...

I'm on vacation (as you probably saw on my blog), so I haven't been keeping up on blog reading.

Best wishes to you in the New Year. I hope the move works out well and I'll be looking forward to your daily posts once you get settled.

Earl

S-V-H said...

Thanks Angie,

for stopping by for this comment. I were visiting your blog and you have there very nice ocean photos! I like your blog!

S-V-H said...

Hi Anna,

believe it or not, the palm trees are following ME, not reverse...LOL..Even my new address will have something with ...Palms...LOL...

Thanks for your comment, Anna! I know you are and you will be a loyal reader.:-)

S-V-H said...

Thank you, Denny!

I appreciate your good wishes to our moving plans.

S-V-H said...

Thanks evlahos,

also to be back to read my blog daily as my virtual friend from Greece!

S-V-H said...

Hi Earl,

you must have WiFi connections also in your vacation, great to see you and thanks for your kind comment.

Enjoy your vacation time and thanks for your promise to be back to my blog after our moving stress. :-)

Anonymous said...

It must have been a tough decision, but it sounds like you thought it through. Hope the move goes easily and that you get settled in at your new home quickly. Good luck to you, Susanne.

S-V-H said...

Thank you Bobbie,

for the good luck wish and you were right, we was thinking long and deep about this decision, before we said YES to it!

Nice to see you here around and come back soon.:-)

Max-e said...

Hi Susanne
Looks like you have given your decision much thought and I am sure that you will be happy in your new home.
Wishing you all the best in your move

S-V-H said...

Thank you Max-e,

thank you very much for your wishes. It will be everything fine, different and great! We are excited. :-)

Anonymous said...

Looks like I'm late for the party...Best of luck on your move. I know exactly what you're talking about regarding Key West and I think you've made the right choice. Looking forward to some moving pictures!

GAWO said...

Hi Sue. Happy New Year. I wish you all the best for the move and I will look forvard to hearing all about your new home and a new Paradise. Take care.!! :-)

Mark Antony said...

I wish you all the very best of luck with your impending move Susanne. Part of you is sad over the move I'm sure, and I know how you must feel because I myself moved to a place I fell in love with, but with far less economic opportunities. But you are thinking positive, and with a better economy, and another nice place to live, hopefully, you will get peace of mind there.

From the point of view of your readers, your move is good news, more exciting pictures of different places, and after all, you can still visit Key West;)

Happy New Year! Mark.

S-V-H said...

Hi pete,

thanks for your comment. It's never too late to see a good friend writing some kind words.:-)

People who know Key West and look at it with open eyes, they will know what I'm talking about.

S-V-H said...

Thanks GAWO,

for stopping here and for your best wishes. You got the picture: it will be still PARADISE! Looking forward to have you back there too as my friend from Norway!...new avatar, right? :-)

S-V-H said...

Hi mark antony,

thank you so much for this wonderful comment. A part of me is sad, that's true. Seven years living here, making good friends and having a lot of fun and good experiences is priceless!

But often in life you have to make some changes to not to "stuck" in your mind too, go to open new horizons.

And you are right, we can be back anytimes as tourists and visitors, I'm sure for that!:-)

pts said...

Happy New Year! ihope you back soon with more photos and cheer.

S-V-H said...

Thanks for your Cheer, pts!

I'll be back for sure and I'll let you know about! :-)

Gary Thomas said...

Good luck up north. So many people leave, but then they return.

Gary

S-V-H said...

Hi Gary,
thanks for visiting my blog and writing your kind comment. Of course we will be back one day - for visiting our friends.:-))

Chaffee Street Cafe` said...

You're one of my top talented people! Naturally I will check in from time-to-time and see what you are up to. Glad I read this post though. It's is exciting to move and I wish you and your husband well. See you around my friend.

S-V-H said...

What a honor, Theresa

to get such a wonderful compliment from you. I'm very flattered and happy about your words.

Please come back to read and to enjoy. I will try to post as much as possible before we are moving and I will announce my come back in a separate post.

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