I made my annual trek to Omaha and back over Labor Day weekend...
The fam is still the fam. Quirky and chaotic and so welcoming of their Texas outlier.
The all day gathering marathons are no longer a thing, and I think my step-mother, my uncle, and I are all glad for the change.
It used to be I stayed at the house and the galloping hordes descended by 10 or 11 am, and there was a houseful until I could convince the visitors to leave by 9 pm--which was well past my bedtime. Sometimes I'd just have to go to bed.
Last year, I ended up getting a hotel and that was the best decision I've made regarding this trip I've made in a while. I can leave when I'm ready and the fam can stay and visit.
This year though...no one arrived on Saturday until 2ish... So Sunday I thought to enjoy a more leisurely morning, but got summonsed around 11:30 when the gray sheep of the family and her posse came to see me earlier than I expected. I still got to enjoy the view from my hotel room for a good forty-five minutes. And although it's hard to tell, a light rain was falling. A very peaceful start to the day.
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But now that I'm home -- that road trip closes out the middle part of my year -- it's time to look down the road to the end of the year for all the businesses I wrangle as well as planning for Christmas and into 2027 for my personal businesses.
This year I'm going create a more formalized business plan for both the publishing and the Etsy store. I won't be able to retire (yet?) on my royalty income, but I've been considering ways to expand my readership/customer reach and increase those royalties. Every little bit helps me reach my goal of financial freedom before we reach retirement.
There are lots of moving parts for both businesses so figuring out how to keep track of them is also part of the overall plan of attack.
I hope you enjoyed your long weekend and that this weekend also lives up to its potential.
Stay cool and stay hydrated...but cooler temps are on the horizon for North Texas, thank goodness.
Take care!
