I had planned to attend a tiny home manufacturer’s open house last Saturday but decided on Thursday not to attend after all. Two wonderful events (having a house guest and a quick, 1-day visit from my daughter) and one not-so-good issue (my hurt knee) led me to cancel my trip to Tennessee.

I would still like to attend one of this business’ open homes, and if I understand correctly, this wasn’t a one-time event. More importantly, while I was a bit disappointed not to attend, canceling caused me to face the fact that I have much to learn about even the possibility of tiny home living.

As a result, I plan to visit City Hall to see what my options are as far as having a tiny home in the community in which I live and will almost surely eventually retire to. I would much prefer to live within walking distance of the public library, gym, city park in the heart of town, etc. Therein lie a few problems including zoning laws, availability of a suitable lot, and the price of a lot even if one becomes available. Those are just a few of the things I need to educate myself on.

I may have to keep an eye out for a very small traditional home. That may be a big task in itself, as homes with only 2 small bedrooms are difficult to come by, and a home with only 1 will likely be impossible to find. As a result, I plan to schedule an appointment with my favorite realtor to discuss what I’m looking for and get feedback from her.

Of course, another option is to purchase a small parcel of land outside town. However, both the purchase price of land and the necessity to drive almost everywhere I would want to go are major issues I’d rather not deal with.

I have about a year to find something; my son will finish his medical residency next June 30 and will be moving into this house (which he bought in February), and I will move elsewhere. If nothing has materialized, I can simply move back to the metro area and live there until I retire, so I’m not without options. However, I’m ready and eager to start living my dream.

So while I didn’t hit the road to the Memphis area this past weekend, I had a lovely time with my daughter and my friend, and I was able to determine some very definite issues I need to address as I move forward in creating my dream lifestyle.