The teaching schedule you had sounds pretty brutal. 9 1/2 hour days, six days a week, how did you find time to prepare lessons and review tests and homework? And still have time to take care of the normal needs of living? Last winter I took on a six week guest teaching residency for 1 hour a week for a local fifth grade class. Not having a teaching background, it took me 6-8 hours to prepare each weeks lesson. This included a power point presentation, hand out materials, local topical research, and a lecture outline. The over arching theme was current and historical architecture and how it gives meaning to our lives. I can understand how the schedule you had to keep for five years burned you out, I was burned out after my six weeks. Do you ever miss teaching now? I will admit, the fifth grade class I taught had a lot of energy and most were quite sharp on their questions and observations.
I am glad you have found a portable income with the writing you do. I've tried a few companies but the pay was only $2 per 400 word assignment. Even those assignments were hard to get.
Good luck in the construction of your house in CR, that is really exciting and a good sign of success.