Well Blanche is home at least

Well we got Blanche home at last. Was a fairly uneventful trip although we did overheat once on the way. This required me to pull into a church parking lot which luckily had an outdoor spigot behind it. About 2.5 gallons of water and a little time and we were on the move again with no further interruptions the rest of the way home. I am still not sure what caused the overheat but then I am not sure I checked the water level itself at any time during the inspection stage. No apparent leaks since then so Im thinking that it is likely the case that it was just low to begin with. 

Of course when the children saw it we had to stay in it for a night nearly right off. That morning we awoke to single digit temperatures and it was somewhat chilly inside even tho I had taken the fireplace like electric heater from the house and installed it in between the seats in the front. The kids were thrilled and wanted to stay the second, and third, and every night since. We however haven't yet until I get a proper 10 guage cord to plug it in with. 

I've also ordered an extend-a-stay like kit so that we can hook up the external 20 lb bottle that is full of propane that the PO stated went with it. I'm not sure that he wasn't mistaken because I can see no place at all where the lines have been modified to allow its connection.Regardless I already knew that I wanted to be able to use portable bottles for some situations anyhow so no biggy there.

It is supposed to get down to the single digits for the next few days and since I added only water during the overheat on the trip home I went out today after being reminded by my brother in law and drained the water from it completely (radiator and engine) since I have not been to town to purchase antifreeze yet. Something which I wanted to replace so I knew its age anyhow. 

I also have ordered a windshield and side window cover for it which was fairly reasonable. Past experiences showed those to be invaluable for controlling indoors temperatures in the past. I also ordered an electrical tester, another electrical adapter (could not find one in it, then after ordering one the children found 3 of them stashed somewhere). I also contacted the propane company and am having a 250 gallon tank set nearby and running a line underground to a spot near the drive so that it can be hooked up with the same hose as would go to the 20 lb portable tank.

I'm getting anxious for some warmer weather to get brakes checked out and replaced, wheel bearings packed, windshield washer arm bushings replaced, new plugs wires rotor and cap, as well as insuring I have a ballast resistor on hand just in case. Any old Mopar enthusiasts will understand the reasoning there for sure. Still needing a wire wheel for the rims and mirrors to get them painted up and into shape as well.   

The wiring under the hood and beside the battery seems to be a bit of a mystery. There are a number of wires that have been terminated to connect directly to the battery terminals that I have no idea what go to. That is an investigation for warmer weather also. 

Peace and happiness to all for now. Cannot wait to fully move into it! Thanks for sharing our journey thus far with us.  

Perspectives

As I was speaking with a dear friend this week a few thoughts I experienced left me absolutely confounded. While discussing my return to the lifestyle they mentioned they had plans and hopes of being able to retire to a MH 'someday'. This was causing me distress because no matter how much I explained they simply could not see past staying in 'bricks and sticks' until they retired. I understand they have a career and the one they have ties them to staying local, but, that does not mean one must continue to waste all that precious time not Full Timing. To me it seems simply insane to waste all the money to maintain a house, land, much higher utilities, insurance, taxes and all the other expenses of living in a house. They could retire much earlier saving that income while living the lifestyle they so eagerly anticipate.

All of my explanations fell upon a closed mind however. And there is nothing wrong with their choice whatsoever. I only wish they could feel the joy and freedom I experience now rather than later.

My first experience with the lifestyle was not one of choice but rather necessity. I could not wait to return to what society considered 'normal'! It took me nearly a year in that instance to be able to return to an apartment. During that experience I could not see past the hardships I was experiencing and was very unhappy due to my own thought processes. It was truly a celebration when I opened the door and moved into the apartment I was finally able to afford.

Within a very short time however I found myself very unhappy again, miraculously I was missing the experience I had learned while living in a vehicle. Every time the bills came around my mind was disturbed by how much it was costing, and thoughts of other things I could be doing with that money instead of handing it over to someone else who had not worked for it. I continued a year in that turmoil before walking away by choice a second time.

The second time was a much different experience. Due totally to my mindset and thoughts. Add to that the second time I didn't have a vehicle to live in either. As I was sleeping on a park bench or a number of other places however there was a peace, a feeling that all was good, a stirring in my very soul. It took some time but I eventually got a tarp and made a camp that was at least dry, eventually moved near a billboard for electric availability, then on to a tent, and finally to a van. I didn't consider it a struggle tho. Instead I was enjoying the experience and the simple lifestyle greatly! I knew with all I was that I had somehow found peace and every fiber of my being was thrilled daily at every experience.

During this I began people watching. Thinking on how they struggled often with bills, how the enclosure of the house closed them off from the very nature which they enjoyed on vacations, and a good many other things. I couldn't help but feel sorry for them even as they looked at me with contempt or pity. Could they not see they were the ones living a mundane lifestyle which could be stripped from them in the blink of an eye. Wasting days, weeks, years of precious life.

This all caused me to become a very spiritual person. I don't believe in religion or doctrine as it is today. I do however believe in God and the Bible. The simple feeling of peace and prosperity, and contentment free from the bonds of 'normal' was inspiring me daily. I simply KNEW with every thing I am that I was experiencing things as they were 'meant to be'. That the 'normal' life was somehow much less than what society seemed to think it was, and was somehow simply and fundamentally wrong.

I could literally speak for days on end about these subjects and not convince a single person with a closed mind of anything at all. They simply respond 'I'm so happy for you' or 'Wow that must be such fun' or even scowl at me with pity all over their faces as their thoughts tell them that I'm the one who doesn't 'get it'.

It is simply something one must experience for themselves to be able to understand. Until that time it is impossible.

Anxiety in full swing

Anxiety is in full swing fueled by the anticipation of something going wrong with our deal on the RV. It seems the school is taking forever to mail out the stipend checks. I know full well that this is only in my mind as it has only been 4 business days since the records shows their receipt of the funds and they legally have 10.

I have updated the owner on the current progress of the money and made a first small electronic deposit to the Bank to insure that I know the procedures and how much time to expect before the money I deposit will be available for use. My first attempt failed since the camera phone does not take adequate quality photographs. That email nearly sent me into a full blown panic. I was however able to calm myself and figure out that I could use my Cannon camera to photograph the check and upload it from my laptop instead. I accomplished the new upload at 1am last night and am still anxiously awaiting the verification email that my deposit has been completed.


In the meantime for better or worse I have been fueling the anxiety reading blogs created by a multitude of others who live in their RV's full time. As the potential to return to the lifestyle drags on hour by hour Im not sure Im doing myself any good by doing so.

This is the culmination of a 'want' to return to the lifestyle that I know and understand which has been being considered for a number of years now. I guess it is then understandable that things would be even more exciting since that first step has actually been taken per my agreement with the owner. My own issues however make the anticipation horrible as I can seem to see a thousand ways which 'something' will happen to prevent the successful outcome.

On a lighter and better note the campground just a mile from us should begin hiring in March or April. I have very high hopes to be able to trade some work time there for their low $200 a month fee for a full hookup site. This will allow us to identify any problems over the summer with either the vehicle or ourselves while retaining the relative safety of being close to a 'bricks and sticks' place on my sisters property. As I see it my plan is to offer the first 10 hours of each workweek in trade for the campsite. Simple math says that at a mere minimum wage it only takes  6.6666 hours to pay for it. My hope is offering a few extra will show added value for them to take me up on the offer. Another motive is to begin my resume again prior to the fall and applying for other positions as this season begins to wind down.

High hopes abound and the children are as anxious as I at this time. However, only time will tell if their anticipation continues after experiencing the reality full time. Also of some concern is their ability to self police their actions while I work. Another test for the small campground job which will allow me easy supervision while working. At least at the experience will identify any further adjustments which we need to consider and make before plunging head first.

 The remaining concern is how our lovely Dixie will handle the transition. She is an inside dog for nearly a year now. However, on a couple trips around Christmas it was quite apparent that she did not enjoy a moving vehicle at all. While the RV will definitely only actually move a few times a year, it is still a concern as it was obviously stressful for her. Hope is that with time and experience she will enjoy it, or at the very least take it in stride.

The search comes to an end!

There were many things which went through my mind, many of which still remain unanswered.

In deciding to purchase the 1977 Dodge Midas I considered many things. Several of these considerations were of space for myself and two children. I was actually shopping for older class A's.

We found one that wasn't running for $1000, which with a tow to our current residence was within our budget. I called and spoke with the owner and was told that it simply had no power to anything. Having been a mechanic for years I quickly ran down the possible list of causes and determined that at price it was worth the risk. I picked up the phone and called him back only to be informed that someone had put a deposit on it already, but, that he would contact me if it wasn't picked up before the agreed upon time. My heart sank. I had seen several in our price range on Craigslist but nothing which compared to the interior and exterior shape that this one was in. I knew something else would pop up eventually tho.

That same night I got a message on a Facebook buy/sell group I was a member of. The person stated they had a friend wanting to sell a 'sweet' RV. I gathered all of the information I could and called the contact which I had been given. After a short conversation I asked if they could send some photos, to which he responded he would be glad to do the following day. As soon as the pictures began arriving the following morning I was sure we had found our house. I called him back expressing my amazement at it's condition for the age. He then went on to explain that they had owned it since it was new (his grandparents actually), and that it had been under cover of a garage it's entire life. I explained my situation and time frame and asked if it was something they would be willing to work with. To my elation he agreed so I scheduled a meeting to give it an actual look over two days later.

This same night I saw the class A had reappeared on Craigslist again. I contacted that person and asked if his deal had fallen thru (intending if so to inform him I was no longer interested so he could remove me from second place on the list). He responded that he must have missed removing one of the ads and that it was gone. I looked at the ad again and noticed it was a new posting but whatever. Mere minutes after the end of that conversation he texted me with a name and number to the person who had bought it and said they were willing to sell it for $300! WOW I must have dodged a bullet on that one. Red flags went up all over the place!

Our meeting with the owner of the 77 a couple days later went very well. I knew from past experience how to look for indications of water damage, inoperable equipment,ect and had brought a new fuel filter with me just because. Well the filter was definitely needed so I was glad I brought it and installed it even tho no deal had been struck for sure. After crawling under, and over, and inside of it for some time I could honestly find nothing wrong at all. No sagging or wrinkled wallpaper, nothing. Ceilings all felt absolutely firm to the touch, the decor while vintage was not threadbare or torn anywhere! When I asked about hearing it run I was informed that they always stored it with the fuel tank drained. Having been a mechanic and knowing what problems stored fuel can cause over time I was even more impressed. The owner however went into a shed and came back with a fuel can. A few drops into the carburetor and it fired instantly (something a 360 was NOT known to do easily on a very cold morning).

After a little more discussion we went into the house and met his grandmother who actually owned the rig. One could tell that she didnt really want to sell, but also didnt want it to sit as she was no longer able to use it. After some conversation about her husband being a mechanic and the fact that I liked the vintage interior and was happy that it hadnt been 'upgraded' or 'modernized' one could see her face relax. We struck a deal on the spot and I explained to her that I was waiting on a check which was still a couple weeks out. I asked if she would mind holding onto it until then assuring her that myself and the two children were elated to have found something in such good repair. She agreed!

At this time my check arrival should be later this week. I am absolutely through the roof with anticipation.

In my next post I will have pic's of it at home, explain some of the why I wanted an older model, and a little more of the process to prepare.

Thanks

The decision is Finalized

I have long experienced a longing. A longing not for monetary or physical things but rather for a better life which I knew must exist.  This desire consistently persuaded me to abandon all reason which societal standards dictated I must abide by. The urge to see a new place always built up inside until it was impossible to ignore and I was off again on a new adventure. Often not even knowing 'where' I was heading until I arrived. 

 I silently chuckle to myself each time someone found the need to express whatever new ‘thing’ they had added to their life. To me the pursuit of such items is simply insane. Could they not see and understand that the happiness brought from such items was short lived? Items wear out, break, become obsolete, and generally are simply something which deprived a person of currency which would have been better spent to finance an experience which would last forever. The only thing we will carry through an entire lifetime is memories. Therefore, it seems to me that they are the most valuable possessions a person will ever have.

     

           To me it seems that Henry David Thoreau absolutely got it right when he said “I make myself rich by making my wants few.”

            People in this world need to wake up and realize that the money they spend each and every month to simply maintain the things which they ‘own’ is a waste. That money once spent is gone forever and at any time an unforeseen circumstance can cause them to lose everything for which they have toiled. Anything can be taken away! There is not a single physical thing which can offer any type of security.

            These observations seemed to present themselves each and every time I found myself without. The times I have been without the headache of figuring out on a monthly basis the ‘how’ of paying for things which only sucked the very life out of me. The house or apartment, the car, all of the associated expenses which come along with them were never joyful experiences. Anytime I had to give away my time in exchange for the privilege of filling another pocket so that they could then also give my time away to yet someone else distressed me. It simply didn’t make any sense to continue such an existence.

Every time in life when I ran across an experience where these things were ‘lost’ I did not feel any disappointment or dismay over the physical item which was lost. It was instead as though a weight had been lifted every single time. The only negative feeling was a sense that I had wasted my time in the pursuit. Rather it was a release of the bonds which were causing my unhappiness and turmoil.  It was then time to continue on to the next place, see the next landscape, and meet the next people and learn their stories. Many times I was known to simply vanish overnight. Walking away from whatever possessions I had procured but could not carry with me in a simple backpack.

I honestly feel this is a longing which every human person experiences but is afraid to pursue. They instead concern themselves with proving to someone else that they are worth something by surrounding themselves with useless things.

The ‘what if’s’ which take up space in your minds deprives you of the peace and true happiness which comes from adventures and experiences which are possible only through spending time with their families.

I often hear from other single parents who are beaming with pride from working two jobs to provide for their children. These people  fill me only with a deep sadness. Can they not see that they have deprived themselves and their children of the most important aspects of life? Can they not see that spending such valuable time away from their children was in no way ‘raising’ them? That such time spent away means that someone else was responsible for the ‘raising’ and lessons which the children learned.  Is it then any wonder when one day a parent looks around and wonders why their child does not share their views, values, or morals? This to me is the true failing of society today. A failure from which there is no returning.

These thoughts and experiences have all combined to lead me to the point I am in life today. A place where the stress of feeling I have to fit into some societal norm with which I do not agree with or understand has caused huge anxiety issues. I believe I have finally identified my fear. My fear of wasting my time pursuing something which others value even though I do not and failing at it.

. A return to a life where a caught meal, an absence of bills, and the peacefulness of nature around me makes it a very good day.  So begins our journey back into the full timing lifestyle of the nomadic Full-Timer.