Friday, April 18, 2014

Ahh the sounds of spring!

As I lay here tonight, while the children sleep peacefully, I cannot help but wonder how others life their lives closed away from nature in houses made to keep everything that is natural at bay.

The motor home gently rocks with a significant wind blowing up here on the hilltop, I hear the long missed peep frogs, and even a whippoorwill. All sounds and sensations I have missed these last few years! Sounds and sensations that are simply NOT a part of a bricks and sticks life. The simplicity of a life where the entire house is cleaned top to bottom in the matter of a few minutes as a part of the 'morning chores'. The lingering faint smells of the wood fire, the tinge of rain on the wind. How could anyone not crave these natural rhythms over the hustle and bustle of what most consider to be a 'normal life?

Have I mentioned yet that I am completely off of my 100 mg trazodone which was required to sleep inside the house? Ahhh....liberating.

As usual I am saddened by those who simply cannot understand the freedom, and joy, that comes from 'less'. Just a short time ago my brother in law let slip his true opinion of our lifestyle ! At first this angered me. Then I realized that during other conversations he had mentioned that he never camped, had never been around, or had a motor home, and many other tidbits over the past year. The anger quickly subsided and turned into what I would describe as pity for him. He is getting on in years (aren't we all), has payments on literally everything which are unlikely to be paid off during the remainder of his working time (all mere assumptions). It honestly makes me wish there were a way to 'mind meld' and share the peace, security, and joy which would impart the understanding they simply cannot see.

One more week here if all goes as planned and we make the voyage to Greenville Mo. to fulfill our volunteer position there with the Army Corps of Engineers. I do so like their small, and often rather primitive parks in comparison to many of the more commercialized places we could stay or work at. I am looking forward to being only a mile from a small town, yet yards from the river, and yet only 20(ish) miles from a fairly metro area for occasional trips as well!

Hopefully my next post will have us leaving my sisters property, which even through the irritation inherent with family at times, I am extremely grateful for having been allowed to stay at. IF all goes as planned there will be a pitstop in Cuba missouri so the children can participate in their uncles wedding before either heading back here to check mail (am waiting on an important document), or on to Greenville directly to there.

Till next time, Joy and blessings to all, May you find the happiness your soul desires!


Tuesday, April 8, 2014

More thoughts on life!

It has been expressed by a number of people that they enjoy mostly the posts in which I offer some insight into 'who' I am and how I came to the lifestyle. In that spirit I'm excited about posting today.

In a heated conversation with my brother-in-law just last week his views of my lifestyle became readily apparent. A single comment of 'well I think it is stupid to live in a MH when there is a perfectly good 3 br house right there' really upset me. But, more than that got me to thinking again as to why a house makes me so unhappy.

Being a single parent with two children adds even more to the stress and drain on my soul. Every time they expressed a wish to go do something which we simply can't afford was heartbreaking. Knowing what they experienced every time a book order came in to school and they did not get to order but one book if that was unforgivable!

Living in that MH, which is paid for, which uses limited, and purely optional, electricity to maintain a comfortable environment, and the freedom to spend time 'doing things' allows us the freedom to experience what life 'should be' about! I come in from work I'm not exhausted and drained and still have housework to accomplish! The children are not overwhelmed with keeping a room picked up and in order. Every chore is shared and done in the first few minutes of the day. Nobody is stuck in a room away from everyone else to accomplish the task either!

Need to vacuum,  5 minutes tops including the cabinets! Kitchen needing cleaned, OH WAIT! I did that while I was cleaning the living room. Bathroom need cleaned, hey, I do that while taking my shower! (Bathroom floor in our MH IS the shower pan!). Even better, I can go use someone elses bathroom (provided by the campground and maintained by another individual). Time to cook, great another excuse to use the grill OUTSIDE! Gotta do dishes, OH WAIT! I did that as I cleaned off the table, straight into the trash!

I simply do not understand how others cannot see that a simplistic life is far more energizing and joyful than one cluttered with 'stuff' and 'chores' and 'payments' which are on top of the mundane workday. I get to take my children to work with me every single day! NO set schedule, as long as he work gets completed! Nothing in caring for the day use area or walking path is an activity which they cannot share with me and have fun along the way while doing so! That is LIFE!

This is the life I have experienced during a majority of my existence on Earth. Never did I feel I needed more than a 'sleeping room' rental, or best of all a tent and a tank of fuel, for anything! I absolutely relish when someone seething sarcasm states 'must be nice to be able to (insert something here)' I can only respond to them with 'Yes, it is'

Go forth! LIVE life! Don't chase tomorrow! Relish today!

26 Look at the birds in the air. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. And you know that you are worth much more than the birds. 27 You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it. 28 "And why do you worry about clothes? Look at how the lilies in the field grow. They don't work or make clothes for themselves. 29 But I tell you that even Solomon with his riches was not dressed as beautifully as one of these flowers.30 God clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today but tomorrow is thrown into the fire. So you can be even more sure that God will clothe you. Don't have so little faith! 31 Don't worry and say, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' 32 The people who don't know God keep trying to get these things, and your Father in heaven knows you need them. 33The thing you should want most is God's kingdom and doing what God wants. Then all these other things you need will be given to you. 34 So don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have its own worries. Each day has enough trouble of its own.


Tuesday, April 1, 2014

And so the journey begins at last

Well as the spring season seems to be taking it's time arriving weather wise we've been  feeling that old anticipation building. Kids have settled into the motorhome lifestyle reasonably easily. In fact was just a few nights ago I asked if they were ready to go back into the house and received some 'are you insane' looks from their young faces. I guess the lack of television and xbox is not as bad as they had once envisioned.

I received an email today from a campground in a small town here in Missouri on Wappapello lake from the US Army Corps of Engineers. After a little research on the campground they are offering work at we have decided to take the plunge and head out early next month (May). This will potentially cause the children to miss a couple weeks of school, but, the education they are about to embark upon will be interesting to say the least. We will be in charge of maintaining a walking trail and a day use area complete with rest rooms, shower house, boat ramp, and a number of picnick and special events pavilions it appears from the description. 15 hours a week for hookup site, on a lake (yes I love lake fishing), and a maintenance position in the great outdoors! What more could one ask for!

We decided for our first position as a family to at least stay fairly close to an area we know. We have several family friends within 40 miles of this campground and little town which makes it an even more ideal location I believe. Add to that we will be arriving mere weeks before their black powder redezvous! WOW that is going to be a blast!

Now Im just hoping I can have my ducks in a row in time. Going to be a race getting the motorhome licensed when my last check gets here for sure. Like a race of a few days to a week to be ready and gone!

Hopefully I can find some good photos of the area to post for my next installment. I've not had much material to work with photographically these past few weeks as I would have liked. It appears the flowers are beginning to poke their foliage through now so should be quite soon.

Till next time. Happy travels wherever you may be on your journeys.