Leaving Boise is turning out harder then we had anticipated. Our old neighbors threw us a going away party last night, and it was such fun, but did have us feeling a bit mauldin on the way home, knowing how we will miss them all. Didn't help to be driving into a beautiful Boise sunset as we drove down off the mesa. Jet and I had a nice run into the foothills this morning (Hull's Gulch) and it hit me hard how I will miss these foothill trails.
But life is full of changes and we are thankful for all the great folks we met in our five years in Boise. Suzy starts her last week of work of tomorrow. She is still grinding hard right to the end, you would think she was going to be back next year with the work she is putting in on next year's master schedule. Two speeds, that girl, peddle to the metal, and full stop (that would be reading). Speaking of which we have started a new form of reading, very RV functional I might add. Its called the Kindle by Amazon. Our neighbors, Joe and Janie, recommended it when they saw me installing Suzy's library in the RV. One little Kindle holds over 1500 books. So we won't be dragging the rear bumper because the Kindle is putting on weight. Fun to read with, even will go to voice when you are preoccupied, switching back and forth as you prefer, perfect for traveling.
Bought a four pound tub of strawberries yesterday that wouldn't fit in the refrigerator, so being a dedicated consumer, I ate the whole four pounds worth. Not quite as good as those copper country sparkle berries but a close second. Suzy bought a twelve pack of Miller 64's but wimped out on consuming them all cause they wouldn't fit in the refrigerator. She tells me she can drink three of them and have less calories then a glass of wine, but she slurs more then on the wine. So we are slowly learning how to cut down on our Costco lifestyle for a handy mart mentality.
25 days to the open road and counting.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
OK, Now What?
May 15, 2009 is day 1 (one) of the great RV adventure. We moved the 5th wheel from our old home to our new lot in Meridian, ID where we have established a beachhead. A nice RV park with all the amenities (lots of folks walking around talking about the weather) that we will call home until the latter part of June. We will use this time to discover the nuances of living in 300 square feet with an European sized refrigerator and 5% of our belongings.
Tom backed the 34 footer into their spot with effortless dexterity only making 12 passes to get it just right. Suzy thinks Tom was compressing the ground for extra stability. Our new neighbors, Jeff and Karla, were very non judgemental on Tom's backward backing up process. Jeff, who is an uncanny reincarnation of RE Slining, complete with congestive heart failure, two pack a day habit, grey goatee, and bald head, even the same glasses, has been very helpful. A former owner of an RV park in California he has seen it all, or at least that is what he thought before Tom moved in.
The list of learning experiences grows daily and we only hope we learn all the most important things before we hit the road. So far Tom has bruised his ribs falling off and landing on ladder as he changed a bulb near the top of the rig. He bruised his ego, leaving a faucet open that flooded the tanks, overflowed the shower and caused a small Niagra like waterfall off the left side of the rig. Note to Tom, leave the grey water valves open once hooked up to sewer. Just in case Tom wasn't making enough mistakes on his own, the TV guy cut the 12 volt line that fed the thermostat, thus rendering us without heat or cooling on a day that Suzy tells me had a low of 45 and a high of 85. Suzy took her shower that day at Golds and vowed not to return until things were working again.
Suzy has found the laundromat drill here at the park to be a cleansing experience. Having gotten three machines loaded she went to take a shower next door only to find she forgot her shampoo, so she decided Woolite would be a good field expedient. Beside making her hair more coarse then Jet's, the caustic action caused temporary blindness worse then a sharp stick in the eye.
Speaking of Jet, he has been the lone casualty in the transition, as change is not his cup of dog bones. He alternates pacing from end to end (34 feet) with hiding under the comforter draping off the bed. He is even more careful when outside, being terrified this morning by a hanging basket of petunias, moving in the wind. But we are noticing some small triumphs on his part each day. Today he did his constitutional while staying in one spot vs. trailing it out as he jumped to safety.
So we are anxiously awaiting the christening of the RV on the 25th of June when we launch for points East and North. Until then Suzy has nine more days of work before her early retirement, she has only put in 38 years so far. Then its off to Seattle for a bike trip in the San Juan Islands for Tom and then Tatum's graduation from Seattle University with a masters in guidance counseling. Closely followed by a big family reunion in Manistique, Michigan.
Stay tuned.
Tom backed the 34 footer into their spot with effortless dexterity only making 12 passes to get it just right. Suzy thinks Tom was compressing the ground for extra stability. Our new neighbors, Jeff and Karla, were very non judgemental on Tom's backward backing up process. Jeff, who is an uncanny reincarnation of RE Slining, complete with congestive heart failure, two pack a day habit, grey goatee, and bald head, even the same glasses, has been very helpful. A former owner of an RV park in California he has seen it all, or at least that is what he thought before Tom moved in.
The list of learning experiences grows daily and we only hope we learn all the most important things before we hit the road. So far Tom has bruised his ribs falling off and landing on ladder as he changed a bulb near the top of the rig. He bruised his ego, leaving a faucet open that flooded the tanks, overflowed the shower and caused a small Niagra like waterfall off the left side of the rig. Note to Tom, leave the grey water valves open once hooked up to sewer. Just in case Tom wasn't making enough mistakes on his own, the TV guy cut the 12 volt line that fed the thermostat, thus rendering us without heat or cooling on a day that Suzy tells me had a low of 45 and a high of 85. Suzy took her shower that day at Golds and vowed not to return until things were working again.
Suzy has found the laundromat drill here at the park to be a cleansing experience. Having gotten three machines loaded she went to take a shower next door only to find she forgot her shampoo, so she decided Woolite would be a good field expedient. Beside making her hair more coarse then Jet's, the caustic action caused temporary blindness worse then a sharp stick in the eye.
Speaking of Jet, he has been the lone casualty in the transition, as change is not his cup of dog bones. He alternates pacing from end to end (34 feet) with hiding under the comforter draping off the bed. He is even more careful when outside, being terrified this morning by a hanging basket of petunias, moving in the wind. But we are noticing some small triumphs on his part each day. Today he did his constitutional while staying in one spot vs. trailing it out as he jumped to safety.
So we are anxiously awaiting the christening of the RV on the 25th of June when we launch for points East and North. Until then Suzy has nine more days of work before her early retirement, she has only put in 38 years so far. Then its off to Seattle for a bike trip in the San Juan Islands for Tom and then Tatum's graduation from Seattle University with a masters in guidance counseling. Closely followed by a big family reunion in Manistique, Michigan.
Stay tuned.
The chicken or the egg?
When moving to an RV one must decide whether the chicken preceded the egg or vice versa. Do you buy the truck to pull the RV first or the trailer/fifth wheel first? I decided the truck came first as long as I bought a powerful enough one to pull most rigs. Rigs is a manly name for your new home. Women seldom use it. So we settled on a Ford 250 Diesel.
Now we are talking a manly diesel rattler. I love the smell of diesel in the morning! In Viet Nam it was often the smell of diesel burning feces from the crappers. So just plain diesel doesn't smell that bad coming from the big tailpipe of our white rig, Brutus. The son of the previous owner (a recent cancer victim) suggested we keep the name Brutus and seemed happy when I heartily agreed.
The search for the new rolling home now begins in earnest. Suzy's top priority is a bedroom sanctuary where she can nestle up with a good book. Tom's priority as always was price. Tightwad Tom (TT) starts his quest at 15,000 but quickly finds that will easily get him half an RV but not a home for a year. After employing Craig's List again after the success in finding Brutus we find a number of possibilities and spend weeks running down the leads and eliminating the promising but inaccurate descriptions of "late model good condition 5th Wheeler". Then we find Montana! Not the state, the 5th Wheeler, Mountaineer Edition. What a beaut, the sanctuary is perfect, the price is making Tom squeak like a mouse. But its a dream and we can easily see ourselves living in it for a year. Even has a bike rack and generator on the back. My friend Ron who is helping me through the process agrees its the best deal for the money, and more importantly Suzy is in love with it. Its a Deal. We are no longer homeless.
Now we are talking a manly diesel rattler. I love the smell of diesel in the morning! In Viet Nam it was often the smell of diesel burning feces from the crappers. So just plain diesel doesn't smell that bad coming from the big tailpipe of our white rig, Brutus. The son of the previous owner (a recent cancer victim) suggested we keep the name Brutus and seemed happy when I heartily agreed.
The search for the new rolling home now begins in earnest. Suzy's top priority is a bedroom sanctuary where she can nestle up with a good book. Tom's priority as always was price. Tightwad Tom (TT) starts his quest at 15,000 but quickly finds that will easily get him half an RV but not a home for a year. After employing Craig's List again after the success in finding Brutus we find a number of possibilities and spend weeks running down the leads and eliminating the promising but inaccurate descriptions of "late model good condition 5th Wheeler". Then we find Montana! Not the state, the 5th Wheeler, Mountaineer Edition. What a beaut, the sanctuary is perfect, the price is making Tom squeak like a mouse. But its a dream and we can easily see ourselves living in it for a year. Even has a bike rack and generator on the back. My friend Ron who is helping me through the process agrees its the best deal for the money, and more importantly Suzy is in love with it. Its a Deal. We are no longer homeless.
4,000 Cubic Feet Later
Two storage units, 4000 cubic feet of "stuff" equals 100 cubic feet per year of marriage. Not bad for an American. With the help of Tate and Jeff on the heavy and huge furniture, we got it all in. I'm not even thinking about a year from now when its time to load it into trucks and transport to the NW and our new home. Also not thinking about how many times since storing it, I have needed something buried in the guts of the boxes, only to realize its not going to happen, and better go to Lowe's and buy another. Tightwad Tom doesn't like this part. Turns out there are 12 boxes labeled, "Last Box, last minute items." Houses just oooooze stuff. It doesn't stop until you drive away. Then the new owners probably wonder what this stuff ooozing out is, and where its coming from.
Selling the Nest
Selling your house is so much work, that in the process of selling it, you can easily lose sight of the reason you are subjecting yourself to the turmoil and work. This is dangerous, as when you lose sight of the objective its easy to get discouraged and exhausted. Having a dream in sight, like traveling, really helps keep the focus. Especially when your life's belongings are bulging at the seams and the job of putting everything into storage seems a bit like stuffing a large sleeping bag into a small bag.
Staging is the key to selling. Remember when you were selling your tricycle and you washed it and put new streamers on the handlebars? This brought out all the kids in the local bike market and got you a quick sale. Sameo, sameo for selling your house. Clean it, clear it, and fix it, was our mantra. We were so proud of our emerging prize. Then our realtor brought in the staging pro and we learned that clear it meant disembowl it. When they got done, we had to admit it looked better then we had imagined. Its amazing what filling a storage unit to the ceiling can do for your home.
And the proof of the pudding was two (2) full priced offers on the first day! Who said the housing market was depressed with 11 months inventory of homes in our price range? A young family with two young children had found their dream home and we were suddenly free! All this by April Fool's Day.
Staging is the key to selling. Remember when you were selling your tricycle and you washed it and put new streamers on the handlebars? This brought out all the kids in the local bike market and got you a quick sale. Sameo, sameo for selling your house. Clean it, clear it, and fix it, was our mantra. We were so proud of our emerging prize. Then our realtor brought in the staging pro and we learned that clear it meant disembowl it. When they got done, we had to admit it looked better then we had imagined. Its amazing what filling a storage unit to the ceiling can do for your home.
And the proof of the pudding was two (2) full priced offers on the first day! Who said the housing market was depressed with 11 months inventory of homes in our price range? A young family with two young children had found their dream home and we were suddenly free! All this by April Fool's Day.
Transitioning to the Transition
It must have been in late January or early February when Suzy asked me one morning what I thought about selling the house and traveling the country in an RV for a year. I wasn't expecting this question from my resident nester. Suzy has always found the most comfort in her home surrounded by familiar surroundings and umbilicalized to the community through the library and school. So I wasn't sure she was serious but just in case, I displayed excitement about this idea. From this one conversation our resolve and interest only increased.
We decided that there wasn't a better time on our lives to take a year and put the show on the road. Suzy would be retiring from life as an educator after 38 years in June. Tom was looking for an excuse to get out of the consulting business which was becoming too much like work. We were both healthy and our kids lives were aligned to us being mobile. Timing isn't everything, but it greases the skids of major decisions. Our previous travels in life (three years in Europe) had taught us we could not only cope with travel but thrive on it. So we now had another dream to follow. Suzy, the bibliophile, had read about practically every area of the U.S. and Canada but not visited many of them. Tom had done lots of job related travel but had not had the chance to spend much free time in his travels.
We decided that there wasn't a better time on our lives to take a year and put the show on the road. Suzy would be retiring from life as an educator after 38 years in June. Tom was looking for an excuse to get out of the consulting business which was becoming too much like work. We were both healthy and our kids lives were aligned to us being mobile. Timing isn't everything, but it greases the skids of major decisions. Our previous travels in life (three years in Europe) had taught us we could not only cope with travel but thrive on it. So we now had another dream to follow. Suzy, the bibliophile, had read about practically every area of the U.S. and Canada but not visited many of them. Tom had done lots of job related travel but had not had the chance to spend much free time in his travels.
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