Life's Journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, totally worn out, shouting "Wow...What a Ride!"

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Rain, Rain and more Rain

Thursday was another rainy day, the tarp over the slide prevented anymore water getting in, during the day the winds kicked up and blew the tarp off the slide and Dave won't be home till 9'sh. Then the rains started again, I brought the bedroom slide back in again.

Early Thursday evening we were under a flash flood watch, the rain kept coming down and Dave didn't take his cell phone to work. He had a 25th anniversary party for a coworker that was being held in Burlington and hoped to be out of there by 7pm. He left Burlington around 7:15 and a long and harrowing ride he got home a little after 9, guess it was an adventure getting home. One section of road was a bit dicey, he had seen a few trucks go through so headed to through a very rough and rocky. Found out the next day the road washed out there.

Friday was once again rainy but we had a mission to accomplish in Huntington. My folks had used part of our garage to store a multitude of boxes which housed the things they had had in the apartment on our house. We needed to move these boxes and the ones I had packed to their garage. During the move my folks got a phone call from their realtor, an full price offer was coming in on the house which had only been listed on Monday. Three wet and rainy hours later Dave and I had accomplished our mission and headed back home. After an ice cream stop we called it a day and put up our feet for the rest of the day. David called, seems he and Laura are having a civil wedding ceremony in August while at a convention in WA. The end summer of 2014 will find us at the Grand Canyon for their "real" wedding. Another night of sleeping with the bedroom slide in.

And again Saturday started off with rain, after a slow start to the morning around 1:30 we headed back to Huntington this time to meet our buyers. After talking with them for a bit we left them there to look through our stuff to see what they wanted. We canceled our dinner plans in Huntington since we didn't know if more flooding was immenent and headed home early. Another night spent with the bedroom slide in, while it isn't too inconvenient it is a pain to climb over the bed every time I get up.

Sunday was overcast but had periods of actual sunshine. I spent the day in the camp store and Dave spent the day puttering around the RV. My day was slow, the only time I had any crowd was during the Sunday party time. by 5:15 I was home. Dave had a successful day in getting the leak stopped, some type of caulk in some seams really helped. We even slept with the slide out and rain coming down.

Monday was a work day for Dave and I puttered around the RV. Bills, inventorying some of our bins and some TV watching made for a relaxing day. A phone call from Tom made the day.

Today was another work day for Dave, I spent my day on a few chores. Cleaning and getting things put back together after getting the RV dried out was first priority. Then planting of our garden was next, it felt so good to play in the dirt again. I haven't planted just for the shear joy of planting in recent years, today it was because I wanted to not because I had to. Our garden is very small but contains flowers, herbs and tomatoes. And of course we have our families of hummingbirds who visit every day rain or shine.

Life is looking good in our part of the world. Things seem to be coming together for us and life will be getting a bit crazier in the next few weeks, then they should settle into a new routine. More time off for Dave, maybe we'll be able to enjoy the summer in VT this year.

Until next time...

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Done packing!!!

Sunday was a slow day at the camp store. In VT the real camping season doesn't begin until Memorial Day and even then we're still getting some cold nights. I remember many years ago throwing a snowball at Dave while he was cutting the grass on Memorial Day weekend. We did have some cold nights last week, Dave lost some tomato plants to frost, even covered they didn't make it. Sunday evening was spent getting stuff together for Monday.

Monday I headed out with Dave at 5:30am, by the time I dropped him off at work and got to the house it was just about 7am. I spent the morning getting everything besides furniture downstairs, getting as much packed as I could before Carol came over for a visit. The last of the stuff we are keeping was gathered up, had a long visit with Carol then headed out on my errands before picking Dave up, we were back home around 4pm. A walk to the scoop shop, dinner a little later and a quiet night. 

Tuesday started out like Monday, by 10:30 though I had the final boxes packed and at this point don't think there is anything more we are taking from the house. We have 38 boxes of various sizes and 3 suitcases, all this will fit in a 10x5 area thus reaching the goal I set for myself. I'm sure we've kept too much but for now this is as much as I'm willing to give up. It will all be moved to IL when my folks head out there. Tuesday was also Carol's birthday, we had a great time going to lunch and talking. Then off to Home Depot for a few things, a stop at the lawyers then off to get Dave, we got home around 3:30, both of us were tired so after an early dinner we called it an early night.

At times I'm fine while at the house, then I'll take a short break and walk around the house, then the eyes start leaking. We have wonderful memories here but it is now time to move on, we are so excited about this winter, now just trying to figure out where we'll go. And now we have to figure a late summer early fall 2014 wedding at the Grand Canyon into our plans.

Last week we discovered that our leak from last year is still haunting us. We talked to the service center where we got the RV and extended warranty, since it isn't covered by the warranty they suggested getting an awning topper, something we were thinking of doing anyway. Wednesday was spent hourly wringing out shamwows as they wicked up the water. I took apart the bed to see if the carpet underneath was wet, not too bad, left the bed off turned on the AC and fan to dry things out. Dave came home early with a tarp which got tested a few hours later and no new water. So awning for the slide has been ordered, should be here any day now.

Wednesday after getting the slide wrapped we were relaxing we received a phone call from our buyers. Their mortgage is approved, of course now there is the legalese to finish but maybe by the middle of June we will have our closing. We are meeting with them this weekend to see what of our stuff they want, then the push is on to get rid of everything else. So our days off will be full for the next few weeks but then FREEDOM, FREEDOM at least of home ownership and all it entails.

Until next time...

Sunday, May 19, 2013

First work day and a ring

The past few days have been much better. stress and anxiety levels have gone down, lists of things to take care of are being made, phone calls to get things moving are being set and next week I'll be spending a few days at the house packing and getting things done. Tomorrow I will head to the town office to get a few things for the lawyer, it will also be a time of goodbyes. Being in one spot for 20 years and having been just a small part of the community we do know all the folks in the town office, we've seen these folks at the schools, church and we have kids the same age so saw them at many a function. Huntington VT has been a wonderful place to bring up our boys, a small town of less than 2000 people you can always walk into Beaudry's the local store and find someone you know. Beaudry's is an old store where the buildings been there forever, the floors aren't level but it is one great little store, if they don't have it you really don't need it. Linda the owner is the unofficial mayor of the town, what a wonderful woman she is. Always there when the fire department is called out or whenever someone needs help with something. Whenever we went away if the boys needed anything they could go see her, as far as we are concerned Beaudry's and Linda are the heart of the town.

Yesterday was my first day working the store and scooping ice cream, need to work on my scooping a bit but otherwise a soft intro to my new career :)  Now to just remember all of the names, that shouldn't be too hard, during my banking days it amazed my customers that I knew their names. While working this past winter at Hickory Farms in the local mall I saw many of my former banking customers, again they were amazed that I remembered their names, so I imagine in another month or so I'll for sure know most of their names. The store is open until 8pm on Saturdays, around 6:30 a few folks gathered for a potluck dinner, turns out it was just us that work here and our families, Dave arrived just after 7 so he got to join us for a bit. A few minutes before 8 Robin started kicking folks out, by 8:30 after a quick vacum and mop I was home. So my work day was made up of sitting on the porch talking, ringing up some sales, taking one phone call, talking and handing out information to prospective campers, not too rough I think I'll like this kind of work.

While cleaning up at the end of the day yesterday my cell phone rang, it was our son David, knowing what he was probably calling about I didn't want to take the call while mopping. By the time I got to the RV Dave was still on the phone with him. He was in PA visiting Laura and meeting her parents, he was also planning on talking to Laura's father. David and Laura are engaged!!! David had sworn us to secrecy when he told us his plans during my birthday phone call from him. We couldn't be happier for them, we've never met Laura but are looking forward to seeing them both when we get to AZ this winter.

Our son Tom is proud of me, I recently added texting to my cell phone plan. With all that has been going on over the last few weeks I knew I needed to take action, I still have moved up to a smart phone or any such thing. While it isn't a smart phone it does have a tiny keyboard which works relatively well. Tom doesn't have a consistent schedule so sending texts to him sometimes works a lot better than calling.

Life is a little exciting these days and the stress is easing. Off to another day of "work".

Until next time...




Friday, May 17, 2013

House has passed inspection!!!

We received a phone call from the buyers, the house passed inspection :-) they have applied for their mortgage and things are moving along nicely. What a relief, you just never know what unknowns might come up at an inspection. So a great bit of stressed has been lifted off of our shoulders and we are starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel. The buyers are on cloud nine, we are right up there with them, maybe now Dave's eyes will stop twitching.

Last Wednesday we took my folks out to dinner, their Christmas present-what do you get people who have all they need or want.We had a nice dinner at Longhorn, before hand we had made a run by the house. The grass needed mowing so Dave tackled that while I did laundry and moved more stuff to our garage sale area. June 7th is the date for it, then the next day anything that hasn't sold we'll take to the local Goodwill. First though the buyers have first choice and anything we aren't keeping. I'm just so glad I took the time this past winter to do as much as I did, but then that was what that time was for. Since this has been an ongoing process the task doesn't seem very daunting.

Thursday was spent around the campground, a few walks and a few projects whiled away the morning and early afternoon, just tried to keep ourselves busy. Then the call came about the inspection, after the call a great sigh a relief was had and numbness for a bit, then giddiness to us our greatest hurdle in all of this was passed. Then a few emails and phone calls to share the news, a walk down to the store to share the news and thank them for putting up with a stressed out me for the last few days. After dinner a few talks of where we want to spend Christmas. An email from my brother indicated they would probably be in Corpus Christi at the end of March, maybe the last stop before we turn north east for next summer back here in VT.

Today will be a day of a few phone calls, a quick run to the grocery store and then making a pot of Pasta E Fagioli to share with who ever wants some. Saturday & Sunday will be my first weekend working, looking forward to it, and now that I'm not stressed out it will be so much better.

So, until next time...

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Waiting

I am trying to fill my days, some days I head back to the house and get more stuff moved to our purge\garage sale area, very little goes to the storage pile and a few things find their way to the RV. Some days I spend around the RV reading blogs, going through some papers, re organizing as we figure out how we live in the RV, I wander down to the campstore, I've been watching some movies and trying to decompress.

I think I'm stressed out a bit, actually I know I am, eating too much chocolate, Dave says my mind can't stay focused and I agree. My stomach is constantly doing flip flops, but then I do know Dave is stressed too. Between the sale of the house and the change of lifestyle it's no wonder we are a bit stressed.

 We still have not heard about the house inspection so we are in limbo which just adds to the stress of things. Inspection deadline is the 19th with 3 days after to terminate because of inspection results. Since we chose to not have the house inspected we just don't know what to expect, but are staying hopeful.

I've been doing just a bit of daydreaming about the 1st winter when we can escape the cold. A must do is to stop and see our sons and my folks, we want to catch up with some friends we haven't seen in years, we want to visit with my brother and his family in Corpus Christi TX when they come down for a sail and then Dave has family in Houston. So many to see then there is the deserts we want to visit again.  

Ran out of propane last night, lesson learned, fill up empty tank when it gets empty. We do have an electric fireplace so I'll stay warm until Dave comes home from work. He's tired so he's taking a half day off, we were up a few times last night, once when the power for the campground went out, then later on it was getting cold that's when we found out we were out of propane.

Until next time...




Sunday, May 12, 2013

Mother's Day

We still haven't heard about the home inspection, Friday was the inspection, Saturday morning we received a text from the buyers, they wanted to show their son the home-could we set that up for Saturday, they had left the signed disclosures at the house-could only have been done at inspection and they had sent the deposit to the lawyers.

We had my folks out for lunch, they were our first guest and the weather dictated eating inside. Should have taken pictures. It was good to see them, haven't seen them much since driving them home from FL last month. Our conversation centered around the selling of both of our homes. My folks moved here to be near us and will be relocating to IL soon, they plan to call the realtor next week. Hopefully all will go well for them and by the fall they are relocated.

Most of the seasonals RV's are here, haven't met them all yet but next weekend I work so I'm sure I'll be meeting lots of folks. We had 5 campers here for the weekend, three have left and two are buttoned up until next weekend. Memorial Day we are full to busting, should be fun, even though it isn't my usual weekend I'll be working on Sunday.

Mother's Day would not be complete without talking with our sons, both called and I enjoyed talking with both of them. Can't wait to see them this fall. Both are working, David keeping track of what the sun is doing to his experiments and Tom is smiling and showing his dimples hopefully getting lots of good tips.

So we'll keep our fingers (and other body parts) crossed but we a cautiously optimistic.

Until next time...

Friday, May 10, 2013

Opening Day & Whoopie Pies

Today was opening day at the campground. Half a dozen weekend warriors and half the seasonals are here. I spent the day between the RV and the store. They have not put a computer in the store yet, all reservations are done by phone or in person, nothing online yet but there is talk of getting a reservation program, but of course all things cost money and right now the system is working so other things have priority. The system doesn't seem too complicated, I've dealt with much worse over the years. Yesterday while in the store I got  a pleasant surprise, a familiar face walked in, just took both of us asking where we knew the other from. Turns out it was one of my old regional vice presidents from my banking days. Jane retired before I left the bank, and while I had seen her since she left the bank, she was a customer of the branch I worked in, I hadn't seen her or her mother a favorite customer of mine in a few years. So nice to see others enjoying a life after the craziness that was our banking world. Got back the store after  lunch today and heard someone I knew had made reservations, guess we're going to have some company.
Looks like it is shaping up to be a good season.

Last year I never did any real cooking in the RV, I've prepared a few dinners on top of the stove so far, today was the day to see how the oven worked. I decided to make some pumpkin whoopie pies with maple cream frosting. For the most part they came out fine, on each sheet there were a few that were just a bit overdone. But with patience, keeping picked up as I went along and a step stool I could get along just fine and the whoopie pies came out very well if I do say so myself. Wonder if I'll figure out a way to manage making chocolate covered cherries, maybe not in the mass quantities I used to.

Today was the house inspection, so should know by the end of Monday or Tuesday how that went, can't help being a bit anxious. Can't wait to be on the other side of all of this.

Tomorrow back to the house to take care of few things, get some laundry done and get in a visit with friends.

So until next time...

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Oops & Anxious

Yesterday I forgot to take my cell phone with me when I left the RV, I had put it on the charger then left with out remembering to pick it up. When I returned I did check and see I had missed a few phone calls from Dave, well I finally caught up with him, he was on his way home to check on me since he couldn't get me on the phone. I've never been one to have my cell phone with me all the time but now am trying to learn to pick up when I'm alone and leave the RV.

Got a phone call from the buyers, they can get in to do the inspection tomorrow. In a few more days we should be feeling much better, very anxious and my nerves are on edge. With a 33 year old house you just never know what to expect.

I've been down helping out at the store doing some last minute cleaning and getting ready for opening day tomorrow. An older couple is now staying here at the campground so we don't have the place to ourselves anymore. There are just a handful of reservations for the weekend but Memorial Day is booked solid. I would imagine the other holidays will book up too before to long. Since Dave was home a bit early yesterday :) he went down and helped Robin get her internet connection going, SuperDave to the rescue.

Weather has been beautiful for the last few weeks but of course this weekend the weather is taking a turn for the worse with rain and cold temps. Can't begrudge the rain though, the farmers (and the new grass seed planted here) need it just hope the Memorial Day weekend has a better forecast.

Until next time...

Monday, May 6, 2013

Years Ago

Sunday we headed back to the house to get a few things done and meet Joe and Meg our buyers. On our drive to the house we received a phone call from our son Tom,. Tom had decided it was time to share a story (about doing something Dave had told him to never do) with us so he had us call him when we got to the house. He the had us go to the deck (on the 2nd floor) off of the master bedroom. This deck is also part of the flat room for the apartment, when Dave and I put the above ground pool in we strategically placed it far enough away from the edge of the apartment room so no one (Tom) would try a jump from the roof to the pool. After getting us in place Tom proceeded to tell us the story of how one day when we weren't home he and a bunch of his friends gathered up ladders and 2x10's and ducted taped them together and with a variety of things created a slide from our deck to the pool. He and Dave had a good laugh, Dave told him it was just jumping off he had been concerned about he said the slide sounded like a lot of fun. Sure explains where those huge rolls of used duct tape came from that we found all those many years ago. We had figured it was Tom back then after all he is know to take plastic wrap and wrap himself all up. It's always an adventure being the parent of Tom.

After our talk with Tom we got down to the business of the house, got the chores done, talked with both neighbors about the offer on the house and all are excited for us and to meet the new family. Mid afternoon we headed over to Les & Deb's house for a late lunch early dinner, while very happy for us we are all saddened an chapter in our lives is closing, but another is opening as they also have plans for the future that don't include living in VT. Thanks Les and Deb for dinner, we really appreciated it.

Our day ended around a campfire with adult beverages and a snack. Tried to get some Hershey bars at the grocery store last time but they were all out so settled for Rolo's just not the same for making smores.

Until next time...

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Offer accepted

What a day it has been. A mid morning phone call led to an accepted offer, we meet tomorrow to sign off on the offer, Monday we'll contact our lawyer. Once the home inspection is done we'll start the final purge of the home. Can't believe this all is falling into place. The timing seems couldn't be better. What a difference a year makes.

After calming down and taking a few deep breaths I headed out into the campground. Robin and Taylor were getting ready to do some gardening so I tagged along and gave them a hand. It's so enjoyable to garden for the shear joy of gardening not because you've made so many beds in your yard they've become a chore you don't want anymore. Spent the afternoon enjoying the sunshine and doing a bit of mulching. Robin and I talked about Dave and I being "on call" a few nights a week, that way they can have a few nights "off", I told her of our hopes for the upcoming years and our desire to snowbirds for a number of them. VT is such a beautiful place it would be no hardship to come back for the summers.

Today while working around the grounds a couple of reservations came in so I got the opportunity to watch the process. They have not yet invested into a computerized program there is talk of doing it. It is shaping up to be a great summer.

Until next time...


Friday, May 3, 2013

Fulltimers for now

After a great nights sleep Thursday we had errands to run so we headed out to get them accomplished so we could enjoy the afternoon at camp. By early afternoon we were back and ready to enjoy the rest of our day. We had purchased some tomato plants and herbs while out so got them set until we can get them planted, since we are having an unusual long dry spell of 70 degree weather we decide to get the water fountain and bird bath going. Sunday we while setting up our friend Taylor, Robin's 6 year old granddaughter spied us in the park. She came racing over on bike flying through the campground, good thing no one was around, jumped off her bike, ran and jumped into Dave's arms. I've seen Taylor a few times over the winter and she always asked me where her Dave was. On Thursday afternoon we were visited by Taylor and her cousin Tucker, both spent time playing with our fountain.

Thursday evening was a bit surreal again with only us here, we enjoyed another beautiful spring evening and ended it with another visit by the cousins.

Today was my first "real" day at work, how can you call getting to hang out at a campground, be sociable and help people enjoy themselves working. I know at times it will get crazy but can't get any crazier than some of the places I've worked. I mean really people want to be doing this they don't have to be here, so unless they are just really negative people or having a really bad day it can't be too stressful. Today a shipment of all sorts of things arrived, there must have been a dozen sheets of different items, the mission today was to check it all in and get it priced and shelved. Between Robin, her sister Tina who runs the store and myself we got it done, by 4pm we were vacuuming and mopping the floors and getting ready for ice cream. Man was it good, now if only I could remember the name, oh well always tomorrow to check and sample it again.

Prepared my first quick meal on the RV stove, success I can make frozen ravioli and prepared sauce for dinner. So I'll see if I can advance a bit tomorrow night in the difficulty of meal preparation.  I've read meals can be a bit of a challenge, we shall see.

I recently asked our friends Mark and Nancy to read the blog looking for some feedback before going public. I know they've done some reading because I had to learn how to reply to comments. Thanks Mark. Maybe it will give them something to do while they are out on their second camping trip in cold rainy WI. I've know Mark since we were teenagers, and then became friends with Nancy when they got together. Mark was the photographer at our wedding, Dave, Mark and some other guys used to do the guys fishing trip thing, our families vacationed together once at a lake house. Both sets or our kids were born near each other so Nancy and I as young mothers, along with another friend, spent a lot of time together. Before they moved to IL they came to visit us here in VT, after many years of Christmas cards we reconnected on Facebook and not surprisingly we still have some common interest. We are looking forward to seeing them when we head west this fall, hopefully for longer then the current planned lunch. So thanks guys I really do appreciate you taking the time to read my ramblings.

Until next time...

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

2nd showing con't and moving day

So here's where we be. They want to make an offer but they have to find out first if their son who is a junior this year can stay in his current school,  which is closer than the district high school, but when they called yesterday the person they need to talk to is away this week. So instead of going ahead with an offer that is dependent on that contingency they will call us by this time next week. If we get another person wanting a second showing we told them we would call them. So until next week we won't know anything. So the house will continue to show and with a little luck next week we have an offer. 

I had a bit of a rough time getting to sleep last night, this was probably our last night in the house. A lost of memories of so many good times over the past 20 years. VT will forever be a part of who we are, hopefully we will be able to come back for the next few summers. 

Today we moved into the RV with all of the stuff we're bringing with us. For now we have everything put away but I know with time there will be rearranging. For a May day in VT it has been absolutely beautiful, highs in the mid 70's, what perfect weather to begin this new phase in our lives. So for now we are fulltime RV'ers, though we still have that darn house tying us down. By moving into the RV now I can be around to help out getting things ready here at the campground, also getting Dave away from the house relieves some of his stress, though it does make his work day a bit longer.

It is a little weird being the only ones here in the campground, it's so very peaceful having it all to ourselves. There is lots going on here, the last of the sites are being put in. This campground opened last year so there is still lots to be fun. Exciting to be a small part of it, I'm looking forward working here and being a part of it growth. So tonight our first campfire and I'm sure a night of great rest.

Until next time...