This is one of those things that surprised me. It makes sense, but I didn't know to expect it.
You know how when you're on a boat, you have trouble walking at first but eventually get your "sea legs?" Then when you get off the boat, the ground seems to heave like waves under your feet and it takes a while to get your "land legs" again?
That is what has happened to me! No matter how well braced and leveled the trailer is, it still moves with every move we make. If I'm in the living room and Lee rolls over in bed, it feels like a moderate earthquake. If our little dog jumps down from a chair, I can feel the floor shake from the other room.
As I move about the trailer myself, I don't necessarily feel the floor shaking with every step. But let me tell you, if I've been inside for a number of hours and then go outside, I feel it! It's the funniest sensation, very much like walking on land after being on a boat. My legs will feel a little wobbly, and it "for real" feels like the ground is shifting and shaking under my feet! If I didn't know better, I would think there was a small earth tremor happening.
After a little bit, I get my "land legs" again and the funny feeling goes away. It's not a big thing, just something I hadn't known about until I experienced it.
If you've spent any length of time in a camper or RV, have you felt the same thing? Have you gotten "jelly legs" when you walked outside?
Saturday, April 13, 2019
Sunday, March 24, 2019
How the small-space life works ~ Part One [March Madness Moment]
I have not yet filled this blog with the content I envisioned, but that's okay. For three months, my dear Lee and I were basically on vacation. This time of rest and togetherness was badly needed. During that time, I wanted to focus on spending time with him, so I set aside my cyber-inspirations for a time. This past week, he started training for a new job, so I am beginning to turn my attention to other things.
If you know us, you know that the past year has been horribly challenging, and that my health has been in slow decline for a number of years. For both these reasons, a substantial amount of my time and energy goes toward rest and recovery. As I start to get my mental and emotional feet under me again, ideas start to flow and my fingers itch to write.
(If you're interested in the rugged journey of the past year, and the hope we've found in the process, I write about that at https://thenourheartsbroke.blogspot.com/
One of these days, I'll start sharing the journey we've had, traveling through seven states so far, and seeing many beauties along the way. But I thought I'd start with what is one my mind right this moment, which is....
March Madness.
I have a very slight understanding of just what March Madness is. I know it is about basketball. I think it is some sort of tournament cycle. Maybe sort of like the World Series for college basketball?
Let's start with the part where I really don't have a deep interest in watching sports. The memes that go around online about "sportsing with sportsballs" always make me smile, because that pretty much describes my level of interest and knowledge.
For the most part, Lee is not super into watching sports. Even the Superbowl was not really a "thing" in our house, until our kids got older and some of them wanted to watch it. With our house being completely void of all festive Bowl energy, they generally went somewhere else to watch it so they could be with people who were excited about it. And for the snacks. :)
But right now, on this Sunday afternoon, Lee is watching one of the March Madness basketball games. One of the major areas of adjustment and compromise in this life is in what to listen to and what to watch. We have many points of connection with music, and even with things to watch on TV, but we also have many differences. When one of us wants to listen to or watch something that the other does not enjoy, what do we do?
We could sit in separate rooms, but most of the time we don't want to do that. One of the primary bonuses of the RV life is being together. Especially now that Lee is working during the week, being together is important to us. How do we reconcile our desire to spend time together with our disparate tastes?
Technology! Thanks to these little electronic wonders, we can do separate things, together. Lee is in his recliner, watching basketball, and I am next to him, with my laptop and my earbuds. This works. As I write this, I am listening to worship music since the noise of the game distracts me from my thoughts. When I'm finished writing, I may watch a YouTube video.
This is the secret, or at least one of the secrets, of living in close quarters still liking each other. Lee gets to enjoy the game. I get to enjoy a documentary on historical fashion. We can do these very different things, while spending time together. And it works.
It seems simple and obvious, but this is really a fundamental secret to living this life in a good way. It would be so easy to fall into a struggle over who gets to have what they want. The temptation is real! It is so much better when we remember what the important thing is- being together- and work our wants around that core priority.
If you know us, you know that the past year has been horribly challenging, and that my health has been in slow decline for a number of years. For both these reasons, a substantial amount of my time and energy goes toward rest and recovery. As I start to get my mental and emotional feet under me again, ideas start to flow and my fingers itch to write.
(If you're interested in the rugged journey of the past year, and the hope we've found in the process, I write about that at https://thenourheartsbroke.blogspot.com/
One of these days, I'll start sharing the journey we've had, traveling through seven states so far, and seeing many beauties along the way. But I thought I'd start with what is one my mind right this moment, which is....
March Madness.
I have a very slight understanding of just what March Madness is. I know it is about basketball. I think it is some sort of tournament cycle. Maybe sort of like the World Series for college basketball?
Let's start with the part where I really don't have a deep interest in watching sports. The memes that go around online about "sportsing with sportsballs" always make me smile, because that pretty much describes my level of interest and knowledge.
For the most part, Lee is not super into watching sports. Even the Superbowl was not really a "thing" in our house, until our kids got older and some of them wanted to watch it. With our house being completely void of all festive Bowl energy, they generally went somewhere else to watch it so they could be with people who were excited about it. And for the snacks. :)
But right now, on this Sunday afternoon, Lee is watching one of the March Madness basketball games. One of the major areas of adjustment and compromise in this life is in what to listen to and what to watch. We have many points of connection with music, and even with things to watch on TV, but we also have many differences. When one of us wants to listen to or watch something that the other does not enjoy, what do we do?
We could sit in separate rooms, but most of the time we don't want to do that. One of the primary bonuses of the RV life is being together. Especially now that Lee is working during the week, being together is important to us. How do we reconcile our desire to spend time together with our disparate tastes?
Technology! Thanks to these little electronic wonders, we can do separate things, together. Lee is in his recliner, watching basketball, and I am next to him, with my laptop and my earbuds. This works. As I write this, I am listening to worship music since the noise of the game distracts me from my thoughts. When I'm finished writing, I may watch a YouTube video.
This is the secret, or at least one of the secrets, of living in close quarters still liking each other. Lee gets to enjoy the game. I get to enjoy a documentary on historical fashion. We can do these very different things, while spending time together. And it works.
It seems simple and obvious, but this is really a fundamental secret to living this life in a good way. It would be so easy to fall into a struggle over who gets to have what they want. The temptation is real! It is so much better when we remember what the important thing is- being together- and work our wants around that core priority.
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
Our journey so far, from a "flora" point of view
We have been on the road for nearly a month, and have traveled through a wide array of scenery.
One thing that has struck me is the many changes in trees.
We started among the deep old woods of the Olympic Peninsula, traveled down the coast of Washington and Oregon, seeing many pines weathered and shaped by ocean winds, then through the redwoods of northern California in all their still and mossy majesty....it seemed we just went around a bend and suddenly were in what we call chaparral country, with fir and madrone among the oaks. We turned just slightly East and suddenly we were among cypress, palms and agave. As we headed south, down the middle of California, we were soon passing orange and lemon groves and colorful Eucalyptus. Now, we're in the country of cactus and yucca, all spiny and wild. It is so strange to go from the thickly wooded hills of the Pacific coast to this land where the hills are bare, covered only in sparse grass with rarely even a brushy draw.
We are in the desert country of southern California now.
This is big country! It is a land of sudden, sharp hills and snow-dusted mountains, with seemingly endless flat plains at their feet, and a high, blue sky that dwarfs even this massive landscape. I am perpetually fascinated by being able to see the "bones" of the land; all it knobs and wrinkles, with outcrops of rock shoving through the thin, dry soil. I love to ponder and muse over the forces that shaped this rugged land.
One thing that has struck me is the many changes in trees.
We started among the deep old woods of the Olympic Peninsula, traveled down the coast of Washington and Oregon, seeing many pines weathered and shaped by ocean winds, then through the redwoods of northern California in all their still and mossy majesty....it seemed we just went around a bend and suddenly were in what we call chaparral country, with fir and madrone among the oaks. We turned just slightly East and suddenly we were among cypress, palms and agave. As we headed south, down the middle of California, we were soon passing orange and lemon groves and colorful Eucalyptus. Now, we're in the country of cactus and yucca, all spiny and wild. It is so strange to go from the thickly wooded hills of the Pacific coast to this land where the hills are bare, covered only in sparse grass with rarely even a brushy draw.
We are in the desert country of southern California now.
This is big country! It is a land of sudden, sharp hills and snow-dusted mountains, with seemingly endless flat plains at their feet, and a high, blue sky that dwarfs even this massive landscape. I am perpetually fascinated by being able to see the "bones" of the land; all it knobs and wrinkles, with outcrops of rock shoving through the thin, dry soil. I love to ponder and muse over the forces that shaped this rugged land.
Well...that was unexpected
I had imagined myself posting delicious tidbits of our journey, along with delightful photos, all along the way as we began our travels.
Reality?
The Wi-Fi at RV parks can be seriously problematic and sometimes simply nonexistent.
Writing online is not always possible, let alone getting it to post.
And uploading photos? No way.
So....I have not been able to start off our travel blog the way I would have liked.
But that's okay.
My aim is not perfection, so I am reasonably content to just let it be what it wants to be. :)
Soon, we will be in one place for a while, and I aim to catch up on many things, including blogs. :)
Reality?
The Wi-Fi at RV parks can be seriously problematic and sometimes simply nonexistent.
Writing online is not always possible, let alone getting it to post.
And uploading photos? No way.
So....I have not been able to start off our travel blog the way I would have liked.
But that's okay.
My aim is not perfection, so I am reasonably content to just let it be what it wants to be. :)
Soon, we will be in one place for a while, and I aim to catch up on many things, including blogs. :)
Wednesday, December 12, 2018
It begins
Almost a week ago, we finally began the Vagabond Life...a.k.a. The Turtle Life- you know, where you take your home with you everywhere you go. :)
This plan was hatched a little over a year ago, to sell our home, buy an RV and start a whole new adventure. So much has happened in those fourteen months that it's just hard to comprehend.
At last, though, here we are.
And......I am exhausted
And...I am...generally...happy.
The final push to get everything finished and finalized nearly broke me. I am still in recovery mode, and will probably stay there for some time. There is an element of...disbelieving relief...as I realize that we actually got it all done, and have actually embarked on the dream.
Many people are excited for us. Some are a little jealous. Some still struggle with the sheer rootlessness of the whole idea. Many have asked me to keep them in the loop as we go adventuring, and so, I've started another blog as one way to keep in touch with our dear people.
(For those who may not know, I write about baking and cooking with food limitations at https://sticks-and-twigs.blogspot.com and about our family's journey with grief at https://thenourheartsbroke.blogspot.com )
So, how goes the journey so far? Overall...pretty well.
After the crushing timeline to get things wrapped up, and to get on the road, we were just exhausted. We are taking a little time to just relax together, just the two of us; to just breathe...to explore and rest with no heavy stress and no big agenda...a luxury we have not enjoyed in over a year.
We will gather with our kids for Christmas, which will be wonderful. <3 <3
In January, my hubby will begin a new travel job.
This is our life for now, and for the foreseeable future: my husband Lee and I, with our very elderly Golden Retriever Mandy, and our daughter's little dog Roxi, in our 27 foot bumper-pull trailer, living life on the road.
He will work at different jobs, which will entail travel around the country. I will rest and write, and spend time with the dogs and with Jesus.
This is all a massive transition for a gal who craves predictability, but I am actually pretty excited to see where this road takes us.
I hope you will enjoy traveling with me.
Thanks for stopping by. :)
This plan was hatched a little over a year ago, to sell our home, buy an RV and start a whole new adventure. So much has happened in those fourteen months that it's just hard to comprehend.
At last, though, here we are.
And......I am exhausted
And...I am...generally...happy.
The final push to get everything finished and finalized nearly broke me. I am still in recovery mode, and will probably stay there for some time. There is an element of...disbelieving relief...as I realize that we actually got it all done, and have actually embarked on the dream.
Many people are excited for us. Some are a little jealous. Some still struggle with the sheer rootlessness of the whole idea. Many have asked me to keep them in the loop as we go adventuring, and so, I've started another blog as one way to keep in touch with our dear people.
(For those who may not know, I write about baking and cooking with food limitations at https://sticks-and-twigs.blogspot.com and about our family's journey with grief at https://thenourheartsbroke.blogspot.com )
So, how goes the journey so far? Overall...pretty well.
After the crushing timeline to get things wrapped up, and to get on the road, we were just exhausted. We are taking a little time to just relax together, just the two of us; to just breathe...to explore and rest with no heavy stress and no big agenda...a luxury we have not enjoyed in over a year.
We will gather with our kids for Christmas, which will be wonderful. <3 <3
In January, my hubby will begin a new travel job.
This is our life for now, and for the foreseeable future: my husband Lee and I, with our very elderly Golden Retriever Mandy, and our daughter's little dog Roxi, in our 27 foot bumper-pull trailer, living life on the road.
He will work at different jobs, which will entail travel around the country. I will rest and write, and spend time with the dogs and with Jesus.
This is all a massive transition for a gal who craves predictability, but I am actually pretty excited to see where this road takes us.
I hope you will enjoy traveling with me.
Thanks for stopping by. :)
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