RVing Part 4--Storage

I have a small rv--27 feet.  This is the perfect size for me and my Mindy, my pup.  I can drive it anywhere. 

For those considering this change in lifestyle, remember there is very little storage.

I put all my crafts--sewing, painting, jewelry making, scrapbooking--in plastic bins.  I stored most of these on the bed above the cabin.  And still I ran out of room.

Under the dining benches, I placed all my electronics for traveling.  Most are on the benches for easy access when parked--the computer, the camera, the kindle.

In the small overhead bins, I placed my crafts that were stored in shoe boxes.  I have sense moved some of these because I didn't have room for groceries. 

Pots and pans are stored above the fridge, in the oven, in the microwave and my rice cooker is in the cupboard above the sink.  I found it difficult to get rid of my cookie sheets and cake pans.  I am not sure I will ever need them because I haven't learned to use my stove/oven.  I wish I had kept my toaster oven and plan to purchase another asap.  I do have a two burner hot plate and a large crock pot.  I cook with these because they use electricity--free in an rv park.  (My propane tank is built in which means I have to drive the rv to places that can refill it.  For this reason, I use propane very sparingly.)

The items giving me the most headaches for storage are clothes.  Believe it, I got rid of lots of clothes.  But women, you know that you have to have shorts and shirts, casual long pants and tees, office style clothing if you are still working, and then Sunday wear to meeting clothes.  I have all my winter clothes in suitcases and packed under the bed.  The tiny closets have  my semi and dressy clothes.  My casual summer stuff is on an over the door rack--definitely not enough room for everything.  My undies are in drawers as are my bathing suits.

On the inside of the bathroom door is an over the door hanging clear shoe bag.  This hold a bit of everything from pens and markers to lotions and make up, scissors and razors to medications.  I have used the shoe bags for years for crafts, shoes, toiletries--being reduced to just one is a real sacrifice.

Now that I have my Tahoe with me, I am thinking about making the back seat an extension of my closet.  I am currently trying to figure out how to keep the clothes next to the windows from fading from sun rays.  Thinking about hanging a hoodie on each end--fleece is thick enough to block direct sun.  (Yes, my windows are tinted but I am not sure that is enough.)

I am also thinking about moving some of my bins to the back.  Again, during the summers, there is intense heat in a closed car.  Whatever I put in the back has to be ok with heat.  Because of the cost of gas, I do not want too much weight in the car. 

Hope this helps a little bit!

Let's Go Rving Part 3

I spent the weekend searching for rv parks on line.

On April 27, 2014, I drove onto bolivar peninsular looking for an rv park for long term rental.
There are many, however, the rv parks apparently make most of their money from weekend rentals during the summer months.  Finding a space was not easy.

I first visited Lazy D and D.  My daughter in law had told me how most rv parks have amenities.  And Lazy D and D was no exception.  It has a pool, a playground, satellite tv,  a shower house, and a washateria.  However, it was on the highway.  There was no view of the gulf although there was a tiny pond or tank as they are called in Texas.  No one was in the office but I made a call to the owner and there may be an opening.  Although I liked the amenities, I did not like the idea of traffic noises.

I next visited every highway rv park.  There were no amenities.  They would be noisy.  And, there were no openings for long term rentals.

I was beginning to get depressed and a bit afraid.

I returned to Lazy D and D.  The owners were in the office.  But, they too had no openings after all.  She did mention the Crystal Canal RV park.

I checked it out.  No amenities except for wifi.  However it is on a canal and I can see the intercoastal waterway with barges and tugs traveling up and down all day long.  I can see beautiful sunsets.  I can fish from my parking space.  It really is beautiful.  Across the canal are some beautiful homes on stilts.  There are lots of boats hanging in private boat docks--pontoons, fishing boats, ski boats. 

And this is where I now live for $500 a month which includes all utilities.

A DEJA VU DAY IN GALVESTON

Riding the ferry.  Watched as 3 beautiful gray and white sea gulls appeared to be racing along side just above the water.  From the corner of my eye, I saw something black.  Started watching a little more closely just to be sure.  There was a big, chunky, sleek, black fella.  Yep.  I saw my first dolphin this spring.  What a delight.

 

   Had a déjà vu kind of day in Galveston.  My bff (a friend I made while sitting on a park bench in downtown Galveston right after Hurricane Ike) and I visited the Farmer’s Market at the corner of 25^th and Church Street and tasted anise cookies (yuk), homemade mild salsa, and kombucha tea for the first time.  (Googled the tea when I got home—I think if I had known how it was made with live bacteria at the time of tasting, it may have ended up on the ground.)  We also enjoyed  the free music performed by a local guitarist.  We took a short drive to Star Drug on 23^rd for a wonderful Island Omelet and a couple cups of joe. 

     Then the walking of downtown began.  I have always called this area of Gtown my mini Manhattan because of all the restaurants, coffee shops, galleries, museums, and free outdoor entertainment.  We sat at Nestle Toll House Shop to people watch.  A Carnival Cruise ship was docked, loading new passengers.  Children and parents were playing outdoor chess at Sangerfest Park.  Once a month Sangerfest has an outdoor movie in the evenings and/or crafters and artists selling their wonderful creations.  Sometimes there are local musicians entertaining the tourists and locals alike with children dancing , inviting adults to share in their imaginings.  We sat for hours enjoying the sunny weather, the people, the architecture of the 1800’s on the multistoried restored buildings, sharing memories of our many other walks around downtown. 

    Around two, we headed to The Black Pearl for lunch, boiled shrimp and a crawfish poboy, New Orleans style on a mini French loaf.  Then our walking resumed.  We visited a haunted house, Dr. Mayfield’s Morgue set up after the 1900 storm.  We visited with strangers.  I think we terrified the Houstonian tourist with our talkative friendlieness.  She took off running!  We visited with a glass blower who was demonstrating how he created his glass crosses to passer- by.  We returned to Black Pearl around five and enjoyed dessert, a bread pudding with a chocolate sauce over the top and soaked in a bourbon cream sauce.  This was one of the best we had ever tasted.

 

Flip flops were not the right shoes for this day long trek.  I recommend a good pair of walking shoes.  There were uneven red stone paved  streets, concrete curbs, a bit of grass with rocks.  However, it was a great adventure and great fun and my first visit in about three years!

LET'S GO RVing Part 2

On April 24, 2014, I departed my beloved Village Art, Buffalo Gap, and started the next chapter in my adventure.  I had never driven my motor home.  I had not practiced.  But, it was loaded, my house was empty, so it was either sleep in my rv until May 1 or hit the road.  I decided to hit the road.
   Driving through Dallas terrified me.  So instead of taking 45S to catch I-10 to Sulphur, Louisiana, I drove to Shreveport and took I-49 south to Alexandria and then cut cross country to Lake Charles/Sulphur.
   I had to go to Sulphur in order to register my rv.  I use my son's address as my permanent address.  I have a Louisiana driver's license.  I would have a Texas license but I did not want to go back to my maiden name.  Although my military records, my college records, my teaching certificates are all under my married name, as well as my Louisiana Driver's License, Texas had to have a 40 year old divorce document.  I didn't have one.  It was easier to keep my Louisiana License.
   For an $8000 rv, it cost me more than $800 for tax, title, and license plate.  This was much more than I expected.  However, it was a quick and easy process.
   After a couple of days visiting with my son and his family, I headed to my new home on the gulf coast of Texas.  Although I had planned to be a boondocker, my son volunteered to pay lot rent for me.

LET'S GO RVing

I am poor as a church mouse but not a gutter rat. I am an artist, a mother, a 30 year veteran teacher who spent her retirement after Ike, a crafter, a writer with a series of ebooks called Learning from the Masters, a college graduate, a veteran of the United States Army.   I will be 62 in October and will get approximately $743 a month in social security.  How will I live on that amount of money when I am no longer able to work—pay rent, food, utilities, phone?  I am currently employed as an accounts supervisor with a call center for an electric company for $9.50 and hour and the elderly call in needing help with their utility bills, being disconnected for non payment, with heart breaking stories and a loneliness that streams through the phone lines and often brings me to tears. 

In October, a group of ladies visited Buffalo Gap and Abilene State Park in travel trailers---Sisters on the Fly.  I was inspired.   I began researching life on the road, alternative lifestyles.  I looked at travel trailers.  I needed a large car to pull one and my car is old and falling apart, no heat or ac, and I have to roll down the window to open the door.  I could not afford both another car and a travel trailer.  Plus, where would I park it and could an old fat lady really hitch and unhitch such a monstrosity.

Then I found some blogs about living in a motor home and boondocking.  Apparently 1.5 million people thought of my idea first.   I even found a budget for someone with either $500  or $1000 in income per month.  This idea began to grow, and I posted on indiegogo.  A really good friend donated $9000, making it possible to purchase my new 1992  home on wheels.  And now I am loading it with those items I just can’t do without, and as a crafter/artist, I have to have my scrapbooking supplies, sewing supplies, jewelry making supplies, paints and brushes, etc.

May 1, Mindy (my morkie pup) and I will be moving from the Texas hill country, Buffalo Gap,  to the South Texas beaches.  Not sure yet how it will work.  I know Walmart will allow three days of free parking at a time.  I know there are a few free parking spaces on the Sea Wall.  I know Bolivar Peninsular allows free beach parking.  There is an inexpensive state park on the island.  About ½ my facebook friends live in Galveston.   I am scared and excited at the same time.

The important thing about this entire adventure is that I will not be in government housing in a ghetto.  I will continue to be independent.  I will work for as long as possible.  I will pay minimal rent when I need overnight parking in a park but no utility payments.  I know this is a lifestyle choice that is not for everyone but it should be great for me once I learn to use a generator, a propane tank, and how to dump sewage, gray water, recharge batteries.

Sharing my story may be interesting to your viewers.  Adding advice and suggestions from veteran rv permanent residents may help other senior citizens think outside the box when it comes to facing retirement years on limited budgets.  Living in a tourist type community that are small with lots of opportunities to interact with visitors and residents may help with alleviating some of the loneliness.