Into the Land of Technocrats

Into every one's life a little rain must fall and the sun must shine. Yesterday for me, the sun did shine. You have to understand that I am not a technical person by any means. For me just turning on the computer is a major accomplishment, oh, I'd better plug it in first. So if I download something onto my computer without my hubby's help, that is a huge step forward for me (How will I ever survive out on the road with all the equipment on a 5th wheel I will never know. But hey, even and old dog can learn new tricks).

When I got my computer three years ago, it had a built in camera, light and microphone. I took one look at it and covered the camera up with tape, thinking of all the horror stories, i.e. Criminal Minds, that I had heard about people being able to hack into your system and see you on their end without your knowledge. Besides I knew that I would never use that feature on the system.

WRONG!!!!!!!!!!

My friend Bobbie Chapman introduced me to Skype yesterday. Last night I got home from work, read up on Skype and did the download. Oh Happy Day. My first and only call was to Bobbie as she is the only person in my Skype directory that I know. She was not in, darn! I had my line open and called Dave to my office. I told him about Skype, at first he was skeptical then Bobbie called and we hooked up with the video and gosh it was soooooo fun! Dave was amazed at the clarity and quality of the program and we had a great conversation to boot. After our call we decided that we needed to get all of our family on Skype. That way we can see the new grand baby when he arrives. What a wonderful way to stay in touch with your loved ones and friends and see them too if you have a camera and microphone. If not, you can use a headset with a mic and talk to them for free. Free is good!!!

Now for the cell phone...still not able to navigate through all of it and I've had it for over a year now. And don't get me started on all of the gadgets for the TV, DVD player, Wii and tuner, I tend to throw the controllers when I can't work them...see I told you I was not techno literate.

See ya out there...987 days and counting...

Getting Started...992 Days and Counting

I splurged yesterday and bought Jaimie Hall Bruzenak's new eBook "Retire to an RV, The Roadmap to Affordable Retirement" "Thank you Jaimie!" It's her newest book that was released on Tax Day and I got it for $2.00 off the regular price on-line. Boy is it ever a monster to print out. But it will be worth it. I added a blank sheet of paper to the end of each chapter so I could use it for notes. I don't think I could use a Nook at the moment. I like to write notes in the margins and put sticky notes on pages. So using an electronic device at the moment won't work for me. Besides I just like the feel of a book in my hands and turning pages. I thumbed through it and saw a lot of valuable information, so I am eager to read it.

I started going through the china cabinet today with my youngest daughter and we made some decisions on some of the things in the cabinet. She picked out some items that she would like to have. It really is a process that needs to be done when both the girls are here so we can split the contents fairly.

I have 3 sets of fine china. I know what set the oldest one is getting but the other two sets were a bit of a mystery in which the youngest one looked at the two of them and made the choice to take her maternal grandmother's china. It is a beautiful pattern and can be purchased at fine department stores. My china, which my Mother-in-law started for me, can only be purchased one place in the world. In Alberta, Canada. The Alberta Rose, a special pattern. It is beautiful but a pain to replace if broken. We will have more of an opportunity to replace it as we plan to get back up there to visit friends and family.

I don't know what to do with it for now other than to pack it up and put it in storage. I may take a few pieces of it on the road with us so if we want to have a lovely candle light dinner for two, I will have it. We love hot tea so I know I will take the tea pot with us and maybe a serving dish and a platter. And at least some cocoa mugs and tea cups. It doesn't hurt to have a few fine things with you. That decision will happen as we load the trailer.

I have already gotten rid of a boat load of clothes and gone through my closet once. I have 3 other closets to go through and purge again. I most likely will go through them many more times before I am finished with them. David's closet is easy. Throw everything away except for one pair of nice slacks, some of his favorite Hawaiian shirts, his work pants, jeans, some of his favorite casual work shirts and a suit for a dress up occasion. Work boots, tennis shoes, shower shoes and a pair of dress shoes. As you can see he is easy. As for me, I will keep a nice skirt, blouse and jacket. A nice decorative sweater, tops, jeans and sweats. And maybe a workout outfit. Pare down time. I have way too many clothes. I most likely will give them to Goodwill or Salvation Army as women's clothes don't sell well at garage sales. Besides I can use the tax write off.

My Mary Kay room is going to be a killer to go through and figure out what I will need to let go of and what to bring with me. I will cross that bridge when I get to it.

I joined www.flylady.net to help me get my act together and start de-cluttering. She has lots in interesting information and motivation.

Ah the kitchen, I wish I could take the whole thing thing with me but alas I cannot. So I will have to make some hard decisions here. I really like to cook outside so I more than likely will take cookware that will withstand an open flame (cast iron), I know I will have to be weight aware.

Dave's office...well is Dave's office, stuffed to the gills with film, slides, photos, newspaper clippings, files, VHS tapes, and junk. It will be the hardest room in which to get rid of stuff. I will wager that he will take the longest to de-junk.

I really don't want to wait 992 days before I can get out on the road but that is what the "Dave Ramsey" snowball spreadsheet tells me that I will have to wait to get rid of my cc debt. So we chip away at it each day. Besides I need to build up my retirement income after the hit I took on it due to the loss in the Real Estate market. It wasn't as bad a hit as some people had as I stayed on top of it, but it hurts anyways. And we are going to take another hit as the University is not going to put as much into our retirement fund as before. So staying there for a bit longer will help. Besides that gives me more time to research and prepare for life on the open road.

I will put up some pictures of the china when I can find my camera. I am going to hit the hay for now and get some shut-eye.

See ya out there...

Storytime: What Planted The Seed...

Eons ago when Dave and I were in our first house, for our first wedding anniversary, Dave got me a Coleman lantern. I looked at him and asked why? He said "For when we loose power and don't have any lights". It sounded plausible. Second wedding anniversary, he got me a Coleman 2 burner propane camp stove. Again I look at him and the look in my eyes asked why? He responded with "If the power goes off you will be able to cook". I nodded my head up and down yes. The Third wedding anniversary saw 3 foldingcamp stools with chair backs. I looked at him and said " for when the furniture breaks"? "Nah, for when we have company", I smiled and nodded. The next year saw two matching sleeping bags that would zip together. Ah Ha I said..."For when the power goes out in the dead of winter and we can snuggle". To which he said " Your starting to get it". The following year saw a Coleman metal encased Ice Chest. And I said "For when the refrigerator looses power, right"? "Yep", he replied. My hubby is such a ham.

When our oldest was 4 I turned to him and said, "You know, now that we have all of this camping gear, why don't we go camping"? Dave looked at me and replied "I don't know that you would like it." To which I replied after I picked my jaw up off the floor, " How would you know, we've never been". So we purchased a dilapidated tent for $50.00 that had holes and no zipper, in which I set about repairing with jean iron on patches and a sewing awl and then spread this Sears 8 person tent out on the driveway and painted duck back on it to waterproof it. We also purchased a soft side car top carrier for $10.00 and put it on top of our little Volvo and off to Colorado we went, happy as larks. We had the best time, and have been campers ever since acquiring more gear along the way.

We love the out of doors. It invigorates us. Our kids loved it as well and continue on with the camping tradition. I grew up going to the lake on the weekends with my parents. Their idea of roughing it was a cabin. But later in life after dad passed away, my mom would join us on our camping trips in our Pop-up trailer. She came to enjoy it very much as we traveled to Christie's soccer matches all over the country. We saved lots of money by driving and staying at campgrounds. We could drive to the matches, camp, eat, sight see and return home for what it would cost other parents to only fly their families to the tournaments. That did not include the funds to rent a car, hotel, food or sight see on their part. Dave's mom would join us from Canada and camp with us as well even into her eightys.

Camping is a family activity that we enjoy. I can hardly wait for our grandson to get old enough that we can take him with us on some of our adventures. Of course mommy and daddy can come too.

Bobbie and Jim

This past summer we met a wonderful couple, Bobbie and Jim Chapman. The more we came to know them, the more we wanted to get out on the open road. Bobbie gave me a book on RVing which I read from cover to cover.

After reading it I came to realize that it will take a lot determination and decision making to get to the point of travel.

There are tons of questions that have to be answered first. And I guess there is no better place to start than now.

Why do we want to do this?
That is a question that everyone must ask themselves.
My answer is, I have always wanted to travel and see the country that I live in. There is so much that I have not seen that I want to explore and enjoy it. The other answer is this. Dave had a heart attack 3 years ago and is living on borrowed time. I want us to be able to get out and enjoy life in a BIG way. In every one's life at some point in time you want to be a gypsy, to be free to do what you want.

What will you do with your house? That one is easy to answer. We will keep the house and rent it out. We still do not have enough equity built up in it so selling it would be foolish as we would get Zip, Zero, Nada. My idea is to let someone else pay the mortgage. The area is filled with houses being rented to students. At some point in time we will have some equity built up and can unload it to finance us some more out on the road.

What about your friends? We hardly socialize now as it is. We know the people in the neighborhood but do not talk to them. Getting out on the road, one will met and make new friends. We already have 3 friends out on the road living the RV life and we communicate with them more that the people who live across the street from us. Making social connections is important to living a long life. RVing will allow us to do that. Where living in a sticks and bricks just keeps us holed up in one place. I am looking forward to "Happy Hour"

What if funds run low? There's Workamping. That's where you can find jobs out on the road and usually get your RV site with FHU (Full Hook-ups) and be paid or receive a stipend. Bobbie and Jim are Camp hosts at the Big Meadow National Forest Campground just south of South Fork, Colorado in the summer. In the winter they have been working at Amazon.com in Coffeeville, Ks. It's hard, hard work but they pay their workampers very well for 2 1/2 months work. Bobbie and Jim says the pay covers their gas for the coming year. When they're not working they like to travel. You can also volunteer your time and get FHU's at National Parks. They do however ask that you stay for the season. It's up to you as to what you want to do. Workcamper News

How do you start? There has to be a plan. But first there has to be the decision that you want to do this. Bobbie said she read everything she could on Full-time RVing for 2 years before they started. When we met them they were on their second rig. A nice 2 slide Keystone Challenger with a rear kitchen. They have since purchased a 3 slide Heartland Mt. Rushmore, a very nice rig. I can hardly wait to see it. They said that most RVers will purchase 3 rigs before they find the one they want.

• Set a date to be out on the road. March 1, 2013. I want to be in Washington D. C. for my 64th birthday to see the Cherry Blossom Festival.
• Bobbie and Jim said that you should be debt free. When we start we might have a little bit of debt but if all goes well we will be debt free.
• You have to purge, purge and purge some more. You can't take all of it with you. You have to decide what is important and will function in more than one way. That means lots of letting go. Time to pass it on to the kids. Remember your going from a big house down to a 350 sq ft. trailer.
• If you are a Senior, get your National Park half price camping card. Your better half may have to get one too.
• Join the Escapees Club out of Livingston, TX. They have campgrounds through-out the Southwest, Central and Eastern part of the United States, mail service, the Escapee RV Magazine and a Care unit, for retired off the road Seniors. Plus they have lots of learning opportunities at their escapades. They offer a great social network that will keep you young.
• Join Passport America, get a campsite at half price.
• Join Camp Club USA, get a campsite at half price.
• Become a Good Sam member or AAA member or AARP member, these may help in rates.
• Learn to live frugally.
• Put yourself on a budget and stick to it.
• Prepare to boondock and learn how.
• Learn all you can about electrical, water, tire and sewer systems so you feel confident about doing it.
• Decide the kind of rig you want. 5th wheel vs. a diesel pusher motor home with a toad. (Ya gotta learn the lingo) or a camping trailer.
• Start looking at rigs. Bobbie and Jim said they looked at rigs for two years before finding one on eBay.
• Never buy new. Otherwise be prepared to pay through the nose.
• Seek the good advice of other RVers that have been on the road for awhile. They can tell you what does and doesn't work.
• Read other RVers blogs, you can learn a lot.
• Join discussion groups.
• Attend Boot Camps for Rvers.

As you can see we have a lot to accomplish before we can get out on the open road. I hope to journal this experience. I will not profess to know it all, matter of fact I know nothing. So this will be a learning experience for all of us.

See ya out there....