Moving right along.....!

Ridding out, packing the RV, advertising the main high-dollar things to sell from the house, furniture and such.
Decisions, decisions!

Meanwhile, I had ordered a Berkey water filter, and the Nature's Head composting toilet. I had seen reviews on both over the last several months and studied up on them. The composting toilet would enable me to stay out in some highly desirable scenic painting areas without have to pull up camp and go empty my black water tank every ten days or so. I watched you-tube videos on how this works until I could practically recite them word for word!I thought my friend Kent would be just the person to properly remove the RV toilet and install the composting one,  as well as a couple other things I wanted to change in my RV to make it my "home".

                           

I still have plenty of room to get into my shower.

He also installed my best painting easel!

This was placed where the large dog crate had been which was no longer needed. I had room to set up my folding chair in front of the easel for days I need to paint inside.

Then a little extra touch was added, making it even more homey. I was going to be able to have a window shelf! The dinette would be transformed into a day bed/couch type fixture that would allow me to keep my under-bench storage areas as well as creating my space under where the lowered table is. Maybe Miss Izzy will want that for her hide-a-way place. She was always crawling under my bed in the house to go to sleep.

So I picked up some 4" foam to use for under the shelf, by which cutting the pieces in half lengthwise, gave the perfect fit 

In this next photo you can see the nice wavy edge piece that Kent made and attached to the shelf.

(He is very meticulous, and the changes he made for me could easily be switched back to the way it was if I decided down the road to sell.)

And this is what the finished couch area will look like....  I'm loving it!!

Back to packing and minimizing! 

Thanks for stopping to read my blog. Have a blessed day!

Just Izzy and Me...

"Miss Izzy"

My little Bichon Frise, Izzy, has been with me since she was 6 months old. A Christmas present to me from my late husband, she has been a faithful and constant companion through the years of my widowhood. Izzy will be turning 9 years old in July of this year. She is the perfect RV'ing companion, always ready for a new adventure. 

On my last RV trip, we had Sasha with us as well. She would still be with us except for the  deteriorating knee and badly sprained ankle I acquired last summer, resulting in a total knee replacement in the late fall. It was getting impossible for me to manage her, even the simple task of taking her out for a walk (run) and potty times. I finally faced the inevitable, and re-homed her with my foster son and wife who had recently lost one of their boxer dogs. Their remaining boxer was absolutely grieving over the loss of her fur-buddy, and so a trial period resulted in a permanent situation. I miss having Sasha around but I am able to see her as often as I wish, as she is only a few short miles away.

Izzy was absolutely fine with the situation as she had no one vying for my attention! Silly girl.....

So as we plan our upcoming trip for late summer, Izzy is more than ready to hit the road again, as am I. There is alot to be done in the meantime but I just thought I'd give an update.

Thanks for stopping by...

Leave a comment if you wish. I am always happy to read your thoughts!

Home on Wheels, or House and Land

Wow! Its been almost a year since I've posted on here! My RV has been sitting in my driveway since last summer when I got it back from the dealership where I bought it. It was in need of several repairs and a good general going over after my 7 and 1/2  months of travel. I had a whole list for them and they fixed every one.
Then came summer's end, with canning and preserving what I could from my garden and the Amish farm market near by, all the while my right knee getting worse. I knew I had to get the surgery done and had put it off as long as possible. Since I was having repairs and upgrades done on the house as well as a greenhouse added, I decided to wait till as close to wintertime as I could.
After Thanksgiving I had the total knee replacement. My eldest daughter stayed with me for almost a month after, taking care of me and my few chickens. Fortunately, the weather stayed pretty good through Dec. my recovery was slower than I had expected, much slower than when I had the left knee done 6 years previous. Now that I am back on my feet I am realizing just how much work this place requires and the fact that I don't have the strength to manage it properly. I warred all winter long in my mind whether to sell my RV or to sell my home. I did alot of journaling, writing down my thoughts; pros and cons on both. I disliked the RV sitting in my driveway, being paid on each month and not being used. I also disliked paying property taxes, insurance, and heat-in-winter bills for the house when I am out in RV for at least 6 months at a time. after giving it much thought and prayer, I finally came to the decision that I was not attached to any "thing" here. I could sell it all and live in my RV as had been the plan and purpose of buying the RV in the first place. The desire was still with me to travel full-time and paint.
I called the realtor and she came out a couple days later to look my place over, told me what I needed to do yet to advertise it and wanted to list it by May 20. YIKES!!! No way did I think i would be ready, but we shall see. If it sells, I will be free from alot of work which I don't need at my age, and if not I will still leave in the fall for another winter of travel and painting.
I will continue blogging on my progress. Meanwhile, the cover is off, batteries charged up, and I have an appointment to get my RV inspected (required in PA) on Monday.

Thanks to anyone who stops long enough to read my ramblings. I will be keeping up with my progress. Leave a comment if you wish!

Just The Way it Goes Sometimes (long post)

Ok, I've said it.... I've lost interest in blogging. Or maybe its just my interest in blogging about RVing.

I had intended to come back, clear out , and get ready to sell my house by fall. Not going to happen. The longer I was here the more I was having second thoughts. I really didn't need to sell ... and I actually was beginning to like being here again. I will probably never be a full-time RVer, although I had thought that was my goal. But, you know what? It's ok. I have the best of both worlds.

There is so much else that takes my time, like spending time with my pups, Miss Izzy and Sasha. Since I have been back, Sasha has had her big girl surgery and healed up nicely.

Lots of work here to be done.......  I started a fire in my chiminae one evening and sat there contemplating what all needed to be done, and what was not necessary to do.

I'm glad now I did build that fire and enjoy it, because a few days later I had put the pups on the deck (Sasha on her cable) while I mowed the yard. She had gotten her cable wrapped around the chiminae and down it went into more pieces than anyone would care to count. I did not scold her as it was absolutely my fault for not thinking ahead.

I have been working at getting the yard and gardens back in shape after being away for 7+ months. 

(I must mention here that My eldest daughter and sil worked very hard at getting those oak leaves raked up and the yard mowed a couple times before I got back, and I thank them so very much! It sure saved me alot of work!!)

I bought hanging baskets of flowers on sale. and put out my yard decorations,

 bought new cushions for the rockers and a mat for the deck; doing what I could to make the entrance an inviting place. 

Then there was the issue of spraining my ankle so badly that it has been very painful to walk and kept getting worse. I wish I hadn't been so stubborn and gone to the ER when I first hurt it. So of course things are getting done slower. Here it is the almost end of June and all my garden beds and flowers have not been put in yet, but I have made up my mind to do what I can and not stress about it. So I am just enjoying the process.....

However, I did get my second 3' x 8' herb bed planted (the older one still needs cut back and the anthill dealt with) I love working with herbs. The scents are so calming! I also dry them and use in salad or for cooking or potpourri.

Till next time....

Boondocking....My Favorite Way to Camp

Finally! The needed repairs on my toad came to an end and I was able to get out to where it was peaceful and I could relax. About 5 miles out of  town, this beautiful (to me) place had once been a part of the town but for some reason there was nothing left but cement slabs where houses had once been. I counted at least 14 sites. I wonder what could have made them all leave..... Was it that the copper mine had shut down and there was no longer work for these people?

Some pictures of where I camped...

These 2 trees were very interesting to me.

They looked like they had been through many battles and their scars were deep and in the healing process they over grew to protect themselves from further harm.

I went about setting up camp with the door side facing away from the sun.

I put out my mat, table and 2 chairs. Always 2 chairs...

After supper I just enjoyed the quiet. The next morning when I got up I discovered I had visitors!

They did not seem at all bothered by my presence, nor me by theirs. I quietly sat on my steps and snapped some pictures. I think I counted 7  of them. 

It was so much fun watching them. They ate what they could find, then wandered off over the rail road tracks and down into the next patch of  grasses beginning to appear.

This.... is what I call a tree skeleton.I love the forms of the branches and the patterns in the bark. It had apparently seen a long life and now stood as if protecting younger ones coming up.

As that first day ended, I was so happy to finally be able to relax a bit from life's little troubles. The evening sky seemed to give hints to a brighter tomorrow.

We shall see what adventures await us ....

Sites in the Town of Ajo

As I have spent most of my winter here I have had a chance to look around a bit and admire some of businesses and the sights in and around town, as well as the structures. What I was amazed at probably the most was their copper mine, and the history behind it. This is a picture looking down into the abandoned mine. I loved seeing the colors on the "steps" of the mine. When visiting the tour center, which is actually where I was standing here, I found out that the mine is 1 and 1/2 miles across. WHAT??? Yes, almost unbelievable that we could see the other side at that distance. I also learned that each a railroad track ran around each rim and that there was even room for a vehicle to go alongside the tracks.

About another half mile down the road is this older mission museum and in the yards in front and beside it is some of the equipment used to work the mine and do some hauling in the early days.

Cousin Kris at the copper ore car that could haul 30 tons

Me at one of the freight wagons that was used to haul supplies by horses from Gila Bend to Ajo, a distance of about 40+ miles.

A depiction of the workings of the copper mine

Back in the town of Ajo ( by the way, pronounced Ah-Hoe)Is a Radio Shack / antique/ parts store and in the front windows had these displayed. An old-time washing machine with a copper tub, and an enameled wood cook stove. Interesting pieces!

Another antique-y place sported this old rusty car with wooden-spoked wheels.

Now for some of my favorite structures.... the old missions!

Two different ones each on a corner opposite the town square which hoses little shops and local businesses.Left side in next picture is a second-hand store which has books, art, bedding, clothes,  nic-nacs and other paraphernalia. Interesting shop...

This also houses an old movie theater which I believe is open from time to time and on the right end is the Post Office.

I love the neat row of arches.... and the middle of this back row is a very nice visitor canter, along the row that would be on the right (looking toward the back) Is an art gallery and shop, a food goods store, a library and a real estate office. I just love the structures of these buildings! Oh and in the middle of this is lined with palm trees and has a lawn of Green grass!

This town definitely calls to me and I have a hard time getting away...

Now for some cute houses!

Palm trees, blooms in winter, beautiful cactus plants. What more could you ask :)

I love this little adobe house with tree trunks for porch posts. Quite a unique design!

And this one with ladders to the top of the house.

The town also has a car-wash 3 gas stations, 3 (or more) rv parks, town park with swimming pool, a few restaurants, and an IGA Market with a water station outside for $.25 per gallon'

I hope you have enjoyed viewing this little town with me. Its a great place to spend the winter!

Paducah, Historic Section and River Art Wall

This is the rest of the pictures from my local tour of Paducah the other day. i was disappointed to find out that the Truck driving school where I had taken my training had shut their doors permanently a couple years ago. I would have liked to stopped in and talked to the instructors. However, maybe they had just retired and had no one to take it over.

Anyway I went down a couple familiar streets that I had seen at the time. The old section of town with its small shops looked somewhat the same, bringing a smile to my face. They were already putting out Christmas wares. A little early for my taste, but thats the way they do things now

I would have loved to have the time to look around this antique store! I can just imagine the treasures they would have inside!

I loved the structure of this warehouse type building turned museum. I wondered if it might have been a train station at one time, as the train museum was close by,

and an old locomotive was just up the street and around the corner. I saw one young girl and her mother exiting the engine. Again, I just didn't have the time but to snap a few picutres. Thats the way it is when you have fur-babies , and one in training, waiting for you to get back to camp 20+ miles away. So I went on snapping pictures along the river wall.

And there is the train up ahead.

I can remember living by the railroad tracks growing up and massive engines like this one would come roaring past the house!

After seeing the train I had to circle back and get pictures of the rest of the river wall.

Glory days of the river boats!

And the barges that carry goods up and down the river

Beautiful scenes....

....of  earlier times,

showing the colorful history of this area

To see this wall completed with quaint streetlights and all, made my delayed stop in the area worthwhile. I'm glad I didn't miss being able to visit.

That is one of my goals on this trip; to slow down, take each day at a time , and enjoy the journey!!

Thanks for coming along with me.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 There is an appointed time for everything,

 and there is a time for every event under the sun....