Friday, June 8, 2018

18 Going On 19 Years Full Timing

Our Son (39 y/o) still needs our help arranging meds, tests and Dr appointments.  He don’t drive, hasn’t for years.  He had been working over 15 years at the same nearby McDonald’s.  He gets NO BEBEFITS.   Dr told us and our Son agrees, he literally can’t work.  He has no money what so ever.  He’s still what the Dr’s call an unstable heart condition.  Maybe a heart transplant? No, not until Medicaid starts up which might be after August. He walks about 25 yards and gasps for air.  No, he don’t walk very far usually and he’s not fat.  He’s been admitted again and is in the hospital now getting his medications corrected.  He’s in good spirit.

We were up in West Va at her brother’s Steven’s family campground last month.  No one else around, 50 amp, FHU on top of a forest mountain.  No internet but OK cell service.  It’s so quiet that you can hear the silence.  Oxymoron?  Plus we had a pavilion here that we set under sometimes.  Temps were in the 80’s. and a lot of rain.  We are now back at AP Hill military base near Fredericksburg, Va (25 miles).  It’s just OK but great location for us.

Carol is her usual bubbly self and still actively Line Dances anywhere and everywhere she can.  Her cat she lets run up in WV (Steven’s) kinda loose at times and the cat loves it.

Carol’s brothers, Steven and David, along with our life time friends, Butch and Kathy, came up Memorial Day Weekend.  It was really a small group and fun for all.

I had my 70th birthday last month up here.  No big deal.  I do a lot more sleeping during the day, strange.  I guess I’m tired of NOT doing a lot of RVing traveling or maybe its old age?

Our plans for summer adventures with friends in the West have now been cancelled 100%.  Not because of our Son so much but because others decided not to do it.  Wish we had more heads up but that’s life.  We might do an adventure of some type with RV part timers Butch & Kathy.

Yes, we’ve been living, traveling in some type of RV full time for over 18 years now.  While in Livingston, Tx if our RV goes in the local shop for a few days we have access to a mobile home and use it.  RV returns, we return to the RV because it is our home. 

We started out full timing in a pretty new fifth wheel.  Then to a new fifth wheel and used medium duty truck,  then a used 40’ motorhome, then a new 40’ motorhome, then a new 43’ motor home, then a new 37’ motorhome that we now have which is a 2014 Winnebago Journey.  We also have a 2014 25’ class C that we take trips in.  Yes, we have two RVs!  We have a Hybrid Mariner and a Jeep.  We tow the Jeep and the others are in storage in Livingston, Tx.  Oh yea, two old motorcycles.  A Harley (1983)and a 110 Honda (1981).  Plus, we own a lot (1/2 acre) there that has two 50 amp hookups (FHU), very large two story shed and a RV carport and a mobile home.  We spend about 2-3 months a year there, reorganizing, party’s and planning.  Carol Line Dances just about everyday there of course.

Jobs – yes but only for fun money (usually).  Let’s see – workamper, delivery of new RV’s, RV Driving School and just about every job there is at the Escapees Escapades (rallys & no money), maybe over three dozen times.  They use to have two a year but now only one a year.

I am a retired (21 year) Marine enlisted and VA disabled (40% no $).  We both get some social security.  Carol is not retired from her Home Engineering job yet.  We’ve been married about 47 years and went on our honeymoon from coast to coast in a van (RV) that I converted.

We’ve been every state since RVing.  Six times to Alaska in each of the RV’s just about.  The last trip was 2017 and the next one will be in 2020 probably.  GO when you can either with others or by yourself.

Membership of RV Camping Associations – just about all of the big ones at one time or another – Escapees, TTN, C2C, AOR, RPI, PA, ROD, Elks, Military Parks and a few others probably.  Too many!

We enjoy full timing and all the changes that came with it.  We might stick it out awhile longer to see if we really like it or not.

The time to come off the road full timing is near but not that near!

Retirement is not being tied down a lot.  Good health and money helps too.

See you when we see you…..