2017 - On Terra Firma, almost...
It seems incredible another year is
coming to a close and we will be beginning our 4th year in
the USA – still on wheels, but almost on terra firma...
We began 2017 in Coolidge, at Indian
Skies RV Resort, in Arizona, in a 55+ RV community (that means the
residents have to be over 55 to stay here). It was here we
experienced our first taste of work-camping. We started helping the
managers in the office, working 10 hours each a week, for the
compensation of a free rental site. It was our first experience of a
snowbird winter resort and we loved the place so much we decided we
would come back this winter.
In January, Richard and I flew to
Scotland and I became a celebrity for 10 days. I appeared on
Scottish TV and even on a BBC Scotland Radio talk show; visited a
prison, several high schools, a school for the mentally and
physically challenged, several highbrow venues in the Glasgow and
Edinburgh area; and met with the Scottish Minister of Education, all
due to my role as one of two keynote speakers at a whole load of
events organized to commemorate International Holocaust Day of
Remembrance. You can read about my trip here. It was an incredible honor to tell my mother's story,
and my story – as it fit so well with the theme of – “How does
life go on?” The other speaker was a survivor of the Rwandan
Genocide. I loved the experience but couldn't help thinking so
little is changing in this world to stop Genocide and war, and
really, no lessons have been learned by us adults at all. My only
hope is, telling my personal story to schoolchildren as part of their
studies, will make them understand the plight of those who experience
and survive war, and possibly make a difference.
In April we flew to Oahu to meet up
with my sons Scott and Drew, my then 18 month old grand-daughter
Maddie, my daughter in law Sarah, her parents, and Richard's brother
Don. It was a great holiday, everyone chipping in to cook, having
time to spend with Maddie. It was wonderful for me to see my family
together.
On our return we headed up into the
White Mountains of Arizona, and as our RVing lifestyle budget was
under strain from our family holiday, we took time out of travelling
schedule and worked as Camp-hosts in a small over 55 RV resort in
Heber-Overgaard for six months. With our 5th wheel
situated just out of reach of the sap from the pine trees, we looked
forward to experiencing the coolest part of Arizona in the summer.
We
settled down to a routine of 3 days of work, me in the office and
Richard doing grounds maintenance, and a gentle round of cards, bocce ball, happy hour drinks, pot lucks, and socializing. It was a new
experience for us, being sedentary for so long. I did take the opportunity though, to grow some plants, and made some very appetizing pico de gallo with my home grown tomatoes and spicy peppers, which was much appreciated by the new friends we made there. I also spent time
contacting people in the local schools, and gave talks in the
library, and to about 250 students ranging in age from 9 - 17. Our only sight seeing trip was to the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest. As we
worked every Saturday we missed out on all the summer events that
bring tourists to the area, but we did manage to arrange a swap with the
other work-camping couple, and paid a quick visit to Richard's cousin's in
Colorado for 4 nights for a mini family reunion.
You could say this year has been the
year of NOT traveling – though we did manage to squeeze in a few
weeks to visit Fort Huachuca, Bisbee, Tombstone, Kartschner Caverns,
Tucson and Yuma, before returning to Coolidge in November for our
next stint of work-camping.
When Richard and I arrived in Coolidge
we were caught up in making an offer on a park model which suddenly
appeared on the market.
A park model is like a static caravan.
Officially not a house as it can still be moved, but the wheels have
been skirted in, so it looks like it is permanently located, and sits
on a concrete pad with a covered patio area. So you could say we are
not quite as mobile as before!
The previous owners are younger members
of this community, ie 55 - 60 years old, and he is an electrician, so
the place had been thoroughly overhauled, and was very tastefully
decorated. We knew it would not require any work on our part – just
what we needed as we were asked by the park managers if we could
commit to working 20 hours each a week.
Twenty hours each doesn't sound much
but that's three and a half days that are taken up a week, and when
you are retired, that's a lot of playtime that has gone hahaha. And
we do play here, there's a pool and spa, card games, horseshoes, golf
for Richard, Mexican Train, live music, jam sessions, ice cream,
doughnut socials, plus more.
Why buy a park model? Are we giving up
our RVing travels? Of course not. But we plan on being back here
every winter to work and play, and even for one month in summer to
help our managers (who also live onsite) get a well earned break;
allowing them time to visit friends and family in their former home
state of Michigan. To be honest, work here is not hard, it's fun.
The people are wonderful and the park has such a friendly atmosphere.
We get on really well with the managers. They used to come here to
visit their parents, and loved the park too. They have a history
with the residents and living here ensures they do their best to keep
the park residents happy. So you see, it's like a big extended
family, and I am part of it. Something I always wanted to experience
all my life and who would have guessed our traveling adventures would
end up with us finding such a wonderful home base.
That leaves April, May, June, August
and September free for us to head north, and east and west. I've
learned that these are the best months to be elsewhere in the US. We
still have so many States to visit and so much to see. We do plan on
downsizing our RV though. Now we don't need to carry our stuff
full-time, we can cut down on the storage space required and use less
gas as we travel.
We began moving in just after
Thanksgiving (23rd November), and it was all a bit
frenzied trying to live between two sites. We plan to rent out the
RV until the end of the season, as so many people want to come and
stay here and there is limited rental accommodation in the park. Why
not make use of the RV while we can and earn ourselves a little on
the side – to help cover the cost of a new sofa, sideboard, table
and chairs, and all those endless things you need in a house, that
you didn't need in a trailer, (as we discovered and ended up shopping
for as we moved). Luckily we discovered Facebook Marketplace and got
some wonderful deals. Driving to various locations in the area to
collect our bargains gave us a great opportunity to become familiar
with the area too.
I am so delighted at how fantastic
Richard's moms American Indian rug looks on the sofa, and how
incredible her embroidery (which was one wall ornament I allowed
myself in the trailer) looks above it!
I am loving my normal size fridge, that
actually makes ice cubes, a regular size cooker, the much increased
kitchen space, and the overall brightness of the place - the RV was
awfully dark. Something I never realized at the beginning. Of
course the RV's darkened windows kept out the heat of the sun. In
our park model the bay window faces east, and we can get light rather
than sun all day.
We have come so far in the last three
years, and I am talking about RVing experience, not just miles
covered. In fact, I am planning to do my next blog on the
differences between park model and RV living!! After three years,
it's time to pass on our learnings in case any of you readers are
considering selling up and getting on the road in an RV.
One thing I had to learn in the RV was
how to make the best use of our space when we were so limited on
storage. Now I have a patio with room for my rock collection, a
proper patio table and chairs for entertaining, a bench to sit on and
sip as we celebrate five o'clock somewhere.
On the side of the park model is an
additional space. Called an Arizona room – an add on room built to join onto the park model – it gives us the additional luxury of a little
office area, a utility room with washer/dryer hidden in a cupboard;
and leaves the rest of the area as a spare bedroom for family and
friends that can visit.
It became important for me to be able
to have the option of a spare room when we realized that those words we had previously used
with our friends on leaving Scotland “we can meet up with you if you are
ever visiting” kind of rang hollow – because we will actually be
stationed in Arizona for a good half of the year.
As we are now only an
hour's drive from Phoenix International and therefore on a major
flight path for our family and friends from across the globe, I
am herewith extending an invitation to all friends who want to experience
Arizona. We are 5 hours drive from Grand Canyon and 4 to Mexico, and
would love you to visit. And that invite is extended to all RVers who read this blog - come visit us at Indian Skies RV Resort. Remember though, it gets very hot in
the summer!
Finally, we close 2017 on a high note.
It seems our trip to Ohau in April suited Drew and Sarah, for on 28th
December they and Maddie were joined by my second grand-daughter,
Chloe.
So I end our rather immobile year on an especially sweet note
– happy for my new home, and overjoyed at my growing family.
Here's wishing you all enjoy a happy, safe,
prosperous and healthy 2018!
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