Making Changes....Setting Up A Website and New Blog!

Well I am working on some changes.  Hubby and I have decided to do a full fledged blog about our Full Time Rving!  We have been gnawing on this for some time and making sure we want to make that kind of commitment.  Of course can you guess who's shoulders this will fall on!  Yup, ME!

Lots of research and the niche we want to fill is pretty wide open.  We follow lots of Fulltimers, to get information, budgets, etc.  Lot's of good stuff, but they are either traveling and completely retired living the good life, or younger and working fulltime, mostly through technology!

Our niche will be Full Time RVing, either seasonally here in Michigan, or traveling 6 mths of the year.  Making additional money by continuing our Ebay Sales,  traveling with two large dogs, finding treasures to sell, hitting thrift stores, campfire cooking (yup I use to teach that) traveling the old highways (we hate interstates and will probably only use them through the worst of the mountains).  That should give me enough to write about, add in some photos of the places we visit and stay!  Plus the perks of the screw-ups, stupid mistakes, and crap happens stuff that will make life interesting!

All that should keep me busy.  So I am setting up our website that will host the blog over the next couple of weeks.  You know how relaxing the next 3 weeks are just before Christmas!! LOL  My written down goal is to be up and running by the first of the year!  The first 3 or 4 months will be all about getting rid of everything you own including our Sticks & Bricks Home.  Lots of dreamers out there trying to figure out how to go about that!  We will be sharing our way of getting from homeowner to Full Time Rv'er.

Be on the look out for Treasure Trail Tails hitting the blogosphere near you soon! 


Dilly

Can you stay on task and finish one thing before you start another??? NOT ME!

When the temps are regularly below freezing at night, the calendar may not technically call it winter, but it sure the heck is!  So now the darkness has invaded part of my day.  Come on 5:00 pm is not night for me!  So that means, for me, it is time to bring the crochet hook out and keep me busy.

Now I am not really a multi-tasker at crafts, probably more a case of ADD.  I need to have several projects going at one time.  It's probably because the large projects are so daunting, and big time suckers.  I actually made 3 afghans for Christmas last year and I have no freaking idea how I did that! That doesn't even include all the little stuff and spinning the yarn for a portion of one of the afghans!  I am more the small project kind of girl. 

Right now if I am completely honest I have one baby afghan (sorry Brandon, Grammie is a dirt bag), an adult Minion Hat (almost done), a pair of baby legs, a pair of fingerless mitts (yes Reggie they are Minion Mits), the last curtain valance for me living room, (I hopefully will finish this before we sell the house),  small Christmas presents, and two sets of dryer balls all going at one time!  I put my focus on the one that is screaming the loudest, the smallest travel with me on the road (yup I am fortunate to be able to crochet at 55 mph.  Hubby is not a speeder).

Now add in the fact I have to liquidate everything in my house, finish the house projects we have started, and be ready to auction this puppy off around May.  Oh, and the fun stuff of looking for a 5th wheel for the spring, and saving up money for the motorhome in the fall!

Oh, Pooh, I forgot to put in that at least once a week, typically twice a week hit the road to find things to maintain my internet income!  Then the 3-4 hours 5 days a week I list items for sale on Ebay!

I know I am working harder today than I did as a Commercial Designer!!  This is semi-retirement???  No wonder I can't keep on task!!

Wow, time does fly when you are not paying attention!!

Less than a year and we will be out of here!  Yehaaaaa!!

But, that just means lots and lots of work and so far we are procrastinating!  I am ready to get down and dirty, but I had to come to some compromises that I could live with.  So in order to say we will be selling the house in May/June I had to let go of the Motorhome in September!  Leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, but I know it is not out of the picture just postponed!  I also had to deal with the fact that means up-scaling of the 5th wheel (yah, like that is hard :-), and riding in a pick up) .  Once we have all the changes under control, and a firm traveling budget for 6 mths of the year, then we can dump the truck and get the motorhome!  But until then the Dogs and I will have to haul our carcass in and out of a truck!!

We actually do have an idea of what we want in a Fifth Wheel, so that helps.  We have been in the design that we like, and are happy with the storage and layout.  So look for a 36ft Keystone Everest with 4 slides and a den!!  Don't forget the washer/dryer and the computer desk!!! LOL  Hey it is what I will be calling home for a while!  Now we will wait and see what we actually end up with.  A girl can dream don't you know!

Everyone is doing well.  Little Brandon had a busy week, and I am sure Mom & Dad are ready to crash and relax this weekend!  Xavier made it through his first school conference with flying colors!  Todd has a long weekend what with Veterans Day on Monday.  The family is doing well and that makes life good! 

Here are my little boys!

What a lucky Grammie I am to have these boys to Love!!!

 

Snow was on the rooftops this morning, and the furnace is kicking on.  I should go out and clean the yard up, but I am not in the mood.  I know I will pay for that.  Please remind me not to get that involved in landscaping the lot we will have for the summer.  Maybe some rocks, a few containers of flowers and mow the rest!!! LOL  I think the best part of the landscape next summer will be a sign by the road that reads  "Slow......Grandkid Crossing!!"

Our Last (Sniffle) First Snow of the year (Hack) in Michigan!

Yup, it is snowing here in Mid-Michigan.  Our neighbors roof was white last night as the sun was setting and still has a few flakes still on there this morning as the sun rises!  With Luck this will be our last FIRST SNOW in Michigan.  I do love the snow, for about 2 weeks, than it can go away.  So coming home for Christmas to see our family will fill that whole need for slippery and slidey!

The first snow does bring good thought as I remember our Grand Puppy Daisy who was thrilled with the chilly temps and the white snow!  She would have to be coerced to come back in the house after the first snow.  So when I see the first flakes I pretend it is just Daisy hair falling from Puppy Heaven!  Here is Miss Daisy on a Easter Sunday, participating in a Easter Cookie find in our yard.  She got ears and snow and dog cookies....color her happy!

 

From the word in parentheses you can tell I am fighting off a frigging cold at this time.  Yesterday the cold got serious and I fought back with the appropriate goodies.  When hacking up a lung and it's contents I decided not to go easily.  So I put on my cold uniform, sleepy pants, long t-shirt and my fleece robe.  Filled the pockets with Kleenex and cough drops.  Put my vicks on all the appropriate places, took my cough meds, and slipped into my comfy slippers.  Bring it on!!!

 

OK only 362 days until our leave date next year, only 1 more day before we celebrate our 37th wedding anniversary!  OMG, it is  hard to believe that it has been that long.  Just think, after 37 years I am still willing to be stuck in a 38ft. tin can (RV) with this man!!!  Oh and two huge dogs too!  I am frigging insane, that is for sure!!!

 

Dilly



Well the FIRST BIG STEP is taken!!

We got the call today and drove down to Potawatomie Recreation Area to meet with Rose, the owner.  We signed the papers, paid the money  and now have a seasonal lot!!!  We are only a couple of lots from the girls, so I guess I will have to make a sign that reads "Grandkid Crossing" to put out by the road!! 

Here is the view when you pull into the campground!  Or what I will consider arriving home after next spring!!

 

We will seriously be looking at 5th Wheels in February, as long as the ground is frozen we can get the 5th wheel on the lot then.  If not it might not be until April.  Either way, it looks like I will be gardening again and making the lot look presentable!!  Rose and Randy took the measurements for the maximum length 5ver we can get on the lot!  So we at least have a length to work with!!  Now lets see how many slides I can slip in to get maximum space! LOL

 

So if you are in the Coldwater, Michigan area, the Schafers will be calling lot E-17 home for a few years!  It is a thrill to take the first steps of making these big changes in our lives!

 

 

I hear the 3rd time is a charm!!! We Shall See!!!!

Why am I starting this back up you ask?  Well I actually have a countdown calendar on my computer that reads 367 days today.  Which means with luck, good health and some good MoJo,  we will be putting on the "Rambling Man" music a year from now, turning up the volume and pulling out of our digs down by Coldwater, MI in 367 days! 

Yes we are STILL working on doing some traveling at least 6 months out of the year!  Some of our plans have changed.  Instead of one vehicle and dragging that all over, we are working on purchasing a large 5th wheel for a home base.  Then having a Class A Motorhome to travel the rest of the year with.  Now be kind, don't snicker trying to figure out how we are going to pull this out of our butts?

With a little luck and lot of hard work we found the good life!  Randy has continued with his typical Country Trader business.  We were lucky to pay attention over the last year.  I sold my glass studio that went to lots of good homes, worked on selling books.  Didn't work, too much work not enough return!  I had been having feet problems, and discovered the raised bar that Birkenstocks and others install behind your toes was giving me problems and pain.  So I looked at my collection of close to 20 pairs (no I didn't buy them new, I can't afford that!) I checked to see what those things sell for on Ebay.  Light Bulb going off here should blind you!!!!!

Yup I am selling used, name brand shoes.  Brands like Dansko, Clarks, Birkenstock, Ferragamo, Easy Spirit, Naot, Teva.......you get the picture.  Well, lets just say the Motorhome should be named the shoemobile!!  In stead we will probably refer to the entire adventure as Shobey Doo.  Since our two Great Danes will hit the road with us!

One of the main reasons we altered our plans was to be near our 3 Grandsons.  Yup,  since I last wrote on here, we have been blessed with little Brandon, who is closing in on 3 months.  Xavier at 5, Brock at 2 and little Brandon are more than we can leave for any one long length of time.  We are also waiting to see where Todd & Erin will land when he gets out of the Marines.  His plans right now are to return to college and getting his Masters Degree.  Erin should be finished with her Masters about the time he is getting out!  Where they end up could dictate which way we wander when we leave next fall.

So our first step is getting a lot at Potawatomie Recreation Area between Union City and Coldwater, MI.  Both of our daughters and families have seasonal lots there already.  We are just going to overload the facility with Schafers!!! 

So wish us luck, encourage, snicker, whatever, but just enjoy the bumpy ride.  I found a saying and want it up next to my Simplify Sign.  Thing about this one "If your Dreams don't scare you, they are not BIG enough"  Dream big my friends!!!

Dilly

Back to SIMPLIFY!

Way back when, about 6 mths ago, when I started talking about selling everything and hitting the road, I mentioned I found a sign.  When I went to put the little bugger up I could not find it!  Yesterday hubby came in the house with a big, butt kicking grin on his face!  Low and Behold in the back of my seat in the little van (which we haven't been using a lot lately) was the sign. 

So being the twit, I hauled out the hammer, nails, unsteady chair and hung that puppy up!  Now each time I walk toward the living room, hung over the archway from the dining room, I see this sign!  It inspires me to get the boxes out and start collecting goodies for the garage sale next month. 

It also scares the crap out of me when I see this photo and realize everything in it but the clock has to go!!!  OMG that is a whole lot of work!!  But, after the tears of leaving the girls and their families behind for a few months at a time, I will have a gigantic smile on my face and ready for the new adventures ahead and seeing my boy more often!!

We have sold most of what we own twice in our lifetime.  The above photo is one from our last auction before we moved to Battle Creek.  It is a very cool feeling, back to basics and what is important in your life.  I expect lots of tears along the way, but the outcome will be YAHOOOOO!

The 3 Ring Binder Is Out!!

Ask any of my family members and they cringe when Mom brings out the 3 ring binder to get organized.  Lord you should have seen the 4" binder I had for Shannon and Shawns wedding!!  But, let me tell you I organized the entire thing, made everything but the food, it was held 30+ miles away and I didn't forget 1 thing!!!  Nada, so nuff said!!

This three ring binder has, a place for trailers that fit our length, weight, and price.  Not that we will buying any of these, but it gives us age, manufacturers, and lots of possibilities down the road.  We know we want something 28-30ft.  We would love to be able to pull it with the Van we have right now!  We also know both of these things will change in the first 2 years as we figure out what we want.

The binder also has budgets, proposed, and as time goes by real!  Randy is a stalker on a few full time RV forums.  He has been pulling and stock-piling information from those who do this full time.  One great thing is there are a lot of people who keep excellent books on their travels.  So it gives us good information and helped us figure that we could  $$$ do this!!

There is a place for a bucket list of places we want to see and visit.  I just added one today, Joes Crab Shack in Destin, FL.  After seeing my friend Ellen's blog about it, YUMMY, lets check this puppy out when we are in the vicinity!!  I am sure we will be adding tons more as time goes on!

The last area in the binder is for Camping Sites, National Forest, where to get the Old Geezer Pass to save on camping, etc.   Also tons of links to information on those subjects. 

I am pretty sure more indexes will be added to it and eventually it will become our travel Bible but that's how I roll!!  Why oh why can't I be this organized about certain stuff and then have piles of crap of other things?  The mystery still alludes me!  Once we are in a 30 ft. trailer 6mths of the year, I bet I will have a better handle on all the crap!!

Dilly

Time to crank this puppy up, get the stick out of my butt and start unloading this stuff!  Hubby has requested putting the house on the market this fall instead of the first of next year!  That means a trailer needs to be in the works by the time the house is listed.  So my first big event will be a garage sale May 10th at Heather and Kirks.  It will be a City Garage Sale Weekend/Heathers Birthday/Pool Party weekend!  I also will becoming a Craiglist specialist, Ebay and any other way to unload this stuff. 

But, first I need to get our children's list of wants so things they covet are saved and given to them.  Of course that means any squabbling will have to be dealt with.  So far they have been great, but I haven't decided who will get the 10' toboggan and that may be a deal breaker!!! LOL

We are putting together our version of a Bucket List!  Places we want to visit, things we want to do as we travel!  So far we will be having lobster in Maine, Crab cakes in Maryland, camping on the Rio Grand going into Creede, CO. at the National Forest Camp Ground that we passed on both of our visits.  Now considering we are practicing a Vegetarian life style, the crab and lobster must have a strong calling!! LOL  The list will grow as I add in all my glassy friends that I want to stop and hug along the way.  Visiting our son, niece, step-sister, etc.  We will be busy little vagabonds!!

Lets see what do I need to update you on that has happened since I last posted.  I am not sure if I shared we are going to be Grandparents again.  Shannon is due around August 11th.  We will once again be surprised with a beautiful grandchild!!  Can't wait!!! 

The entire family was given the gift of the Norovirus by our little Germinator II, Brock!  OK, everyone but me, and I have no idea why I never came down with it!!!

So which room shall I start emptying???  I think closets will be a good start,t  hat way I won't think everything looks empty!!  We plan on emptying out the second floor by Sept. and living on the Main floor only!  There goes my changing room/laundry!  Oh well such is life!!

Have a good one and I will be back on here regularly for updates!!!

Dilly

Recommiting to the Blog!

You think the amount of time I spend on the net I could haul my butkis over here and update my Blog!!  Well I am recommiting myself and I am going to try to be better!!

I can see a time down the road where I can post photos and stories of our wonderful days on the road or in a warmer climate!  But right now it is down to the hard work of figuring out the hows and whens of getting to that point!

We have spent hours, I mean hours on hours of research on trailers.  We were thinking of going with a vintage very low weight trailer, but Thank God common sense caught up with us!! LOL  10 minutes in my kitchen with hubby and two Great Danes is a reality check!!!  Then we measured the width of our narrow living room, and figured out YES we need a slide out in the trailer! 

So we are armed with the knowledge the trailer on our list, has to have a slide out (part of the trailer slides out sidways and enlarges the trailer, typically the sofa and dining area are in one of these),  be as long as it can be and still be hauled by our 1/2 ton van (that involves a lot of math and accurate information), have a queen size bed, and windows.  You would be suprised how many trailers have these itsy bitsy windows.  Damn I am traveling to see the country.  Part of that time I will be inside for weather or comfort.  I would like to see the vistas I have traveled to, not the wallpaper and cupboards!!!

With  luck the $$ for the trailer will be available before we sell the house!  The Treasure Trails are getting better all the time!  Not as good as the late 90's early 2000's.  Since this is at the bottom of the food chain, good news for the economy ahead!  It will slowly work its way up to the rest of you!! LOL

So I will begin sorting through things getting ready for multiple garage/estate sales.  May 10th may be the first one if I want to haul my things over to Heathers.  They will be having citywide sales, and she will have the pool open.  That's a lot of incentive!!

Since I sold my glass studio and have to sort through the jewelry mess.  I have been figuring out what I will take with me to keep my fingers busy, other than a good book.  I already have my watercolors, my crocheting and I am not leaving my sewing maching behind!!  As my glass addiction was started with a book on mobiles and led me to making glass beads!  I found a book over a year ago, that I couldn't find myself selling, I fell in love with it.  Judith Baker Montano, is a fiber artis, specializing in embroidery, crazy quilts and silk embroidery.  She makes some amazing things and has inspired me to give it a try.  I have done embroidery over the years, but the floral stitches she uses and the crazy quilt pallet really has me hooked.  My first sampler project is done, and I am working on another!  I love it!!!

The one thing that has not changed since the beginning of the year is our dedication to cut meat out of our diet!  No chicken, beef, pork or fish/seafood.  Our one cheat is we use eggs, not a lot but occasionally when called for in a recipe.  I have found tons of wonderful reciples, but our favorite is Pizza.  I do a home made pizza, but we still order from Papa Murphy their Gourmet Vegetarian!  YUMMY

Fresh out of the oven!!!  Did I say we eat cheese, yah I know we have to work on that, but hey, one thing at a time!!!  Spinach, artichokes, green pepper, tomato, onion, zuchini and mushrooms!  Now that I have seen the picture I might have to make one for dinner tonight!

You all take care, stay warm, and lets hope for an early spring!

Dilly 

A slow start to simplyfying our lives!

I wish I could say that I have been busy, but not really.  I have had moments of busy, but the weather has slowed us down a bit.  A lot of cold, snow, melting, rainy, stormy, warm.  A Typical winter in Michigan!!

Over a week ago I finally followed through and loaded all of my glass studio up and Tracy Bell and Melissa Mesara came and hauled it away!  It is now in lots of loving homes of Michigan glassaholics!!!  That makes me happy!!!

I am currently working on figuring out what has to go away in my craft room.  Of course it doesn't help that I bought more stuff! LOL  OK, so it is smaller stuff and I know it still may go before this is all over, but it was a great $$$.  It is punch embroidery, that I did years ago.  My first plan of attack on the craft room is to use up as much as I can and finish projects that I have all the pieces and parts for! Then we will dump the big stuff!

As I mentioned, I found a pile of supplies for punch embroidery cheap and it has great resale value so that was the original thought.  But since embroidery is one of the things I regularly do and plan on keeping, I thought this would add to the ability to really get creative with it!  We shall see!!  I remember using this to blow away fellow students when I had to put presentation boards together for Design Classes.  I could whip up miniature carpet and rug samples for my boards!!!  Those younguns didn't know what the heck it was, but it sure looked good! LOL  Here is my haul....less than $10!!

Kylee had a bout of back problems, but ANOTHER Vet visit and she is good to go now!  Dozer is just the sweet boy he always is!!  Other than being skinnier than I want, the Vet said he is healthy as a little pony! 

So next on my hit list is the Front Closet!  I know there are lots of things to get rid of in there.  I just got Todd's Varsity Jacket out of there a month ago!  But anyone need cement duck clothes, bags of dog hair, and enough coats and jackets to keep two more families warm!!  Time to downsize, donate, and chuck!!!

Dilly

Loosing it!!

Ok, so my goal for this year is to simplify my life, by finding new homes for all our stuff.  However I think I went way past my goal already!  If you know me at all you know my photos are precious to me.  My home, computer, phone, closets are filled to the top.  Heather even got me a scanner that will put my photos on an SD card for Christmas.  That will allow me to take all of my photos with me. 

So when Christmas went up, a lot of photos in frames were taken down to make room for decorations.  I have a vintage pedal sewing machine base, with a HEAVY piece of glass on top that holds framed photos of all my kids and our family.  Then on my mantel were brand new photos of both the grandsons!  I put them all in such a special place that I can't find them!!!!

I have gone through all the places, drawers, cabinets, closets that I have typically stored the kind of stuff in over the past years. Nada, Nothing, Not a One!!  I even went up to the guest room/present wrapping room to see if the got carried up there.  We are talking a dozen framed photos from 5x7 to 10x13. All that leaves is hitting the basement where all the Christmas stuff is boxed up!

Now that would be bad enough, but I actually can't find the "Simplify" sign I bought as a funny to hang on the wall to motivate us to downgrade all our stuff!  Yup, that is gone too!  It made it into the van, but after that it too is missing!

So I am loosing it, old-timers disease is hitting!  I hope you all keep it together!
Dilly

2013 Ready, Set.......Go!!!! SIMPLIFY!!!!!!

Well did you make it to midnight?  I was asleep when the text messages started from my kids about 11:30pm.  That woke me up and I just made it to midnight laying in bed tossing and turning!!  Yah, I really know how to celebrate!  Now don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade those text messages, it means everything that our children remember us as they start a new year in their lives.  They have been calling home for years and it is something we look forward to!!!  I love that they each make the effort to remember year after year!!

So how's your year going so far, have you made a resolution, or a goal for 2013?  I gave up on resolutions, I just screw them up.  But I do have a couple of goals, first to take off another 20 lbs, just to give my good health another boost!  Then the BIGGIE is to get rid of so much stuff we have accumulated, or as a sign I saw last week that inspired me enough to purchase it and put it up in the house.  SIMPLIFY!!!  It was such a nice idea!!  Just  too damn bad I can't find the stupid thing!!!  Yah, that's a good start to the year!!

I did manage to simplify one major thing.  The Christmas tree is empty of it's ornaments.  All the personal ornaments are sorted into piles, and the Christmas tree has been spoken for!  It's a beautiful tree I picked up at an auction 7 or 8 years ago.  It was actually the Toledo Public Library's tree.  They spent the big bucks on it and I got it for $5!!!  It is headed off to Shannon's home for a new life with little kids presents piled under it!!! 

There was a group of hubby's and my ornaments, and as I knew and feared I went through a few Kleenex.  Then hubby came up with a great idea.  I put those ornaments along with a few gold and white balls, some berries, cinnamon sticks, chestnuts, gold leaves, and the big gold bow with the red white and blue ribbon on it that has adorned our Christmas trees for years in a box.  On the box is the label, Mom & Dads ornaments, please add these to whatever tree or as decorrations at the home that is being used for our family Christmas!  We have promised the kids we would always make an effort to be home (wherever all of them are) for Christmas!  That helped me get through the rest of the de-Christmasing of the house!!!

Now only the Christmas Village to go and that is already going to Shannons House.  To be put up when they move to bigger digs!!  Everyone agreed they would rather it stays together, than break it up, or sell it!  So, it might be a few years before Dillys Village gets set up again, but I am sure we will all enjoy it when it does!!

So I have started the decluttering my year is officially started.  Oh and I almost forget I got this photo from Heather.  This is the 3rd of my large Christmas Project and the biggest sucker of time.  This took 3 months with daily goals of so many rows to get this one done in time for Christmas.  It is a popcorn pattern afghan with our grandson Xavier with the Monster Feet staying warm under it!

I hope all your wishes come true and your goals are met in the upcoming year. 

Happy New Year

Dilly