And Then Life Happened

This year, 2021, has been disappointing and challenging. But then, derailed plans are rarely welcome. Not only did Covid-19 impact worldwide travels and family holidays, but I heard the "C-word" for the first time last Spring, right after my 60th birthday. Not the gift I asked for!!!  So, instead of traveling the US beginning in May, we traveled to doctors' appointments, spent endless weeks in "scan-xiety" (Thank you Donna for the perfect word!), endured two surgeries (one planned and one emergency), and locked all other plans into the can't-think-about-them-without-crying safe. Grace went to her sophomore year of in-person high school, and we did our best to keep life normal for her. Even hosting an after homecoming supper and party for 6 of her friends the day after emergency surgery for cellulitis. Thank you, God, for surgical nerve blockers and the opportunity to fix Grace's hair and makeup before her first high school dance. Those memories are so fleeting and precious! 

But after months of healing we are on the other side of active treatment and our perspective has widened. Let's squeeze out all the living we can, while we are able! Carpe diem! The actual vehicle that we take matters much less than the opportunity to adventure as a family now. So, we are back in the hunt for a motorhome with a few different parameters this time:

• Under 36 feet long, so it fits in our driveway more easily while we are packing.
• Sleep 7 adults, so any of our family can join us.
• Have seatbelts to keep the grandbabies safe.
• And a low budget so that we have ample money to spend on experiences over the next months or years.

Sounds easier than it is. Buying a motorhome is like looking nationwide for a home. No two are the same, drive the same, have been cared for the same. Pictures don't tell you when they smell like mice and dog urine, and some of the people advertising don't really have a motorhome at all. Just spam! So even though we have found several models that we like, getting the right one has been tricky. We are opting for a short, class A, gas model such as the Forest River FR3 32.3 or the Thor Ace 32.1. I know, these manufacturers don't always get the best reviews, but Mark wants a gas engine he feels comfortable fixing and we will assume that we will be making quality repairs as we go. Our old, pull behind was nothing to look at, but the memories don't have anything to do with the chalking exterior paint. So our hope is to find the "perfect" model for us within the next 2 weeks. 

Excitement Ensues

 One down and one to go! Retirement, that is. I retired in May from teaching 5th grade, but continued as a long-term sub during this first remote semester of Covid-19. Now, I retired the second time and have launched headlong into cleaning closets and planning for our trip. My husband, Mark, is contemplating his last day of work, too, so that we can launch out on our much anticipated US excursion. As the more adventurous one, I am ready to leave home behind and live in the motorhome for a year or more with only a few stops home to check on the house. Mark, however, wants to try out a few months and then see how he feels about the rest of the year. Could it be that he is worried about being in a small space with two women?

The next few months will be filled with decisions: Which motorhome do we want? Will we pay cash and get an older model or go with something newer? Class A or Class C? Diesel or Gas? How will budgeting work on an extended vacation? Where will Grace register for online classes? How will we handle our mail, appointments, boondocking, and camping reservations? Follow us here as we share our decision-making process and send us your insights to help us make the best choices.