Evergreen Park, IL

I took 3 classes this summer in hopes of getting my Master’s Degree by December. I was not aware of the summer 8 week classes which are really 16 week classes crammed into 8 weeks. I did not anticipate the time it would take to complete the tasks required to maintain my 4.0 (shameless plug) GPA.

My days consist of taking Wrigley for a walk, checking my email, Facebook, etc., working on my schoolwork, studying for the GRE, getting to the gym, then dinner, Wrigley walk #2, TV time (while simultaneously doing GRE flashcards or some other study materials), bed. This is a typical day the past couple of weeks, and says a lot about all the work involved in my classes. One of the classes consisted of only four projects, which were agreed upon, and are due the last day of class, July 28th. In trying to keep up with the daily work of the other two, I let this get put on the back burner, meaning I am now doing all of the other work, and 16 weeks worth of projects, in about 3 weeks!!

I have always been a procrastinator, but I do always get the work done. There is something about a deadline which makes me get things done. Maybe its the adrenaline? I am not sure, but I have always been like this. My favorite memory of this, is from my Community College Days, when a big paper was due, but it had to be typed, with no mistakes. I did not own a typewriter at the time, so I went to the school library to use theirs. Unfortunately the typing class I took in High School was a waste of time, and I made more errors than I had planned. I kept starting over, because the teacher made it clear no white out, no tape, no errors on any pages! I was there for a few hours typing from the handwritten paper I had written out, when I realized I was not going to be done by 7pm when the class started.

I was sweating and, of course, the faster I tried to type, the more errors popped up. I finally conceded that I was not going to make it, and slowed down and carefully finished typing the paper. I pulled out the last page, put it all into the folder and ran to the class. I showed up ten minutes late, but I had the perfect paper in hand, and somehow managed to pull it off.  It was when I sat down, I noticed I had been sweating so much from the stress, my shirt looked like I had been working out in the gym. I am sure I would not have won a prize for my appearance, but I did get a good grade in the class!

That was the one and only time I was late due to my procrastination. In fact, I was proud of the 125 page script I was required to write for a class in my undergrad studies. There were about 15 students in the class, and I was the only one who came to the final class with a finished script!! The others either didn’t show up or had asked for an extension. So, even though this week will be tough, I have finished four of the seven initial projects I started last week needing to complete.

I want them done now to finish out the semester, and to give me some time to get some other things done before I head down to St. Charles. It is a busy time, but I have always preferred to be busy, so I am not complaining!

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” 

–Steve Jobs (who passed one year ago, today)

Yes this is true. As I stayed up very late last night to finish the Powerpoint presentation for my class, I was thinking about the time I have spent working, and going to school. I enjoy what I am doing right now, at the resort. It does not pay as much as a “real job” would, but I like it, so far. It is fun to be the “newscaster” for the resort, and to take pictures and post them.

How much should money play a part in what you do? If you can do something you enjoy, isn’t that worth the difference in pay. I have always believed it was. I can spend less on frivolous things, and have a lot less stress. Maybe in the long run, will I save the money in healthcare, or in care for some disease which sets in due to the stress I was experiencing.

I think getting paid a lot of money is a great advantage, but if given the choice, I’d prefer less money, and enjoying my days and nights. I see people all of the time on Facebook, just counting down the days until Friday. Is that really living your life? If you plod through five days to get to the two, you are not really enjoying your life.

I remember when I was working at US99, I was so thrilled to be working there, I looked forward to going to work. Of all the jobs I have had, I think that one was the one which paid the least, and I loved every minute of it. I learned so much, and I got to do something I wanted to do, so it was more fun than work.

Although even in the best jobs, there are things you may not want to do, or times you may not feel like doing it, but overall if you enjoy your work, what a wonderful life you will have. And how much better of a job will you do? I know I get more into a job I enjoy than one I am in it only for the pay.

Sam and I judging a Lego competition

On TV the other night, on The MIddle, the mom wanted to start her second career, and looked at all the various avenues, and wondered what she REALLY wanted to do. I think that myself, as I work towards another degree in hopes I can teach audio editing, and communications classes at a University, maybe even some online classes. But as I work towards this education degree I start remembering how much I wanted to teach when I was in grade school. The public teachers went on strike, and I was asked to come in and fill in for one of the lower grades. I was in 8th grade and one of the best students in the school.

The kids were acting like you’d expect kids to act when they knew they had a substitute teacher who was only a few years older than they were. The one kid was throwing spitballs at the blackboard so I told him he had to go to the office. He took his stuff and left the room. At lunchtime, I was called into the Principals office and a lady who was a secretary (which was why she was there and not on strike) told me the boy went home and told his mother I yelled at him and sent him home. I was so upset, because that is not what happened. I may have yelled when I sent him to the office, after he was being a jerk, but still, I did not send him home. While she was admonishing me, she said “And whatever you do, don’t ever become a teacher!”

Later she would come and apologize to me, because other students told her what had really happened. But in that time, her words stuck with me, and I always kept away from thinking I should teach. So, I taught Bible School, CCD and sports, I even taught a kids class of bowling at the Community College one semester. This was something I had always wanted to do, and her words hurt me so badly, I never went in that direction again. In fact, whenever I have thought about teaching, I think I need to teach adults, because the problem I had was with kids. But as I do these various teaching projects, I am really drawn to teaching younger kids.

We take our work seriously.

When I had to answer the questions about Sam, the young lady asked if I had wanted Sam to do something particular, and I thought about how I always wanted my kids to do something they love. I remember Sam coming to me and saying he wanted to attend the one college, and I had a hunch it was because of the bowling team and his friend was talking about it, so I asked him what he was going to major in and he said Culinary. I literally laughed out loud. He had a thing about making smoothies, but before that he had no desire to cook anything. I had taught him to make french toast, but he never made anything else, so I thought he was joking. I feel terribly guilty to this day, because now he calls me and sends me pictures of his food, and he really enjoys cooking, so maybe he could have been a great chef if I had not laughed at him. I think he enjoys what he is doing, but I still feel badly. Maybe cooking can be just a hobby for Sam, or one day he may want to be a chef, it’s nice to have that option and be able to think that you should do what makes you happy.

 

 

Sam and I working on videos together.

 

 

So, as I keep learning more about teaching, I keep changing what it is I may want to do. I dont think it is ever too late to change what you want to do, and to do something you truly enjoy. You only get one chance in this world, so you have to make it count.

More and more RVs come into the resort each day. It is almost “the season” here in Arizona. I have been fortunate to have spent one of the hottest (according to the weatherwoman last night, there have been the most 100+ degree days this summer since they began keeping track!) summers here, and now I am hoping to get the reward of a cooler, allbeit warmer than the Midwest, winter!

I have been busy with making videos for the author, and keeping the Facebook page for the resort up to the minute, attending meetings and doing my schoolwork . I have projects due this week, but I wanted to post a few thoughts I have.

Right now, my life revolves around modern technology. My job here is based on doing social media, editing and uploading videos for websites, and I am taking my Masters degree classes via the internet. When I stop and think about it, it seems mind boggling to me. I am being paid to do a job that didn’t exist 10 years ago, taking classes in a way that could not have occurred 10 years ago.

I was sent a few questions from one of Sam’s classmates. It seems they are doing a project where they interview people and do a real indepth project about the person. Sam told me she’d be sending me some questions, but I was surprised at them. She asked if I could describe Sam in 3 words, which would be next to impossible, but I tried. Then she asked me about my favorite memory. That is another one which I cannot say, yes, THIS is my favorite memory of Sam. There are so many. it made me think back to a lot of great memories when the kids were little. This is always a fun thing to do, since it was the best time in my life. I enjoyed thinking about all of the anecdotes which revolved around Sam, and shared a few with her.

Then came a question which made me think a lot about my life. What can you see Sam doing in 5 years? I am certain I got this right about him, but if someone had told me 5 years ago where I’d be, I would have certainly laughed at them. Even 5 years ago, my position as a social media director, and taking online classes would be a far fetched idea. Even if there was such a thing, it was not something I thought I would be doing.

If you had told me I would be in Arizona, I would have probably debated that and certainly if you had told me there would not be anyone from our family living in Illinois, I would have doubted that as well. Life takes funny turns and the future is not for us to know. Sometimes I think the people like myself, who worry and fret over things are the least productive. The people who roll with the flow seem to be the happiest, and most content. Striving for things and to make everything perfect, just makes yourself crazy. Nothing is ever perfect, and maybe those imperfections are what gives us character?

I got a picture last night on my phone. It was of Sarah, doing her editing. It is always nice to get a picture from any of the kids, which means they are thinking of me, and want to share. This is something I never could have thought would be so much a part of my life. I send pictures to my kids of food I made, the dogs, what I am doing and they send me the same. It is another way technology keeps us connected in five different states. Yes, that’s right, currently we are in Indiana, Iowa, Montana, Missouri and Arizona. I never would have thought that either.

I watched the Presidential debates last night, and I have never enjoyed them more. I usually watched, while doing something else, and this time it was not much different, but I enjoyed this debate far more than any other. I had my twitter account open, and the people I follow are insanely clever. In real time, they commented on the debate, and I laughed out loud as if I was watching a sitcom, without the laughtrack. This is something I had never thought of, five years ago, but I have to say my Twitter people certainly entertained me during an otherwise awful debate.

I sent the answers to the young lady and thought more about what I had written. Who’s to say what Sam will be doing in 5 years, or any of us for that matter. I can’t see the future, and I am glad for that. But I do know that for right now I am glad that we have this marvelous technology which keeps us connected and helps me try to move forward.

I have always loved the mail. As a kid, I’d head for the mailbox as soon as the mailman came, looking for anything with my name on it. It was evident that a piece of mail made my day. I waited for cards, letters, even junk mail which I could read, became something to get excited about.

With Facebook, email, and Twitter I get excited whenever I log onto the computer, since someone somewhere will have made a comment or liked something I posted. It is almost that same feeling as getting mail, but not quite. I have received various pieces of mail since arrivining here, some of it has been things I have sent for , but I have been surprised by a tee-shirt, cup, cards and most recently a newspaper.

I read the Sunday paper, but this was not the Sunday paper, in fact it was not even local. It was the Valparaiso Law paper. I was surprised to see it, but excited, as I took it back to the RV to carefully read. Normally, this type of paper would not hold my attention, but knowing Sarah is the Editor in Chief, made me take my time to see the work she has been doing.

At the moment I saw her name written there, in the paper, I was transported back to a time in High School when all of my friends were on the yearbook, but I had other work to do, and was not allowed to join the yearbook. But that was not all that got my attention right then. I was so happy that Sarah could do such a great job working on the newspaper while she is in law school. How cool is she? I know I could not have ever done what she is doing. As smart, as determined and as much of a go-getter as I believe I was/am, I do not think I would have been able to work as hard as Sarah has been working.

Then I started thinking about the kids and had the conversation I used to share with their father, now with myself. All four of my kids are much cooler than I was at their ages. I was a mom at their age. That was pretty much all I was. But as I see what they are doing, I can’t help but feel proud of them all. As I was chatting with Jonathan the other night, he played back one of his newscasts, and I almost starting crying. He sounds so good. He is much more talented than I ever was, and he is doing something I had wanted to do at one time, and it makes me excited to see him progress. He moved far away from everyone, and has made friends, works hard, and is successfully doing what I had always thought was such a cool thing to do.

David and Jody bought a house and moved into the new house, they chose, and are working hard, and having fun. I wanted to pick out my own house and decorate it the way I wanted it to be. Then David went out and bought a new(to him) nice Mustang. At his age, I drove a van, a big ugly van I was given, because it was there. Both of them are working hard to complete their educations and make a great life for themselves.

And Sam. Sam is so much more talented at his video work than I could have imagined. He made the bowling team, is working doing camera work and still has classes in his Senior year of college. I never got to attend college classes living on campus, but even if I did, I am sure I would not be able to get as much done as he does. And yes, he is a much better bowler than I ever was too, which makes me happy, (I like to think I helped that somehow).

If living vicariously through your kids is what makes moms take their kids to do modeling and all the other things you see moms pushing their kids into, then apparently I hit the jackpot. Each of my four kids has done things I had aspired to do, and they have done it better then I ever could have. They each have brought me so much joy and have made me more proud than I ever could have imagined, back when I was their age, and was “just a mom”.

If the goal as a mom is for your kids to do better, which is what I have always believed, then I may be the most successful mom ever. I take no credit for this, because the kids are the ones who did all the work. I don’t know exactly why I have been so fortunate, but I am certainly happy about it. All four of my kids are cooler than I was at their age, and for that, I am thankful.

Back in the day, I would send them a card telling them how proud I am of them, but since the internet is so much easier, I will just send them a link to this posting, and tell them how much I love them.

The blue toolbox holds more than just assorted tools which I have used for more than 40 years. It holds some of my dearest childhood memories where I learned to use every tool in the box.

My Dad gave me my very own toolbox, and put in it one of each of the very important tools he knew I would need. I was about 4-5 years old when he gave me this first set of real tools, and I loved it. I would practice nailing on an old piece of wood, and screwing in both phillips and flathead screws and my favorite thing to do was to screw a nut onto a bolt. Dad would tell me what a good job I did and then when he went to do a “real job”, I’d get to be his assistant handing him the right tool, or holding the flashlight for him. As the Cubs games played on the radio in the warm afternoons, these became the best parts of my childhood. Even when I hit my thumbnail so hard with the hammer I eventually lost the nail, I insisted I was fine. Because I didn’t ever want to not be able to play with the tools.

This morning, I decided I would tackle a project I have been putting off for sometime: installing the water filter on the sink, so I can use the tap water rather than refilling a 2 gallong jug repeatedly. Not only will it save me some money, but it will also be much more convenient. I went out to the blue toolbox, which has all my basic tools, and got the wrench out. I proceeded to install the filter properly, I assume, since it works!

As I was doing the work, I thought back to those times with Dad, and what a wonderful gift he gave me, by teaching me how to do so many things. As my son pointed out: If you need to know how to do something now, just look it up on YouTube!  And, he’s right. Look up almost any project and you will find many vidoes showing you how to do it. This is the second best thing to being shown firsthand.

I bought my kids a set of tools for Christmas last year, mainly because I knew how valuable mine have been to me. Over the years, I have used them to assemble things, to hang pictures, to take apart other things and every time I do, I think about how lucky I am to have learned how to use them. The old wooden screwdrivers broke many years ago, and I replaced them with the blue screwdriver Chuck and I had, which could be used either way. That screwdriver had been an ongoing joke among us, we playfully debated over whose it was, and it may have been the only “thing” we agreed to joint custody of, so it is now another part of the toolbox which holds memories for me. The blue toolbox has lived in my bedroom,  first apartment, the closet in both houses and now, the bin of the RV.

They say: Give a man a fish and he will eat today, teach a man to fish and he will eat a lifetime.

I say: Give a girl some tools and teach her to use them and she will be able to fix things her whole life.

This glass of filtered water is for you, Dad!

Barbara Walters

I watched the Barbara Walters TV special last night, about the greatest TV shows of all time. I always watch these  kinds of shows, because I am a big fan of TV.

For years I felt like that was not something to tell people. In fact, I thought I should hide the fact that I enjoy TV so much, from others. Not to say I do not enjoy spending time with people, and watching sunsets, but I like watching movies and television programming. I think, for me it is a step away from reading a book. However, I found, if given the chance, I watch TV over reading a book. That may have to do with the books I have found to read, or maybe its because when I watch TV I can do other things at the same time.

I am very passionate about my TV shows and will watch some shows over and over again. What I enjoy the most, is a good sitcom which makes me laugh. I watched sitcoms when I was young, and I think watching sitcoms is like a type of therapy for me. It makes me laugh.

The list Barbara used for the special was compiled by TV Guide, which I haven’t used in years. I remember years ago, when there were a handful of stations, it was easy to read. This past Sunday I tried to find where the local station here moved Jeopardy to, and it was like trying to crack a code to figure out what show was where. With the schedule on the various providers, I think most people check that, so who are the people providing this TV Guide poll with it’s information?

Looking at the various categories, I was surprised how many different shows were mentioned that I did not watch. Under reality show, some ice fisherman show was listed? I have never seen this show, nor heard of it! I watch a few shows which would qualify better, especially if they can be current TV shows.

I Love Lucy

I always take exception to certain shows, and the lack of others, but this list was not too bad. Citing I Love Lucy as the best show of all time is probably right. The other night, as I lay awake with insomnia daring me to fall asleep, an episode came on, and I laughed out loud numerous times. I think that timeless comedy is something that is rare, and even though they do not have cell phones, or computers, we can relate to what they are doing, and that does make it a good show.

My criteria for a good show is usually one which I stop on when surfing and watch. When it beats out the other options, it is a good show. When it almost always wins, though it is 20-30 years old, I think it’s great! Some of the shows which were mentioned fit this criteria; MASH, Cheers, Seinfeld and Cosby. Some were longtime favorites, especially when the category was TV moms, and included Happy Days, Leave it to Beaver and Brady Bunch.

Shows that did not make any of the lists which I found to be an oversight include Frasier, Sex and the City, Gilmore Girls, Golden Girls and thirtysomething. These shows are some of  my favorites which were overlooked. I am not sure how these shows were not included, but maybe it is a time issue, since all of these are fairly new and the list likes to include older shows. I will watch All in the Family, on occasion, but most of the humor seems to be topical, and 70s oriented, not pertinent anymore, plus seeing Archie’s archaic bigotry is somethimes not funny.

One more category I found questionable was the “Favorite non-human” which was an interesting category, and I agree with Lassie, Mr. Spock and Alf, but two muppets? What about Mork, from Mork and Mindy? Rin Tin Tin? Mr Ed? And seriously, who would pick Kermit as Number one? I did not like this category at all.

And when Mad Men showed up, I thought it is too early to call it a best show of all time. A show still on the air should not even be considered in this category. I love Mad Men, but I think a show like ER or The Sopranos is in a different world, and these kinds of polls for dramas should not include shows that have yet to make, or break their spot in the books as “Best of” anything.

The best example of them getting it right was in “Talk Show Host”. They mentioned the five greatest talk show hosts and definitely got it right crowning Johnny Carson as King. Ellen, Oprah and David Letterman followed, which is where they belong. That was the best call.

Overall, I really liked the way this program brought a taste of the shows, gave some information about them, showed clips, (mostly the most famous clips) and moved on. It was done in an MTV type format with people chiming in on why they liked the show, or person, which was fast-moving, though felt like a ripoff. I enjoy Barbara, and she was funny to ask about “Baba Wawa” when interviewing the Saturday Night Live people, which took best variety show honors. (And yes they are still on, but being on for 40 years should count!)

There is a full list of these winners and more categories they said, on the internet. Maybe they will replay the show sometime, however, this is not one of those shows I would watch again. (OK maybe just the Tonight Show clips)

The difference between an RV Resort and a Campground can be found almost everywhere. Since I am spending an inordinate amount of time in the doggie park, I can see it there, for starters. People talk about breeders and want to know if Wrigley is a true mix, which by accident, he is, and they all proudly tell me about their dog’s lineage. They also talk about their travels, and since this is a 55+ park, they don’t mention going back to work, or when they will need an income. There are no little kids, and all the activities are all geared toward adults. This is a big difference from the campground experience I was used to seeing in California.

I drove my scooter around the park, which has hundreds of RVs parked in very close proximity, on gravel pads with cement patios located at the right spot for RVs. Some of them are very well decorated, others look like they are just passing through/ They all are very nice units and almost all of them have accompanying vehicles which are just as nice. Many of the residents have motorcycles, and mine is not the only trailer banished to the trailer lot, because they are not allowed in the actual park. However, I may be the lone person here with only a scooter for my travel needs.

Yesterday, I took my scooter to the closest of my gym chains. It was a very scary ride, which included high winds and made me wonder why I was passing up another well known chain, which is located only a couple of miles away. As I passed the many malls, I noticed the sign for the swap meet. I made a note and decided I would try and get there the next day, since the ride to and from the gym, along with the workout, had exhausted me.

This morning I completed my Wii Biggest Loser game, and finished as the runner up. It was a 12 week program and I lost 12 pounds in that time, which was not great, but it was over the holidays and 2 visits with my kids, so I was not too upset, but decided I needed to kick it into the next gear for the next 12 weeks and win this game! Yes, I am that competitive, that a pretend contestant beating me made me want to do better so I can whip her butt this time!

I thought after the weigh in, which Allison told me what a great job I did, and provided stats for my workouts, diet and measurements, I would be finished for the day. I had already ran outside, and even stopped at the fitness center here, where I did some time on the elliptical before competing in my last challenge prior to the weigh in. I was ready to take a shower and go out, when I heard Allison saying I needed to complete a 30 minute fitness assessment before starting the next 12 weeks. I decided to go ahead, and do it now. However, once it was complete, she told me it was time for my first workout! I had already spent more than an hour working out, and now I saw the forty minute workout ready to go, so I proceeded, but when Bob Harper’s cartoon figure told me I needed to push a bit harder, I got quite a bit vocal, and let him know I was not prepared to workout for almost two hours, after I had attended the Karaoke activity the night before….yeah, that is why I am struggling, I remember it now….

The big tent had been the scene of police activity only the week before, I was told, as I stood with the manager and a sound guy, who were checking that the sound was not too loud. It was amazing to me to hear the great acoustics in the large tent. The 55+ group was proud of the fact that they had caused so much noise, the neighbors had called the police on them the week before! I was excited to see what this group was like. I got to see firsthand the singers who sang many old timeless tunes while those sitting at the tables crooned along. On each table was an assortment of drinks, and I am not sure if the assortment of finger foods were meant to absorb the alcohol, or just give those not singing something to do. I had prepared by eating my low calorie dinner, and decided one gin and tonic would be acceptable before my last weigh in. I had worked hard all week, so I was prepared. Ha…

I was not prepared for the fun times in the big tent, and how soon that gin had gone to my head. Knowing I did not want to give a bad impression, I told those around me I needed to refill my glass, but really, the gin had been stronger than I remembered, and maybe my body is just not used to it, so I was feeling pretty good when I got back to the RV where I proceeded to try to eat every food I had leftover in my fridge. I was mortified when I got up this morning and realized what all I had eaten the night before…One gin and tonic, and I was dehydrated, and had eaten the equivalent of a weekend’s worth of meals in about 2 hours, while watching episodes of MONK.

This morning I went out to run, which was much harder than it has seemed in some time. I was sore, dehydrated and felt like I could not get a breath. The gin was still affecting me, so I did what I could, including a few pushups and a plank before the finale was about to begin. The weigh in was not what I had expected after all of my hard work, and I knew why. Drinking water instead of gin would have made a big difference.

The lady next door, who was the first to introduce herself to me when I parked here, was also the first to be on the dance floor during Karaoke. She is a fun lady who I know I will have more fun with. She looked out her window this morning and asked me if I went to breakfast…I told her I was watching my food, so I decided to skip the pancakes. She told me about the Texas Hold ‘em later in the day. I was still exhausted from last night, yet all of the others who stayed there much later than I did, were up and ready for another day. I don’t know if all of the workouts I do will ever give me the energy these residents here seem to have.

I can remember driving through the campground after a busy, loud Friday night, and people were slow to stir on Saturday morning…not here; Wrigley and I were late to the doggie park at 7:30am! I am beginning to see many differences between the Resort and the campground, hope I can keep up with the older folks!

The old adage “Don’t believe everything you read on the internet” comes to mind as I am thinking about my current homebase. While researching my travels, I ran across a few mentions of a place called Quartzsite. Pictures showed RVs blanketing an area of land almoat one upon another. It looked very crowded and the descriptions said as much, and told of dusty conditions as well. Many mentioned the constant humming of generators which seemed to make sense since there are no hookups, many people rely on their generators to power their rigs. Although these people would have the experience to know that you only need to run the generator once, or twice a day for an hour to replenish the batteries, they would be taking turns, so with the multitude of RVs, I could see many of them running often.

All of this reading made me want to see the RV wonderland myself, but I was not going to plan on staying too long, in case it was not a great place to be. I stayed at the campground the past 3 months, and not having cell phone service was much more “roughing it” than not having hookups for me. Although I had internet acess, it was not reliable and if there were a lot of guests, sometimes I could not even get on at all. This was really hard for me. My RV is setup for boondocking, with a generator, larger inverter, bigger battery bank and solar panel. Until now I have mostly used it for urban boondocking, so I was looking forward to the challenge.

I left Las Vegas and drove to the closest of my gyms, and had a proper workout. Although it was a rough one, probably from detoxing all the sugars I had consumed recently, I was happy to be back at a gym. I stayed the night in their parking lot, and then headed towards the magical land of Quartzsite. This tiny area was about 4 hours from where I was, which means it would take me 5 hours or more to get there. I drove, I stopped, I stocked up on supplies. I was most worried about water, since I have been drinking more water, I wanted to make sure I had fresh water. Having the scooter means I can travel if need be, but I would rather not have to. I was not sure how far into the wild I would be going either.

I saw the first little group of RVs before I hit the sign which told me I had arrived in Quartzsite. I saw another group off to one side, and so I kept traveling, looking for the giant group. I did see many RV parks which charged to park, some with hookups, and some without. Tis made me curious, they looked like modern expensive RVs, so why would they come here, and then pay? I drove around the vicinity and never found the multitude of Rvs I had seen, but then again, I am at the end of the season, so maybe they have left. I saw one area which looked like boondocking, so I stopped and asked a guy who looked like he had been there for some time. He assured me the place was packed a few weeks back, and I could go wherever I wanted. He added that the people are very nice and nobody steals. This was just rhown out there, so I laughed and he added, if they do I shoot them. OK then. I was not sure what to expect out of this guy…not sure if I wanted to befriend him, or get as far away as possible!

It was almost dark, so I drove just a little ways away and set up for the night. I figured Wrigley and I could take a walk and find a better place the next day. It was hard to tell how the other RVs got to where they were, further away, and I did not want to get stuck, so daylight was a good idea. I started by BBQ, and proceeded to get dinner ready, when I saw the same guy walking toward my RV carrying a box…oh geez, what now? He got closer and I could see it was a pizza box. He politely offered me some pizza and since I had the BBQ already going, it made for a very convenient excuse, but he seemed a bit insulted by my decline. I tried to explain to him I am trying to lose weight, but he seemed upset, so the next day after Wrigley and I scouted out a new place, I was glad to move farther away from him and his buddy, who also stopped by to chat…

Now, I don’t want to be rude, but I did not feel like chatting with these fellows and I really wanted to just do my own thing. I have plenty of little projects I need to get done, and I did not care to discuss with this guy why his lack of communicartion with the world is superior to my way of living. He has no communication devices at all, and wanted to know all about mine. I tried to be polite, but I just told him I needed to get back to making my dinner…

Once we moved to the new area, we both we so much happier. It is far enough off the road, Wrigley can roam for a bit, without worry he will wander into the way of a car. Neighbors here are not chatty, and I have a beautiful view. If I had known this was what it was like here, I would have come here much sooner. It is quiet, and peaceful, and the sun is so bright, my solar panel charges up the batteries in an hour! Now at night, that is another story, we saw a guy using a small wind devise in Las Vegas, and I am going to look into that for additional power, especially at night.

I was as happy as a pig in slop, as I sat outside and worked on my computer, listening to the radio while watching blue skies. My phone would ring now and again and I could talk to my kids whenever I wanted, which is so wonderful. After I went to sleep the first night, I woke up a bit more refreshed, but was alarmed when I went to take my daily thyroid pill and there were no more left. I had stocked up on all the things I thought I would need, but forgot this one real necessity. I checked my phone for a pharmacy nearby, and after checking various listings, it showed the closest one to be 22 miles away. I changed the settings to avoid highways and it became closer to 30 miles. Now I drove my scooter with the big bikes last year at Daytona, but out on the expressway alone, it gets a bit scary for me, so I avoid expressways if possible. If I took the RV, it would cost me about $20 in gas, plus I may lose my awesome place I have claimed. I looked at all my choices and determined the next day I would just bite the bullet and take the long ride on the scooter, avoiding the expressways.

I got ready to go, and took off down the road I had driven into town. It turned into a one lane road, which was not good for me, since I was not going more than the 55mph listed and people get behind you and want you to do more. I pulled off to the side of the road twice for people to pass me. From my experience on Highway 1, I knew this was going to be a long ride, but heck I had time, so why not just enjoy it….until I saw the next sign; 65 mph….! This is where I draw the line. The reason I avoid highways is because of this, but at least I have a lane to be in so others can pass me on the highway. I pulled over and tried to decide what to do. I looked at the route by highway and decided to give that a try.

I drove back the way I had come, then through town, and down a street which runs parallel to the highway. I saw a lot of stores, and wondered why there is no pharmacy in this town. I was thinking if I could build one, because I bet it would make a lot of money with all the older people here, surely they need their medicine? I got to the entrance of the highway, and I just didn’t like it. I decided to go back a few blocks and ask some locals. I drove to the market store which had a little of everything. I waited in line to ask the cashier. A guy was stocking shelves, so I asked him if there is a pharmacy in town, and he told me they sell medicine here. I said I need a prescription, but his English was not very good so he pointed me back to the cashier, whose line had now doubled. I walked to the door and asked the gentleman there if he was from the area, and he told me he was.

He told me there was a small pharmacy behind the fire house off of the street I was staying on! I was looking for a Walgreens/CVS/Rite Aid type of drug store, so I had not thought there would be one hidden behind another place! I drove there and behind the heliport (nice to know it’s there, just in case) there was the smallest drug store I have ever been in. I was delighted I had not driven the highway, or taken the long route, when the drug store was only about 3 blocks from my RV!

I had to go back to get my prescription, but now I was set. My exploring showed me my worry for supplies was not necessary since the area has a ton of little stands, with food, even fresh produce. More than one place has taken advantage of the RVrs who come to boondock and offer fresh water, dumping and LP gas for a reasonable fee. Standing in line at the Post Office, where I was informed there is always a long line, I discovered how clever people are. Many have their prescriptions delivered by mail, so they do not have to worry about finding the pharmacy…so now I know. Still does not explain the people paying to stay in an RV park, close to one another, when all of this open land is available.

For now, Wrigley and I are enjoying our little slice of Heaven here on Earth. The sunsets are amazing, and I have everything I need.

　

Believe it or not, I get questions asked all the time, many of them sent through my website. Most are from women who are going to get an RV and travel themselves, maybe even become a full timer and want to know about my experiences.  A woman the other day just asked me multiple questions about my adventure, mostly about if I think it was worth it, and she asked about my trailer, and mileage. I decided I would post my response today as a post, since it has a lot of information that many others may want to know as well…..

I would not trade this experience for anything. I was in a very bad situation with my job and where I was personally, before I left. I needed something to get me out of that funk, and this trip saved my life. I am a different person than the one who left. Not only am I recovering physically, but also psychologically. I feel about 20 years younger than when I left.

 

I had made an itinerary and planned on spending the money to complete it. I did have one major monetary setback, but I am still in decent shape, so I figure I did OK. I get about 8 mpg of regular gas in my RV. I got 10 before I started hauling the trailer, but I did have my scooter on the back of the RV, and the tilting carrier quit working, and I was frustrated and bought the trailer. It has my scooter, bicycle and lots of extras, some of which were in the RV originally, but since the room is there, why not? If I were alone, no dog, kids to visit etc. I would buy a used Roadtrek, the kind that looks like a van, and get good mileage, and be able to park anywhere to sleep. I love the room in my RV, but even as small as it is, it is not stealth. I do not have too much trouble finding places to park, and I have yet to be asked to leave in the middle of the night.

 

The scooter is the best investment. It was a gift for me, but I would recommend if you do not want to tow a car, you have something to get around in. My last place was the perfect example; I drove my scooter the 5-6 miles into Santa Paula almost daily and it was great. I could get groceries, go workout, go to a movie, or whatever I wanted without moving the RV. I get about 80mpg with the scooter, so it helps my gas money go farther as well. I have about 1300 miles on it, so it has already paid for itself. Not to mention the fun I have had on it! I would recommend one to anybody.

 

I planned on staying in a campground 3-4 nights a week when I planned my trip. Once I discovered how easy it is to urban boondock, I chose to do so, as much as possible. This meant I saved a lot of money there. I stayed in Walmarts, Cabela’s, Camping Worlds, Home Depots, truck stops and casinos, all who encourage overnight parking in their lots. In addition, I stayed in grocery store lots, my gym parking lots, various baseball field lots after the games, and even mini malls where there were no signs saying parking was not allowed. The price of gas went up from what I had planned before I left, so I spent more on gas, but substantially less on overnight parking. I added a solar panel, which saved on the price of gas for the generator. If you are planning to boondock, make sure you have a good size inverter, big enough bettery bank, and a generator and/or solar panel(s). I added a bigger inverter which gives me use of all of my electrical outlets/appliances, a bigger battery bank, and a 125 solar panel. This seems to meet my needs, though I can add another panel at any time, if I need to. I can always use the generator if I need to, but I rarely do now.

 

I joined Passport America and found their $60 fee to be more than worth it. I have stayed at nice RV resorts for $15 per night with full hookups.  I also joined Escapees, but have not used it really, though I hear of the great deals, I have not personally used it. I was traveling a lot the year I had planned, and it was not worth it for me to drive hundreds of miles out of my way for a deal. I preferred to stick to places close to the exits, which ended up being the list I wrote earlier.

 

I have been fortunate to not have had any issues feeling unsafe. Even in parking lots overnight, the biggest inconvenience is the cleaners who come by with loud machines. I learned how to park so it would be to my benefit, with lights and sound, and I tried to get the best spot to suit my needs. This was learned over time. It seems that other RVrs are very friendly and most will help you, so you have allies wherever you see other RVs.

 

I am more than happy to help you any way I can, I can tell you about my personal experiences, but it really does depend on your personal needs. I have a cell phone, 3 computers, 2 TVs, satellite Tv, satellite Radio and wii in my RV…it’s just what I feel at home with. Others have nothing more than a cell phone. I met up with a single lady RVr a month ago who does not have a TV in her brand new travel trailer. I would not be comfortable with that, but she is happy. It’s all so personal.

 

…….That was my response to the woman who may be finding her own journey. I try to help when I can, and I believe that as others have helped me, maybe I can be of help to someone else along the way.  My friend Elizabeth, who I met through my blog, is an older solo Rver who has given me much insight over the past year, and I always look forward to her comments and responses, because we all need someone to look up to and get advice from.  If you have extra, pass it on, if need something, ask for it…it’s that simple.

Being in an RV park on the Strip was a good idea since I was not too far away from everyone else. I had envisioned everyone hanging out at the RV, but we were in Vegas…what was I thinking? I did like that I could easily ride my scooter to wherever we were meeting. The only issue I had with this was in some of the casinos their self parking was far away from the actual casino. It was a 3 block hike to get to the entrance. The Wynn was not like this and I parked right in the front, making it a short walk to the entrance.

The Wynn is a beautiful place, which I had never heard of prior to Garth playing there. Last time I was in Vegas I met up with my young friend, who treated me to the brunch at the Wynn on Sunday morning. It was an elegant place and we enjoyed it very much. This time David bought me lunch at the Wynn, so I have yet to purchase a meal there, yet have been fortunate to eat there twice, both were great meals.

Tonight, though I was so excited to see “my guy” Garth. It has been a little over a year since I had seen him in concert in Nashville, 4 times. I wanted the last show, because I felt like the times I had seen his last concert, he seems to go a bit longer, since he has no further commitments. We met up early, and we were seated at least 20 minutes prior to the scheduled time of the start of the show. This was good since I was worried we would be late. We walked down to our row J seats (nice!) sat down and waited.

We watched people come in with buckets of popcorn, which seemed funny to me, like this was a movie! We people watched, while listening to the carefully planned music, all country, and all women! We thought at first it was a coincidence, but after the 5th or 6th song, we knew it was on purpose. I would like to know the theory behind this, but it must have something to do with having a male performer, and setting him up with females beforehand? Maybe once you hear females for some time, you welcome the male voice more? I found this interesting.

About ten minutes before the concert started Jonathan asked me if this was a regular concert, or was Garth going to play just his hits, or what? On the stage was a guitar leaning up against a stool, and since Garth had talked about his show a bit in Nashville, I told Jonathan all I knew about it…”I heard it is just him and his guitar doing acoustic numbers, and it is supposed to be different from any concert he has done.” There. That was all I knew about it.

The no cameras rule was not enforced while we were sitting there, so we asked the lady next to us to take our picture. After several blurry versions, we just decided to let it go. Once it was the appointed time to start the show, the ushers came by and checked that everyone had their phones put away. They seemed serious about it. The crowd was very eclectic, and I wondered how well they would do if he did the singing parts he does so well, where the audience sings back to him. We love it as much as he seems to. Every recent concert I have been to, he mentions how he travels as far as we do, to hear us sing to him. I like that.

When he walked out the crowd errupted in applause and shouts. He looked like a kid on Christmas day as he smiled widely and enjoyed reveling in the crowd’s applause. Not knowing exactly what to expect, I was surprised when he started talking, and telling what we were in store for. He would tell us about himself, and how he got to where he is…I was a bit worried. I know I would enjoy this, but again, would the boys? They love Garth, but not as much as I do…this might have been a bit much for them.

Garth started talking about his dad and mom and how they influenced his music. He sang parts of country songs which were hits well before I was born, but ones I knew, and so did much of the audience. He played the classics, and told how his father thought the world revolved around Haggard and Jones. I could have sang along to these classics for another hour, but I knew, form my own reading that Garth was influenced by much more than country artists. I bought a CD on Ebay years ago of him singing classic rock songs in a bar, doing covers. He was a cover artist, well before he started writing his own songs. He left very little out as he told stories about various artists and how they influenced his later songs. For instance as a 17 yr. old boy he thought Bob Seger was speaking right to him when he sang “Night Moves” and when he found out what “Mrs. Robinson” was about, he liked that story so much, it helped him write his own version of a young man and older woman, called “That Summer”…then he played that for us. He made fun of the lyrics to songs from the 60s and 70s, which caused the audience to break into laughter. He told how he loved and hated George Strait, who was able to entertain an audience with absolutely no movement onstage, while Garth had been dragging his “fat ass”(his words, not mine) all over the stage for his audiences! He told stories of his youth, and his influences and played the songs we all wanted to hear and sing along with. My worries about the crowd’s singing ability were dashed quickly as we all sang his songs back to him at the appropriate times. He brought Trisha out to sing a couple of songs, and have a little banter, which was similar to what he did in the concert in Nashville, but Garth’s mesmerizing ability to entertain, left me once again madly in love with him, and wanting more after his uninterrupted 2.25 hour performance.He also mentioned that bar, he had sang in, and how the people loved to sing along to the songs he sang, and how he hoped one day he would have a song that everyone knew the lyrics to, and then he started the famous anthem people in bars everywhere associate with Garth Brooks: Friends in Low Places.

One of my favorite moments was when he told the story of how he cannot play the song “Shameless” on a guitar, and told how he used a prop guitar for performances, mainly to hide his belly. He asked what a Garth show would be without that song…and I have to admit, that was the first Garth song that really grabbed me, and got me on board. I was rooting for him to play it, but as he told the story it seemed like he was not going to. Then he announced a disclaimer that he would play it, but we were warned it would suck. He started out playing the guitar and singing, in a strained attempt, and then he got to the chorus and he dropped the guitar and belted it out! It was amazing and so cool to see. He sounded awesome, and the standing ovation he received (started by yours truly) was well deserved!

Two hours plus had passed since he walked out on the stage, and I hated to see him leave, but all good things must come to an end. I was anxious to hear how the boys liked it. The last time Sam and Jonathan had seen Garth they had met him, in 1998… just a few years ago! David had never gotten to see him. I goofed up the dates in KC and we went the wrong night, so we missed that performance. I promised them all they would get to see Garth and I was so happy to get to take them. They also enjoyed it and we talked as we walked back to the hotel where their room was. I was exhausted. The lack of sleep and excitement had gotten to me, so they went out, but I went back to the RV for some much needed rest. The next morning we met at the sushi place were David, Jonathan and I had been to before. We had one final meal together before they would start to leave Las Vegas. When we finished the sushi, we had gelatto, and then Sam was the first to depart. After a few more hours of shopping, David was next. Sarah, Joel and Jonathan went with me to the Stratosphere were we had a nice dinner, with dessert on Top of the World. It is a pretty place to see the whole strip, and reminds me of the Signature Room in Chicago. We played a few more slots and then it was time for them to leave as well.

Some of us left with a few dollars more than we came with, some broke even and a couple lost a few dollars, but it wasn’t about the money. it was all about spending time together, and making memories! I hated that they all had to go, but I was so happy we had such a great time together. I am already thinking about the next time we can all get together. This was quite a trip, so it probably won’t be as exciting. Garth AND Elton John, in one trip…wow! Yet, my highlight was not what you’d think: Although you would think one of the many great things we did together would be the thing that is priceless, (and Garth was!), but really, my favorite moment was when we all had a simple dinner at a sandwich shop in a casino before the comedy show. I looked around the table and saw the young adults who used to sit around the family dinner table as little ones. They were all talking and it seemed like “home”, it reminded of a happy time many years ago when we would all eat dinner together every night, and it made me feel fortunate. I looked around the table and thought how blessed I have been, and thanked God for the blessings which are with me always. I am so proud of each of them, they are wonderful people who I enjoy spending time with.

“And now I’m glad I didn’t know
The way it all would end the way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain
But I’d of had to miss the dance” ~ The Dance, Garth Brooks