Work, Live, Sleep, Breath On the Road

Living in an RV for the past six months has been quite the experience. We are learning about the RV and adapting to the lifestyle. A couple of things we get asked a lot.

1. How is RV living? 
2. Do you still love each other? or Do you want to kill each other? 
3. Are you going to live in the RV through the Winter? 

Here are the answers - at least the answers that I have today!

How is RV Living? 

We LOVE living in the RV. 

The bed we created with our futon mattress, memory foam topper and some of my favorite pillows and blankets is the most comfortable thing ever! 

Cleaning is quick and easy. I use the shop vac to vacuum before we leave anywhere and scrub down everything - it takes about 30mins and when I am done - it is spotless. I hate cleaning and was HORRIBLE and doing chores. RV living is for me!

The thing I love the most is that we don’t have “stuff”. There is no clutter and every thing has to and does have  place. I am still working on getting the files and dishes perfectly organized but since there is so much less stuff even that is manageable for now. We have nothing inside that we don’t use  - no figurines, souvenirs, extra anything. There is no room and it would just fall and break as soon as we put the HouseCar in Drive.  

Andy is going to build a few things when he has time and we have the money. Things that will make the RV look much nicer and be much organized. A new table and chairs that will be more comfortable to work from all day. He is going to build some shelves/boxes to organize, etc. 

Do we love/hate each other? 

Just like most newlyweds we had to figure out our own groove. It is just that our groove is confined to less than 100 SQFT! 

Andy is night owl and he has been working all day doing remodeling and all night doing web design, graphic design and video editing. At night when I go to bed he gets to veg out a bit - play a game on his iPhone, do a crossword, stare at the ceiling - quiet and alone with his thoughts. 

I am a morning person so I get up early and once I walk out of the RV to workout Andy gets the best 1-2 hours of sleep! I get my own alone time - working out, having a cup of coffee, tweeting, making a To Do list (I LOVE making To Do lists - it calms me!)

Are we going to live in the RV during the Winter 

Yes and No. It is Winter and we are living in it now and have been. So far, we have experienced hurricane type rain, sleet, snow and frost. Andy put a 100Watt bulb under the RV near the black, grey and fresh water tanks to keep them from freezing. He surrounds the bottom to trap in the heat with insulated foam board. Inside, he put another bulb close to the pipes. In 22 degree weather no problems. 

The propane furnace cranks out some amazing heat! We turn it on for about 20 mins to warm up and then turn it off to conserve gas. We have our small space heater to maintain the warmth. So far that is all we have needed. 

We have less than a month in NY and then we are driving to IN for Christmas. We will have to do a bit of winterizing in IN since we are keeping it there for a month - at least that is the plan this week!

More updates on our cross-country travel in January to come...once we know! 

What goes bump in the night

Andy and I are back in Afton in upstate NY. I am liking it more and more everytime we are here. There are a few reasons why:
1. It is beautiful up here in the Fall - last time we were up here the colors were so bright!
2. The sunsets on the lake are amazing - granted they are now at 5pm - but still very nice.
3. It is quiet here and though I have not been writing on my blog the past month - I have been writing and it is a nice setting for that.

With it getting darker and colder though it is a bit scary at night. I mean, Halloween was about a murder at a lakehouse right?

I came in the house and was looking for Andy. I hear someone come through the front door - "Andy? Andy? Andy?" Nothing. Then......someone walked in the room loudly. I SCREAM!! Oh - it's Andy but with his protective earphones on because had been sawing tile! Whew

Now it is about 6pm and it is DARK outside. The lights are on inside but it is pitch black outside. Anyone who wants to can see in - we can se nothing but a few lights across the lake. Andy is still working on the bathroom remodel but walks into the kitchen for dinner. We both stop - we have both heard something outside. I am now really scared becuase he looks scared. He walks outside with a hammer. A hammer! He is a black belt and fel the need to take a hammer. He walked the perimeter - nothing.

We eat dinner and have a drink - just a glass of wine - nothing major. Andy is going back to work so even less for him. As we are finishing up Andy decides to go into town to get something sweet - a cookie from the bakery is what I am hoping! ;) (Don't judge, we ran today) He leaves. I feel safe. If he left, he must feel that I am safe. He came back in and decided it was best to stay. Oy!

I am sure it is nothing. I remember camping many many nights in the backcoutry alone. Most nights it was nothing more than my imagination scaring me. (most nights I say because I do have some scary stories of camping alone) I would hear something and let me creative mind go a million miles away before concluding it was an acorn dropping, marmot scurring or an elk running.

We sleep in the RV at night, lock the door and don't leave until morning. My husband is a black belt. We pray every night. We'll be fine....

Good night