Hinds Feet in High Places ....

I read a book in college called Hinds Feet in High Places. It was an allegory of our relationship with God - from when we first give our life as a sacrifice to climbing the mountain; being in the valley, temptation, etc.

Andy and I headed to Yosemite after leaving Napa Valley (another blog for another day - but it was AMAZING). As we are were sitting outside the RV near the ocean we chatted about hiking in Yosemite. I told Andy I had always wanted to hike HalfDome. Andy has had several friends climb (as in harnesses, ropes - technical climbing) up HalfDome and El Cap so he was a bit skeptical if we could actual hike Half Dome.


Back in the RV - windows open, hearing the water, sipping on wine from Arns Vineyard (again, Amazing) we scrolled through the hikes in Yosemite online. I anxiously read through the details of HalfDome. Andy, the older, wiser, rational Held says "We haven't been hiking in over a year, a 15 mile 4.5/5 star in difficulty, "strenuous" hike seems too ambitious for tomorrow morning" Me, the summit fever, can do anything says "But, I have ALWAYS wanted to do HalfDome" (see the zero rational?). Thankfully, for our hearts, lungs, feet and calves -you have to get a permit to reach the summit of HalfDome due to the risk level of too many people on the cables.....

So...we continued to search. The next most difficult hike is 4Mile. Which is a bit deceiving as it is 4.6 Miles One-Way, a gain of 3200 FT in elevation. Andy agreed to do the hike with "You won't be happy unless we are crushed"

We left camp at 7am - arrived in the Yosemite Valley 8:30 and started hiking at 9am. I wisely texted Marcus and Cari to tell them what we were hiking and what time to start worrying. (The website said it could take 2-4 hours each way)

 During the hike I had a lot of time to think about anything and everything. Hiking always reminds me of the book Hinds Feet in High Places. It is a story of love, struggle, sacrifice, faith, trust and victory. I started to think about how much I have been struggling to TRUST that is God is hearing our prayers. I think I trust and have faith - but do I really? I was thinking of everything - hiring new people, our pricing structure, living in the RV, our client relationships, where will we live in the winter, health of our families, our own health, money, travel, etc etc etc. Again, thinking about the book...am I willing to be blindly led by the hand of God? Will I allow Jesus to take me/us to unknown places and Trust Him. Andy has challenged me more than a couple of times lately - "Where is your faith?" God asks for us to put our worries at His feet and listen to Him tell us where to go. I think I keep picking it all back up! Anyway...it is a great read and one that I am going to read again soon.

Back to the hike...

I figured it would take us the full recommended 4 hours to get up since we had not hiked in some time. But...we hit the summit around 11:45! We could have made it in 2 hours but we took a ton of pictures and some video. Oh and Andy got blisters the size of silver dollars hiking up :(

We ate, took some pictures, unsuccessfully tried to doctor his blisters, relaxed a bit on top and then took another full 3 hours to hike down. It was amazing. Andy was right - We were crushed and I was happy :)

Starting in Seattle....

TrueHero aka Andy and I are currently living, working and playing in what is now the Bigskycountry.com/TrueHero RV! We started the month of June in Colorado and headed to Seattle, WA.

Our biggest client is the Frontier Group. One of the owners, Scott Ohsman, lives in Snohomish, WA with his wife, two daughters, 2 female dogs and 2 female cats. They graciously allowed us to park our rig in their front yard. We had a great view! A bamboo garden was our "backyard"! Every morning a rooster (from their neighbor) woke us up around 5-6am. We did a little video but I am not sure it is worth posting!

Andy and have discussed getting the RV wrapped since the day we bought it. Finally we took the time to throw together a pitch to a potential sponsor. We had considered backcountry.com out of Utah but Scott thought it would be great to ask bigskycountry.com out of Montana (his account!). We did and they went for it. One week later...

It was a bit of a whirlwind in Washington - meetings with amazon.com, sales meeting with Sof Sole and TravelChair, packing up for the show and getting the RV wrapped. It was good for business but we had about 6 hours of non-work :) The picture above is a much needed sunny day in Freemont with a cold beer and hot fries!

After the RV was wrapped we headed down to Portland. Unfortunately there was no RV Park within 15 miles of the convention center and since we had the wrap we figured we would rough it and stay in a hotel :) (After staying the first night at the Byer's - they are so gracious!)

Now....we are in Portland post our Swanky Bowling Event! The retailer seemed to love the bowling, food, drink and prizes - perfect! It is all a bit of a blur to me but Andy got it all on photo and video - hopefully I will get a chance to see  the footage soon :)
 

 What's next? Tomorrow: pitching prospective clients, tearing down the trade show, following up on leads and prepping for a video shoot and road trip. This weekend we are hoping to have a garage sale to get rid of the stuff we have in storage here in Portland and Andy is putting in new floors for the RV. We are leaving Monday and heading to Napa, Yosemite, Moab and back to Colorado. Cannot wait to see the Baumgartner's in Colorado before heading to Utah on 8/2. Whew!!

So very thankful that our business is growing - we are having fun and learning a ton. It is great to have some family on the payroll and looking to hire a few more people part-time. That is so exciting! Six months into the year and we need to hire! Thank you, Jesus!!

Loving life on the road....Oh the Places we go :)

Here we go again...

We have been on the road since March and I have failed in documenting all of our travels! I've said it before  - but I am going to be better. The next purchase is updating our phones. With the new iPhone we can edit quick videos and photo - that should be a fun way of keep track :)

Once we sad farewell to the Belltown Inn in Seattle we headed back East. We stopped into to see Aaron and Sarah (Andy's cousins) in Boise,ID. They greeted us with an amazing home cooked meal and some good family time! It was a quick 3 hour stay but we felt refreshed before getting back in the Pathfinder.

We spent much of March in Keystone, CO in a amazing log home that Andy help in building several years ago. Matt Mathewson kindly lent us the house for our multi-brand video shoot! It was a crazy intense 2 weeks  -broken cameras, several trips to Mike's Camera in Boulder, renting another camera, flying in Corey, multiple trips to the back-country, writing storyboards, last minute projects, stomach flu and some amazing time with our Colorado friends. Andy got some AMAZING footage. It is so incredibly impressive how good he is with a camera!

Leaving Colorado is always tough but it is easier when we are heading back to see family. So, we piled our stuff back into the Pathfinder and trailer and pointed east again to Indiana. We didn't stop on this trip - just a straight 18 hour drive to Mooresville, IN.

The goal was to get the RV road worthy, edit videos, shoot some additional non-snow footage, see family and head south to Natchez, MS. Of course easier said than done.

The RV did not survive the harsh IN weather so well. Busted water heater delayed us slightly. After a week of shooting some more amazing footage, celebrating Josi's 6th B-day and spending some much needed time with friends and family we did head down to Mississippi. We decided to wait to fix the water heater until we were down in warmer weather.

We arrived in Natchez and started to thaw out after a long cold, snowy, rainy winter. Getting to spend time with Morgan Grace is priceless. It brings tears to my eyes thinking about her. I was able to spend some time with Josi when she was this young and the bond has continued. I needed this time with Morgan. She is adorable and like her Daddy a stinker :)

Andy quickly discovered that not only did the water heater bust but we had a crack/leak in our fresh water tank. Rookie RVers! Dumb Dumb Dumb The smell was bad from the water just sitting  - gross!!

Passover hit in the middle of the April so we dropped the housecar off in Jackson on our way to the airport to fly to New York. It had been way to long since we had been there and excited that Dad would be attending his first Seder.

It was a great trip and always so good to be with the girls - Tori, Sammy and Madison. Love them! We were sad that Mom and Hunter were missing from the celebration. I am soooo greatly blessed to be part of Andy's family. Love them all so much.

After too short of a trip, we headed back to Natchez. The repair on the housecar water tank was minor - shooo.

Andy then led Seder for his first time to allow Kyndee, Marcus and Morgan to experience their first Jewish Seder. What a special evening - it was fun to cook with Kyndee using all of Nina's recipes. :) Andy even rode his bike over a very scary bridge to pick-up the brisket one evening!


We reconvened after Easter back in IN - we drove the housecar and they flew. Marcus was running the IndyMini 1/2 Marathon and we were doing some video footage. It was good to all be together and say goodbye to Mamaw Allen one more time. She passed just 2 days after we left. I am so thankful we were there to see her and so sad she is gone.

Andy and I are now back in Frisco, Co doing more video shoots, attending a sales meeting, working, drumming up more business, seeing friends and anxious to hit the trails.

Sorry for the very long journal type entry. More exciting musings to come :)

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

You have all heard real estates agent talk about the importance of location when choosing a place to live.  Traveling across the country and finding a place to stay is no different. We decided to leave the RV in Indiana to do this cross-country trip due to our lack of experience of full-timing (RV jargon) through the winter.

The challenge: Stay close to where you working. Find a place that is comfortable but affordable. No real estate agent, we have to find the location ourselves.

Portland was easy – we stayed with Jackie and Scott Byer. During the actual trade show we stayed in the Monaco Hotel with the rest of Frontier Group. It was inexpensive and less than 2 miles from the Convention Center.

Frisco was a bit more difficult. We know where we wanted to stay but Hotel Frisco is expensive. Friends of ours recommended the house next door to them. The location was not perfect (no walking to the coffee shop) but the price was right.

You know the saying “You get what you pay for?” The first night we arrived the owner and her son were there. Hmm okay, that is weird but it is just one night of the two weeks we are there. Then two nights later we got home and the son was there with 3 of his friends. A bit frustrating. Then two nights later the pipes froze. We spent all day on the phone with owners trying to figure out how to unthaw their pipes! The next day we got back to the house (still frozen pipes) and the owner was there! He was drunk and creeping me out! Next morning, his car wouldn’t start. So, we spent 2 HOURS trying to get his car to start. Really?? Two nights later, the son and dad were there. They told us the wife and some more friends were heading up!

We immediately Packed up and left. Andy tried to give him a check but he said he didn’t want the IRS to come after him and he needed cash. We just sent him a check.

The remainder of trip (3 nights) we stayed at Copper Mountain. We rented a condo from Copper Vacations. It was more expensive but so worth it. We hiked up and skied/snowboard. I could walk to the coffee shop. No one was there – just Andy and I. It was AWESOME!

We left CO and headed to the unfamiliar Seattle, WA 2/7.

Our thought was to find corporate housing – furnished and not too expensive. The first place we found was dirty and in the middle of a ton of corporate office buildings. We decided we needed a bit more culture. Maybe downtown, near Pikes Market, the water, tons of coffee shops and culture.

The Belltown Inn has culture and diversity. Yesterday a young girl (22-25) was leaning against the building with her pants around her ankles yelling at me to let her use my phone. Sure – here it is – really? There was a stabbing 2 blocks away a couple days ago. The Chinese Restaurant across the street does frequent dragon dances outside – drums, customs and all. It’s loud but diverse.

This is not what any real estate agent had in mind when they said Location, Location, Location.

There are some PROS: Umi Sake/Sushi is a block away. Walking distance to Gold’s Gym where we work out at least every other day. Tons of coffee shops. That’s about it.

I am trying to stay positive. But, honestly, this has been the longest 19 days we have had in our one year of marriage. The next 12 days should go a little faster: We have 5 appointments set and 3 tentative appointments. I have to back to the dentist for a crown (yep, on this amazing trip to WA I broke a tooth too! – do you hear the sarcasm?).

What’s next? A photo shoot in Colorado. We have an amazing place to stay there (Andy helped build it so it should be perfect!). At the end of March heading back to IN. After staying in my parents’ house (which I LOVE) we will get the RV ready to head to MS!!!!

Being on the road is good. We are learning a lot about life, love and work.

"Hush be still"

"Hush be still" said Jesus to the winds and the storm was calmed.

This week Heaven claimed a great man, father, husband and friend. Jim Ransome. The Ransome family and the town of Moresville are in the midst of the storm. We pray for peace and comfort.

This morning I read Psalm 142. I opened to that same passage the day Papaw Mathis passed away. It was a comfort to hear David crying out in anger to God. I feel angry when God takes someone too early or too needed here. But at the end, David reminds that God is faithful. And HE is.

So today...I will remember Jim with a smile and a few tears.
I can picture his smile and the blue eye twinkle. Jim was ornery and witty. He used to sit for hours trying to beat my mom at Boggle. He was the only one who stood a chance against her! We used to go on family vacations together. I was too young to remember much. Thie one memory I do have is Jim falling out of the canoe. Through the years I heard it was because of a daddy long-leg?! Not once but twice my parents left me at the softball park (dad thought I was with mom and mom though I was with dad. It was time where it was safe and we knew everyone at the park) both times I was abandoned I went to find Jim and he drove me home. I'm sure with a few smart-ass comments to my parents :) Jim was an amazing person. I'm honored to have known him. Thank you Ransome's for sharing him with us all.

Father, thank you for calming the storm within me this morning. Amen

Planes, Automobiles, Food and Friends

We left Mooresville, IN at 11:30am on 12/31/10. Arrived at the IND airport at 11:47am. Andy left IND airport cellphone lot at 12:15PM. I stayed at the airport to take a flight from IND to Detroit to STL - for one reason - to maintain my Delta Flying Status. My flight was to depart at 1:25PM. At 12:45PM I got a notification on my phone that my flight was delayed 1HR. Andy stopped along HWY 70 at 1PM. At the gate, standing in line to see my options, I watched the CNN. Tornados were all across the mid-west and had already claimed 3 lives in Arkansas. I begged Delta to keep my 2 First Class Flights and the money I paid for the ticket in exchange for letting me keep my status in 2011. They denied me. Even if they could get me to Detroit there is no way my flight would have left for STL. The tornado continued on through IL taking 6 more lives in STL. At 1:15PM Andy started driving 70EAST back to the IND cellphone lot. At 2PM after exhausting every angle with Delta I got back in the car and together we headed WEST :)

We had not brought a lot of food for the road so once we got to STL we stopped at Whole Foods (Trader Joes was too far off 70) and got some hot food to eat. Driving through STL made me miss it a bit. I wanted to get out and run through Forest Park - one of my all time favorite 6 mile loops. I have some great memories of the city after living there 5+ years.

Back on 70W at 6PM Central Time we were back on the road. 

We set-up a bed in the back of the Pathfinder for road trips - lay down the seats and put our futon mattress in the back - perfect fit! Sheets, blankets and pillows - comfy! At 6M after driving 7 hours - Andy climbed into bed unfortunately it was way too early for him to sleep! I drove from STL to Topeka, KS - about 5+ Hours.

At 11:30PM I climbed into bed and Andy back to the driver seat. Andy drove from Topeka, KS to Oakley, KS and we did another switch. I keyed in Snooze Eatery to the Garmin and took off. At 7AM Mountain Time I slid (literally!) into the curb outside of our favorite breakfast place in the entire country.

We walked in and were greeted with Happy New Year! You are first customers of 2011 - breakfast is on the house! A perfect way to start the new year - free breakfast at Snooze. Seriously, if you are ever in CO you MUST go there for breakfast. They do serve a great lunch but the breakfast is too amazing to pass up. Brulee Oatmeal, Scrambles, Creative Sweet Pancakes (Strawberry White Chocolate Chip, Apple Cinnamon Snickers, Sweet Potato,... you can get a small one as a side or share one with your table), Burritos, Tacos - all with fresh organic ingredients of your choice. I had a naked breakfast burrito with black beans, goat cheese, spinach, garlic and eggs - yummers!

After breakfast it was still too early to see any of my Denver friends who had either worked the night shift nursing or went out on the town to ring in the New Year. So we headed to Park Meadows Mall to do some shopping. I worked for about an hour before the stores opened.

I got an iPAD for work - very excited! It is going to be great to use at the trade shows to show our presentations. It is also becoming a huge distraction from real work! Oops!

We also went to the one and only Silver Jean Store. There is only one actual Silver Jean Store and it is in Park Meadows Mall in Colorado - managed by my dear friend Calley. So, it is a must go on our CO trips. Andy got a pair of new jeans and I got 2 pairs - my are being hemmed and shipped to Portland.

After our shopping spree we went to go visit Calley and her boyfriend Aaron. I missed them terribly so it was great to drink some coffee, catch-up and meet Lola her new puppy from the rescue mission.

We said goodbye and headed up to the mountains. I almost cried when I drove into CO - it is so beautiful here. The clouds were red tinted and the mountains in the distance were bright white. As Andy drove up the hill I was able to look around and see what we have been missing! Mountains, snow, amazing people and a few favorite places to eat :)

We checked in to the Frisco Hotel. We needed to rest, shower and relax before heading out for the night. Well..I did. Andy showered and went to Rocky Mountain Roasters to see who was around. I showered, work and rested. At 6PM we headed to Vinny's for wine and food.

I am pretty much a vegetarian. I like meat but my body hates it and rejects it. Andy never eats pork - I say because he is Jewish but he says because Pigs are smart. Whatever our reasons for not eating pork - they do not come into play when we eat at Vinny's. He makes an incredible pork loin wrapped in bacon. It is so tender  - like butter. It is must order if are you ever in Frisco, CO. If you happen to be there around lunch  - go to Vinny's and order the BBQ - outstanding! Back to dinner....a bottle of Malbecpolenta and to end the evening you must always have his award winning Bread Pudding!

After that meal..I went to bed and Andy went to play some music. I needed to rest up to go for a run this morning. However, with temps at -8 I may wait a bit! I don't remember it being so cold here!

Okay...a little more about the drive. Our gas mileage is HORRIBLE!!!! We may as well have the RV. We just had the car checked over and had a few repairs so we are not sure what is going on. Our CO mechanic is not around this week and we are leaving today!

We are pulling the trailer so most of our stuff is in there. Andy event build a top the trailer so we can lock it up. It's ugly but pretty cool at the same time - he built so when he opens it up he has a table. He can just open half of it up and it has a "kick-stand" so the stuff is still partially covered. If it not too cold or snowy I will attach some pictures of the trailer in action!


Long post...read it in chunks! Not sure when I will post again. Frisco, CO to Portland, OR - 20 Hour Drive!

I just can't wait to get on the road again....

It has been way too long since my last post. I hate that. I love writing. It is my own fault. I can always make time to sit down and write for 20-30mins on where we are, what we are doing and who we are with. I am going to be better in 2011. My goal is to write at least 20mins each day - personal writing - not Newsletters, Press Releases, Marketing Pitches - just a journal. I can do it - 20 minutes minimum every day.

So...now that I have put in writing one goal for 2011 I will continue on with my original idea for a post :)

Andy and I basically ran out of NY on 12/18 trying to avoid the blizzard that was threatening to hit the eastcoast. Andy driving the HouseCar (RV) and I piloting the Pathfinder with the 2 ton trailer in tow.


Since we were rushing out of NY we didn't spend a lot of time mapping out directions, stocking up on food or taking the RV for a much needed dump run. We just left.

Nina made us dinner for the road (yummy!) and we walked out the door to start our 14 hour drive from NY to IN. It took us nearly 15 minutes to be able to pull out of the driveaway! Its gonna be a long trip!

New York traffic was typcially crowded and it was dark and I was pulling a 2 Ton trailer and following a 27' RV. Oh boy! We were going through a toll booth. Here is where better planning would have been nice.
1. We only have one EZ Pass which is for the Pathfinder (I never made time to get one for the RV!)
2. You cannot go through a Cash Lane with an EZ Pass in the City (found that out as I shelled out $8.50 for a toll that normal costs $5.00 on the EZPASS)
3. The toll booth exit area is not a place to stop and look at the map because you lost the RV you were following!

So....Andy was in a long toll line and I had no idea which of the 4 lanes to take. I chose one and eventually he chose another! Our cell phones were not working very well (I had not taken time to get Andy's phone updated) so we were having a hard time meeting up.

Finally about 45 minutes were able to communicate a place to meet up again. Oy!

We found a Flying J close to Pittsburgh which is half-way along the trip. Andy went to go dump the tank and it was FROZEN!! So....shitter is full and frozen. Moving on.

Andy parked both vehicles along side the semi-trucks and we slept. Andy had the curtains open to keep an eye on the trailer which is full of his tools and is open. He is building a top on it today/tomorrow so we don't have to worry about that again!

We mostly ate what we had in the housecar - coffee, tea, popcorn, cereal, etc. If we turn the generator on we can use the oven, microwave, heater, coffee maker, etc. Nice and comfortable to eat, use the bathroom and sleep in your house on a road trip! :) Love it!

We could not make it back to IN to watch the Colt's Game but we were able to find it on the radio. Which made the trip go much quicker for me. I also listened to a book on tape - John Grisham's new book - Confessions. I love to read but book on tapes do help a long drive. Andy listened to a book about the Beatles.

24 Hours after leaving NY we made it to IN! We have been here since then. On Christmas Day Tori and Sam flew in and they leave today. It has been a great relaxing time with the family.


Our plans now....

We did get the Pathfinder all ready to go for the next big journey. We only need one EZPass since we are leaving the HouseCar in IN for the next month. And we got Andy's phone updated and we are driving together. So all that is taken care of!

I need 522 more miles for me to keep my Delta status so I am flying from IN to STL via DTW on the 30th and Any will pick me up there.

We are heading to CO for a couple nights on our way to Portland.

Portland for about two weeks: hosting a party, helping with a trade show, getting rid of storage POD and seeing freinds.


From Portland to Salt Lake City for Outdoor Retailer for three nights.

SLC to Colorado for about a week: SIA trade show, skiing/riding, meeting clients, eating a Snooze, buying jeans and of course seeing all the people we miss dearly.

From CO to MS via IN - we hope!


Funny that we bought the RV excited to take it on this journey but it is does make sense to have it in the mountains in all the snow. We will do a similar trade show journey in the Summer with the RV and get to stay in CO much longer :)

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

Angry with God...

I love God with all my heart, all my soul and all my mind. And sometimes I yell, scream and question Him.

I am not the first believer to shout out in frustration to God - David wrote psalms shouting at God, Jesus quotes one "My God, my God, why have your forsaken me?" Job questions why God even allowed him to be born. Isaiah questions why he asked to talk to people who do not listen or hear and instead ridicule him.

God took it all. He didn't banish these men from Heaven or His Kingdom or even from continuing to do His work. He asks Job "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?...Have you ever in your life commanded the morning..."

Isaiah reminds us that God's ways are not our ways and His ways are higher than our own.

David falls weeping and reminds us of God's faithfulness. "As for me I will call upon the Lord"

I don't understand God at times. When He gives good gifts to His children and then watches as the joys are ripped away. I get angry. I yell. I scream. I weep. I cry out in tears and rage questioning the Almighty God  - asking "Why?"

I am thankful that God knows my heart and He is with me in the pain. His Spirit comforts me and reminds me that He alone made the Light, He created my face, He will heal my heart and the hearts of those I love, He is in control - not me. I fall at His feet.

Where else could I go but to the Lord.

Thank you for loving me enough to let me pound my fist on Your chest, Father, and for holding me tight until I fall at your feet.

Frog Pond....Afton NY

I feel bad about my rant on Afton, NY yesterday.

I was making my now famous Tabouli Salad and needed some more fresh ingredients. It was pouring down rain but decided to see if Frog Pond was open anyway.

Frog Pond is a farmer's market shopper's dream. Rows and Rows and even more Rows of fresh fruits and vegetables. It ALMOST made me want to really get into cooking and baking. A real chef could have come home ready to make fresh apple pie, pumpkin pie, butternut squash soup, vegetable soup, pumpkin soup, breads of all sorts. If you are a real baker or chef - come visit - I will buy if you cook :)

I needed basil, red onion, cucumber....I bought all that plus honey crisp apples (my favorite), tomatoes, carrots, red peppers, hot peppers, sweet peppers, broccoli. All for $8.50. Good food - inexpensive and 3 miles up the road. I love it!  I already had so I didn't buy but would have: plums, pears, red cabbage, brussel sprouts (they are really good if you know how to cook them and I actually do). 

I hope they are still open when we come back up in a couple of weeks. As long as we have hummus and tzatziki  we will be set for lunch and dinner.

OHHHHH and most importantly the people were so NICE! The man who was doing running the cash stand was amazing - he did it all in his head out loud. Seriously impressive and pretty funny too. The people in line were very friendly and chatted about making squash and apple pies - I listened and drooled.

I went for a quick trip to Horton's - of course they were as helpful and nice as always. So..I decided to go to the Bakery - just to see what they had. Cold rainy day and they do make the most amazing soups (not as good as Nina's...). Of course they had my favorite in the crock pot - pumpkin thai soup - I had to! The girl was polite and my order was correct.

Afton could grow on me...I do love a small town.

"I was born in small town...I can live in a small town..."

I love that song! I was born in a small town, love living in a small town, can talk to sweet Jesus in a small town and will probably die in a small town. I am overwhelmed at times when we are in Long Island but as long as I stay in my comfort zone of Locust Valley, Glen Cove, Brookville, I am okay. I LOVE NYACK.

Nyack is one of my favorite small town in NY. It has the water, the Nook, Rockland Bakery (you all know my relationship with bread by now), several pastry shops (again with the breads) and Black Bear where I can watch the Colts. I can walk from Leah's into town for coffee or run to the Nook and continue on for miles jogging along the Hudson. The people are friendly and seem glad you there and enjoying there town. Oh and spending money in their establishments!

If we stay in NY I can see us settling in Nyack. It is close to LI - just shy of an hour away and close to my  other favorite small town Gardiner. We have amazing friends in Gardiner/New Paltz area. There are also some great restaurants, delis, bakeries and farmer's markets up there. If it were closer to LI it would be an even tougher decision. For now....being close to family and the airport wins out. But, Jan Jan don't be surprised if we end up moving in next door (i.e. your front yard) with the RV for chunk of the summer :)

This is our second trip up to Afton and I am so very disappointed in the people who live here. It is as if we were plotting to come through to buy up the land and build a mall! The first two weeks we came up most everything was closed - it was July 4th and apparently the time shops closed up before the busy season began. The Main Street Bakery was open and Marian had told us it was outstanding! She was right. The fresh baked cookies, scones and deserts....I need a moment.... Good coffee and amazing salads - fresh produce from local farmers - yummers! But, the people that worked there were so rude! Our order was always wrong and never once did I complain. I tipped very well knowing I would be in there daily for the next two weeks. Nothing but rudeness. How fast could I leave please is all they seem to care about.

The one place where the people were friendly in town - the hardware store - not the big True Value up the hill (they were also very very rude!) but the local one on Main St - Horton's. I went True Value one time because Horton's didn't carry something we needed (sheets of drywall) and I told Andy I would rather drive to Oneonta the Home Depot.

On a side note we spent some time in Bainbridge at pizza place and coffee shop in  Oneonta and nothing but kindness.

Now we are back in Afton for the week. Andy stopped in to the Bakery to surprise me with an oatmeal raisin cookie (yep, he loves me) and he said the same lady was working there and was still incredibly rude. I went for my run this morning and decided to stop by the local bar to see if they had the NFL ticket. The guy literally shook his No and turned his back to me.

So very sad. If you are from a small town...please be nice to the tourists, newcomers, etc. I know they increase the traffic (I lived in mountain town - I get it!!), they raise the gas prices on the weekends, increase the wait at your favorite brunch spot but they also bring in some revenue. Being a small town should feel like home even if it is not your own. That is part of the charm and what sets us apart from the City.

What is your favorite small town? Post some pictures, comments, stories, best places to go, etc. I want to stop in!!

More firsts.....

Nothing changes more than our schedule! Our cross-country road trip was going to be in October, then December, then November, then possibly Jan, back to Oct and now....probably sometime in November. But, that is subject to change! That is part of the fun of this whole adventure. The reasons are a mixture of jobs, money and time but we are making it all work! Here is what we do know for sure - Christmas in IN, January in Denver and Salt Lake City (trade show season for the outdoor industry) and 99% sure February in Natchez, MS. Everything else changes daily.

So with January in Colorado approaching only months away we have been talking about researching how to live in the the RV in COLD weather. Just talking about thinking about it.

We are now up in Afton, NY about 4 hours north west of NYC. It is beautiful! The leaves are changing and the sun is shining. Oh and it dropped to 37 degrees the first night we were here. Uh...we may want to start doing that research about now!

The first night (no space heater) we just got under all 4 blankets and we were fine...until we had to get up in the morning. Whew! Chilly. I got on the computer to some of my favorite full-timer Blogs and found that using a ceramic space heater was a good idea in the RV for a quick heat fix. Andy went to the local hardware store Horton's (the only friendly people in all of Afton, NY - I am not kidding! More on that latter) and purchased a Pelonis space heater. It heats the RV up quick! We also had some of the silver bubble wrap sheets for the windows - we just put them up - not attached or anything yet.

We have now done a lot of research and have a lot of work to do! We will get a good trial run when we come back up to the lake house the last week of Oct/first week of Nov for more remodeling on the lakehouse. Andy wants to work some different skirting options and insulation. I have noticed the biggest heat suckers are the front chassis, the exit window (by our bed!) and the bathroom. I am sure he will make this place tight and energy efficient. As long as he doesn't take away my space heater I will be happy :)

Up until this week we have been staying at the marina or in front of Leah's house so we have had access to a shower. That all changed two nights ago when we arrived in Afton. A plumber is coming next week to install a shower but until then we have one shower to use on the premise - our own in the RV. We read the manual and it was pretty easy - hit the button that says HTR which is next to the one that says PUMP. Whola - hot shower!

Of course there is where we see how green we really are. How much water is really used when we take an average shower? The average 5 minute shower uses 10 Gallons of water. Well....we only have a 40 Gallon Tank (Marc, is that right) so that is only four 5 minute showers! Plus we need that water to flush the toilet. So....we need to stay well below average. After spending a few weeks up here this summer with only a sun shower we did get pretty quick and efficient.

Andy took the first shower last night - a well deserved one after tearing apart the font deck and pouring concrete for the new one. Whew! I earned mine after a nice beautiful run this morning. The water was so hot it almost burned my scalp - I screamed and added cold to the mix. My shower was probably only 2-3 minutes.

Exciting stuff - showers in the RV and gearing up to live in the Rockies as an RVer. I am stoked!!!

Oh Indiana, Indiana...

I was born and raised in Mooresville, IN. For the last 4 years of high school all I could think about was leaving IN. I went to college in Bloomington and still only wanted to leave the state. In Jan of 1998 I moved to St Louis, MO; in Feb 2003 I moved to Denver, CO, Feb 2005 Silverthorne, CO, Sept 2009 Portland, OR - as far west in the US as I could go (almost). In May 2010 to NY - as far east in the US (almost). Now...I miss Indiana.

I am not moving back (I promise, Andy).

My room at my parents is not the same - it is set-up as a guest room - but it will always be my room. Marcus and Cari would the say the same. Some of our high school stuff still remains in the closets. The high school has been expanded but the smell and feel is the same. I am still a Pioneer. The restaurants around Mooresville have not changed much - Gray's Cafeteria has had some recent fame being on Man vs Food but the mac and cheese hasn't changed. Biff's is open again and though I have not been back in to try a Bismark I hear they are still sweetly amazing.

I am thankful that via FB,Marcus and Jamie I have been able to keep up with some friends from HS. It gives me even more reason to come home. Having TRUE friends makes a big difference. Learning over the years to be a good friend has made all the difference.

Getting over my ego, myself or whatever obstacle I dreamed up - good therapy made me see it was crazy. I always came home for holidays and when Josi was born I came home 8 times a year. But, I never really did anything - I didn't want to interact with anyone from HS. Just see the family in and out in 3 days. Now, a week is not long to see everyone and enjoy what IN has to offer: renewed friendship, Colt's games and some great restaurants (next article).

We will probably never live in Indiana but going home will always mean going there. I am proud of my up- bringing and have truly enjoyed remembering all the good parts of my childhood. I am thankful for an amazing family who told me I always had a place to call home. 

There is a hole in the sky.....

When Andy and I bought our first home aka House Car we knew we needed to replace the A/C unit. As Earl was threatening to hit the east coast Andy was removing the original unit at Manning Imports. He was on the roof of the RV most of the day and came to a few conclusions.

One was that the previous owner failed to mentioned the reason the A/C didn't work was because they had clearly attempted to drive under and underpass that was not quite 10.5 feet high! The cover didn't fit because it was not meant for our Coachman! Bummer.

The second thing was that we needed to replace the entire unit not just the fan and it would take 7 days to arrive. Double Bummer!

Did I mentioned Earl was heading our way - you know the Hurricane??

Okay...so this is what we had - a nice sun roof in our home! We had to drive up to Nyack - about an hour north for the next job. The storm was brewing!

Andy covered it up (no picture) for the drive up. I had to drive the Pathfinder with trailer and tools so I couldn't keep an eye on the hole in the ceiling. The sun was shining, he covered it up, we should be fine. Now, we are more than a little nervous about water - remember we already had an indoor water fountain and hope to not install another!

When we got up to Leah's house in Nyack we realized Andy had lost the cover he had put on! Thank goodness no rain or birds or other foreign objects came in. He re-applied the cover - it was really quite impressive using wire, duct tape and a dome feature - I wish we would taken a picture. Then we waited for Earl to hit....and waited and waited and waited.....no rain, no hurricane, nothing - just a lot of heat and humidity with no A/C...but not rain inside our home..whew!

The A/C came in a week later and we drove down to Manning Imports for Andy to pick it up and install it. THEN the rain came and it cooled down. No need for the A/C but very nice to have the hole replaced - much much nicer!

We also found that we have 2 heaters! As winter is approaching it is good to know. We actually turned the propane heater on for a few minutes the other night - it was toasty warm - very nice.

The week that was hot, humid and we had the whole in the roof...we were also parked on a tilt. Our bed was flat but the rest of the RV was slanted and it was ANNOYING! Cabinet doors slamming on my head, uncomfortable to sit at the dining table as I am falling forward, more slamming cabinets. I asked nicely that when we returned from LI that Andy park flat.

 Check out the orange levelers....Ahhhh so much better!! Love it!!

I have so much to write about Nyack!! We are LOVING being up there - a great little town. More to come..keep reading! Please please make a comment, subscribe, email, tell me what is going on with you!!