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!!

Pictures....

We had a great New Year and I wanted to post the couple of pictures we remembered to take. I need to be better - pictures really make a difference..I know!

Here is our dinner table at Nina and Stu's. We are digging into the famous traditional Matzo Ball Soup. It is not a Jewish Holiday without it - unless is one where fasting is required!

This one of my favorite dishes (besides Stu's Matzo Bri - it is by the far the best!) it is Potato Knick - it is potatoes and a bunch of other yummy things Nina threw in :) We had it the next day with breakfast too - so good. 

Now all I can think about is all the amazing food at Passover! I am not sure if I want to go eat or go for a run to make room!

What is your favorite holiday dish? Come on...I want some feedback!!

Happy New Year..

Last night at sundown begin the Jewish High Holidays - beginning with Rosh Hashana - New Year. Yom Kippur (the other High Holiday) is ten days from now. This time period is now called the Days of Awe.

I am no expert on the Jewish holidays or traditions. I have been blessed to marry into a Jewish family and Saved by a Jewish Carpenter Jesus. My in-laws gave me the book The Jewish Book of Why. This book along with the Old Testament have given me some great insight on why these days are celebrated and how they have been and are celebrated. These days, as our all Jewish holidays, are rich in history and tradition.

There are many reasons I love taking part but one main reason....Jesus did too. The Torah is the Bible Jesus read. As a Christian I cannot deny that my Savior is in fact a Jew. He too celebrated Passover, Rosh Hashana,Yom Kippur and Purim. That is fascinating to me!

Andy's family observes these days as all good Jews do and I have a deep respect for their beliefs. It is time for his family (our family) to be reminded of their culture, believes and history. And is always fun to get together for a meal with the Held family :)

I believe, Rosh Hashana is a day all believers should observe. It is a day of reflection and renewal. This is the seventh month of the year - Tishri and is celebrated for one long day*. Rosh Hashana is about returning to God who is in His mercy is willing to receive penitent, forgive sins and offers an opportunity to being the New Year fresh. Christians believe that Jesus died for our sins once and for all - I believe that. But, the Bible still calls us to repent of our sins. Paul says that before we take communion we should look within ourselves and see if there is anything separating us.(1 Cor 11:28 "But a man must examine himself.." Rosh Hashana is much like that - take a look in the mirror and come before God and ask for His Grace.

The book of Why says these two holidays " ...holy convocations..They emphasize spirituality morality and holiness, and unlike other holidays are not tied to national historic events. They celebrate God's role as King of the universe and Judge of all man's actions. ....holidays which are devoted to self-examination and are not considered joyous..."

During these Days of Awe the gates of repentance are open along with the Book of Life, Book of Death and The Book of Those in Between. The believe is that God makes His decision on life and death during these days. Some Jews will visit grave sites to ask their relatives to plead their case for them.

The gates are closed after Yom Kippur - the Holiest of Days (after the Sabbath - the Sabbath remains the holiest of all days). This is day of prayer and fast. There are five services during the 24 hour period. The shofar** is blown and the congregation is now ready to face a New Year.The fasting requirement comes from the book of Numbers 29:7 - "And on the tenth day of his seventh month ye shall have a holy convocation and ye shall afflict your souls..."

The common phrase used during Rosh Hashana is "le-shana tova tikatevu" meaning "may you be inscribed in the Book of Life for good"

Certain foods are also prepared: challot (which is often in the form of a bird "As hovering birds, so will the Lord protect Jerusalem" Isaiah 31:5), new fruit (apples, grapes and pomegranates and some Jews will not eat of these fruits until this day), lekach (honey cake) which means portion (served with hope and prayer that those who observe will be given a goodly portion "For I give you a doctrine (lekach), do not forsake my teaching" Prov 4:2), fish head (as to be the head/leader in the new year), beet roots and carrot tzimmes.

Andy and I will be in Long Island tonight taking part in this sacred holiday. I am thankful to be reminded that God is King and to look within myself to see if there is any sin that I too need to confess.

Good books....

I wonder how Jesus celebrated.....how will you?



*In the old testament/Torah it is only celebrated one day but through the years it was two days because of the uncertainty of when the New Moon was. Throughout the years with technology to pinpoint to the second when the New Moon will appear most Jews celebrate one long day. 
**The Shofar is always a Rams horn to symbolize the ram who was the replacement sacrifice for Isaac - the one stuck in the thorny fence when Abraham raised the knife to sacrifice his own son. A cow horn is never used as that represents the golden calf the children of Israel made when Moses received the 10 commandments the first time.

Give us this day our daily bread.....

I know when Jesus prayed to His Father he was talking about giving us our basic needs each day. This is a verse from the Lord's Prayer Jesus prayed when the disciples asked him how to pray.

The problem is cousin Leah...she introduced me to Rockland Bakery. Now I feel my daily bread can only come from Rockland Bakery - right out of the oven and still hot. Now, Leah did not force me to grab a bag and a  glove so I could pick from hundreds of different hot dough items: bagels, dinner rolls, pretzels and baguettes but she took me there. I did think about the manna and how it went bad if the children of Israel took more than their daily needs. I was conservative - 2 bagels, 4 dinner rolls, 1 pretzel and a croissant. I really thought Andy and Leah would try something....despite that they are both allergic to bread in some way - yeast, grain, whatever! Really? Why would Jesus pray for daily bread and then make my husband allergic! (Sorry, Andy, I know you LOVE bread and it makes you sick. I promise I will try not bring it home to tempt you again.).

Rockland Bakery also has an entire pastry section. Seriously! I gave up deserts the night before! Leah - really? I of course had to buy a few different cookies for dinner that night: chocolate fudge sandwiched between two butter/sugar cookies, chocolate rugula fruit tart: amazing butter pastry with fresh blackberries and raspberries on top - maybe some apple filling on top to hold it all together.

I had the pretzel (see picture) for lunch. It was perfectly crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside - still hot from the bakery. It had a flavor I couldn't quite place - the sea salt on top was just part of it. Andy couldn't help himself. The onion bagel smell was strong and yummy through the paper bag...he just had a bite and than went to a mental happy place.

The deserts we ate after our raw veggie, hummus, tzatziki, spinach dip dinner. Leah and Andy tried the butter fudge cookies and I concentrated on the FRUIT tart - it was soft, buttery and yummy. Andy and I have been trying chocolate rugula almost at every bakery or coffee shop that makes them in NY. We are pretty sure Rockland Bakery has the best but need to re-try the bakery in New Paltz to be positive.

Now, Andy and I are talking about doing a cleanse. After all the wine and desert Leah has forced down our throats (hehehehe) we feel it is time. Of course....we are leaving here and heading to Afton where the Main Street Bakery does make the best scones I have ever had....

I may need to go back and re-read Jesus' prayer as a reminder about my basic needs...

(Ummm you can order online...just saying)
Rockland Bakery
94 Demarest Mill Road
Nanuet, NY 10954
(845) 623-5800
(845) 623-6921

I miss my House Husband....

Andy and I had a whirlwind engagement weekend and seven week later an even bigger whirlwind wedding weekend. We had decided to take a long weekend hiking, biking and road tripping in and around Moab. I was asked to do an internal job interview with Columbia so we ended up the first part of our vacation at Outdoor Retailer in Salt Lake City
I was offered the position that same evening. After a fabulous dinner at Red Iguana in SLC (some of the best mexican food - amazing moles....a must go when you are in SLC. Be prepared to stand in line - outside but I promise it is worth the wait)(736 West North Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84116-3352 (801) 322-1489)
we headed to Price Canyon for the night. The next morning we hiked to the top of mountain and Andy proposed saying he wanted to have epic adventures, blah blah blah. He gave me a ring he had made out of silver - his first of many silver pieces to come :) I said yes...

That weekend we planned the wedding for seven weeks later. We got married on a boat in Freeport, NY with just family and a few of my very close friends (since a lot of my family were unable to come to NY) on September 11, 2009. That was a Friday. On Monday we flew from JKF to PDX and moved into our temporary housing. That afternoon I went to work at Columbia.

Andy has started as learning carpentry at age 15 and has since become a master at the skill. He does amazing work  - custom furniture, trim, restoration, crown molding - pretty much anything dealing with wood he can do. I am so amazed and proud of his work. But....he does not enjoy it...bummer. He wants to do something different, something that does not break his back and something that would make a difference or at least lead to making a difference.  So...when we moved to Portland I told him that he should take the next 6 months to figure out what he really wanted to do - play around with some ideas, businesses, etc.

It was awesome...for me. He cooked, cleaned and did all the laundry. He unpacked, organized, hung the pictures and put away everything at our temporary housing and then again at our new apartment. Andy did most the apartment hunting while I was in China and we signed a lease on a place I had never seen. I didn't care - I trusted him and I didn't have to think about anything...just sign on the dotted line. I went to work and balanced the check book  - he did everything else. Every morning he made my breakfast, coffee and packed a lunch. And then....my job was eliminated, I was fired, whatever you choose to call it - I was no longer working an 8-5 job at Columbia. It was a blur of a week - we packed, put things in a POD, some things in a trailer, said our goodbyes and drove east. Driving east felt weird - I had never moved east....

And then it happened...Andy went to work and I lost my house husband. He didn't really like the job but I am thinking he misses it as he is icing his back right now after tweaking it pounding nails yesterday. I miss having every meal prepared and never having to go to a grocery store.

That being said, I did luck out in that fact that I am a house wife who lives in an RV :) There is not a lot to clean and we have very little stuff to unpack and organize. I am working and trying to get our new company off the ground so he never has to pound nails again and maybe someday we can hire a house person (probably not while we are living in the RV - that would be a bit awkward).

I will say that being an RV house wife is not easy. I have to take the trash out 1-2 times a day. Close quarters means 1. A small trash can 2. Smelly stuff needs to get out of the house fast. Since we do not have a ton of clothes I do a lot of laundry and clothes cannot sit on a piece of exercise equipment or on the floor. We have no equipment and floor space is almost non-existent. We have 10 bins - 5 a piece - pants, tops, shoes, work/workout cloths and hoodies/sweaters/jackets. I will post a picture. I have to clean daily  - wipe down tables, vacuum and sweep. Think how dirty your car gets when camping - well this is our house so it can't be just a campsite! Things have to be put away - no leaving things out on tables, chairs or sofas - we have no chairs and if you leave something out it will end up on the floor rolling around the moment we take off! It is my job to make sure everything is secure.

I do have a nice easy way to make coffee and tea every morning. I LOVE my new Keurig coffee make Nina and Stu bought us for our house-warming. I can make my own single cup of coffee or buy single coffee cups. The pre-made cups are great because they are mess free and so easy. But, there is a lot of waste and it cost about $.60 a cup vs about $.30-$.40 making my own Rocky Mountain Roaster Coffee (which is WAY better tasting but a little more effort involved).

We have not used our new convection oven the Held's bought us. It has been too hot to use any heating device. Until our A/C is installed we are eating raw veggies and cereal or using our neighbor's (Leah) kitchen.

I love the RV life-style....I just miss my house husband.....

Let's look at the map....we want to go....there....

We are so very thankful that Andy has so much work in New York. He went from very little work in CO, to no work in OR to balancing 3-4 projects in NY. It is hard work - back breaking at times but he really is the expert. It is allowing me the time to get our business - Hero Events, Productions, PR and Business Solutions off the ground. I am loving not having to job search for another 8-5 office career. More importantly, we get to live wherever we are in our house car.

With the work he has now he can be busy here in NY until the end of October. There are a few other potential jobs that he can and will pursue for later. The plan is at the end of October is to head west. Where we are financially will determine how long we stay away from NY and where we go. I can continue to work no matter where we are as long as I have my computer and wi-fi. Side note: We invested in a Sprint Wi-Fi Card that you can access 5-6 different computers, smartphones, printers, etc at the same time. As long as there is Sprint service it works. It can be set-up as a secure line so if I am in a coffee shop no one else can use it without the password. While Andy is driving I can be on the Internet - loving it. 

If you know Andy and I you know that our plans can change at any moment, second, half-second - nothing is ever for sure for sure. We try very hard not to break any major commitments or disappoint the nieces/nephew.  Things change, plans change, projects come up, money runs low - things happen.  That being said...our plan is to leave at the end of October....

We have not determine which way we will go on the way there or the way back to NY or even when that will be (money, time, projects, etc will determine). Where we WANT to go....

Westminster, MD to see Marc, Cheryl, Hunter and Madison. We want to go at a time where we can watch Madison play in the band and Hunter conduct.

Pittsburgh, PA  - Joel and Christina are living there for the next two years or so. They are having a baby very soon and I want to go make sure he knows that I am an aunt too. :)

Chicago, IL - Mel, Chris and Catlyn Wong. I miss them so much and it has been a year since I have seen them :(

Akron, OH - Mike, Heather, Kadeen, Emily and meet Tash. I want Andy to meet this amazing family.

Colorado - We may have a very hard time leaving this state. This time of year is one of my favorites to be in the mountains. I remember always trying to cram in one more mountain bike ride, hike, climb, camping trip before getting the skis tuned. I can smell the morning air there and long for it! There is so much I want to do there and so many people I want to see: Calley&Aaron, An, Bridget, Jen, Kimmi, Diane, Kelly and Dave's baby, Carm all prego, the Hed's, Elizabeth/Tim and baby Grace, I cannot even name everyone - I miss it there so much. I also want to eat at Snooze (of course!), have coffee at Rocky Mountain Roasters, ride my bike, run to Rainbow Lake, sleep outside. Jeri/Jamie - this is a trip you may want to come with me on.

Indiana - When I was 18 all I could do was think about getting out of there and I did. Now..I miss it. Shhhh don't tell my Mom or Andy. Lots of people to see here - family and friends. It will always be home to me. I am so glad we are close while living in NY. Parents, Grandparents, LeeDA, Cari's family, Jeri, Jamie, Crystal, Melanie (if I ever get to see her), Olives Martini Bar. We are also hoping to do an event to raise money for Run For the Health of It. Proceeds will go to support the Down Syndrome Foundation in honor my baby girl Morgan Grace Mathis.

Portland, OR - We must deal with the POD. I won't start on that again! I am also missing Jacks - so much! So, we got see her, Scott and of course Vinnie :) We want to hang with Joe and Thea (also very prego) to catch-up on what they are doing. Eat at all my favorite breakfast places. And maybe the band can do a gig at Al Forno - hmmm pizza.

Seattle, WA - Work with Frontier Group to make some things happen in the world of online retail.

Napa Valley/Sonoma County i.e. Wine Country - Wine tasting, have friends meet us there, relax, pretend we are on a honeymoon.

Baja Peninsula - Some beach some where. Andy mentioned Baja  and I can't stop thinking about it! This is should be the reason we have an RV - go anywhere anytime :)

Natchez, MS - We want to head south for the Winter! Marcus,Kyndee and Morgan said we were welcome anytime. We promised we would not park in their drive-way! Andy and I had such a great time the weekend we went down that we would like to spend a month of our winter there - maybe December or January?

New Orleans - I have never been and would love to go! Maybe Andy can help re-build down there.

Athens, GA - Andrew "Dirty Bird" Spatz is going back to school and we want to come visit.

 Florida - Andy has never been to Florida. My parents have a condo down there and we are considering this if Marcus kindly asks us to leave :) I am not really sure where their condo is but I have always loved Fort Myers. Lisa and Blaine live near there too and hanging out with Lisa is always fun. Andy said if we drive down there we are going to the Keys.

Yosemite - I have never been and it is a bucket list place for me. A must-see.

Grand Tetons - Carm and I discussed going there forever ago and we only made it to Laramie, WY. Andy said skiing would be better but we are not taking the RV to any snowy mountains.

Of course...we can't do this all right now but over the course of the next 12 months....life is good

Living the dream....almost :)

Brewer's Marina in Long Island

Marina at night

Our "slip" in Marina

 When Andy and I first talked about spending the rest of lives together we talked about selling the condo and buying a boat. We both love the water and the idea of living on it seemed perfect. Andy grew up around sail boats. His dad threatened to sail around the world (Nina had other ideas). My parents have had boats for the past 20 years - house boat and deck boats - on a small lake. Neither of us knows how to sail but we decided we could learn - how hard could it REALLY be?  When we moved to Portland we looked at floating homes to rent. We thought it would be good practice to live in small quarters on the water. We never find the perfect one for us but the dream of a house on water has never died. 


Often when we would be looking for furniture, moving, driving and moving, looking for apartments, etc we would remind ourselves that we do not need anymore "STUFF" because one day we will live on a boat. When we left CO we had 3 garage sales, 5 trips to the Thrift Store and 2 trips to the dump. When we moved into our apartment in Portland we sold a ton of stuff on Craig's list, through consignment and several trips to the Mission. Leaving Portland we did 3 more trips to the Mission and sold a few more things via Craig's list. We now have a 16 foot POD in Portland of "stuff", a trailer of tools, a Pathfinder and an RV. It is still too much!

On the trip from OR to NY I started getting anxious that we had left so much stuff in Portland. What was in there that we HAD to have? Are we really paying $185 a month to store stuff? When are we ever going to go back and get that stuff? Will it be cheaper to buy new verses paying for storage and a trip to get it all back? Andy of course agreed - we just didn't plan very well. Outside of the art work and some of his custom furniture it is ALL replaceable or useless. We can get new skis, a new snowboard, new drum set, new dishes. We cannot replace Grandma's paintings - the only priceless things.


Moving into the RV has been eye-opening. There is very little that we NEED. There are some things that we WANT but don't NEED (new couch, new curtains, no floors, solar panels, bigger bed, TV,). We do not need 8 winter coats a piece; tables (we had so many end tables, desk tables, etc); nick-knacks, books we have read; extra dishes; sheets for twin size beds, blankets (so many fleece blankets!); extra tents, shoes, shoes and more shoes...stuff. We NEED a coffee maker which we got today - it is essential for my well-being :) We NEED our computers, tools, bikes, running shoes, toaster oven, fridge, wine glasses/wine opener, a place to shower, do laundry and a very good mattress. We NEED God, Jesus, our family, our friends and each other.

We are ready to make the trip back across the country hopefully sometime in late October and deal with the POD in OR. I am ready to get rid of what we don't need and stop paying the $185 a month to store stuff. Hopefully we can sell some of it via Craig's List, Garage Sale or Consignment but even if we can't donating will save us money in storage. 


The last week we have been very grateful to be staying at Brewer's Marina in Long Island. Friends of ours have a boat here and asked the manager if we could park here. It is AWESOME! We sleep to the sound of the halliard's clanging on the masts and the breeze against the water. I get up in the morning and run on the boardwalk, through a nice neighborhood and then more water-front views. It is not quite living on a boat....but it is darn close.

The shitter is EMPTY, Clark!

Most people do not get excited about flushing their toilet - after potty training the excitement is pretty much over. Some crazy cleaning fanatics may get excited about a clean toilet - I am just not one of them. Dumping the Black Tank with someone else's pooh in it  - I feel like like a weight has been lifted. A bit gross, I know, but it is done and it was painless. 

Since the weather was not the best for working outside on the garage and we were exhausted from the 100th B-day Bash- we decideed to do some things around the housecar that needed to be done - like dump the tanks! There is really only one place in LI to do this and thanks to Marc we knew where - Bethpage. I had some errands to run near Hicksville (great name for an RV dumping place - but that is where the mall is!) and Andy said it was the same direction so off we went. Andy paid the man $5 and drove to the dump area. It was pretty clean and not too smelly - I have been to the City dump - smelly and not clean. Andy easily hooked up the houses - opened the valves and the waste started flowing. If hooked up properly - no sight or smell of what is coming out! I stayed inside and dumped water down the camode. I checked the gauges - Grey and Black Tanks empty. Andy cleaned and put everything down below away. I threw in a disinfected and some more water and we were done. Ahhhh it was good to dump!

We had some other firsts this past weekend! Sammy (one of our nieces) spent the night on Saturday night while we were in Nyack. Leah let us park outside her house so we were plugged in which was great! A few issues...
The air conditioner is not working yet - we need to replace the fan. Unfortunately, it was hot and humid all weekend. I put a fan right on Sam so she wouldn't get too hot on the bed up top. Instead, she got wet! It started to rain in the middle of the night and the roof vent above her was open. She and her blanket were wet. She put a sweatshirt on and suffered silently through the night. Lucky for me - Andy shut the one above us I would have been drenched as well. Sam did say she would stay again once the A/C worked and no rain in the forecast!

It was nice to the have our home up there with the family. Marc and Cheryl gave us some good insights and ideas on organizing and such. We figured out a color scheme as we slowly redecorate. It was a good extension to the house with so many people up to celebrate Grandma's birthday. Oh and Leah has no microwave but we do - so re-heating dinner was done at our house :)

The bad part...it had been pouring rain all day on Sunday. Raining and windy - just gross really. We had maybe an hour where it was just misty when we walked around Nyack but that was the only real break. I changed clothes 3 times because I was wet, cold and/or sticky.

As we were pulling out of Leah's we had to drive up the hill and I was getting wet  - in the RV! "Andy, water is dripping on me! Pull over I am getting wet. Pull over I am getting soaked." Andy - "Is your window closed. I will - just wait a second. Oh, I felt a little water too. Oh crap!" Water is now GUSHING from the top bunk onto us. I grab our phones from the dashboard - away from the waterfall. We are both soaked, shocked and a bit scared. What just happened? Our home is leaking or flooding or something. We get all the towels and dirty clothes and start mopping up everything. Andy is convinced it from the windows up top being left open all day. I thought it was a leak from the crease in the very front. We go back and forth with what it could be or couldn't be and finally everything is pretty try. Andy takes off again - I am sitting on the couch now since my seat is soaked and I gave Andy the last dry towel to sit on. He starts back up the hill and another waterfall :( We grab the second set of sheets, take the cushions off the top and dry everything again. Andy is now in a 3rd set of clothes since we left Leah's!

No more water came out and we made it back to Glen Cove in the regular hour time - miracle. There was so much flooding on the LIE and when we got to Glen Cove we had to take some back roads because the main one was flooded. So much water!

We left the heat on all day in the RV to dry up the water inside and after some checking we are 98% sure it was from the windows being open. We did drive in some heavy rains from OR to NY and had NO problems so that makes sense. A very hard lesson learned - check everything 2 or 3 times. We were not ready for such rain but we will be next time!

I still need to write about Sushi, Pizza and Nyack. Busy week ahead!

The Calm Before the Storm...

We were getting into the swing of things sleeping, working and eating in our new home. A couple of things that we have not actually accomplished yet
1. We have not had dinner in our home (we have had dinner with family or friends every night since we have been back to NY).
2. We have not dumped the waste tanks.
3. We have not washed dishes in our home. We clean our lunch plates at the Held's
4. We have not spent an evening in our home - just the two of us - no plans, etc.
5. We have not organized our clothes - they are still in our suitcases that we took to/from IN.

We have slept in a few different places though. After sleeping on the road out in front of the Held's we moved to the lot behind them. Much quieter and safer but we parked about 2am and ended up very cricked - no self leveling on our RV so that was not very comfortable :) We stayed at the Mannings which was awesome! We had a nice dinner in their house and then walked out to their driveway to our own home. Woke up the next morning got to go for a nice run in Locust Valley and Andy went to work! Sweet!!

Last night I was feeling very sick. I was too chicken to sleep in the RV in case I had to get sick. I felt very defeated as Andy set-up a bed at the Held's. Once we are fully set-up to use our bathroom I will feel more comfortable - promise!

This weekend will be a good trial. We are heading up to Nyack for Grandma Ruth's 100th Birthday Bash. Our plan is to stake out a place for the weekend that we can use when we go back up in a couple of weeks. Andy is doing some remodeling on his Grandma's house in Nyack starting 8/30 and we will probably be there 3-4 weeks depending on the scope of the job. We will need to find a place to settle in. Of course we can also shower, do laundry or whatever at Leah's/Grandma's. But, it will be a good first time on the road practice. After that we head up the Afton LakeHouse where we will have less amentities. We are easing into this fulltimer thing and LOVING IT!!!

Tonight we are taking Victoria out for Sushi. Sunday was her 17th Birthday and she loves Sushi (so do we!). I will blog about Sushi places that we have visited accross the country tomorrow when I can add this one into the mix :)

Tomorrow night is Zumba - more on that later too.

Thursday night may be our first night in our new home together. I already know what we are having for dinner. I will blog on that too...it is the big debate!

Big Steps Today!

The picture is our home/office :) This is where Andy is working for the next week and that means I am also working from here :)

8.14.10 (I forgot to hit post on this yesterday!)
We slept in the RV last night outside the Held's house - we will NOT do that again! We were parked on the street and every time a truck or train came through our entire home shook. I felt like I was living in a war zone (and thankful I am not).

At this point the RV is just another room in the Held's house :) We came inside for coffee, breakfast, work-out and shower this morning! Ha!

We have been blessed and surprised at how many people have offered and want us to come stay in their drive-way! We LOVE it! When I told my Dad we were buying an RV he said - "Don't think you are parking that thing in my drive-way" Of course he was kidding and they do have the PERFECT drive-way to park in ;) It has always been a joke in our family that each of kids were going to by a double-wide and park in my parents front yard! Now...it is true - we just may do that now and again :) Thanks Mom and Dad!!

Andy is working at the Manning's today and drove the house over this morning. I followed a few hours later in the Pathfinder so I could help him on the garage remodel. It is beautiful day and so working outside is nice!

I am really enjoying this summer and getting to do so much different kind of work with Andy. He has 3 major projects he is working on. I am a novice but Andy is an amazing teacher - even with his wife as a student! I painted for my first time ever this summer and he taught me all the short-cuts and how to decrease the amount of paint on my clothes and body with perfect technique. I have done a lot of shopping for materials. One major thing I have learned is that you must start out with good raw materials - a bad piece of wood - rough, splintered, crooked or knotted can lead to a mediocre finished project. Andy is a perfectionist that is unacceptable. It is fun to do some work with my hands and then still put some hours in for Hero Events and Productions. I hoping we can maintain through the winter - I am LOVING it!!

Tonight we are having dinner with Tommy and Rebecca which is a rare opportunity to spend time with just them. We are looking forward to that. Tomorrow night we are parking at the Dunn's and having them and the Manning's over to the RV! Can't wait :)

OH!! I almost forgot the Big Steps! Joe found the adverter or cord or whatever that we use to plug-in to the house! We didn't even know we had one on board already. So, we are powered up as we speak. Now, we can do the same at the Held's tonight. Woo-Hoo! Small steps for most RVers Big Steps for the Rookie RVers :)

The Big Apple

This picture is what our place looks like right now - a mess! I am hidden behind the curtain. I guess I need to make the bed a little better in the morning :) We have some remodeling and organizing to do - once we figure out what we want. :)

Andy and I made it to NY last night around 11pm. I drove much more yesterday. Andy was exhausted and after filling up the gas tank he walked in the side door, walked to the bed and fell asleep. I had no clue where we were, how far away from NY or the next road we needed to take but I got behind the wheel. I figured out we were still on 80 and knew we needed to head East. Of course as soon as I took over the driving it started pouring down rain! Andy was out cold! About an hour or so later he got up and took over. Whew!

After that I got my first night time, rain and construction turn at driving - I actually do feel much more comfortable now. We saw a lot of BAD accidents. I was doing a lot praying for us and them. The rain was intense. I drove another hour or so - just until we were outside of NY. I had no desire to try navigating my way to Cedarhurst or negotiating the streets of NY in a 27' RV! I fell asleep and didn't wake up and Andy had expertly backed up Bec and Tommy (his sister/brother in-law) driveway. I was impressed (and glad I wasn't awake to watch)!!

After a visit from Bec and Tori we went to sleep - finally! It was a long journey and we know more about what we need to know; things we need and some research we need to do. This was learning trip for sure.

It was nice to go inside to brush our teeth, use the bathroom and take a shower. Although, I am getting anxious to have everything completely set-up in our home. Not to say that we will not continue to use our family and friends facilities when we are staying with them or nearby but I want us to be self-contained soon. I keep thinking how we need to dump the black and gray tanks and replenish the fresh water tank. Right now we are literally carrying around other people's sh**. Funny sounding but totally gross!!

After getting ourselves cleaned up and doing some visiting we headed out. I drove the Pathfinder and Andy drove the RV. As I was following him I kept cringing - I was convinced he was going to hit a pole or street sign or another car. This thing is a beast and the side roads seem so small in comparison!

We got to Trader Joes and luckily we found parking for both trucks. It was funny - we were able to buy whatever we wanted in regards to cold and frozen foods. Normally we would have to think about that we had other errands to run and how would we keep everything cool in this heat, etc. But, we just unpacked everything into the fridge, freezer and cabinets. Then we had empty reusable grocery bags for our next stop!

After unloading Andy was starving - it was about 2pm and he had not had breakfast or lunch. We had left the front door open and we had our first random visitor come knocking - in the Trader Joes parking lot! A young man named Andrew was curious as to what "these things" looked like on the inside. We gave him the grand tour as he stood on the front steps :)

We went to Target to return the mattress and replace it with some other stuff we felt we needed. I wanted something between the driver and passenger seats. We found a stool that had a lid so there is room for storage - perfect. I also needed a step stool - I cannot reach anything in here! I have to climb on the bed to turn on the generator and I cannot see inside any of the cabinets. I guess most RVers are tall (or at least 5'2). We finally figured out the perfect bed situation for us - our previous futon mattress with a memory foam topper. Aww comfy.

Tonight, we are parked in front of Nina and Stu's. We visited with some wine and homemade spanikopita (thanks to Sylvia Nina's friend) and then decided we better stay in for dinner. The guys went to pick up Sushi from Sushi Takara in Glen Cove. We ordered the Ultimate Sushi Dinner for 3 and it was way too much for the 4 of us. It was nice to eat outside and have sushi. I was full and ready for bed at about 7pm!

Tomorrow it is back to work! Andy is working on a friends garage - putting up siding and building some french doors. I am going to help him do some of that and work on the computer when he can't use me. We will be driving the house over there tomorrow - it is close by. This way Andy can eat lunch at home and I can go home in between him needing me.

I am looking forward to finding a good place to dock most nights while in NY but I am loving the flexibility of staying at so many different places too :)


I am loving our home on wheels.

Still Driving

“So we live out in our old van. Travel all across this land. Me and you. We'll end up hand in hand somewhere down on the sand. Just me and you. Just as free. Free as we'll ever be” Zac Brown

This was the first verse of the song I wrote about from the CD Dad made. I love it! We keep hearing it on the radio. I am a big Zac Brown Band fan. My favorite wedding song was Chicken Fried. My poor rock n roll husband listens to a lot of country :)

This once 12-13 hour trip from IN to NY is turning into a 36 journey! Since I could not drive last night we were off the road for about 7 hours. There has been a lot of rain, construction and accidents delaying our progress as well. Then there is the fact that we are not driving 80MPH - more like 60MPH. When we stop for gas or whatever else we take more time - we eat at the table, talk (it is a bit loud on the road to hold a real conversation from the front to the back) or just trying to figure out something! On our last stop we purchased an inverter (?) to plug my computer in via the 12Volt plug. We messed with it awhile and concluded it was not powerful enough to handle the laptop so we had to return that. Time suck!

The nice thing is that we can see how we will really enjoy living like this and that is going to be great when vacationing without a time schedule! We were originally suppose to fly back on 8/10 and Andy was going to start on a job on the 11th. Now he is really behind and won't get to start until Saturday the 13th. Not a big deal in the big scheme of things but he is fortunate to have a lot of work right now back to back so every day counts!

First Night....

Our original thought was to leave Mooresville around noon and then we made a list of what we needed to do before leaving -we left about 8pm last night.

Some of things we had to do was get a new battery, mattress (we threw the one out that it came with - gross!), laundry, pack clothes and food, wash the rv, pay the mechanic in beer and get some cash. The problem is....there were other things we should have done but didn't know that we should....

We were and still are trying to figure out what runs on what - the car battery, the second battery and the generator. The refrigerator didn't seem to be working so we were turning on and off the generator, re-charging the brand new marine battery, filling up the gas tank and a lot of screaming (from me!) Finally, after we realized we were going to be at Mom/Dad's for dinner we walked away (inside the house!). Dad made the best pork roast and though I am pretty much a vegetarian - I had to have some! When we went back outside the freezer was cool but the not the fridge. I got so frustrated! "What are we doing? We just bought this thing and we have NO IDEA how it works, etc" My very calm husband says "That is part of the fun of it" Oh boy, it is going to be an adventure for sure!

So, Dad was talking to a friend who is an avid RVer and he reminded us that we have a propane tank that runs all the appliances! Of course - another thing to factor in to my all ready very confused brain! Well by this time it is 7pm and there is no one around to service the propane tank. We think it is 3/4 full but we are not sure it is running. If the freezer is getting cold is it using propane or the battery or both? Still this is somewhat of a mystery to us (even if Andy says he knows..I am not convinced!)

The things we know for sure we need to get fixed or maintenced or do in NY: A/C fan is jammed so we have no central A/C (the truck one in the front it great though), service the propane tank, figure out all the hoses and READ THE OWNER'S MANUAL (Danny (Dad's friend) said tell them to read the owners manual - from beginning to end - first rule of a true RVer he said. Oh boy!)

Okay....Andy had went to Wal-Mart to get us a mattres pad - we both HATE Wal-Mart. We rarely go there but we needed a mattress of some sort for the trip out and Wal-Mart was closer than Target. I open it up and it is NOT what we wanted - it was mushy and yellow and just not right.

Now, we are packed up and have put the cold food in the freezer (the freezer was not freezing - just cool enough for keep things good). We decided to leave Mooresville, go to Plainfield return the pad to Wal-Mart and get the one we thought we wanted from Target. After doing all that it was about 9pm! We put the new Target set-up - memory foam pad, feather alternative topper and the cheap cotton protector down on the plywood bed in the back - it doesn't fit! It is hot, we are tired and the $180 "bed" isn't working. Target was closed and we were done. Like Scarlett O'Hara - I won't think it about it now, I will think about it tomorrow!

Dad had made us a CD for the trip - he is a music guru and was actually our DJ for the wedding. He is really good at it! The first song made me bawl - it was about living in van and traveling the country and even though we don't have much money it just the two of us. I need to figure out the name and artist. After I exhausted my tear ducts I went to take my sleeping shift. It was a bit bumpy in the back and I started getting very nervous about driving...

We stopped for gas (no idea what time) around Dayton, OH and Andy said I was not driving at night until I drove some during the day. He said it is heavy and catches the wind. I felt defeated. Now, I can't even drive our new home! (that sounded funny). But, I trust him and agreed we would just pull over and sleep until morning. So, about 2:30am he parked and I made him get out a take a picture. I was cracking up - we are parked in a big parking lot with a bunch of other truckers. Life on the road.

Good news!! We were expecting about 6miles to the gallon. Andy got gas twice and the first time was 9 miles per gallon and the second 10.5 miles per gallon.

When I got up this morning I was ready for my morning ritual - brush my teeth, go the bathroom, check my email and workout. I used bottle water but I did turn on the sink to rinse it down. I started to go to the bathroom and Andy suggested I not :) He said he wants to check all that out before we start using it. He said we were parked near a Bob Evan's. I had no idea where we where - city, state or place! I was like - Oh - I am going to the bathroom, get coffee and get on the computer - come over when you are done! :)

It was NOT Bob Evan's but Dutch Heritage - Amish style cooking. I still had no idea where we were and my phone was dead so no GPS to tell me. I looked up the restaurant and figured out we are in Bellville, OH - about 9.5 hours from Glen Cove, NY.

I have been stressing a bit about working out and living in the RV. I can run anywhere but I lift weights and do circuit training too. For now I will do it outside at a park or something I guess. But, I was not working out today anyway. That is something to think about though.

I am going to send some other pictures and do some more blogging today - since I will be awake! Hopefully, I can figure out how to get the outlets to work without the generator. Yes...this is an adventure.

First Trip....

Andy just washed the RV inside and out while I packed up our things. We are getting ready to embark on our first trip in our new home! After being in IN almost a month (Andy has only be here about 2 weeks) we are heading back to NY. Andy still has quite a bit of carpentry work up there and we need to replenish our savings account :)

Yesterday we took the RV to the shop to get a trip check - oil change, fluids, etc. I got VERY overwhelmed and started questioning what we got ourselves into! I was getting frustrated because I could not figure out the whole generator, battery, gas guzzling engine, charging the generator, turning on the lights and A/C - all of that electrical/mechanical stuff! I want know and understand so I feel more comfortable. Andy has a lot of patience and he was losing it very quickly with me. :) But...I think I finally figured it out and have determined our next major purchase will be Solar Panels.

We already knew that this was an option and the direction we wanted to go from the beginning. Andy is very eco-conscious and we had really wanted a diesel. However, after discussing the different options with his mechanic friend we quickly realized at our price range the best option was gas. And this 27' Coachmen LOVES to suck on the gas. So...we want to do everything we can do reduce our carbon footprint other ways. Some of the research I have done says that instead of buying a second generator we should install solar panels.

After getting everything running properly and purchasing a new battery for the generate...I attempted to drive the massive beast for the first time. It was a bit indimitating! It is big, heavy and the only thing I can see in my rear-view mirror is our bed! That is not helping me back up :) I am going to keep practicing so I feel comfortable. For now I will stick to driving on the highway and getting on and off the exits. But, will practice backing up and turning in a parking lot. It is nothing like driving my Pathfinder!

It is only a 12 hour drive from Mooresville, IN to Glen Cove, NY but it will be a good test drive :)

House Car

Andy and I bought an RV today! A 2004 with only 16,000 miles - a Coachman 27' Freedom - very basic but inexpensive!

I will post some more pictures tomorrow. We need to clean it first! :) Andy is going to take out the carpet in put in some wood floors. There is a few more things we will do in the next 30 days - fix a blemish on the outside, remove the decals (so bad!), slip covers, new mattress and new curtains.

One of the great things about RV living is getting rid of all our stuff. When we left Portland we narrowed our belongs to whatever would fit into our Pathfinder, 4x8 U-Haul(mostly tools, sewing machine and our bikes) and the 16' POD we left in Portland. Now... we need to drive out to OR to empty the POD. Some things we MUST keep - Grandma Ruth's paintings, Skis, Snowboard, Drums and some of our winter cloths. Everything else....will be left - sold, donated or put into consignment. Reducing our "stuff" is greatly reducing my stress level!

The next 2 months we will be in....NY, PA, MD, IN, MS, OR, CO...and those are just the ones we know for sure!

"That there, Clark, is an RV" or House Car as Josi says

Natchez, MS

Last week I drove from IN to MS with my parents to go see my brother, sister in-law and most precious baby girl ever - Morgan Grace (my niece!). Andy flew down from NY and Marcus picked him up in Baton Rouge.

This was my second trip to Natchez. It is cute little down in the South and the South is alive and well! During my first trip Marcus and I ran a 10K Race. That was a great way to see some history and the old antebellum homes. We were excited to show Andy around.

Marcus and Kyndee just moved from their very cool loft condo in downtown above the coffee shop to a beautiful spacious home just outside of town. Morgan is mobile and she demanded more room to crawl and very soon walk about! Frodo also appreciates the space so he run away from Baby Morgan's grabby hands! Andy and I were very comfortable in the spare room with a King Bed and Mom/Dad stayed their favorite room on the waterfront across the river.

Okay...the food in Natchez is all about being fried - catfish, biscuits, mushrooms, chicken - if it is edible it can be fried. Since my parents are on a life-style change and trying to eat healthy we didn't go crazy with the local fair!

Biscuit and Blues is a local restaurant that does serve the best biscuits. We all had to have at least a half of one with the Apricot Butter - yummers! B&B of course has fried chicken and catfish as favorites but we steered toward the just as good but not fried Po Boys - the chicken Po Boy is fantastic. There are several sides to choose from - the sweetest and most southern choice is the Sweet Potato casserole - brown sugar on top. With that for a side we passed on the bread pudding.
315 Main Street
Natchez, MS 39120-3461
(601) 446-9922

The Natchez Food and Wine Festival was the weekend we were down there. It is an annual event and since there is not a lot to do in Natchez during the very hot summer days we decided to attend one of the events. Kyndee and I love wine and we chose to do the Cheese and Wine tasting. It was $45 a person - so $90 per couple. It sounded a bit steep but since it was at the Dunleith Plantation we thought we would get a tour of the house, taste a bunch of wines, have a little bit of food and then spend some time in the bar downstairs. Well....that is not what Southern Wine and Spirits had in mind. We came in to the restaurant area sat down and while they passed out four very small pieces of cheese with four grapes we listened to a life info commercial. A man showed us how to use a knife we could purchase online (not there) to cut fruit into edible displays. We were not served any fruit (outside of the 4 grapes) nor could we purchase the knife - only a CD of his commercial. Then we were served four wine tastings. It was long time to sit through each weak description of the wine and cheese. At the end we wanted to buy a bottle or even a glass of the wine we liked the best - not an option! So...for $45 we got an info commercial, for pieces of cheese the size of a nickel and less than a glass of wine. VERY DISAPPOINTING!!!

After that we left Dunleith Plantation and headed to a Monmouth Plantation for a real glass of wine! The garden area is beautiful - despite the heat - we had to walk around some. The boys smoked a cigar outside. The waiter was so great and negotiated a piece of bread pudding from the chef (we were two hours too early for dinner). Monmouth has the best bread pudding in Natchez, MS. Not disappointing at all!
36 Melrose Avenue, Natchez, MS 39120.

Andy and I are looking forward to driving down to Natchez again in October. We will bring some Trader Joes and Whole Food goodies for Kyndee to cook up (the finer things in life!).