Moving Michael

Working as a seasonal means living in different places and can include moving your trailer in this case to Page, Arizona.  Yet many views may sidetrack...

On my way Home

Nothing much left at Mom’s house except the mess, which someone else gets to clean up. The sale was Very successful. Most of the furniture sold on Friday and we dollared them to death on Saturday. There wasn’t enough left to open on Sunday so Auntie Kay and I went to breakfast.

Monday morning, after an oil change for the truck, I picked up the 6x12’ U-Haul trailer. Then with much help loaded what I’m taking to Arizona, some to Mom and some for me.

Tuesday morning I hit the road north through some pretty desolate oil and ranch country. Sure are a lot of fancy gates into these vast landscapes.

Made it 375 miles to a Del Rio, Texas RV Park. Hoping to get to Van Horn today. Takes SO long to get out of Texas.

Having a Sale

With all the trials and tribulations I’ve been going through moving my Mom over the last two months I’m finally in my element.

The last two weeks I spent packing about half of Mom’s belongings. She has multiples of Everything and is a hoarder. The plan was for her to move into an Independent Living apartment but she’s really not up to that. So, she ended up in Assisted Living in a beautiful private home north of Phoenix and about 50 miles from my winter home.

This meant that she didn’t need all the “stuff”, especially kitchen stuff which she has at least 3-6 of anything you can think of. Mostly vintage 1960s.

So now I’m unpacking many of the 40 banana boxes and spreading it around the house. Had a lot of help today from my Auntie and a wonderful neighbor lady. Even presold some furniture to other neighbors.

Stack being moved to AZ

Tomorrow I finish the set up and Saturday and Sunday it’s time for a Sale. Come on by to buy.

Busy packing

The work begins. Have found a place for Mom to live in Arizona only 30 miles from my winter home called My Father’s Retirement Ranch. We are shooting for a move in on April 21st. So much to do before that: airline tickets for us both to AZ and then me back to retrieve my truck/camper, rental cars on each end, getting a mover,  selling Mom’s big Lincoln, putting her mobile on the market, hiring someone to clean up the remaining yardsale stuff and clean the house, and packing boxes. Anybody need a job?

Goodbye old girl

Me & Carson in Vicksburg, AZ 12/04

I’ve been living on the road in some sort of RV for 14 years now.

Carson in San Benito, TX 4/05

Most of you know I’ve just bought the newest and nicest RV of my life. And I’m loving it.

Mancos, CO 7/05

Yet it’s not easy to say goodbye to this old girl.

Carson in Yarnell, AZ 10/05

She’s taken me many places in the last six years.

Cave Junction, OR 4/06

Not new by any means. This 27 foot 1977 Wilderness has covered some miles.

Siskiyou National Forest, OR 8/07

Originally from Oregon, I had someone rebuild the inside to my specs.

Colleen by Havasu City, AZ 10/07

I made it my own by covering the walls and flat spots with my chachkies stuff.

Yarnell, AZ 2/08

I learned how to hook up to her alone. OK, there may have been some swearing.

Carson at Grand Canyon NP North Rim 4/08

I never really learned to back up very well. But there’s a lot to be said for going forward.

Yarnell, AZ 11/08

I fixed plumbing leaks and finally paid to replace the water heater. In fact that job introduced me to Mike.

Yarnell, AZ 4/09

And we both lived in this small space five months last summer.

Grand Canyon NP North Rim 5/10

Now as much as I’ve grown comfortable I’ve also been looking to upgrade for several years. Guess now the time was right.

What next? She’s been bought by a neighbor who plans to make her into an art studio. I look forward to seeing this transformation.

And I really enjoy the view now that she’s gone.

A helping “hand”

Help!   Push the button Please! I’m stuck in the slide out.

My version of “Thing”

Well, not really. Just having fun with one of the few chachkies/decorations that have made it in. More moving today, 50 feet to the little house and old RV. Back and forth. Back and forth….. Sure could use extra hands.

Settling in

Mike and I spent yesterday cleaning and rearranging the little house. This time we’re moving in together. And we both have too much stuff for such a small place.

That meant I wanted the computer desk by the only window you can see out when sitting down. The view is great once the slide in camper is back on the truck and not in front of the window.

So we had to adjust things a little by moving the furniture in this one room house (OK, there’s a bathroom).

Plus Mike got the 5th-wheel parked, leveled and hooked up. A real treat for me not having to do that alone. I sure love the way he spoils me.

We’ve been slowly moving some things out of the 5th-wheel/closet.

Mike made a coat rack

It won’t ALL fit in the little house, but I’ll be working some more things in here and there.

To see more of what people are doing around the world, or to share your own world, go to My World Tuesday by clicking here.

MWT - Moving Day

Old water heater in 5th-wheelI was supposed to move out at the end of the month, but I procrastinate. (Read more here.)

Projects past and present

Shells from Padre Island, Texas, and water bird skull from the Salton Sea, California
I collect things, lots of things, too many things. I love my gifts from the earth the best.

Almost empty living room
I’ve been emptying the 5th-wheel to give it a good scrubbing and paint the ceiling, in between way too much time online.

Just one stack
Upon digging into the deepest corners I’ve rediscovered things I haven’t seen since I moved in five years ago. Plastic tubs mostly full of feathers, rocks, shells, bones, antlers, leather, furs, gourds, and crochet thread. I’ve used pieces of these things for craft projects in the past and may need them again. I didn’t empty the bead cupboard, it’s tightly packed, closed and contained.

Personal jewelry
Then there’s the jewelry I also collect, some for personal wear, and some for future resale which I call my retirement. Plus all the dust collectors I wrapped and packed when moving from the Grand Canyon. And let’s not forget books.

What to do with it all?

Piles of stuff
I really like Ruth’s idea at Body Soul and Spirit about simplicity. I’ve tried to simplify, after all I live in a 27x8 foot RV. Now I’m looking at these piles of stuff and wondering how it all fit.

Actually, I’m procrastinating the “scrubbing” part of this project. Does anybody LIKE cleaning?

The Little House

So yesterday I rearranged the furniture, and there’s quite a bit of it considering the house is about 15x50 feet, plus a bathroom. Used to be a garage that got added on to. And Berta likes furniture, especially old wood.

Kitchen before
I borrowed a little wagon from Berta and began packing boxes from the RV kitchen.

Kitchen after
Not absolutely everything, just the basic things I use regularly. The idea is to get rid of some stuff, like the survival canned food that’s getting rusty on the back of the pantry shelf.

Before

There are two big windows at each end of the house and I wanted a view from the living room where the last renter had the bed by this window.

After
Next, the RV living room, and again not everything. Some books and of course the computer.

Before
Having no interior walls makes it easy to rearrange.

After

Before
And what a luxury to have more than a closet sized bathroom, with hot water.

After

Almost open for business. Just kidding.

SWF - Back to Yarnell Sunset

Gotta’ love the view out my back window. I can take gorgeous sunset photos almost every night. (Note to self: wash the windows.)

Yesterday I got the 5th-wheel off the truck and leveled. Then I rearranged furniture in the little house on the property so I can move in. At least for a little while I’ll have space to spread out. The plan is to empty the RV of everything, high grade some things out and have a yard sale, then scrub the place down and paint the ceiling. This will make it like moving back into a new RV. Of course I also need to replace the hot water heater, and although not cheap is much less than replacing the RV.

To see more beautiful skies from around the world, or to share your own, go to Sky Watch Friday by clicking here.