04.13.13 First weekend camping experience…….

We’re camping for the weekend at Wolf River Resort in Pass Christian MS.  This is our first experience just by ourselves and so far we’re really enjoying it.  I’ve noticed some differences in being here and living in our driveway and wanted to start off by sharing those.

The difference between sitting in our driveway and looking out the windows, or sitting outside here at the RV campground and watching people ride bike or walk their dogs or sit outside playing cars, is like dull vs. refreshing!  Yes we’ve been full time RVing since November but this is really the first time Roy and I have been away by ourselves to experience REAL full time RVing.

Several difference we’ve noticed so far:

We’re using someone else’s electricity so opening the screen door and the windows while the air is running is okay.  I wouldn’t want to do too much of that when we’re using our employers electricity but at any other campground that would be okay.  I know it’s not ecologically correct but having been brought up to turn every light out when not in use, this is a little taste of freedom!

There is nothing I NEED to be doing.  I’ve always felt I couldn’t rest or relax when there were things that NEEDED to be done.  While living in the driveway, there was always the house or the garage that needed something to be accomplished to get everything sold or the house kept in order to show if anyone wanted to see it!  Here there is only the choice between staying inside and resting or piddling and going outside and watching or going around and taking in the sights.  None of which has to be done so I can finally relax.  Roy says he feels the same way.

This morning I woke up and heard something outside and saw Roy’s side of the bed was empty so I thought he must have gotten up and gone outside to do something.  I got up and found him asleep on the sofa.  I realized that living in the driveway I’ve grown so use to knowing that if I heard a sound outside it was him.  Now it could also be someone else that’s parked near us, and it was.  That may sound very minor but in our little world it’s not!

We’re also use to being the only ones who can hear us talking when parked in our driveway.  Now we’re parked near, while not next to, other RVs and those people can hear us.  That one will take some getting use to because our private conversations after 40 years of marriage are unique and not necessarily for the outside world to hear!

Those are a few of the differences we’ve noticed first off.  I’m sure there will be many more as we experience more of this real RV full timing!

Some have asked us what our winter plans are after leaving Minnesota.  There is nothing specific planned yet but we will be applying to Disneyworld and Disneyland and other deep south campgrounds and resorts for the winter months.  If our house sells we’ll be able to be open up our working opportunities because of not needing the additional income, just wanting an RV site.  We would hope to pass through Louisiana around Thanksgiving or Christmas to be with family and see our friends and church friends.   I’ll be applying for those jobs soon since when they start hiring for winter and will post when we have something lined up.  Disneyworld is our preference.

Yesterday evening we had our first experience broadening our horizons outside of our lifetime of living in southern Louisiana.  We went to the Wal-Mart on the Gulf Cost and it was ON THE BEACH!  Seeing the beach in front of us when walking out the store door was amazing so I took a picture.  The sky was a brilliant blue and pink and the picture doesn’t nearly capture the depth of the colors.  This store is a super duper mega Wal-Mart, nothing like our little Hammond store which I always thought was a big one.  On the mayonnaise aisle just in the Hellman’s brand they had 8 different varieties.  We were like country bumpkins let loose in the big city.  If seeing a different Wal-Mart is a neat experience can you imagine what seeing the Grand Canyon will be like.  What sheltered lives we’ve led!

Time for me to get out of here and enjoy the beautiful outside life around here.  There have been so many thoughts I wanted to share that I had to get them down while they were fresh.  I’ll write more later.  I’m including one picture of Roy actually hooking up Boots to Dora for the first time getting ready to take him on his maiden voyage.  I took a bunch more pictures of Roy hooking up Boots behind Dora and he promises me he’ll dictate (notice I didn’t say he’d write it) a blog about all he did to Boots to ready him for the experience ahead of us.  When that day comes the pictures will help tell that story much better.

I truly hope everyone is having a warm clear day and enjoying it to its fullest like we are!

Ya’ll come back now ya’ hear!