Let the Journey Begin!!!!

Home for the next year!  

Retirement will be a reality in one more week.  Then I become a gypsy for as long as I am physically/ mentally capable and have the desire to do so.  Over the past year I have divested myself of many (about 80%) of my life long collections and material goods.  It has long been my dream to travel the highways and backroads of our country seeing all it has to offer.  This journey becomes reality on August 28, 2013.  I have been researching and gathering up lists of things and places I want to visit, essentially creating a bucket list, if you will, to start checking off.  Over the first two months the plan is travel from New Hampshire to Florida and then on to Arizona where I plan to spend the winter.  There are stops along the way starting with two weeks in Pennsylvania.  Then on to Asheville, NC where I will spend a few days with a granddaughter and visit Biltmore Estate (checking off the first thing on the bucket list) and other area attractions.  

Then I am thinking that Charlestown, SC or somewhere along the sea coast will be nice with some time in the warmer salt water.  On to Orlando, FL and a somewhat solitary visit with Mickey and Minnie.  I am looking forward to just wandering through the parks at my leisure.  Then comes time with a friend from my military days whom I have not seen for 43 years.  This will be one of the highlights of my trip and one I have long looked forward too.  It is my hope that I will meet many of the women I have become friends with over these past few years online through groups that are made up of strong independent women who have been or are planning to live the gypsy life as well.

I am allowing two months to get to winter quarters in Arizona where I will be playing in the activities department at Quail Run RV Resort in Arizona, City, AZ for the winter.  I call it playing because it is right up my alley working with people to have fun.  I love watching others have fun and maybe along the way I can share some of my talents as well.  

So how do you decide what you can NOT live without for a year.  I am very limited on space not having a motor home or bigger trailer so really have to make hard decisions and decide what I absolutely have to have not what I think I have to have.  Do I take jewelry supplies, do I take cross stitch supplies, oh what about miniature flower or hat supplies, none of which I have used in over two years.  But, then again I will have more time and they do not take up that much space or do they?  Is it cheaper to clear cabinets of food and take it with me paying the extra for gas with the added weight or give it all away and buy new when I get there.  Spices will have to go with me and from there ????? Big TV, smaller one or both??? Pie plate, roaster, muffin pan and the list goes on!  I think I will drive myself crazy over thinking everything before I pull out of the yard.. And there are stores along the way, yard sales abound to find things I didn't think were necessary.  So what the heck am I worried about it is not like I am going up the Amazon or to the top of Mt Everest.

I have added a used 5 speed bicycle to my collection along with a rack to carry it on.  I thought at first I was going to have to add training wheels as I had not been on one in more than 30 years but I think with a little more practice I will get the hang of it.  Put in a new sleep number bed, added new storage removing a couch that never got used for anything other than to put everything on that had no other place.

OK the week is done and the weekend is here.  Packing to proceed with caution and a thought of how much weight I am adding.  Time for a little R&R before bed.  Enjoy my claw foot tub while I still can.

Posts to come more frequently now that life is moving in a new direction again.

Until nex time..............

Labor Day weekend on the road again.

This is the first time I have left the house for a trip since coming home in June.  It has been a long summer cleaning and clearing out to put the house on the market.  But about this weekend.  My son, Chris, and I left on Fri for the trek to Maine a whole 3 hours away.  We would be staying at Outdoor World in Moody Beach, one of my favorite campgrounds in the ODW resort system.  The Maine coast is so wild and free at some points and others there are sandy beaches just made for a walk.  I am not a lay on the beach and roast kind of person, but love an evening walk.

On Saturday I took Chris on a ride along the coast and to check out the Bush compound at Walker's Point.  He had not been there before so off we went.

Don't know if the Bush's were in residence this weekend, but hey the it belongs to one of our former presidents. 
 Flea markets were next on the list - didn't buy anything but had fun looking.

Next on the agenda was the Lobster Pound for dinner.  I do not like the idea of killing them myself, but I can eat them when someone else does and they cook them for you.  Dinner coming up with fresh corn on the cob what more can you wish for.

This is for all my RV sistahs who are not close to the shore!!!!

Steamer were to big to suit me so we didn't get them as well.  YUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I know you can taste them as well.  Cholesterol here we come.

Sunday it was off to visit Kittery Trading Post - I did get a lamp to put on my head for walking Duncan in the dark so much easier than carrying a flashlight and trying to find the poop in the dark. LOL!!!

As many of you know I have a passion for lighthouses so we went to find Nubble Light in York, Maine.  I have heard of it over the years but never been to see it.  It is beautiful, but not the Portland Head Light which is still my favorite.  We spent a fair amount of time sitting in traffic going into Ogunquit, but the lighthouse was well worth it to me.

OH!  I forgot Sat night we went for a walk on the beach just after the moon came up over the horizon.  It was so pretty.

As we walked back to the truck the sky over the inlet where we parked caught my eye so had to include that picture as well.

After we left the lighthouse we went to a local ice cream stand Brown's for a cone, a kids cone there anywhere else is a medium, and then back to the campground to feed Duncan and walk him before dinner.  Chris treated me to dinner at the Steak House in Wells.  A not to miss restaurant and no I forgot to take a picture of dinner.  We got there late and had to wait about 90 minutes, but so worth it. 

Monday we spent the morning just sitting around and packing up to come home.  Left Maine about ll and were home by 2:30 having taken a break stretch, let Duncan out and to have a picnic on the way.

It was so nice to get away and not think about the house and all that still needs doing here.  Nice to rest and relax for a change.

Until next time...............