Okay, so living in a 31' RV is quite doable. It is even enjoyable most times, if you discount lack of privacy, not being able to have people come stay with you, not being able to have people over to dinner unless it's summertime and you all gather outside, and not having a huge flat area in which to layout your quilt tops/batting/backing in order to finish your quilts. There's also that entire weird toilet thing going on. I think the toilet is the very worst part of it all, and for the last week we've been having toilet "issues"---such as the ball won't open to flush it, and then the water was leaking in and it not draining so at 2:00 a.m. Roy went in and sat down to pee and the Ball Buddies got dunked into cold water. Well, after vetching at him for a week to get the damn thing fixed, that worked. Now we at least have a plumber involved who hopefully gets here today and gets things back to their normal rather unappealing working conditions.
But when you live in a very tight space such as our RV, you MUST get into bigger digs every once in awhile. We have wonderful friends who invite us to their homes for outings and bbqs, so that helps. And we will be house/dog sitting for our friends Gigi & Scott for the next 10 days. They too have lived in a travel trailer and are acutely aware of how you need to stretch out every once in awhile. So whenever they have out-of-town plans, they generously offer their home and dog Keisha to us. We love it! We get to stretch out, watch full out cable TV (Whoohoo ten days of HGTV and the Food Channel), and we get our dog fix. Keisha is such a sweetheart and we love walking and cuddling and playing with her. Plus, we get to use the hot tub. So our lives will be like a 5 star hotel for the next ten days.
But the big one is.......WE HAVE OUR RESERVATIONS AND VOUCHERS IN HAND FOR URUGUAY!!! Yup, Nov. 4-13 we will be vacationing in Uruguay. Don't ask why Uruguay...why Italy, why Spain, why Sweden, why Morrocco....because it's somewhere we've never gone to see, it is different, it is intriguing, and Roy wants to check it out as a possible place to retire. Many good reasons--stable government, secular society, warm friendly people, temperate climate, affordability as in you can actually live by the beach without having a bank account like Bill Gates', good exchange rate so your money goes further, excellent health care at low rates, low crime, and did I mention there's an ocean?!!!
So for 10 days we will be living in Montevideo, Colonia del Sacramento, and Punta del Este. Punta folks...not puta!! We will also have a car at our disposal and want to take side trips to Mercedes, Punta del Diablo, Periopolis, and whatever else we find out between now and then and after arriving. It will be an adventure.
We had talked and discussed seriously the plan of just packing it up, quitting my job, weatherizing and storing the RV at a friend's place, and moving there for a year. But with all the ramifications and decisions that entailed, and all the stuff going on at work, and all the $$ we've been shelling out for insurance, dental work, RV repairs (i.e. toilet), etc. lately, I managed to work myself up into a frenzy and a whopping 3 day anxiety/depression attack. My sweet husband Roy finally said, hey, we don't have to make all these decisions. Let's just go to Uruguay on vacation for our 15th anniversary (!!!) and have a good time. If we love it, then we can come back and make plans. And in the interim, you can calm down and make plans of what we'll see and do while having a great time! Isn't he a smart guy? That's why I keep him around...plus he rubs my feet every morning after my shower, and doesn't leave the seat up!
On Monday all the documents came in and I printed them out and put them in a folder marked "URGUAY". Roy sent his passport photos in to renew his passport---isn't it weird how passport photos always make you look like a criminal or terrorist? Especially since that's exactly what you don't want as it may make it just that much more difficult or tedious to get through customs/airport checkins? They should have everyone smiling and laughing and looking warmly at a big photo of a beautiful baby (for women) or busty woman (for men) so they have delightful looks on their faces. But NOOOOOO, no smiling, no hats, no glasses, no facial expression. Jeez, I'm surprised they don't make you hold a number up over your chest. Anyway, the photos and documents got sent in for renewal. He did mention this morning when we were up at 3:00a.m. looking at photos of Uruguay on the web, that he hadn't paid the extra $25 to expedite it. I sure hope it gets here in time...it's less than 8 weeks away.
I can't wait. After the stress and concerns at my work for the last 6 months, leading to bouts of depression and anxiety on a semi-regular basis, I need fun and sun and just to get the hell out of Dodge! Away from Prescott, work, friends, family...everything normal even though it may be good. Away to something different and exciting and adventurous to prove I'm not a timid chicken shit old lady, but still the adventurous soul I used to be. And since it's our 15th anniversary, maybe a bit of romance thrown in would be nice. Are you reading this honey?????
Well, I'm off to the showers. The sun is rising, it's Friday and a 3 day weekend, so I'm going in early to have some time before the boss woman comes in and bugs me so I can concentrate on getting a few things done, then I can leave a bit early as have lots of stuff to get ready for the 10 day house/dog sitting excursion, and to do for next weekend's Jammin' In The Pines. Oh yeah, forgot to mention that besides all going on at work with the big 10th Anniversary celebration I'm having to do and all thebig shots from main campus coming in, and an IN basket overflowing on to the floor, and the toilet not working here, and starting to get things together for Uruguay, I've also thrown a party into the mix with a big buffet, friends bringing instruments to have music, and just a general end of summer party. Yup, I'm crazy and I SWEAR after Sept. 17 I am NOT planning a single thing and saying NO when asked to do things so that I can have some peace and quiet on the weekends. Do you believe that? Hmmmm, neither do I! But next blog will have recipes that will be used for the buffet, so keep your little drooling eyes pasted here if that's what you're interested in reading!
