This year, since May, we have replanned our journey more times than not. To start, our Spring/summer plans were disrupted by the confusion over warranty repairs on our RV. Our eviction from extended stay, brought us another quick replan. The mayflies in Monroe MI sent us indoors for, what should have been, a great time outside. Summer without a swimming pool in Hidden Lake, MI also kept us indoors, though we loved the campground. And our stay in Anchor Bay while gorgeous, was kind of limiting.
Then came our truck issues…
Cancelling our journey through 4-5 states, then using all that money to repair a truck was a little disheartening. I had plans for OK and TX! HGTV locales were calling my name. Yes it kept us safe from some dicey weather, but I didn’t get to buy candles from Magnolia Company! And Ree Drummond and I were going to have lunch at her Pizza restaurant.
Priorities people!
Added to all of this were the ups and downs of contract life.
I looked at Bruce one day and said,
“I’m tired”
I started to research a route for returning to Detroit after our month in Florida, hoping for one that would take us to new, or pre-loved places. Charleston was on our list, and maybe a return to Myrtle Beach for a few weeks. But as I looked at campgrounds and routes I just couldn’t get excited about any of them. When I started sharing my thoughts with Bruce, his response was,
“Then it’s not time to go”
That got me thinking…
If we stayed right where we are, bought an inexpensive car that I/we could drive for day trips, weekends away, visiting kids, and daily use, it might give us a chance to catch our breath from this ‘replanned’ season. So…decision made! We’re staying here, in Terre Haute IN, till next spring, (fingers, toes and eyes crossed). We can enjoy the fall/winter/holidays in a more moderate Midwest climate, and simply rest.
Bruce’s contract is going well, admittedly it’s still in a honeymoon phase, but he anticipates it will become long term, and probably be the last corporate work he does. It’s also full time, so while it doesn’t feel like 40 hrs a week, (FT for him is more like 60+ commute time), it doesn’t leave us as free to wander, as previous contracts have.
The day after we made this decision a couple walked by our site. They are full time RVers of 7 years! We had a wonderful chat. Both of them work remotely, with the occasional flight to a main office from whatever location they’re living in. Their lifestyle is one of seasonal living. Winters in FL/AZ and summers up north, with week long visits as they travel between. We were encouraged when we shared our current plan with them. They highly recommended it as an antidote for avoiding travel fatigue.
The next thing we did was to join the local YMCA. They had an October special, with a joining fee of $0! And the monthly fee for October based on the date you join, so ours was $6. I went to 2 senior fitness classes this week and all I can say is, OUCH! Driving, sitting to sew, sight seeing, and campfires have not helped my fitness levels at all. It’s a very small Y but this class had 56 participants. Someone even held devotions, afterward, for anyone interested. And the workout was pretty darn good. The best part?
I could actually do it.
We went to the Covered Bridge Festival in Bridgeton IN. Kind of a bust for me, it was like an enormous flea market, with state fair food vendors. Lots of friendly people, dogs, knicky knacky booths, Trump flags and signs…
All I really wanted to do was see the bridge!
The county holds the festival in various cities where the bridges reside. Apparently, Parke County, IN has the most covered bridges in the country. As we ate breakfast at one of the many fried food booths, one of the residents told us the best time to see the bridges is NOT during the festival…
Yup!
Our ISU, women’s, softball coach neighbor, has a dog named Dakota. She’s about 10, and is used to being with her owner all day. Unfortunately, this level of coaching has Dakota at home a bit more often than she’s accustomed to, so we’re helping out during away games. Milo didn’t even blink when we brought her into the RV.
Of course, there are always things that could come along to disrupt this current plan, I try not to imagine them. So, we hold it lightly as we live out our time here. The peaceful place and the friendly campground, have given us a neighborly life that we’ve missed on this journey. And Terre Haute IN, isn’t a city that will provide too much distraction for our future plans.
So right now, it’s the stationary life for us!
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