The Leaving Begins

We spent this weekend prepping the wheely house for the next leg of our travels. Bruce needed a dedicated office space. Our recliners had been used enough that the covers were peeling and one of the chair pulls came off, making it unusable. The space lends itself perfectly to a desk/chair combo so Amazon and Sam’s Club here we come!

Bruce spent Friday afternoon assembling the desk that delivered on Wednesday. Then he loaded the recliners on top of each other and set up his new workspace.

He’s in love!

Saturday we dropped into the campground office and asked the young man who lives onsite if he wanted the recliners.

Yes, and YES!

Short drop off to his residence, where his kitty decided they were the perfect sleeping surface.

Next, Sam’s Club for an office chair. Online and Staples didn’t give Bruce the kind of look/feel he wanted, or the price. Sam’s had 3 and of course, only the Lazy Boy was the perfect fit, it’s the ‘Papa Bear’ chair. We also added a new cordless vacuum to the mix, ours wasn’t getting the job done. Oh! And an eyeglass adjustment at the Optical department.

Lowe’s for some parts to install, that will tie down the new office furniture while we travel. Walgreen’s for more Melatonin and personal grooming items, and finally a run through Aldi’s to fill out the fridge and pantry.

All in 4 inches of new snow…

Back home it was time to put together the chair, it chewed up an hour or so but so worth it! The chair outsizes the office space, but the comfort and support make it worthwhile. It will stay with us long after our RV days are over.

We’ve been debating whether or not to replace the existing couch with a couple of recliners. Once we had the office set up, and our dining table back in use as a dining table, we decided a couch is a better fit. Our current one leaves comfort to be desired, (and it’s beginning to peel), so we’ve been looking at Koala Couches. They’re lightweight, come in pieces, (important when getting them through the RV door) and they open into a bed that lays flat without hardware. Granted it’s flat on the floor, so maybe it will act as a deterrent to overnighters?

My current stand on visitors is “get a hotel room”.

It’s been snowy here in Terre Haute, and in the high 20’s. Icicles are all over the RV, snow is frozen on top of the slide outs. Bruce got a ladder out, and scraped it off today. He also tested out the slides, making sure they pull in properly. It’s going to get colder before it gets warmer, and he’s a tad concerned that they won’t move.

It was interesting for a bit, but they moved (sigh of relief).

We’ve also been purging, packing up, resorting, reloading, shifting clothing, bedding, making last minute purchases online and cleaning. Stink bugs still come out of hiding. The Christmas decor went into storage before the New Year. Outside items are stored. Trips made to Goodwill and drop offs at the office, for the folks who can use what we’re discarding. After 4 1/2 months we started to accumulate stuff.

Accumulation = too much weight.

Our neighbor, Emily, has already claimed our space. It was the one she originally wanted, but we ousted her when she didn’t pay her deposit on time. We’ve come to love and enjoy her, and her pup Dakota. She already has a fence around the yard space in our spot, complete with a heated dog house. So far, Dakota hasn’t been a fan. She’s a Georgia girl, deep cold and snow aren’t on her radar. They aren’t on Emily’s either.

We’re hoping to leave Thursday, the 16th. We have a reservation for 2 nights in Hartselle AL, just south and east of Huntsville, about half way to Gulf Shores. We’re hoping to go to Muscle Shoals, on Friday, where a big sewing machine store resides. My sewing machine has seen better days. I’ve taken it for servicing many times, and it continues to break down. After some feedback from my Scrappy Girls FB group, and a lot of input from other sewists, I’m planning to buy a Janome or a Bernina, but those Bernina gals are kinda cultish.

I’m not entirely sure I’m cult material.

Muscle Shoals is also the recording place for Aretha Franklin’s first major recorded hit. It’s famous for the recording studio where multiple rock and roll greats have recorded through the years. We may have to visit the museum.

Bruce may cry.

As we say goodbye to Indiana, our feelings are mixed (not really, because – cold). It’s been a wonderful place to catch up, recover and temporarily establish ourselves. So many unexpected blessings found us here. I’ve become known at Hobby Lobby’s fabric department. Their Christmas fabric prices and prints were unbeatable. I got to kibitz with fellow quilters sharing pics, tips and ideas. My sales person even wished me happy trails last week. And I’ve had 9 pieces quilted here – NINE! Here are a few…

The rest are gifts yet to be given. Our truck and RV repairs have been incredibly met, so many people have blessed us. And Bruce’s new consulting gig has become established.

Did I mention we are cold?!

So we enter the snowbird life. No apologies and you won’t hear us say, “We’re not that old”. We are that old and we’re not sorry! Escaping winter is one of those time honored activities for senior citizens. We don’t plan to join the bingo games or karaoke nights, but being in a warmer climate with better outdoor living options, is nothing to sneer at. It’s worked well for many seniors through the years.

We’re happy and blessed to be among them.