We Got a New "RV"

We thought at some point we would get a second vehicle since we are no longer on the road full time.  We first started talking about exiting the full-time RV lifestyle last July.  I remember thinking, "I hate the idea that we would no longer be RVing."  But that is not the only option.  In fact I'd say many RVers are part-time, half-time and sometime RVers.  That approach was appealing.

Our plan to sell the motorhome was followed by the idea that we'd take 1/2 of the proceeds and get a house and move into it.  The other thought was to take the other 1/2 and get a smaller RV.  Maybe a Class C.

That plan has evolved.  We got a new (to us) RV two days ago.  As Pam said as we were driving away, "Our new RV looks a lot like a truck".  We decided to get an F-150 and then move towards a travel trailer at some point.  Timing is important for us and that will be something we'll figure out down the road.

Realistically, we probably won't be ready to do some RVing for a few months.  But when the time is right, we may check into renting a travel trailer and seeing how it goes.  Meanwhile,

We are busy!

This time in the transition has been pretty exciting.  We are moving along on the renovations on our house and getting some great exercise along the way.

Monday I rented a sod cutter from Home Depot and wrangled with it for 3 hours in the back yard to cut up an area for Pam's garden.

I took the sod cutter back and still had time to rent an 18-hp tiller.  Despite this all being "young man's work", I enjoy it.  It gives me badly needed exercise and I look forward to it. Speaking of exercise, I know we need a lawn mower and while at Home Depot we picked up a battery operated Ryobi. 

This gem has potential.  It is powerful like gas mower and very light.  It is all plastic except for the blade and battery.  Pam tried it out while I was tilling.  

Another day, we went to a specialty lumber yard in Norfolk (Yukon Lumber) for some highlight/accent woodwork in the house.  

We're making progress and busy and enjoying things here.  Hope you are too, wherever you are reading this.  Thanks for joining us on the Roadrunner Chronicles!

On to Renovations

It is hard to imagine that two months ago we started on our sabbatical from full-time RVing.  We had originally planned to be in Red Bay, AL this week getting some minor repairs done and parking the Roadrunner on 4th Ave and 2nd St.

But things have a way of working out a little differently sometimes.  We connected with a buyer in February and headed back to Virginia Beach.

A couple of weeks Pam and I found a house and had three weeks before closing.  So we drove to Arizona and back and had a blast, seeing friends and family along the way.  We arrived back in time to sign papers and are new home owners.  We've been looking at renovation plans

and signing contracts right and left.  We are not doing the work on our house but are having it done.  The 7-week schedule began yesterday.  The major items are a new kitchen and two new bathrooms.

We have the benefit of having a talented Interior Designer daughter and an ace realtor son-in-law so they have some good contacts.  Plus we have seen the work they have done on their own house over the years.  And they (Jon and Kelly) close on Friday, Lord willing, on the sale of the flip house they just finished.

Pam and I are organizing the garage, making shelves and work benches.  Today we also spent time marking out the space for a garden in the back yard that I will be tilling.  Yesterday I spent time mowing the front yard after the dumpster was delivered.

Inside Dan put down a thin hardwood type material on the floors near the kitchen and bathrooms to protect them.

They have made good progress in the last couple of days

and we have been ordering materials and looking at appliances and tile etc.

This is going on while we have been attending to the fun stuff we get to do as grandparents.  We took the boys to the Virginia Aquarium which is always a treat.

And we get to spend time with them at the house.

And fishing in the lake behind the house.

So that's what we've been up to lately.  Now and then we get asked, "Do you miss RVing"? I usually answer, "We made the right decision and are very fortunate how it has turned out. We got to full-time for almost 10 years and loved every minute of it."

We'll have more to say on it and the transition from full-timing to re-establishing a "regular life".  We have much to be thankful for and are enjoying this adventure.  It's not better or worse -- just different.

More later and thanks for joining us on the Roadrunner Chronicles!  Hope you are well and enjoying where life is taking you.