Our first visitors!

It's been two weeks since I last wrote, and it wasn't for lack of inspiration. Plenty has happened around our little abode, one of the things being that we ran out of data for our internet. We can buy more at any time, but we talked to a certain company and they assured us that they could provide us with internet, satellite internet and high speed!  Sound too good to be true? Yes, it was. We phoned them back a week later to arrange the hookup, drop off, meeting...whatever it is they had to do, and the person who answered said, "Oh, we have satellite television, but we don't have satellite internet. Besides...you're out of our internet coverage area." This may seem ridiculous, but it's about par with everything else we've experienced. We had one lady (different company) tell us that they had satellite internet, but we couldn't move the RV for 2 years because they had to hardwire it in, and only did a free move every 2 years. Huh? That makes no sense, but we couldn't convince her otherwise. So, we are continuing the search, and in the meantime, I may purchase more archaic internet from the campground. I say archaic because it's so slow it takes hours to do one blog upload.

So, what's new? Well, we spent a week back at the old house trying to get it cleaned out. We couldn't bring the RV because the transmission is gone in the truck, and as I write, we are still waiting for it to be fixed. Instead, we stayed with my Mom and had a wonderful time. The dogs love my mom. It's like they know that she's special because she's Grandma. They are as bad as the kids...Manny cries when he sees her house, he's so excited! Of course, we are excited too! She spoiled us, fed us like royalty, and wouldn't let us do a thing! I finally told her pay back was coming when she came to visit us. She wouldn't be allowed to do anything but relax.

Manny in the arms of his Na-Na....I wasn't sure he was coming home with us!

When we went home, my in-laws came out to visit us! Our very first visitors. I was a little nervous, I really wanted them to see the charm of what we were doing, and why we loved our new, strange life so  much. It's one thing to do something that you love, it's another to show it to someone else.  They brought their RV, a 33 ft bumper pull, and we managed to get them a spot in the campground. That's one thing that has amazed me, the campground is still full and it's nearly October. I'm sure in some places that might be normal, but here, it's dropping down to freezing temperatures at night, and there are still people pulling into the campground.

While the in-laws were here we did a lot of fishing, Heather (my sister in law) and Jack (my father in law) joined us on our morning walks and brought their two dogs, Scruffy (a Shit-tzu) and Darby (a Cocker Spaniel). It was nice walking with them in the mornings, all the dogs running around having a great time.

Heather and Jack ahead of us with the dogs.

Jack, Allan, and the dogs.

Jane (my mother-in law), William, Heather and I did a little shopping in town and I showed Jane some of the stores our small town boasts. While we were in town, Allan and Jack took off fishing. We all met up that night and went to the little pond that is in the campground so that the kids could go fishing. The campground owners stock the pond with rainbow trout. Although it's a small pond, it boasts some large fish. The lighting was wonderful that evening, so I took a few pictures <giggle>.

A huge trout Jack caught. He said it was the biggest he's ever brought into shore.

Allan teaching Heather to fly fish.

Pretty.

Jack, looking to hook that big rainbow again.

Jack furthering Heather's fly fishing instruction.

William watching his Daddy fish, net in hand.

A smaller trout that Allan caught. William's ready with the net.

We had a great time with the in-laws here. We were all sad to say goodbye. I hope that means that they will be visiting us again soon. 

There are a few other things on the list of happenings lately. My mom and Sam are coming up to see us this weekend. We're all very excited about that! We are in the process of getting the RV ready for the winter as well. I think I will devote a blog entry to that and all that we have done, including what Allan has done to organize the basement. I may also make a separate blog about how I've managed to fit everything into our RV and still have room to breath, haha. I may take some videos of everything too. I've also been hired (officially now) by Allan's company to clean their office and the crew house. The crew house will sleep up to 5 guys at a time. I have to wash the bedding and clean everything. That's where I am as I write this...they have internet! The crew house is clean right now and I'm just waiting on bedding that's in the wash. It gives me a chance to blog. Until I get internet at the RV, this may be the only time I have to post. William's plugging away at his schooling and doing well, I'm still making survival bracelets to sell to send Sam to Nicaragua with H.A.N.D.S (Helping Another Nation Develop Schools) at Easter next year. I've also been knitting dish cloths. I love knitted dishcloths! They just work so well!

I'm sure there's more that I could say, but that's probably enough for one day. I wish that I could write more, but internet is such an issue. Soon enough I will be able to write more often. There's so much more that I would like to share with everyone. I find that my thoughts get jumbled if I wait too long. Everything wants to come out at once, and it doesn't all fit <gig>. I'll post again as soon as I can.

More to life than hotdogs....

Nothing quite says camping like roasting hot dogs over the fire. Every time Allan and the kids and I would go camping, that would be our first meal. We would set up camp, gather firewood, and start the fire. Once there was a good set of coals burning in the depths, out came the hotdogs. Everytime. Except...now that we live in our RV.

We are on week three of full-time RV living and we haven't had a single fire. We don't have any firewood gathered...and we haven't eaten a single hot dog. Not one marshmallow has been consumed either! I know... I think we may have committed a camping crime. I'll keep an eye out for the Fish and Wildlife officers. I'm sure eating hot dogs while camping is part of their jurisdiction right? Eating fish and deer and moose are, so that makes sense.

If we haven't been eating the normal food of camping, what have we been eating? The simple answer is, "Whatever we want." If you're looking for food ideas for camping, this may be a strange site to be at. We have eaten spaghetti, lemon and dill salmon, lasagne, couscous, etc. How do I cook these things in an extremely small kitchen? Careful planning. Lol.

For example, tonight we are having meatball chill and fresh baked bread. I did the chili in the slow cooker at 11am, and then did the bread in my toaster oven at 1:30pm. I did one at a time, and cleaned up completely after each one so that I would have the room for the next one.

Our Meatball Chili cooking

The risen bread dough, just put into the toaster oven. It just fits.

The bread fresh out of the oven, cooling off and filling the RV with mouthwatering goodness.

The RV kitchen in action.

It is a bit of a juggling act, I admit. It's not impossible though, and as far as I'm concerned, it's totally worth it! As soon as the bread is out of the oven, and the oven has cooled, it goes back into our bedroom closet, freeing up the sink space. Once the bread is cooled, it is wrapped up and put into the microwave. Yes...the microwave. I use it as a bread box, haha. Why not, really? Then I have 2/3rds of my counter space back in time for supper, when all I need do is dish up. 

While all of these high-wire acts are going on, William is doing his homework at the table, and the dogs are moving from sun patch to sun patch soaking in the rays and napping. It's quite peaceful most days, and I'm really enjoying it.

William hard at work while Manny lays in the sun on the couch.

The real test for me will be next week. We are planning on possibly taking the RV back to our hometown for a week while we finish up all the details on the old house. It's currently riding on whether or not our new truck passes it's inspection, and if we can get the 5th wheel hitch into it in time. If all goes well, the RV will be moved for the first time since we brought it to this spot. It's a little scary for me because I've moved a lot of stuff into the place since we first got here. I think I have it all in such a way that we can easily pack up and go, but I don't know for sure. Perhaps I'll let you know nest week ;-P

Settling in

Gunner hanging out at the front door.

It's been two weeks since I last wrote. So much has happened, I have no idea where to begin, or what to include. I can't include it all, or I would be here all day and I barely have the time for this as it is. I guess the best place to start is at the beginning.

On Saturday, August 25th, we went and signed our lives away on our future home. It was super exciting to finally see the place after all of the waiting and the planning. Part of me was scared that it wouldn't be as wonderful as I remembered it, that I had somehow put it on a pedestal for which it didn't deserve.  I needn't have worried. It was everything I remembered and so much more!

Left: Our old RV ; Right: Our new home

That Sunday was a long day. Allan and I drove the 300km north to pick up his boss's pick up and then drove 300km back to the dealer to pick up the RV. Why would we do such a thing? Well, even though Allan's truck is a 3/4 ton, it's still not big enough to pull our RV, so we borrowed a 1 ton. It was a 6 hour drive, then we hooked up to our new home on wheels and took it to the Wal Mart near our house so that we could load it up. Between family visiting to see the new digs, and loading everything in, we were going until after midnight.

Following my 'house' at 7am on Monday

The following day, Monday, we were up at 4am. We packed what we had left into the truck, car and RV and hit the road north. We knew where we wanted to put the RV when we got there, but we still had no idea if the campground was full or not. The last time we had talked to the owners, the place was completely full. We really had no idea where we would end up, but Allan had to work still that day, so off we went.

Monday was a very strange day, and a story in and of itself. Perhaps I'll write about it later. Long story short though, the dogs locked us out of the car half way there, we ended up at a horrible campground by a golf course for 4 hours, and in that small amount of time, I nearly practiced infanticide on someone else's kids (does it still count?). We also learned the joys of RV living. Number one joy on my list....you can change your neighbourhood any time you want, and we did! By 10 o'clock that evening we were exactly where we had wanted to be. God smiled on us and a spot opened up at our campground...and we are still here as I write!

The view from my dining table tuesday morning. The building you can

just see through the trees is the laundry. I walk a dirt path through the woods to do my 

washing...it's kind of cool.

Tuesday morning I woke up totally refreshed and feeling great. Our bed was super comfortable, the temperature was perfect in the RV, it couldn't have been a better sleep. I made Allan lunch and coffee and sent him off to work, then sat at the table and thanked God for the amazing blessings He gave us. 

As you can see from the above photo, this is the view from the dining table. It's not for everyone, but I love it. I love the woods, the smell of the woods, the sounds, the animals. It's great! It's not an ocean view, or a mountain one. It's not anything real 'woohoo' that would make it on a calendar....but it's also not my neighbour's house, or an alley, or smog. I don't wake up to the sound of car alarms and vehicles running and people yelling at each other. I wake to the sound of squirrels chattering and birds singing. There are magpies, ravens, whiskey jacks, blue jays, and a million different small birds...it's perfect.

There's a cutline behind the RV that leads to a farmer's field. I checked with the campground owner and she said that we are welcome to walk there, just no atv's. I take the boys (Gunner, Manny, and Willy) on a walk down the cutline and through the field every morning. It's been great. Everyone is tired by the time we get home, and then the dogs sleep all day and Willy isn't talking my ears off (he does that when bored, lol). So for anyone who may think that my Lab or my 12 year old boy will suffer living in an RV...you may want to look at these pictures before you judge. They are all getting more exercise than they did before we moved here. I think they have more space too *wink*.

The view from the top of the cutline looking into the field.

The view from the field looking up into the campground. You can just

see Willy's bedroom window. He has the best view!

Gunner, tired and covered in morning dew from the grass in the trees.

Willy and Gunner, looking handsome and rugged.

Gunner and Manny. Manny had troubles keeping up the first few days. He's nearly 7 years old, 

but he's leading the way some mornings now.

We are heading into week three soon of RV living. There is still much to do. We need to finish cleaning out and fixing up the old house so that we can put it up for rent, we have to skirt the RV before winter hits, organize the RV basement, and...and...and a million other things. We are loving our new life though. So far...no regrets.