Addendum to Post of Oct 31

This morning I was really upset at the news that the checks might not clear until Nov 15. My daughter in law told me that it is customary, especially with a check in a large amount of money (she is in accounting and a Vice President of a fairly good-sized corporation), so I might as well just go with it. It is possible that they will clear sooner, and I will be happy if they do.

I'm determined not to let anything get me down, and I am so excited about what I will eventually be living and driving in. I think it will work out well for me if I can leave NJ and get the PA Turnpike over to Carlisle, take I-81 south to Winchester, VA, and stop at the Camping World there to have some things done before continuing south to Asheville.

I thank all the readers who are rejoicing with me at my good fortune to find exactly what I wanted, and I hope to meet you all in the future.

Another SNAFU

I didn't realize how long it takes for checks to clear, but was informed by Carolyn that her bank estimates 11 business days, meaning the rig won't be transferred to my name until the middle of November. This means that by the time I get to it, I will just start driving south, which is scary because it won't give me much time to practice.

If I had realized back in August what I was letting myself in for, I may have never gone through with it! But there must be a reason so I will just have to accept it. I just hope the weather doesn't get snowy or icy when it comes time for me to leave NJ. I am thinking of driving to Camping World in Harrisburg PA or Winchester VA to have the RV washed & waxed, some caulking re-done, and the de-winterizing done. I will probably add a water filtration system at the same time, and would love to have a water softener, although I will have to see how much money I have at that point.

Now I need to get insurance quotes. I just hope I am able to get started fulltiming before I'm too old to do it.

I NOW OWN HITCHHIKER II, & FORD-350 DIESEL

I finally made it! On the coldest day in New Jersey so far this year, I'm sure, I met my 5Ver and truck , and it was love at first sight. I don't have a clue what I am getting myself into, but I'm in for a great trip. I drove the diesel around the parking lot at the storage place, and will definitely have to get used to a diesel. I think I'm gonna love it though. The 5Ver is wonderful, even better than the pictures showed. It's been stored outside so the 1st thing I will do when I get to a warmer climate is have it washed and waxed. There will be a couple of minor things to do to it, but all in all I'm satisfied with the deal I got. The kitchen is beyond my expectations, and really the entire rig is better than I had hoped for. The very best part about it is that it is 100% paid for!

Because I don't drive in the dark very well and especially on unfamiliar roads, I opted to stay overnight in a motel here in Burlington, at an outrageous price that is double what I usually pay for me and two dogs, but it's warm, I have a 6 pack and a bag of chips, and they serve breakfast in the morning!

As it stands, as soon as my check clears Carolyn will send me the original titles, and I will get my plates, pay SD excise tax, and get insurance and then they are completely mine. I will then get the truck (providing my son can drive me over to NJ) and I will drive it during November while I'm trying to sell my Jeep. I'll be starting south the 1st wk in December. One nice thing about this 5Ver is that there are two entrances - one back by the kitchen, and one between the living/dining area and the steps to the bedroom. That means that even if I don't extend the slides I still have full access to the kitchen and to the bathroom/bedroom. I can sleep on the bed without extending that slide, and there is enough distance in the living area even with the slides in for me to walk through. When both those slides are extended there is a huge amount of space.

I think this was worth waiting for, and I am very satisfied with what I got. It is a perfect size for me plus the dogs, and I don't think many 5Vers have more storage space both inside and out, so everything I need to cook meals, clothes for two seasons, computer & accessories, plus all the other items needed in the course of everyday life will fit. And by the way, I spoke with my real estate agent yesterday and she told me that the buyers of my house in NC are extremely happy with their purchase, and especially with all the space they now have. It is wonderful to achieve a win-win situation and I think I did it.

On that note I will leave for now with the wish that all your travels are happy ones, as well as my own.

Rain all day long

It's been raining here since early this morning, so I suppose it was best that I wasn't driving anywhere today. It is a slow, steady rain, and not a bad day to stay indoors. I spoke on the phone with my real estate agent in Asheville, who told me they have snow, and although it is sticking to the grass the streets are just wet. If this is October, I don't know what I will be facing in December, but will take it as it comes.

Wish me luck for clear skies tomorrow in New Jersey.

And another delay....

Rural Dutchess County, NY, is really beautiful this time of year, with the trees all shades of red and gold. I have driven through quite a bit of it today, mostly lost. I had directions to the dog kennel but somehow got mixed up several times, but I arrived ok in the end. Dropped the dogs off for a few days, intending to leave in the morning for New Jersey and my new home on wheels. A conversation with Carolyn ended up in our deciding to delay one more day until Wednesday, since rain and wind are predicted for NJ tomorrow which would make checking out the rig a bit difficult and uncomfortable.

As I was trying to find my way to Hyde Park NY and the dog kennel I decided that I would get a GPS for sure, even though my son drove to the same kennel this time a year ago and we got lost going by his GPS directions. I really don't think I have ever felt the need for one, except for when I tried to find the train station in Greensboro NC back in August, although that was in the middle of the night which isn't a good time for me to be driving. I'll keep an open mind to getting GPS anyway.

My daughter-in-laws parents fixed a meal for us last night, of baccalao, which they usually make when I'm in town, and which I really love. We had vinho verde to go with it, and I was a happy camper. (Baccalao is codfish, vinho verde is a "green wine", I guess so called because the grapes are new, or "green". Any Portuguese out there who can say?)

So as of now I am still homeless, but hopefully only have two more days to go.

And more waiting.....

Will Tuesday ever come? I will feel so much better when I am no longer a homeless bag lady. I swear I will never live out of a suitcase again! Of course I still have a while to go before I crank that baby up and start south, but at least I can plan for it, start getting info together on routes, campgrounds, etc., and buying the things I will need (but not too much buying, lol).

Thanks Rob (brother) for the CA info. I'll be in touch with you. I miss everyone in chat, but it's just too hectic around here in the evenings, and by the time the kids go to bed I'm tired also.

New phone

My new Verizon cellphone came today via FedEx. I ordered it from the 3G Store on the internet and wanted something simple, not many buttons & icons. The salesperson told me about a particular phone that didn't have many bells and whistles, but after I ordered it, and now that it arrived, I see it has a camera and a lot of other features. When I get used to it I suppose it will be easy to use. I have it charged and now I will enter all the phone numbers from my old phone. I hate this part, but you have to go through it every time you get a new phone.

I also made reservations for boarding the dogs a few days next week. I'll go to NJ to see my new home & truck on Tuesday, and plan to drive back the same day unless I would hit the commute rush, in which case I will find a motel - a lot easier when you aren't traveling with dogs! I just can't wait, and plan to take loads of pictures. I will need to decide what to do with my Jeep. It isn't easy to sell a V8 right now, but as winter approaches the 4WD might entice a buyer. I know I won't get much for it as it is a '97 and has transported dogs since I bought it in 2003! I'll never be able to get all the dog hair out of it.

I want to run right out and start buying things for the RV, but I know I should wait. Carolyn promised me a list of what she considers "must have", but I won't get everything at once and will have to decide on the most important to me. I'd say that will be a coffee maker. I have a decent one from my house, but would like to find a more compact model for the rig. The second thing would likely be a vacuum cleaner so that I can keep up with the dog hair that is bound to be all over the place. I'm really getting excited about it, but not near as much as I will in the next couple of weeks.

A little "grandkid story" - I told Joshua something last night, and of course he asked "WHY?". I guess I didn't answer soon enough, because he then said "BECAUSE."