Yesterday the day brought steady rain and 46 degrees. My
least favorite brand of weather, and I’m from Iowa! I will take snow and below freezing temperatures
any day over ice water falling from the sky. For the past 5 years ice water
rain has signaled one of two things. It is time to hit the southbound ramp of
the Interstate, or we came home too early. This year as I look out the window
at the miserable day, I have to tell myself, the worst is yet to come.
The number one rule of living a full time RV lifestyle is
flexibility and adaptability. Okay that’s two rules. The past two months have revealed
a number of ‘signs’ that we needed to think seriously about our plans to go to
Florida this winter.
After a lot of hand wringing and considerable over thinking
on my part, Champ and I had a long talk one evening a couple of weeks ago and
agreed we ‘could’ go south but we shouldn’t this year. Our daughter Kelsy had
offered us quarters in her finished basement several weeks ago when the writing
began to appear on the wall. We took her up on her offer and pulled the plug on
our long-anticipated winter plans to go to south Florida.
Once the decision was made the stress began to leave my body
and I started sleeping at night again. A sure sign that we made the right
decision. I was quite touched when many of our RV friends around the country
began to call and text to be sure we were okay. Facebook posts being what they
are my revelation in my news feed left out all the details. It was nice to know
that our vagabond friends are thinking about us as much as we think about them.
 |
| Buster in Texas 2017 |
Now my mind is focused on all the good things that will come
from being home. We will be in our daughter’s home with two of our grade school
aged grandsons. We will watch kids big and small blow out their birthday
candles in person rather than on our phone screens. There are friends whose
birthdays we normally miss that we will get to celebrate with. Christmas,
Thanksgiving, New Years will all be celebrated in jeans and sweaters with
likely frightful weather outside instead of on our RV pad patio in shorts and t-shirts
with Citronella torches burning. And we definitely won’t hear the sound of
crickets chirping as we walk or drive around looking at Christmas light displays.
In the meantime, we have rebooked our Anniversary cruise
that was scuttled by the ever present ‘C’ word. You know which one. (Hint- it
isn’t cancer) I have found a job serving in one of my favorite restaurants,
conveniently located just about a 5-minute drive from my daughter’s house. Champ
will eventually have a list of little projects either at our daughter’s place
or my friend’s house or here at the farm helping Randy this winter.
Speaking of my friend, one of the toughest things to figure out was what to do with my beloved Buster. 18 lbs. of lovable yet timid tabby cat. Kelsy has 2 adult cats and a Husky. All very nice animals, but my poor Buster is so used to a quiet, almost boring existence with us. I had to laugh when I realized we are the ‘old people’ that some cats live with. My good friend, whose house is as quiet as mine has agreed to foster him in her home with her cat.
 |
| Buster soaking up some love from Joyce in his winter home |
Today we will introduce him to her home and her cat
Penelope. He will be stressed but not as much as being introduced to 2 new cats
and a dog. We will spend the weekend packing and for the first time since
owning the motorhome, winterize it. We are so thankful to have the opportunity
we do. We have known many who have remained in Iowa in their RV’s and fought
freezing water lines and all the other misery of trying to stay in an RV in the
winter in a cold climate. We are very fortunate.
I am absolutely sure that as the winter goes along things
will unfold that will affirm our decision to stay present here. After a year
hiatus from a southern climate, I’m sure we will be more than ready to get back
into our routine next winter. But for now, we are in Iowa and happy about it.
Until Next Time
