Thursday, November 03, 2016

Making Adjustments

Shew! Preparing for an extended time away from home - even if home is a site in an RV park - is a lot of work.  We will be leaving CA in a week and flying out of OR to TX in *8* days!  Then we'll hit the open seas for 7 days.  Our plans were set.  The kids would spend the week with BreZaak. Yuuki would spend the week with my parents.  We'd fly out the 11th and be back the 19th. We'd Thanksgiving back here with Mom G and then go to Eugene for appointments on the 28th.

 Plane tickets are purchased. Cruise transportation was booked from Houston to Galveston and back again. Shore Excursions are booked. We scoured the clearance aisles for a few pairs of shorts and capris to wear.  The VA called and added another day of VA appointments after Thanksgiving in Eugene.

I filled out the "application" to be accepted as a new patient at a doctor's here in town. Still waiting to hear if they've accepted me. I need someone to draw  labs and prescribe my thyroid meds. I had no idea how hard it would be to find a doctor in a small town.

We have been FLOODING in our spot. We have a moat on rainy days....and the spot we think we'd love came available today. We talked with the office and they will let us move into it when we come back in December. We'll go from a set electrical rate to a metered rate - but we'll be farther from the road AND the smell of fried chicken and jo-jos. We currently back up to a storage facility, which is in back of a gas station/convenience store.

Things got a bit complicated on both ends of our trip.  We are THRILLED  Michael's sister invited Mom G to spend our  time away with her.  We are working logistics. Mom G can't ride in either of our cars. If we get too many cars in OR, how will we get them all back down here? The car MUST go with her - or we can't transport her. What all do we need to do to make sure she is ready for her excursion too?

 Michael has been in discussion with a couple in FL since July. We waited for finances to line up. We contemplated our needs and if this would work. It made it through the hurricane. We contracted with an RV inspector to drive over and inspect it. He sent us a 45 page report  yesterday afternoon. He found things we'd expect to find on a 2008 motor home. He is running a test on all fluids - that will be back at the end of the week. Pending a favorable outcome, we've put down money for a purchase option/deposit on THIS big, reddish, brownish baby! It's bigger than I'd hoped for, but that comes with extra storage.

It's a Damon Astoria. It has bunks. We're looking for ways to modify or add a third bunk. We are sad to lose the back bedroom in the Caboose - but this is one I can drive - or so I've been told. I'm not a fan of RV interior design, but we can live with it for a bit.  It DOES have two couches AND the driving seats, so we'll all be able to have a comfortable seat in the living area. This will be nice for all sorts of reasons.  We'll post more photos and info when we take possession of it.
Looking from front passenger side
Looking from the front behind the driver - bathroom and beds are in the back 
We purchased our tickets with points. We'll probably have to forfeit the return trip and purchase new tickets from Houston to FL.  We'll take possession on the Monday morning after our cruise, and begin a race across America to OR.  So sad we won't be able to fill in all those states on our map!!!!! We think it will take 5- 12 hour days. It may well take longer. Michael is counting on me being able to be a great Motor Home driver. In any event we have to be back in OR for VA appointments on the 28th of November.  NOW we have to work details of insurance, rework plans for the kids, figure out what we need for that trip.  And we're dreaming in the midst of it all!  I know some will think this is frivolous - but we WANT to travel America and Michael says we've reached the point where I need to be sharing driving honors. It can't be much different than a 15 pass van.  Michael's 2 1/2 year search has come to an end.....now we need a name.....