Rain in Charleston

Yesterday we drove from Brookings to Charleston. The day started out beautiful and sunny but by the time we arrived in Charleston it was raining - but not for long it seems. I hooked everything up in the rain and then it quit in time for me to check out the beach. It's a nice beach, good for a long run with Cooper this morning!

The RV park is nice. They have movies to rent in the office. I tried getting my TV to work last night so I could watch a movie they were showing on the local cable but I never could get it to work. Each time I'm out in "Ellie" I discover new things about making her more a home and less a "camper". Hooking things up properly and more quickly is the key to my success! My dad has shown me numerous things to make life a little easier on the road. Yesterday he gave me a TV cable because I didn't know I should travel with one in case they have cable TV at the park. The things I'm learning! Now, if I can just get the TV to recognize the cable! Not that I mind really....I'm not much of a TV watcher anyway and I'm in the middle of a pretty good book.

After we arrived at the RV site we went to lunch at a great little cafe down the street and I had a sourdough bread bowl filled with homemade clam chowder. Since I'm blogging I really should write more notes because I can't remember the name of the restaurant we were at. After eating we went to Walmart and I got a clamp on desk light so that I can read in bed. The overhead light above the bed/sofa casts shadows on my book and the desk light is above and behind me and works perfectly for reading! I have it clamped to the magazine rack on the wall - doesn't look great but it works and I'm happy to be able to see the print in my book. I also took a little step stool that I had and I use that as my end table. Improvise, improvise.....

After shopping at Walmart we went to an RV sales/service place where dad wanted to pick something up. I thought I'd ask them about my slideout. Seems that it's dragging on one side when I slide it out. I noticed it when the panel under the dinette bench was bending when the slide was going out so I'd slide a little and then KICK the panel with my shoe, slick a litte - KICK. It was a slow process but I didn't want the panel to break. It's already cracked a bit and I know it'll be an expensive fix to get it replaced. So I asked Tony, the service tech if he could adjust the slideout this week. He said the BT Cruisers were a little tricky and so the job may take up to four hours (think labor cost!) but they could get me in first thing on Friday morning at 8am. I'm hoping that once it's adjusted properly it will stay that way and not be something that becomes misaligned on a regular basis.

After that we went to a little store called Chucks (I remembered!) where they sell fish/seafood/sauces/mixes....that sort of thing. I bought a small can of smoked salmon, a small can of smoked oysters (I hope I have crackers), a smoked salmon with jalapeno "stick" and some rosemary, olive oil facascia bread.

We were going to have a fire in mom and dad's firepit last night but we all decided we were tired after our excursions and were going to call it a night. A ranger came by earlier and told us there was a tsunami warning on the coast and to stay off the beach for the afternoon/evening. Keith loaded his car with necessities just in case we needed to drive to higher ground later on and I decided I'd better take the awning down just in case of high winds (or a tidal wave!). I woke this morning and I'm still here so I guess the tsunami was a little one after all. I'm looking forward to that run on the beach this morning!!

Let me Introduce Myself

I've never blogged before! I've never even posted anything. In fact, I could be considered a "lurker" in web-talk. I lurk all over the Internet on any site that has to do with RV travel, full-timing, retiring, simplicity.

My goal is to downsize my life, sell the house, sell the stuff , quit my job, purchase a small class C or B+ RV, and hit the road - just to see where it takes me. This new adventure is exciting and scary all at the same time, which leads me to why I started a blog. I would be considered by some to be an organized person and as such it's my wish to create a documented memory of what will hopefully be a very enlightening time in my life. It may be bumpy in spots, it may be smooth as silk, it may have loneliness or it may have opportunity to meet many wonderful people along the way. But through out it all, it will be my adventure to remember and tell.

I've lived over a half century now, and at times I feel like I'm just a new born babe, feeling my way, trying to make sense of it all. There are days that I am so excited to begin and others when I have doubt and fear of whether I'll be able to do this on my own. I find it's best if I just break down the insurmountable into small, manageable goals. That way I'm not as overwhelmed with the negative voice inside my head that tells me I shouldn't do this - "you're not old enough," "you're a single woman who has never motor-homed in her life", "you're leaving a job that pays your bills," "what if you don't like it", what if, what if, what if.....see why I break it down into little pieces? Otherwise I'm frozen in fear, unable to move, full of doubt.

There's another tiny, but very compelling voice deep inside (the one that I try to listen to) that says to me, "Right or wrong, good or bad, it will be okay, just believe, have faith and trust in the unknown." Trust in a Power greater than myself to lead the way.

A favorite quote comes to mind - "Leap, and the net will appear." Today I leap - today I venture out into the unknown world of blogging. I hope I make many friends along the way!