The Best of Times, The Worst of Times

It’s Christmas Eve and I am as happy — and warm — as a clam!

It is a rare Christmas that I get to spend with my husband (due to his work schedule). And it is even rarer that Santa has to find in me hot and sunny Miami. Having my husband next to me whilst we celebrate the season in flip flops is pretty much my idea of perfection.

And all this bliss got me thinking. — How fickle am I???

If you had asked me a few weeks ago if I found full-time RV life one of bliss, my answer would have been quite different. I was quite angry about it in fact. See Exhibit A.

Exhibit A

Exhibit A exhibits the worst of times. Our overnight temps were in the teens. Icy roads made driving dangerous. And the bitter, cold winter winds made staying in the small space of our motor coach a must.

My attitude had turned bitter too. Winter is tough enough without feeling so entirely cooped up in 500 square feet. And tasks like emptying black and gray tanks with gloves, boots, and a heavy coat aren’t exactly mood lifters.

Just weeks ago, I was feeling quite sorry for myself, missing the protection and comforts of a home that isn’t on wheels.

But then, my husband had to be in Miami leading up to and through Christmas for work. He suggested I load up the van with our two cats and dog, and make the 14-hour drive south.

He did not have to ask me twice. In fact, he might not have finished his sentence before I started looking for my bathing suit!

Having the camper van, affectionately called “Hers,” makes these trips possible. When you have a furry fam, there really is no better option than being able to take them with you, and since the van is a tiny (tiny!) home on wheels, we can go wherever whenever we like. And though one of my cats, Emily, is particularly unenthused (a.k.a. terrified) about travelling, I do my best to make her comfortable and then … I just go for it.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that much like everything else, full-time RV life is a mixed bag. It contains the highest of highs, and it has its fair share of lows. Right now, at this moment, the day before Christmas, RV life for me is at a pretty high high. My husband is sitting in a camp chair under our van’s awning, his eyes closed as he fights an afternoon nap. ZuZu, the Puppy RV Venturer, is laying by my side. My two quirky cats are napping on the van’s running board. The temp is in the upper 70s, and there’s a breeze. So, it feels…perfect.

And what better timing than at Christmas! Sure, palm trees are no substitute for many for a proper Christmas tree, but I will take it and all the RV’ing ease Miami affords me.

On that high note, may we wish all of you a MERRY and SAFE holiday season, and an absolutely amazing 2018!!!