Well Christmas this year was as good as they always are... the only big difference is this year was the beginning of us downsizing our Christmas expenses as we prepare our loved ones for fewer gifts and more wisdom. Also, we have been reminiscing about the possibility of this being the last Christmas in our house. I have not officially listed it as of yet but I did put up a "Make me Move" price on zillow.com so you never know if someone will make us move sooner than we plan.
The time off has also allowed me to finish up the painting inside the house to get it ready for market. The other large task I have started tot tackle is consolidating out photographs to prepare them for future scanning. Once we figure out which ones we want to scan we will send the photos off to each of the respective children for the safe keeping and memories.
My Christmas present to me also arrived yesterday so I am anxious to start researching RV's using my CD's from www.rv.org. Now on to the research for 2010...
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
The Last of the 50 things my RV could have...
I said there would probably be more and there is...
28. I want an electric Awning over main entrance
29. I prefer awnings over the windows
30. I want slide covers
31. I prefer a sliding storage tray in basement
32. I want electric storage tank dump valves
33. I want an automatic leveling system
34. I prefer one bedroom, separate from main living area
35. I prefer the slides be opposing in main living area
36. I prefer Washer and dryer space for stack-able units
37. I want additional batteries for extended boon docking
38. I want a generator
39. I want an inverter for converting DC to AC power
40. I want solar panels for converting sunlight to DC power
41. I want a water heater that operates on AC power and propane
42. I prefer a heated basement compartments for freeze protection
43. I want a counter top extension in the kitchen
44. I prefer a separate A/C control for the bedroom and living areas
45. I want a large screen TV in living area and a small TV in the bedroom
46. I want a satellite system
47. I prefer diesel over gas but due to cost may get gas powered
48. I prefer a semi-monocoque over frame rail but cost may not allow that
49. I prefer to buy higher quality used than newer and lower quality
50. and lastly it must be suitable for fulltimers
Although this list is not exhaustive, and it is my no means complete, it will provide me guidance as I continue to seek out our future home on wheels...
28. I want an electric Awning over main entrance
29. I prefer awnings over the windows
30. I want slide covers
31. I prefer a sliding storage tray in basement
32. I want electric storage tank dump valves
33. I want an automatic leveling system
34. I prefer one bedroom, separate from main living area
35. I prefer the slides be opposing in main living area
36. I prefer Washer and dryer space for stack-able units
37. I want additional batteries for extended boon docking
38. I want a generator
39. I want an inverter for converting DC to AC power
40. I want solar panels for converting sunlight to DC power
41. I want a water heater that operates on AC power and propane
42. I prefer a heated basement compartments for freeze protection
44. I prefer a separate A/C control for the bedroom and living areas
45. I want a large screen TV in living area and a small TV in the bedroom
46. I want a satellite system
47. I prefer diesel over gas but due to cost may get gas powered
48. I prefer a semi-monocoque over frame rail but cost may not allow that
49. I prefer to buy higher quality used than newer and lower quality
50. and lastly it must be suitable for fulltimers
Although this list is not exhaustive, and it is my no means complete, it will provide me guidance as I continue to seek out our future home on wheels...
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Too much information....
WOW! What can I say... there is too much information to read about the possibilities of fulltiming! I have decided I will need to break things into parts if I am going to ever be able to decide what is the best rig for us. So what do we need to do next?
Well the next thing that I think my darling bride and I need to do is sit down and make a list of all the things we need in an RV that will ultimately be our house for an extended period of time.
Some things that come to my mind are the following:
1. It needs to *feel* comfortable
2. I want a living room/dining room slide
3. I think I want a bedroom slide
4. I must have a decent sized kitchen because I love to cook
5. I want a sturdy shower door
6. I want a bedroom with a queen bed (walk around) with a night stand/shelf for my book, glasses, drink etc.
7. I want a dresser with at least 4 drawers and a closet of decent size
8. I think I want it to be not new but less than 5 years old
9. It should have less than 25000 miles
10. I hope to spend under $65k, out the door
11. I want double pane windows
12. I prefer an ice maker separate from the fridge (but can add this alter)
13. I think I need at least a 10 cubic foot Refrigerator
14. I want at least 2000 lbs. carrying capacity for our stuff
15. I think I want the arctic insulation package
16. We need adequate space on both sides of bed for ease in making it.
17. I want convenient access to dump valves
18. I want a large pantry
19. Windows in all the right places...
20 I need space for at least two house batteries
21. I prefer tinted windows
22 i want a black tank back flush
23. I want a desk area
24. I need lots of storage inside and in the basement
25. I need at least one "all the way thru" storage in basement
26. I want the doors to the outside storage areas to be large enough to put in a folding lawn chair
27. I want the finish on my cabinets and interiors to be light in color so they make it feel roomier
28..... I am sure there will be more....
looking over my list makes me think I will never find a rig that will suits my needs... and I haven't even consulted with my darling bride about this list! That is going to be the next thing on my list to do...
Well the next thing that I think my darling bride and I need to do is sit down and make a list of all the things we need in an RV that will ultimately be our house for an extended period of time.
Some things that come to my mind are the following:
1. It needs to *feel* comfortable
2. I want a living room/dining room slide
3. I think I want a bedroom slide
4. I must have a decent sized kitchen because I love to cook
5. I want a sturdy shower door
6. I want a bedroom with a queen bed (walk around) with a night stand/shelf for my book, glasses, drink etc.
7. I want a dresser with at least 4 drawers and a closet of decent size
8. I think I want it to be not new but less than 5 years old
9. It should have less than 25000 miles
10. I hope to spend under $65k, out the door
11. I want double pane windows
12. I prefer an ice maker separate from the fridge (but can add this alter)
13. I think I need at least a 10 cubic foot Refrigerator
14. I want at least 2000 lbs. carrying capacity for our stuff
15. I think I want the arctic insulation package
16. We need adequate space on both sides of bed for ease in making it.
17. I want convenient access to dump valves
18. I want a large pantry
19. Windows in all the right places...
20 I need space for at least two house batteries
21. I prefer tinted windows
22 i want a black tank back flush
23. I want a desk area
24. I need lots of storage inside and in the basement
25. I need at least one "all the way thru" storage in basement
26. I want the doors to the outside storage areas to be large enough to put in a folding lawn chair
27. I want the finish on my cabinets and interiors to be light in color so they make it feel roomier
28..... I am sure there will be more....
looking over my list makes me think I will never find a rig that will suits my needs... and I haven't even consulted with my darling bride about this list! That is going to be the next thing on my list to do...
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
One step closer...
Well today I have finished up one of the projects I needed to complete before going full time in the RV in a little over a year. I bought an ION USB turntable to convert my LP's to digital music some time ago and have now converted a couple of hundred LP's into songs saved onto my computer. I liked the turntable so much we got one for my wife's brother since he recently was wishing there was someway to play his LP's again since he broke his needle on his turntable.
Now this took a lot of time... but the time was enjoyed as I was able to reminisce about the good old days while listening to the songs of yesteryear. Like where were you and what were you doing when the Beatles sang "I want to hold your hand" or when Janis Joplin sang "Mercedes Benz" or when Neil Young sang "The Needle and the Damage Done"...???? These were pretty easy for me place myself back in time and relive some enjoyable moments in my life.
Other moments in my life I relived when I play Pink Floyd, Greatful Dead, Led Zepplin and Uriah Heap albums... Funny these moments in time were hazier than others :).
Now this took a lot of time... but the time was enjoyed as I was able to reminisce about the good old days while listening to the songs of yesteryear. Like where were you and what were you doing when the Beatles sang "I want to hold your hand" or when Janis Joplin sang "Mercedes Benz" or when Neil Young sang "The Needle and the Damage Done"...???? These were pretty easy for me place myself back in time and relive some enjoyable moments in my life.
Other moments in my life I relived when I play Pink Floyd, Greatful Dead, Led Zepplin and Uriah Heap albums... Funny these moments in time were hazier than others :).
Sunday, December 13, 2009
The rituals of a wo$king man...
Well this past week I was sent out to Las Vegas for one week of training. Many of you may think this is a good thing... I did not! I have been to Vegas for training and trade shows many times in my life and have "done Vegas" enough! While I was there I was sitting in my room in Mandalay Bay thinking this may be the last time I stay in a hotel as luxurious as this. Which then led me to thinking about the rituals of work in my life that will go away once I retire. Not only will I no longer be jetted around the country to become more valuable for my company other things will change as well.
We all have our morning rituals that we do each and every day we are working. Mine is fairly simple... wake up anywhere from 4:30 am to 5:30 am (without an alarm clock - and yes I am cursed) and get a cup of coffee from my pre-programmed coffee maker. Sit down at my computer and check my work related email... reply to any emails needing replying to and do any necessary morning work. Then I will surf the web for a while and then go outside and pick up my daily delivered local newspaper to catch up on the news. I then work the soduko and other puzzles in the classified section of the newspaper... have another cup of coffee and then get ready for work. Get dressed and have breakfast then its off to work...
This ritual has served me well for many years but it is one that will come to an end in a little more than a year when I retire. So while in Las Vegas being trained on software that I will be using for only a little more than a year I started wondering about my future life and how the parts of my morning ritual will soon be changing...
.... for the better!
We all have our morning rituals that we do each and every day we are working. Mine is fairly simple... wake up anywhere from 4:30 am to 5:30 am (without an alarm clock - and yes I am cursed) and get a cup of coffee from my pre-programmed coffee maker. Sit down at my computer and check my work related email... reply to any emails needing replying to and do any necessary morning work. Then I will surf the web for a while and then go outside and pick up my daily delivered local newspaper to catch up on the news. I then work the soduko and other puzzles in the classified section of the newspaper... have another cup of coffee and then get ready for work. Get dressed and have breakfast then its off to work...
This ritual has served me well for many years but it is one that will come to an end in a little more than a year when I retire. So while in Las Vegas being trained on software that I will be using for only a little more than a year I started wondering about my future life and how the parts of my morning ritual will soon be changing...
.... for the better!
Monday, December 7, 2009
First look at the RV's...
Well we finally ventured out to look at RV's for the first time. We had pretty much decided initial that we wanted a Class C in the range of 29-32feet. After a lot of research and me asking questions on chat groups in various forums we were beginning to believe that we would be better off in a Class A of the same size as we were thinking before - 29-32 feet.
You see one of primary goals in our quest to full time in an RV is to be able to camp in some of the out of way spaces found in state parks, corp of engineer sites and other sites that may or may not limit access based upon the size of your RV. In the research we have done most recommend 30 feet or less but we have seen on some blogs RV's up to 34 feet claiming to camp in most of these sites. We still need to ascertain the real truth.
So we had to pick up our daughter who was coming home for the xmas break from college. We stopped on the way over at a RV resale spot located near the airport for our first look at RV's. Our goals were pretty simple for our first visit to an RV dealer:
1. We needed to see if there was anything about the small size that would scare us from succeeding in our quest
2. We needed to see if 29-32 feet of RV would be an issue or were we in need of longer/larger RV's
3. We needed to either keep or eliminate Class C's in our quest
4. We needed to get of feel for quality differences in RV's
5. We needed to get a feel for floorplans in the RV's
Well our trip was quite the success as we have now made several important decisions. Most important is that we are not in the least bit scared to attempt this! We have eliminated Class C's and for now 5'ers. We like the kitchens that have a 2 door fridge and we need to find out if we can get them in the smaller RV's. We learned that 30-34 feet of RV's is more than adequate for us with the right layouts and at least 2 slides.
Next... learn more about size and it's constraints, start learning about models, decide between gas and diesel.... ahhhh the list goes on...
You see one of primary goals in our quest to full time in an RV is to be able to camp in some of the out of way spaces found in state parks, corp of engineer sites and other sites that may or may not limit access based upon the size of your RV. In the research we have done most recommend 30 feet or less but we have seen on some blogs RV's up to 34 feet claiming to camp in most of these sites. We still need to ascertain the real truth.
So we had to pick up our daughter who was coming home for the xmas break from college. We stopped on the way over at a RV resale spot located near the airport for our first look at RV's. Our goals were pretty simple for our first visit to an RV dealer:
1. We needed to see if there was anything about the small size that would scare us from succeeding in our quest
2. We needed to see if 29-32 feet of RV would be an issue or were we in need of longer/larger RV's
3. We needed to either keep or eliminate Class C's in our quest
4. We needed to get of feel for quality differences in RV's
5. We needed to get a feel for floorplans in the RV's
Well our trip was quite the success as we have now made several important decisions. Most important is that we are not in the least bit scared to attempt this! We have eliminated Class C's and for now 5'ers. We like the kitchens that have a 2 door fridge and we need to find out if we can get them in the smaller RV's. We learned that 30-34 feet of RV's is more than adequate for us with the right layouts and at least 2 slides.
Next... learn more about size and it's constraints, start learning about models, decide between gas and diesel.... ahhhh the list goes on...
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Burning the LP's into digital land...
Well I am now using my brand new turn table that comes complete with a USB cable that plugs directly into my computer. Comes complete with software that can be used to catalog the music by using the dead space between songs that effectively breaks out each song separately. This way I am able to play an album, cut each song out, name them with their singer, album name, and title and save them into my itunes folders.
Being able to convert my records into digital music means I can rid myself of the 2-300 lbs of LP's I own and put them all on a very compact external hard drive. The down sizing continues.... and the side benefit is going through all the nostalgia and memories that each record reveals through each song recorded. Now where was I when The Beatles sang Let it Be? Hmmmmmm........
Being able to convert my records into digital music means I can rid myself of the 2-300 lbs of LP's I own and put them all on a very compact external hard drive. The down sizing continues.... and the side benefit is going through all the nostalgia and memories that each record reveals through each song recorded. Now where was I when The Beatles sang Let it Be? Hmmmmmm........
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