FINALLY DID IT!

Yes I finally shut down the store.  It wasn't easy but certainly easier than I thought.  I drove myself nuts worrying about what to do with everything but it all came together.  Books were sold or donated, shelving was sold or donated, and my brother, daughter and myself ended up with a lot of wood.

Lots of books left

Books all boxed & waiting for pickup.

Empty shelving

I'll be using some of the wood for the van build out.
To start with I have a metal bed frame & I bought a twin mattress.  The mattress will need to be supported with slats which I will make from some of the wood I kept.  Then I will need a way to anchor the whole thing to the floor of the van in case of an accident.  Any suggestions?
I'm also planning to use some of the wood for building a cabinet or shelving in the back of the van.  I've looked at a million build outs on the internet but I want something very simple.  I'll probably take a trip or two before actually building out the kitchen area in hopes of discovering what will work best for me.
Last but not least, I must find a part time job to support my travels.  I'll worry about that later.
Great to be back on here.
Everyone have a great day!

OCTOBER

October 13, 2015
Still haven't spent the night in the van.  After driving for 4 hours the camp ground where I was planning on staying was full.  I checked into the lodge and spent the night on a comfortable bed.  Since I had packed my breakfast I woke up early and headed out to explore at sunrise.  I found a national forest camping area with no facilities right on the lake.  This is where I will try camping on my next trip this way.  One deer and 2 wild turkeys on this trip.  The turkeys must be very plentiful this year.
This Saturday I leave for Hot Springs, AR.  I hope we are on time for the leaf changing.  We will be taking rt 7 through the mountains on the way to Harrison, AR. the drive should be beautiful.  There won't be any camping on this trip.  All hotels with breakfast before we start out everyday.
October 2, 2015
It's been over a month since my last post.  Nothing much has been happening around here just the usual work work work.
This weekend I'm planning a trip to my mothers with the hope of camping in my van on Sunday night.  It has finally cooled off enough to sleep in the van with lots of covers.  Sleeping in a van with the windows closed at 50° is much easier than 90°.
It's not just the weather holding me up.  I have a 14 yr old dog with arthritis, she cannot walk very far and does not do well in extreme hot or cold weather.  Leaving her behind when she is obviously in pain and poor health has not been easy, but she would not enjoy being on a camping trip either.
On the 18th I am going to Hot Springs & Eureka Springs, AR.  I'll be traveling with a friend in her car and staying in hotels along the way.  We will be driving through the mountains with the hope of seeing the fall color.

LOOKING FORWARD

August 14, 2015
I'm not sure when I became so disorganized but I have noticed on the last few trips I've taken I'm scrambling at the last minute to get everything together.  Last night at the grocery I walked around in circles trying to decide what to take with me this weekend.  Finally decided to go home and make a decision about how I was going to be cooking before buying food.
I considered eating out,  using the electric hookups to use my coffee maker and a small electric grill, or buying a small propane stove.  For what I would spend eating out I could buy a small stove and I don't want to wait for my morning coffee.  In the end I have decided to just use the electric hookups for coffee and grill.  With that decision made I can buy groceries.  I'm planning to take a couple frozen hamburgers, a container with some lettuce and tomato slices and buns for dinner Sunday and lunch Monday.  For breakfast I'll take some bacon to cook on the grill and either boiled eggs or maybe make an omelet that I could warm on the grill.  I've always loved a big breakfast when camping but I'll keep it simple for this trip.
It costs $5 more for a site with electric hookups but I will need a fan since it is suppose to get into the 90's on Sunday.  Overnight it is only going down to about 77 still plenty hot and humid for sleeping.  I'm hoping by running the A/C to cool down the minivan before bedtime and using the fan to move the air, maybe it won't get too hot to sleep.
When I first started planning this the forecast called for cooler and dryer weather but in our area the weather changes every few days.  I could cancel and wait until fall but I want to get this first camping trip under my belt so I can move forward with my plans.  I have plans for setting up the minivan better but I'm too cheap to spend the money if I hate camping in it.   If I enjoy this trip I know I can make the van even more comfortable.
Can you tell I'm getting excited?  The last time I went camping was 30 years ago, with 3 children and a tent.  The girls and I got pretty good at building fires and we had fun most of the time.  However, I made a lot of mistakes and it always rained on us at least one night during our trips.  When you live in Kentucky no matter how hot and dry it has been if you put up a tent it WILL rain.
Time to get to work.
Have a great day!