Hello,
A new year and I'm still not retired.
One of the problems I've had with writing is doing exactly the same thing everyday. How does one write about the same thing everyday? When I first started the plan was to record my journey to full time rving. Now a year later I'm still doing the same thing. My first reaction was to quit blogging but now I've decided to continue in the hope that recording life will benefit me down the road.
My youngest daughter moved in with me in December. I thought this would benefit both of us financially but so far she has only worked 1 week out of 4. She did have minor surgery requiring her to be off work for 2 weeks, then she worked a week and had another minor health issue. She just needs to get back to work so our lives can become somewhat routine.
Last week I checked out driving to Florida for the weekend. Too many hours driving to overnight in Florida then head back home. Today I'm going to check on temps and camping around Atlanta or maybe Mississippi. I need somewhere within a 6 hr drive. Florida is 10 hrs or more. It's just too cold for camping anywhere close.
Today's plan: Research trips within a 6 hr driving range and price and stock all the books on the 2 tables. Then I can start on the boxes of books under the tables.
I'm going to get off here and do some research.
Have a great day!
Thursday, January 14, 2016
Thursday, January 7, 2016
THE NEW YEAR
2015 goals:
sell house
purchase a van or truck
rent a kayak
take an all day hike
hike alone
#1 changed my mind
#2 purchased a van
#3 didn't take advantage of opportunity
#4 didn't even try
#5 was a little different but okay
So I actually completed 2 of 5 items. Yeah! at least I did something.
2016 my only goal will be to live one day at a time. I spend way too much time worrying about how to change things and not enough time enjoying what I have.
Today I'm working on getting books on the shelves. I've taken in more books than I've sold which means a lot of boxes sitting around waiting for shelving. Getting them all on the shelf is what keeps me in business. And the business is what will pay for my next trip!
Have a great day!
sell house
purchase a van or truck
rent a kayak
take an all day hike
hike alone
#1 changed my mind
#2 purchased a van
#3 didn't take advantage of opportunity
#4 didn't even try
#5 was a little different but okay
So I actually completed 2 of 5 items. Yeah! at least I did something.
2016 my only goal will be to live one day at a time. I spend way too much time worrying about how to change things and not enough time enjoying what I have.
Today I'm working on getting books on the shelves. I've taken in more books than I've sold which means a lot of boxes sitting around waiting for shelving. Getting them all on the shelf is what keeps me in business. And the business is what will pay for my next trip!
Have a great day!
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
DECEMBER 2015
Once again I've ignored the blog for too long.
A lot has changed in the last few months.
First my daughter decided to move in with me. This seemed like a good idea because frankly I can't afford to travel and take care of the house. So she will be paying rent and helping with taking care of the house and my dog when I am out of town. Hopefully this will be beneficial for both of us. She works a low paying job and has many health issues which uses a great deal of her income so she has not been able to afford a car. The intentions are for her to pay me less rent than the apartment she was in so she can afford a car.
Second my store sales have dropped so much I may need to close the store. When sales were bad in Sept I blamed it on not advertising in August. Then when sales only picked up slightly in October I blamed it on being closed for one week so I could go on vacation. But in November I barely made enough to pay the rent and utilities on this place. Now I'm on week 2 for December and will be in real trouble if business doesn't pick up in the next 2 weeks. Christmas time is always bad for business because people just don't spend their money on books for themselves. They will come in and buy 1 or 2 books as gifts but not much else. Even my gift certificate sales are down this year. Last Christmas season I sold 15 gift certificates before Christmas. So far I have not sold a single one this season.
Closing this place down would be a major pain. There was once a time when you could mark the books down or sell to a reseller but there are so many bookstores out of business now the market is flooded with books that aren't wanted.
A large used bookstore chain out of Texas has 2 stores in my city, both are on the other side of town. In September they held a huge 14 store sale at the fairgrounds where many people were able to stock up on books for their winter reading. I am the only bookstore left on my side of town and it feels as though this company is not satisfied until they force all other bookstores to close. The most frustrating part is the customers that don't understand they will have to drive across town to shop in the future. Every few weeks someone will come into my store and tell me how glad they are that I'm on their side of town and then they leave without buying a thing. How long do they think we can stay open without sales?
Okay, enough ranting for today. Everyone have a wonderful Christmas!
A lot has changed in the last few months.
First my daughter decided to move in with me. This seemed like a good idea because frankly I can't afford to travel and take care of the house. So she will be paying rent and helping with taking care of the house and my dog when I am out of town. Hopefully this will be beneficial for both of us. She works a low paying job and has many health issues which uses a great deal of her income so she has not been able to afford a car. The intentions are for her to pay me less rent than the apartment she was in so she can afford a car.
Second my store sales have dropped so much I may need to close the store. When sales were bad in Sept I blamed it on not advertising in August. Then when sales only picked up slightly in October I blamed it on being closed for one week so I could go on vacation. But in November I barely made enough to pay the rent and utilities on this place. Now I'm on week 2 for December and will be in real trouble if business doesn't pick up in the next 2 weeks. Christmas time is always bad for business because people just don't spend their money on books for themselves. They will come in and buy 1 or 2 books as gifts but not much else. Even my gift certificate sales are down this year. Last Christmas season I sold 15 gift certificates before Christmas. So far I have not sold a single one this season.
Closing this place down would be a major pain. There was once a time when you could mark the books down or sell to a reseller but there are so many bookstores out of business now the market is flooded with books that aren't wanted.
A large used bookstore chain out of Texas has 2 stores in my city, both are on the other side of town. In September they held a huge 14 store sale at the fairgrounds where many people were able to stock up on books for their winter reading. I am the only bookstore left on my side of town and it feels as though this company is not satisfied until they force all other bookstores to close. The most frustrating part is the customers that don't understand they will have to drive across town to shop in the future. Every few weeks someone will come into my store and tell me how glad they are that I'm on their side of town and then they leave without buying a thing. How long do they think we can stay open without sales?
Okay, enough ranting for today. Everyone have a wonderful Christmas!
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
ARKANSAS
A lot of things have changed since my last post but first here are a few pictures from my trip to Arkansas.
We started in Hot Springs and drove up route 7 to Harrison. Then we went into Branson, Mo. for one night. Then it was on to Eureka Springs, AR. We had a wonderful time. A lot of relaxing and a lot of walking, I needed both. Wonderful food, lots of little shops with local art, and beautiful views of the mountains. The trees weren't as beautiful as usual but we enjoyed what color there was.
We started in Hot Springs and drove up route 7 to Harrison. Then we went into Branson, Mo. for one night. Then it was on to Eureka Springs, AR. We had a wonderful time. A lot of relaxing and a lot of walking, I needed both. Wonderful food, lots of little shops with local art, and beautiful views of the mountains. The trees weren't as beautiful as usual but we enjoyed what color there was.
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
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.
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.
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
BUMBLEE BEES
August 19, 2015
Didn't make the camping trip last weekend. I did go to the lake for the afternoon on Sunday and that was very pleasant.
So what kept me from camping. On Saturday I received a call from the yard man because he had awakened a bumble bee hive. I watched the bees on Saturday evening and then called an exterminating company on Monday. They want $175 to dust the hive and then come back and dust everything under the house. The bees have gotten under the house through the vent and made their hive in the insulation against the outside wall. Now it would seem killing the bees would be a no brainer but as with most of the country our bee population is declining. Bumble bees pollinate many plants and while they are not as necessary as honey bees they are still important
Some research on the internet is helpful. Male bumble bees die in the winter and only the fertilized queens hibernate. They go underground for the winter and when they awaken in the spring they establish new hives for their off spring. The bees under my house will either die or become inactive within 1 to 2 months. The BIG question is will they move out from under my house or will they establish more hives under the house.
August 26, 2015
Nothing much going on. I spent another Sunday setting on my friends deck overlooking the lake and watched the birds fight over the feeders. I've contacted the county extension office about the bees and they along with everyone else think the answer is just killing them. I'm going to set an appointment with another company that only charges $90 but they only come out once. I think one trip will be enough for as late as it is in the year. They tell me the chemicals they use will not stay active through the winter so no matter what I do now I will probably be calling them back in the spring.
That's it, that's all I've accomplished in two weeks. Next weekend my mother will be in town so there won't be any trips to the lake. Maybe I'll get some housework done before she gets here. We'll see.
Have a great day!
Didn't make the camping trip last weekend. I did go to the lake for the afternoon on Sunday and that was very pleasant.
So what kept me from camping. On Saturday I received a call from the yard man because he had awakened a bumble bee hive. I watched the bees on Saturday evening and then called an exterminating company on Monday. They want $175 to dust the hive and then come back and dust everything under the house. The bees have gotten under the house through the vent and made their hive in the insulation against the outside wall. Now it would seem killing the bees would be a no brainer but as with most of the country our bee population is declining. Bumble bees pollinate many plants and while they are not as necessary as honey bees they are still important
Some research on the internet is helpful. Male bumble bees die in the winter and only the fertilized queens hibernate. They go underground for the winter and when they awaken in the spring they establish new hives for their off spring. The bees under my house will either die or become inactive within 1 to 2 months. The BIG question is will they move out from under my house or will they establish more hives under the house.
August 26, 2015
Nothing much going on. I spent another Sunday setting on my friends deck overlooking the lake and watched the birds fight over the feeders. I've contacted the county extension office about the bees and they along with everyone else think the answer is just killing them. I'm going to set an appointment with another company that only charges $90 but they only come out once. I think one trip will be enough for as late as it is in the year. They tell me the chemicals they use will not stay active through the winter so no matter what I do now I will probably be calling them back in the spring.
That's it, that's all I've accomplished in two weeks. Next weekend my mother will be in town so there won't be any trips to the lake. Maybe I'll get some housework done before she gets here. We'll see.
Have a great day!
Friday, August 14, 2015
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!
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!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)