Tag: Life

Empty Nesting, RV Life, Travel

So, you want to buy an RV do you?

House Cat In Paradise

Who knew that buying an RV (recreational vehicle) would be so complicated, and fun at the same time? We sure didn’t. Did you know that there are literally thousands of RV options to choose from? Makes, model, style, length, floorplan, options, etc. It took us 13 months from our “Epiphany” point in Alaska that I mentioned in our last blog to reach the point of buying our new RV. At this point I have seen so many listings, specifications, and pictures of RV’s that I’m fully confident that I could sell them for a living.

MEET POPCORN

Popcorn is our new RV travel trailer. She is a 2024 Forest River Flagstaff Micro Lite 25FBLS. We chose a travel trailer because we wanted a smaller rig that could be taken almost anywhere, and because we decided on a lighter rig that did not require a 3/4 ton truck. 

The kicker for us was the truck. Our Nissan Titan 1/2 ton V-8 4WD is a beloved family member, but her towing capacity and torque wasn’t quite up to what we needed. Even light RV’s like Popcorn become much heavier when the tanks are full, and they are stocked with your supplies. Enter our newest family member the 2023 Ford F-150 Platinum edition V-6 Hybrid 4WD. 

The absolutely coolest thing about this truck is the 7.2 kW Pro Power Onboard™ generator. The 7.2 kW generator comes with six available 120V/20A outlets, and enjoys a 32-hour maximum run time on a full tank of gas.  PLUS, she powers everything, and doubles as our main generator for the RV. Very cool!

NOW BACK TO POPCORN

Our suggestion is to make a list of what you think you will need in an RV. Call it a wish list. What are you going to use the RV for? Full time living, weekend getaways, long vacations, etc. Decide on the version of RV you would like as well such as motorhome, 5th wheel, toy hauler, travel trailer, etc. Then do some research using your list to start narrowing down makes and models that you like. Don’t just look at dealers websites or sales sites such as RV Trader. We suggest also looking at manufacturer websites as well. This will give you more detailed descriptions, more accurate weights and lengths, and all of the specifications you will need to use when making your final decision. SIDE NOTE: 7/10 sales listings have incorrect weight and length specifications. Always double check with the manufacturer’s details.  Overwhelmed yet? We were too. Don’t worry, you’re almost there.

We wanted an RV to do long trips in leading up to and during our retirement. We also wanted something pretty much self-sufficient that allowed us to take off on our own and not have to stay in an actual RV park. RV-ing for us wasn’t just to sit in an RV park with lots of other excited travelers. We want to get all the way out into the outdoors with no other people in sight, no hook ups (water, sewer, electric), and for more than just one night. That being said we knew we needed an amazing off grid RV that would give us that freedom.

Our first thought was to look for used RV’s but we quickly realized that it was almost impossible to find a used one that had everything we needed/wanted. Solar power was the tip top of our list, and for what we wanted to use it for it had to be a large system. Not just one panel. More research showed us that doing it ourselves, while fun to think about, would be cost and time prohibitive. So, at this point we knew that we needed an affordable NEW RV. We really liked Forest River as a manufacturer, and finally found the perfect model, floorplan, and options for us and the fur babies to begin our adventures in. 

FOREST RIVER TO THE RESCUE

Lucky for us we were able to find our dream RV at a local dealer. After touring the model on the lot and discussing our exact needs with our amazing sales associate we were delighted to learn that the Power Package was an option for our RV that checked all of the boxes we had. This was it. Off grid power installed at the factory. Sold. This is what was included.

On top of the Power Package we decided to get slide toppers, double paned windows, sway bars, and a complete extended warranty to cover us for 7 years. 

Now all we had to do was wait for 2 months to have her built, shipped, and delivered. Trust me, the wait is the hardest part. What stage in the process are you at? 

I hope reading a little about our journey to buy an RV helps you answer some questions and alleviates some of the mystery about where to begin. In just the first 3 months of owning an RV we have experienced some amazing things. I hope you do also. 

Do you feel restless or caught up checking off those boxes of life that someone said we are supposed to? Come along with us as we begin the process of LIVING our lives, and not just the same day over and over again.

Be on the lookout for our next blog post discussing some of the coolest, and most practical things we bought for our RV adventures. 

Adventure awaits, let’s go find it.

Life, Women

The Pot of “Hope” at the end of the Rainbow

House Cat In Paradise

The Pot of “Hope” at the end of the Rainbow

It was my birthday last week, and let me tell you, I FREAKING LOVE BIRTHDAYS!!!  I turned 49 years old laying flat on my back sick as a dog and STILL loved my birthday. MSP (or Mr. Sexy Pants my Hubby for those of you new here) sent me flowers, and I had tons of Facebook posts to respond to with crossed eyes and blurred vision.  Heaven!

Now to be perfectly honest I’m working hard everyday to make this 49 look like 29.  I’m every self-help guru’s, cream selling, supplement advertisement, and this can be you’s pot of “hope” at the end of the rainbow.  Man, they can smell me coming from a mile away.  I’m helpless; it’s a problem. 

For example, one of my friends has been working out and eating right for 4 months and has lost 21lbs!  Heck yes I want to work out and eat right too.  Come on, 21lbs is AMAZING.  Never mind that I’ve been a couch potato for the past 2 years and cannot walk up a flight of stairs without having to stop.  Let’s do this!  The power of suggestion is strong with this one!

Example two:  I’m noticing more than your average “fine lines and wrinkles” popping up on my trying to be 29 again face.  Are you kidding me?  Say hello to my skincare regimen by DRMTLGY.  DRMTLGY – Medical Grade Skin Care | Official Site

I spend a LOT of time asking myself why I have to wash my face TWICE a day when I do not wear makeup or leave my house most days.  I also spend quite a bit of time trying to remember whether or not I use the serum before or after the anti-ageing eye cream.  Also, NO ONE told me that if you’ve never used retinol before that you should go SLOW with it.  Using it every day right off the bat will MAKE YOUR FACE PEEL OFF!  No joke, my face turned into fish scales for a week.  Nevertheless, I’m in.  I’m washing and scrubbing and putting so many things on my face I added like 20 minutes to my 5 minute get ready routine every day.

So, I’m working out, losing weight, getting back in shape.  My face has peeled completely off like a snake and I think at least ONE of my wrinkles has disappeared (WINNING!) Now let’s talk about what’s going on inside of this 49 trying to look 29 body.

NEWS FLASH:  According to Pinterest you need to take vitamins along with eating right.  (My love of Pinterest is a real thing!)  Apparently, apple cider vinegar is a THING so yup, I’m taking smelly ACV supplements along with my horse pill size women’s multi.  I’ve tried one kind of ACV, have since found another one that is supposedly THE BEST, and will be switching to that when I run out of this one.  Thanks Facebook advertisement.  UGH.

Then one day while enjoying a “how-to” video for winged eye-liner (stupid, remember I almost never wear makeup.  What was I doing there?) I get hit with a “Do you know that you lose 90% of the collagen in your body by 30 years old” advertisement.  (Thanks again FB, ugh)  This leads me down a RABBIT HOLE of collagen supplements both pill and powder form.  With and without amino acids, peptides, and vitamin C.  Did you know that you need 5 kinds of collagen?  Really?  Look it up!  I decided on this one Codeage Multi Collagen Powder With 10,000mcg Biotin, Keratin, Vitamins

because it has it all, I don’t feel like researching anymore, and I can just put it in my coffee in the morning and forget about it.  Please don’t let my hair grow any more or get thicker!!! 

Speaking of hair.  Get ready for this.  I have enough hair on my head for 5 women.  Maybe more.  I have such thick hair that I have about half of it shaved off underneath (ears down) to help my neck get some air.  You would never know that though BECAUSE I STILL HAVE SO MUCH HAIR! 

I decide one day to buy a clarifying shampoo and a super conditioner to give me “shampoo commercial” hair again.  I’ve lost my shine y’all.  So, there I was in the shower double washing my hair with this clarifying shampoo when I realized that my fingers were literally stuck in my hair.  It’s as if I had one giant dreadlock.  Commence freak out. 

I try to rinse but it’s not working.  I get the super duper conditioner and start trying to work it into the dreadlock with no avail.  Now, I’ve been in the shower for a while and I’m in danger of running out of hot water.  I turn off the water and just sit there praying that the conditioner starts working.  I get a shower comb and start picking at it.  Nope, not working.  Do I just call out to Mr. Sexy Pants to come and shave my head??? 

Thirty minutes later, 30 MINUTES LATER, I’m almost crying as I’ve ripped out a billion strands of hair detangling it.  I finally turn on the water, rinse it off, and get out.  After losing a BILLION strands of hair I was feeling okay except for my head hurting like I’ve just been in a 10th grade girl fight getting drug down the hall by my hair. 

MSP has justifiably assumed I’ve been kidnapped since I’ve been gone for so long.    

NEWS FLASH #2 Do NOT use clarifying shampoo if you have naturally DRY hair.  Just don’t.  You’re welcome.

Now MSP has a ring-side seat to the glorious mess that is me.  He supports me working out and being crippled a couple times a month because I did too many reps of something without stretching, or tried to pick up something way too heavy for me.  He hasn’t said one word about the buffet size display of face goop in the bathroom.  When my face peeled off in ugly little flakes he just shook his head and once he made sure I wasn’t hurting just ignored it like it wasn’t even happening.  He’s a trooper and hopes that I just don’t lose my sanity before we can retire and travel. 

Xoxo,

Jeanie