Progress

is being made with the move.  Finally!  We have a reservation at a RV park in Cottonwood, AZ, on the Verde River.  That is where we will spend the winter.  Slowly, boxes are being filled, stuff is being moved into Dragonfly, and things are being sold.  Not enough things are being sold, but we'll take what we can get.

A friend of my husband's is coming to help us get the big stuff into storage tomorrow.  What a good guy to give up part of his vacation to carry furniture!  I can't even get my kids to come help.  In their defense, they don't have vacation time and they live four hours away.  And that's all the defense they get.

I've gotten new bedding for the queen bed in Dragonfly; something to make me feel like this is going to be a special experience.  Our reservation in Cottonwood is for September 27th, so we have until the 26th to get everything boxed, tossed, sold, donated or stored.  My living room looks like a warehouse, and Dragonfly has totes and boxes sitting on every surface.  We may make the trip down the mountain with everything just sitting in the trailer, and spend the winter putting stuff away, then reorganizing, then tossing, then reorganizing again.  By Spring we will have decided whether we are staying in Arizona or moving up to Oregon.  Man oh man, will I be glad when this is over.

Dragonfly has new shoes...

er, tires.  That means I had to get tire covers to protect the new rubber.  Off to Amazon to shop.  I got a white vinyl spare tire cover, and four canvas tire covers to put around the tires on the ground.  I also got my Durango some new floor mats.  Waiting for DH to clean out the inside so said mats can be installed into a dirt- and rock-free tow vehicle.  Still waiting.

Next, new blinds or curtain for some of the big windows.  Dragonfly had some new blinds in a closet but apparently they don't want to be installed.  Who knew window coverings had preferences?  My sewing skills are almost non-existent, so I will have to cobble together something with, oh I dunno, staples, tape, or Velcro.  The windows have those old-fashioned three-sided valences on them, making installation of anything difficult for the DIY challenged.  I'll have to ask DH if he can get those off.

You may be wondering why I don't just do this myself?  Well, my lungs don't work well and my back hurts, so doing "stuff" is a problem.  I'm very good at supervising and giving instruction, but DH is not always willing to follow directions.  Those of you who have, or have had, a kinda stubborn partner will know what I mean.  He does the cooking so I can't be ungrateful, just sometimes impatient.

I'm still plotting my escape from the High Country, as we call it in Arizona.  Thinking of at least taking a trip late summer or early fall, when the temps in lower elevations are cooler.  As for where I might want to relocate... my mind is flitting from Oregon, to Michigan, to Maine.  Flitting, like a Dragonfly.

Finally, pictures.

I added two new pages, one for my rig, and one for my dog.  And, we've started loading the rig.  Weird things are going on with our house and our sale (or non-sale), so I'm not sure when we'll hit the road for good.  However, we are planning some short trips this summer and fall to shake out any kinks and to discover whether what we packed, and how we packed it, will work.  Richard, my DH and the other Wolf on this team, re-screened two windows, replaced two tires and got the spare mounted.  I have to order a tire cover for the spare from Amazon, and I'm sure I'll find many other toys and gadgets I'll just have to have, LOL.  I love Amazon!

One place I definitely want to go before we move out of the mountains is the Grand Canyon.  It is relatively close, and an easy drive from here, too.  I'd also like to take a trip up along Colorado's Front Range.  I've never been to Denver, although it is a city that has always fascinated me.  I'm going to have to find a place to spend the winter too, probably near Phoenix.  We have a wood stove up here and I can't breathe with the smoke.  We could just heat with propane, but it would cost a fortune.

The other items on my list are the same as anyone who has ever really downsized have had.  What to keep, throw, sell or give away.  Aargh!  I don't want to think about it,  I feel like Scarlett O'Hara... I'll worry about it tomorrow.

As many folks say here in Arizona, Mañana es para siempre (In English "Tomorrow is forever").  In my case, tomorrow can take forever.  Or seem like it.

Preparing for liftoff.... slowly.

Today I spent some time online and on the phone checking out long term campgrounds in the Verde Valley, Arizona.  I found a couple that were quite reasonable.  Then I started thinking about little comforts I now enjoy, like unlimited internet and satellite TV.  Comparing costs between DirecTV and Dish Network, and upping my data plan from Verizon.  Gads.  With DirecTV you have to invest mucho dinero in a fancy receiver.  I don't think that's gonna happen.  With Dish, the receiver is $150, but it sits on the ground.  We could probably use the satellite box we already have.  I'm not ready to make those arrangements yet, still gathering information.

The tornadoes have certainly been on my mind.  They scare me to death!  We were thinking of spending time in Texas, but now I'm not sure.  We may just stay west of the Rockies because I'm such a wuss.

Watching a video of Harv Presnell singing "They Call the Wind Mariah."  It seems appropriate. Saying prayers for all those effected by the storms.

Theresa

Well, hello again.....

I haven't posted in almost a year!  I had some health problems that just knocked me flat.  However, I am much better now and actually getting ready to hit the road.  Unfortunately, I'm not back to where I used to be, so it will have to be Two Wolves and a Lion.  My dear husband is traveling with me, and my lion dog has changed.  I had to rehome my big poodles because their grooming and maintenance was too much for me.  Now I have a little bark lion sentinal dog from Tibet, a Lhasa Apso named Wicket.  He is 13 1/2 weeks old and is just so cute!  He looks like a little Ewok.

We have also gotten a bigger travel trailer, selling the 21 footer and getting a 25 footer.  Four feet doesn't sound like much, but it is enough to provide a separate bedroom.  And, this one has a slide and that also adds a lot of space.  It is a lot smaller than our house, and I really dread having to sort through all my stuff, but I have a few months to get it done.  I hope to be heading out in early fall because I really don't want to do another winter in the cold.

I know I had originally wanted a truck and a 5ver, but finances just wouldn't stretch that far.  So, we've repaired and upgraded our old Durango, and promoted it to tow vehicle.  We plan to stay places at least a month at a time to get a feel for the area.  When we find just the right place, we'll settle back down.  Who knows how long that will take?  Maybe just this side of forever.

Pictures soon.

Song for this afternoon is "On a Clear Day"....

On a clear day, 

rise and look around you, 

and you'll see who you are.

On a clear day, 

how it will astound you

That the glow of your BEING outshines every star.

Theresa