I have no idea why anyone would be interested in us or what we are doing but the heading said “Introduce Yourself!”.
We are Deborah and Gerald Dollar. We’ve lived in the Seattle area since 1980 when we moved from New Orleans, La. My education is in biology but I worked in medical sales for 28 years. Deborah has a degree in early childhood education and owned a preschool and daycare until deteriorating health forced her to look for less physically demanding work in 2005. As you might gather from my user name and avatar I am an avid scuba diver.I have been a divemaster since 1997 and and an instructor since 2002.
To get on with the story, I quit work in 2008 at the age of 60. You will note that I quit work, I did not retire. Retirement requires planning, resources and thought. My employer of 23 years sold the division I worked for and sold me with it. The new company was obviously just using the old higher paid employees to help them with their transition and treated us miserably. I got sick of it and walked away.
Fortunately, I had worked for my previous employer for 23 years and had a small pension, retiree health insurance, a 401 K and an employed wife. I thought I would go to work part time at a low pressure job and bring in a little supplemental income. However it was winter in Seattle and every morning I would get up, put on my robe and fuzzy slippers, and watch the weather and traffic reports. It didn’t take long to figure out that sitting there, watching the tube and drinking coffee beat going out in the rain and traffic to go to work.
Life was good. I did a little volunteer work, taught a few scuba classes, rode my bike and went scuba diving whenever the mood struck me. We quickly found out that, while our income went down, our expenses went down even more. We were able to travel often and were enjoying life thourghly. The only fly in the ointment was that we had not sold our home in 2007 when the market was hot and multiple offers were common. Well, that and 180 days of overcast skies, almost constant drizzle and winter sunsets at 4:30 PM.
In 2009 Deborah had a health crisis that necessitated her missing work. Today it seems if you get sick you get unemployed fairly quickly. This was the second job she has lost due to health issues and we decided that she was probably unemployable. The doctors and social security agreed with our assessment so in April of 2009 we both became permanently unemployed, me by choice, her due to disability.
At this point our house became an albatross. We could not sell with all of the repos on the market but we really did not need all that space and we wanted to be free to travel. Finally in 2010 we bought a tow vehicle and a popup trailer. We also talked our youngest daughter into moving back home and watching the house as well as paying for utilities when we are not home. We now spend winters in Virginia, where we have another daughter, and summers in Seattle. We travel back and forth towing our little popup.
This year we couldn’t leave Seattle until the end of October and we wanted to be in Virginia by Thanksgiving so we only had about three weeks on the road.Our preference however, is to wander nearly aimlessly taking 6-12 weeks to make the transition. Last spring we traveled 5000 miles and passed through 14 states on our trip from Virginia to Seattle.
Right now we are waiting out the housing market. As soon as we can sell our house we intend to purchase something a little larger than a popup and hit the road full time. In the meantime I read RV Dreams and plan.Now, since I cannot imagine anything I can add that would be helpful to anyone I will return to lurk mode.
mesa48 said
06:59 AM Dec 3, 2012
Welcome to the Forum Gerald. I am pretty new to the forum myself. In 2009 at age 60 I sold out my share of the business and realestate partnership I was part of. Not really because I wanted to but due to the crashing ecconomy there just was no way around it. I quickly found that there are not that many jobs out there for 60yr old guys no matter how much expierence you have. I started a small business a couple of years ago that is doing ok but not great. My wife looked at me a few weeks ago and said why don't we become fulltime rvers. We have talked about it a few times but never really were to serious. Anyway I looked back at her and said sounds like good idea to me. So we are in the process of getting ready to hit the road. We hope to be fulltime by May maybe even sooner. Go luck to you and your wife I hope it works out well.
-- Edited by mesa48 on Monday 3rd of December 2012 07:01:44 AM
GENECOP said
11:51 AM Dec 3, 2012
Welcome to the Forum, your interest in this lifestyle makes you a valuable member, it's good to have you......
Terry and Jo said
04:01 PM Dec 3, 2012
Welcome, Gerald.
As you spend more time on the forums, you will have the opportunity to find out a lot of "details" to help you in eventually choosing a better RV. Feel free to ask your own questions because each time a question is asked, it may come with a different perspective, and we all tend to learn from each other.
Terry
WestWardHo said
04:41 PM Dec 3, 2012
Welcome Deborah & Gerald,
Wishing you all the best putting your plan to work. Its always interesting to meet new people on this outstanding forum. Hope to SE you down the road sometime.
Sherry & Jesse
NWescapee said
04:33 AM Dec 13, 2012
Welcome Gerald and Deborah, sorry I'm just catching up on some posts from last week. We also live in the world of 180 days of overcast skies, just south of Seattle. We are planning our escape for spring of 2013 provided that we can sell our house. DH is starting to work on the "to do" list to get it ready to go on the market, he's recaulking the hall bath today. Just one step in what looks to be a 3-4 month process for us. Looking forward to being in this part of the country June - August ONLY in the future!!
PIEERE said
01:50 AM Dec 14, 2012
Three newbies! Welcome to all of you to the forum! I believe you have found the best forum on the internet. The people here are great and really care for one another! Getting on the road in 2009 when the company decided they no longer needed this 58 yr old gave me a new release on life. I have been on the road since enjoying this lifestyle, working and camping and now recuperating from a severe heart attack this last March. I'm healing and hope to get back to my work and camping this Spring.
Alie and Jims Carrilite said
03:35 AM Dec 14, 2012
We're not "sneaking up on fulltiming" we're barging right on in!
Welcome to the group!
Lucky Mike said
05:28 AM Dec 14, 2012
HHHhhhmmmm........Sneaking up on fulltime is when ones mind engages all endorphines to venture on a journey to the outer limits, in a craft carrying all the comforts of home and a full life support system.
To..... I n f i ni ty and Beyond!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...(Buzz Lightyear)
Wayne and Deanna said
07:21 AM Dec 14, 2012
Aren't you supposed to live the rv lifestyle on your driveway while you give your stuff to your kids, plan yard sales and eventually list the house??????? Oh my gosh! We have been doing that since Thanksgiving, lol. Works for us. :)
I have no idea why anyone would be interested in us or what we are doing but the heading said “Introduce Yourself!”.
We are Deborah and Gerald Dollar. We’ve lived in the Seattle area since 1980 when we moved from New Orleans, La. My education is in biology but I worked in medical sales for 28 years. Deborah has a degree in early childhood education and owned a preschool and daycare until deteriorating health forced her to look for less physically demanding work in 2005. As you might gather from my user name and avatar I am an avid scuba diver.I have been a divemaster since 1997 and and an instructor since 2002.
To get on with the story, I quit work in 2008 at the age of 60. You will note that I quit work, I did not retire. Retirement requires planning, resources and thought. My employer of 23 years sold the division I worked for and sold me with it. The new company was obviously just using the old higher paid employees to help them with their transition and treated us miserably. I got sick of it and walked away.
Fortunately, I had worked for my previous employer for 23 years and had a small pension, retiree health insurance, a 401 K and an employed wife. I thought I would go to work part time at a low pressure job and bring in a little supplemental income. However it was winter in Seattle and every morning I would get up, put on my robe and fuzzy slippers, and watch the weather and traffic reports. It didn’t take long to figure out that sitting there, watching the tube and drinking coffee beat going out in the rain and traffic to go to work.
Life was good. I did a little volunteer work, taught a few scuba classes, rode my bike and went scuba diving whenever the mood struck me. We quickly found out that, while our income went down, our expenses went down even more. We were able to travel often and were enjoying life thourghly. The only fly in the ointment was that we had not sold our home in 2007 when the market was hot and multiple offers were common. Well, that and 180 days of overcast skies, almost constant drizzle and winter sunsets at 4:30 PM.
In 2009 Deborah had a health crisis that necessitated her missing work. Today it seems if you get sick you get unemployed fairly quickly. This was the second job she has lost due to health issues and we decided that she was probably unemployable. The doctors and social security agreed with our assessment so in April of 2009 we both became permanently unemployed, me by choice, her due to disability.
At this point our house became an albatross. We could not sell with all of the repos on the market but we really did not need all that space and we wanted to be free to travel. Finally in 2010 we bought a tow vehicle and a popup trailer. We also talked our youngest daughter into moving back home and watching the house as well as paying for utilities when we are not home. We now spend winters in Virginia, where we have another daughter, and summers in Seattle. We travel back and forth towing our little popup.
This year we couldn’t leave Seattle until the end of October and we wanted to be in Virginia by Thanksgiving so we only had about three weeks on the road.Our preference however, is to wander nearly aimlessly taking 6-12 weeks to make the transition. Last spring we traveled 5000 miles and passed through 14 states on our trip from Virginia to Seattle.
Right now we are waiting out the housing market. As soon as we can sell our house we intend to purchase something a little larger than a popup and hit the road full time. In the meantime I read RV Dreams and plan.Now, since I cannot imagine anything I can add that would be helpful to anyone I will return to lurk mode.
Welcome to the Forum Gerald. I am pretty new to the forum myself. In 2009 at age 60 I sold out my share of the business and realestate partnership I was part of. Not really because I wanted to but due to the crashing ecconomy there just was no way around it. I quickly found that there are not that many jobs out there for 60yr old guys no matter how much expierence you have. I started a small business a couple of years ago that is doing ok but not great. My wife looked at me a few weeks ago and said why don't we become fulltime rvers. We have talked about it a few times but never really were to serious. Anyway I looked back at her and said sounds like good idea to me. So we are in the process of getting ready to hit the road. We hope to be fulltime by May maybe even sooner. Go luck to you and your wife I hope it works out well.
-- Edited by mesa48 on Monday 3rd of December 2012 07:01:44 AM
Welcome, Gerald.
As you spend more time on the forums, you will have the opportunity to find out a lot of "details" to help you in eventually choosing a better RV. Feel free to ask your own questions because each time a question is asked, it may come with a different perspective, and we all tend to learn from each other.
Terry
Wishing you all the best putting your plan to work. Its always interesting to meet new people on this outstanding forum. Hope to SE you down the road sometime.
Sherry & Jesse
Welcome to the group!
To..... I n f i ni ty and Beyond!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...(Buzz Lightyear)
Best of luck to all of you in your plans!