Approaching the 3 year anniversary and a question from a colleague
NWescapee said
06:08 PM Jun 16, 2016
Back in the Seattle are, so happy to be in a totally different state of mind as we go into this weekend's art show. 3 years ago the house was under contract, we had just moved the RV back onto our driveway from our very kind neighbor who let us park in his empty lot while the house was on the market, the storage room was almost full, final estate sale had taken place, local charities had carted away the rest of the furniture and the house was almost empty with just the garage to finish. Wow, really strange to look back and think that was 3 years ago, seems like it's been forever, but at the same time, where have the 3 years gone??
Since we're back in the area we used to live and work, and since I'm supposed to go into the local office as much as possible I ventured into the office one day this week and had a fun chat with a colleague. He asked about this FT life and his question "Was it everything you wanted it to be?" really struck home.
Since we thought we were going to do this for a year, maybe 2, then figure out where we wanted to put down roots, and now we're saying we are on the 5-10 year FT RV plan, I wasn't sure how to answer his question. In so many ways, it's way more than we wanted it to be, we love our winters in AZ / SoCal, spring & fall in Northern CA and summers in WA & ID, with stops in Oregon and Nevada thrown in as we travel. What's not to love? Oh yeah, there have been the break downs including getting towed twice within 6 months in the same little corner of the country, ongoing intermittent hydraulic issues, ongoing fridge issues, plans that seem to be always changing / evolving, etc, etc.
In the end I just looked at him and said I was happier than I had been in a long time, our marriage is stronger, we're out of debt, and life on the road is GOOD!! For as long as it lasts, it's good. Then he shared his wife wants to do this, who knows, I may have another co-worker joining me on the road!!!
el Rojo and Pam said
06:03 AM Jun 17, 2016
Congrats Ruth and Dale! Pam and I were talking the other day and we're 2 yrs and 4 months in and having a blast too!
Red
Hdrider said
07:10 AM Jun 17, 2016
Yup, congrats!!! It's funny that I was laying in bed last night thinking that 4 years ago our home was under contract and next month will mark 4 years ago that we moved into our RV, time flies.
We to said we would give it 1 year but after that year we sold a bare chunk of land that we had to go back to and said then we could see ourselves doing this for maybe 5 years but now that 4 years has crept up we are thinking that 5 years will get extended with a little luck.
Has it been everything we hoped for, well that answer can change from month to month I'm sure you will agree but overall it's a pretty darn good life don't ya think??
Happy travels and don't hang around that office to much or someone just might get he idea that they like you there!!!
-- Edited by Hdrider on Friday 17th of June 2016 07:14:46 AM
John U said
07:31 AM Jun 17, 2016
What more can one ask for that matters?? You are debt free, healthy, happy and with a stronger marriage?
Those minor breakdowns are simply speed bumps! Congrats on living the "American Dream" !
John
Camper Chronicles said
09:46 PM Jun 21, 2016
Congrats Ruth for hitting the three year mark!!
Trace
jrzygrl64 said
11:50 AM Jun 22, 2016
Happy Anniversary - and wishing you many amazing returns!
Bill and I are coming up on 2 years and it's been awesome! Depending on the day - it varies between feeling like FOREVER ago or like yesterday, since we closed on the house! It's bizarre!
My answer to that question would be that's its all I wished for and more!
Trikester said
10:35 AM Jun 23, 2016
Tomorrow we celebrate the third anniversary of our official start full-timing. On 6/24/13 we closed on our house. Before that we’d been living in the RV the better part of a year; we had intended just to snowbird. But the house had problems over winter, plus there were mortgage payments, and we were relishing our freedom. So, we plunged forth into the full-timing RV world.
Since then we’ve had ups and downs. When we replaced our 31.5 foot Hitchhiker with a 2007 36 foot Teton, we landed in RV hell. Horrible purchase. A year later we sold the Teton and bought a 2007 New Horizons Summit, which is our keeper. Then came an adrenaline rush in the mountains which scared us into buying a heap bigger truck. We added a Smart car as well, since grocery store runs and such in an HDT are impractical. And we still have our geriatric Odyssey that we leave in Florida (an occasionally cranky yet delightful old Honda that refuses to die).
Don’t know how much longer we’ll stay on the road. That depends on how our respective anatomies hold up before the aging demon, and affordability could creep into the picture. For the moment, though, it’s full speed ahead whether driving, pedaling, or hiking.
DebbieM said
02:27 PM Jun 29, 2016
Congrats on 3 years! We just had our 2 year yesterday! Wouldn't change a thing! Well, except for hubby to be retired. But we have loved every minute of it!
Back in the Seattle are, so happy to be in a totally different state of mind as we go into this weekend's art show. 3 years ago the house was under contract, we had just moved the RV back onto our driveway from our very kind neighbor who let us park in his empty lot while the house was on the market, the storage room was almost full, final estate sale had taken place, local charities had carted away the rest of the furniture and the house was almost empty with just the garage to finish. Wow, really strange to look back and think that was 3 years ago, seems like it's been forever, but at the same time, where have the 3 years gone??
Since we're back in the area we used to live and work, and since I'm supposed to go into the local office as much as possible I ventured into the office one day this week and had a fun chat with a colleague. He asked about this FT life and his question "Was it everything you wanted it to be?" really struck home.
Since we thought we were going to do this for a year, maybe 2, then figure out where we wanted to put down roots, and now we're saying we are on the 5-10 year FT RV plan, I wasn't sure how to answer his question. In so many ways, it's way more than we wanted it to be, we love our winters in AZ / SoCal, spring & fall in Northern CA and summers in WA & ID, with stops in Oregon and Nevada thrown in as we travel. What's not to love? Oh yeah, there have been the break downs including getting towed twice within 6 months in the same little corner of the country, ongoing intermittent hydraulic issues, ongoing fridge issues, plans that seem to be always changing / evolving, etc, etc.
In the end I just looked at him and said I was happier than I had been in a long time, our marriage is stronger, we're out of debt, and life on the road is GOOD!! For as long as it lasts, it's good. Then he shared his wife wants to do this, who knows, I may have another co-worker joining me on the road!!!
Red
Yup, congrats!!! It's funny that I was laying in bed last night thinking that 4 years ago our home was under contract and next month will mark 4 years ago that we moved into our RV, time flies.
We to said we would give it 1 year but after that year we sold a bare chunk of land that we had to go back to and said then we could see ourselves doing this for maybe 5 years but now that 4 years has crept up we are thinking that 5 years will get extended with a little luck.
Has it been everything we hoped for, well that answer can change from month to month I'm sure you will agree but overall it's a pretty darn good life don't ya think??
Happy travels and don't hang around that office to much or someone just might get he idea that they like you there!!!
-- Edited by Hdrider on Friday 17th of June 2016 07:14:46 AM
Those minor breakdowns are simply speed bumps! Congrats on living the "American Dream" !
John
Trace
Since then we’ve had ups and downs. When we replaced our 31.5 foot Hitchhiker with a 2007 36 foot Teton, we landed in RV hell. Horrible purchase. A year later we sold the Teton and bought a 2007 New Horizons Summit, which is our keeper. Then came an adrenaline rush in the mountains which scared us into buying a heap bigger truck. We added a Smart car as well, since grocery store runs and such in an HDT are impractical. And we still have our geriatric Odyssey that we leave in Florida (an occasionally cranky yet delightful old Honda that refuses to die).
Don’t know how much longer we’ll stay on the road. That depends on how our respective anatomies hold up before the aging demon, and affordability could creep into the picture. For the moment, though, it’s full speed ahead whether driving, pedaling, or hiking.
Congrats on 3 years! We just had our 2 year yesterday! Wouldn't change a thing! Well, except for hubby to be retired. But we have loved every minute of it!