Lets Get Out Of Here

"What are the plans for the weekend?" Candy (the wife) asked me a couple of days ago.
"Lets just go!" I said back.
"Go where?"
"Lets just get out of here for the weekend"

Final preparations are being made to head to Joplin this weekend for the Missouri State Chili Championship. 

Hogs & Hot Rods on the historic Rt 66 will be hosting the State Cookoff. If you are around that area, look up the address, come by and see us. This cookoff will be a lot of fun.

We have never cooked in Missouri and I guess it's time we Show Them what Texas Red Chili is all about.
(Get it? That was funny right there.)
(show them........., show me state.........)
(cricket, cricket, cricket)
(Okay, maybe it's too early for stupid jokes)


As far as the Tiny House, we have an Electric Meter now and all the materials to run the water line. Once that is done and the septic in installed we will move the trailer there while we build the house.

That's all I got for now. See, that wasn't too bad.
Jerry (Missouri bound)

It's The Simple Things

The average house in America is 2300 square feet. Just forty years ago it was 1000. The average house in Europe is still at 1000 square feet while in Spain it is only 924. The smallest apartment in Manhattan is 78 square feet and is rented out for $800 a month. The house I just left was
2500 square feet and the travel trailer I am living in now is a mere 330.

This is our third week living in the trailer at the RV park and it's finally starting to set in. Sure it's great at first, but after the fun and games are over and the newness wears off, reality starts to set in. It's the simple things, once taken for granted, that's starting to come to light.
For instance, ice. We have had an ice maker forever. Now, with only six ice trays in the small freezer, it has become a high commodity in the camper. It's really funny when I crack the tray and pop the cubes up, one always jumps out and lands on the floor. That saddens me because of how precious each cube is now. When we had a ice maker it was no big deal, but now it's like someone just kicked my dog when I see them fall to the floor.

Another is the simple task of getting dressed. I have had to learn a new way to dress because my arms hit the roof when I put on my shirt. The little bedroom is too small to get dressed in so I have to lay my clothes out the night before in the living room and get dressed out there the next morning.

The main thing I took for granted is my own personal space. I can't just go in the other room or go out in the shop to work out my frustrations. 
No matter how much you love someone, when they are around you all the time, frustrations tend to build up. That is not saying anyone is doing anything wrong, it's just there is no where to go without having someone right there.
If I want to just get out for a second and walk the dog, there is always someone there walking their dog that wants to stop and talk, "Walking your dog?" they always ask. "No, I'm just trying to sniff her butt, but she wont stop." I don't want to talk. I am walking the dog by myself for a reason, leave me alone.
Last night I went out to grill pork chops, sure as the world, RV neighbors stopped by, asked what I was cooking then sat and started talking. Last weekend was the same thing.
Saturday night I was relaxing in the pool at 10:00 PM. Well how about that, folks had to walk by and ask how the water was. "Well, if it wasn't good I wouldn't be in it dumb ass."
Last night I walked up to shave and shower because mine in the camper is small hard to do when you are my size, I am carrying my towel and shower stuff and a guy asked if I was headed to the shower, "No, I carry this stuff around the park waiting for it to rain." Why would you ask someone that?
I know everyone is just trying to be nice, I get that and I probably just need to relax and be thankful there are folks out there who are nice. 

Only after three weeks I want my freedom back. Sure it is nice to be 30 minutes closer to work. It's nice not to have to mow and it's nice there are not any hell raisers around disturbing my sleep like at the other house. It is also nice all the dogs have to be on a leash and none are destroying my trash.  Even with all those nice things, I guess I am just not a RV Park kinda guy.

(Sigh) I feel better now, and I didn't even have to say a word.
See Ya,
Jerry 

Home Is Where She Is At

Here is my home,

Just for a little while hopefully.
It's like camping every day!





Alright, it's not really that fun but it's a change of pace and completely different than what I am accustom to. I have neighbors all around me and I can watch them eat dinner and I can hear them talking, arguing or whatever. While I am sitting outside I watch folks walk their dogs and meander around like something I have never seen before. Mine and Candy's conversations are like, "You know, the owner of the beagle." I really don't understand this way of living, but it is kinda nice not to have anything to do during the week. I do miss my girls and just being able to do something. Here in RV land all there is to do is just breath, eat and sleep.

Candy is really trying to make this a pleasant experience for both of us and in turn I am trying to do my best to not pick out the little things like the cramped living and all her clothes, makeup and her barking dog. I have her and my outdoor kitchen so I am happy.
Honestly, it don't matter if it was in a tent by the lake or living out of our truck, as long as I have her there it would be home. I tell you what, me and this girl have been through it all. Home is only with her.

I have tried to fit in here by wearing shorts and sandals when I am out walking the wife and dog. I think the folks can see through my city folk disguise though. It may be the way I talk, I need to learn their lingo.
Here is an example:

RV park folk in their Massachusetts accent , "So guys, where you from?"
Me, "10 miles up the road."
RV park folk, "Oh!"
Me in my Texas drawl, "Yup, our van down by the river burnt so here we are, so where you staying"
RV park folk, "............" as they grab their dog and walk away.
What, am I going to eat their dog or something?  

The progress on the Tiny House is just that, Tiny. We are having to do this paycheck by paycheck so it will take a while. Last weekend we finished the fencing around the place. We also finished moving out of our house and Hannah (the middle girl) moved in the next day. Kylee (the youngest girl) is living there fixing to start college while Jessie (the oldest) is getting ready to start her senior year at Texas A&M. She is staying at a little place in town until then. They come by now and then to see old dad. It's only been a week and it feels like a month. I really miss them. 

Our camper is 340 square feet. Once finished with the tiny house we will be living in 550sf. My dad thinks we are not going to like living in such a small area, but I think living in this camper for four to five months will make that 550 look like a mansion.
What I am needing now is septic tanks. I don't want the regular 500 gallon tanks because it is just me and her. So I am looking for two 150 to 200 gallon tanks I can bury. I thought about 55 gallon plastic drums, but I am afraid we will have to pump them more than we will want to.
My power will be on in a week or two and I have everything for the water. Once all that is installed I will move the trailer over to the land and start the building.

That's all I got for now, I think I want go out and harass me some RV folks. It's entertainment so what the hell?

Later,
Jerry   

It's a start

Over the past week we have been moving more stuff out of the house and yard and storing it in the barn or over at my dad's.

We also started on the tiny home we are about to build by installed the corners posts for the yard and

staking out where the house will sit. We need to put up a new fence so we can keep the goats out and get to work installing the water, sewer and power.

We only have about a week left in our house now because we upped the move out date from the first of the month to next week. Hannah is very excited to get moved in quicker than expected.

Now, our house is vacant and we are living off of paper plates and cups. I actually like it that way.

I hope everyone had a great 4th. Of course ours was non stop from Thursday evening all the way to last night. Going back to work today gave me some much needed rest. 

In the end I think I cooked about 50 hamburgers and 100 hotdogs. My Cowboy cooker worked great and now everyone wants one.








The oldest girl had a great idea so we did it Friday night. She got a projector and we put up a screen and had an outdoor picture show on the farm. It brought back a lot memories from the forgotten age of the drive ins and everyone really enjoyed it. 

Sunday we just said to hell with it all and went to the lake for a day of relaxing, swimming, football, volley ball and a picnic lunch. We needed this and it was a real good time forgetting about the world and just enjoying each others company.




Well, that's about it. I hope everyone has a great week and I look forward in sharing our new adventure with you all.

Jerry.