Learning to Expect the unexpected
By Jenn:
Found this in my drafts! Original date should be from around December of 2021
We’ve been living in our RV for 2 years 8 months now and it’s been nothing like we expected. Instead of traveling across the USA and spending 1-2 weeks in each location as we’d envisioned we’ve had a series of unexpected events shape our lives. While many have been very difficult they are events that would have been much harder to cope with had we not been living in an RV with the freedom to travel whenever and wherever we needed.
The first and most obvious to most would be COVID-19. Just as we were about to leave Oregon for our big adventure all the way across the USA to Cape Cod, MA, everything closed. Plans were cancelled, our first big RV Rally cancelled, a visit with my parents postponed until who knew when and a family reunion in Cape Cod cancelled.
Although disappointed, we found ourselves in the best possible location, the small town of Bandon, OR. Since no one was traveling anymore the small RV park we’d planned to leave had space and we remained for about 3 months. We spent time on deserted beaches where Lizzie could run free and play in the waves, made new friends with whom we still keep in touch, and found some local restaurants we could help support with take out orders and even a few dine in visits.
In order to stay close to our kids and not risk getting stuck out of state during the pandemic we remained in Oregon. Traveling up the coast as far as we could, Astoria, OR and then back down to Eugene. Using local campgrounds allowed us to visit the kids and see a few of the grandkids sporting events.
Itching to travel and try to finally experience the RV lifestyle we’d envisioned we signed up for a RV gathering in TX for the Winter of 2020. Although we were a bit nervous about traveling those attending the gathering had to agree to follow safety precautions so off we went.
On our journey to TX we found some great RV campgrounds, state parks, fairgrounds and Harvest Host locations.
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- Fairgrounds are always fun, one had high school students practicing their rodeo events.
- At another a BBQ truck arrived to participate in a vaccine event, we scored some deep fried macaroni and cheese. Delicious!
- The host at the pecan orchard where we spent a few nights warned about the pop pop pops we’d heard on the roof and told not worry they were pecans falling off the trees. In this peaceful park we saw deer, fox and Lizzie’s first armadillo.
- Out in the middle of nowhere we stayed overnight in a winery where the stars,
un-obliterated by city lights shone bright. - We found out that Sugar Cube melons are the most delicious melon you’ve never seen in a typical grocery store. We wish we’d bought out our Harvest Host and filled the fridge with these. If you ever see one buy it and you won’t regret it.
In November 2020 we arrived in Livingston, TX and our small group of fellow “Home Base campers”, our family for the Winter. Hiking, campfires, group walks around the park, and sharing stories, provided some much needed social time after so many months isolating. Lizzie seemed to love it as well, as long as she got to be in front on our hikes. When we walked around the campground on our “do your business” walks Lizzie always tried to pull towards her new found family for a visit. Craft loving fellow campers inspired me to get the loom I’d been wanting for years, now I have 3! Now we sweep up not only dog hair but yarn also.
Our plans in TX were to remain for a few months, but those too were interrupted by the unexpected. Airbnb had been a wonderful way for us to keep our sticks and bricks home, but their new rules around cleaning and COVID made it impossible for us to continue. After some agonizing, especially for Rick since it was his house for many years, we decided to sell. We didn’t expect it to go in just two days for several thousand over our asking price. We sadly told our new friends we’d be leaving and turned around to go back home. We’d left our belongings locked in the shed at the house and needed to move them all out. Once back Christmas the two weeks around Christmas and New Years involved selling, giving way and moving (into storage).
One the way back to Oregon we experienced mechanical failure in our RV def tank and almost didn’t make it home. Luckily a shop in Medford, OR was able to fix it and we got over the pass before a snow storm. Once back in Eugene we remained through the Winter. We decided to wait in Oregon until we could get our vaccines, not knowing if other states would give them to us. Then we’d head back to Omaha, NE for the long delayed visit to my parents as soon as their retirement community opened to allow visitors.
On April 17th, my 54th birthday I received a call from my brother, not with birthday wishes, but with the news that my father had fallen and was gravely ill in the hospital. We’d just had our 2nd dose on the 14th and made quick plans to leave and start driving to Omaha. On the way we Boondocked (no hook ups) on private land in Cheyenne, WY overlooking beautiful hills. We left the 21st and arrived the 26th just after my father had been moved to a nursing facility. Luckily they were allowing vaccinated visitors so I was able to schedule visits with dad and help mom in their apartment.
Rick and I didn’t know how long we’d be needed, I was sure dad would get better, he’d been quite healthy for a 96 year old. When it was clear that dad would not be able to move back to independent living my parents got on the wait list for a 2 bedroom in assisted living. Dad was miserable in the nursing facility so we moved him into a 1 bedroom in assisted, mom kept the large independent living apartment. Tenth on the waitlist for a 2 bedroom mom started to wrap her head around moving into the tiny 1 bedroom to be with dad. After only a week in that apartment I received the miraculous news that a 2 bedroom was open! Everyone on the waitlist before my parents had turned it down. That meant Rick and I, with some help from my brothers and some church friends had to move mom and dad 3x in a month. Much of their belongings are still in storage for mom to sort through at her leisure.
Rick and I took a quick trip to get work done on the RV in Iowa. On our last day I got yet another unexpected call. Mom and Dad had about 2 1/2 months together in the 2 bedroom before dad fell once more. I left Rick with the RV, which was still in the shop and drove the 6 hours to Omaha praying I’d make it there in time not knowing I’d have only 2 short weeks left with my dad. Although he’d made a lot of improvements his 96 year old heart and kidneys were failing. He stood up one and fainted hitting his head. This time it was too much after 4 nights in the hospital we brought him home on Hospice. Dad passed two weeks after the fall on August 16.
I could sense that dad didn’t have much time left and slept by his bed the night before he passed. He was very restless for a while and I woke mom. She came in and sat with him cuddling and hugging him. I could hear her speaking to him about how much she loved him and what a good husband he’d been. She told him it was OK to go. He calmed and was comfortable the rest of the night. He passed the next morning during a visit from a long time friend and chaplain. The chaplain and mom were talking when I saw dad had gone. I think dad knew we would need some support. My brother had just flown in the day before and was with dad as well. Rick arrived just moments after.
Four months, I’d had 4 months with my dad that I’m not sure would have been as easy to do if not for the fact that I could just drive my home to him. That and of course a husband for whom there was never a question that this is what we would do. Rick and I remained in NE for one more month to help mom and plan the service. Leaving Nebraska and mom was hard and I still check on her almost everyday. I feel comfort in knowing so many of the Church friends mom and dad made over the years check in on her and help. All mom needs to do is pick up the phone. I made a quick trip the week before Christmas and helped mom with a few things. My cancelled flight meant we got to have Christmas morning brunch together.
After we left NE we traveled to Grand Rapids, MI to get the work on the RV done and buy a truck. We love Michigan, but due to the time of year we arrived, October, we needed to start heading down south to avoid the Winter weather. We made a stops near Richmond, IN and Knoxville, TN where I got to see some of my friends I’d met through my work with Adrenal Insufficiency United. I need to make another post about this fun visits. Suffice to say Richmond and its history surprised me. We enjoyed exploring Knoxville and its beauty. We always learn so many new things and have such great experiences, that’s what we love about traveling to new places.
We arrived in Summerdale Alabama on November 23th. This is a very small town, I’m not even sure there is a town, it just may be a post office. However, it’s right in the middle of everything. In the cute small towns nearby we found frozen custard in Daphne, an adorable downtown and waterfront park in Fairhope, a delicious bakery and nighttime decoration in Foley. Drive 1 hour west and you’re in Mobile, and hour east you’re in Pensacola and 40 minutes south you’re at Gulf Shores walking on white sand beaches. This really is the perfect location. If our Brady Bunch family of 6 kids and 4 grandkids didn’t live so far away in Oregon we’d consider buying a place here for Wintering. It’s so perfect we are now staying until March 23!
Fortunately we’ve found a wonderful couple through Rover to watch Lizzie for us so two days a week we go explore without her. Then for about 9 days Lizzie will have a sleep away “camp” at their house while we fly back to Oregon to see our family.
So this has become a long summary of our last 2 years and 8 months. All in all this is not what we’d expected when we started RVing, but it’s been perfect for us. We have been able to be where we needed to be when we needed to be there and look forward to where we will be next.
Normally when we are asked where will you go next we say, “We Don’t Know”. Although we normally have a general idea of where we’d want to go we know that you can’t really plan anything in stone. I’ve decided I like it that way. Not knowing means we have unlimited possibilities.
