The Nomadic Life

SOLD!

And the adventure begins!   The house actually sold a few weeks ago and I’ve been anxious for the “sold” sign to appear.  Our plans were to leave for the east coast today.  Finally the “sold” sign went late yesterday!

Last week we had a family picnic and filled the yard with about 60 people, it was a blast…how great to see everyone again before we leave.

Our goal was to head out at noon today, but you know how it goes…all those last-minute details and errands to run and goodbyes to say.  We managed to lock the door to the house for the last time around 3:00 p.m. and head out for our new life on the road as full-time RVers.

Clean house but messy RV

In our haste to get on with our journey we had to scamper to get everything done.  The house looks really nice totally empty, but the inside of the RV kinda got dumped on.  The next few days will be spent tidying up and finding home spots for everything.  We still have a lot of “stuff” in our life.

Once we got moving we only went about 45 miles and stopped to wait out the rush hour traffic before heading into Minneapolis.  We stopped in the parking lot of a very new Fleet Farm store in Carver, MN.  While we were waiting we went shopping.  Eventually we headed up to I-494 and had no problems getting through Minneapolis and St.Paul, making it only to Menominee, Wisconsin, when it got dark and the rain began.

Finally!  We have managed to dispose of most of our “stuff”.  More people have come with pickup trucks and trailers, more boxes have been donated to charity, more to recycling, and more to trash.

And another load goes out

I didn’t get a picture of every load that went out but I did remember to get this one of my sister and her friend as they were ready to leave with a SUV load and a trailer load of furniture and other goodies.

Now that most of the stuff is gone we have been able to focus on prepping the house for sale.  We stripped old wallpaper and painted and switched out the dining room light fixture. We’re good to go!  It’s on the market! woo!

FOR SALE! OMG!

Oh wow, reality hits.  Let’s hope somebody buys it now.  It’s been shown three times and one more scheduled for Saturday morning.  Knock on wood.

The John Deere Goes Bye Bye

Shannon came and took the John Deere today.  The neighbor boy will be mowing our yard until we can get the house sold.

We’re still working on disposing of our posessions.. what a job.  A lot has been donated to charities.  We’re still recycling what we can and filling our garbage can every week.

A few more pickup loads have gone.

Lowell took stuff for scrap metal.

Steve with a pickup load.

Since we got back home we’ve been going through all our things.  It’s a bit overwhelming the amount of stuff we have accumulated over the years.  I don’t think we ever got rid of anything!  This is going to take some time.  I took pictures of the larger items and posted them in an online album for the relatives to pick from.  Some have made claims.

Kyle was first come get what he wanted

Andy came with a trailer and a friend to help load things.

Several boxes of misc stuff went to the Epilepsy Foundation, several boxes to the local charity, and loads of stuff to the local recycling center.  And, lots went to garbage.  There is still tons left.  Soon I will take more pictures and add to the online album.  Whatever the relatives won’t take I will offer to friends and neighbors.

The house has not been listed with a realtor yet, as we need to de-clutter and make it half way presentable before we make that step.

It’s a good feeling to clean out like this.  Should have done it years ago, but we weren’t ready to let go until now. Of course there will be some things we just cannot part with and we’ll have to find storage for.  And if the house never sells and we have to stay, it’s OK.  We’d just start fresh.

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think we would RV full-time.  Sure, the thought crossed our minds recently, but we never seriously considered it.  During our travels the last few years we have met several people who RV full-time.  Every one of them said how they love it and had no regrets.  Many have been doing it for several years…6 years, 10 years, etc.

Then, at the Good Sam Rally in Phoenix, Arizona, last month we attended some seminars on full-timing and came to the conclusion that this can be a reality for us.  We just finished our third year as snowbirds, this last winter in our “new” rig which was quite comfortable.

A trip to Alaska for a summer is on our bucket list.  Not this year, as we have a wedding in the family that we cannot miss.  So our plan is to head south again this winter, then head to Alaska next summer.

Downsizing is another thing that needs doing at this time in our lives.  29 years of accumulation….all the “things” that were important to us at one time now have become forgotten items in the corners of the basement.  Funny how the basement filled up.  What will become of all this stuff if something should happen to either or both of us?  Who will deal with it?

And then there is the cost of maintaining a house we won’t be in:  The property taxes, insurance costs, utilities costs, who will mow the lawn? snow removal.

We love the house, have had many good years living here, but it’s time for it to go.

Just as we were pondering all this the telephone rang… it was the Epilepsy Foundation saying there were going to be in the neighborhood next week and looking for donations.  It’s a sign!