My mind has been a bit heavy recently.
Leaving Crowley Lake, we spend 2 nights in Bishop, CA. Then on to Lone Pine again, just an overnighter. I don’t unhook.
South Dakota (my domicile) truck and trailer registration are coming due soon. Americas Mailbox, my mailing service, reminds me of that via email. All I need to do is get either a money order, cashiers check or certified check, have it made out to Pennington County Treasurer and mail it to Americas Mailbox. They do the rest for a $10 fee per vehicle. I’ll be notified when the new license tabs are in my mailbox and I just need to have them mailed to me. I go to a bank in Bishop and take care of that. The total for both vehicles is $165.50. If I were still a California resident the total would be well over $500. Actually over $600. In California my truck is considered ‘commercial’ even though it isn’t, so it alone was costing me over $500 for yearly registration.
Trailer insurance is also coming due. That is easy enough to take care of with my Progressive phone app.
My absentee ballot should be arriving in Barstow soon. (hoping it’s already here). I plan to be there by this afternoon, (I made it.) (Posting after I arrive) and I’ll stay awhile. Keeping my fingers crossed this works out. (The history of this is that I forgot that I have to apply for an absentee ballot in South Dakota on a yearly basis, and so I just did it a bit over a week ago…now I’m holding my breath to receive my ballot and get it mailed back to SD by November 8).
I have been thinking I will boon dock near Barstow. There are two BLM campgrounds I like nearby. There used to be a great camp host couple at one of them, and they took care of both of those campgrounds. I call Barstow BLM to ask some questions and find there are no camp hosts at either campground now. I’m disappointed. If I remember correctly I got minimal wifi reception at one place with my Joel Pole,(my internet antenna) and none at the other. No AT&T phone reception.
Ok, so I’m not sure what’s going on with me right now, but I’m feeling anxious about staying at either one of those places over Halloween with no camp hosts. I’m noticing that I’m having a tendency to worry about things overly much recently….and well….I did have a scary Halloween experience camping at Bottomless Lake State Park 2 years ago in Roswell, New Mexico. (nothing bad happened and it may have been all in my head, but it was my scariest situation so far, camping.)
At any rate, I end up making reservations at the Barstow KOA until after Halloween. Then we’ll see. I notice I’ve been hesitant to boon dock for awhile now. I keep finding reasons not to. I wonder what that’s about?
But my main concern right now is Shiloh, who is having tummy problems. This isn’t new, he has had a sensitive tummy all his life, but he’s having what I feel like is one of his worst episodes right now. If things don’t settle down, it looks like we will be seeing a vet in Barstow while we are here.
Shiloh, not feeling at the top of his game.
Joy, pretty in pink. She is wearing my shirt (hers now!) because she is shedding so much. The shirt keeps some of the hair from flying around.
And then the last thing I was going to tell you….I think I’m feeling homesick, which is a first for me since I set off on this journey over 2 years ago. I’m feeling like Joy and Shiloh and I need some time off the road. We have been back ‘home’ a few times, but not because I felt homesick. This is different.
Big Sur, near ‘the home place’. Longing to be there….
More Big Sur
One of my favorite places to take a picture.
I was planning on going to ‘the home place’ for Thanksgiving, seeing family, friends,…and doctors….but now I’m feeling as if I’d just like to get there sooner rather than later and hang out for awhile. This feeling has been growing for the last month or so.
Del Monte Beach, on Monterey Bay. This beach was practically in our back yard when we lived there. Well, less than a mile, as the crow flies.
No one there but us chickens. Miles of beach, hardly anyone on it.
I am unbelievably fortunate to have Mary, my friend who always seems ready to welcome us (all 3 of us and WS too) with open arms, so that’s the direction we will be pointing when we leave Barstow. After a stop in Bakersfield to break up the distance, we will head right back to the Monterey area.
Not sure when I’ll be getting there yet, or when I’ll leave, but I’ll continue to blog, here, there, and everywhere!
Wandering Spirit 
I lived in Monterey back in the mid 70s. It is beautiful there. But a little cool for my taste most of the time. I hope you find the rest you need to regenerate and have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I read your blog, I don’t know if I have ever replied. But I enjoy your travels.
Hi Jean, so happy to have you comment here, and glad you are reading along!
Yes Montery is cool, but for me…all 3 of us actually, it’s perfect. Over the years I grew to love 65 degrees in the summer, 55 in the winter. 😍
Try Shiloh on some canned pumpkin. Be sure not to get the sweet kind, you need straight pumpkin.
I may have some somewhere around here Pat. I was keeping it on hand, but not sure where it is now. I can shop tomorrow, too. Thanks for the suggestion!
Couple of tablespoons twice daily.
I think everyone in the US – people and dogs- have some form of tummy problems with the election only a week away. Hopefully we will all feel better by December! Take care.
You know Diane J, sometimes I think that’s part of what is making me feel kind of ‘off’ right now! And goodness knows, Shiloh seems to pick up everything I feel.
I WILL be glad when that’s over with!
Go where your heart sends you and be happy. Hope to cross paths someday. Peggy Sue misses her friends too and plays with hedgehog daily (her favorite).
Pumpkin is a good idea for Shilo.
Big hugs, Sharron
Hi Sharron, I was thinking of you hard today because there is a fairly famous diner near where I’m camped…a mile or so away, called “Peggy Sue’s Diner”. I’ll probably go there while I’m in Barstow, and I’ll take a picture of the sign. Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty Peggy Sue. 😍
Yes, the point of this lifestyle is to go where I want, right? Even ‘home’.
Do you think you will be out on the road this winter?
Hopefully after the first of the year.? Who knows. I just keep dreaming!
I hope so too, Sharron.
One of the advantages of the way you live is that if you get homesick for somewhere you can go there! And I can see why you’d love that particular place, it’s one of the most scenic in the country! I’m glad you’ll still blog, but I wish you well on your visit home. Relax, get some TLC for yourself and the pups. You’ll be wear you need to be and that’s all that matters.
Hi Dawn, yes, exactly. Sometimes the heart needs home, even with a Wandering Spirit attached to it. Good to be free….
That sick feeling you get when a fur baby isn’t well….ugh. I hope Shiloh feels better soon, and that you do, too.
That’s exactly what I’m talking about Maureen. When they don’t feel good, mama don’t feel good. And it’s SO worrisome because they can’t tell me what is wrong, and they are so stoic, so it’s hard to know how bad things are.
Thank you for the good wishes!
I’m goin’ home, I’m goin’ home
I’m goin’ home, I’m goin’ home
I’m goin’ home, bome, bome, bome-bome-bome,
Home, bome, bome, bome, back home
Yes, I wIll.
Hug,
Ego….
My very favorite Stones Linda. After all this time…it remains…
It’s good that you’re listening to what your heart is telling you. Rest for awhile, get things taken care of and get past the election and it’s fallout. Everything will start to look better then. I think many of us are feeling anxious and restive right now. I hope better days are ahead for all of us.
I think this has been the hardest election I’ve ever experienced…the most upsetting….worrisome. And to think that the whole country is feeling this. I have moments of wanting to go to sleep and wake up when it’s over Marcia.
Probably time to take some time off the road!!!…Im glad you have Mary and a place to hang your hat for awhile…because you signed up and committed for this journey, doesn’t mean you can’t take some time off to relax and think for awhile!!! Don’t push yourself 😊
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Hi Peggy, yes I guess there are no rules I have to follow,bare there? I can just listen to my heart and follow that. Thanks to Mary right now! Can’t wait to give WS and JR a really good cleaning too, inside and out. Can do that while I’m thinkin’. 😊
Folow your heart. Your instinct is your best guide. KOA is always a safe place to be, lots of family’s and people.
Safe travels.
Cheryl
Hi Cheryl, yes
KOA is safe…well except for the drunk guy next to me that was showing his rifle around last night! This week end brings out the crazies I guess! But for the most part it’s families here now doing Halloween things. Loud, but otherwise safe. Not complaining!
Home sounds good, especially with a welcoming friend’s open arms and the intuitive direction your feeling. Follow your internal compass, it’s reliable!
Thanks for the vote of confidence Morgan. Yup, it just feels right to go home soon. For awhile.
When you’re full timing in a Casita, you can go wherever you wish. So head to Big Sur and get a dose of comfort. Some places are like comfort foods. They just make us feel better! I’m with you on the election. We’ve been camping for the past couple of weeks and I’m glad I don’t have to listen to the mess every day. The sad thing is that I’m afraid that whoever wins, the American People lose – especially since civility seems to be a thing of the past.
Hi Reine, glad to hear you are out camping!
Yes, Big Sur has been my comfort place for more than 25 years come to think of it…where I go to sort things out and get a grip.
I’ve got my tv hooked up. Part of me wants to know what’s going on, and another part of me can’t bear to listen. ‘Mess ‘, yes that’s a good description.
Perhaps it’s the time of the year, perhaps Shiloh’s state of aging and health. But for whatever reason, feed that longing…because you can! Go home. And what a beautiful place home is.
Hi Cindy, for me, it’s taking long tern traveling to learn that….😏
Glad to hear you’re heading back here
Hope to see you
Hi Kathleen, that would be nice. Maybe we can get together for coffee.
So sorry to hear Shiloh isn’t feeling well..perhaps the pumpkin will do the trick! Also sorry to hear your mind has been heavy of late. But I find there is always a reason for those feelings, and we need to always follow our heart. It will not let us down! I am back in Texas now, and I have had a great time, but when I crossed the border between Arkansas and Texas it was a fantastic feeling. Even though I’ve only been gone for four months, I have missed my friends and family that are here. Sometimes we just have to feel the love!! So you just get rested, renewed, take care of those fur babies, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving. As always, I’ll be anxiously awaiting your next post. Safe travels!
He’s actually all better now Pat, but thank you for your concern.
I’m glad you are enjoying going home too. I’m glad that I’m feeling that California is ‘home’. It took many years for me to feel that ( most of the first half of my life in Michigan). When I moved back to Michigan in 06 I thought I was going home, only to find out Michigan was no longer home and when I returned to CA, found that it WAS home. Now I find that it still is. I’m a California Girl…err…California Old Lady! 😂😂
However that doesn’t mean I’ve lost my Wandering Spirit!