I spend all day Tuesday the 27th packing up. (Except for time spent walking Joy and Shiloh, buying a big bag of dog food, and filling JR’s tank with gas.)
We have been at Mary’s house since early November, so there is a lot of packing up to do. Once again I am surprised at all the ‘stuff’ I have, as I try to find places for it in WS and JR.
Wednesday, December 28. Time to go. I’ve been saying my good-bys and it’s harder this time. Is it the season…or is it because in my time of traveling, my heart is telling me this is truly home? Or, are there other factors at work here? I don’t know, probably all of the above, but my urge to wander is strong, and the road is calling me.
Mary and I say our good-bys and she leaves for work. It takes me almost 3 more hours to clear out of her house. (And walk the dogs). I want things to be tidy when I leave, like they were when I arrived.
Our destination today is Orange Grove RV Park, 219 miles away, near Bakersfield, which is actually a long days drive for me. Today it seems especially long for some reason, and we don’t arrive until 3:30pm.
We walk, pick a few oranges, and have dinner.
There are LOADS of ripe, reachable oranges here now, and guests are encouraged to pick them. If you are in need of vitamin C, come and spend a night or two here. The park is busier than it was in early November, but there are still at least 100 open spaces here I’d guess.
Dinner for me is Chickpea salad with lettuce and spinach in a pita. Think tuna salad, but sub chickpeas smashed with a potato masher for the fish, and I use vegan mayo. I also have a cup of left over potato leek soup that I made for dinner last night for Mary and I. Yummy!
Today, December 29, we travel to Barstow, CA, only 129 miles, and through the Tehachapi Mountains.
I’m having issues with my laptop, so I’m posting from my IPad. I have run out of space on my laptop, and though I’ve transferred my pictures (which take most of the space) to an external hard drive , when they transferred they got all out of order . 13,000 pictures out of order is unacceptable so I don’t want to remove them from my internal drive yet. Now my laptop won’t even let me access them. It may take awhile to sort this mess out, since I have no idea what I’m doing!
Wandering Spirit 
You sound completely organized and together to me. 13,000 beautiful pictures! You’ll figure it out! Happy Tra
Hi Marie! Ummm….happy Tra to you as well! 😂 And happy new year!
Goodbyes are always hard for me too. Years ago I used to avoid going home just to avoid the goodbyes when I had to leave again. I know. Silly. I also understand about the photos being out of order. You’re going to have to do something different, that would be impossible to work with. Good luck!!! Can you just get a bigger hard drive in your laptop and transfer everything to that? I don’t know diddly about computers, am lucky that husband does it…but I think I should pay better attention so that I could do stuff on my own better.
I look forward to your adventures. The oranges look beautiful!!!
Hi Dawn, I have no idea about getting a bigger internal hard drive. Above and beyond my meager understanding!
Goodbyes are no fun when it’s people you love. I try to keep smiling, and cry later when I’m alone.
Sounds like you’ve got it all together…well except for the photos, and I know you’ll work that out!! I understand exactly what you’re saying about the good-byes. It was so hard to leave my Texas home this last time. Thought I would be spending Christmas with family, but it just didn’t work out. As I drove away with tears in my eyes, I focused on the fact that my home follows me, and home is where the heart is(even though a piece of my heart is left behind). I’ve found that too long in “civilization” makes me “antsy” and I truly miss the calmness and peace of being alone. Wishing you the happiest of New Years, my friend!!!
Hi Pat (Freespirit), and I didn’t think I’d be spending Christmas with my friends and family, but then it did work out….but still hard to say goodbye.
I understand about getting antsy….I feel that too. So nice to be able to have a remedy for that!
Happy new year to you Pat!
Hi Micky, Happy New Year! The photos of orange groves remind me of my childhood in the 50s in SoCal, when citrus groves were common. I remember my Mom painting the trunks of our orange and lemon trees with white paint, too. I think it was to prevent sunburned bark. Such sweet fruit, such sweet memories!
You’re so right to take it slowly with your trove of photos/memories. I hate computer problems. There’s no rush, as you say, wait u till you can get help from someone you trust. It is a pain to type on an iPad, as I, too, am doing right now. Maybe an inexpensive external keyboard would make it easier?
Hi Maureen, those sound like such nice memories. I keep meaning to ask why the trees are painted white, when I’m here. But that reason you gave makes sense.
Yes, computer problems make me anxious just thinking about them! Joel had a look at the situation, but there was just no time. Same with Mandy’s brother Mark, and again, no time to work on it. Now it’s even worse then it was when they tried to sort it out, since last time I tried I couldn’t even access photos. Need to wait till I reach my destination….that will be next year! 😮
I always thought it was to try to keep bugs out, at least the non-flying ones.
As far as choosing home vs wandering, I know you’ll figure out the right balance. The personal (not canine) joy for you is having family and friends to share your home time and wander time with.and knowing where “home” is when you’re ready to wander less. Safe travels and fun adventures in the new year.
Thanks for your thoughtful words Reine. I am ALWAYS glad to hear your input on whatever subject. Happy new year and safe travels to you too. Are you going to Quartzsite in Feb by any chance?
Hi Micky. I sense you’re torn but listening to the urge to wander. When/if the urge quiets, then you’ll know.
I agree with the suggestion to get an external hard drive. They are pretty easy to use. If you recall how discs used to work, it is similar. You will just plug it into a USB port in your laptop and once it recognizes the external drive you can just click and drag things to that drive. It’s great for backing up data or making room on your laptop. They aren’t expensive.
Are you headed to AZ? I discussed my future plans with my kids over the holidays and they are supportive although they had a ton of questions. I can’t wait!
Well the thing is that I did get an external hard drive, and I put my pictures on it but they ended up all out of order and mixed up, so I haven’t taken them off the internal hard drive yet. Now I couldn’t if I wanted to because it’s not letting me access them.
Yes I’m headed to southern Arizona, south of Tucson even. I’ve been to this place before and I like it. This time I’m staying longer….more about it when I get there.
Really great that your kids are being supportive! That’s pretty important!
Hi Mickey! Happy New Year! It must feel good to be back on the road again….but it is equally nice to be home with family and friends. I’m sure that you will be able to find a balance between the two…..Not everybody is cut out for full time RV ing…I know that I always want to have a “home base”, and for us that is up here in Oregon , close to the son, DIL, grand-girl, and the new grand-girl on the way! Fortunately, there is a lot to see (camp wise) here in the Cascades, although I am a bit jealous of your weather down south!
Can’t wait to hear about your visit to Quartzite….we’ve agreed to babysit this year, but maybe we will make it in 2018 now that we have a fiberglass camper!
Take care, and enjoy the serenity of the desert over new year’s…
Hi Sharon, oh the Cascades are so beautiful, and must be snow covered now…wow. Glad that your home base is in such a great spot! But yes I do need to follow the warmer weather in my little home, or at least stay clear of freezing and below weather as much as possible.
Enjoy you grand girl and your up and coming grand girl! Happy and peaceful new year.
So sorry about the glitch with the laptop and your pictures. I am so lost when it comes to technology. I know I could do whatever I want I just think its not that interesting to me….that is until it isn’t working then I’m interested. I sure hope you are able to get them straightened out.
Saying good-by is tough!! You can always return more often to “home.”
Lost when it comes to technology…you and me both Gerri.
Yes, one thing about this life is that I’m free to go where I want, and if that’s home, so be it. But I’m off and running again…well, so to speak. 😂 Getting into the swing of it again, and we all feel pretty good right now, which helps.
That chickpea pita sounded yummy. I love chickpeas but never thought to mash them up and make a sandwich. Thx for that great idea. Do you have a favorite veg cookbook to recommend? Happy New Year and safe travels in 2017 !
Hi Caroline, also I don’t just use vegan mayo, but of course chopped up celery, onion, and some sweet pickle relish. 😀
Favorite cookbooks….hmmm. I do like The Vegan Table, and other cookbooks by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.
Happy New Year Caroline!