Townkids Together Again!

All the time we were cruising the east coast we were in the company of Rick and Tanya Kidlark and as our friendship grew stronger, we all changed our names to the Townkids.  They have come from Nova Scotia to visit and we have been having such a good time together!  And - I am so busy playing that I don't have time to post.  Gotta go - fun awaits!

Closed and Done

I was just rereading some of my posts and realized that I never documented that our home is sold, escrow is closed and the new owners have moved in!  It was such a relief and an event that I didn't believe in until all the papers were signed.  Afterwards we went out to dinner to celebrate and I swear I just kept laughing. We really are on our way to our new life.  Thank you to everyone who was so encouraging and helped me keep the faith until the end!

The Swing

Right behind our RV is a small children's area.  We love seeing and hearing the children out doing what we believe they should be doing - being outdoors getting exercise.  I needed to feel like a child - but darn - the seat started squeezing my hips and it hurt!  Not made for butts the size of mine I guess!

Day By Day

We are mentally ready to go but I still have until the end of February to work.  We are just enjoying living in our sweet new home.  Here is a picture of Kirby, Jake and Myrt - Myrt is our 5th Wheel, Jake is our dog.  It was a sunny day so we were chasing the late sun to stay warm.  We have certainly adjusted to the small space but I really don't know what it will be like when I need to secure everything for travel.  It is funny, somehow securing things on a boat just became such second nature to me that I never thought about it.  I knew what I had to do.  But a trailer is not like a boat.  A boat is much more gentle a movement.  I think everything in Myrt will be moving and shaking and rattling around - especially with speed bumps like we have here at Oak Plantation! LOTS of them!  I am going to need to do some serious securing soon!

Coconut Banana Cream Pie

This pie was a hit at our Christmas dinner yesterday.  It was much easier than I thought it would be and looked so pretty. Oh, and it was delicious too!

Coconut Banana Cream Pie

3 C. flaked coconut
7 T. butter
3/4 C. sugar
1/4 C. flour
3 T. cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
3C half and half cream
4 egg yokes, slightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large firm bananas, sliced
Whipped cream and banana for garnish if desired.

In a large skillet, saute coconut in butter until golden.  Reserve 2 tablespoons for garnish.  

Press the remaining toasted coconut into the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9 inch pie plate.  Bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.

For the filling, combine the sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt in a large saucepan.
Stir in the cream until smooth.  Cook and stir over medium high heat until thickened and bubbly.  Reduce heat; cook 2 minutes longer.

Remove from the heat and stir a small amount of hot filling into the slightly beaten egg yokes.  (reserve the whites for another use).  Return all to the pan and stir constantly. 
Bring to a gentle boil and cook, stirring for another 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat and gently stir in the vanilla.

Cool to room temperature without stirring.
Place the sliced bananas in the crust. Cover with the cream mixture.  Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.
Sprinkle the reserved coconut.  Add whipped cream and bananas if desired.

And a Happy New Year!

We are so enjoying living in our new 5th Wheel. Even going to work from here is getting easier each day....if only it would be light when I leave.   The commute is easier than the one I have had for the past 5 years so I am not complaining. 

We are thinking of moving to another spot in this park as it is quite noisy here with the traffic behind us.  Kirby spent Christmas Eve morning preping for the move and found out that our slides don't slide.  For those of you who are not familiar - those are the areas that pop out when you are parked so the rig is larger inside.  They are stuck and Kirby has done all he can to troubleshoot the problem. He put a call in for a technician - we will see how long it takes.....since it is the holidays.

We just enjoyed Christmas at my daughters home and now we are looking forward to the new year.  2013 - the year I retire and we head out on a new adventure.  Please come back every once in a while to see what we are up to.

Do'in the Wash

Check out my NEW BLOG - a work in progress, all about laundry!

"First time in over five years.  I didn't want to go but I did it anyway.  I left the RV at about 6:30 AM on Sunday and drove all the way past little rows of RV's to the campground laundromat.  Dark.  Foggy. Quiet.  No one out but me.......... "

Happy, Happy!

We have been living here for a week and a half now.  Living in our RV!  No more big house, garage to park in, 2 bathrooms, dishwasher, washer and dryer and flush toilet.  And I am SO HAPPY!  I LOVE this life.  It really is a lot like our life on boats.  We are close together and can talk to one another almost any time.  I can be doing dishes and watch TV while talking to Kirby - during commercials of course.  Jake, our yellow dog, can see both of us all the time and doesn't have to stress over trying to stay with us both when we are in different rooms.

OK, I haven't tried to cut my hair but I guess if I could do it on the boat, I can do it here.  I haven't been to the laundromat yet but I have done that so much of my life that it will all come right back - darn!

I don't know, I can't really explain it but I seem to have this happy bubble living inside my tummy.  Life is good!

Oh, and we have a signed contract on the house again.  Same people as before but they have different buyers and it is all supposed to be cash before the end of the year.  Please cross your fingers for us and join me in my happiness!

For Every Thing a Place........

.....and for every place, a thing!

I took the day off from work today to try to get moved into our new RV.  A good nights sleep really helped.  The last two days have been very difficult to say the least!  So, this is what I started with today.  I just kept moving things to another area until most everything was put away.  It actually is coming together quite nicely!

The galley was the biggest challenge of all because I want EVERYTHING with me.  It is working!  Things are put in strange places, but all the pots and pans, food, spices and dishes have a home. Even the pressure cooker!

I am loving my living room and all the storage in it.  We didn't like the recliners that came with the unit so we brought our IKEA chairs from the house.  Love those chairs!  Today I had Kirby bring us the little chairs from our dining set that didn't sell.  Now I am so glad because after a couple of days sitting in the cute ones that came with - we both hated them.  Very uncomfortable.  These old chairs may not look so good but neither do we!

I am amazed at myself because there still is nothing in the ottoman.  I am saving it for something special I am sure.  I thought about filling it with Jake's dog food but decided on a drawer instead....what we do for our dogs!

I have to return to work tomorrow and I just hate that!!  I want to retire!  Please say a prayer or send good vibes that someone will buy our house so that I can retire.  It is only fair....it is my time to retire!

Hello! Goodbye!

We were up at 4:15 on Saturday to begin the big moving day!  As Kirby moved everything to the driveway for the garage sale, I straightened up the house for the prospective buyers that were coming to look at the house.  We were almost ready when the first customer showed up in the dark with his flashlight!  Now that is serious garage sale shopping.

We thought the response was poor at 7 but by 8:00 we were in full swing with people almost fighting over things - we had it all priced so low.  Still they wanted to bargain and that got really tiring as I was pretty much giving away a part of me with each item.  Some of the shoppers were very rude and made it even more difficult.

I moved Jake's bed out to the lawn so that he could just lay in his bed during all the excitement but of course he felt the need to sniff each person who arrived!  I mean Greet each person!  At one point he was being so good and laying in his bed and would you believe that Kirby sold his bed right out from under him!  Hair and all!  I even had an offer of $300 for Jake himself!  But I did not take it!

Everyone was gone by 11:00 and we were FINISHED!!  We put the leftovers back in the garage and Habitat for Humanity will pick it up on Monday.  Just as we were finishing, some sweet little girls from down the street arrived and wanted to rake the yard for just $5.00.  I was loaded with cash right then and hired them on the spot.  Just look at this team!

They were bucking the wind the whole time but they worked hard and did a good job!  Thanks, girls.

Then it was on to our new home.  Kirby loaded the truck - again!  This time we brought our wonderful IKEA chairs that we love so much in place of the stupid recliners that came the rig.  And lots more 'stuff'!  It will not all fit so I am purging again!

Last night we were so tired but also so happy.  We are here!  Our new life is beginning.  It will be slow as we still have to sell the house - again, and I am still working.  But our new life of adventure is about to begin!  Wish us luck in selling the house soon so we won't be delayed!!