Thursday - Sunday, November 16-19, 2017 Our Last Few Days Before Full-time Living in Our RV

Thursday, November 16, 2017 - Goodbye to Friends, Returning "Home" The Last Time, Closing Things Out

Another morning I woke up past 5:30a.  Am I tired or is my sleeping habit changing?  I'm not sure I like this.  I still had plenty of time to enjoy my coffee, read my Bible, and get quite a bit of packing done before heading to the clubhouse around 8:30 for a farewell breakfast with our friends.  Donna made a wonderful breakfast casserole and bacon, Drena brought yogurt and rolls, Linda brought fruit and I brought granola and sliced almonds to add with the yogurt, and apple juice.  What a wonderful way to end our time together.  

I wanted to tell you a little more about Coachlight RV Park.  It's a really nice park with paved sites in the upper section, nearest to the clubhouse..  There is free wi-fi and it works very well.  There are two meeting areas, one large and small room, with some cooking facilities.  The larger one also has a number of games and puzzles available for folks to use.  There is a nice fire pit outside for enjoying campfires, roasting hot dogs, smores, etc.  There is a laundromat on site.  Coachlight RV is next door and they have a large selection of RV supplies for almost any need.  We really enjoy this campground.  Our Escapees Spring Rally in April will be held here.

After breakfast we finished getting things put away and Dean emptied our tanks.  During that task he found water in our basement and when looking further, it appears the faucet at the bathroom sink is leaking.  We will need to purchase a new faucet.  When it came time to hook up I was sitting in the truck waiting for Dean to get finished.  Dean asked me if I wanted to show off and back the truck up to the hitch.  I said sure!  After I tried to get it backed up a couple of times, the third time was a charm and I backed it right up and heard that ca-clink as the hitch locked in.  Stan and Keith started clapping when I got out of the truck.  

I moved to the passenger side and finished up my log book with the time as we left the park.  It is a short drive back home - only 52 miles.  In no time we were pulling into 1500 6th Street for the last time with Bentley.  The original plan was to move from the house to Hillside RV Park around 2pm on Monday, but since my doctor's appointment was changed to 10, and we have a few errands to run before heading back to Oswego for our closing at 4, we have decided to move Bentley to the RV Park on Sunday afternoon.  We do not want to feel rushed.  This will allow us plenty of time.

We noticed our boxes from Dish Network were delivered so we could return our receivers.  Dean still had several things to take to the storage shed and I gathered up enough to almost fill one more plastic tub as well.  I've managed to find a few more things in Bentley this evening that will be taken to the storage unit in the next day or so.  I moved 2 tubs and 1 box full of stuff to Bentley and I made it through 1 tub and part of the 2nd one.  The box is full of files that I will go through before we leave.  I'll scan what I feel is important for us to have with us, and the rest will be stored.  

This afternoon I called all of the utility companies and scheduled our services to be disconnected on Monday, November 20.  I had one last load of items to go to Chetopa to the church I've been donating things to and since someone was there today I made a trip to drop them off.

Dean was going to work on the storage drawer under the couch but when he removed the sliding drawer mechanism he realized we needed a longer one than we purchased at Lowe's.  We will return it on Monday while we are in Joplin and pick up the correct size.  We'll also see about a faucet for the bathroom sink as well.

It has been a long day and we are both tired.  We are ready to have all of the moving behind us and to get settled in to a routine again.  I know Dean is missing his golf and with such good weather I hate that he's not been able to play much lately, so I hope this weather stays with us for awhile.

We have a few short trips we'd like to make in our area if we can fit them in before the end of the year.

Of course the holidays are coming up, with Thanksgiving next week and Christmas a short time afterwards.  November is also Dean's birthday as well as our daughter-in-law Megan's and granddaughter Dacy,s (on Thanksgiving Day).  Some friends of mine in the area (all former City Clerk's) are hoping to find a day we can get together before Christmas to have lunch and visit.  So I do not think we will lack for things to do in the next several weeks before we head south.


Friday, November 17, 2017 - Laundry Day, More "Stuff" to Storage, Cancelling Utilities, Trip to Joplin 

This morning I was awake closer to 4:30 so guess I just needed a little extra rest the past few days.  We walked 2.37 miles with an average of 16.36 per mile.  

Once we had breakfast I loaded up our laundry for the past 10-12 days and headed to my daugher's house to use her "new to her" (our old units) washer and dryer.  I ran back and forth between our houses all day long and into the evening.  

While I was at the house I dusted everything, and then vacuumed the carpets and mopped the tile and wood floors.  Dean and I were going through final things in the house to move to storage, take to someone else, or move to Bentley.   Dean took a load of stuff to the storage unit while I was taking care of some other things.

I took enough time at one point to call all the utility/communication companies to schedule having our services transferred to the new owners on Monday, November 20.  I was surprised how quick and smooth this process went.  

We decided to make a trip to Joplin tonight so Dean could get the bathroom sink fixed tomorrow, and we left about 5:00.  We ran by Misti's so I could put another load of clothes in the washer before leaving town.  Our first stop in Joplin was The UPS Store to drop off the two receivers we needed to return to Dish Network.  Next to Lowe's where we found a new faucet for the bathroom sink and returned the drawer slide we previously purchased and then we bought a new one (larger size).  For our last stop, I had received a coupon from Golden Corral for my birthday and it was good through November 30.  It was for buy one buffet and get one buffet free.  Typically if we go here it is at noon.  I was surprised to find out the buffet was $13.99 each on Friday and Saturday nights.  So it was a great savings to get one buffet for free.  We both really like their food - I love all the vegetables and have several other things I always enjoy - especially their fried catfish.  AND I LOVE THEIR BREAD PUDDING!!!  I have passed it up every time we've stopped there in the past couple of months but I just had to have a little taste this evening.  It sure was good.

On the way home we stopped at Misti's so I could move the clothes from the washer to the dryer.  I'll come back tomorrow morning to pick them up and finally, put in the last load.  



Saturday, November 18, 2017 - Buying Groceries, More "Stuff" to Storage, Finishing Laundry, and Delivering "Stuff" to Family

While I woke up early and had the coffee going soon afterwards, we did not walk this morning.  My sister was going to Parsons Walmart, leaving at 6am and asked if I wanted to go.  I did need a few things so I said I would ride along.  It was so nice to pull into the almost empty parking lot...and better yet almost empty store.

As we were leaving, Dean texted me to see if we were on our way home yet.  I told him we were just leaving Walmart so it would be awhile.  He answered okay.  It got the best of me and I had to call him to see why he wanted to know - and I have to say I have a great husband - he called because if we were close to being home he was going to stay and wait for me so he could help carry in the groceries before running uptown to get some supplies at the hardware store.  How sweet is that?  He's such a wonderful guy and I can't believe we are about to set forth on this wonderful journey with each other.  I'm sure there will be some tough days but I know most of them will be full of fun times.  

After getting my groceries put away I drove to Misti's to put in the last load of laundry, brought the dried clothes home where I folded them and put them away.

Dean had gathered up more things to take to the storage unit while I was gone and we had set aside some things for my daughter and son.  For Misti (my Christmas tree) and Marc (some old toys of his I still had that I had been saving for his son Jaxson) and a few things for my sister Cindy.  We delivered all of these and I enjoyed spending some time with Kamron and Jaxson (while Dean and Marc checked some things out in Marc's shop).  

I still needed to take the remaining food items out of the refrigerator and freezer that previously would not all fit in Bentley's refrigerator/freezer.  I took a few food items to Cindy and some of the dry food items I will give to Logan our college age grandson for his apartment when I see him on Thanksgiving Day.

I managed to sort through some other items, and totally emptied and rearranged the pantry in Bentley.  I still have one large tub to sort through - mostly desk type items.  It will probably be Tuesday before I get a chance to work on that project.  I tell myself that is okay - as long as I have all of it done before we leave for Texas is all that matters.  We also brought all of our files that were in our file cabinet into Bentley.  I will go through each of those, dispose of old material, scan all documents that we want to carry with us and then I will return the files to our filing cabinet that's in storage.  Now that all of the work at the house is done I can dedicate time to this chore.  

Once we had finished removing everything from the house and did one final walk through, we went to Bentley for the evening.  I made deviled eggs and banana pudding for our Thanksgiving dinner at church tomorrow, and white chicken chili for our dinner tonight.  I was pretty tired by the time we finished eating and cleaning up the kitchen area in Bentley.  It was full of dishes after all of that cooking - that is for sure!

Afterwards, we watched another Hallmark Christmas movie and when it was over at 9:00 we were both ready for bed.  A long, but very productive day!


Sunday, November 19, 2017 - Final Walk Through the House, Church & Thanksgiving Dinner, Sisterfest, Moving to Hillside RV Park

I woke up a few minutes before 4 this morning and was out of bed pretty quick.  Coffee was calling my name!  I am a list maker and I spent the next hour or so making notes of things I needed to do over the next few days.  If I don't write it down I might forget it!

After Dean was up and we had breakfast, he asked me if I thought we should do one last walk through the house and I told him yes, as I wanted to take a few pictures.  I do not think either one of us has missed the house itself that much - we've been in Bentley continuously since July; but I know there will be times Dean will miss his garage/man cave.   

I did take a few pictures in the house and the views from our large picture window and sliding glass door as that is one of the things we most loved about the house.  There was a lot of bright light coming through those two openings into our living room  Before we retired and started RVing we had several bird houses and hummingbird feeders.  We loved watching all of the birds from the living room.  We look forward to watching birds in various places around the United States that we do not see here in Southeast Kansas.  I recently heard about the parrots that frequent South Texas from our friends who have spent winters there in the past, and I understand there are many interesting birds near the Gulf coast where several bird watching stations are featured.  I think this is something we really enjoy doing.

Above 3 pictures are of Dean's garage/man cave.  He built the cabinets and how about that special door he installed?

View out front window.

Large sliding glass doors.

Our backyard -- looking out the sliding glass door.

Front yard

We left for church at 10:00.  Following the morning service we will have a Thanksgiving lunch.  I'm sure it will be really good......and it was.  I did eat very small portions of everything because it was nothing but carbs!  I was proud of myself though as my plate was only half full.  I did eat two desserts one small scoop of my banana pudding and a small scoop of cherry cobbler and they were soooo good.  I'm finding out that I really can eat smaller portions and feel quite full.  

We left the church a little after 1.  Dean dropped me at my sister Crystal's when we returned to Oswego for our sisterfest gathering.  

We discussed plans for our family Christmas which we will have December 17th at the Community Center here in Oswego.  We worked those details out and visited for awhile and then Jody was good enough to take me back to the house - for the last time.  Dean was waiting on me to finish packing up the last few things in Bentley before moving to Hillside RV Park here in Oswego.  It didn't take me long to finish up as much of the work was done before we left for church.  It is two miles from our house to the RV Park - talk about a short drive! 

Leaving the RV pad north of the house for the last time.

Dean and Bentley in my rearview mirror at the stop sign before entering the highway through town.

I stopped in the entrance at the RV Park to get this picture of Dean as he nears the park, at the south edge of town.

Moving to our site.

My cousin Todd just purchased the RV Park from my uncle.  He wasn't there when we arrived so we both got in the van and drove to the RV sites to pick one out.  As we returned to where Bentley was parked, Todd pulled in.  He told us to park in whatever site we wanted, and we visited with him briefly before moving to site 14.  We chose the south side so we could make the most of the view out our back window and large side windows to the west - and because of it, we enjoyed a beautiful sunset our first night here.

Beautiful sunset in Southeast Kansas.

After getting set up, we had a sandwich, followed by Dean making popcorn as we started watching Hallmark movies.  

Looking at our calendar, with all we have scheduled and all we want to accomplish before leaving for Texas I think the next 35 days or so are going to fly by, and another year will have passed.  

I hope you enjoy following along on our journey as we travel the United States and possibly Canada in our full-time RV life.  Please feel free to comment as we love to hear from you.