Changing our furniture around. . .

OK, so I didn’t really move any ‘furniture’ but I finally managed to figure out how to turn our nighttime bedroom into a daytime living room. The back half of our Liberty Casita makes up into a king-size bed – if wanted. However, we don’t need that much sleeping room as much as we need more storage room and living room. So I moved the little 17” wide plastic tables I’ve had along the passenger side of the bed over to the driver’s side so that we now sleep more on the passenger side. This way I don’t sit on or bump Jeff’s feet (he’s diabetic) as he sleeps next to the wall with his feet near the frig. I’ve got my sewing machine, books/magazines, & numerous storage containers hidden under the tables while my printer sits on top at the back. One cat bed is on to of my printer & another along the window. The shelf over the sink slides nicely above the shelves & storage containers too.

I’ve continued to use the original Casita cushions but would like to have custom cushions sometime to fit our sleeping area better & would separate easier the way I want into an “L” seating area. Working with what we have tho I’ve turned the two long seat cushions sideways along the back (for our heads/shoulders) & then squeeze the two smaller seat cushions & one back cushion along the foot of the bed to complete the sleeping length. One long back cushion is along the outside wall for padding & a ledge for our small kitty to sit on. By removing two of these cushions at the foot (leaving the seat cushion next to the frig in place) & lifting the small bed board plus the smaller 18” table top from the isle, we actually end up with MORE OPEN FLOOR SPACE. Since we fixed a freestanding base for the little 18” table, it can be moved from side to side or turned however we need. It can be a card table, end table, dining table, or extra counter space depending on how it’s placed. Very, very handy. By rolling up the foam, sheet-covered sleeping pad to the back wall, we now have a recliner back to stretch out on while watching TV or visiting. This new arrangement almost feels like a totally different trailer & definitely enlarges the space!

Since getting to the campground, we’ve been using the park’s showers. . .until today. It’s gotten really humid & warm here finally, & working up a sweat just walking up the hill to our campsite fresh from a shower just didn’t appeal to me today. So I showered at home. Unfortunately the shower didn’t drain tho! Hmmm – what’s happened to that? We fretted & worried & studied on what might be the problem until Jeff happened to recheck the inside shower handle. OMG - it was CLOSED. Jeez – when did that happen? Apparently he closed it before heading to Branson & I didn’t realize it — or open it. Boy is my shower floor clean though after having soaked for several hours.

My parents are getting ready to move to a small one-bedroom senior citizen apartment soon, so we’ve picked up nearly all of our leftover stuff from their basement. . .& put it in a small local storage unit just down the road from the campground. We’ve discovered that we really, really enjoy the Branson area & feel it will be a more convenient homebase in the future. We really love the area mountains, forests, streams, & lakes. Just wish the area didn’t have so much summer humidity though! I’m afraid we’re really gona miss Colorado’s weather this summer.

One of my oldest girlfriends stopped by this week [oldest meaning friends since the 10th grade]. Her & her husband were camping at the local Corps campground for a few days & just dropped by for a visit. We ate supper at Joe’s Crab Shack at the Branson Landing (along Taneycomo Lake in Branson – below Tablerock Dam). No one had crab, but their coconut shrimp was perfect! They’re new to the RV/camping experience, & she really feels we need a bigger RV unit (they have a 5th wheel). She hasn’t gone thru the pain of getting rid of a lot of stuff yet, so doesn’t appreciate how living small keeps a person disciplined to stop accumulating MORE stuff. I’m also a better housekeeper since I can’t make a new mess until I’ve cleaned up the previous ONE. We have all the comforts of a S&B home in our little “egg” without paying to haul around, insure, & maintain a lot of space on wheels. We’ve already spread out plenty under the awning & the covered deck tho so I will admit to dreaming about an extra foot or two of trailer occasionally. The idea has always been to follow the sun & live outside as much as possible. If I get on Jeff’s nerves, he goes outside. If he gets on my nerves, he goes outside! It works perfectly!!

We’ve had a new workkamping couple arrive this week & are expecting four more couples by the weekend. YEAH, I’m ready to turn over all these clean-up chores to others. I’m still surprised tho (don’t know why exactly) at the fantastic people we’ve met at campgrounds everywhere. I suppose that just by simply sharing an enjoyment of camping (RVing) in nature, we all already have a pretty big bond starting out. Then there’s living a simplified life (on wheels), traveling with pets, similar ages, & a general willingness to chase a dream. There’s an instant camaraderie with total strangers that neither Jeff nor I have felt since leaving the military. And our previous desire for quiet, private surroundings seems to have adjusted comfortably to the closer quarters & greater activity of a campground. I truly believe we’re all friends — We just haven’t all met yet!

The Whistle Stop Café won’t open for a few weeks yet but we’ve met up with a Sisco rep to start getting this year’s menu items & prices lined up.  We also got to meet the newly hired relief cook — also named Jeff. This could be a really fun experience — one worth repeating each summer.

We’ve even influenced a fellow workkamper to switch to using an e-cigarette. I’m afraid I’m just as addicted now to the various flavors of vapor (like coffee, vanilla, chocolate, cherry, soda, mint, etc) from my e-cigarette, but it’s definitely healthier & not as offensive to others. And giving up drinking soda (for the most part) & sweating/bending/lifting/ stretching as I make beds, blow leaves, sweep floors, clean toilets, etc (who needs a gym?) should all contribute to my reaching another few birthdays at least.

Thank you for following my blog about our adventures with living small. I’d love to hear your suggestions, questions, or feelings. Sorry I don’t post daily, but not every day is blog worthy. Every day of this new way of life IS very satisfying though!