I’m hoping chores and repairs don’t put off early November travel. Hmmm, not happy about that though I’m still comfortable and enjoying my home views. Just putting travel on hold doesn’t mean forever but I don’t travel on holidays.
Happy to say I have a Post Office Box and am officially a resident of Skull Valley, Arizona. I liked the sound of that from the get-go. It’s been a few years since I felt settled enough to call a place home. Super bonus is having a handyman on site.
So it was worth getting up early enough to see sunrise and greet said handy-person around 8am.
Long overdue RV maintenance, the list is long. He replaced the cracked skylight over the shower and all four dry and aged roof vent covers. Once apart I should have replaced the entire roof vent as other plastic is old. Might just put Maxi vents over them next time. Also scrubbed all three slide roofs and re-taped seams. Ah the joys of having a charged screwgun (and operator) to put the closet-rod support screws into solid wood instead of the manufacturer missing that block of wood, and attaching a wall panel that the staples into nothing had popped out. There’s always something, I always have a list. Got into some interesting conversation including the idea of being happy all the time versus being comfortable. I don’t think constant happy is possible, and would be exhausting, and maybe not even recognizable without some unhappy. I am mostly good with comfortable, not like getting in a rut I hope. A smile often brings happy juice to my brain throughout the day.
And making November travel plans makes me happy. I figured to shop in Prescott on my way to Dewey where I’d stay the weekend visiting Vicki. Then meet with Joann and give her camper a shake-down on some public land outside of Sedona we scoped out last week. It’s comfortable to travel with someone on a maiden voyage. Plus we always have fun wherever we go and that makes me happy.
In the meantime, I hear from a long-time Facebook friend I hadn’t met yet who was in my neighborhood on the way home to southern Utah after three weeks on the road. Please remember, my neighborhood is in the middle of nowhere. I invited them to boondock in my “yard” at the ranch and met them at the gate. Of course we greeted like the old friends we are, sharing stories old and new. They showed off their van conversion with a popup to standing height. I opened the door to the truckcamper and was greeted with, the smell of propane. Not good. The fridge was cold but I turned off the propane and then plugged in to maintain the fridge temperature. I had planned to leave in the morning and happily begin a little November travel.
I did go out in the morning, with no propane on, and after a few-mile drive to the landfill/dump went shopping in Prescott, which I don’t include in November travel fun. I seem to go to town more often now that it’s nearer and I don’t necessarily see that as a good thing. However, I dropped off a bag of clothes at Goodwill then after a quick wander inside realized I can no longer afford to shop there with $25 pants and $13 purses. Yes, prices are going up everywhere, but really the thrift store should do better unless they suddenly started paying their employees more. Enjoyed a reasonably priced breakfast and because she was nearby, Joann joined me. She also brought out a donation bag of new clothes from her granddaughter that I ended up happily taking, and everything fit both size and style. From there I spent way too much time in a Wally’s returning some of last week’s purchases I was unhappy with. Lots of empty shelves and no grocery bags makes me wonder if their products are sitting offshore. Bought an external DVD/CD player (made in Malaysia) to USB to my laptop so I can watch the few movies I have. $100 worth of diesel at almost $4/gal and finished with a few groceries. Home felt exceedingly comfortable after a 6 1/2 hour day. I really don’t like to shop. Besides I had been hoping to continue down the road for my first November travel to a new place.
The next day I checked all the propane connections at hoses and tanks. Everything seemed tight yet I could smell propane when the tank was open. I put dish-soap on the connections and didn’t see any bubbles. Of course there are more connections I can’t easily get to. So I turned off the propane again and will call a pro after the weekend. I am not currently a happy camper. But I am safely comfortable until the problem is fixed. And with that fixed I can begin November travel camping south of Sedona this week with temps 70/40s. Then catch Vicki on the way home to the calendars delivered.
In the meantime, I’m not going out for walks on the ranch right now as it’s hunting season and I can hear gunshots not too far away. I don’t own orange, it’s not my color (other than sunsets). I’d rather not be mistaken for a deer. Four does trotted up the hill northward and I prayed for their safety.
What do you think of the idea of being happy and/or comfortable?
Herp nerd friend says Horned Lizard, most other friends agree it’s a tiny dragon (1” skull found in my yard)
It sounds like you are getting well settled, but I agree shopping is not my thing either Stunning photos as always. Hope you can sort out the propane smell, not a good idea t travel if there is a leak!! Please email me your new postal address, Take care and have fun. Hugs from us both, Diane.
I drool over a handyman on site. That would make me very happy. Make it three of us that hate shopping. I even include grocery shopping in that. How fine that a bag of donated clothes were all the right style and size. That two would make me happy though I find I don’t need very many clothes anymore since I wear the same thing over and over and just haven’t had to buy anything but underwear and shoes for a very long time. So envious of all the people in your life. That too would make me happy. After these last two very difficult years in my life I am glad if I can just be not stressed or anxious. Contented is really all I hope for. Your pictures today are so sharp and clear. How do you do that?
I too am exceedingly happy having a handyman on site and have more to keep him busy. I have too many clothes and also don’t need them but I am in need of some new shoes. I really don’t have that many people in my life IRT. No time for more than a handful of real friends. Many of these shots were taken with the phone, otherwise, there are lots of pics that aren’t crisp and clear.
Thanks. I am off this morning to get the propane leak fixed.
We worked at a Michigan private campground for two summers, as you may recall. We had a bad hailstorm there that damaged most of the vehicles in the park, took out our slide toppers and punched a 3” hole through the top of one of the plastic Lifetime picnic tables. The rigs that had MaxxAir vents all escaped vent damage, but the rigs without them (for the most part) had their vents destroyed. There wasn’t a cracked MaxxAir in the place. Even though we had used them for years before that, I became a voice for them after that.
I have MaxiVents on the camper and should have gone that route on the 5er too. A dropped branch on the roof at Bryce caused some of the damage, otherwise the plastic was just old.
Rather than spend money on more DVDs you could watch free movies with your computer’s screen on YouTube.I just watched Fiddler on the Roof,which makes me happy.Just type in “watch fiddler on the roof full movie on YouTube” to access it,or whatever other film you like.
Happy or content, to me content is not having overwhelming problems, happy is having lots to be grateful for.At night I thank God for my blessings, including whatever wildlife I saw that day. -Mary
Watching movies online eats my data which eventually will slow down, and I don’t watch often. Besides I have many other things to do. I have much to be grateful for and that makes me happy and comfortable.
I think you have to experience “unhappy” to appreciate “happy” and what it means to be comfortable.
Totally agree!
You are keeping my handyman way too busy. He doesn’t have time to come here and finish putting in the CV joints on my Kawasaki Mule…..plus other things that need doing. I’m glad you have him to help you though. The pics you posted are awesome!…Have fun with Joann near Sedona. It will be a good trial run for her. Can’t wait to see the camper one of these days. And good luck with the propane leak. I hope to get over to see you before you head south for the winter. I will be going down to Quartzsite in Jan. sometime. Then maybe over to Havasu Landing, Calif. for a week or two. And then down to Ajo. Happy camping with Joann.
Good handymen are in high demand. 😉 We’re having a great time south of Sedona. How about a camp trip on the Kofa early next month?
Hi Gaelyn, you sound very experienced with regard to all maintenance to your RV but I guess that is a must. Glad to hear you are happy and meeting up with old friends Take care and enjoy whatever you are doing next.
I used to do most of my own RV maintenance but any more I have less strength and a heavy case of the I-don’t-wannas.
Gosh. It is the same here: long To Do lists!
I hear you about shopping. I loathe it.
Good luck with all your projects and travels. Your faithful readers will look forward to your further reports! Take care!
Honey do list without a honey to do. 😉
That’s funny, Gaelyn! In truth my honey has both a sore arm (rotator cuff) and neck (stress), and all the heavy work is mine. Also, I did an online grocery order.
I know about the pain of the bad rotator cuff.
Yes sunsets! Not a shopper here, except for yard sale-ing, thrift/odd stores. It’s a regular club here. Thanks for giving me idea of external DVD player to laptop. My internal doesn’t play and was thinking new laptop. Hm don’t know which is cheaper but would guess external. About Happy? You really hit a chord and good topic. I wrote a piece on it years past. IMO the word is overrated. So many other descriptions of be-ing. In short parts I wrote, “The expression of other ways of be-ings may not be the norm or thought of as negatives/mental; but if it’s truth to be something else at any moment, less “comfortable”, we can be that…with respect. To ourself. Maybe no one is normal.” …however momentary it is in this temporary time here.”…Our states of feeling are diverse and can coincide at once, or be in similar states of happy, at same times as fearful, sunk etc.. I believe they are not always opposites nor hardly in conflict, and most, if not all, so called negatives, are not wholly a deficit or devoid of purpose. Silver lining maybe, but not all is good or bad. Very little to me is full-on bad. Call it faith, karma, pollyanna, or id est quod est.”…If it is a choice to be happy, I can choose to acknowledge three dimensional levels and terms and show all of human nature’s goodness (without harm). Until/unless a happy really fits, in which I’ll be happy to express happy, I’m happy to be whatever, and me.”
Postnote: since writing this and moving to independence from full life, but partly toxic environment, I am and express more happy and beyond! Thank you for this Gaelyn and all
My external DVD player was $25. Happy is definitely different for each individual, don’t believe in normal. (Boring) You are making for more happy every day.
From another Mary. I’m in St George Utah and the Walmart here has lots of empty shelves and is a mess. They say they can’t get workers. I went to Smith’s and it was fine, shelves were full etc.
you sure got lucky finding that beautiful spot in Skull Valley. Great home base. There has been too much construction around here so we don’t see as much wild life, any more. Maybe I’ll join you.
As far as being happy ….the red flag is if you keep saying to yourself “this should make me happy, why aren’t I happy?” And you are not appreciating things well maybe you need that physical and an antidepressant. Depression is common as we age. An antidepressant has done wonders for me. Having said all that I would say, from reading your posts, that you come across as happy and content and don’t spend a lot of time wishing for some other life and you don’t sound any more grumpy then anybody else about going to town !! (My reward for going to town is the new bakary. Happy travels and best wishes.
I see happy as a frame of mind that I typically can attain almost any time of day. I certainly have down days, like everyone else, but try not to let them drag on. I have choice. Funny how there’s a lot of “non-shoppers” on the blog. I try to treat myself to lunch as a reward to surviving the whole experience.
Happy or Comfortable??? I don’t know. It doesn’t take a whole lot to make me happy, yet I like being comfortable.
You, are a good person.
I sure hope you find a solution to your propane problem soon. i’m not a good shopper. I do notice even grocery store shelves seem to be getting bare and prices are rising. I think you have to have darkness to appreciate light so when sadness comes, I try to accept it hoping happiness may follow. Each of us has a different barometer and yardstick for happiness, I think. Being comfortable after being uncomfortable is a great relief. Stay healthy and safe, Gaelyn.
New valve on one propane tank solved the problem and I’m camping.
I couldn’t keep up with a constant stream of happiness and agree there needs to be dark to see the light.
I think you’re lucky to have a handyman on site especially one who is obviously a good conversationalist. I’m happy you found a good spot to call home and it’s name makes me smile. Hoping the propane problem was solved; guess I need to go back and read the later post to see if I missed something.
Exceedingly lucky to have a handyman on site. Propane tank valve replaced and the ice cream is frozen.
Well, this is a blog I may have to re-read when I can absorb it more carefully. Geez, I can’t keep up any more it seems. But didn’t want you to think I wasn’t watching. When I read on the phone I see less, and this time I opened it up again on the computer…what a difference!! And yet, we are off to Albany in a few short minutes so as I said, maybe I can read again on the way. If not….well….I will catch up eventually. Hugs to you Gaelyn. Love how happy you are in your new home.
I too get way behind reading blogs. No big deal. Enjoy your journey.