Sarah Richardson...I NEED YOU!!!

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Sarah is my favorite designer when it comes to designing and decorating cottages.  She approaches cottage life decor with functionality and a light, airy character that I appreciate. When it comes to pulling colors, fabrics, patterns, textures and every other element required to pull a space together, she makes it look like a breeze.

Walking through the fabric store trying to make-believe I'm the fun, adorable Mrs. Richards, pulling together colors, textures and patterns...I give myself a headache.  Every time I stand looking at the rainbow of paint chips in Rona, I second-guess my previous color combination, that was a second-guess from my first mix-and-match.  Ugh!  Can you hear Blair groaning?

The only thing we've really settled on is the laminate flooring.  Fingers crossed it's still available when we're finally ready and able to install.

We've accomplished painting the kitchen cabinets a safe off white.  We reused the original hardware.  We plan to add a stone back-splash, too.

The one thing I knew from the minute we moved in was that I wanted to rip out the bench seating and table.  I wanted to replace it with an actual table and chairs.  Unfortunately, when Blair started taking it apart my plan came to a disappointing halt.  A power box and a high risk of overwhelming damage to the walls has changed the plan to paint, recover cushions and making a new table top.

IF we're able to get the love seat/bed through the RV door, it'll be on it's way OUT!  It's the biggest and most uncomfortable piece in our tiny space.  It looks like we may replace it with a pair of chairs from IKEA.  Parting with the klunky couch means that we'll lose some valuable storage that it provided in the form of a large drawer for the sofas air mattress.  We're open to helpful suggestion...Sarah???

The second elephant in the room is Z's kennel.  We normally keep it outside and bring it in when we're going out.  A bit of a pain.  Old man Z has previously had some back issues and he's supposed to refrain from jumping up on furniture, but jumping up on the bed to sleep with mom and dad is too tempting to resist.  Mom and dad think we've done our time with kids in the bed and perhaps it's time for Z to sleep in his own bed.  We've no practical solution yet for the inconvenience of dragging the kennel in and out of the RV.

Sarah Richardson, HELP!  

Living Simple to Simply LIVE!

Little Space, Little Renos

 Warning:  Renovations In Progress!!!

I'm a bit of a home design show addict.  I've seen Mike Holmes and his Carhartts.  I've walked past Peter Falicco and thought to myself, 'geez, that guy looks grumpy' and then did a double take realizing who the grumpy guy was.  Friends recently gave me a ball cap signed by Bryan Baeumler (Another HGTV star) - Excited me!  Back in the day of Trading Spaces, I was almost as equally fan-atical as I am about H5-0 today.  My favorite was  designers were Frank and Vern Yip.  I was so excited to see Vern in person at a home & garden show.

*One of the best Birthday gifts I've ever received was when my husband and a group of friends conspired to give me the Trading Spaces Experience.  For weeks they'd been secretly going into our house and our ugly pink bedroom to take measurements, pick colors, flooring, etc.  A cold December morning when our door bell rang and I saw a crowd out on our drive, I slammed the door shut.  What was going on?!  They entered and I had no control over what was going to happen in the Master Bedroom.  It was a crazy fun experience that included homework, the flu, reveal and I even slipped away with the video camera to do a private interview.  Blair and I were given a beautiful new bedroom and this will be one of my favorite life long memories.

(*In the running for this past Birthday, that Blair and Mr. & Mrs. Rozon surprised me on the trip to Vegas.)


Our last two homes have been new and just putting the first nail in the wall to hang a picture was hard for me.  It seemed that just before we'd decide to sell, I'd just begin to feel comfortable about putting my personal touches on the walls.

A small reason for us buying a used RV, was so that we could feel free to 'make it our own'.  Obviously there's not a lot of space to tackle but already it seems like small space is going to be the biggest challenge for us.  We're going to have to pick small projecst one at a time.  We're starting with the kitchen and already just taking off the cupboard doors is a little too much for Blair.

I'm surprised by how nervous I am about transforming our tiny home.  I've got it so ingrained in me to keep in mind re-sale, that it's hard to really get creative and comfortable with our/my design choices.  Already, we've run into disappointment with our dinning area but I'll get to that in another post...

I'll keep you posted as we make progress.  Wish us luck!

Living Simple to Simply LIVE!

  

Today, I Became A Cherry Picker!

June 28th at 9:00 am it was 29 degrees and climbing.

We drove up Green Ave., across South Main and then up, up, up an increasingly narrowing road to the U-Pick (cherries).

The farmer lady ushered us through a gate and into the orchard.  That step in was the first I've ever set into an orchard.  She gave us each a bucket (Dakota was with us) and directed us to where we could begin our pick and how not to break off the little brown stem from which the cherry stem grows from.  She also warned to watch for cherries with soft spots and little pinholes.  I didn't ask but I'm assuming worms were getting fill.

The ground was littered with squished fruit and every once in a while the air brought the scent of rotting fruit to your nostrils.

Blair left with a full belly of cherries.

1st I was a little worried about bugs jumping out at me (black widow spiders).  2nd I hadn't yet realized that the hook on the pail is to hang the bucket from a branch to make from easier picking.

Dakota's attempt at camouflage.

We each picked about 1/2 a bucket, which came to $21. 

The farmer gave us instruction on how to freeze them.  From there we went to Canadian Tire and bought an olive/cherry pitting tool and headed over to Dakota and Keaton's apartment to attack the juicy job.  We plan to use them for smoothies, fruit ice and to make cherry Coke!

Unfortunately for our friends who cherry picked last summer and arrive in less than a week, we're told cherry picking season will be over.  With the heat this spring the cherries are weeks ahead of schedule.  The farmer said that pickers came to pick what could be flown out but they were already a week too late for shipping.

Now I'm wishing we had a little freezer that we could fill with fruit and veggies, picked and prepared by our own hands.

I was going to object to going out on this little outing, because of the heat, but I'm glad I didn't.  I survived the heat and possible spider attack and came away with a fresh sense of further embracing a little more of what the Okanagan offer those who partake in it's bounty and beauty.  A reminder of why we want to live here.

Living Simple to Simply LIVE!

Too Dang HOT to Live In A Tin Can

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OMG!

It is HOT!

Our air conditioner has run non-stop all day.  We also have a ceiling fan, 2 little fans and our big TURBO fan running and still we're feeling like we're living in a sauna.  The air is so heavy outside that sitting in the shade is almost unbearable.  Better yet...We could hit 40 degrees this weekend!

After supper we headed to the ice cream shop for something cool and yummy...Even Z got a little cup of vanilla ice cream from the lady behind the counter.  We're crossing our fingers that we don't pay for this little indulgence Z partook in. 

Mads has been beach hopping this past week and yesterday she went standup paddle boarding for the first time.  She has earned her sun burnt back.  Lots of lotion and shade for the next few days.

Things have been all too quiet as far as the business start up.  He's frustrated, understandably.  Especially, as the campgrounds, hotels and beaches fill up with vacationers.

With caulking gun in hand, Blair has been kept busy combating the continually leaking shower.  Nearly every inch has been re-caulked and newly installed fixtures.  I thought I'd become "the one who saved the day", when I suggested there was a gap between the shower surround and where there is a large 'porthole' in the surround (used to check pipes and attachments).  So Blair caulked that too!  When I got home today a small, mysterious and constant drip appeared to run down the shower wall from somewhere on or around the newly installed hot/cold fixture.  Ahhhhh!  Blair finally claimed defeat and called in and RV Tech.

The RV Tech. came in looked at the shower and told Blair to remove the new hardware (which apparently we didn't need to buy and replace) and turn it upside down.  This puts the attachment for the shower hose facing the floor to keep water from building up and looking for an escape route.  Then he left.  So thankful that he didn't charge us for the 'house call'. 

So now we watch caulking dry again.  Madison whining for a nice cold shower to cool the heat radiating off her back.  Me thinking about how nice it would be to have a cool shower before bed to help me fall asleep.  Blair really hoping this is the end of the issue.

A few evenings back, I suggested to Blair that maybe God was helping him by keeping him distracted with seeking out solutions to fix the shower.  It could give him something else to think about beside the business needing business.  Blair's reply was that if God wanted to keep him busy He could make some orders happen.  I guess we better submit an order for some orders.

Our Tiny Home Fact:  We have a basement!  Yes we do.  The storage compartments under a 5th wheel or travel trailer is called a "basement".  Just like a big house basement it can be a little frightening to go into (just ask Keaton, when Blair made him wiggle into ours).  Unlike a big house basement if we thought we'd find a cool refuge for sleeping tonight, we'd be very wrong.

There's lots happening in The Pen over the weekend:
Elvis Fest
Beach City Cruise
Penticton Farmer's Market


Living Simple to Simply LIVE!

Poor Charlie Brown...

“Happiness is not the absence of problems, it's the ability to deal with them.”
― Steve Maraboli
  Life, the Truth, and Being Free 

I wonder if the feeling that we're camping will eventually, maybe without notice, awaken to the reality that this is it.  This is home.

Z is demonstrating stress and anxiety.  I think he's waiting to go back home and he's fearful that when we leave, we're going home without him.

This week we dug out some planters and garden ornaments.  I planted some strawberries, hens & chicks and a couple of palms (to mask our scooters stored under the RV).  I poked in a few solar lights in a few planters and the park beds. 

Friday Dakota and I gave Blair his Father's Day gift (propane fire bowl), hoping we could sit around a fire for the evening.  Unfortunately the wind picked up, so we set out across the park to the Beach House restaurant.  in my opinion they make the best deep fried pickles, we've had in town so far!  I had remembered to get some games from the boys and we played Skip Bo till I was so out of it that I was speaking gibberish.  

Saturday we entertained our first guests Scott & Julie and Dakota & Keaton (Julie, you make the best Greek salad!) this weekend.  The rain held off long enough to enough for us to enjoy our bbq dinner.  When the wind and rain came in, we made our way indoors and I was pleased to see that there was plenty of room for 6 adults, a teen and a dog.

As we were closing everything up for the night, Blair noticed a pool of water on the floor.  We began open cupboards to discover that it was likely coming from the bathroom.  Mads had just had a shower and Blair had some concern about the caulking around the shower base.  One of the joys of purchasing third-hand...We inherit the problems others didn't deal with.  

I did feel a twinge of defeat and thought, 'Oh, come on!  Can't we get a break already!'.  When Blair was having issues with the caulking this morning (his Father's Day), he wanted to "kick something".  I have to give Blair a ton of credit because it seems like we're faced every week with another RV living challenge, that he takes on with the help of the internet.

We'll be needing the shower this week ahead for sure and there will be no need for warm water.  The forecast is 40 degree weather till the end of the month.  I'm real excited (sarcasm) that the air conditioning doesn't seem to make to our bedroom in the RV.  I think we'll be heading up to the storage unit to dig out our Turbo fan.

We're counting down the days till our Alberta friends (Rick & Sue) arrive (July 4 & 5)!  Very sad that we won't have a much time as we've had the past 2 summers, but we're going to make the most of it!  Fruity ice drinks, stories, laughter and maybe even some karaoke (if Sue can control her sign language).

Going to sign off because my feet are no longer in the shade and they're burning!

Living Simple to Simply LIVE!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY BLAIR!!!

 

Breathing Room

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The moment we arrived it was like the anxiety that had been building up, drifted away with the gusty wind.  With the stabilizers firmly in place we could sense that now we are where we can begin to put down our roots.  We can take a deep breath and begin again...

At this very moment I'm listening to the chatter coming from the covey of quail right out side the window.  All day they and Killdeer have been scurrying about.  I love it!

Also love that the helicopter took a day off!  We're right beside the airport.

Our shelter, our own patch of green, our own parking, our home...

I think they've done a very nice job of sprucing up this once rundown trailer park.  A challenge for me will be backing in without hitting a post and wiping out these wonderful little rock gardens.  Did I mention I backed into Blair's truck last week?  Ugh!  Even with a backup camera and alarm...

There's quite a bit of room behind the RV and we're in discussion about possible a little deck, sunshade, or a place to sit around a fire bowl.  All of which will very likely get put on hold until next year.

This morning Blair's mission was to get a bar-b-q...And then put it together!  Keaton came over and we had our first home cooked meal in weeks.  Our poor girl will have to wait a little longer, she just got a mouth full of metal and feels like her teeth are all going to fall out.  Those pork chops, boiling potatoes and salad have never tasted so good!

Tents have been popping up on the center grounds all day.  Yet all remains peaceful.

Tomorrow we will hunt down the grounds manager and get ourselves one of the nice new picnic tables.  I might see if there's anything left for flowers in the garden centers and add some color and hominess to our lot.  We also need to dig through the storage unit and find the toaster, Magic Bullet, cutlery, beach towels...Our creature comforts.

Living Simple to Simply LIVE!

Hanging Out Our Dirty Laundry

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With a roll of Loonies and some quarters Blair tackled our ever-multiplying mountain of laundry.  No, I have not trained him well.  Blair does do laundry on occasion and sometimes out of necessity.  Yesterday he had a quiet day at home and he was tiered of tripping over the basket in the "hall way".

I did give stern instructions: "Do not throw everything together".

He has no regard for sorting lights and darks.  Our children have inherited this dingy whites gene from their father.  Finally something they can't blame on me!

I am pleased to report that Blair did heed my warning.

The light results were perfect.

Blair warned me that some of the clothes were still "damp".

As I began to pull clothes off the pile, they seemed to be getting damper and um...down right wet.

Trying to save time and Loonies, Blair piled all our darks into one washing machine and then of course, one drier.  Thus, the darks were "a little damp".

After a bar-b-q (so we can actually start cooking meals again) and a water cooler (which will be a drinking water), and skirting (on the RV before the winter) ... I think a portable washing machine and drying rack/s, could save us some coin and frustration (over the shared facilities during the warmer months).

I was checking out amazon and there are a number of different sizes, models and price points for portable washing machines.

Priced between $180 - $400

 A clothes drying rack at Walmart...

On Sale for $5 online.

By the way, I think I forgot to thank my awesome husband...Thank you Blair for doing the laundry.  I know it's a thankless, under appreciated and tedious task - Especially with a teenage daughter.  You are awesome and I love you!

Laundry air dried!

Living Simple to Simply LIVE!