Friday, March 24, 2017

Full-time RVing…Can I still Collect?

While reading comments and posts on RVing sites I’ve noticed that many refer to what they can’t have or do anymore/what they have to give up.  I wonder if they should reconsider the lifestyle?  As I’ve stated in previous Blogs we say that we can have and do anything we had in a traditional home just on a smaller scale.  Even collect “stuff” like souvenirs?  I say YES!  Remember the “smaller” scale!

I love baskets and had all sizes.  I still buy small ones which fit perfectly on the living room valance.  We were camp hosts at Rancheros de Santa Fe Campground and made some of these with the guidance of an Oklahoma Indian artist who stayed during Santa Fe Indian Market.DSCN9732

We have very little wall space so I buy small food-themed cards and frame them for my kitchen.  Blueberries from Maine, Tabasco from McIllhenny Company on Avery Island, Louisiana, Beignets and chicory coffee from CafĂ© DuMonde in New Orleans, chairs on Jordan Pond House in Acadia, Maine where they are known for their delicious popovers.  The little pewter basket is from Massachusetts.

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A practical purchase in Alaska, which I use a lot, is this Ulu and small cutting board.  So handy!

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GET added a Plexiglas shelf to this small niche making it a perfect place to display my small pots, basket and vases.   DSCN9722

We all like to have photos of our loved ones and in our bricks and mortar home we had large photos. In our RV home we have the same photos, just small.

The “Grands” Jorden, William, Stanley (waiting for Mary’s current photo)DSCN9739

Our Mom’s and our three kids, Kelle, Gary and Russ with spouses Joe, Vivian and Denise.

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I’m going to try something new (for me anyway.) So far in our 22 years of full-timing I haven’t traveled with plants.  I found this little planter at a thrift store and have planted three small succulents.  Let’s see how they fare!DSCN9742

One of my true loves is reading (my Aunt Genevieve always said I grew up with my nose buried in a book!)  Nowadays I do most of my reading in my Kindle or Nook however, there is real joy in actually seeing books in a home, even a RV home. I have a small shelf which is my library. DSCN9747

(Of course, if you are a reader you know there has to be a hidden “stash” somewhere in the rig!)DSCN9753DSCN9756

People ask if we get tired of taking all of these things down everyday when we travel.  No, we don’t take them down!  I use what us Californians call “earthquake putty” everywhere so we are able to travel with everything quite intact.DSCN9740

So, you see, while it seems that I have a lot of things in my rig, by choosing “small” I am able to have a touch of everything I love!  It reiterates my theory that we full-timers don’t have to sacrifice what we care about in order to live the lifestyle!

Of course, a good plan sometimes goes awry…we like to visit college campuses and I have gotten quite carried away and collected A LOT of college sweatshirts which definitely DO NOT occupy a small space!DSCN9693

Oh well!