jcpjane
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Re: Having a hard time with full timing
Rice wrote: Bill.Satellite wrote: It sounds like you have not left FL meaning you are pretty much running around in circles just to be moving. Either settle down a bit or GO! There are some absolutely amazing, stunning, awe inspiring, breath taking, historic and unique locations around this great Country of ours and you have an excellent opportunity to find them and brag about having seen them. Some will change your life, some will enlighten, some will educate, some will simply be items you cross off your bucket list and some you will scratch your head and wonder why you wasted your time (like the time I visited Roswell, NM). They will all still be an experience and they will all be an experience you will remember forever. I agree with Bill that you may not be moving around enough. I know, this is contrary to what everyone else is saying, but I wonder if it would help if you made a cleaner break from your previous lifestyle. Not to bash Florida, but if I were thinking, "Where would I go if I could spend the time to see everything I wanted to without being rushed?" I would not think of Florida. And it's certainly not the first place I'd go to if I were suddenly free to travel wherever I want. And I can see myself thinking, "For this, I could have stayed home." What new and exciting things are you seeing and doing there? To me, that's the best part of fulltiming--the luxury to not have to cram everything into a 2-week vacation, and to go see things that I never would have planned a special trip for. It doesn't sound like you're taking advantage of that. (Or maybe you don't want to--if so, I completely understand and you can ignore what I'm saying.) While a lot of people caution against new fulltimers being in "vacation mode," maybe that's actually what you need. You haven't lost your home and friends, you've gained a vacation that most people would kill for. You could at least give it a shot. One thing for sure--what you're doing right now isn't working for you, and at least you'd get an adventure out of it. What plans do you have set until May? Is that when you have to be in Texas? If you're just biding time between now and then, maybe take advantage of it. We once had to kill a month in central New Mexico and it turned out great because we saw all this stuff we'd never have made a special trip for. At whatever pace we chose each day. (Note to Bill.Satellite -- we did not go to Roswell.) I have no problem if you decide fulltiming isn't for you, but if you're stuck in it for the time being, it would be a shame if you missed the opportunity to do some real traveling and sightseeing and seeing first-hand how things operate in different parts of the country. It's pretty interesting. I think part of my problem is that I'm still thinking vacation & not living. DH said to me that we don't have to see & do something everyday. If we had a stick home there would be days that we'd be reading, do emails, just relaxing. So why do we have to rush & do something every day. He's right. We're trying to come up with a way to see our friends & family (we have a daughter in NY & son in Tx) while still seeing the country. We were thinking of eventually staying where our children are (TX winter, NY summer) & traveling in between. But maybe we'll move that up. When we travel, we'll stay longer in places. That way we won't feel like outsiders.350Views0likes0CommentsRe: Having a hard time with full timing
We're going to be slowing down. But it's just getting to places we need to be in certain areas at specific times. So now until June we're moving around. In June, we plan on going back "home" for 6 to 7 weeks. I do think that will help me figure out if this FT life is for me. We couldn't afford to pay the mortgage on our house period on DH pension. It is a good pension, however it would not cover us keeping the house & paying for the trailer. Also, if we sold the house & got an apartment in the area, I don't think we'd be able to cut it. Anyway, we will be more seasonal . But there are things we want to see. Yes I wish we could have a home base. Travel South for the winter, travel North for the summer. But we couldn't afford that. We will come to some good compromise that works for us. Maybe we'll do the 4 Mos North, 4 months South in one place& travel 2 months in between them sooner. Our goal is to figure out where we want to have a stick home & then travel once in awhile.350Views0likes0CommentsRe: Having a hard time with full timing
Thanks Bor your insight. I am divided over my feelings. I do want to do & see what this big country has to offer. DH & I do have to slow down & smell the coffee as they say. However, right now we have our plans set until May. We want to be in TX at a certain time. After that we'll slow down. We are going to be closer to "home" for a long period of time. DH has said that if I really don't want to continue or stay longer in places like months at a time we will. However we will travel still even if we end up with a home base. Right now I just want to be comfortable in what we're doing. There are days I am. It's always when we leave that I'm overwhelmed with what I am missing. But then we arrive at the next stop & start meeting people I'm better. Of course if I was so miserable, DH wouldn't make me keep going. I'm still looking forward or at least trying to.263Views0likes0CommentsRe: Having a hard time with full timing
I am so grateful for everyone We've ut. First, I'd like to defend my DH, he suggested I post here to see how other women dealt with a similar situation. Second he didn't force me to do this. I just didn't think it would effect me this way. I don't miss the snow or ice in NY. I don't miss all the stuff we accumulated. I do miss photos on the walls. But my DH is going to figure out something so we can personalize a little more. I had a couple of friends that I shared my life story with & vice a versa. Out of my siblings I am only really close to one. I miss our daughter because we had a close relationship. I did go to therapy & I talk to her once in a while. It does help. I also am very open with my husband about my feelings. He is very supportive & understanding. He knows what I am feeling & truly tries to help. He has a blog about being first time rv owners & being full timers. We are moving alot. We don't want to drive more than 300 miles from place to place. We stay a minimum of a week. Eventually we will slow down. Right now, we've been all over FL. North, South, East & West. I do think that we will have a base, maybe two. Maybe eventually one & be snowbirds I don't know. I would Skype but most campgrounds the Internet is limited to emails& looking up websites. I text, call & email to stay in touch. My husband knows once we have grandchildren, things will be different. However since our children are in two geographic locations, we'd be snowbirds or have two bases. As far as inviting friends & family to meet us places. True most campgrounds have rental units. Or they can stay at a nearby hotel. We've been discussing this with them. Next winter, they will come where we are since we would be South. This summer, as I said we'll be there. I do appreciate everyone's input. I would welcome anyone who is feeling the same way to send me a person message. Perhaps we could for a friendship of sorts with that common bond. Maybe end up meeting some place I the future.263Views0likes0CommentsHaving a hard time with full timing
Hello, Let me first give you some background. I am a married women- my husband has had this idea of living in an RV traveling around the US for years. He had a mandatory retirement date, so when it came close, we started to get serious about what we'd buy. Anyway, fast forward to Spring of 2013. We put the house on the market. It took until Sept to find a buyer. Our daughter was still living with us at the time. In Dec 2013, my husband officially retired. Then two days later, our daughter moved into her apartment. 2 weeks later, we went to closing and were on the road. I had a very hard time of it. Empty nester- whatever. I really didn't have time to adjust to any of the changes. Then on top of it, we were moving from place to place about weekly. (there were some places we stayed for 2 weeks). I am better about things now, but I still am missing my family, my friends, my comfort zone. Yes, with cellphone and the internet- we stay in touch- but I miss the face to face contact with people that know my "life story". We are meeting such nice people in the campgrounds (we are very friendly and so are most people that camp). But, somehow its not the same. There is no permanent connection. So, I'm hoping I can reach out here for some suggestions. We get out the trailer everyday (mostly) and do something- whether its hiking, swimming, shopping. My husband has a kayak (I don't kayak). I read, do puzzles (word and jigsaw), write in journals, needlepoint. So I have hobbies also. Even if we stay in the campground, we go outside to sit or walk around. (if there aren't any activities- or swimming etc). We are heading back towards "home" in June for 6-7 weeks. Just for closure. I'm afraid I won't want to leave again. Please help. Thanks9.8KViews0likes55Comments
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