Dateline: Washington
I took a 15-minute shower and then used my shower squeegee on the glass doors.
Wow, exciting, Suebob, thrill us with more of your tales!
Well, it IS exciting to me, after three years of taking military showers (water on, water off, soap up, water on to rinse) in the RV. I’m taking longer showers and squeegeeing the shower doors because I bought a mobile home in Washington! And it has a big water heater, a proper shower, and best of all, water pressure!
Here’s how it happened: I left Oregon at the beginning of May, once I was fully vaccinated. I had been thinking about heading back out on the road again, but my sister had a medical issue and I decided to come up here in case she needed me.
I stayed at an RV park and visited my sister a lot. I liked the area. Close to Seattle but not a big city. A charming historic downtown. Diverse. Decent museums and botanic gardens close by. A coffee hut on every corner.
I started noticing my sister’s mobile home park was full of nice people and mobile homes prices were really reasonable. I looked at one, but it wasn’t right for me. I kept an eye out.
One of my criteria for living somewhere is the answer to the question “Would I be happy driving up to this place?” I once lived somewhere that caused my heart to sink and me to yell “Oh crap!” whenever I came home, and I never want that feeling again.
Sometime not too long ago, I thought “If I had a house, I’d want it to be grey and white.”
Cue a small grey and white mobile home coming up for sale. Old. Single-wide. But the owner had done a lot of improvements – painted some of the inevitable faux wood paneling white, installed new fake wood flooring in some rooms, renovated the bathroom.
I made an offer on the spot. The seller was motivated to move because she was going to Missouri to live in a tiny home and wanted to get there before winter. So in two weeks, I was handing over my savings and moving in.
The owner agreed to leave the beds and some furniture. That she did. She left 2 beds, a leather couch, three bookcases, 2 dressers, kitchen chairs and stools, a 40″ TV, stereo, washer/dryer, fridge, lamps, bakeware, glasses, cups, lawnmower, weed whacker, patio furniture, 2 portable ACs, gardening tools, potted plants, and curtains. All I really needed to bring was some pots, plates, bowls, bedding and clothing (and she apologized for not leaving bedding).
It was so well-furnished that the day I moved in, I had houseguests from Ventura, up here for a memorial service. It was perfect to have people help me break in my new home.
What about Gladis? There is a storage lot right here on site, and I take her out for a weekly jaunt. We’re heading back down to Oregon in 2 weeks to take care of some business. And she and I have more adventures planned.
So now I’m busy making my mobile home a home. My stuff is on my way from Ventura after 3 years in storage. And if I ever I get sad about not being on the road right now, I can go hop in the shower and stand there for a long, long time.
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Suebob's Red Stapler 
Happy for you..I have been looking for a double wide on a half acre for sometime now..the homes are pretty beat up out get..cost almost 200.00 for a home and a half acre..happy to rent again..till I find that gem!
On Sun, Oct 3, 2021, 9:34 PM Suebob’s Red Stapler wrote:
> Suebob posted: ” I took a 15-minute shower and then used my shower > squeegee on the glass doors. Wow, exciting, Suebob, thrill us with more of > your tales! Well, it IS exciting to me, after three years of taking > military showers (water on, water off, soap up, water ” >
I hope you find your place!
Nice to have a home base!
It’s funny – even though I have zero trips planned, I find it very comforting to be so near a big airport.
I get that.
Sue, so happy for you! What city are you in? Enjoy your new space! Hugs, miss your smiling face!
On Sun, Oct 3, 2021 at 7:33 PM Suebob’s Red Stapler wrote:
> Suebob posted: ” I took a 15-minute shower and then used my shower > squeegee on the glass doors. Wow, exciting, Suebob, thrill us with more of > your tales! Well, it IS exciting to me, after three years of taking > military showers (water on, water off, soap up, water ” >
I am near Tacoma. I miss you too!
That carport and driveway made me swoon. I love everything about this. You have a home base and you didn’t give up Gladis to do it.
The carport is getting a new roof, hopefully soon – for some insane reason, they made the roof flat – in Washington! So it needs help. It is nice to have, and useful for hanging up potted plants and wind chimes.
I know – it’s crazy how it worked out. I’m happy it did, though.
This is awesome. I love the idea of being able to hit the road running at any time, too. You might miss those military showers.
I do miss Gladis, a lot. She was such a good friend and comfort for so long. Recently we had a huge industrial fire near the RV park and we had to evacuate. The homeowners next door were deciding what to take while I was already heading down the road. And I can’t overstate the wonder of having your own bathroom and comfy napping spot with you while traveling. It is just the best.