Update on Peanut, CJ and me

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Hi all

I know I've been scarce again, but I thought I'd update everybody on what's going on in my life.

We made it to Tucson, all in one piece - with NO hydraulic leak!!! (yes, it reared it's ugly had again, but after another couple thousand dollars thrown at it, we really think we have it solved this time....hopefully....knock on wood.) The last few weeks have been quite hectic getting rid of all stuff from the apartment that we weren't/couldn't take with and then packing everything in the motorhome. So far the back of the Jeep and the trunk of the car are still stuffed, but slow but sure everything is making its way into the motorhome.....and let me tell you, we are keeping this motorhome for ever because I don't ever want to "move" again!

There is supposedly wi-fi access here at the RV Park, but the transmitter is too far away. My card can see the transmitter, but my card is not strong enough so the transmitter can see it, so there's no two-way communication. No two-way communication means no wi-fi access for me. We've been using my Verizon card, and Terry has been hogging it so that's why I haven't been able to keep up better.

The good news is, Terry started training today to sell RVs so I have more time with the Verizon card. The bad news is I will be working in the office and doing all the paperwork that is involved in selling RVs, and my training starts soon - possibly this week.

So, life in the motorhome is great! The weather couldn't be more perfect - lows in the the low 50s and highs in the 70s and 80s. P & CJ have adjusted amazingly well and everything is going well. I could go on and on, but I'll leave it at that for the time being. I promise there will be more threads soon with pics of the trip here. I've missed keeping up with all the threads on PT. Hope I haven't missed anything "important!"

[moosmom]

Debbie,

I'm so glad everything is going well. Arizona is beautiful and I know you'll be happy there, or wherever you park. LOL

I'd love to be able to just put it in drive and go wherever.

((((HUGS))))) to you, Terry and the kits

[Cataholic]

Nice to hear from you all!

I thought you guys were 'retiring'? Is the plan to have temporary jobs each time you set up camp somewhere? If so, how often are you moving around? Is it fun so far??

[Killearn Kitties]

Well good thing Terry the card-hogger has started work, that's what I say! We've missed you not being around. Glad you are all well and I'll look forward to seeing photos from your journey.

[Rachel]

Debbie - good to hear from you, but you leave me with wanting to know so much more. You are still my idol when it comes to living your dream and scaling down. Talk about having acquired a skill/mindset that you could parley into an income by teaching others!

[Edwina's Secretary]

First I must say....Go Wildcats!

Are you guys going to work part-time or full-time? Did you take both car and jeep?

I am so envious of your freedom and hope to hear more about it....maybe in person even!

[lizbud]

It's good to hear from you again.I'm glad things are going well for you
guys.Hope this means you'll be able to post & check things out a little more
now.

[Logan]

I'm so glad to get an update from you, Debbie!!!! Loved the pictures of your visit with Lisa and Bunny over the weekend.

But, like so many others, you have me wanting to know more, more, more. What does the future look like for you and Terry? Are you going to stay in Arizona for a while?

Are you happy???

Do tell, girl!!!

Logan

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks for updating us Debbie. I'm glad that everyone is doing well but I'm very surprised that both you and Terry will working again so soon. I thought you were retired and or still on vacation. Take care and I look forward to reading your future posts.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Thanks everybody.

Now, to answer a few questions, I'll try to take them in order although some of them are similar so will have the same answer. I tried to keep answers short and sweet, but that just doesn't work for me.

I thought you guys were 'retiring'?
Well....it's Terry that officially retired. I'm just along for the ride.

Is the plan to have temporary jobs each time you set up camp somewhere?
Terry said he needs to "transition" instead of just out and out stop working. He also wanted to see the "other" side of the RVing thing. We've seen plenty of it from the purchase stand point, he wants to see and learn it from the selling point too. He is a born salesman and he knows these RVs like the back of his hand, so to me it's only natural that he would want to sell them. Therefore, the plan at this moment is that we will work for this dealer for awhile and see how things go. Terry kind of wants to do something until he is 62 and can start collecting his social security. So if we work here, we won't need to touch any retirment money until we quit work for good.

The other thing is that I am only 44 - WAY to young to "retire." I don't mind putzing around all day, but I have to admit that it will be nice to get back into something. I will be full-time in November while I train, then part-time in December because it's not that busy, then full-time in January because that's a busy month, then part-time again in February.....and everything is up in the air after that.

How often are you moving around?
For right now we are in Tucson, AZ. We will be here until the end of November, then we will move to Quartzite, AZ where the dealer sets up a temporary location for the winter. Quartzite is a town of about 3,000-4,000 people on a regular basis, but during the winter the town literally balloons with RVers spending the winter. They say in the 3-4 winter months, nearly a million people will spend time in Quartzite! All in RVs, so it's the perfect place for a temp. RV dealer. When that is over with, we're unsure as to what will happen next. There are people here who only work Quartzite every winter. When it's over they leave, then come back the next winter. That is what we would like to do - work during the winter then travel all summer on the money we saved up over the winter. However, we may need to put in one full year here in order to get to that level of seniority where we can come and go as we please. So Quartzite is a definite, after that we're not sure what's going to happen or where we'll be.

Is it fun so far??
YES!!!!

Did you take both car and jeep?
Yes. Terry towed the Jeep behind the motorhome and I followed in the car with P & CJ. Not the ideal situation, but it worked.

Care to stop by my hosue and pick me up along the way?
I wish! I wish we could just travel from state to state to state visiting every single PTer along the way!

Are you happy???
YES!!! Terry is almost like a different person - he's happy again! He was so miserable in his old job. He doesn't do well when he's bored, and he was big-time bored. I was too. This is an exciting new adventure with exciting new challenges for both of us - and I think that's just what we needed. He was so excited to get to training yesterday that he was like a kid on his first day at school. Like I said, I'm looking forward to getting back to "something" too, but I have to admit that I'm glad it's only part-time some of the time. Don't want to give up too much of my leisure. The other thing that is totally awesome is that we can walk to work! No more 2 hour commute for me - whoooo hoooo!!!

One more question that we've gotten from friends but wasn't brought up here.
Do you miss Chicago/your job?
NO!!! Neither of us had family there. Most of our friends are spread throughout the country so we've actually gotten to see some of them more often than we normally would have. The weather in Chicago is getting cold/rainy/snowy and I don't miss that at all! I don't miss my 2 hour commute, I don't miss my crabby boss, I most certainly don't miss the apartment and apartment living. I did miss the house when we were in the apartment, but now that we're in the motorhome I don't miss the house anymore. Tucson has great restaurants and plenty to keep us busy. Tucson has great state and national parks nearby for hiking and off-roading - which we actually feel like doing because the weather is so nice. So what is there to miss?

[Logan]

You sound happy, and that makes me happy!!!! Thanks for taking the time to give us a little more insight into what you are doing and how you are doing it!!!!!

Good for you and Terry, Debbie! You two have obviously been very careful in your spending and saving over the years, something that all of us could learn a lesson from!!!

Logan

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Well, I start training on Monday. Gotta be there at 8:00 am....and probably work until 5:00 pm - ugh! Now that I'm facing the reality of another job, I'm wondering what in the world I was thinking by wanting one! The good news is the commute is all of a short bicycle ride - think I can handle that!

I train for two weeks, then we have the week of Thanksgiving off, then we head to Quartzsite. (I never knew the s was missing either ).

[Killearn Kitties]

How do you pronounce "Quartzite"? It is not a name I have heard.

[Randi]

Debbie, thanks for keeping us updated. It sounds like a fantastic journey you've begun, and I can tell that you're happy.

Wherever you go, it will be different, so you won't get bored. Your job plans sound great too. I just hope you won't get too busy to keep us updated.

Looking forward to hear more next time.

All the best of luck!!

[Catsnclay]

How do you pronounce "Quartzite"? It is not a name I have heard.

I'll jump in here and answer since I'm from AZ!!

It is pronounced: Quart - Site, the spelling throws everyone off, but then again here in AZ we like to do that on a lot of our cities!! We have a place called Canyon De Shay - ok, that is the way its pronounced, but the spelling I haven't the foggiest on how to begin to spell it! I will look for it and type it out for you - you will see, we are crazy!! (actually these are a lot of American Indian names)