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Surviving the holidays

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I am sure you had the occasional or regular anxiety leading up to Christmas ? Finding the right gifts on your long list for everyone , making sure the house sparkles and the best meal yet will be served this year? We've all been there. Stressing over these self made rules in our head. They aren't written down anywhere; no law telling us it is mandatory to follow, or else! Well lucky me; the list in my head was clear, non existent this year. Instead I dealt with a new anxiety, one I wasn't familiar with and didn't like at all: Facing the holidays without my kids AND in a new town, in a new State, where we don't know a SINGLE person. We just have each other. Period. Now if you are an introvert and enjoy your alone time, this would be the best news ever, right?   Not this one. I enjoy people (well the nice ones that is....). I enjoy emerging myself into community,  things that bring people together. Don't get me wrong. I love my husband and spending time

It's not always red roses

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If you don't ever have to climb hills and even rocky mountains,  how would you appreciate the beautiful green valleys?  The often untold stories of full time RV life and travel sometimes include rocky hurdles.  Ours started in the  middle of Nevada, at this to me "god awful" desert town of Tonopah. http://www.tonopahnevada.com/things-to-do/ We had already been driving thru the desert for several hours coming from Carson City, NV. On the map, Tonopah was a good stopping point on our long way to Las Vegas. On that map Joe had found the only truck parking in town. Our plan was to dry camp at said truck parking area, and after getting some downtime in, to continue our travels the next morning via hwy. 95. Now I must mention that I generally enjoy diversity and change, well until I met Tonopah that is.... Driving thru town took a whopping 10 minutes. Arriving at the end of town we locate it on the left. It's spacious enough for Joe to park our 5th wheel at the

Ronald Mc Donald house inspiration

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Do you believe in the old saying "things happen for a reason"? I DO. And here is how it goes... If you are a "regular " on my blog site you'll already know that our last stop was in Kansas to await the birth of our grand baby. And this is where you can plan all you want, nature has a way of working at it's own speed, regardless of how we would like them to pan out! My daughters due date was November 17th 2019. Easy to always remember because my birthday is Nov. 15th. I was anxious for Joe and I to get there on time so I wouldn't miss the birth as well as be there for Tabea during childbirth. Joe and I arrived 18 days early with exitement and anticipation. Well for 15 days NOTHING happened.  And when it finally did, we were glad to be a part of everything and meet our little grandbaby Finley! There were abnormalities with his breathing that it was decided to fly him to a more suitable NICU almost 3 hours away, in Kansas City, MO. My son Ju

Simply cooking

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As I am finishing my Christmas cookie production in my tiny kitchen,  I realize that some of you might wonder if cooking is possible, living tiny. The answer is YES! Often, when Joe amd I talk with people the assumption is made quiet regularly, that we only eat as if we were camping: Hot dogs and burgers, freshly prepared over the fire pit. They couldn't be farther from reality. I should start with this fact: Because our 5th wheel toy hauler is only equipped with a small fridge and freezer, we go grocery shopping about twice a week. No such thing as buying in bulk like we used to. But you know what?  It's not the end of the world, seriously. Growing up in Germany we never had a big fridge, like the typical ones here in the States. I remember my mom riding her bicycle (and later driving, after she got her driver's license around age 40) to the local market. It was about a 1 mile ride each way.  Grocery bags were stored in the attached bicycle basket or hung on the han

The story of us

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Our Love Story The story of Joe and I began in October 2013 at a dance hall called " The Carriage Stop ".  My friend and I were regulars there on the occasional Saturday, when they were having dance lessons. It was my friends birthday. After the lessons we had plans to go to a small local country bar called  " Mill Hill Saloon ",  https://m.csindy.com/coloradosprings/blooms-mill-hill-saloon/Location?oid=1146714 just up the road to celebrate a bit. We had just met Joe and started chatting with him, so my friend decided to ask him if he wanted to come along.  And he did.  We ended up talking all evening and when it was time to go home,  we said the usual good-bye's, the "nice to meet you's" and that was it.  So I thought. Months later Joe told me, that at some point, days later, a little voice inside of him told him to try and find me.  After researching the very little that he knew about me on the internet, he ca

Dirt road anthem

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It's the end of another ordinary day here in rural Kansas.  Today I decided to take my bike out to explore the area.  Every landscape has its beauty. Isn't that what "they say"? Well who are they anyway,  I ask? I tell myself though, to keep this saying in mind as I am choosing my path today. The dirt road I decide to take ends at a paved road, followed by another dirt road. I am always amazed by the diversity of this country.  Riding down this dirt road,  I come across the occasional farm, along with its silos and barns and hay bales. I can imagine their residents and the hard life they chose. They find comfort to come home to the familiar sounds and views. They probably would not trade their lifes, even if they could. I imagine driving on these endless roads in the harsh of the winter, the wind screaming.  What I can't imagine is my life here.  I feel lucky that Joe and I get to choose where we want to be.   Do you ever fe

A morning in the middle of nowhere

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It's a bitter cold  morning here in Wakefield, Kansas. We are parked on my daughters 3 acre property, deep in the countryside.  I am watching the sun slowly rise in the distance. The neighbors cows have been mooing in symphony for hours already. What a concert! This morning I have not heard the usual eary howling of the coyotes in the nearby fields. Instead the rooster is announcing the new start of a day. Today is November 2nd 2019. I am happy that I get to spend my soon-to-be birthday with my children. What a great gift in itself. The biggest miracle is yet to arrive any day now: We are awaiting the birth of our grandbaby Finley Joseph. Our arrival here in Kansas last Saturday marks the 13th destination since we started our life in our tiny home 11 weeks earlier. 3936 miles later! O'Malley and Peanut,  our puppies, now have the newfound freedom of running around with their cousins all day. A German Shepherd, Boxer and Mutt.  Every destinatio