Small space living & entertainment

Like you, we have been in quarantine since April.  Because my expertise is in public health we have not participated in the re-opening of the state in any way - we still shop as infrequently as possible; we wear our masks in public; we avoid the city.  Thankfully we have Rancho Status Quo which gives us a large outdoor space to explore, but many days we find ourselves in and around the trailer.  This post will focus on how our family of four manages hanging out in just over 300 square feet of space!

In reality, the outdoor space next to the trailer is an important part of our existence.  In our current set up I am growing some vegetables in a container garden at the rear of the outdoor space.  Our trailer has an outdoor kitchen, grill, propane burners and extra fridge - we use that kitchen often.  I cook outside when possible (especially when the air conditioner is running) and we sit outside and enjoy the space.  I especially like to sit outside when using the solar oven so that I can ensure it is oriented towards the sun.  This is also where I hang out the laundry on our drying rack and where I fold clothes.  (BTW, I still love doing my laundry at a laundry mat - the facility here is small, reasonably priced, and convenient.) 

 

The rest of our outdoor space is multi-purpose.  We eat outside, the pad is used for chalk art, we paint rocks, Sister makes mud pies, bikes are parked here, toys are brought out, the kids can play in water from the hose...when it is not too windy the awning gives nice shade,  We are outdoors a fair amount - but there are days where we are not!  For those days, video games!!  The funny thing is that while in Zoom meetings over the past months I have heard various colleagues say something about never seeing their kids because they are off in their rooms playing video games - if our family were still in our 4000 sq ft house, we would have the same situation.  However, because the kids are so close to us while we are playing the games, we are all a part of what is going on with each other.  Often, if I am working and the kids are done with school, I am thankful for the games - especially when I have meetings or am working on a project that requires my concentration.  Other time when Husband and I are playing our game it is nice to be within earshot of what is going on in the kids' games.  

The kids have an Xbox in their room and they play online with their cousins as much as they are able.  Depending on our location we have had varying arrangements in terms of internet/data connection.  When in Mesa, we had Cox cable - which worked really well for the online play.  These days, in rural St. Johns, AZ we are using Verizon hotspots from our phones - so there is a constant conversation about how much data is left.  However, with that said, the kids are currently playing on throttled hotspot data until it resets in a week or so and they are still able to make it work.  The Xbox was their present for Christmas in 2018....for Christmas of 2019, after our second summer of travel, we bought them each a Nintendo Switch Lite.  Having something portable and battery powered is a wonderful improvement to our situation.   

Because Husband is a tech geek and retro gamer, we also have a number of other consoles.  Actually, he and I have enjoyed playing couch co-ops over the years (even before having kids).  We are currently playing Divinity Original Sin II on the PS4 - which is an absolutely amazing game!  "But where do you put all of these consoles/cords/controllers/games?" Great question!  Poorly managed cords/controllers are a pet peeve of mine.  Thankfully, Husband does a great job of managing it all - the system has developed over time, and is quite efficient.  We have three TVs in our rig - one in the kids' room, one in ours and one in the main living area.  The consoles are split between those three TVs, cords zip tied and neat, controllers put in their places.   I tried to take pictures, but I'm much better at taking pictures of sunsets.

Of course we also have our laptops for work/school/entertainment as well.  As long as everyone keeps track of charging their own devices, life is good - if not, well, drama.  Controller batteries are the worst - if left to me the kids wouldn't be able to play anything because I would've given up.  Husband fights the good fight and is constantly reminding and managing the kids' devices!  As you can imagine, charging devices is a necessity for us, and was certainly taken into consideration when designing our solar system at the homestead.  

Besides video games the kids each have a bin of toys (under the benches of the dinette in their room) and there are some favorites that get played with often (like the Magformers).  They both have quite a few books - currently Brother is really into reading manga and likes drawing characters, Sister enjoys looking through National Geographic books about animals (her "biology books" as she likes to refer to them).  A while ago I made a list of things the kids can do besides play video games.  I posted it in their room and I ask them to read it when they need to take a break.  They are both good about going out for a bike ride or walk periodically during the day.  It's been three years in this small space (and our smaller first trailer), though I will value having a bit more space in our tiny house at the homestead (500 sq ft + two lofts), I do feel content with this space and feel we are able to do the things we would do in a house.  We even have a piano and a guitar!

I guess the moral of the story is that when you live in a tiny space you appreciate the outdoors and you are very considerate about how you use the indoor space.  We set up the indoor space to support the things we do when indoors.  Our possessions are trimmed down to those things we use on a regular basis.  I remember the cupboards of kitchen stuff I used to have in my house and compare it to the comparatively fewer necessary items I have now as the most obvious example.  Clothing is another area where significant reductions in quantity were made.  In the end our small space is very comfortable and our things deliberately chosen.  Even during a quarantine we enjoy our tiny space!

Collecting components, 3 years RV life, and other events

It has been a while and I have many things to report!  Since my last post we have collected most of the items we ordered with various levels of drama.  For example we took possession of the Sunbank solar water heater, which arrived via freight.  However a few of the glass tubes were broken as the box containing them was not strapped down and had fallen off the pallet.  We are in the process of ensuring we receive replacements for the broken tubes.

We drove to Flagstaff to pick up most of the components for our solar system from Northern Arizona Wind and Sun.  We knew there were a couple things on back order so a second trip will have to be made when the time comes. 

Our large order from Home Depot has been collected via trips to the store and receipt of multiple packages.  Our cargo trailer is full of stuff.  At present we are waiting for our contractor to install the garage door on our new building.  Once this is done we will begin to install the solar and plumbing systems with the ability to lock it up overnight.  The contractor said mid-June, so we are hoping that his team will be out there next week. 

Our fridge died (for the second time in a year) in April - this month it was finally repaired (delayed due to the factory being closed during the shut down), which was a huge relief.  We have been using a Dometic chest fridge/freezer, which was awesome and will be our main fridge on our land, but it took up a lot of room in our tiny trailer.  It is nice to have floor space back!

My parents, who have been in Arizona since February, left this morning.  Since April we have been parked next to each other and the kids have been able to go between our spaces.  Because of the corona virus I have been doing the shopping for both of our households and they helped us at the land and with watching the kids.  We had become accustomed to their presence and will miss them.  I also worry for their health and safety as they travel across the country - but fully understand their desire to return home to Michigan.  We had a pretty nice setup and we ate most dinners together (many outside).  

Yesterday, though Sister's BD is in July, we had a surprise party so that we could include Nana and Papa.  It was a nice event although the wind was crazy and made being and eating outside rather difficult.  I can't believe Sister is almost 6 years old.  

Our three year anniversary of RV living is this month!  Given the state of the country (pandemic, civil unrest, high unemployment, recession/depression) I am so very thankful to have the ability to be mobile.  This arrangement has also allowed us to simplify our life and finances and to pursue the completion of this long-term goal of having a self-sufficient homestead.  No one can say exactly what the future holds, but I will feel very secure having a base of operations as well as the ability to travel.

In Rancho Status Quo news, we got a new chainsaw and have been trimming trees.  As a result we have had some very nice evenings around the fire pit.

In homesteading news I have added a new set of recipes to my repertoire - spreadable cashew cheese!  This stuff is wonderful spread upon my solar oven baked sourdough.  I linked to one recipe above, but I have been trying variations with ideas from Pinterest.  

Brother and Sister are pretty much done with the Homeschooling year.  Brother has a few last math lessons to complete which we are going to spread out over the summer to keep him fresh.  Sister has come along leaps and bounds with her reading - it finally clicked for her - so we have to keep reading so that she continues to become comfortable and increase her skill.  Regardless of what happens with the public schools (and the homeschool enrichment program we were attending) we will not be returning to any public settings in the fall.  As a public health expert, I advise remaining far away from others until you can obtain a vaccine that has been sufficiently tested - that is what I am going to do - I will be teaching online only.  

I hope that you and yours are safe and healthy and that you are able to follow your bliss even in the midst of these troubling times.  

Homesteading while living in an RV

We've made a number of homesteading moves since arriving in St. Johns.  Though the mail has been very slow and many companies are overwhelmed with orders we have managed to obtain some really great items that are enhancing our stationary summer!

First, we started a container garden, we planted on May 1st and we had sprouts in the first week!  Inspired by a trip to Biosphere II back in February I made ollas out of clay pots - they are working very well to keep the containers moist.  We have carrots, onions, lettuce, asparagus, zucchini and sweet potatoes growing.

We also got a composter...sister has had an excellent time adding refuse and spinning it!

Finally, and most exciting to me, I got a solar oven!  I've been using it to bake my sourdough bread - it is so much fun. I am going to branch out to cook meals I would make in a crockpot soon!

We've been doing a lot of cooking and I am subscribing to Purple Carrot to receive two vegan meals each week.  Here are some pictures of the many amazing meals we have been making.  It's good to have time for cooking and planning great meals!

Headed for (arrived in) the hills

Yesterday we made the trek up the mountain and arrived in St. Johns AZ.  I'm quite happy with the site at St. Johns RV Resort (though "resort" is really overselling it).  Being away from the big city gives me some comfort - I mean it's all a statistics game.  The outbreak is so terrible in NY and CA because that is where the masses of people live.  Statistically speaking less people = less exposure, though we know the virus will travel everywhere.  We need to continue to practice social distancing and minimize our travel to public spaces. 

I'm trying to minimize my exposure to the news as well.  It's all just so terrible.  Especially when our President is more concerned with his ego than with using the federal government to provide aid in this terrible time. 

I have an overwhelming desire to grow a garden, but I don't have any of the supplies I would need.  I have been trying to figure out if I can order everything and curbside pickup from Home Depot or something...I am not going into any stores right now.  We are going to try and make our shopping list for two weeks of groceries at a time.  This is difficult for us due to the limited storage space we have in our RV cupboards, but with the right planning I think it can be done.  I am very much looking forward to the end of the semester when I will have 150 less students relying on me.  I am sure they all feel the same way.  This is such a difficult time for everyone. 

While the rural area brings some comfort it is also still very cold!  Last night it was 27 degrees!  We have not ever stayed a night in that sort of weather.  We had to unhook the water so that it didn't freeze and our furnace was running practically all night.  I was stressing about how long the propane would last!  Thankfully today Husband was able to get the propane refilled at an outside station maintaining proper social distance.  The weather in the valley is warming up - air conditioner weather will soon be arriving there but we will enjoy cool temperatures for quite a while. 

Today I made a very nourishing meal of lentils & rice.  I ate it with hummus and some leftover naan bread.  It was an excellent comfort food and I have leftovers for tomorrow.  We were eating out quite a bit prior to all this quarantine business - I have to adjust to eating in all the time!  I am looking forward to my parents joining us after their month is up at their current site.  When they come we will do the shopping for everyone so that their risk is minimized.  Well, that is the newest - glad to be settled in up here for a while and thankful that we are healthy.  Wishing best health to my readers!

Scary times - facts you should know

Here are some statistics we know today:

• 20% of all coronavirus patients require hospitalization with either oxygen or a respirator
• 14-20% of patients between the ages of 20-44 with coronavirus require hospitalization
• 20-33% of patients between the ages of 45-65 with coronavirus require hospitalization
• 30-70% of patients over the age of 75 require hospitalization
• 80% of coronavirus deaths occur in people over 65
• The covid-19 virus last up to 3 hours in the air, and 3 days on surfaces (longer in colder temps)
• US hospitals have about 65,000 to 100,000 ventilators and estimates state that up to 900,000 will be needed

Additionally, coronavirus testing is still woefully inadequate compared to many other countries.  The for-profit health care system has always been more concerned with profit than making people well.  The last priority of the current health care system is to prepare for a public health emergency.  You can bet that the actual number of cases in the community is WAY over what is being reported.  

Stay home people!  When you shop for groceries plan for two weeks worth of meals at a time.  When in public maintain a 6-foot space between you and other people.  

Public health officials have warned about this day for 100 years since the pandemic of 1918...the day is here.  Protect yourself, protect your family, protect the community.  We are in this together.

In the face of a global pandemic...

Has shit hit the fan?  It seems the answer is yes.  Universities across the US are cancelling face-to-face classes and instead offering remote sessions during class time.  School districts are cancelling school for the foreseeable future.  Remote work options are being rolled out across America.  All social gatherings, sport events, concerts and other cultural events are cancelled.  There is no toilet paper available for purchase. The economy is failing, people are losing jobs.  There has never been a more clear sign that our current systems are broken and it is apparent to me that neither Republican or Democratic leadership are up for radically and fundamentally reshaping our system.  The power is, and always has been, in our hands.  

For us the answer is clear - proceed with the plans to develop Rancho Status Quo.  The convergence of events is spectacular - almost spiritual or serendipitous - in their occurrence.  Husband quit his job over a month ago, I will be teaching online, kids' enrichment program is cancelled, a CD came due last week, our annual rent in Mesa is due April 1st and we can, in this very moment, decide to walk (or drive) away to head in a new direction.  I suppose you see where this is going...we are ready to leave the city and embark on the greatest adventure - forging our own path - creating our own place.  While many people are feeling overwhelmed, scared, stressed at forces beyond their control - I feel that I have been waiting for this moment to finish plans we set in motion over 20 years ago.  

It's scary, yes, but it is exciting and there is no better time to be a full-time RV family.  While our federal government considers domestic travel bans, we flee to the one constant we have enjoyed these many years.  This past year we have made a lot of progress and we are very near having a self-sufficient homestead/base of operations.  The future for many is uncertain - but over the next couple of weeks we will position ourselves for a move.  We will be able to spend nearly six months devoted to Rancho Status Quo.

It is time we stop lending our energy and voices to propping up systems that do not serve us.  We will begin creating new systems that are sustainable and work in harmony with the natural world.  Our lives and our natural world are out of balance - it is time to relearn what our ancestors knew - we are part of the web of life, not master over it.  

Happy Holidays from our tiny house!

Winter break offers us a nice change of pace when school is out.  The kids and I took a plane to Michigan for a little over a week to visit my extended family.  Husband stayed in AZ to work and cat sit.  It was a great visit.  It was also fun to stay with my siblings & see my nieces and nephews.  It was the first time we have stayed in a house for quite some time.  I am not sure Sister remembers living in a house, but she was very complimentary towards the homes we visited.  My siblings have basements which serve as a play rooms/game rooms for the kids.  My kids joined the fun and I remained with the adults upstairs for much of the time.  When the kids would come upstairs and get rowdy we (adults) would tell them to go back into the basement.  It was nice that the kids had a designated spot to play and to be loud.  Certainly a downside of our tiny living is that there is no indoor space for rowdy kids.  Thankfully the weather is good this time of year and we can send them outside!  We visited various homes and they were all decked out with Christmas lights and trees.  Ours is too, just on a much smaller scale!

I think Christmas in a tiny space is actually much more manageable.  We can't buy too much because we won't have a place to put it.  We can get the kids a few new enjoyable things that will travel well.  We put up two strings of lights along the trim of the slides and our tree will ultimately be under the presents, but it is cute. 

There were a number of years Husband and I celebrated a Buy-Nothing Christmas inspired by Buy-Nothing Day.  I would embrace a return to that practice in future years. 

Spending time in the homes of my siblings I note the various ways we have all sought to reproduce our own childhood experiences for our kids.  I asked my mom to make cut-out cookies so that the grandkids could enjoy the experience of decorating them.  This is something my nieces and nephews had done, but my kids had not.  Clearly good memories from our pasts inspire us to make good memories for our kids, but I was reminded that we can't ignore the possibility that there may be even better and more meaningful ways to make happy memories with the next generation.  Traditions are important when they remind us about our core values and our ancestors - traditions can also be suffocating when they stifle new ideas. 

I know that my choices about how to celebrate Christmas have long been considered odd by my family.  I am searching for the right balance of respecting the past and building the future.  I can't allow myself or my kids' worth to be defined by our ability to purchase and consume.  I want to pass on a sustainable way of life and that means living differently than what is normal.  Our family lives with one foot in and one foot out of traditional American consumerism.  One day I imagine shifting our weight more to the foot on the outside.  In the meantime we are exploring.  We continue to learn how to be comfortable with less than is expected by choice (not necessity).  We continue to learn how to want what we have instead of experiencing an insatiable desire for more. 

May this Holiday Season be filled with love and satisfaction!

The solutions offered by full-time RV'ing

If you don't watch The Jimmy Dore Show, you may not have seen Christopher Ryan's interview about his new book "Civilized to Death."  But it is absolutely worth watching.  I am going to read the book.

One of the most fascinating statements he made was in response to a question about what choices he makes in response to his critique of our current way of life.  He stated he has chosen to live with "one foot in and one foot out" of the current system -  he lives in a van for half of the year!  As I just mentioned in my last post we have been full-time for almost 2.5 years. Watching Dr. Ryan helped me really clarify the solutions I have realized through full-time RV living. 

The premise of the book is anthropological.  For the vast majority of our ancestors time on Earth we lived as hunter/gatherers in groups of less than 150, each working between 10-20 hours a week doing "work" that is generally considered to describe activities we do today while on vacation (fishing, hunting, harvesting food from plants, handcrafts, woodworking, cooking, being around families).  In the modern era we have become slaves to our systems, objects, and stuff - our time is spent working to earn money to pay for and maintain our homes and other belongings.  As we gain "success" we often feel trapped by our lives and rates of depression are high.  Our cities are nothing more than zoos for humans forced to remain in one place.  Some zoos are better in that they mimic our natural habitat better than others. 

Selling our house and rentals was liberating in such a fundamental way - not only being able to live free of debt and having savings, but also living without the constant pressure and concerns about the "what if" worries (What if one of us lost a job? How long could we make payments on the house with an interruption in salary? What if we had a major unplanned expense related to one of our rentals?) These concerns weigh on the mind and use up valuable mental bandwidth that could be spent on solving problems and appreciating what one has today.  Indeed, I spend much more of my time being thankful for what I have, that all of our needs are met, that we are all healthy and that we have each other.  Certainly my mental health has improved since moving to the margins of society.

Redwood National Park, CA

Being able to explore the National Parks has connected us to the extraordinary majesty and beauty of what this Earth has to offer us as well as showing us how the traditional ancient peoples thrived in harmony with the natural resources.  Dr. Ryan points out that generations after generations lived in hunter/gatherer communities and the problems faced by one generation were not all that different from the next generation's problems.  Today my children navigate a digital world that is foreign to me and I am only 43!  We face uncertainty each day because so much is new - but when you are in the woods, walking the path, sitting by a fire, putting your feet in the stream, looking at the stars, examining the trees, watching the wildlife, and practicing being present in the moment - this is where we are most alive and when we are connected to those that came before.  We experience our connection to nature and to each other when we have the freedom to spend enough time outdoors in wild spaces. 

The question we need to all ask ourselves is "how much is enough?" What do you need to live a fulfilling life? How much does your ideal life cost?  When I really examined that question I realized I am pragmatic and not attached to any particular material standard.  I am attached to the idea of owning my own dwelling (not renting) and spending as little as possible on shelter.  I also realized that I want to experience the here and now with Husband and the kids as much as possible.  With insatiable wants comes shortage in funds.  I like to remember what Nietzche says,  "He who possesseth little is so much the less possessed. Blessed be moderate poverty." I don't find myself in a perpetual state of want.  I am content with what I have - in fact, I still think I have too much!  Full-time RV'ing forces you to constantly evaluate your material accumulation and to manage it. 

Jewel Cave National Monument, SD

Given the constant uncertainty of the future, especially in relation to climate change, I like being mobile in case there is a need to follow decent weather.  Perhaps it seems strange to say that, but I personally know one family who was displaced due to a hurricane.  Through the news I am aware of many climate migrants fleeing flooding, drought, hurricanes, and other extreme weather events across the globe.  Arizona summers are hotter each year and while there are cooler areas in the mountains, those stuck in the valley are reliant on air conditioners in order to survive the blistering heat.  With changes in weather comes changes in the range of various animals, insects and pathogens.  Let's face it, just like our hunter/gatherer ancestors we all know there are better places to be depending on the time of year.  Living in an RV allows a family to migrate, like our ancient ancestors, in search of climates that are more favorable throughout the year. 

Speaking of climate - I am ever more hopeful that one day we will be able to pull a rig with a fully electric vehicle.  This week Tesla released the Cybertruck and Ford has plans for a fully electric F150 in 2021.  Solar systems are making off-grid living increasingly comfortable.  All we need is a zero emission vehicle that can tow the rig around!  Until then we have sized our rig so as to get as many miles per gallon as possible pulling a very lightweight trailer.  With four of us living in a small space, using public transit in the city, and trying to remain (as much as possible) in climates that do not require heating/cooling we try to minimize our fossil fuel use throughout the year. 

Finally, and most importantly - we have the opportunity to raise our kids differently and thereby teach new lessons to the next generation.  While we are making it up as we go along - not having patterns from our ancestors to follow - we build our decisions on the firm ground of critique.  We have many examples of what does not work and we can trust ourselves in leading the kids towards those things that connect us to the world and each other.  Together we have explored great depths and great heights and we've grown together in our journey. 

Crystal Cave, Sequoia National Park, CA

Full-time RV'ers for nearly 2.5 years

Since Husband and I have been together we have lived in 10 different homes.  That is an average of approx 2.5 years in each - of course we were in some places for a very short time and the longest 8 years.  Nevertheless we've moved a lot.  We've lived in 7 different cities and two states.  We moved for jobs, for opportunities, for adventure and for dreams.  We've moved for practical reasons and because of what we imagined was possible.  Nearly 2.5 years ago we moved from a 4000 square foot house into a 200 square foot RV.  It was much to small for our family, but because we were committed to making some significant changes to our way of life and wanted to test out RV living. 

Our first house on wheels

Living area in the Hideout

We lived in our tiny, 200 square foot Hideout for a year and a half (Inside it was ~ 26' long by 8' wide).  We traveled over 6,000 miles with it.  In January of this year we bought a new truck and RV to substantially upsize our living space (to 315 square feet).  The rig is longer, (just over 30') but it has two deep slides so we have an open area inside.  

Extra width in our new place

Living area in the Mesa Ridge

Living in an RV has a number of advantages - most significantly we are debt-free and have been saving a significant portion of our income for 2.5 years.  Secondly, moving is a breeze - We've been in situations when we needed to move for a job, but were unable to sell our house for what we paid.  Like many Americans we have experienced being house poor.  We have experience as landlords...forced into renting out a property because we couldn't sell.  I am very content that I don't have the burden of home ownership weighing on me.   I am also nervous about the housing market in 2020 and beyond - economists say the housing market has recovered from the 2008-09 financial crisis but there are reasons to think another large recession is coming soon.  It seems working Americans can't get a break - we put all of our money into our homes only to have our homes fall in value as a result of the irresponsible actions of those motivated by greed in the financial sector.  So, yeah, I am glad that I am not currently invested in a house.  Third, we've been able to hit the road for two summers in a row to tour our National Parks and appreciate the beauty of this country.  Our RV provides the comforts of home even off grid due to a solar system.  Fourth, our whole interaction with the material world has been transformed - we cannot accumulate stuff like we used to.  We have donated and sold a huge majority of our possessions.  We are deliberate in our purchases and our things are practical.  Lastly, though the space is easily cluttered, it is also easily cleaned!

Living in an RV has a few disadvantages as well.  The biggest one I see in our future is that Brother and Sister will not want to share a tiny bunkhouse for too much longer.  Brother has the larger (wider) bed above the cabinets and Sister has the longer (narrow) bed above the table.  They each have one drawer, the space under one of the benches as well as a closet.  Their possessions (other than stuffed animals which compete for bed space) fit in those spaces.  As they grow, as their clothes get larger, this space will seemingly shrink.

Having friends over is challenging - it's not that we can't  entertain, it's just not a very comfortable set up and we have to spend a good amount of tine outdoors as there are not enough seats inside.  We've been invited more than we have invited and I dislike my failure to reciprocate.  Lastly, and this is a big one....I miss my desk!  I would love to have a home office....sitting here in my massage chair is awesome, but having two monitors and a desk would be amazing.  Along those lines - we still have the problem of not being able to adequately spread out for school/work.  We thought having the bunkhouse would help, but we still do school and work at the kitchen table.  Perhaps if we had a house we would still do school at the kitchen table...that is where homework used to take place when we had a house and Brother went to school...

Yes, massage chairs!!!

There is a stigma that comes with this lifestyle choice because being frugal is not appreciated in this society.  Most people are all wrapped up in identities associated with their consumption and purchases.  Homes and cars make people feel successful (or not).  If your identity is associated with  home ownership and the type of car you drive you probably won't have many positive words for a family that lives in a travel trailer.  Additionally, for a family in AZ, it is really hard to find a decent RV community since so many cater to the 55+ community.  There are also more and more people/families pursuing the full-time parked life due to the low cost, so it is hard to find long-term lots.  We've rented monthly lots in four parks and each has pros and cons (some parks only have cons).  Good parks require criminal background checks and do some sort of screening prior to letting you move in.  In bad parks your used tennis shoes may be stolen from your steps (yes, that happened to me).

Despite the cons, it has been a great adventure and it's fun to reflect upon as we approach our 2.5 year anniversary.  After the holidays my parents will snowbird (in their RV) to AZ from MI and we will enjoy having them around....then we will be planning summer 2020!

Homeschooling adventure

It's been a while since I have reflected upon our homeschooling adventure.  To summarize the profound influence education has on our life let me recap where we all stand.  I am a full-time lecturer at Arizona State University (I graduated with my doctorate in 2017).  Husband is pursuing a second bachelors degree (one he started many years ago) in software engineering.  Brother is in fifth grade and Sister started Kindergarten this year.  Husband and I are lifelong learners - I can't imagine feeling like I have nothing else to learn.  We are trying to promote that way of thinking with the kids and we have made choices (such as being full-time RV'ers) that have allowed us to structure our lives so that we are more available to our kids. 

Clearly there is a most important member of this RV family (we only have one cat, but he is the most drawn animal ever!)

We've been through a number of iterations of homeschooling but we have a rather happy equilibrium right now thanks to the local (Mesa) public school system which offers a homeschool enrichment program that Brother started halfway through last year.  Sister goes one day a week and they offer some traditional activities around learning to read as well as PE, computers, music, and art.  Brother goes two days a week.  On Mondays he gets to choose his classes and has enjoyed all of his classes including notable ones such as Lego robotics, sewing, PE, science, and handbells.  The Monday classes are a mix of grade levels from 5-8th.  Wednesday he is with a cohort of 5th graders and they stay together and move between classes.  The rest of the week the kids are home with one or both of us.  Husband and I go into work on opposite days and are usually both home on Fridays.  Husband is home on TTH when both kids are here and I am gone.  He has done a stellar job of moving them through a new curriculum IXL This curriculum is aligned with AZ state standards.  Thanks to the enrichment program Brother took the AZ standardized test for 4th graders at the end of last year.  It was a good feeling to receive his high marks and know that we have been "on grade" with our efforts. We like IXL for the flexibility and seeming unending practice questions, but we noticed that it is weak on literature for Brother.  Last year we used Moving Beyond the Page and really liked the literature lesson.  We decided to purchased a single literature unit to incorporate into Brother's curriculum in order to round it out.  I think mixing and matching is the way to go. 

Sister turned 5 over the summer.  We were working on pre-school activities with her last year and she was very frustrated with reading.  However, since she started Kindergarten she has really grown into her role as a student.  She is trying, succeeding, and taking it very seriously.  We are really proud of both of them.

The kids are each unique and at very different places in their education.  It is nice to be an active part of their educational journey and to be a part of their successes (and failures).  I have so much respect for teachers, but I also realize that kids learn more than reading, writing and arithmetic from often dysfunctional school environments.  I recently heard a story from a friend about how their daughter was facing bullying and a whole lot of drama at school.  The nice thing about sending the kids one or two days a week is that they can make a few friends and participate in activities we would not do at home, but they are not institutionalized.  We have our own negative experiences with the institutions - most people do.  It is extraordinary when kids are not treated like a number or member of a herd.   It is interesting to be part of the homeschool community- the kids are not used to sitting in classrooms.  The enrichment program teachers joke with the kids that there is a "blurting" problem in the school since at home the kids don't have to raise their hands!

It is all sunshine, kittens and flowers?  No, certainly not.  As parents we are harsh and unlike teachers in that we do not censor our disappointment or tone very well.  As kids the students give us a hard time when they aren't in the mood or they don't like certain lessons.  Sometimes they cry or whine and try to get out of it when they would never dream of acting that way in a classroom.  We try to avoid the inevitable power struggles, but we fall into them despite our efforts.  We end up spending a lot of time talking about what we could all do better and/or differently.  Some evenings are entirely devoted to getting past the drama of the day.  In doing so we grow together as a family.  Our Mesa Ridge is a much larger rig than the Hideout and we are thankful for the extra bunkhouse room, but we have not used the space as we thought we would.  School seems to still take place at the kitchen table and recreation/toys/games (mess) dominates the kids' room.  On the days Husband or I work from home we have meetings and obligations that punctuate lessons and our work - it can become hectic depending on how much guidance the kids need.  Sister pretty much needs us to sit with her throughout the lessons, but often times Brother is independent only requiring brief guidance and/or answers to questions.  I often put off my work/grading/course building until the evening (when college students do their work), but Husband cannot so he has to find a balance when everyone needs to work at the same time. 

There is a larger conversation that can be had about our willingness as a society to allow institutions to raise our kids.  When we were living the "traditional" life we had to rely on before/after school programs and LONG days of day care in order to make it work.  It was depressing to leave the kids each day and it was frustrating to be home for such a short time together in the evening doing homework, making a rushed dinner and then ensuring everyone is clean and in bed to be ready for the next marathon day.  I am so thankful that we have such flexible schedules and are able to be with our kids.  Brother will turn 10 next month and I am reminded that I have more time parenting him behind me than I have in front of me.  These moments are precious and I want to hold them near to me now because one day they will fly from this tiny nest to their next adventure. 

Staying cool in an RV in the Phoenix area in August...

We arrived back in Mesa, AZ the weekend of August 10 and it was a hellish 100-teens degrees.  I was not looking forward to this aspect of our adventure.  I questioned whether our Mesa Ridge would be able to keep us cool even with the two air conditioners because of the huge slides.  Thankfully we already had our custom window shades made and we added insulation by sliding reflectix behind the shades on the outside of the window (we had already cut the pieces prior to leaving and they were all numbered for quick installation).  We left two windows without the reflectix so that I could look out of the window looking towards the front of the trailer and the one by the kitchen sink.  Being able to look out of a couple of windows helps my mental health - otherwise I feel like I am all boxed up.  Some people put the reflectix on the inside of the trailer, but this allows the windows to get hot - ours were cool to the touch from the inside.  I have also heard of the molding around the windows on the outside getting so hot that they melt or cause problems.  By having the reflectix on the outside between the window and the solar shades we protected the windows from the sun. 

We had placed some orders through Amazon and one of our two packages was waiting at our lot when we returned (the other never showed up and we ended up getting refund).  We then spent a great deal of time at Lowe's purchasing the rest of the items we needed to build our shade structure.  The slide side of our trailer faces the afternoon sun and we wanted to put that side of the trailer in the shade.  I knew the first shade cloth I bought was not long enough, but I wasn't sure how much more to buy prior to building the frame.  We were up half of the night of the 11th putting this together...

We ended up pounding six fence posts into the ground and then sliding the 1" galvanized chain-link fence posts over the pounded ones.  We connected the corners with PVC fittings.  I don't think we would have been able to stay cool without the shade structure.  The difference in temperature between the shaded and unshaded siding was significant.  Also, before I put up the second shade cloth, I could feel the temperature difference inside the trailer along the top molding of the large slide between the shaded and unshaded portions. 

A couple of weeks later we also added bracing between the 3 sets of two vertical posts after the wind of a monsoon storm wreaked havoc on the structure.... It has held up much better since then...

The last piece of our shade structure was shade canopy from Shade RV.  They took forever to produce it and mail it to us...it took about 45 days from when we ordered until we received it, but we finally got it up in September for the last couple weeks of extreme heat.

The shade canopy was expensive ($700) - but it is something we can put up and take down depending on the weather.  It certainly keeps the blazing sun off of the roof.  We have two skylights in our unit and having the shade over them keeps them much cooler.  I am not sure if we realized any cost savings in terms of running the air conditioner less....I don't think so - but it is hard to say.  One thing I can say is that it was a pain in the butt to put up without our ladder!  We had left it up at the Rancho.  The canopy has been through a few storms and the straps hold it well to the trailer.  I am glad we have all of the components of our shade structure for next summer.  Our small cargo trailer serves as a shed where we can store everything while we are traveling. 

Thankfully we were able to keep our indoor temperature at 78-80 degrees even when it 100-high teens degrees.  This is a huge win because as a general rule RV air conditioners can only bring the temp down 20 degrees from the outside temp.  Consider that when it was 115, 30 degrees cooler is 85 degrees!  So we were doing better than 30 degrees cooler on the hottest days.  There are a few caveats and actions we needed to take as well.

1. Lessen the time and frequency of the front door being open.  We line up.  "Is everyone ready?"  Then we make a mad dash in or out of the trailer. 
2. No heating up the place.  No cooking on the stove or in the oven when both ACs are working overtime.  We could use the microwave and, when brave, cook outside.  (I admit that we mostly ate out)
3. The RV fridge had a hard time keeping cool in extreme heat. We used the outdoor electric fridge to supplement.   
4. Run a fan all the time.  The rear AC for the bunkhouse has a smaller area to cool and we blew the air from the bunkhouse into the main living area all summer.
5. No hot water!  It may be hard to believe but we didn't turn on our hot water heater for about 6 weeks after being back in the valley.  When it is that hot outside the tap water is hot too - plenty hot for showers/baths and dishes.  In fact, when you are using a hose you have to be careful not to scald yourself when you first turn on the water during the heat of the day.  The water in the hose gets really hot.  

Our electric bill for dealing with a month of AZ heat was $200.