The Big Day

So, today was departure day. But before I get to that a brief word about what we’ve been doing for the last few days. Mostly running around tying up loose ends. We experienced a slight setback when we hooked the car up to the motorhome. The passenger side brake light and turn signal were not operating. Fortunately we had a second cord to run between the two so we were quickly able to determine the problem wasn’t the cord because the second cord duplicated the results we obtained with the first cord. So it was off to “The Hitch Man” for us. This was the outfit that fitted out the car so that it could be towed on all four wheels. They quickly determined the problem and fixed it for us while we waited. Crisis averted because both of us had visions of having to bring both the RV and the tow vehicle to the RV dealership on the day of our departure to get the situation settled. But such was not necessary.

I spent a fair bit of time agonizing between which of the many, many books and needlepoint projects I was going to bring with me and which I would have to leave behind. I know this probably doesn’t seem like a big deal to you but to someone like me it’s cause for much gnashing of teeth, pulling of hair, and wasting of time. It decide I did taking four (only) needlepoint projects with me (yeah me!) but like fifteen (yikes) books (not-so-good for me).

Once the books were packed and the needlepoint stowed, all that was left was to get anxious which I did to my usual high degree. The anxiety came as somewhat of a shock to me. I didn’t think I would get anxious about leaving and going in an RV again but I was concerned. 

So it was a relief this morning when the big day arrived. Beautiful morning. Cold and windy but sunny too. I had time to relax and enjoy breakfast but then it was nine and time to go. Russell pulled the RV out of the parking spot well only taking out a few crocuses that were in bloom but for the most part missing the garden. We hooked the car up with no issue and then I’m it was time for my “ceremony”. I had told Russell a couple of days earlier that I wanted to perform a departure ritual. I purchased a ritual-in-a-box from Amazon (smudge sticks, shell, herbs, etc.) earlier and my idea was that we would write our intentions for the trip down, make an offering of flowers/fruit/nuts, and observe a moment of silent meditation while we burned our intentions and smudge-d stick-ed around, and who the heck knows what I was thinking? I just wanted to have a little going away ritual but it didn’t really work out because it was windy and the paper wouldn’t stay lit and it was cold and we were anxious to get going and blah blah blah

And get going we did! After the requisite photo of the family in front of the new RV we headed down the driveway. I clicked the gate opener and problem one revealed itself: the gate to the trash container had blown open and was sticking out into the driveway. Both Russell and I later admitted to one another that we thought about getting out and closing it but neither of us did and instead I assured him that he had plenty of room on my side, tons in fact I think I said until whoops not only did we not have any room but we were now hard up against the gate access panel and so I got out in a panic to assess the situation and oh now now the gates were automatically closing only problem being that the tow car wasn’t completely through so I’m freaking out now because the gates are closing on the car and the RV is stuck on the access panel and ... believe it or not I am still recording   all this — and at about this time the dogs jump out and are now refusing to get back into the motorhome and I’ve managed to find the gate opener and relieved the pressure at least in regards to that problem and then Russell wrangles the dogs back into the RV and while I am pulling the gate panel away from the motor home he pulls forward and awwh shit he crushes my finger between the panel and the RV and I get a big cut and rip back my nail visciiusly and now I am bleeding profusely the RV — the brand new RV has a ten foot scratch along the side of it and we haven’t even left the driveway. So much for my bloody smudge stick!

Well, needless to say it took us awhile, and by us I mean me, to regroup from that departure especially since my finger hurt like the dickens! It still does, ensconced as it now in three layers of bandages plus duct tape to finally staunch the bleeding many hours later. The rest of today’s drive was fortunately far less eventful and who knows my smudge stick ceremony may have saved us from something far worse (don’t laugh, it’s possible). So you never know. The drive was stressful of course for Russell though as he had not driven one of these beasts for awhile and the northeast corridor isn’t necessarily the best place to re-learn. Plus it was quite the windy day and RVs plus wind are not a match made in heaven. Being giant boxes on wheels they get pushed around a lot by gusty winds and can become a challenge to keep under control.

But we arrived at our campground around two thirty to three o’clock which was pretty good considering we did encounter a couple of spots of traffic. We’ve stayed at this campground before. It’s fine for an overnight or perhaps a day or two but I wouldn’t want to stay much longer than that. It’s not that the campground isn’t perfectly adequate and they try hard it’s just that there isn’t much to do in the immediate area and I find the presence of the permanent or semi-permanent folks to be depressing . 

Dinner was leftover Pizza Pie (literally a pie with pizza type fill inside — delicious) and an oatmeal raisin cookie. The dogs seem distressed about the lack of exercise but so far no opportunity has presented itself. I must try to keep my eye out for an opportunity for them tomorrow. They need it. Winnie got up in my lap while Russell was driving today and she stayed there for almost i would say forty minutes - something like that. Right now they are both in the bed with Russell and me, sprawled out acting advice if it’s the most normal thing in the world to have your two gay owners design their vacations around you and sleep in discomfort so that they may have their fears assuaged not to mention their comfort accommodated.

But they are adjusting. We are all adjusting. As nice as it is, and this RV is very nice, it’s still an RV and it’s still a tiny space to call home no matter the features. 

To see other videos go to YouTube and subscribe to videos by “Stephen Janick”