Livin' in a Trailer Down by the River

Like Saturday Night Live's overcaffeinated "motivational speaker" Chris Farley, I find myself now "64 years old, thrice divorced, and living in a van down by the river!"
 

The reality is that I am in an economically marginal demographic trailer park in a million dollar setting!   The "hill" in this picture is a regional landmark i.e. Scotia Bluffs fossil cliffs and the Eel River runs along the western periphery of the park.  The area teems with wildlife as well as lowlife...

The delivery of the trailer was frustrating bordering on painful.  The dealership (Trailer Hitch RV which I have since renamed Trailer Bitch RV) was not accustomed to being asked for customer service and seemed unfamiliar with communicating and coordinating the usual elements of preparing their product for delivery.  I have a new appreciation for Florida RV dealerships, which prior to this experience I rated "poor to fair" on customer service.  This dealership did not even register on a scale!

The goal was to toast our new digs by my 64th birthday on June 3 and we actually toasted ahead of schedule on May 26th!   It has been fun nesting inside with our stuff and making it as livable and convenient as possible with modifications of space--always a challenge in an RV.  But, we are now "in" and Sharon made a lasagna in the teeny tiny oven last night while we sipped our margaritas.

Sofa Bed

Sharon & Cassie in Sofa Bed

 

Sis's power recliner in dining room

Theater Seating
Removed Dining Table/Chairs

Cable TV & Fireplace

Here is a link to the full album with floorplan/specs Lacrosse Travel Trailer

While awaiting the tortuous delivery, my sis and I planned and executed several projects;  highest priority was to secure the border from intruders!  Sis's park borders Eel River and she has a wildlife preserve as part of her property.  Along the river is a sandbar popular with fishing enthusiasts and ATV's.   Occasionally, people shoot fish from a flotation device and police are summoned, but the perps are usually teenage boys related to the police or the town supervisors... It's a mixed bag of trouble and nuisance to the peace and serenity of park residents.

As soon as the sunshine returns to the north coast, intruders (townies) hang out at the river and enter private property from the beach to loiter, take showers and use the bathrooms for all manner of mischief.  So, a security fence and No Trespassing signs were erected around the utility service area and No Trespassing notices have been painted on the river side of the periphery fence.   (Within a few days of installation, four trespassers were challenged and chose to voluntarily leave the property.)  Solar-powered motion lights were installed at the usual access paths used by park residents.  The Laundry Room got a much-need paint job.   Next job is a cold-patch of the many potholes that developed during the flood season.  Thanks to SLR asphalt experts for tips!

While trying to wrestle our rig from the dealership, we also got a chance to see the annual 3-day Kinetic Sculpture Race, in which people enter home-grown vehicles to race on road, mud, sand and water.   Most vehicles never see the finish line.  This dragon breathes real fire and won the Spectator Favorite award.  The race kickoff was staged in Arcata, a funky college town reminiscent of the 60's. 

This is kinetic sand flea.

Here is a link to the full album Kinetic Sculpture Race.  Here is a link explaining the race and its history History of Kinetic Sculpture Race

The Sibs

Sue (left), Phil (center) and Sharon

I just adore my sibs!  We are all 18 mos apart in age and grew up in the boonies as buds.  As childhood contemporaries in the early 50's without movies, malls or TV, we learned how to amuse ourselves and negotiate our space and issues.

You can see from this picture, that I am the "serious, older" one in charge of my screeching, younger siblings.


My sister, Sharon, who owns and operates a riverfront RV park in California's north coast redwood country, found a window of opportunity to visit immediately following the flood season, foot surgery and collection of monthly rental receipts and before a surgical consultation for a knee replacement.  She gives joints new meaning...

She arrived with a slight limp and  the usual northern pallor and---a meteoric blood pressure!

"How high was it?"

Back in my nursing days, she would not have been permitted to leave the physician office until receiving treatment to immediately lower the pressure.

So, we began a regimen designed to lower blood pressure:  herbal remedies, antianxiety meds, sleeping in, morning visits to the hot tub, lunch, shopping, pre-cocktail naps, 5 o'clock cocktails, chocolate, scrabble games and evening reality shows enjoyed with cocktails.  We met friends from Orlando and had a fine dining experience at Chez Suzanne.

My sis also went RV shopping with me!  I had already been to the Tampa Supershow and identified several travel trailers that I was interested in possibly purchasing for use in California.  Since my sis would be hosting the trailer in her RV park and I intended to let her use it when I wasn't there, I thought she should be involved in the choice.  We had a lot of fun checking out the trailers and both agreed on Prime Time Mfg Lacrosse model!

My bro, Phil, joined us towards the end of her visit and his condition was disturbing.  He had suffered a fall down a flight of stairs 5 days earlier and lost consciousness for 8 hours.  In halting speech, he described his body as "hurting everywhere except HERE" as he pointed to a small freckle on his right forearm.  He was obviously still suffering symptoms of a battered brain ie dizziness, speech and motor problems.  As a nurse, I knew there was no brain bandaid and nothing one could do unless his condition deteriorated.

So....we immediately began a regimen designed to support a healing brain.  Of course, that involved alcohol (but not for him!).  We did a lot of chatting and catching up of life's activities, eating out, movies, sleeping in, pool time and reading.  Periodically, I assessed him by asking him "What state are you in now?" and "Who is the current President?"  Being a wiseguy, he would purposely give Ridiculous answers (Wisconsin, Harding).  As the week wore on, it was evident that his condition was improving.

On Saturday morning, he found his tongue swelling and started to have trouble speaking.  He quickly realized that a tooth had broken producing a razor sharp edge that was cutting his tongue.  I began the search for an "emergency" walk-in dentist on a weekend as far away as Lakeland.  Short story: "Don't have a dental emergency on a weekend!"

Bro had quite a long time to await his flight departure and wandered over to the Airport Marriott to loiter and ogle women.  He meandered his way to a corporate convention that had vacated a meeting room.  There he found an appetizing array of food tempting him to Eat!  Being a hefty fellow, he succumbed to the siren song of a great roast beef hoagie with side salads.

Mid-chomp, in walks a lady with a clipboard and asks him if he is a member of the group.  Savoring what might be his last morsel as a free man, he swallowed and replied "Why, yes M'am... I am a member of the universe of man".  He is a wiseguy but has a charming manner with women and was not immediately reported to Security.

Making a clean getaway, he continued his exploration of the Marriott while digesting his stolen hoagie and found the rooftop pool.  My bro loves pools almost as much as his kitty kat (he is a kitty shelter volunteer and loves cats!)  The entrance to the pool was through the Men's Dressing Room which was locked.  The area was deserted.  Spotting a large fake plant grouping, he quickly stripped off his street clothes and donned his swimshorts.  Poolside with one of his magazines "Mental Floss", he remained amused and wet for several hours until time to go to the gate.

Later that day, my sister made the obligatory phone call to announce she had arrived home safely and reported that a curious announcement came over the PA system as they were taxiing to the gate in San Francisco:  "This is your Captain.  We are NOT approaching the gate; the plane will be towed in".  Before anyone could say "Whaaaaa?", four storm-trouper type US marshalls burst through the door and roughly handcuffed and removed 4 male passengers.  In shocked silence, the passengers were deplaned midfield and hiked to the gate.

End of blood pressure control!

We just got some terrific news from my brother's son (Lucas); he will be married to his longtime ladylove (Laura) in Savannah in November, so we will all be getting together at that time for more family frolics and learn about our new and improved blended inlaw family!  Laura will bring some much-needed class to the Pfaff Pfamily. So exciting!