Best Laid Plans

Have you ever had one of those days when you wake up and life delivers an unexpected reality THWACK out of nowhere? Well, we had one of those days early last week that altered our plans to be in Florida by now. Man, I hate when that happens; especially before my first cup of coffee.

Not to fear. Our change in plans are not due to any major problems. My Mom is doing fine, we are fine and our old RV Howie (House On Wheels Is Excellent) is in great shape. The decision to hang out a little while longer here in Taylors, SC is due to "circumstances beyond our control".

I should have known better than to check my phone messages before I was fully awake, but I did and had one from the RV park we were going to in Florida. There was a problem and they requested a return call as soon as possible. After downing enough coffee to feel conscious, I called and found out they had major water line problems. They were more than willing to accommodate us anyway, but warned that the spaces would be tight and the repairs could take as long as three weeks to complete. Although they didn't elaborate, I was left with the impression that the problem was based in their sewer lines and drain field.

We have stayed in places where underground repairs were being completed and it is not a pleasant experience. There is a lot of noise, dust, mud if it rains and disruptions to water access. If the problem is indeed in their septic system, that also leads to the additional potential for some very offensive odors. The fact that they said it could take up to three weeks to complete repairs left us with a potential situation of being in tight, uncomfortable surroundings for longer than is desirable.

We could have arranged for another place to stay, but after careful discussions, came to the conclusion it was in our best long-term interests to stay put for now based upon several factors. One is the desire to be in Florida for a potential work/camp position and the other is financial.

Our first stay on this journey was at the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park and we feel in love with the place. It is a quaint, small "Old Florida" town with genuinely nice people and beautiful scenery. Between the dense Spanish moss dripping from the trees and the hourly music heard emanating from the park's 97-bell carillon, the area has an almost ethereal quality. Landing a work/camp position at the park is something we have always worked towards. It would provide a free, full hook-up site at no charge for up to three months in exchange for 20 hours of light work per week. The weird thing about Florida State Parks is that they have no central point for obtaining a work/camp position. They suggest that it is best to just go, in person, to the park your interested in and check availability. I can see their wisdom in this structure in that it is much easier to make a decision about a person first-hand than through other routes. Besides, outside of the surreal madhouse that is South Florida, that is the way business is done throughout most of the state.

In addition, it would provide us a chance to spend enough time in Florida to maintain our residency in the state. One of the odd aspects of full-time RV living is maintaining a legal residency when you have no other residence than your "house on wheels" and travel constantly. It is best to stay a little while each year in your registered state to avoid complications with voting rights, insurance claims and other legal considerations.

As far as the financial considerations, it was pretty much a no-brainer. We have a steady monthly income, but aren't exactly swimming in money and try to save a buck whenever we can. You never know when a tire will go flat, a mechanical problem will arise or something else will come up that makes you glad you've set something aside to cover unexpected expenses. The rate at the park in Florida is very reasonable and equal to what we are paying here at the Flower Mill. To stay anywhere else in between would have been more expensive overall. Add to that the fact that fuel prices are currently around $2.90 for mid-grade and the numbers are in favor of just riding out the situation. We are comfortable, safe and still close to family. Sure, we are disappointed to not be on the road again, but this too shall soon pass. As they say, "life happens".

One of the great things about living in an RV is that you have your house with you, so it doesn't matter where you are, because you're always home. If you don't like your surroundings, you can move on at any time. If the weather is bad, you can just wait until it improves. If you are comfortable with the surroundings, you can stay as long as you like. And, if unexpected surprises arise, you can quickly adapt to the new realities of a sudden change in plans. The lifestyle has a lot of freedoms that cannot be found otherwise.

Hopefully, the problems in Florida will be resolved quickly, but we are not counting on it. For now, we will continue enjoying the beautiful spring blossoms that surrounds us and stay ready to move on as soon as the opportunity arises.

Thought For The Day - If you're not where you are, you're nowhere!

copyright 2009-2010 Lane A Geyer

photos by Deb