A lot has happened with us over the past several months. Since the COVID pandemic changed our travel plans, we've been settling down in Arizona. While starting to cleanup Larry's dad's house to sell, we decided to buy it ourselves. After living and traveling full time in a motorhome for the past 16 years, we're homeowners again.
We still have the motorhome and will continue to make trips. Currently, the motorhome sits in a storage lot most of the time. For the first time EVER, I had to "winterize" a motorhome. I hope I did it correctly and we don't have any broken water lines when we take it out of storage. We'll find out in a few weeks as we want to make a trip and spend a couple weeks in Quartzsite, AZ. Hopefully, all will be well.
When we bought the house, we knew there were several repair/update jobs required or desired. We've gathered several estimates and have contracted for:
- Removing and Trimming 50% of the Overgrown Brush and Trees
- Replacement Heater and Air Conditioner
- Interior Paint
- Replacement Tile and Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring (Entire House)
- Exterior Paint
- Rebuild Deck
- Replacement Roof
- Replacement Rain Gutters
Since the baseboards needed to be removed for the new flooring and they were 30+ years worn, we decided we'll replace them ourselves. Along with the baseboards, we'll also replace all of the door casings. We'll be staining, cutting and installing around 900 feet of molding in the coming months. Let's hope we know what we're doing!
In September, we made a two-week trip to Washington state. We had several boxes of "stuff" to take to my dad, who is now living with my sister. We also wanted to visit our eldest daughter and grand-daughters, who had just moved into a new (to them) house. Of course, we stopped at military campgrounds and casino's on the trip, to update information on our websites. Unfortunately, this was the same time there were several forest fires going on and it was extremely smokey the first week there.
The next day after returning from our WA state trip, we left for California. Connie's dad was having serious medical issues and we wanted to help out. Luckily, the doctor's got the problem under control and we only stayed a few days.
Our other short trips have been to Phoenix, which is about 2 - 3 hours away. Some of the trips were to visit Luke AFB and flooring stores for some shopping. Luke AFB recently opened a new campground, so we took the motorhome and spent a couple nights there. Connie had a craft day with our daughter in San Tan Valley making a Christmas wreath and a holiday gnome. We also spent a couple days with Matthew and Cindy for Christmas. While there, we had a video call with our other daughter (Leslie) in Washington and spent a few hours making tamales together. It was an enjoyable Christmas. For Thanksgiving, Matthew and Cindy came up to our place. We're enjoying being close to them. We just wish Leslie, Kaylee, and Khloe weren't so far away.
We hope to get away again soon for a couple weeks trip to Quartzsite, AZ. We need a few awnings replaced on the motorhome. The main awning ripped during our recent trip to Luke AFB. We also plan to get away for a few months (?) this summer. Partly to escape the Arizona heat, but also because it's in our nature to do some traveling. We just don't know when or where.
That's a wrap for 2020. Hopefully, it won't take me as long to start off writing in 2021.
Happy New Year!