Just call me Sherlock

The mystery of Lolita that baffled me for nearly four years.

  
Here is Lolita on my first Solo Trip

My Cowgirl bunkhouse

The story began with the adoption of my little home on wheels, in 2009.  I had looked at a few vintage trailers but when I saw her, I knew she was the one.    While I was looking her over, another potential buyer appeared and the pressure was on.  I walked away from the trailer to talk with the owner and in a few short minutes she was mine.  I didn't even kick the tires.

I came home with a bill of sale and a sweet little trailer. 

I searched the trailer inside and outside for a name on the trailer.  Nadda.  I did find that it was manufactured in Utah and a vin number but that was all the information that she would give up.  The first thing people ask when seeing her is what kind of trailer she is.  I could tell them nothing.  In desperation I gave her a name.  My mothers  name was Lois so I spiced it up a bit and my little trailer became Lolita, in honor of my Mother who shared her love of camping with me.

Lolita is a unique trailer with a back door.  There aren't many out there so she gets her share of attention in the campgrounds.  But no one had any ideas of her ancestry .

I filed the papers and finally got a title for the little trailer.  I was anxious to find out the brand name of the trailer.  But no brand name.... just listed as trailer.  Hmmmm..  That would never do.

I checked out online forums and ask the trailer wizards if they knew anything thing that might lead to information about my trailer.  I found some pictures of trailers with a rear door.    Here are a few that I found.

 

They shared a back door but there were always differences and I knew they were not from the same family.




 I love this one.... but it has a rounded overhang in the front.










But tonight, after nearly four years of searching,  I was hanging out on Tin Can Tourist and a message came up that caught my attention right away.

Robyn    I just saw a unique trailer, it is a 70-something Jet from Salt Lake City, it is a rear door model, probably 14-16 feet. Had a front dinette/bed, side gaucho/cabinet and stove/closet on the left. Very odd! 

I would say yours is the exact same trailer give or take a year  but the shape and layout is exactly the same.   Jet is clearly on the front of the trailer with "salt lake city, utah" underneath.

We messaged back and forth and another gentleman added  a little more info and now I have a  name and a manufacture.  The trailer is a Jet Trailer, crafted by Lofgrens SLC!!  A little more research on the internet and I found a Jet Resource Page on a Shasta forum.  (I certainly would never have thought of looking there!!)

 I found out that only 350 were made and they had both side entry and back door models.  One of the most important clues that was verified was that they were manufactured in Salt Lake City like mine.  I was even able to find the obituary of the founder of the company who died in 2012.

I was able to send off messages to a number of other members so maybe there will be more information coming.  There was even a PDF file that has a Jet insignia label.  Oh boy, I'll have to have one of those made up!! 

Look at this little gem named Sally with the identical floor plan as Lolita

 I love a good mystery.  I love solving a good mystery even more.

Just call me Sherlock!

My Children Will Thank Me One Day

I am on a first name basis with the folks at the dump.
 

It's new home before incineration

The recycle people call me monthly to arrange pickup. And still there is more!! Day after day, I gather, sort and dispose of garbage size bags that are treasures (?) that I have held on to for many, many years.

Some times I feel overwhelmed with making decisions:
Decisions, (Keep or Toss?)
          Decisions (Do I really need this?)
                    Decisions (Will it fit in the trailer?)
                   
Do I ever one want someone to have to do this with my things?).

When did I become a hunter, gatherer, hoarder ?

I used to hate to go to the Regional Disposal Center but now when I return from the garbage substation I feel 10 pounds lighter and unmeasurably more free .

Besides freeing me, I hope all this work will spare my children of the task of clearing out this rubble, I mean treasures.  It is not enough to reduce, recycle and reuse....

Don't Accumulate!!!

I hope NEVER, NEVER, NEVER to be in this position again!!

 Back to Sorting...... 

Camping@Home Day

The winter is a long, long gray season that lasts from the last camping trip to the first camping trip in many campers lives.  They spend their time staring out the window, longing for the carefree days surrounding a camp fire, enjoying the fellowship of other campers.

About the same time I discovered blogland and all of you RV'ers, I found glampers.... Groups of women (some groups have men members too) who honor their independent spirit and celebrate their inner desire to explore and have fun.  They have found great little bargains on the internet and in fields and barns of rural USA,  Once decorated in a theme that suits their wildest dreams they go forth into the world to camp and recreate.  I belong to a number of on line groups and forums and there is an endless stream of idea, glamped trailers, wild women and a few brave men to learn from.

The latest group that started is called Camping@Home.  It suits the likes of these campers who dream of life of camping or living on the road but who are still tied to home.  So this latest group celebrates the wonders of small space living and when time is not available get away to a remote spot they slip away to the privacy of their 'little home' and replenish their spirit and dream away.

To such a and end,  today is the first monthly virtual meet up of the Camping at Home group.

The weather is cold, cloudy and has been raining off and on today.

That certainly has not put a damper on my memories or dreams.

 

It bring me back to my beginning of camping.  Today is my Mom's birthday.  She would have been 81 today.  When I was a kid, we had a huge, three room tent and spent many summers camped on Beautiful Priest Lake in Northern Idaho.  She prepped a wonderful spot, raked it daily and set up a camp complete with wildflower bouquets .   I gather wild huckleberries for huckleberry pancakes and hikes trails along creeks and later in the afternoon cooled off in the chilly lake.  I bought my trailer after my Mom's passing so she never had the opportunity to come with me as my Auntie has but I celebrate on this day all the camping memories we did share.  So many memories. 

 Ahhh, the things dreams are made of.

The Computer Arrived!!!

Before I tell you about my new toy.....I have some incredible news to share with you.  One of the blogs I follow In the Direction of Our Dreams (directionofourdreams.blogspot.com) have had the news they have dreamed about.  One year ago, David was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma which is an incurable cancer.  This strikes fear at the very heart of every fulltimer.  What would I do if I was seriously hurt or ill while on the road?   Their answer... Their answer.... keep going on and do what you have to do. They have squeezed every bit of joy out of the life and kept their dream alive and moving forward each day.

They have taught me by example.

They spent the last year with David undergoing a difficult stem cell transplant.  The great news that David is finally in full remission has finally arrived!!   I must tell you that their attitude and support was instrumental in my facing my own health issues this last 6 months.  I am thrilled for them and celebrate this great news!!

Time to Happy Dance!   Roll ON!!!


While generally I don't go shopping much in stores, I have been busy on Amazon picking up some needed purchases for my March departure. It certainly is invigorating to finally have a plan in mind to work toward.  After my fiasco yesterday with my desktop crashing, the laptop I purchased arrived today.  So it's been another computer day but this time without the drama and anxiety.

I  purchased an Asus with a 15.6 inch screen.

4GB of Ram(easily expanded to 8 GB for even faster speed) and750 GB HDD.  I went with Windows 7 that is upgradeable to Windows 8 if later I really want it.  I can't imagine needing faster speed as it goes faster now than my brain thinks.  That could be dangerous!

 

http://www.amazon.com/Asus-X53E-RS51-Notebook-Upgradable-Professional/dp/B00739VG3G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359226314&sr=8-1&keywords=ASUS+laptop%2C+windows+7



I took my new toy to the library today to check out the WIFI and yup it worked.  It took me nearly an hour to get out of the parking lot.  The windows of the truck were foggy from the humidity as it was also raining heavily.  The library certainly had a lot of arrivals and departures considering it was closed.   Another car was there using the WIFI also.  Although not as convenient, I can see there is definitely a way that people can survive when their budget will not allow purchasing high priced internet packages. 

It will take some getting used to... the mouse if very touchy and so I really need to carefully proof what I have done as I apparently have done some very interesting work.  The delete and insert are VERY close to each other so that will take some getting used to.

It is a third the cost of an Apple, and I'm familiar with  PC's so it's a good fit for me.  All in all I am pretty happy with the laptop. 

Last night I tore apart the office.  It's not quite put back together again.  It is interesting  to set the house up for staging for sale rather than my needs and style.   I am amazed daily how much of the stuff I couldn't live without, I am happy to see go and don't even miss.  I am on a things diet. 

I love stepping on the scale each day and seeing the progress I am making!!

It was a good day. 

Thou Shalt Have ONLY One Computer!

Warning.... this is a no-picture posting.....

I didn't want to scare you with pictures of reality!!

It was a well planned event.  One of the kiddo's and his girlfriend came to spend a couple of days.  We were going to make more headway on the pile of treasures, junk and recyclables.  We got off to a great start.  Yet another trip to the garbage/recycling center with a huge load.  A trip to the store to buy a new set of ink for the printer.  A yummy dinner.

I ordered my new laptop.  I'm moving along with my plans to get ready for fulltiming.  It should be here within a few days.  I was hoping that it would arrive while Derrick was still here to help me with the set-up.  But of course it didn't come.
For the evening we sat on the floor sorting through boxes and boxes of pictures and sorting them to their "life era".  It was fun and I enjoyed the company while we relived memories as I told stories of long ago.

 My desktop computer (vintage 2003- XP operating system) had been acting up... slow, turning itself off,seizing up and refusing all commands.  We have probably all been there. It begins with an inkling of something vaguely wrong, that creeps into growing doubt of our trusted friend.  But I push on... making the elder computer do tasks and my agenda, ignoring the computers protests.

I started my day as I do every day, a cup of coffee and off to the computer room to check in on the world.   

An then it happened. 

Odd, the computer is off.
Funny, it keeps trying to load, fails, starts over.
Fear, turning to terror.  That is all it will do.
So I'm thinking.... lets get going on a simple recovery to get this back to normal.

I of course have done this many times over the years... but this time was different.
The programs are not back....
The pictures are not back.....
The Pictures Are Not Back...
THE PICTURES ARE NOT BACK!!!!

PANIC !.... PANIC !!.... PANIC !!!

It lacks all the service packs and updates of 10 years so even the programs that I can download for free cough and sputter and refuse to download or operate.

Woe is me!... I am doomed!.... All is lost!
          (I can certainly generate some anxiety and drama!)

I worked and worked on the ailing senior computer while hearing over and over,  This thing is so outdated.... It is dead!! Just wait for your new laptop.

However, after several hours, I was able to download Picassa , carefully following all the instructions for needed updates that to make Picassa operational.  Picassa then asked a simple question.....
Do you want to search you computer for pictures to add to the Picassa Library.
Hell, Yes!!!  
I watched with glee as one by one, ten years of pictures reappeared and plopped into the Library File.
I think I can breathe again.

It is not back to normal.... The programs are still gone.  But I can get on blogger and work with my pictures... I can do what I need to do until my new computer comes and then concentrate on setting it up.

On today's, agenda, purchase and a external hard drive to transfer and store all the pictures.

I am beginning to believe there is a rule that states, Thou Shalt Have Only One Computer.  When you have more than one it  becomes a full-time job.  And we can't have that!

Experience is a painful teacher.

   

A Banner Day!!

Wow!!  It is a Banner Day!!

I began this journey of blogging November 13, 2011.

It was only one post but a beginning just the same.  Now, in my life I have never had the discipline to keep a journal or diary.  I would start, then a few days would go by and I would quit.  After a sputtering start I resumed blogging in April 2012.  Then the craziest thing happened.  People started following the site.  Amazing!!    Today's count shows there are 44 followers.  In my wildest dreams I could not have foreseen that 44 people would follow my blog.  To date there have been 73 posts! And then there are the comments. (408)  I would never have guessed how encouraging and empowering your comments have been.  They have become the steam to keep my engine and dream alive.    I am convinced that without you, the readers and especially the commentators, I would not be still blogging today.  I thank you for all of your support.
It has made an incredible difference to me.

I started the blog as a virtual scrapbook and journal of my journey from homeowner and fosterparent to retirement and travel.  Notes to myself and family.  And it has become so much more.  It has forged new friendships, mutual support and a source of ongoing ideas and information to me.

It seems to be now coincidence to me that this celebration of hitting the 10000 views has come following a brand new years beginning.  It seems to be a brand new beginning for me as well.  The dream is withing grasp.  Thank-you for sharing the journey thus far..... stay tuned the best is yet to be!!


     

A Target in Sight!

The day began as a gray and gloomy day, enclosed in foggy soup.

A good morning to cuddle up with kitties, a wooly blanket and steaming coffee.   It certainly seems better to embrace what is before me this day than to lament over the could have, should have would haves.  (I just won't go there!)




Have you ever notice that one great thing about chilly winter mornings is they are perfect for dreaming the great adventures to come.  I realized I need a carrot, to spur me on to the tasks at hand and move this adventure into the great big world.

TARGET DATE : March 15, 2013

 

So I have been thinking.....
I need a due date...
A departure date for a great adventure.

A Target Date!

  So here are some of my thoughts:

So on this foggy morn, I'm planning a great adventure.  My house is getting very close to listing.  I'll take this next month and finish up the house details and getting the realtors on board .

Once the house is listed, I'll move into the trailer.  It will become crystal clear, what I can live with (and without) while on my camping at home adventure.  It will also be a little warmer in a month!  (a girl can hope can't she!)  My thoughts are that I will work on the trailer and tow rig until mid-March or so and make a break for it when the weather allows  a break for towing over mountain passes.

I'm thinking of going south baby.... to experience spring in the desert!  It sounds like a blooming great idea to me.  I'm thinking that I need to be back here before the great spring yard clean up although I'm hoping that the snow will be gone enough before I leave to get some clean up under way.

The big determiner of  these fluid plans is the sale of the house.  When the house sells I will need to come back to take care of all the details.  So the length of the adventure will in part be determined by the impending house sale.

I am doing projects every day.  I have a camping gal buddy to talk with when I need a boost of enthusiasm. And Lordy.... I'm making lists.  Lots of lists.  A to do list for the house.  A to do list for my mobile mansion.  A to do list for the animals.   

Now don't forget.... You are along for the ride.  I need your ideas, suggestions, and thoughts. Did you forget  details that later came back to bite you.... SAVE me from making the same mistakes.