Currently 10/12/2020: All Good Things Must Come To An End



It's been a different kind of week around here, with the transition from our RV trip to returning back home being less smooth than it normally is. In giving it thought, I think it's because our trip was magnified in the impact it had on us as a result of being stuck at home for so much of 2020. It really was a magical trip, likely due to the combination of the colder, foggier weather making our coastal walks feel very ethereal, the discovery of some truly fantastic local eateries, the abundance of marine animal and bird sightings, and our joint decision to keep on with our RV'ing in light of the pandemic.

It also may be the result or realizing that unlike in times past, we weren't returning home to a whirlwind of social activities. 

Plus, I've been shopping non stop since we got home, trying to locate the new mirrors for our four bathroom remodels (more below). Although I know the end result will be worth the effort, it's a bit draining in current practice. I'll see something and think, 'Yes! That will work!' and then bring it home only to discover that, oops, it's an inch to large, or not quite wide enough, or doesn't look quite right, etc.  I'm thiiiis close to being finished, however, so just a little bit longer and I'll be done. At which point I'll be very pleased, I'm sure.

Otherwise, Currently I Am . . .  

Baking  Raspberry Crumble Bars from the Barefoot Contessa. I used to make these less frequently than I do now because the specialty raspberry jam called for is a bit pricey. However, since discovering that Aldi's carries a better quality raspberry jam for a song, I've been making them more frequently to my husband's delight. I left a few out for him to enjoy fresh, and then set aside the rest to share with friends at an upcoming beach sunset picnic. 

Never more so than this year do we appreciate S. California's mild climate allowing us to continue to gather outdoors!

Cooking  Pollo asado, BBQ Chicken Stuffed Baked Sweet Potatoes, vegetarian chili, and this delicious sounding Spicy Noodles with Pork, Scallions, and Bok Choy from Eating Well magazine that I'm making for dinner tonight.


Source: Eating Well


Excited  We finally have the installation dates confirmed for our bathrooms/laundry room/hall linen cabinet remodeling project. The job will begin on November 9, and conclude on or before December 23. This will be the seventh time we've done business with this company, and they are 100% efficient in making their timelines, so I know without a doubt the job will be completed in time for Christmas.


The renderings for our new master bath cabinetry.  We have added 50% more storage space, even after removing drawers from the middle section of the lower cabinetry to make room for a new pull out laundry hamper.


Plus, yeah, we decided to move ahead with ordering a new travel trailer to replace our current travel trailer. We decided on this 2518 version from TrailManor, the same company that manufactured our current folding travel trailer. Additional amenities in the new trailer are more open floor space, a larger fridge with freezer, an automatic turn on for hot water heater, a dedicated shower, and additional cupboard and drawer space. It should arrive in about two months.

Fully opened and ready for usage. Our version will have a slideout in the rear, adding an additional 28 sq. feet to the walk around floor area,
which will feel massive compared to our current setup.

Folded down and ready for towing and/or storage in our garage. It really is pretty amazing technology.

Playing  I really missed my guitar while we were gone, and I am so happy to be able to play it again now that we are back home. I also worried, needlessly as it turns out, that my hard-earned finger playing callouses would heal during our trip. Truly though, as I'd been warned many, many times, guitar playing is painful until those important finger tip callouses arrive!

Watching  A new documentary addressing climate change, called Kiss The Ground, which was recommended to us recently by friends. They said they really needed another couple to watch it so that they would have someone to discuss the documentary with, and we were happy to oblige even as I hoped it wouldn't leave me feeling powerless. It didn't! It actually left me feel hopeful, and I highly, highly recommend. 




We also rewatched Helen Mirren in The Queen via Netflix, and both my husband and I were struck by how similarly the queen is depicted by both Helen Mirren in The Queen, and Claire Foy in The Crown. So either Ms. Foy copied Ms. Mirren, or, more likely, the queen really is 'that' way. Either way, it's made me pause and consider how odd the institution of a monarchy seems to be in the midst of a parliamentary democracy such as Britain has. However, not my dog, not my fight, as the saying goes.

Buying   These Bucilla felt kit mermaid Christmas tree ornaments, which just became re-available for ordering after being out of stock for months. My granddaughters are going to loooove them, and I can't wait to start working on them once they arrive, which should be this week.

And as I mentioned above, lots of back and forth trips to several home decor stores as I look for mirrors for each of our four bathroom remodeling projects. The good news is that mirrors can be found for a song compared to having them custom cut by a glass company. And they are all so pretty in that they are framed, as compared to traditional cut glass mirrors. So though it's a bit of a hassle dragging the mirrors back and forth as I buy and return, buy and return, I'm pretty close to being done. 


Current top contender for our downstairs powder room.

Enjoying . . . my natural hair color after decades of having it highlighted. I made this change primarily due to COVID and not wanting to be in a hair salon for hours on end getting it touched up, but it turns out my natural color at this point is a dark blonde woven through with silver, so it still looks highlighted, just in different tones.  And since I no longer have to hurry in for touch up appointments, we're having our hair stylist cut my husband's hair just a bit shorter each visit so that we can spread our joint appointments out to every eight weeks instead of every six. Overall savings for both changes comes to over $700 a year, which I'm now using to pay for house cleaning service instead, so a definite win-win.

The top third is 'all me' as they say, and I'm not hating it!

And finally . . . 


Thinking About . . . the state of our country. I've done my part - my ballot has been completed and returned - and I can only hope enough of my fellow citizens feel as I do. The phrase, 'Never have I ever!' comes to mind fairly frequently these days.




9 comments:

  1. That is quite some trailer! Wow, that really is travelling in style!
    I'm just like you with the hair colour situation, I hated the first couple of months of my hair colour growing out but once another couple of months had passed I was in no hurry to going back to highlights with a base colour. I'm just having a few highlights now and really liking the way it is looking - plus, cheaper with more time between visits :-)
    It will be so interesting to see the results of your election, we are intrigued with your situation over there!

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    1. We are very excited to see our new trailer arrive! It's very pretty on the inside too!

      Gosh, my hair was my vanity for so long. However, my face has changed, and there is no coming back from that, so it was time. It actually feels good to lay down that burden, and I'm enjoying wearing hats now that I don't need to fuss with my hair. Hats at my age are good! 😃

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  2. Your new trailer looks like so much fun! I'm so happy for you.

    I colored my hair for the first time in years, right before COVID. It's created quite an interesting grow out (I haven't had my hair done (cut, or colored) since COVID started). Like you, I also have a dark blonde, with gray "highlights". I'll plan to just leave it & embrace it.

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    1. I was actually in the midst of doing research for next summer's Pacific NW RV trip before coming over here to respond to your reply. I love this part of the planning process, though I often find more things to do than we have time, which then creates a different type of stress!

      I think my hair is going more silver then gray, so the shine of the silver is kind of nice. My poor daughter, however, a brunette, is already finding lots of silver and gray in her hair at just 36 years of age, so she is not liking the change as much as I am. I had no silver/gray whatsoever until my mid to late 40's, but I was a towhead blonde as a child, while she was brunette from birth, so perhaps that's the difference.

      I often ponder how a towhead blonde mom and a redhead father created a brunette daughter, but then science was my least favorite subject in school!

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  3. Love your hair! Travel trailer looks so fun!!!!

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    1. Thanks for both Cindy! Looking forward to our shakeout trip after getting the trailer in a couple of months!

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  4. Since it appears my last comment on this post disappeared into cyberspace, I'm trying again. Just wanted to say that I'm not surprised that you're re-upping in the RV lifestyle. The new trailer looks great, and you're very fortunate that both the current and the new one fit in your garage to keep them out of the sun and the weather. Alan and I spent a total of about six weeks camping in various State Parks this year. Although we've been extremely conservative with any COVID-related risks, we felt safe and comfortable being self-contained and enjoying quiet pockets of the natural world. Good luck with your bathroom remodel!

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    1. I learned the hard way to try and remember to copy my blog comments before hitting the Submit button. So many lost comments over the years, so I do feel your pain.

      Like you, I am very thankful that a day spent outdoors somewhere beautiful has continued to be available throughout most of the pandemic. Pretty much all we did during our recent RV trip to the Central Coast was walk somewhere pretty for hours and hours, and then go find something to eat. I could happily do that day after day after day even if there were no pandemic.

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    2. Life is full of simple pleasures, and we're both blessed that we have easy access to beautiful places to enjoy.

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