Phase II - Living the BUS!!!

Wow! What a world wind that was! The down was that I couldn't really take the time to work out the Internet situation; thus, I haven't been updating you all. However, living in a campground was a great experience for all of us. For the kids they had a playground (two actually) right outside the bus doors. I enjoyed kicking them out to play while I got things done and could see them from every window in the bus ;P We got a really good routine going with school on weekdays like anyplace else and shifting gears on weekends to unwind a bit and clean BUS!!

Every weekend the bus got stripped of all linens and rugs, etc, and was totally cleaned and reorganized to prepare us for the week. While things could get backed up and sloppy pretty quick in such a small space, it also really forced me (and them) to reorganize and keep things neat. Laundry had to be done every two days to keep it from tripping us up, trash had to go out almost daily (which I routinely forgot about on the roof of the car to take to the dumpster and luckily found it still there when we arrived at school).

The size also required us to figure out personal space in a very real way that I found beneficial. When we were on each others toes it was very quickly time to change the scene - kick someone outside or find a new game/activity. Even for the adults! We frequently found ourselves on different wavelengths and space was always the answer. And trying not to take it personally. I think maybe things become so much more evident quicker in a small space.

Much like our previous life at what we call "THE COMPOUND", the campground was always active. Life in a campground definitely has a culture to it that I never realized - the people that come for the season, that live there year round, that come just on weekends to party and those just passing through on their way someplace. It was fun watching people come and go and always new and exciting. There were always kids around to play with - especially our new homeschooled friends from Missouri living there temporarily. We were definitely sad to leave them and hope to connect up with them again soon.

Another benefit that we anticipated and paid off was our proximity to nature. I saw the stars more often in the bus than I ever did in the house. It is not the fault of the house - on the contrary, it provided me with such a comfortable place to be that I didn't leave my comfort zone. In the bus, the outdoors becomes another room - we ate outside on the picnic table, the fire pit became our fireplace and our TV, we were constantly on walks and hikes in the woods and trails they had there and we even trekked to a bathroom for showers every night or two while our bus bathroom is still in transition. I love hearing the rain on the roof, seeing the sunrise through the windows all around the bed and even feeling the crisp air in the mornings.

We were even blessed with a beautiful day to visit Cherry Plain State Park with Grandma and Nonno.

So it seems like I am painting too fantastical a picture of it all. What were/are the downs of all of this? Well, we are still who we are and, as a family, we are loud and each have our issues. These don't go away because you move into a bus. In fact, they get a bit magnified :) However, the situation really forces you to face the reality of things and let go what you cannot change. We do miss being so close to the rest of our family and neighborhood/compound - they were sooooo much a part of our everyday lives, but a little distance gives you a great sense of appreciation and perspective. Cold - it is getting colder. Rapidly. It got down to around 35 degrees F or so in the campground at night and 31 degrees F here at Mom's house. While we have a heater, we tried not running it all the time. So the kids certainly jumped out of bed in the morning and in front of the heater! While I have not loved my hands waking up slowly in the mornings due to the cold and I am looking forward to moving into our apt for the winter that has HEAT, I am impressed that the kids (and my husband and I!) have accepted the chilly mornings without much whining. I'm shocked, really. I have actually enjoyed having to use the public bathroom for showers, coin laundry, a small fridge and boiling water to do dishes. All of these things have given me a good sense of gratitude for conveniences I have had in my life and very clearly outline our water and energy usage for us. We are truly sad to be leaving the bus so soon - it feels like we are just really getting into a groove with it - but we need to go indoors for the winter and do some work on repairs/changes/updates to prepare "The Natterjack bus" for any spring/summer travel/living we may end up doing in her. We shall report to you from our new apt in a farmhouse near the VT border!!! Thanks for all of your support, love and attention. May your lives be filled with living! We look forward to updating you more soon. BE WELL, S.

FINALLY......the TOUR!

OK, so we have been offline for some time. But here is a quick link to the TOUR - CLICK HERE that you all have been waiting for!!! MUCH to tell you about PHASE II - BUS LIFE IN A CAMPGROUND. Sadly, though, now is not the time for these meanderings as I am in a public place stealing Internet while a little tiny beast tears the place up :) Please feel free to post any questions about the tour and we will get back to you soon with a TON more PICS and STORIES about CRAZY BUS LIFE!!!! TTFN :)

Stillllllllllll cleaning out!!!!

OK, no real walk through yet. I know, I know...we promised and everyone is clamoring for it, but we have to nail down some loose ends before we give you the full on tour. We are learning soooooo much. And even though there is a TON still in storage we feel soooooo much lighter!!! It is amazing that it takes ten minutes to pick-up the entire bus. And my husband and I have had some AMAZING time at night sipping tea, eating cookies (don't tell the kids) and reading poetry to each other. WHAT!?!?!?! How crazy great. Here are some pics to tide you over:

These two are ready to GO!!!! But not quite packed up here yet.

Loading up the jockey boxes. Totally handy.

Hook-ups installed by JR. Nothing like cutting into the side of a bus to make you think about what you are doing!

Installed Bamboo bench built by JR for Japanese style eating area. Table still to come.

Installing the stick faux-wood floor. Easy to put in EXCEPT for all the crazy cuts we have to make to get it to fit!!!!

DONE!!! And exhausted burning the candle at both ends. No wonder my arm went numb for days. But it looked totally beautiful...until P got at it with a permanent marker the next day. DOH!!!!

Working on locks for the roof hatches. Who put him up here?!?!

Chalkboard paint on the bunk beds and the cupboards.

Tree bunk rails installed - probably my favorite thing that I made on the entire bus. Though they still need latches.

The bee going to board the bee bus.

Nonno and P prepare for blast off! Here is a quick look More to come...especially now that we are in phase II of our adventure. Thanks for all the love and we will see you all soon maybe!!! I will leave you with this:

We're IN!!!!

Wow.  So many milestones so quickly one after another!!!  Where to begin?!

I guess the first momentous occasion to pinpoint is the moment the water and electric were hooked up and working, as witnessed by our first toilet flush and sink turn on!  How TOTALLY exciting.  Truly, only people who know little to nothing about putting this stuff together and then actually accomplishing it can understand the level of excitement a flushing toilet can cause (and probably many people in third world countries)!!!  If I can add the video, I shall do so HERE

Next milestone would be getting insurance (thank you Tony at ALLSTATE!!!) and LICENSE PLATES!!!!  That felt pretty great...especially since we have been going back and forth with the DMV forever with what the qualifications are for an RV designation.  It seems they themselves are confused and going on a reallllly busy day when they are getting screamed at by people and then are taking it out on each other is NOT a good idea.  Though smiling at them ALOT and being verrrrrry patient with them WAS a good idea.  Hence, plates :)

There was the first secretive inaugural drive...obviously no longer a secret, but had to be done to get our inspection (they don't usually come to you ;). It was going to be just us two and the baby while the kids were in school, but my dad showed up.  I think he was pretty thrilled about it because the whole time he looked like the cat who swallowed the canary.  And every time we made a tight turn he'd say,"Jeez!  Pretty good JR!!!  I would have hit that jerk!"

Then the second more public inaugural drive to FIVE GUYS with the Winne boys and Nat.  Yum!!!!  And then surprised Harve, Kori and the boys for a drive around the block :)

The finishing touches look awesome - though they are not all quite finished.  Morgan churned out some amazing bedroom and kitchen curtains with a roll of green twall I had found a while back.  She installed some hooks for coats and donated cute windowbox shelves.  Noel and Rachel continued the sweatshop at their abode in the city and mailed us a package of brilliant kids bunk curtains.  Now I just need to get everything hung so the peeps at the campground no longer have to witness my husband's reggae dances as he does dishes :). The bench area was built by jr out of leftover bamboo flooring and is beautiful.  I added some chalkboard paint to the bunks and the cupboards and the bunk trees went up.

And now we are at the campground!  I am writing from the phone and will add pics once back at my computer.  This was the sign as we arrived:

:)

The downs:

-Things are tight inside

-You can feel/hear the weather more acutely

-Stress

-Things are not yet done or in their places

-The kids are EXHAUSTED from moving, the craziness of summer AND starting school 

The ups:

-Things are tight inside

Out of necessity they are having to figure out mindfulness in space and privacy.  They each have their own playroom and there is, so far, MUCH less screaming of "get OUT of my room!!!" (Ironically they shared a BIG room before and we heard this phrase CONSTANTLY)

-You can feel/hear the weather more acutely

Yes, it is chilly in the am.  But we do have an electric heater we have but to turn on.  At night they cuddle into their bunks and listen to some Harry Potter and in the morning (we are on our 4th morning here, I think) they crawl under the covers with us and we hold the chill and the world at bay.  And I LOVE hearing the wind, the rain and seeing the trees and landscape right outside the bedroom.  Cannot WAIT to park in some of the national parks.  When I asked where the kids wanted their house to wake up W said "the beach" and R said "under water" :)

-Stress

I have had to recognize how stressed out I allowed myself to become.  Good news is that I have regained feeling in my arm after letting go of that stress :). And my family is much happier about it also :)

-Things are not yet done or in their places

The place is a bit of a mess and chaotic. However, there is still that excitementof organizing  and creating the right space for things.  And, truthfully, this mess is soooooo much smaller than a whole houseful of mess!!!!!!

-The kids are EXHAUSTED from moving, the craziness of summer AND starting school 

Mos def.  This one is not fun.  Especially when my kids express exhaustion in night terrors.  Nothing like a screaming kid you have no way to calm down in the middle of the night in a packed campground!  And then the sibling following suit the next night.  Not to mention the after school exhaustion freak outs.  But I can see them starting to level off a bit and we are working this week to give them more routine and time in the campground instead of running place to place.  And they met some other kids who live at this campground through DECEMBER!!!!!!  They are homeschooled and around to play with all the time.  They are psyched! 

And this moment is actually one of my most favorites so far: as I sit and type this blog under a cozy, fleecy blanket, the kids snooze in their bunks and my husband reads me some Rilke.  WHAT COULD BE BETTER THAN THIS?!?!?

So as phase I (building the bus) winds down we will give you a tour of the inside soon and our insights into phase II of this journey (living it!).  Thanks for your support and well wishing.  We couldn't do this without the amazing understanding and assistance we get from our friends an family.  Thank you all!!!!!  Live, love, laugh S.

Sisters of SEW!!!

We had some visitors! Rachel and Noel...Queens of Curtain! Sisters of Sew! They came, they made curtains, they watched children, they did dishes!!!!! Maybe if you are realllllly nice, they will come visit you too! How lucky we are to have some amazing friends :)

They worked so long and hard that the poor old machine kicked it! Hopefully she just needs a good cleaning.

Even W gets in on the action.

Uncle T shows Bubs how to properly sling a hammer.

Willow takes a pic of the new carpet in her bunk room. Thank you Habitat for Humanity Restore!!

Adam sands the bed rails between bouts of P sitting.

Miss Kari checks in on our progress and gives us a hand (and advice about making the beds easily accessible to puking children!) :)

Mom's Magic Mushroom!!! Here's hoping the police are thinking "faeries" and "gnomes" and not "psychedelics" and "jail"! :)

Mr. Dave drops some lyrics on us. Not gonna lie, definitely living in the land of stress right now, what with school starting, packing a house, and trying to finish the bus. When asked for a time frame it is soooo hard to explain to people. If you have no idea what you are doing in the first place, and what issues you will encounter, how can you possibly know how long it will take. It is like taking a trip through unchartered territory to get to the ocean on the other side and someone asking when you will arrive. BUT, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel and we are stubborn enough (or tenacious) to keep going til we get there. THANK YOU, THANK YOU TO ALL THE AMAZING BABYSITTERS, HELPERS AND WELL-WISHERS WE HAVE HAD ALONG THE WAY!!!! YOU ARE ALL AMAZING!!! WE COULDN'T DO THIS WITHOUT YOU!!! And thank you for time and again bringing me back to sanity. No one wants to see a stressed-out, strung-out red head. Trust me. :) If you want more progress reports and views of the inside of the bus, you are either going to have to drop by before we move out (hopefully this Sunday or a day or so later!!!) or wait til we are elsewhere!!! Peace! I will leave you with this smile:

TOO BUSY TO POST!!!

HOLY CROW!!!! Not hiding on y'all!!! Just busting A to get this puppy churned out and too darned busy to post! School's a-coming. NYC work a-coming. Moving day a-coming. Are you a-coming to see all the progress? Baby watchers WELCOME AT ALL TIMES!!!! :) How 'bout some pics to hold you for now...

Omi fixes and stitches a mattress while little tiny watches.

A TOILET!!!

Absolutely DAUNTING list, though most is "in progress" so not as bad as it looks.

Super useful babysitter of late. THANKS DILLY!!!!

Mom painting her NOT psychedelic masterpiece.

Work break.

Another SUPER useful babysitter. Mostly. What is he giving her to drink?!?!

Building in the doll house in W's room - a must!

W picks her color and paints. "It should look like I'm in the ocean."

Peeking in on the progress JR finds the room like his little girl - dark and brooding in an 8 year old sort of way.

A look down the aisle, though so much has happened since this pic. Bench on right. Kitchen. Table going in on left.

P always willing to lend a hand. Or a bolt. Much love and gratitude for watching us do this crazy thing. Drop by for a look-see or send us a note with your thoughts. Still a ton of room on the outside mural for additions. Just come find us. It has been so nice to see things get added bit by bit - a dragonfly here, a song lyric there. This project feels so much bigger than us and we enjoy hearing what you have to say. Til then. LOVE LOVE LOVE.