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.
