Here I go........What have I done?!

Well, we found one! WE OWN AN AIRSTREAM! And it was only 1 hour away from our home. I have moved from the realm of "currently looking" to "1987 Sovereign". GRSDLIGHTNIN, that's me. It took me one month to find it.

I somehow got bit by the Airstream bug, and don't really know how. I have never camped a day in my life. Never seen or heard of Airstream parks...Somehow, I just started looking at Ebay, then Craigslist, then RV dealers online. Frankly, I think I might have a hunt and gather issue...but anyways, this Airstream itch has been scratched! Bringing the Airstream home, felt like coming home from the hospital with my 4th baby, pure elation! Let the journey begin.

I found the AS on Craigslist. I was out of town for a month in July, and it had gone on in June. I thought for sure it had been sold. Husband called, nope, not sold yet, we could go look. Planned to go after dinner but Number 3 (that would be our third kid, I can't remember their names), started playing with kids in the neighborhood. Couldn't leave till almost sundown. Was dark when we got there and when the dear man unlocked the door and I went in, I knew! He then proceeded to turn on all the lights, the AC, flush the toilet, turn on the water, the lovely cassette radio, (He put in the cassette that came with the Airstream, the Silver Key Cassette) and doggone it everything worked! I walked around the exterior, and the skin and panels were in terrific shape! No holes like the last one we looked at, the '61 Overlander near St. Cloud MN in the farmers field. No mouse nests. Everything looked clean as a whistle (well, it was dark). My husband left without buying it, had to "think about it" says husband. Yes, I was screaming inside, and smiling outside. On the ride home, husband agreed. We would buy it for what seller was asking, he was firm, he said. Called seller and he said, better come over with a cashiers check tomorrow, lotsa people looking at it...yup. I'm coming back, just as soon as Number 3 finishes Princess Camp at 12:30 PM. Then to pick up check. Then to go get Dad to show it off. By 6 PM, the next night, I am at home with the title, but not the AS. Husband is too busy to pick it up...so it has to stay for the weekend. So busy we cannot get it till Wednesday of next week, but, bummer, seller isn't there. Went out to dinner. Home again an hour away. No Airstream. Thursday morning we go to pick it up. Seller says, get a 2 and whatever sized ball to tow...ok no problem. Did I mention we have never camped or towed a Trailer before? The seller sighed when he saw we had nothing to tow with but a shiny new ball. He "loaned" us his leveler bars and whatnot and we were off. Straight to the Truck Plaza where they wash semis. But line is too long and husband is in a hurry to get home. No AS wash for me. We plan to go on our first camping trip Friday, the day after we get it! Try again to get AS washed, but place is closed, dang! Bring it up to our cabin and set it up. Husband is a brilliant tower (yes, we learned to get those electronic brakes installled in our tow vehicle). We have a circle turnaround at our cabin and husband is magnificent in handling it around. It is tight! Thinking of removing one of our pines in the middle... There was a little problem when we backed it up to mow the lawn under it and it got stuck, but with a little help from ropes and my Dads minivan, we repaired the situation. Well, actually they did.I just watched. Apparently we haven't been to our cabin in two years, they shut off the electricity two years ago and we hadn't noticed. Time sure flys when you aren't paying attention. Having the trailer with lights was a godsend at our 2 AM arrival time. A successful camping weekend. Brought AS home and on the way stopped for my AS wash at the Semi Truck stop. There is no line, well, that's because it is raining. But as God is my witness I will not be turned away from the first baptism wash. We run'ner thru...then out into the rain towards home.

We cannot park our AS in our driveway, too steep. As a matter of fact we cannot park longer than 7 days on our property in our city. We have a huge garage at our cabin and the plan was to park it there. Turns out the Garage door is standard and we are too tall. But y'all knew that. Not us. Plan B for parking is in the works. In the meantime, we have left it at a detailer who is going to wax by next weekend.

We plan to camp again at our cabin this next weekend.

Cheers to everyone!

Lynn