Okay I know I am coming in under the wire - but had an issue with my membership it lapsed so I could not upload photos - and had to be back at the house that is no longer my home to verify paypal on a land line ug ug ug!
So now let me tell you all about my Airstream home. Sorry it is a little long winded...
I bought this great AS for Peter and I's 25th anniversary to well save a dying marriage. Alas things did not work out that way (but all good none-the-less).
When I researched this trailer I thought well if things did not work out over time I might just end up living in it - well sure enough 5 years later I AM! So at the time I wanted something really functional, took on lots of cargo weight Rated for 1000# no less - not like all other AS' with about 300-500. Has a desk for working on the road and stationary too! a Tandem, a little bigger than a bamboo and a little easier on the TV than a 25-27 ( which I sure could use the space right now if I had one!)
I changed out the dinette for a cool L-Lounge seating with two pedastool tables that are fab in shifting from single table, to double, and to moving to the back and making a semi circle work station. Instead of my toaster oven sitting on my microwave - my printer now has that home.
I live in a really great area called Stirling 20 minutes north of Belleville Ontario. I ended up here because I needed to be close to my internship - with
History Lives Here INC. — which I landed straight after two years of doing a photojournalism associates degree (psst - will blow my own horn now - as I have bragging rights going back to school at 49 - Now 51 I finished on the Deans List to boot.)
I was desperate - the "wasbund" (still my best friend) crashed in health and lost his job and we have our house up for sale but I could not afford to commute and would not pass my course without completing my internship.
SO - my only solution was to head out early on my own to start a new life. I found this camp - called Island Park RV Resort dropped in unannounced late March. The owner showed me around and I decided on the spot (site#269).
It is in a new section of the park - with little canals all leading to the Trent River that is on the Trent Severn Waterway.
It is a whopping 60X60 lot. Okay now comes for the fun part - I have the worlds smallest patio, smallest dock, smallest deck and the smallest trailer in the park and to boot I am the only Airstream in a sea of SOB's!!!
The owner was fantastic! I told him my sad sack true story - that I would be arriving with not a cent to my name. On the way to divorce, and all I have is my truck, trailer and fur baby Haily.
3 months ago that was probably the lowest point of my whole life. Anyway he opened his heart and let me in way ahead of the camp opening. He said I can only give you power for now - the septic pump out wont start till may and the water will not be on until the opening weekend. So I toughed it out. I moved the trailer down April 2 (was scheduled to move April 1st - but I just could not face living with that for the rest of my life - that I left my Marriage on April Fools Day!! when I woke up it was a blizzard - so I was going nowhere!)
I put a whole new meaning to a shoe string budget. I needed a deck but could not afford one - so I made one out of skids (pallets) Yep I DID THAT.
Gardens I walked around the camp and picked up the boulders. Dug up some of my hostas from the house and bought horrible cheap grocery store annuals for the couple of pots we had not sent off to the auction in purging out 30 years of life last summer.
I built a metal shed with my poor Dad at 80 being the helper and stood there for hours holding it against incredible winds - later I read in the manual - do not put up in the wind!
There was a junky picnic table on the lot - so I asked the owner if I could have a new one - he said why - I said so I could stain it to match my shed base and my deck - he laughed and brought over a new one the next morning.
I had some patio stones - actually 11 - but they are heavy and I dropped two to make 9 and a new design as the consequence.
For nearly 8 weeks I lugged my own fresh water and filled up my tank. I dumped my tank manually using the blue buggy and to get that in the truck I had to to a "clean and Jerk" lift onto the picnic table and then slide her into the back of the truck.
So this is where I have lived for the past 3 months - and will be pushing past their season closing on into November until the freeze hits. I will pack up shop and then head to Charleston, SC for the Winter.
So my AS is where I lay my hat every night. I have learned to do without a lot, and have become a neat freak for periods of the day, but living in 22' it can become a disorganized chaos in seconds.
For those who know me - I still have Haily our white Golden - who absolute LOVES it here. She gets to swim almost every day, loves her long walks and meets all sorts of camper dogs. She is the hottest furchic in the RV Resort and all the dogs come running to greet her. I wish Taz could have experienced this camp, but unfortunately we had to put her down early March at 14.5 yrs. She was such a sweet Lab Golden X.
My new Summer home - Stirling - is a photojournalists dream. The people and character of this small farming town - is amazing. They were award 2012 Hockeyville, have an amazing Farmer's Museum - and quaint little rivers that run through the town. I have met an old guy that runs 7 days a week and he is going to let me do a full documentary on him. I have still yet to track down the older couple who walk their shetland ponies down the road on dog leashes - no word of a lie. I actually thought they were huge Italian Mastifes as I was driving up behind them nor day - till I got close and realized they were horses!!!
Being a photojournalist it is imperative that I have a great internet signal - well the camp does not have one that will reach the new section - so I got permission to put up a tower and brought in dedicated internet just for me.
My first photo is the entry - but thought I would include a few others so you could see all around my new little seasonal postage stamp home.
My official Entry Photo.
Haily is not tethered during the week and sticks close to the AS. But on the weekends when it is busier I have to keep her tethered - she is used to it now.
Fellas from Explore net spent almost all day Saturday installing my internet. I needed a hole dug - (as I have injured my neck in a fall early march and now on restricted duties) Peter wanted to borrow my truck so I traded a hole and dinner - tee hee...
I splurged $60.00 for my bistro set - as I could not take the one from the house while it is on the market.
One of my school shoots was with a fellow who repaired transport truck tires he gave me a rim free for my firepit.
I needed a place for the BBQ instead of on top of the picnic table - so I built this thing out of skids. Not quite finished it yet - thinking of putting a bamboo blind for the front to match the bamboo blinds I will get for the awning as sun shades on the sides. I still have to trim it out and put the final top slats in but have to work for a living.
I am officially now a snowbird! Doing that small foot print thing in my Mod Pod.