New Here; friend of Velda

[BonnieMR]

Hello to all. I am 67 and a recent widow. My husband Gary of 44 years made his transition 10/16/13 from pancreatic cancer. I have one son. He and his family live 3 miles away. I have many friends and wonderful support. If it were not for them and my neighbors and church people and their help and prayers, even from people worldwide I'll never meet, I don't know how I could have made it through all this. I still attend a weekly support group sponsored by Kaiser hospice program. It's still an emotional roller coaster ride at times, and recently all those emotions I thought I had processed, in a cyclical effect, re-surfaced, but to a lesser degree each time it happens.

Velda has found this group helpful through the challenges she faces as she is caregiver to her husband, also a cancer patient.

Gary and I had dreamed of travelling in a camper RV we purchased years ago before he fell ill. Then he found that sleeping in it and driving his truck became too hard on his back and neck and it set idle until we sold it off, for a song. It saddened me to literally give our dream away.

We purchased a new Suburu Forrester in 2012, and it has a portable trailer hitch. Our thought was to consider a tiny RV that I could possibly handle and tow alone. It's something to consider if not now, sometime down the road, but I must guard my savings. I try to live on what comes in each month and what is left over is what I use for fun money or emergencies or home improvement supplies.

I do have a Timeshare, so an RV is not necessary, as I can plan at least some of my travel around the resort system options (Shell Vacations.)

I look forward to making some new friends and moving forward with my life, as time, energy, emotions and funds permit.

Blessings to all, BonnieMR

[BarbaraRose]

Welcome Bonnie! Sorry to hear about your husband. Grief is a long process and differs for everyone. Glad you have found a good support system. Many ladies on here have been thru the loss of their spouses as well and can understand what you are going thru.

This is a good place to either join in on the RV life, or travel vicariously with the others on here, while contemplating getting back into it in the future.

Glad to have you here! Do you have pets?

[MandysMom]

Welcome Bonnie. Hope eventually you get to follow your dream and travel some.
Velda

[IrishIroamed]

Hi Bonnie ~ welcome from Illinois. Sorry to hear about your husband. Maybe you can get on the road someday, but you can also just meet up with some of thee ladies that may be on the road.

[MelissaD]

Hoosier Welcome

Every journey is different. The important thing is that we journey. It affords us the opportunity to meet new people and experience new things but nowhere does it say they must all be enjoyable. Without experiences we fail to grow. It seems to be part of the human condition

Safe journey.

[Rufflesgurl]

Hi Bonnie - welcome to the forum from the central coast of CA. So sorry for the loss of your husband but you sound optomistic for future travels.

Linda

[BonnieMR]

Thanks for the warm welcome and responses. I live in Roseville, CA. At this point I don't own an RV, but I used to have a camper. Now only own a Suburu Forrester, 2012. So whatever I got would have to be something light I could tow myself. Just considering options right now. I also don't want to invest much of my savings or have a huge payment. Like I said, I do have a timeshare, so not sure about RV travelling alone, but with a group like yourselves, it sounds like fun.

To answer Barb's question about pets, I have 5 cats! 4 indoors, so that's a consideration that holds me down from much travel.

Have a good day. I think I need to get away from this computer and eat and sleep...lol.

Bonnie

[MandysMom]

Some of us buy rv's with the critters in mind. I did not want a 40 ft bus but husband said, the "girls" need the space!!! Om my what we do for four footed friends. When you are ready the right solution will come to you.
Velda

[avalen]

welcome

[BirdbyBird]

Welcome to the forum.....

[BayouLady]

Welcome to the group !

You can travel with pets, when you do settle on something, just do some backyard camping first to help them get used to the new home away from home. Check out the link for portable cat enclosures so they can get out but remain safe when camping.

http://www.one4pets.com/small-animal-portable-playpen/

[cpatinjones]

Hello and welcome to the forum.