More New Folks

[Sooz]

Hi there! I'm Susan and my partner and I are getting ready to hit the road sometime next year, after she retires. I don't ever get to retire because I'm self-employed, but I will be cutting back. Fortunately, my business partner is willing to hold the fort here in PDX while I just do my part over the phone, Internet, and on my computer as we tool around imposing on, er, visiting, the kids and other unsuspecting friends and family members.

I'm co-owner of a small publishing company. My "official" title (well, it's on my business cards) is Director of Editing and Theological Discussions. Clearly we like to have fun. Mostly I handle acquisitions, editing, some formatting, photo work, and odds and ends related to computing. She handles the business stuff, thank God. I'm seriously math impaired. We already run the business from our homes and make most of our decisions by phone. So, as long as I have my phone, life will continue. We put out about a dozen quality books this year, hope to double that next year.

Until recently, I've also been doing some freelance writing and editing, have one novel out and am working on two more, and have had a successful indexing practice for several years. I'm going to give up the writing and editing (except for my own books) and may index occasionally but not take on any new clients. For me, that IS cutting back. I've been in one aspect of publishing or another for about 30 years. Just started our own gig this year. Oh, and I trained as a theologian, hence the odd title my business partner put on my cards when I wasn't looking.

Currently we have a pop-up, but we're selling it and moving up to a Class A as soon as we can get our hands on the pension money (April?). Fortunately, my partner's been a state bureaucrat for a long time so the pension is pretty good. We're buying used, probably a 2000 or so Pace Arrow although we've also seen some Newmars we like.

We'll probably travel about half the year, then root ourselves here in the good weather. I have fibromyalgia so I need to get out of Dodge during the rainy season. We're not sure what we'll do with our house. We built it four years ago, are now underwater, and can't get out of our high-interest construction loan. Our mortgage was sold to Chase so we've been in loan modification hell for the past three-and-a-half years. We may just quit paying and let it go to foreclosure. Or we may rent it to our youngest if she doesn't run off to join the circus (a real possibility as she's a professional circus performer.) Or we may do a short sale if Chase offers us enough bail-out money. Who knows? At this point, it will just be a relief to not have to deal with the endless paperwork as Chase loses everything we send them and we NEVER get to talk to the one person who is supposedly the ONLY person we are supposed to talk with.

We'll be traveling with Good Dog Gwyneth and, possibly, three cats. Indoor/outdoor cats. We tried putting a harness on one tonight, after she got stoned on catnip, and, while highly amusing, it was less than successful.

Anyway, I guess that's it. I've been lurking for awhile. Looking forward to getting to know you.

[Bethers]

Welcome Susan (Sooz) and your partner. We also have a Soos - so this could get interesting You have a very interesting life and one that will lend itself so well to working on the road. Lucky you. And luckier that your partner has that pension coming soon. Unlucky about the mess with your mortgage. Hope you can get out from under in a manner that works for you.

Nice to have you with us. Hope to hear (and see -yes we like pictures) from you often. And keep your eyes on the gtg room - we do like to meet up when possible. And if there's nothing where you will be, well, no reason not to start something!

[Forestgal]

Greetings from California! Thanks for joining the wild, wacky world of this forum.

It sounds like you've got lots of balls in the air right now but are able to keep them all in perspective. I hope you continue to see the up side of everything -- AND keep us posted throughout your adventure.

I had to smile over the visual you painted of your stoned kitty. I have 2 indoor cats who would absolutely never forgive me if I even thought of trying to harness them. Good luck!

Again, glad to have you with us, Susan.

Laura -- and Jed

[BirdbyBird]

Welcome.....the anticipation and planning is part of the adventure as you have already discovered much to the dismay of your cat. The dealing with Chase is also an adventure of a different kind. Hang around, share your thoughts, pictures and the wonder of this life.....

[sharon]

Welcome Susan and welcome to your partner, too! Glad to have you with us. Did anyone mention we love pictures? Love the visual of the stoned cat....I put a harness on mine and he just lays down...he knows that whatever I did to him paralyzed him...can't move...help, I'm going to die here! I call him Sam Barnhardt. They'll get used to traveling, maybe not quickly or easily, but it does happen. Hopefully before you want to strangle them! Lots of us travel with cats.

Sounds like you have a full plate trying to get ready. Take a deep breath and repeat constantly...This too shall pass! Take your time picking out your new home on wheels...don't get in a rush, that's when mistakes are made and 2 weeks down the road you're slapping yourself upside the head wondering what in the world was I thinking??? Ask questions, we love to come up with answers and most of us have one!

Banks suck...BF is trying to buy a short sale, it's been 7 months and he has cash for it. Go figure. Best of luck on your journey! It's gonna get exciting!

[AlmostThere]

Welcome, Susan and friend, from the north side of the river! Glad you found us!
Heads up: this weekend is the Portland RV show at the Expo Center. See info below.

Portland Metro RV Dealers Present the Fall RV Show of Shows



Description: Dates and Times:

November 10th through November 13th, 2011
Halls C,D & E

Thursday 10th: 11am - 8pm
Friday 11th: 11am - 8pm
Saturday 12th: 11am - 8pm
Sunday 13th: 11am - 6pm


Admission:
Adults(16yrs and older): $9.00
Senior:50/over - $2 off $7.00
Children 15 & under: Free with adult


Website:
Visit our website at http://portlandmetrorv.com GO TO THIS WEBSITE TO PRINT OFF A 2 FOR 1 ADMISSION TICKET!

Other Notes / Detail:
The Portland Metro RV Dealers Association is committed to exposing people to the recreational vehicle lifestyle. Americans find a freedom they cannot duplicate in any other way with the RV life; freedom to set their own pace and see what they want, when they want.

Some like to rest, relax and recharge their batteries, while others like to hit the road and follow the sun. Escaping the routine of the everyday world and strengthening a relationship with friends or family, particularly children, is also important to all RVers.

Parking / Directions:
Parking is $8 per space, per entry. Carpools of 3 or more is $7. Exhibitor parking is $7 and includes in and out privileges.
For parking information and directions to the Expo see: http://expocenter.org/directions.htm
or take the MAX Yellow Line - Plan your trip at: http://www.trimet.org

[linann]

Welcome to the group. Change is fun, although your cat may not be as ready. The good part is you definitely don't have to make all your decisions at once. Hope you find your dream rig soon.

[Sooz]

Thanks for the welcome all. @AlmostThere We're planning to go to the RV show, probably Sunday afternoon, after I finish a couple of big jobs. Not planning to buy new, just to see what's out there. We're getting pretty excited about this.

[Readytogo]

Welcome, Susan. We have anothe Susan and a Soos, but I think we can keep everyone straight! I was going to ask where you are from, but gather from the last post, somewhere in the PNW? Welcome to your partner too, did you mention what her name is? I'm Wendy, from Alabama. here you will meet women from all walks of life and in different stages of our RV experience. i didi it with my husband for many years, after I lost him it took awhile to see i could do it alone and even want to. I now can dump and back=up (sort of). Welcome again, learn from us , laugh with us, meet as many of the group as you can!

[cpatinjones]

Hi Susan and partner,

Welcome to the fourm. Looking forward to hearing about your future RV experiences.

[VickieP]

Welcome to the forum.

[Sooz]

Oops...my partner's name is Jenny. She turns 65 in December, I turn 60 the same month. We live outside of Portland in a rural area called Beavercreek. Our kids, the ones we plan to annoy, live in Vancouver (the circus performer), Seattle, and Central Texas. Plus we have close family in Palm Springs (how sad is that?) and North Carolina, and close friends in upstate New York, Idaho, and Montana. All of whom keep trying to get us to come visit. And we have four grandkids, one in Seattle, three in Texas. Both of the older girls are planning to have more kids in the next year or so. But we want to spend more time with our older grandkids (13 and 11) in Texas before they get too busy with high school to spend time with us. They're Army brats so we've gone all over the place to see them, but now they've managed to get assigned to Ft. Hood, probably until retirement, so we want to spend as much time down there as we can. A few days a year with them just doesn't cut it.

I can sort of back up our pop-up (only hit one thing so far), but I hate to drive anything. I will learn how to drive our MH, and I'll learn how to back it up, but Jenny loves to drive, prefers to not have me drive (she and I drive pretty much the same way so it freaks her out when I drive...LOL!) Instead, I sit in the suicide seat and watch the cars ahead of me so I can tell her to stop when she starts to run into them because she's looking over there instead of straight ahead. (That's the major difference between our driving. I never take my eyes off the road, to the point where it's exhausting.)

[Bethers]

Hi Jenny!

Have a great time at the rv show. I never get tired of going to the shows, if only to get ideas - and to check out other floorplans. Have to have in mind the ideas for next time. And the new ones out there today will be the used ones when I'm looking next

I think it's a good thing I don't have anyone in the seat next to me - well Peaches, but she doesn't even bark when I do something stupid. Might sit up, and on a rare occasion will crawl under the seat - but that wasn't caused by my driving. Well, once it was - big city, major traffic and my nerves got her scared. Funny how we can pass that on - if I can do that to her, think what I'd have been doing to another person.

[linann]

Going to RV shows can be considered aerobic exercise with all that climbing up into the rigs. It certainly is fun checking all the RVs out and deciding the best floorplan for you. Let us know how it goes at the show. The fun is only starting. Soon you will be planning and taking trips.

[Travelinana]

Welcome Susan and your partner. Great to know you have your future mapped out and are now ready to begin your new lifestyle. You can be helpful and inspirational for those who, like you, want to be productive while enjoying this new adventure. Keep us informed and with lots of pictures. Good luck with finding the just right RV