SUCCESSFUL BAY AREA TRIP.

I spent two nights in the Bay Area while I visited the Northern California Spine Institute. I’m fortunate to have friends and relatives who give me “hotel” space to keep my appointments. My friend Joy Kish and I met when my husband and I moved into our first house in Fremont when my oldest son was 8 months old. As our children grew in number and size, we, with other neighbors formed a baby-sitting co-op using a point system. Members took care of each others’ children with no costs. The secretary who kept the books changed from month to month, so that each family shared in the work to keeping it going. I had foster children when we formed the co-op and the county rules were such that you could only have adults care for your foster children. The co-op allowed us an affordable way to step out, or get to a doctor’s appointment without having to cart three kids to the doctor’s office for one kid’s appointment.  Joy and I share a lot of memories of raising our kids and our kids still have some contact in their 50’s.  In a sense we are like extended family. We had dinner out at Chilis restaurant and enjoyed a couple of margaritas.

While home, I’m contemplating blogging every other day since I don’t have much to say and I have plenty to do. A reader commented on a blog I did on Blaine, County Montana and I went back and read the blog and found it interesting. I am sometimes surprised at how much I’ve learned about this country during my travels with Jim and may re-blog some of them. Ciao.

THE RAMBLIN’ LIFESTYLE

We moved to Revere, MA yesterday, where my partner, Jim lived from age 10 to 18. As a kid he exercised horses at Suffolk Downs, shoveled manure, delivered newspapers, did odd jobs for neighbors, and in general, helped out at home like most kids did in our generation.  He and his brother lived in a single parent family. He has two lifelong friends from grammar school, Al Penta, I met last year in Monroe, WA, and we will meet two more today.

I’m always impressed by his diverse and  lasting friendships. As a full time RV-er, he has scads of RV friends about the country many from the WINS. WIN stands for Wandering Individuals Network. They share holidays, excursions, all types of gatherings. Many belong to more than one group, such as LOWs, Loners On Wheels, ESCAPEEs, self explanatory. It amazes me how many people love the RV lifestyle. Since it is a new lifestyle for me, I am often asked about it. We constantly meet people who claim that RV-ing  is what they want to do…but somehow, they never do it. So, if you are single, try one of the clubs listed above. If you are a couple, there are also travel clubs. Its a good way to get started.

One particular friend, Randy Vining, an intelligent fellow, poet, philosopher and road warrior, a guy with a sense of fun, always gives me food for thought. We have similar philosophies and I like keeping up with him on-line. I’m beginning to see that on-line friendships are not necessarily fleeting. (Of course, we do meet in the flesh now and again.)

If you’d like to meet Randy, his blog is: http://mobilecodgers.blogspot.com

Being a newbie, I can only relate that so far, its been an exciting adventure to live on the road, passing through places, hooking up with people and events, and charting the differences in the way each state runs its systems; I like tasting different regional specialties.  Right now we are parked in the Little Italy part of Revere and I’m looking forward to some great Italian Food.
Stay tuned.