Ms. Days Ease RV Life #201 Thursday, December 31, 2020

Good Morning COVID-19 Warriors!  Today is day #294 for me!  It is New Years Eve!  2020 is over in Australia and I was there to celebrate it with my friends of the Meditation Meeting in Australia.  Pretty cool!  So now I’m trying to reflect on 2020.  Even though it’s been a terrible year for so many around the world due to the pandemic, but it’s been an amazing year for me!  Think about it…….I’ve closed a house in a city I lived and worked in for 43 years.  I drove Daisy across the country 3 times!  I bought a new house without a mortgage and Daisy has a new slab to live on.  My JEEP, OTIS2, is in the shop again to diagnose the issue with the lack of communication between the computer and the tire pressure monitor.  I bought 4 new tires for him.  I’ve bought 4 new batteries this year to keep my life on the road safe.  The list could go on and on, but all in all, I am glad to see 2020 in the rearview mirror, and I’m looking forward to the possibilities in 2021′

SO: 

Let’s GO!  Love my life and love you all for following me on this journey!!!!

FULL MOON to start the year too:

I am cleaning out Daisy.  I’m considering selling her and getting a smaller camper that I can pull behind a TV.  I’ll need to get a new TV too, because OTIS2 can only pull about 3,500 pounds max.  That is pretty limiting, especially since I see how much STUFF I’ve accumulated in Daisy.  Here is just one aspect – the bathroom, closet and 2 overhead bins:

And this:

I’m pretty happy that I’ve got so much room in my house at this point.  I can keep things put away in the closet – still more room above and below.  And then I have room in the den too like I used like this:

Remember when I had BUSTER!  Oh yea, let’s not forget I tried to do a puppy in 2020 and learned it wasn’t for me.  I’ll take this anytime:

Metaxa is just SO EASY!

Oh but wait………..more STUFF:

I left all of that out last night in the carport.  I need to put it on the porch now – I need to remember that “critters” could get in those bags at night.  I’ll need to check them all today.  I doubt much was out last night – it’s still 29 degrees outside.  

Being a good DRUNK, I’ve been going on line constantly looking for Tow Vehicles (TV) and new campers.  I immediately wanted to sell DAISY so I have cash to negotiate with.  But cleaning out Daisy has made me realize I don’t need all the “junk” I have in her.  So this is a good exercise.  I will only put back the stuff I really need to travel – since I have a trip planned for March to California.  Plus I want to get a little more of my “money’s worth” on the very expensive tow package I bought for OTIS2.  So now I’m stepping back and doing more research.  I think I want an Airstream Bambi – 19 foot:

This shows how much it weighs dry and with cargo, so OTIS2 would never handle it.  Here is what it looks like and I’ll get a video of a tour inside it from YOUTUBE:

This is a 2009 and they want $44,900 for it.  That is way more than I want to pay, but we’ll see how it goes. 

FLOOR PLAN:

Plus if I get one, I’ll probably want a newer one.  They start at:  $54,500 so buying one that is 18 years old for 10 grand less is hard to take, but I’ve heard they really keep their value.  I’m in no rush, especially since I’m cleaning out Daisy and will have less stuff in her to deal with when I do market her.  Plus I’ve seen a Daisy that is one year older than mine on RV Trader for $20K more than I paid for Daisy.  I doubt that will be the selling price of it ultimately, but I’m thinking of putting her on the market for $10K more than I paid for her so we can “negotiate”.  There are a LOT of people looking for RV’s right now so I’ll just wait a little and see what happens.  Worst case – I’ll keep Daisy and OTIS2 for a few more years.  Anyway, here is a video on the Bambi 19:

So if I order one it will probably take months to build which would give me more time in Daisy.  I want to be sure I can go right into a new camper when Daisy finds a new home.  Don’t want to be “without” a camping alternative.  The trouble is, once Daisy is gone, I need to get a TV too.  So it’s complicated!  Another camper I’m considering is a CASITA.  All fiberglass and 1/2 the price of an Airstream.  It’s adorable too:

Let me get a video of this one:

I just discovered another TT like the CASITA.  It’s the OLIVER.  Probably a little more expensive but very similar to the CASITA.

Here is another more expensive Airstream, but beautiful!

I think this will be too expensive, but it is really nice.  I’m going to check out the OLIVER too.  More on that later.

I was contacted by a rep from OLIVER by text and email.  I’m impressed!  Anyway, it seems an OLIVER is close to an Airstream in price.  But we could always find a used one at some point.  I’ve decided I’m really not in a rush to sell Daisy.  By cleaning her out, it will give me a chance to do a deep clean so she’ll be ready to market.  I know she’ll sell quickly and I want to get to California and Cottonwood & Prescott before I sell her so April will probably be the time that I’ll be doing that.  But I’ll keep searching. 

If I got and OLIVER, I could have an Oliver & OTIS3!

Got OTIS2 back yesterday all fixed up.  Now this is why I love it out here.  The mechanic, Mike, discovered that the previous battery acid had eaten through some wires somehow and was causing the disconnect.  So he fixed that all up and didn’t ask for any money!  It took a few hours to do the work.  So he’s going to check with the Insurance people on MONDAY to see what they will do and then let me know.  Now THAT is customer service!

So another picture of Daisy’s Junk:

And this is what we did yesterday to prepare for the NYE celebration:

I’m looking at this truck for a TV.  I think I want one that is able to tow whatever I choose to tow.  I’d have to trade OTIS2 in, but it might be fun to have this.

I wonder if it would get old driving it?  But I could put Metaxa in a crate in the back seat.  Or in the front!  Anyway, it’s a dream.  Pretty good deal though.

So now that I have all my “stuff” out of Daisy, I’ve started a list of things I’ll need if I go camping.  I think my first trip will be to Kartchner pulling OTIS2 so if I forget anything I can easily come home.  That will be at the end of February since I’m planning a trip to CA in March.  Don’t want to forget anything, but of course if something is left, I can always buy it on the road!  

So Bill gave me an idea today…….buy an enclosed trailer to fit under the carport to hold my left over stuff before the “garage sale” in the future.  I can put all of the “stuff” from Daisy in there and then just take out the stuff I need for a trip until I sell her, buy a new TV and camper.  All very exciting stuff for 2021!  

Thanks for visiting!