Pandemic – Live Laugh RV

Struggling with Motivation

April 19, 2020April 27, 2020by Ingrid82 Comments

Another week, another day! It’s Saturday as I sit in front of my computer staring at a blank screen. I usually put out a blog post every Sunday morning, and at four o’clock Saturday afternoon, I still didn’t have anything ready to post. Oh, I have lots of ideas floating around in my head and even have some blog post drafts with paragraphs already started, but I can’t seem to find the motivation to complete any of them.

Why I’m not motivated

I don’t know about you, but I’m about over it … over this new normal, new reality, new whatever we want to call it. I’m tired of cooking. I want to go out to a restaurant (carry-outs don’t count). I want to be able to go shopping and not just for groceries. I need a new purse. I’d like to visit friends face to face and not just via computer or Facetime. I think we’re all ready for this pandemic to be over especially our heroes on the frontline who are surely exhausted.

Last week my spell check and Grammarly crapped out on my computer and I put out a blog post with a typo in the title. Yep, a typo in the title! 🤦‍♀️ Thank goodness for loyal readers/friends who aren’t afraid to DM me and point out my faux pas. Oh, how embarrassing. I reelly am edumicated.🥴

One way shopping aisle – who would’ve imagined?

This whole new world order has me oscillating from being an efficient, organized, productive human being to a total blob on the couch who can’t remember when she last showered. Thank goodness Al’s allergies are bad and he can’t smell a thing 😆. However, I am living in a desert (Phoenix, Arizona) where water is a precious commodity and should be conserved for the greater good of mankind. Therefore, I’m doing my part to conserve water. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it!

Skylight finally getting replaced. The white duct tape worked wonders on the cracked skylight. Me removing screws.

What I have accomplished

In reality, the past couple of weeks, I’ve cranked out a few projects. So my time hasn’t been totally wasted binging things on TV or the computer. Al and I tackled some RV repairs on the roof. We replaced a skylight and two vents. Those projects were long overdue, but hey, that duct tape worked great until we could get around to replacing the broken items. Next week, we’ll replace the final vent and get the RV closer to being ready for our summer journey to Wisconsin. That stay at home order better be lifted by June 1st or my RV and I may melt. This week temps in Phoenix will be in the 90’s (Fahrenheit) and by June they’ll be hitting the 100’s. But it’s a dry heat!

I also helped my sister-in-law paint two accent walls in her home. I can’t believe she’s never painted before, but after my excellent tutelage (LOL), she’s ready to tackle her next project; a bedroom. And since she and her husband just moved to Phoenix from Denver and were still waiting on the moving truck to arrive, I fixed them a couple of meals that they could just heat up … pulled pork and a lasagna.

Photo prompt – Mother Nature Earth

So, since my brain can’t seem to focus on writing, I thought I’d join a photo challenge. My friend, Terri, posts a “Sunday Still’s” photo prompt every weekend and this Sunday the theme is Mother Nature. Okay, I even read Terri’s prompt incorrectly. It should be Mother Earth and not Mother Nature. Yeah, my mind is total moosh lately. With that said, My first thoughts for the prompt were images of weather. As a full-time RVer and traveler, I’m well acquainted with Mother Nature’s diverse personality when it comes to weather, but lately, certain parts of the U.S. have experienced her wrath. Thus, I’ll turn my focus elsewhere.

Mother Nature can be defined as caring, nurturing, and life-giving and with that in mind, I’ve decided to share images of flowers which is perfect for the Mother Earth theme. After all, flowers need care, nurturing, and grow in the earth. Besides, they make me smile and we could all use a few extra smiles these days.

And be sure and check out my partner in crime, Teri over at Images by T. Dashfield. She takes amazing floral images and I’m counting on her to provide me with a tulip fix. Oh, how I adore tulips! Keep those photos coming, Teri aka Macro Queen 😀

How did your week go? (Grrr, my spell check still won’t work right. All I get is a red line indicating it’s wrong and no help to correct it. And trust me, I need all the help I can get.)

Every day you have a decision to make …Will you give up, give in, or give it your all?

(These are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your support❤ )

Refreshing Hand Sanitizer Gel
Day Planner – Self Care Journal, Includes Inspirational Quotes
Protective Face Masks

Blogging, Ingrid's Corner

Dealing with Fear & Anxiety

April 12, 2020April 21, 2020by Ingrid88 Comments

With the world turned upside down at the moment, many of us are conflicted with a range of emotions. I have friends who are dealing with anxiety and fear while others appear to feel slightly concerned or even indifferent to life’s new reality surrounding us.

We all deal with stresses differently and it doesn’t mean there’s a right way or a wrong way, it’s merely an individual process. I think we can all agree, regardless of how we’re dealing with this new world order created by a pandemic, life is anything but normal lately.

Stay Home, Stay Safe

The majority of people aren’t used to staying at home 24/7 with their partner, children, or by themselves. As social animals, being quarantined is not in our genetic makeup and when the days blend into weeks, many of us are getting a little cross-eyed.

Admittedly, my life isn’t vastly different, but it is different. It’s a little quieter in our RV and around the RV Park. Our days are also a little less hectic without places to visit and a list of things to do.

Although we are tackling a few RV maintenance projects which offer a sense of accomplishment, I actually feel calmer these days looking at a blank calendar, and with all this calm, Al and I have managed to start a new daily routine.

We’re finally exercising every morning … sometimes together and sometimes alone. We still continue to do some work every day on our computers. And we even started a new afternoon tradition … afternoon tea and crumpets.

Even though our tea is very English, I assure you, our crumpets are not, and may take on the look of a good old-fashioned American KitKat candy bar. Perfect crumpet for me! Yep, accepting our new reality hasn’t been all bad around our RV home.

So in short, Al and I are holding up rather well. We have a pantry full of food, a roof over our heads, and a beautiful spot to call ‘home’. Although I may not feel fearful for myself, I do have plenty of concerns and fear for others, but I try not to allow those emotions to rule my day.

cactus needles — Fear and anxiety can feel like a tangled mess of thorns.

Sitting in fear will make you more fearful. Taking small actionable steps can help you cope, overcome, and feel empowered. And when you feel empowered, you can tackle anything!

7 Actionable Tips to deal with fear and anxiety

Be creative. Now’s the time to tap into your creativity and tackle a project you’ve dreamed of doing. Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn how to paint, write a book, knit, or refinish furniture. Take an online class or watch YouTube videos on “how-to” … whatever it is that interests you, let the creative juices flow. Personally, I’ve been binging on photography tutorials.

Focus on health. Think about proper nourishment and avoid stress eating. Start an at-home exercise regimen. Now more than ever, we need to think about taking control of our health and dealing with any underlying health issues. Perhaps losing weight will assist in improving those issues. Experiment in the kitchen with new recipes and learn to meal prep.

Stay hydrated! Drink plenty of water, but when plain water gets boring, brew some tea or coffee. Play around with making your own latte or try replicating that tea you love at the local Chinese restaurant.

Did you know most Chinese restaurants serve a blended tea? Yep, it’s a combination of Oolong Tea and Jasmine Green Tea, and I’ve nailed it – yum! Now if only I could perfect that Orange Chicken entrée

Laugh. Laughter is the best medicine of all. Call a friend, watch a comedian, play with your dog or children, play with your partner and laugh. Laugh about life. Laugh about the craziness of it all. There are plenty of talented YouTubers putting their own humorous spin on this pandemic that can keep you laughing for hours.

Engage in a new activity. When was the last time you had a spare moment for a frivolous activity like doing a jigsaw puzzle? How about family night playing games? How about a virtual happy hour with friends? Now’s a great time to embrace a new form of fun.

Read. Read uplifting, inspirational stories, phrases and quotes. Be inspired to write your own story. Share your favorite story or your writings with others. We could all use a little uplifting inspiration these days.

Get into nature. Go for a stroll. If that’s not currently allowed in your area, then venture into the backyard or onto a deck and breath in some fresh air. Sit outside or near a window and listen to the birds, admire the spring flowers, and feel the breeze.

Slow your breath, calm your mind, and relax. Be okay with doing nothing. Embrace boredom. And when you have nothing left to do, go take a shower. I don’t know about you, but this whole pandemic has messed with my head. I have trouble keeping track of the days. One day blends into another kind of like that movie “Groundhog Day” or perhaps like a GIF … a repetitive reel. So remember to take a shower and change your clothes even if you are working from home.

Don’t allow fear to paralyze you. Take control of your life and have faith.

(Our version of tea and crumpets . This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your support )

Sweese Porcelain Teapot
Harney & Sons Loose Leaf Tea
Guylian Belgium Chocolates

Ingrid's Corner

Freedom and Independence Halted

April 5, 2020April 6, 2020by Ingrid92 Comments

A nomadic lifestyle may seem like a dream and for many, it is especially in the beginning, but there are some disadvantages to the nomadic life that become evident over time and more so now than ever before. Al and I have been living in our RV full-time for the past seven years, and we have a pretty good handle on the slew of emotions, good and bad, that come with living a nomadic life.

The life of an RV nomad is usually filled with a mixture of thoughts and emotions that will ebb and flow from day to day … excitement, dreamy, adventurous, rewarding … along with challenging, uncertainty, and fear. Let’s add in a worldwide pandemic and those challenges, uncertainties, and fear are taken to a whole new level.

a sidewalk meandering through a desert landscape. Social distancing. — No problem social distancing when I take my morning walks.

Shelter in Place – Stay at Home – Social Distance

Those are new phrases that many of us have never used or used on any sort of regular basis prior to March of 2020. These days, stay at home, shelter in place or social distancing are phrases we hear routinely on a daily basis. We’re living in a new reality that has brought to light a major disadvantage for those living a nomadic life.

We’ve seen our favorite nomad YouTuber’s stuck in foreign countries or scrambling to get back home … wherever they consider home. We’ve seen our fellow RV nomads posting on Facebook and RV forums asking for help in finding a spot to shelter in place. Across the United States, campgrounds and public lands are closing left and right and in the process canceling reservations that full-time RVers were counting on as a place to live. RVers are told to return home. The problem for a full-time RVer is they have no physical home to return to. Home is where we park it. So, where are these full-time nomads expected to shelter-in-place?

Fear and uncertainty

When local governments started ordering non-essential businesses to close, that included campgrounds – public and private. Apparently, no one took into consideration the million or so Americans that live in their RVs full-time.

With the help of several RV organizations, a few state governments were flooded with pleas, and fortunately, we’ve seen either a rule reversal or a little leniency regarding the essential need for private RV Parks to remain open.

The situation varies from state to state and here in Arizona, the rules aren’t as strict or cut and dry as in other states.

Sure the Grand Canyon is currently closed to all visitors, but private RV Parks throughout Arizona are open and left to make their own judgment call in regards to accepting new guests.

Also, most BLM (government-owned) land in Arizona is still available as a place for RVers to hunker down.

Considering Arizona is such an RV friendly state with a huge population of full-time RVers living here half the year, I believe our local government is well aware of these facts and realize cutting off RV access would not solve anything but rather cause a whole new problem.

In addition, many of these private RV Parks in Arizona and Florida have year-round residents. Some of these folks live in Park Models while others in an RV. Asking folks to leave an RV Resort would be tantamount to asking anyone in a traditional subdivision that they’d have to move out of their house.

So, since Al and I rent an annual lot, we weren’t in any jeopardy of not having a place to shelter or ‘stay at home‘, and we’ll stay home in Phoenix until we’re told it’s safe to travel again. But many of our RV friends aren’t as lucky and are scrambling to find a solution. No one wants to be the cause of spreading this virus any more than it already has and most full-time RVers aren’t traveling unless forced to by circumstances.

We’ve seen the good in people when complete strangers offer up shelter to those in need. Whether it’s a room in a house or a driveway or piece of land to park the RV, these stories are heartwarming. We’ve also seen the not so good from rude individuals posting nasty comments on social media (biz as usual for some, I guess). But overall, good seems to prevail during this time of crisis.

Freedom and Independence

Most of us choose the RV lifestyle to immerse ourselves in a sense of freedom and independence. We long to discover the country’s deepest secrets and hidden gems. We strive to capture the perfect landscape photo and/or Instagram selfie (guilty of both). After all, it’s the stuff dreams are made of … trading in the traditional nine-to-five routine for a freewheeling, wind in your hair kind of carefree lifestyle – a lifestyle of freedom.

Freedom: the absence of constraint in choice or action. The state of being free, independent, without restrictions.

For RVers, freedom usually means having the ability to go wherever whenever one chooses. We live independently on our terms. We’re adventurers, explorers, and out of the box thinkers.

But what happens when we’re told we can no longer move freely about? What does our life begin to look like? We’re not the kind of people to linger in one spot long enough for the grass to grow under our feet, but we’re living in uncertain times and unchartered waters and the wheels need to stop rolling. Some RVers have found a place to ride this unconventional storm out while others are still struggling and wondering where they can park for the foreseeable future. We’re all in this together and trying to find a new normal.

First weeks of ‘social distancing’ followed by a ‘stay at home’ order

What is normal during a pandemic? I spent the better part of March binge-watching stuff on my computer accompanied by feelings of denial, surreal, and WTF. Now in my defense, I’ll remind everyone that I was extremely ill during the month of February and it took most of March for me to regain my energy. Hey, when I get sick, I get sick, no mild stuff for this gal…. sigh! With that said, I still have an occasional cough that freaks people out every now and then. (always uses arm to cover mouth 😷)

Yep, it’s just an annoying cough. I’ve been to the doctor, had a CT scan, followed up with other medical stuff and I’m perfectly fine … finer than frog’s hair. Ever since I had Valley Fever a few years ago, I’m more susceptible to coughing than the typical person.

And now that I’ve flipped the calendar to April, I feel renewed, one might even say normal, whatever that is these days. Yeah, the world is still turned upside down, but my energy has returned and instead of being a blob on the couch, I’m once again a productive human being, well kind of. I’ve managed to stock up on way too many groceries, filling every nook and cranny in the RV. I have enough toilet paper, paper towels and kleenex to last us for the next six months. (I am sharing and not hoarding, just so y’all know)

I’ve been having fun in the kitchen playing around with new recipes and getting in some much-needed exercise so I don’t pack on the pounds with my tasty experiments. Life is slow and relaxing at the moment. Life has its stressful moments, but I have confidence that we’ll get through this.

I’m not sure how different life will look on the other side. I do have concerns, especially for the rising unemployment. Al and I know what’s it’s like to have bills, a mortgage, and a couple of small children and lose our income unexpectedly. That’s not a situation I’d wish on my worst enemy, and yet, millions of people around the globe are experiencing this unfortunate dilemma. Tourism in Arizona has been especially hit hard and many of our acquaintances are out of work … temporarily, I hope. My heart aches for these folks!

Arizona Biltmore Resort, Scottsdale, Arizona — Arizona Biltmore Resort, Scottsdale, AZ – temporarily closed

Every time I visit the grocery store, Walmart, or the RV dealer for parts (time to tend to those RV repairs), I thank the folks for working and make sure I stand as far away from them as possible. I keep those outings few and far between with hopes we can stop this virus from lingering or spreading any further.

Hitch itch and that desire to get those wheels rolling onto some new scenery are starting to settle in for many of us. I’m in dire need of a new landscape to photograph, but until we can hit the road, I’ll focus on cooking, taking advantage of this slow pace of life, and doing my part binge-watching something.