November 5, 2010
Because our trusty Ford with its 233,000 miles was beginning to suggest that it wanted to retire from the road, we were forced to look into our options of transportation. We knew we needed a motor home and maybe now was the right time to look for one. Bobby began shopping on-line and found a Winnebago diesel with less than 100,000 miles in Wabash, Indiana. He made an offer which was counter-offered and after Bobby spoke with the seller he told me he and a friend would drive up to Wabash on Friday to look at it before handing them a check. I was kind of excited about sending Landis and Hope with their daddy and having a quiet house with Grace and Faith and getting a lot done that day. However, the friend couldn't go after all and Bobby insisted that I go instead, saying that it was better that I go and look at it with him anyway. Oh, how I didn't want to go. Oh, how I had so much to do and if I were to drive all day to north central Indiana and back that it would put me so absolutely far behind on my painting and packing and preparing to be gone for most of the month. But I knew he was right and that I really needed to go.
We got going fairly early that morning and found the place with ease. The motor home was in rather rough shape on the inside and by taking a good look I decided the previous owners were parents of small children who were not made to mind. There was everything from crumbs to quarters to matchbox cars in corners and behind things, not to mention lots of stains. The carpet in the kitchen area had been cut out and replaced with linoleum so evidently the carpet had been pretty messed up in that area. Blinds were missing, the visors were missing, the queen bed in the back had stains all over the mattress, the door fronts in the kitchen were dirty and grimy and the kitchen drawers were off their tracks. I stood there in the middle of the thing looking around and imagining myself moving in and it disgusted me. Finally, after a meal down the street and thinking things through, it came down to decision-making time. When Bobby asked me what I thought I told him that I thought the deal was a good one considering the mechanics, the price, the diesel and the low mileage. But considering the interior I could not picture myself moving into someone else's dirt and grime. I knew that if we bought it that day Bobby would want to drive it home and load it up for the following day as we set out to North and South Carolina for a week. So I told Bobby that I would compromise with him. I liked the idea of buying it but waiting to use it until it was cleaned up and remodeled. He was a little disappointed about not getting to play with his new toy right away but he understood and agreed.
I will say there's one feature that I love about the motor home and that is the large bathroom. It's not an enclosed bathroom with a hallway passing outside of it. Instead, you have to pass through the bathroom in order to get to the back room. Maybe that's not the most convenient situation 100 percent of the time but when it comes to getting ready for church in a small bathroom, being able to shut off the entire back half of the motor home and have all that room is definitely a plus in my book.
Grace, Faith and I drove the van home and the motor home carried Bobby, Landis and Hope. Bobby and I started talking on the phone that evening of the ideas we had and he suggested that we just gut the back bedroom, taking the bed out and put 2 bunks on either side. The more I thought about that I realized what a great solution that would be for Grace when it came to getting out of her chair and stretching out in a place that was safe as long as we had a rail or gate across the opening of her bunk. It may also solve the problem we have with Grace in hotel rooms. She falls off the bed easily unless she's watched closely, she kicks the wall, and sometimes she screams out of dissatisfaction, unhappiness or anger. If we could put her in HER very own bunk, equipped with speakers to pipe in some soothing music and maybe some colorful tracking lights for her enjoyment, the whole world would be a better place each and every night we're on the road.
The girls and I made it home a little after 11:00 with the motor home easing its way into the driveway a few minutes later while I was getting the girls ready for bed. A long day, a late night, painting and packing not finished, and a very tired woman trying not to get discouraged. I went to sleep quickly counting my blessings.
