We got through the wedding without any known hiccup or embarrassment (I think). Our cousin, the bride, was beautiful, and we had a good time seeing all the friends and relatives at this joyous event. As anticipated, however, the outdoor ceremony was a trifle warm, with temperatures in the low 90s. Well, let's be clear: It was pretty danged HOT! Now I'm not about to question this venue choice in the summertime in Texas, but being in love and having sound judgment are almost always mutually exclusive, aren't they?
As we visited with friends and family, there were the inevitable questions about our fulltiming gig, and we enjoyed the full spectrum of reactions. Some professed great admiration and a desire to do the same thing, and others looked at us as if we had just shown up in tinfoil hats. And that's fine; they would never get it anyway.
Some who expressed the most interest in the lifestyle were likely to ask followup questions. One guy who already owned an RV but hadn't yet gone full time asked me to name the top ten RV accessories that I would consider essential for fulltime RVing. I had to think for a minute, but I finally came up with it. And these are they, in order of importance:
1. A residential refrigerator. Nothing else we have bought for Phannie makes it seem so much like a home.
2. The third air conditioner. In Texas, a 40' motorhome should not be without it.
3. Washer and dryer. Happy wife, happy life.
We debated whether to replace the Splendide washer/dryer combo with separate units, but Sandy made peace with it and decided the extra space was more important to her. So far, so good.
4. The Winegard Trav'ler automated satellite antenna. Push a single button and all of Direct TV is yours with zero hassle.
6. MCD shades. The old accordion things were a source of constant frustration.
7. The electric power cord reel. This has saved me so much aggravation, it probably needs to be higher on the list.
8. TST tire pressure monitor. Peace of mind when towing Mae. There's no telling how far she otherwise might be dragged with a flat tire. We tried two other brands before we found this one, which is a keeper.
9. Computer desk and easy chairs. Taking out one of the couches and replacing it with these things was smart--very smart.
10. The Breville electric oven. Pricey, but such an improvement over the factory-issued microwave/convection oven.
As I was writing this, I thought of number eleven: Our king-sized iComfort mattress. You should not scrimp on the place where you'll be spending much of your life sleeping. This model happens to be our favorite.
So, there it is--the top ten, er, eleven. In our mind, these things proved to be essential for our fulltime lifestyle, and we absolutely would not want to omit any one of them. This list would certainly be different for other fulltimers--perhaps significantly--but this is what works for us.
We are in the DFW area for three more days, then to Lake Conroe and the grandkids. Yay!
Thank you, Lord, for this wonderful life; please forgive me if don't appreciate it enough each day.
Love your list, would like to learn more about the bed. We added the ice making machine this last spring and love the ice from it, over the built-in. The wife takes the juicer along too. She never did make peace with the washer/dryer combo and promptly ordered it out of the RV after our first trip. She went the stackable and smiles with each load. We're going to be feeling the Texas heat within a short time, thank goodness our coach has the central air unit, I can't imagine dealing with a cranky wife in Texas heat. It's been tough surviving the hunt for real BBQ and Iced Tea as she clearly states is lacking in the northern half of the country.
ReplyDeleteHowdy again! Thanks for stopping by! The Serta iComfort mattress is a popular higher-end product that we like better than Tempurpedic because it's a bit less squishy and much cooler. We've also tried the Sleep Number bed, but we like this one better. It is, of course, a matter of personal choice. We have a few favorite BBQ joints in Texas, among them: Pecan Lodge in Dallas; Heim's and Angelo's in Fort Worth; Franklin's in Austin and Black's in Lockhart. There are many other good ones, of course. Welcome to Texas, and I hope things have cooled off by the time you get here!
DeleteDavid's BBQ in Arlington was a fav as was Spring Creek. My FTW fav place was the German Rest. We'll be camping out in the Willis/Conroe area when we make it down there. Hope we bring some cool air with at least for the nights!
DeleteWell, small world! We will be at Sunset Shores in Willis for a month beginning in a few days. Look us up if you get the chance!
DeleteMike,
ReplyDeleteWhere did you get the electric hose reel and did you install it yourself? I am thinking this would be a great birthday gift for my hubby who always comments at every set up and tear down how nice that would be!!
Hi, Deborah! I had the deal install the power cord reel before we took delivery of the coach. I think it is probably fairly easy to install, but I'm not very handy with that sort of thing. The model I have has been very reliable, and it is available at Amazon (It's $200 higher at Camping World.) Here is the URL at Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/jtlhv7f. If that doesn't work, search on "RV Power Cord Reel." Your hubby would hug your neck for this, believe me!
DeleteGood list:) The two that I would never travel without is the surge guard and the MCD shades. I have not plugged in without a surge guard in ten years and I have sure restrung my last RV shade !
ReplyDeleteAh, how smart. And an affirmation of some of my choices! Good for you!
DeleteWell for me, your #1 is my #1. I am so pleased with my residential refrigerator. It was one of the main reasons I was okay with trading in our Jayco Designer which I loved otherwise. The fridge was not big enough for all our stuff!
ReplyDeleteWe have looked at that Breville oven for about a year, and we really want it because we do not love our microwave convection oven. Unfortunately we just do not have the counter space to leave it out, and there's no where to put it. I'm making peace with the fact that we just can't keep it. We recently got a residential refrigerator, it's wonderful. I'm grateful that we did not develop food borne illnesses from incompletely frozen food in the Norcold.
ReplyDeleteWell, there are many compromises necessary in the RV life, but we are glad that isn't one we have to make. Thanks so much for visiting!
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