FOR SALE

here's the craigslist ad:

http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/for/2950481208.html

For those of you who said you were interested in buying it, speak up because she's now on Craigslist!

The Great Indoors

Did Jason leave the propane on and gas himself into comfy forever-nap?

Nope - just been super busy and fighting a stoooopid cold. Even had to take the pup to the vet and have her nasty cough taken care. She was sounding like toy trumpet from a Saturday morning cartoon. 

Speaking of Saturday morning, it is indeed that. (nice segue right?) So my first location at the Scott residence was around back in nice wooded backyard. That was cool and all, but was a bit muddy and well, appeared creepy to the neighbors I'm sure. Now I'm in front of the house on solid ground. The newly made curtains are open, I'm writing, enjoying some good coffee and passerby's are wondering what the hell is going on in here. "Haven't you people ever seen a grown man sitting naked in front of a computer before?" Geeze.

Friday the 13th - JScott's long exposure photo skills,
I stitched seven together to make this one.

Ok seriously, the UCE has been interesting so far. At first it was really fun. Camping! Yes! Boy have I missed being outdoors. Then it became a little difficult to deal with the not having a real home-feeling place to just relax in. Think about your routine, if you have one, of just coming home, taking off your coat, throwing it on the couch, walking over to the fridge and grabbing a beverage and just sitting for a moment to unwind. Or just curling up to read a book. It's not like that in a camper, you have a constant sense of being on the go. It's hard to describe. Kind of like being on the road - it's nice to finally get off the interstate and be at your destination, which is usually a structure not sitting on two wheels and has a hot shower. I feel like I've been on the interstate for a month trying to make my way home. Hold on, I must put on some Johnny Cash now. So needless to say, the original idea of hitching up and visiting different parts of suburbia has faded. It still sounds good and I will again for sure, but for now staying put and having somewhat of a routine is much needed. 

To shake things up a bit, my realtor shot me a listing to peruse. So I did and there was a house I just couldn't ignore. Long story short, I made an offer on it. Knowing that there were several being presented I even offered more than asking. I didn't get it. But what kind of sucks is that the ball is now rolling and picking up speed. Several houses were looked at, a couple sleepless nights and a bunch of disappointments. This shit is driving me crazy! Being that exiting the interstate sounds really good right about now is probably a bad state of mind to be in while looking at houses. Huh? The house is next to the freeway? It needs major repair and you'll never be able to sell later down the road? Sounds great! I'll take it. (sarcasm) I must chill and stick to my plan. That's it for now. Time to go.

Last night playing dominos with JScott and his lady Maran.

New curtains finished and installed.

Stop and listen

A good friend once shared with me a little secret - it’s a good one too. Just stop and listen, no matter where you are at or what’s going on – just take a couple minutes, close your eyes and notice all the different sounds going on around you. Don’t focus on any one in particular, just listen to them as they enter and exit you mind. It’s quite calming and interesting. You really get a sense of what’s really going on. I’ve practiced this quite often since. In fact, I practiced it this morning around 3:30 a.m.

Erwert Residence 

Even though the sleeping arrangement is always the same with the UCE, the campsite isn’t. I’m set up in the driveway of my friends' Scott and Anna’s house in Woodstock. The camper barely fits - a couple inches away from their house, litterally. It always takes a little while to adjust, level the camper out, get used to where things are in your new surrounding and then level the camper out again. Anyway, it was my first night here and around 3:30 this morning, I woke up with that feeling of “where the hell am I?” Then I remembered... ok, go back to sleep. No such luck. So I began to just listen to the sounds. The first sound I noticed was Billie breathing fast – the way she always does when she’s sound asleep. Then there was the clock on the wall, a pine cone dropping on something metalic, a truck way off in the distance, the sound a sleeping bag makes when you shift…etc. It didn’t take long before I was about to drift back into sleep. Then it happened, the sound that reminded me of one thing, my roots. (I grew up in SE not too far from here) About a block away, I heard a car rev it’s engine to it’s redline and just dump the clutch, sitting there for what seemed like an hour burning it’s tires. Soooo high school. I imagined some kid in his beat up Honda Civic torturing the already tired four-cylinder engine just to piss off his girlfriend who told him to go home because he drank too much and was being an a-hole. After he was done with the show, he took off down the road slowly just to return from the other direction. Was he coming back to crisscross his charred tire marks in the street as to mark an “X”? He slowed to a stop and just sat there idling.  Great, round two. But no, he must have calmed down because he slowly drove away, sound drifting off in the distance. 

Welcome to Southeast.

I drifted back to sleep.  

This was left on my shave kit... living with Scott isn't easy

Heading To Woodstock

Hitched up and heading to Scott and Anna's house in the Woodstock neighborhood today. The first official visit! No working on the camper just having fun.... more to come.

Brought my house to work today

Beaverton

Happy new year! 

Well It's been a busy weekend. I have to say it's very strange camping in a shop/warehouse in Beaverton. The cool thing is that it's warm, dry and every imaginable tool within inches of my door. I've been getting a lot done and honestly, I'm ready to NOT WORK ON THE CAMPER anymore. it's ready, I'm ready and Billie is ready to take this thing elsewhere. The roof is sealed up with Vulkem and some kind of Henry white tar-like junk. I also pulled the junky awning off, painted the belly band bright orange, finished the oak cupboard thing and found some cool chrome "baby moon" hub caps. Oh and I fixed the latch on the door so it doesn't freak Billie out which in turn freaks me out because she thinks somebody is trying to break in and then I start to wonder the same. 

Ok, so I'm tired as hell. I'm going to fire up some Netflix and pass out. 

I'll have a new location tomorrow.

It was raining like hell when I moved

"sketchy" looking new location shhhh top secret

now THIS is camping!

Home Improvements #1.3

Ok so the new cabinetry is installed, fit and finished. Next up is staining and finding some shorter bolts at Winks Hardware for the pulls. It looks and works like a champ! So excited. I think it's a smart upgrade. If the new buyer disagrees, take out the 3 total screws holding it in and put the bunk back in.... see if i care. It all went together smoothly - that never happens. I also didn't realize I finished damn near an entire bottle of wine. That was unplanned, it just happened. I guess I was in the "zone." I may have texted while in the "zone" so I'll apologize now and make it up to you later. You know who you are... Well better get to bed, I have to hitch up drag this thing to Beaverton in the a.m.. 

Stay classy San Diego. 

Why did I just type that? 

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P.S. Things will get more interesting like actually having guests & stories. 

Just hold tight, need to get this stupid shit buttoned up first. 

stay classy

Hitching up and moving to ... **cough**... Beaverton.

Yeah that's right, B E A V E R T O N. I'm heading over to Matt Souther's shop to get out of this rain and seal up some minor leaks and perhaps have a "blooming onion" over at Applebee's. I also hear the hotel lounge at the Pepper Tree is the place to be... can't wait! Anyway, she's almost road-worthy enough for the whistle stop portion of this experiment. I'll be hitting y'all up for some driveway / street space soon! 

Leak #4