It’s all fun and games now that we’re finally on the road,
1st stop, Vancouver, BC, to visit our son, Andrew, and our daughter-in-law, Ash. (Grouse Mtn. with Ash, Andrew in the 1 meter race with his team, John and I on the BC Ferry)
but a mere week ago…
John: Jesus Christ Shelley! With seven days left to prepare for our half a year trip, we are not selling the duplex. No.
Our travelling plan for Year Four of our Retirement
Shelley: Isn’t it interesting that every time I have an idea, your first reaction is to say, “No?”
John: “That” is not true.
Shelley: Sure is. What about when I asked you to marry me?
John: Oh my God! You’re timing is unbelievable.
Shelley: Thank you.
John: Not a compliment. No.
Shelley: Before you say, “No.” Hear me out.
John: No.
Shelley: You know how I’ve been studying the duplex account?
John: No.
Shelley: Of course you do. But what you might not know is that because of insurance, tax, management fees, replacing the dishwasher, updating two bathrooms and maintenance, we are in the red.
John: No!
Shelley: Yes! And that’s why it makes sense we should sell the duplex.
John: No.
Shelley: And the townhouse.
John: No. I love the townhouse.
Shelley: I do too but if you love something, let it go. If it comes back, it’s yours. If it doesn’t, it never was.
John: What?
Shelley: I’m trying to tell you that the townhouse is an inanimate object. You can’t really love an inanimate object, which means we should let it go, which means…
John:
No.
We.
Are.
Not.
Selling.
Our.
Houses.
Shelley: Before you make up your mind, let me finish. Once both are sold, we buy a house with an income suite in the basement. We’ll have additional income and when we travel, we have a tenant in the house.
Or we don’t.
Think how free it would be not to be tied down to a piece of real estate. What do you think?
John: I think that this is one of your most ridiculous ideas, ever. In fact, I think, no, I know that we are not going to sell our houses. Not going to happen. 100% not going to happen. No.
Thanks to our fabulous realtor, Becky Hagan for all of her hard work,
and Ms. Lori Nucks-Harmer from Treescapes Gardens, who squeezed us in to take care of Duplex’s gardening beds.
Shelley and John
Honey Did you See That? 
You guys kill me!!!!!!!🐝
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Don’t panic yet. Lots of competition out there. Still was kind of liberating to make the decision.
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OMG the trauma of real estate decisions! 🙂
It looks like everyone was having a great time just the same. Cheers!
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You’re right. But now that we’ve actually put them on the market, Tuesday they go on MLS, it’s actually quite exciting to hit the road and not know if we have a home when we arrive home in April. Oh boy, just read that. Am feeling a little nauseous! 🙂
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Love it!! We’ve had a few of these conversations…like every day!! I hate being tied down. Safe travels!
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Thanks. Ha! Yep, those conversations happen more often than not for us too. We are in Butte Montana tonight. Not really sure how to pronounce it. Tee hee:)
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Onward. Unencumbered (well at least potentially, soon) with inanimate structures. I’ve read accounts of several couples who have ‘detached’ from what they thought was inseperable. The are living an amazingly liberated, gypsy-like lifestyle. It’s easy for some and tough for (probably most) others.
In any case, you’re off! Looking forward to a new series of road trip updates. I see Utah on the map. You are gonna love that terrain.
And!!! I see ample opportunities to further practice your Spanish while navigating Baja. Aren’t you glad the hurricanes will have fizzled by the time you reach Cabo?! Este es un buen itinerario!
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Onward and upward. We’ll see what happens. Funny that my sons are very worried about this move. We are definitely half year gypsies. Not so sure about full time. We are so excited about Utah. Will get John to download you once we drop our friend off at the airport and head south. Mexico is going to be an adventure. Si?
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Tu hablas la lingua muy bien. Here’s to adventures!
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Gracias. But I don’t think so. Need to dig out that CD! Cheers back at you!
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“NOooooooooooooooooooo.”
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Ha! Ha! Yessssssssss. But let’s face it, listing is not the same as selling.
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You are so cruel to John. Fun though.
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John needs a little shaking up now and then. Right??
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My husband says ” NO” to every one of my brilliant ideas before I even finish explaining my idea. Negative men: Bah, humbug.
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Right? But in the end… 🙂 Actually very exciting times. Not sure what we will do if the townhouse sells. YIKES!!
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No! You won!!!!!
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Was there any doubt?? 🙂 I kid. I actually brought all this up in the spring but John said not with the kids coming to visit. Now it’s wait and see. So fun.
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Oh my. My sense is that eventually, you always win. 😀
Sounds like you have not decided for sure to replace the two with one house, or be full time RVers? Can’t wait to hear the outcome of that decision. Although we are still a couple years away from the option, we are still leaning toward keeping our home base. But then there is the issue of having someone look after the place while you are gone. We meet with our new financial advisor on the 29th. So soon we should know how long before freedom!
Oh and that area of Montana and Wyoming, if you don’t already have it on your list, be sure to check out the Chief Joseph highway in Wyoming, and the Beartooth Highway between Cody, WY and Red Lodge, MT. Depending on your timing, they could be closed in winter. Hopefully you can get there when they are open. Both of these roads were on our cancelled trip this year. 😦 Maybe next year, for us.
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Not always but I do win my fair share. We are honestly not ready to be full timers but the idea sounds intriguing. We have a young lad checking in on our home so our insurance is valid and as we have condo fees all of the outside is being taken care of. Freedom sounds very very close. Yay!
I have passed on your rec’s to John. He wants to know if those areas you recommend are with the RV or without. Thanks!!! You’ll get there.
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Shelley, sounds like you have the bases covered either way and “que sera, sera”. Right? And I will continue to watch your adventures with anticipation.
Those routes are scenic and might be worth a drive without the 5th wheel. Unless you want to see it next to your window again. 😀
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Apparently there’s a showing on one of our homes tomorrow. Excellent as it hasn’t been properly listed on the internet.
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That’s amazing! Good luck!
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Of course it happened. 🙂
You have a fantastic adventure planned for year 4! Not just the U.S. West and Mexico, but to England (to see John’s family, I think?) and Kuwait (to see your son, I think?) too? I look forward to joining you on the continuing adventures. 🙂
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I think it will be fantastic too. Thanks for joining us. You are right, England for John’s family and Kuwait for Matt. And tomorrow? Getting the rear bumper rewelded. Guess the bikes torque it?
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Yey, on the road again! I don’t know why but I had it in my head you guys were leaving in the summer (2015) months. That would explain the things I mentioned when you asked about stuff to do in the upper Cascades. Sorry! Best wishes to you guys for lots and lots of happy miles and memories! 🙂
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Back at you!! Yay!! We have just pulled into Butte, Montana. Hopefully tomorrow we are in Yellowstone after we fix the fifth wheel bumper. Our new Walmart friends pointed out that our bikes were jumping around. Here we go.
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Oh boy! Glad you found it before any damage was done! We have a nice little dent where ours were hitting against the back of the trailer. But it got worse for us… we actually had our bumper peel apart at the welds connecting it to the frame at the Salton Sea last year. Yikes! Thankfully we had an RVer behind us who flagged us down just about as soon as it happened so our bikes didn’t drag too far. Always something. Have fun in Yellowstone! We loved it. I;ll be looking forward to seeing your pics! 🙂 By the way, if you’re staying in the park at Fishing Bridge be prepared to be packed in pretty tight!
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It’s crazy as we actually had it welded at the beginning of last year and the welder’s comment was,”That sucker will never come off.” Thank God for those Rvers behind you. John has just looked up Fishing Bridge, the reviews are mostly negative. Aside from being crowded, did you like it? Was it a good price for what you get?
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Ah, the life of jet setting world travelers! You guys have it made.
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Quite seriously, we are incredibly lucky to be able to travel. And as long as we stick to our budget, we will continue to travel. Having said that, apparently our rear bumper on the fifth wheel was about to come off on the highway. Oh boy.
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Never a dull second in Shelley & John’s adventures! As my mother taught me (besides never leave home without lipstick on), they (meaning the male species) will always say NO at first, stay calm and soon you will see how in the end, you get your way. 🙂 Hasn’t always worked for me but it sounded good at the time! I am very envious of you – as I prepare to pay for two tuition bills tomorrow! No retirement in sight over at brick’s place! 🙂
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It’s true. I just keep on talking and eventually John gives in. Keeping calm is excellent advice. I do remind him that he did marry me in the end. Tuition bills? Done. Next up – helping with the wedding. That should be it, right??
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Good for you! I think you’re right that the way to travel is unfettered by bills and things from home if it can be avoided, and clearly your husband agreed… eventually! 😉
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Eventually. 🙂 Thanks for dropping by.
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