Wintering at Clear Creek in 2013

 Going into the winter, we knew deep in our gut that it would be brutal.  We had planned (or hoped that it would happen) on being in Houston for the winter.  But, alas it was was not to be due to internal politics (that never happens...). 

 With much trepidation and faith that we would survive, Clear Creek RV Park became our semi-permanent abode until May 2014.

Right away, we knew it would different from any other winter we'd ever experienced.  The flooding that occurred in September (while the kids and I were in Indiana) only happened once in a century. 

Notwithstanding the very small space we now inhabited as an active family of five (~250 square feet), the outside temperatures fluctuated into the very cold rapidly.  We combated that by creating red-neck skirting using inch-thick styrofoam and white duct tape.  I regretted the ghetto look, but was grateful for the ten degree increase internally.  We first connected to an electric only spot and then were able to move to a full hook-up.  That meant removing and re taping the skirting.  Very tedious.

 Our spot backed right up to the creek.  It was a beautiful spot.   And not much foot traffic behind us due to the cold temperatures. 

We figured that we could handle November, December and probably January.  But getting through February would be our challenge.

The skirting and a heat lamp underneath helped keep the floor warm.  We properly winterized our water hose and kept two electric heaters running at all times. One in the front and one near our bedroom.  We maintained an ambient internal temperature of 65 degrees during the day and about 55 to 60 at night.  With layers of blankets and bundled up in warm pjs, our family did just fine. We frequented the rec center next door and tried to get the kids outside playing with the rv neighbor kids as often as possible.  We made several good friends!

Bill wearing his X Wing costume in the Golden parade!

The creek froze over by Thanksgiving and we settled into surviving (and hopefully thriving) through the winter.  We had the kids involved with Awanas and by December, Bill had started a pilot program creating training videos and other digital media related stuff for his work.  This was his big chance to create a position within the governmental department he worked for doing the stuff he was most passionate about.  We were very excited about this opportunity and about the places (hint, hint) that it could take us.

Little did we know about the extreme challenges that were ahead...

Bristol, Indiana

All the cousins together for the very first time...

Fall has arrived in glorious multi-hued colors.  The poison ivy sticks out like a red sore thumb.  As we wind through the back country roads in Bristol, Indiana, you can see thick clumps of it crawling up the side of oaks and maple.  The corn stocks behind my sister’s house have turned that rustic harvest decoration color.    All day, the kids run back and forth between the house, the fort and the trampoline.  Outside the dining room window, I can see the big blue tarp they threw across the top to act as a roof. 

This morning, I walked quietly down to the ponds and sat on the half rotted dock watching steam curl up from the swimming pond half covered in lily pads.  The sunlight filtered through the feathered Cyprus and maple, creating a mock halo around the algae infested fishing pond.  Then, out of the corner of my eye, I spot movement.  A mother whitetail deer and her two half grown fawns stepping daintily out of the brush, nibbling on leaves and grass; though she saw me and flicked her tail uncertainly. 

What is it that I admire about this place?  The peaceful serenity and the extreme privacy.  I think it is that and the lush, green trees that arch overhead, creating a cool oasis. 

Crazy cousins

My mom kept her fifth wheel parked here over the summer, flitting back and forth between business in California and visiting her grandkids in Indiana.  The lure of all her children and grandchildren in one place was too much to resist.  Thankfully, she is coming in the middle of October with Bill. She’s leaving the Mojave Desert and picking him up in Denver.  Then, they’ll come out together –he is catching a ride and she is gaining a driving partner. 

This time of rest is good for me.  A chance to breath and rejuvenate.

We are in Bristol, Indiana, visiting my sister on her ten-acre farm.  So peaceful and tranquil.  My kids love it and don’t want to leave.  My niece, Zoe, is three months younger than my son, Liam (almost 11), and my nephew, Judah, is a week younger than Kyla, 9.  My brother lives about a half hour away and occasionally brings his two young boys over to play.  Sometimes, my dad, who also lives about 30 minutes away, comes over after work.  It is nice to have most of my family close by during our visit.  

Birthday girl (13th birthday) with Papa Scott

Zoe driving the golf cart

Jessica driving golf cart

living in a small space while it snows

I nearly lost it several times trying to unpack while climbing over legs and laptops.  Jessica and Bill unpacked most of the boxes and settled them in cupboards.  I managed to shove all our boxes of books and miscellany in the front cab, but desperately raced to get stuff settled.

The first week of living in our new RV was excruciating.  We shoved everything in boxes and black plastic bags.  Though it took an hour to transfer everything from the old to the new RV, it took a few days to unpack. 


Eventually, we worked out a manageable system and sending most of our keepsakes to my mother-in-law's one-car garage gave us the breathing room so desperately needed.

I still have to breathe deeply and realize that as much as my husband adjusts to sharing his space with everyone (working on school projects with noisy children clamoring about and not taking over every flat surface with his gear), I have to adjust to sharing my one-person kitchen with him and not being anal-retentive about cleaning cluttered spaces.

We were used to almost 400 square feet of space in the old trailer during the winter and would often spend days holed up quite comfortably.  With thirty percent less space and spring arriving, cabin fever sets in much faster.  And keeping our family suitably settled and entertained consists of XBOX games, Ipad games, movies, and books and respecting what little privacy we have.  

Now, I'm off to dump for the first time, in our new location, and fill up on propane.  One downside to the Class C is that the propane tank is permanently attached.  Can't throw tanks in the back of the car and drive them down to a local propane place.  Have to pack up the whole kit-and-kaboodle...