Camping/Surf Trip in No Rain the Bus (Day 1)

 We took off on a camping/surfing trip for the weekend and day one was hiking, relaxing, and trying hard to look for the annular solar eclipse through the clouds. We weren't the only ones that was camping this weekend because of the solar eclipse, though. We stayed at South Beach State Park and had a great location close to the restrooms and the showers. We don't have a shower setup yet on the bus, so our location was perfect for all of us to take a shower whenever we needed to. Unfortunately, we didn't see what we all were hoping for, because the clouds just wouldn't cooperate. Despite the clouds being lame, we had a great first day camping. We got all set up, did some hiking around the beach, cooked some dinner, and watched a few movies. It was nice just to kick back and relax and not worry about much.

Filling up is always fun to watch. Not so fun to watch the amount go up, though. ☺

When the eclipse happened it got darker, but unfortunately that was all we were going to get to see. It lasted about two minutes and it was bright again. Similar to a total solar eclipse, except an annular the moon doesn't completely cover the sun. It is still a cool thing to see in person. Once it was light again, we took a hike to explore our campground.

We love South Beach, because the beach access is along a pathway through the sea grass. It's like walking through a movie set, or a romantic novel. 

Eleven is starting to get used to being on the bus when we are stopped, but she still isn't sure about it when we start it up. Hopefully, as we take her on more trips she will get used to the sounds and enjoy it more. Our kitchen setup is coming along slowly. This isn't the final setup, but for right now it works and meets our needs.

Dog Hitching Post.♥

We love our setup. Even without solar panels we make it work. You can see what we are doing with our bus by checking out our page here on the blog, Instagram, Twitter, or Threads. 

Five Simple Things (October 13)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This thread.

I found this vintage string holder at a local antique dealer and I absolutely love it. It's practical and made of cast iron. I hung it from the underside of a shelf in our mud room. I've already used some of the twine and it was as easy as pulling the string from the bottom. I love it! Here's one similar if you're seeking something similar.

2. This bones.

With Skylar loving dinosaurs, I found these cool dinosaur bone puzzles. They are a complete set of six different dinosaur skeletons. Each dinosaur comes with its own stand once the puzzle is put together. We love putting them together and learning about each dinosaur. 

3. This flowers.

With summer coming to a close and autumn here, I have a hard time saying goodbye to my sunflowers. This year we grew some Mammoth Sunflowers and seeing them fade always makes me sad. Their heads droop and it always means it's a close to the summer season. I like to cut them and bring them inside to finish out their growing. Once they are dead I stick them in our foraging wreath that I have been collecting for years.

4. This ladybug.

Skylar and I spent sometime on the bus this week doing some odds and ends, and finishing up some small tasks. While we were there a ladybug flew in through one of the windows and landing on one of the bunks. Every time we tried to set it free it flew back in. We finally got it to fly out of one of the back windows, but it was such a friendly ladybug that we were sad to see it go. Hopefully, it will make it bad to where it came from safely. 

5. This paper.

We recently switched to Reel Toilet Paper. We made the switch for two reasons. One, the paper is made from sustainable bamboo, and two, it comes wrapped in a paper wrapper instead of plastic. We have been slowly breaking our dependency on plastic anything, and although it's hard to break it completely, every little bit counts.

One last thing:

Our neighbors made us some deep-friend Oreos this week. Although we eat an all organic diet, I thought the gesture was so nice. Our neighbors aren't the typical neighbors and a lot of times we butt heads with them, but them even considering us was kind.

Positive affirmations this week:

Hey, whatever helps make you feel better is what's needed. This statement may not apply to everyone, but it definitely applies to some of us. Love, sunshine, dancing, sex, kindness, self love, and self respect are important for a health mindset and health life. Be sure to gather us all of the things that make you happy this week. You deserve it,

You can do this!🌈

Have a nice weekend.

Five Simple Things (October 6)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This birthday.

We celebrated Skylar's twentieth birthday on September 30. I still can't believe he isn't a teenager anymore. He has grown into such a wonderful person. I am so proud of him.♥

2. This lunch.

We finally gave In N Out another try. We had tried it several years ago when one was built in Medford, Oregon, and we were not fans. It was bland, dry, and if I'm being completely honest, garbage fast food. This time we were pleasantly surprised. Either something changed, or that Medford location failed us. We enjoyed what they had to offer this time. Even though we are not fast food eaters by any means, we will definitely give them another visit when we are in Salem.

3. These boxes.

This week I received this month's Kiwi Eco Box and Kinder Beauty. My favorite product from the Kiwi Eco Box is the charcoal dental floss. Not many people enjoy flossing their teeth and I hated it when I was growing up, but as I've gotten older I have learned to embrace it. Now I find it relaxing and one thing I am doing to stay health. My favorite items in the Kinder Beauty box is the lemon hand lotion. It smells amazing.

4. These maps.

Covering more distance and getting better.

5. This day.

 

Skylar and I rode the public transit this week trying to determine a good route for us if we need to use it. We want to try and do better with our environmental footprint. While riding the city transit we had a little fun with the lights, as there weren't that many passengers on the buses we rode. We ended up riding the city transits to the mall and had lunch and rode back to the college and Jeff picked us up. It was a full day of figuring out routes we could take, but it was also a lot of fun spending the day with Skylar.

One last thing:

I've been looking into doing short stories lately and this one was one I made to use with our podcast season two, but ended up going with a different one. I like the black and white feel, but it wasn't "horror" enough, so it got kicked out. I still like it, but not quite what we are looking for with our horror and true crime podcast.

Positive affirmations this week:

Good habits and a set routine are a plus when it comes to dealing with mental health issues. This checklist is a good way to start building some habits for yourself. See how many you already do and how many you can add to your routine that will help you stay focused and on task. 

You can do this!🌈

Have a nice weekend.