Hi everyone. Meet Fanny the Fun Finder ( a 14 ft travel trailer in which Bob and I will spend five months) and Hank the tank (the Ford -think Henry Ford or Hank Ford??? - that will be pulling Fanny). These vehicles are going to be our new best friends for a while. The issue is turning out to be how we get everything that we need into these two vehicles and have it be pretty accessible when we need it but still safe and secure.

Bob and I have been going along prettily happily thinking that we still have lots of time. But, as we began talking last night we realized that we have a lot to do and not a whole lot of time to do it. Bob has been focused on the food and the food preparation and I have been focused on the clothes that we will take. Bob has spent most of his life focused on food so this is turning out to be pretty easy for him. I have had some experience packing for two week vacations, but not a five month trip. This is nothing I have ever experienced. For example, at first I thought that I would need to pack two sets of clothes - one for cold weather and one for warmer weather. After all, we are leaving in February and returning in July. But then I realized that I need about two days worth of warm clothes and then we will be in southern California. Hopefully we won't need really warm clothes except for coats and sweatshirts at night after that. So, we don't really need "warm clothes." Okay, that part is now easier. Only one set of clothes for five months.

Then the next question was how often we will do laundry so how much underwear do we take. (It is amazing how much we have to think about in advance.) We have decided on laundry once a week, but will bring enough underwear for two weeks, just in case. Then, of course, we went through our drawers to make sure that we had enough underwear. Unbelievable, but both of us have more than enough. (I cannot believe how much clothes I have.) It will still be a challenge but I am thinking that jeans and a t-shirt will work in all weather - so several of those. And bathing suits and shorts and nicer clothes for when jeans won't work. And - how many pairs of shoes do I need? At last count I was thinking five or six pairs. I have to be able to reduce that. More thought about that later.

We will be using plastic drawers in Fanny and more in Hank in which to store clothes and stuff. Most of the clothes we will be wearing every day will be in Fanny - I think. Then we will be able to use some of the drawers in Hank for other stuff that we need to have accessible - like cameras and computers and books and audio books.

Last night Bob and I sat down and wrote a to-do list. So much stuff that it is scary. Bob says that he can complete it in a day or two, but I doubt it. For example, we need to figure out how to protect the scooters (We haven't named them. We have Honda Metropolitans. I have a red one and Bob has a blue one. Pictures of those will come later.) The scooters will be carried in the back of Hank. The scooters are pretty weather proof, but we thought that we should have some covers for the seats and the metal carriers in the back. We already tried the commercial covers that you can buy. That was a disaster. The covers were torn apart within a few miles on the freeway. I suggested that we use garbage bags and just use a new one when the old one tore. Bob says that it will not look so nice (who cares about how it looks?). Anyway, Bob wants to create something out of tarp with grommets. (Bob always wants to create something for whatever we are doing.) We have to get this done in time to try it out and see if it will work. Bob is also making a back rest for the scooter so that he can have some support for his back while we are riding. And, we need to figure out how to carry the solar panel so that it does not break and is protected as much as possible from theft. Bob is thinking about a tarp (see what I mean) covering some batting like a quilt. All of this has to be done and tested in the next week or so.

We have to get Fanny and Hank, and the bicycles (yes we are taking bicycles on the back of Fanny) serviced so that there are no surprises.

Then we have all of the things that we need to do in the house so that it can be left essentially unattended. I am getting tired thinking about this. But I know that we will be ready in time to go. Bob says that we will go even if we are not ready and he is right. When the time comes we will go and take care of whatever we forgot when it becomes an issue. I am being very trusting here. But - One Day at a time.