Homemaking

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Traveling Away From the RV

While this past weekend in Tofino was awesome, there were several instances that reminded me of just why I love to have my RV parked wherever I explore.

Having everything I own on hand

I hadn’t planned on going to the hot springs and wanted to bring minimal baggage since hostel lockers are small. I therefore didn’t have an appropriate day pack, towel, footwear, or attire for the excursion. I ‘made do’ with what I had on hand, but would have enjoyed myself even more had I had my water shoes.

I also didn’t have quite the right clothes with me. I had brought tee-shirts with a light corduroy blouse to wear over top and my rain slicker as a coat. I would have been more comfortable with a three-quarter sleeve length top and the rain slicker only.

Sleeping in my own bed

Sharing a dorm room is something people need to try at least once in their lives so as to truly appreciate the solitude of a private bedroom. The three of us who were there my first two nights (a fourth added herself the third night) had different schedules. One lady was always napping during the day, went to bed early, and got up late. She was always cranky with me for waking her up and on the last night she actually stormed out of the room at 12:30, woke up the manager, and accused me of throwing rocks at her while she slept! I found this out the next morning, having missed the excitement since I was sound asleep.  The other gal also had a strange sleep pattern, but is used to hosteling and was super easy to get along with (she might even stay with me when she makes it up to Dawson this summer!).

Not having to ‘drive home’

I was tired yesterday and had an almost four hour drive ahead of me to get back to Campbell River. I did so at a pretty fast clip since I just wanted to get back to my stuff (thankfully, I’d done everything I wanted to do on the way there!). It made sense, however, to leave the RV in Campbell River since I had to come back there instead of being able to meander somewhere else. Taking Miranda to Tofino and back (never mind the road) would have cost $320 ($200 in gas and $120 in pad rent) while taking the car cost $120 ($60 in gas and $60 in accommodation).

Leaving the cats alone

I left Tabitha and Neelix with two big bowls of water and a big bowl of food, yet everything was empty when I got in. Neelix didn’t pounce on me, so I knew the empty dishes were a very recent phenomenon, but I still felt guilty. Two full days is definitely the longest I would ever leave them alone and I always miss them terribly. They apparently miss me, too, evidenced by all the cuddling I get upon returning!

Being able to cook

I am so glad that a) the hostel had a kitchen and b) that the kitchen was inviting to cook in. Cooking with three or four people in the room sometimes involved doing a bit of a jig, but it was better than the alternative since eating out in Tofino for every meal was just not an option.

There is one major perk to getting away from the RV a couple of times a year: it makes you appreciate home all the more. 🙂

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Campbell River Grocery Stores

I haven’t done much grocery shopping since I got to Campbell River, but I have tried three of the five options I see open to me.

My first instinct was to go to my favourite western chain, Save-On-Foods, but it is definitely pricey compared to other options. Being on a super tight budget, I decided to explore other options.

I received some gift certificates for Discovery Foods in Willowpoint Village. It’s a small, full-service store. The prices are high and the selection isn’t very good. It is the only one that’s within walking distance, so I tend to go there on my days off to get a little some special for dinner so I have an excuse to get exercise.

A third option closed at the end of December, Super Valu. This name makes me shudder as it is the same store where I had to shop in Oliver. I never set foot in there figuring the prices would be just as over-inflated.

The fourth option is the Super Store. I only shop at the Super Store in Whitehorse because it’s the best option for that city, otherwise I avoid this chain. The stores are just too big and overwhelming and the selection is limited.

Today, I discovered a fifth option, Thrifty Foods. I expected this store to be a small, bargain-type supermarket like Buy-Low, but nope. It is a smaller, full-service grocery store with excellent prices and selection. I’ll be shopping there from now on! Today’s exciting buy was skinless, boneless chicken breasts. They had a ‘two-for-one’ sale, which really meant 50% off the regular per pound price. I had to convert from kilograms per dollar, but it looks like I paid about 4$ per pound, which is a bargain. I bought enough for at least six meals, for just 9$. I wasn’t the only person whose basket was piled high with chicken. 🙂

Walmart will be opening up a store in Campbell River this spring. I believe it will be a Supercentre with full grocery, so that will be another place to shop (and probably the reason why Super Valu closed).

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Dealing With Wet Clothes in an RV

It wasn’t until I had to deal with wet bathing suits that I finally came up with a place to hang up a wet or snowy coat in my RV. In Oliver, I found myself draping my wet things over the lounge chairs, which I realised a couple of months later was really stupid seeing as the solution was in my hardware box.

The solution is a ‘valet hook.’ It fits over the side of my shower and gives me a hook for hanging things as well as several spaces for hangers. I bought it so long ago I don’t remember how much I paid, but I’m sure it was no more than a couple of dollars.

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It’s great to be able to come home at night and have a place to put wet things or to hang things that I hand washed. The only caveat is that moisture seems to stay in the shower and things take a while to dry, so cracking open the door a tad is good idea if the radiant heaters aren’t on.

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Requiste Maudlin End of the Decade Post

Tonight, I’ve been having flashbacks to this night in 1999 and am boggled by how much life I’ve been able to squeeze into those years. I was a university student then, living in a ‘charming’ studio apartment in Ottawa. Little did I know that by that night a year later I would be living a completely different life in a town I didn’t even know about yet. I did that several times over the past decade; throwing away an old life for a new one in an attempt to find one that would fit and that I could stick with. I think I got it right, finally, in the big upheaval of 2008. 😀

I traveled more than 50,000km over the past decade, crisscrossing the North American continent several times. I moved six times, including the move into Miranda; held eleven jobs, including the positions I’ve taken since hitting the road; and lived in ten places for at least three months, four of them pre-RVing.

While the past decade had me passing many milestones and living through some notable historic events, the defining moment of the decade for me occurred at 11:05AM on February 5, 2007 in Greenfield Park, Quebec when my dad died. We were both prepared and had had long talks in his lucid moments about death and what I was going to do with the rest of my life. RVing wasn’t even on my radar at that point, but big changes were in the making and he gave me his blessing, and the means, to do whatever would make me happy. I dedicate this phase of my life to him.

I don’t do the party thing on New Year’s and I’m working at 10 tomorrow, so I’m having a quiet, reflective, evening at home. I just finished the most amazing dinner I have made in months; my crazy schedule has had me pretty much just snacking throughout the day. Brussels sprouts just happened to be on sale today, so I decided to recreate the ones my friend’s mom made on Christmas, which I shall henceforth call ‘Brussels Sprouts Navidad.’ Behold!

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I did them exactly the way she did, except that I substituted sunflower seeds for almonds. I thought they would be a lot of work, but they came together very easily and tasted divine. I can’t believe that I thought I liked Brussels sprouts before when I now know that they are supposed to taste like nirvana on a plate.

(my making the Brussels sprouts also goes to show that you can cook the exact same thing in an RV as in a stick house 😀 )

Happy New Year to all my readers!

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Still Making Pizza

I do cook other things besides pizza (really!), but I have to say it’s my new favourite thing to make now. From start to finish, I can whip up a tasty pizza in less time than it would take to call for take out, and a fraction of the cost. The extra counterspace makes suuuuch a difference in the prep!

The covered bowl holds a water/yeast/sugar mixture, the little bowl was about to hold those scrumptious onions, all the ingredients for the dough were out, and I STILL HAD SPACE LEFT!!!

The covered bowl holds a water/yeast/sugar mixture, the little bowl was about to hold those scrumptious onions, all the ingredients for the dough were out, and I STILL HAD SPACE LEFT!!!

Crust, tomato sauce, roasted red peppers, sautéd onions, garlic cheese 'cream' sauce, grated cheddar

Crust, tomato sauce, roasted red peppers, sautéd onions, garlic cheese ‘cream’ sauce, grated cheddar

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This time, I put a bit too much oil in the crust by accident, so I had to add extra flour to compensate. The result was more of a biscuit than a traditional pizza crust. It was awesome! I wouldn’t want it every time I have pizza, but for tonight it was a nice change. I also didn’t have any stretchy mozzarella, which is normally a pizza-must, but, again, tonight’s cheddary topping was perfect.

I’m all out of fireweed ale, so I had white wine with dinner. It was a great pairing.