My 40th Birthday

Happy 40th Birthday to me!

Well today I joined the 4-0 club, and I gotta say, it feels fantastic! 🙂

Ben and I went up to the “big smoke” and popped into the DMV. With the issues to the title – some din at the DMV with the previous owner had put the control number in place of the VIN on the title, so when we got insurance Progressive could not give us full coverage as we’d originally paid for. When we passed emissions, they had put in the correct VIN and told us to take a photo and show it to the inspector at the DMV as that should suffice to get things rectified on the title. So down to N. Scottsdale we went, only to be told that we have to bring the RV down so that the inspector can lift the hood and look at the same plaque with the VIN as we’d taken a photo of to “verify” it… This will be an inspection that will probably last 2 mins at best. Over an hour spent at the DMV being sent from one area to another – got our exercise in today for sure – and we still have to go back with the RV. Can you say “frustrating”?!

After that, we took advantage of being in the Big Smoke and hit up our favourite Asian grocery store and stocked up on some much needed veg, TVP, spices and condiments – most items that would never see the inside of a majority of my friends pantry’s. But having grown up in Hong Kong (and traveled extensively throughout SE Asia) my tastes are a bit “funky” to most Western palates. Ben’s used to it now after 10 years of being together, although in the early days…

My birthday dinner was a strange treat of Taco Bell which we picked up on the way home. We stopped in at Walmart and Ben picked us up some So Delicious chocolate almond dipped coconut ice cream popsicle’s which was a delicious treat after our veggie Cantina burrito’s.

The best part of the day though… driving back home here. We both realised how living here the past week has resonated with us deeply. We love living out here in “the sticks”, away from the bright lights, big city noises, and pollution. We find a deep sense of peace here. We feel connected here – to the land, the desert, the brush, the wildlife… it just feels… right.

I always considered myself a “city girl” growing up in Hong Kong, but deep down I think that I have held this secret that has finally revealed itself to me. I love living out bush. I even love that we don’t have all the conveniences that we always had – like running water, flushing (unplugged) toilets in home… even houses so solid that a gust of wind, or a cat or dog running through doesn’t move a thing. I’m looking forward to moving further up north and going even deeper into the wilds. Maybe not forever, but for a break. It’s in my blood – the traveling, the staying where we want and going when we want, and visiting the big city as opposed to being eaten up by it. 

I’ve never really been one to be locked into conformity, always standing outside the box. While most of my life I’ve stood just on the fringes, I’m at a stage in my life where I’m ready to cross the line and stray way out… Just be and finally be me.

I love this life. Even with the latest “discovery” that the kitchen sink has been leaking and the shelves underneath are warped, wet, and starting to mold, just another item to add to the list of  “fix ups” (can we win the lottery now just so we can fix this thing up and get moving already?! 😉 ), but I really do love it.

Last night, Ben observed that this place really does feel like “home”. And it does, it really does.

So while my 40th birthday was sans huge party bash, or a trip to some exotic locale, or even dinner out and a movie, at the end of the day, it was truly one of the best birthday’s ever. Not because we had any extra money to spend, and what we did have went into the gas tank and groceries for a while, but because we got to come home to our beautiful home… our RV in the desert. 🙂

Sights on My Morning Walks with Winston

While we’re in the middle of the Arizona desert, there really are some beautiful sights to see if you open your eyes and really open your mind to observation.

This morning, I saw two lizards scuttle out of the way as we were walking. These lil guys are so cute and when they take off running, they lift themselves up so that they look almost like they’re running on water over the rocks. It’s really very interesting. I wish they wouldn’t scuttle off so fast because I’d love to grab a photo.

Yesterday morning, I saw four bunnies around the site just sitting and watching us as we were walking along. It was just so peaceful and beautiful.

I am glad I took the camera with me this morning because I got some pretty good shots. Well… when Winston wasn’t yanking on me to go in this direction or that… Those photos snapped at those particular moments… Not-so-great. In fact, they were rather big blurs… Thanks Winston.

It was a really beautiful and peaceful Sunday over here. I still am amazed at how quiet it is, even with as many campers here, they all pretty much keep to themselves (other than the occasional “Hello”) and are very quiet. And I have to say, as a woman who wears hijab (head covering) in the Islamic fashion, I’ve not had anyone give me any side-way looks or open stares (as they are known to do in Walmart) and in fact everyone is incredibly friendly. I did get a bit of a look this morning after I deposited Winston back home and continued on with my walk, from a couple enjoying their swing at one of the little log cabins; but then I was wearing full abaya (dress) with hijab and all in black no-less. I don’t know if my white tennis shoes were the main point of stares as they protruded obstinately out from under my black dress, or was it the camera hanging around my neck, or my flashy pink walking stick…? Hmmmm

Being as I am also disabled and in constant pain, I’ve been really chuffed at myself that I’ve been able to take as long walks as I have been. It’s been the most enjoyable parts of my day to get out, with or without Winston, and just have a stroll around and look at nature and meet new people. Thus far, in the (almost) week we’ve been here, I’ve met a family from Norway, a couple from Germany, a couple from England, and two couples from The Netherlands.

Tomorrow is my 40th birthday. At the beginning of this year, I decided that I was not going to head towards my 40th birth year with disdain, upset, or freak-out as I had my 30th birthday. Instead, I decided to embrace the upcoming decade with complete and total enjoyment and to open myself up to the experiences and adventure that a new decade will bring me. At that time, I had no idea that a dream and an idea that I had to one day own, and live full-time, in an RV would be part of the Universe’s plans for my statement of “adventure”; but here it is, and oh boy is this an adventure and a half. As they say “be careful what you ask for”, but you know what? I am actually REALLY glad that I asked for this and I’m living it. Even with the crappy bed which I need to get a “topper” for to get any kind of comfort, and the leaky toilet (forcing us to use the one on site), and no running water inside (sending Ben out daily to fill water jugs to be able to wash hands and dishes), and with all the rocking, swinging and swaying that the wind gusts brings, oh and living like crabs (didn’t my husband say a few years ago that the next place we’d live in was going to be bigger so that we didn’t live like crabs…?); this is truly the best experience and I am really loving every minute of it. Sure, there’s still a fair bit to unpack and organize and find homes for, but we’ll get to that and we’ll have more space to move around then too. But all-in-all, this was the best birthday gift the Universe could have given me.

11 years ago, I was on death’s door. Tomorrow will mark, not only my 40th birthday, but also the 11 anniversary of a near-death experience and being in a coma on life support. But today, I feel so much more alive and happy and complete than I have in almost all my 40 years (except for when I met and married the love of my life, Ben). This truly is a blessing, even if most days I’m the only one thinking that. 😉

As I sit and write this, I look out the window and see the last rays of the very last day of the decade in my 30s fade over the mountain range, I inhale the delicious fragrance of the seitan pot roast I am making waft throughout the vardo, and I welcome home my beloved husband and Winston back from their evening walk – thought I’d take a night off tonight. Tomorrow, starts a whole new life adventure as I fully welcome my 40th birthday and my 40’s.

Here are some photos I took today around the site here…