Tag Archives: RV living

Autumn in Northern Arizona

We we planned our move to Arizona for the summer, the last thing I was expecting was to see beautiful leaves in the fall!  It’s a desert, right?

Wrong.

autumn in northern arizona

Depending upon the altitude, Northern Arizona is a mix of tall pines and hardwoods such as Aspens.  So with Fall in full bloom, we took advantage of a few days off and checked out the local foliage at the San Francisco Peaks.

A perfect way to say goodbye to this beautiful part of the country.

autumn in northern arizona

You see, we will be heading out of Williams this week and on to our next destination.  Time flies when you are having fun, right?

bear-warning

And there appears to be bears in the vicinity!  Who knew?

All this time we have been here, the only wildlife that we have come across besides those animals at Bearizona and the petting zoo was the occasional Abert Squirrel!

autumn in northern arizona

Luck was with us and we actually got photo bombed!

autumn-in-northern-arizona

But seriously.  It has been an amazing experience here.

williams-circle-pines-koa

Lot’s of things are happening at the Circle Pines KOA as we finish out the season.  They erected  a new huge sign for the entranceway.  Pretty impressive, isn’t it?

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We spent this past week telling all of our friends and coworkers goodbye.  Starting a season can be exciting, but finishing one out can be sad. We may run into some of our friends again along the road.  It is a small world after all.

But part of being a seasonal worker is making new friends along the way.

So what have we been doing these past few weeks besides checking out leaves and saying goodbye to our friends?

plumbing-problems

Well, there were plumbing issues.  Seems that we should have named our coach “Always Something”.  Fortunately, Dave and Ralph had it handled in no time.

canine-diabetes-cataract-surgery

And speaking of Ralph.  His diabetes has not been under control. About 3 months ago, he suddenly lost his vision.  The local vet recommended a specialist down in Phoenix.  We had to mull it over a bit as the cost was pretty high.

One of Ralph’s favorite past times is sitting in the window watching the squirrels.  When his eyesight deteriorated, not only was he running into things, but his demeanor changed.  He became depressed and not his normal self.

We were told that we had to get the diabetes in check before they could do anything about his eyes.  So, we spent the last few months keeping him on a strict prescription diet and having his glucose levels checked weekly.

canine-diabetes-cataract-surgery4

On October 5, we finally were able to get the surgery done.  Ralph had two new lenses put in his eyes.

Yep.  We bit the bullet and spent the money.  Ralph is one of the family after all.

canine-diabetes-cataract-surgery3

Recovery from the surgery takes about 6 weeks total.  And for many of those weeks, we had to keep him in the “cone of shame” full time.  This meant that I had to hand feed him.  And he had to learn how to get around with that huge cone on his head.

canine-diabetes-cataract-surgery6

A few weeks ago, we finally got to see his big brown eyes again.  I think he is really enjoying the fact that he can see his old nemesis  the Abert Squirrel.

He has a few more weeks of recovery, but he can already see better than I can.

sunset-in-williams-arizona

So that has been our last month in Williams.  Saying goodbye, fixing problems with the coach and helping Ralph recover from surgery. Oh, and I’m putting together a video of our season here.  I should have it ready this week.  So stay tuned.

We will be leaving the area this week and heading onto Laughlin, NV and Lake Havasu City for a short break before we go to our next job in Tucson, AZ.  I have to say that we will both miss the Williams area.

And who knows, maybe we will come back one day!  It totally could happen.

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Of hail storms, tumbleweeds and crazy looking squirrels…

We have been here in the high desert about three months now.  Time is certainly flying by!  We are half way through our season at the Circle Pines KOA in Williams, AZ already.

I want to talk about a few unusual things that we have discovered here in this beautiful place.  Things like extreme weather,  tumbleweeds and funky squirrels.

Oh my!

santa fe new mexico

Northern Arizona was really not what we were expecting.  Having never been to Arizona before, I figured we would be living in a desert.  And true to form, much of Arizona is just that.  But the towns of Williams and the Flagstaff area sit at about 7300 feet above sea level.

And that makes all the difference in the world!

williams arizona

At such high altitude, we often have folks showing up at the campground with altitude sickness.  It takes at least three days for your body to adjust.

You also have to think about things such as adding flour to your baking recipes and the fact that water boils much slower.

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But I’d have to say that the biggest thing to get used to was the quick and dramatic changes of weather that are so common here in the high desert.

Monsoon Season

sedona storm clouds

When visiting the town of Sedona a few weeks ago, we took a bunch of photos of the beautiful rock formations and the gathering clouds behind them.  It was in the 80’s that day.  Sunny and warm.

And then we went into a restaurant to have lunch.

sedona storm clouds

We came out to several inches of pea sized hail and temperatures in the 60’s!  Freak storm?  Hardly.

It seems that at this altitude, these types of storms are quite common.

sedona hail storm

Especially during the Monsoon season of mid July through August.  Most days are sunny and temperate.  Most afternoons are full of interesting surprises.

We are right in the clouds.  Thunderstorms can be very dangerous.  The weather here can kill those that do not properly respect it.

Click here for more!

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An insiders look at Campground Etiquette

As full time campers and work campers, we have come to the conclusion that for the most part, other campers are awesome!  We all have so much in common.  We love the outdoors, we enjoy cooking on the grill, we enjoy the stars at night.

But there is always one bad apple in the barrel.  Isn’t there?

rv life camping etiquette
Circle Pines KOA, Williams, AZ

The problem is that most campgrounds this time of year become very full.  A larger campground such as the one we worked in St. Petersburg, Florida has nearly 500 campsites.

Filled to capacity, you are looking at the very least, 1000 people crammed into one campground!  St. Petersburg KOA was full to capacity the entire winter season that we were there.

The closer people camp together, the grouchier they become.  It’s just a fact.

rv life camping etiquette
St Petersburg/Madeira Beach KOA, FL

That is why campgrounds have the need to post rules.  Usually you will receive a pamphlet of rules along with a map of the campground upon arrival.  Some of those rules may seem a tad restrictive, but I have to tell you that there is a reason for every one of them.

As campground workers, we are more than aware of some of the biggest pet peeves of those that camp around us.  Here is our list of the top 10 complaints that we receive at the campground and how to avoid being the bad apple.

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Top Ten Rules of Campground Etiquette

life at the campground
Bar Harbor Oceanside KOA, Maine

10. Quiet time is not just a suggestion

Many of the campgrounds that we have worked at post quiet time as 10:00 PM at night until 7:00 AM.  Why?  Well, some folks want to sleep at night.  Common courtesy is at play here.

Yes, we are all on vacation, but do respect your neighbors and keep the noise down after 10:00 PM.  Most campgrounds try to enforce quiet time as best as possible, but we cannot be at all places at all times.

Click here for the rest of the list!

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Our experience dealing with Canine Diabetes

We are finally back on the road, heading to our summer destination, Williams, AZ.  I wanted to talk a bit about some of the things that have been going on behind the scenes.  Traveling with animals is a joy, but keeping them healthy while doing so can sometimes be a challenge.

I firmly believe that if we hadn’t been traveling that I would not have noticed Ralph’s symptoms so quickly.

dogs at carrabelle florida beach

You see, one of the things about the RV lifestyle is that we are all well aware of each other’s daily routines.  Walking the dogs three times a day, along with extra potty breaks here and there had become routine after a year on the road.

We knew what was normal.

tips on dealing with canine diabetes

And then suddenly, Ralph couldn’t hold it any more.  He was dribbling everywhere.  He had to go every 2 hours, day or night.  We were alarmed at the change.

At the time, we were in St. Petersburg, FL, so we inquired about a good vet in the area and then took him for an exam.

tips on dealing with canine diabetes

He was diagnosed with bladder stones and Diabetes.  They preformed emergency surgery to remove the stones blocking his urethra and those in his bladder.

After recovery, they put him on insulin.  Two shots a day.  And I’m the chosen one to give them to him.  Me.  The person who has never given a shot before.

But I drew short straw because neither has Dave and he doesn’t do poop, yak, or apparently shots either.

tips on dealing with canine diabetes

The vet says it’s easy!  (As he pokes Ralph with a needle numerous times while Ralph just sits there looking like he’s thinking about his next milk bone).

So that evening, with our new supply of syringes and insulin, I made my first attempt at giving Ralph his shot.  Dave held him, I grabbed a fold of skin and injected him.

Ralph screamed.

I screamed.

Ralph very nearly bit Dave.

OMG.  I don’t think we can do this!  I turned into a blubbering idiot, while Ralph hid under the table.  I didn’t want my dog to be afraid of me.  But twice a day for the rest of his life, I was going to have to do this.

I called my oldest daughter, who just happens to draw blood for a living.  She talked me through how to hold the needle and give the shot quickly.

It would take some practice.  Lots of practice.

tips on dealing with canine diabetes

I’m a night owl, and can go back to sleep in a heartbeat, so I ended up with night shift duties.  Ralph still was dribbling, was drinking tons of water, and losing weight.

Consistently for 6 weeks, Ralph had to go out every two hours.  He was now down nearly 5 pounds.  His ribs were showing.  Despite increasing the insulin dosage about every week under the vet’s direction, Ralph’s health was deteriorating.

Click here to continue reading…

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Fun in Florida in the winter!

I’m currently juggling three websites, and this one seems to suffer a bit.  My goal (hopefully soon) is to post twice a week on here.  Currently, I’m really not doing well at that!

blogging on iphone

When we first hit the road, I thought I’d have tons of time to write.  I mean, I quit a full time job that included a hour and a half commute each way.  I should have tons of time, right?  But we are work camping right now to help supplement our income.  That requires at least 30 hours a week working for the campground for an hourly wage plus campsite.

My other websites, Suzy’s Sitcom and Daily Holiday Blog have taken off this year and I’m trying to keep up with them.  Hopefully very soon we will not need the supplemental income provided by work camping.  Not that I dislike working at the campgrounds, but I cannot somehow make more hours in my day!

rain at the koa

Dave and our friend Judy on a rainy KOA day…

In the meantime, life goes on at the campground!  We are currently in St. Petersburg, Florida for the winter, parked amongst the snowbirds from Canada and northern US.  We will be here two more months and then will be moving onto the Grand Canyon in Arizona for the summer.

My sister came to town this past week to spend a few days with us.  Here is a short video that I put together from her visit!

The winds were pretty strong and it felt like winter finally arrived in Florida.  But we had tons of fun in spite of the the windy weather.  We look forward to visiting with her again when she comes to Arizona!

Dave needs a haircut pretty badly.  After taking a photo of him with his locks blowing in the wind, I couldn’t help myself.  I had to make a romance novel cover out of it.

romance novel cover humor

And then post it on Facebook.

Because that is what I do.

By the way, Buffy Dickenson is my make-believe stripper name.  (Just put together the name of your first pet and the street you grew up on).

What is yours?  LOL!

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10 Must have gadgets for the serious RVer

This post contains affiliate links to Amazon.

Dave has always been a fan of gadgets.  He loves perusing the internet for handy-dandy tools and extras that would make our life even easier here in this big metal can we call our home.  Usually, I don’t understand the issue, but go along with it to keep him happy.

10 Must Have Gadgets for the serious RVer! Lots of great tips here!

One irritating thing about the hubby is he’s always right.  LOL!  Anyway, here is our top ten list of gadgets we simply can’t do without!

Continue reading 10 Must have gadgets for the serious RVer

Christmas in Florida

We have been settled in St. Petersburg, Florida for about a month now.  I am still behind on posting, but wanted to take some time to catch you up on our travels.  In the past month we have visited our favorite place, Tybee Island, GA, attended my daughter’s wedding in Atlanta, and even endured some RV problems.

st petersburg florida koa

But we finally made it to our winter destination, St. Petersburg/Madeira Beach KOA.  We will be here until March or April, when we begin to head west.

st petersburg florida koa

I have to tell you that I miss the snow.  As pretty as Florida is, I would prefer to be trekking through several feet of pure white snow.  But the RV and Dave both would like to have a warmer winter.

We arrived to 95 degree weather with nearly 100% humidity.  Looks like the RV and Dave both got their wish.

Our new spot is quite beautiful and the campground is like a little resort, so I really do not have a lot to complain about.  They tucked us in with the snowbirds who all seem very nice.   And we even have grass!

st petersburg florida koa

Ralph and Faith like it too.  They both have lots of things to keep their interest.  In fact, there are so many lizards running around here that it is hard to get Ralph to take a poop without getting distracted.

And Faith has an issue with herons (those tall legged white birds with the long necks), so there is always plenty of excitement when I take them outside.

st petersburg florida koa

We are working at the campground here.  I am in the office and Dave is working on the grounds.  And…we are getting the place spiffied up for Christmas!

Dave put up all the blow up decorations this week, and then spent quite a bit of time freaking Ralph out over this outhouse Santa.

Ralph is not a fan of Santas exiting an outhouse.  Just saying.

st petersburg florida christmas

The streets are decorated too!  What do you do when there are no fir trees around?

You improvise.

st petersburg florida christmas

We felt the need to decorate the coach too.  Since we had no nearby fir trees to decorate, Dave and I picked out a tiny tree at a local Christmas tree stand.

Charlie Brown would be proud.

st petersburg florida christmas

Our tree turned out great!  We ended up with just enough room in the living room for it.  The little table is actually my printer box covered in blankets.  (I’m the master of multi- purpose!)

st petersburg florida

Oh.  Did I mention there is a beach nearby?  It is 2.5 miles from the campground to Madeira Beach.  There will be plenty of beach photos in the next few months.

We have yet to located any great eating places to share with you, but I’m sure we will have a top 10 list before we leave the area.

st petersburg florida

Since ice cream is my second hobby, I do feel the need to mention this fun soft serve stand, Twistee Treat.  There are actually a few of them in the area, all shaped like giant ice cream cones.

st petersburg florida

And apparently, I have my new challenge for this leg of the trip.  Trying each and everyone of those awesome flavors!

Oh, and by the way.  That is a medium size cone there.  Can’t even imagine what the large one might look like.   I think I’m going to like Florida.

st petersburg florida

On the beach there are snowmen.  This will probably be as close as I get to snow this winter.  I’ll take what I can get.

st petersburg florida

And the sunsets here are beautiful too.  Christmas in Florida can be quite beautiful!

If you squint a bit, that white sand could be snow.  Right?

Stay tuned!
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14 Tips for Traveling with your Pets!

I get asked often how our dogs have taken to traveling.  Because we are full timers, we had to work up a routine for them that keeps them happy, entertained and healthy, while at the same time allowing us to do what we want to do.

For those that do not travel full time, traveling with your pet is becoming more and more common.  After all, if you are like us, you just may consider your pet one of the family.

dogs at carrabelle florida beach

This is the first time Ralph and Faith had ever seen a beach.  They were a bit confused at the time as to what this might be, but warmed up to it quickly when they both discovered that there were fish in the water.

Finding a pet friendly beach can be difficult and I have to say that we visited quite a few before we found one that we could bring the dogs to.  It is important to always follow the rules of the area so that you don’t ruin it for others.  Faith and Ralph loved the opportunity to see this beach in Carabelle, FL, and hopefully many other dogs will too!

Here are 14 traveling tips that we learned along the way:

  • Consider the trip from your pet’s point of view.  Will they actually enjoy the trip or will they be cooped up the whole time?   If you do not think you will have the opportunity to spend time with them, then maybe this particular trip might not be the best one for them.  Don’t take them just because you can.
  • Does your pet suffer from motion sickness, or get ill when routines are disrupted? This should be considered.  Are they just going to be miserable?  

14 tips for traveling with dogs

  • Does your pet have issues with other people or animals?  Socializing an animal can be as simple as taking them to the dog park now and then and getting them used to the fact that there are more people in their world than just you.  Our dogs were not socialized before our first trip, but we have been surprised at how quickly they have adjusted to a new world around them.  Just be sure to be aware when new people come up on you and allow your dog to get used to the idea of other folks wanting to pet them.  

14 tips for traveling with dogs

  • The health of your pet is a huge consideration especially when traveling.  Be sure that all vaccinations are up to date, and that you carry the shot records with you.  For airline travel, health certifications are required.   Be aware that  there are germs and parasites in other areas of the country that your pet may not encounter in your own yard.  Personally, I like to be sure they are both up to date on flea meds too. Certain areas of the country have larger numbers of ticks and mosquitoes which may be a threat to your dog’s health.
  • When traveling, a crate is a good place for your pet when riding in a car or RV.  It is actually safer for both of you.  It prevents your pet from becoming a projectile if you have to stop fast, reducing the chance of injury to both you and your pet.

14 tips for traveling with dogs

  •  Be sure that your pet has ID tags with your phone number on them and a sturdy leash and collar.  Consider a permanent form of identification such as a microchip.
  • Never leave your pet in a parked car, especially if it is warm out.  It takes no time at all for the inside of a car to heat up and become very dangerous to a small pet.  That said, keep in mind that a RV is basically a vehicle.  The same rules apply!
  • Going out in a boat?  Don’t forget flotation vests for your dog.  Sure he can swim, but there is the possibility of drowning even for the best of swimmers.

14 tips for traveling with dogs

  • Does your pet have a favorite blanket or toy?  Be sure to bring it along!  Sometimes just having something familiar nearby is enough to calm any fears.

14 tips for traveling with dogs

  • Take a lot of breaks while on the road.  We try to stop every few hours to walk our dogs.  Usually, we hit a rest stop and find the dog walk area.  It is good for everyone to get out and take a small walk and the dogs love to get the exercise.
  • Be sure to provide plenty of water during your trip, but limit the food while traveling.  You never know when a bout of car sickness might pop up, so hold off on feeding too much until you get where you are going.  If the animal is prone to nervous stomach, you may want to stick to bland food until they calm down a bit once you arrive.
  • Be a good pet owner.  Follow the rules of the area.  Do not take your dog where he is not allowed, and pick up after them.

14 tips for traveling with dogs

  • Dogs love healthy routines.  Once you are at your destination, provide regular walks, access to fresh water, and regular companionship.
  • Include activities in your trip that are pet friendly such as hiking or maybe an off-leash dog park.  Check the available local activities in areas that you will be visiting to ensure that they do allow pets.

Having your pet along on your trip will be very enjoyable as long as you prepare them for it, and allow them to enjoy the ride!  And if you never know, they just might show you something you might have missed along the way!

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A look inside our RV!

One of the questions we get asked the most is “What does it look like inside?” Well, I certainly could share some pristine photos of what it looked like before we moved in.  But what fun is that?  Here is an unedited, slightly messy tour of our inside!

We own a 2013 Itasca Meridian made by Winnebago.  It is 37 feet long and has three slides; one in the bedroom, one on the driver’s side living room, and a full slide on the passenger side.

statesville north carolina koa camping

For those guys out there that have the need to know, it has Cummins Diesel 6.7 ISB, 360 HP Engine on a Freightliner Custom Chassis.

For the girls: You are the dishwasher!  LOL!

So welcome aboard!  Be sure to wipe your feet. I’ve spent the last few days trying to get all that red Georgia mud out of my motorhome.  Now I’m in Virginia and I’m tracking black mud in.  I guess that is what I get for having a white interior!

interior rv traveling sitcom

This is a look from the driver’s seat back.   I haven’t done a ton of decorating yet, as we haven’t been in it too long, but I have included some pops of color.  Not that I really have any wall space for pictures.  The cool thing about a motorhome is that nearly every square inch is storage.

interior rv traveling sitcom

Faith is busy guarding her couch.  There is an envelope dog bed that I made them behind the driver’s seat, which Ralph tends to take over.

Faith and I share the little footstool that you see.  I’m too short to get in half my cabinets, and she is too old to get on the couch without help.  Both of us were getting tired of asking for assistance, so the stool came to be.

interior rv traveling sitcom

This is the passenger side.  Both couches fold out into beds.  You will find that most everything in a motorhome has dual purposes.  The drivers seat and passenger seat actually will turn around and become recliners as part of the living room.  (When we aren’t driving, of course)!

interior rv traveling sitcom

This is my little kitchen.  I have a gas stove, microwave/convection oven and a full size refrigerator.  Oh, and I have a husband who loves to cook outside on his charcoal grill.  It is the best of both worlds!

One thing I learned quickly was to pull my hair back when cooking.  I leaned over the stove to reach something in the microwave and singed my hair.  Dave wanted to know if I burnt dinner again.

Ha. Ha.

interior rv traveling sitcom

The kitchen includes everything I need with the exception of a dishwasher.  Well, since I am apparently the dishwasher, I take that back…

interior rv traveling sitcom

Across from the kitchen is our eating area.  This photo shows the table with the leaf in.  Not huge, but adequate.  We were told the table would be large enough to seat four.  They neglected to mention that they would be four incredibly small people.

If I need to do any crafting, I can do it here or work outside on the picnic table on a nice day.  As you can see, I also use area as my office.

Behind the table are tons of cabinets.  I use them as a pantry and also as storage for my craft supplies.

interior rv traveling sitcom

One thing that we insisted on when we were purchasing the RV was that we have a washer and dryer.  While they are small, they do a great job.  Dave is in charge of laundry, since I may or may not have colored an entire load of his white underwear and t-shirts pink.

Mistakes sometime come in the form of red undies.

Just saying.

Anyway, it worked out well for me.  I haven’t had to wash clothes since!

interior rv traveling sitcom

This is our little bathroom.  There is a shower to the left.  I have to tell you that the toilet takes a little getting used to.  The trap in the toilet opens directly to the tank below.

The trick is to not have the vent fan going when you open the trap.   Believe me, you don’t want to have the fan on when you open the trap.

Take my word for it.

One of my biggest worries was that my bathroom would smell like a port-a-potty.  It actually does not.  I was pleasantly surprised.  Well, unless you accidentally do the vent/trap thing above…

interior rv traveling sitcom

The bedroom has a queen sized bed.  The mirrors to the left are actually a nice sized closet.  And tons of tons of storage space!

interior rv traveling sitcom

When we are on the road, this is what the inside looks like when the sliders are in.  Big difference!

To travel, I have to put everything away that might slide around.  And be extremely careful when I open the fridge once we are at a campground.  Things shift around and I may or may not have had to clean up a dozen eggs off that white tile.

Live and learn.

staunton virginia koa

Anyway, I hope you have enjoyed your tour!  Be careful going down the steps on your way out.   And try to avoid that black Virginia mud.  It gets everywhere!

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Never say “FREE” on Facebook…

It has been a tough few weeks.  Part of becoming full timers of course involves getting rid of about 99% of your possessions.  It can be a very draining and emotional task.  You don’t really realize how attached you are to some things until you have to get rid of them.

There are all the things we have accumulated over the past 23 years of marriage.  All the things that we bought and used and loved.  What to do with photos and personal items?  What about all my artwork?  Dave’s tools?  His truck?  So many things!

never say free on Facebook estate sale

Our first step was to hire an Estate Sale company.  In came Kimy from Peachtree Estate Sales.  Kimy was upbeat and energetic and said she could sell about 90% of our property in a three day sale.

moving into our rv

So we went through the house with a fine toothed comb, pulling out everything that we wanted to take and loaded it on the RV.  Then we removed personal things such as photos and other momentos, which my sister was nice enough to store.

How much stuff could a person own?

Well you may be surprised.

We spent an entire two days hauling junk from under the house into the garage.  The garage became so full that you could hardly get around in it.

We then handed Kimy the keys to the house and closed our eyes and let go.  Over a period of three days, she and her crew successfully emptied our house of furniture and decor.

never say free on Facebook estate sale

Well, mostly.  When we returned, there was about 10% left.  Just as she said.   She had also warned that the house would look like a tornado went through it.  She wasn’t kidding.

never say free on Facebook estate sale

What to do with the rest?

So I had a bright idea.  I would advertise on Facebook.  I found a local flea market group and advertised that I had FREE stuff.

never say free on Facebook estate sale

The ad went something like this:  Recently we had an estate sale.  We have some things left over.  Home decor, ladders, Christmas decor, clothing, and a few pieces of furniture.  All items are free.  Will be at the house on Thursday from noon until 4:00 PM only.  First come first served.

And then it began.

Facebook person #1:  How much are the ladders?
Me: FREE
Facebook person #2: How much is the desk?
Me: FREE
Facebook person #3: I’m coming to get the ladders right now.
Me: NO! Will be there from noon until 4:00 pm only.
Facebook person #4: Call me at xxx-xxxx- I need those ladders!
Facebook person #5:  I’ll PM you.  I have no job.  I need that stuff!
Facebook person #6: I have first dibs on the ladders!
Facebook person #7: No you don’t, she said first come first serve!
Facebook person #8:  So who is going to stop the fights?
Me: I would assume I’m dealing with adults.  Any fighting and I’ll close the doors!
Facebook person #9: I’m coming just to film the fights!
Facebook person #10: I’ll be there at 11:30AM for the ladders.
Facebook person #11: I’ll be there at 11:00 AM to sell the ladders to Facebook person #10.

Things got very ugly on Facebook.  We were a bit worried at this point…

The next day, we arrived at the house about 10:00 to deal with the cleaning people.  Folks started showing up for the Facebook giveaway at 10:30.  By 11:00  the street was lined with cars.  Occasionally someone would venture up the driveway and try to start “shopping” and I’d have to go down there and move them back.

The crowd was getting ugly…in more ways than one…

At some point a large older woman showed up.  For the benefit of this story, I’m going to call her Bertha.  Bertha weighed about 500 pounds, with large bosoms that hung nearly to her knees.  She made her way up the driveway where I stopped her.  We still had about a half hour.

Bertha said, “So is everything free or are there some things for sale too?”

With that she patted her left boob, which jingled loudly while swinging back and forth.  “I brought some money just in case”.

Ummm….no.  Everything will be free.  Sigh…this was going to be interesting.

I placed Dave in the garage and then I signaled for everyone to go in.

Yes.  That.

Folks running, folks grabbing, folks tugging at things.  The majority of my leftover furniture was upstairs.  Believe it or not, Bertha managed to get there first.  And Bertha yelled,

“I saw it first, it’s all mine!”

never say free on facebook8

She ran from room to room, yelling at people, panting heavily and sweating profusely and looking like she was going to pass out at any moment.  At one point, she was ordering strangers to load furniture for her.  Her husband showed up and began hauling things out for her as she guarded each piece like a pit bull.

One step too close, and Bertha was gonna take you out…

never say free on Facebook estate sale

My house cleared out of everything within 45 minutes.  Flat.  Nothing left but dust.

As the last car drove off with the rest of our stuff, we sat down together and made one promise to each other.

Never again.

Oh, and never, ever utter the word “Free” on Facebook.

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