Wandering Wahls

We’re Facebook fans of GO RVing (along with MOAA of course – become a fan of MOAA, and they’re on Twitter as well, with useful info). GO RVing sent this article link: “RV Camping Was Made for Kids.”

My first thought was: Where has the author been? Of course the RV is a great way to travel with kids! (MSNBC should have gotten a hold of us.)

My second thought reminded me that I forgot to mention our camping trip with the Paganellis in our last post. During our RV trip (before we settled), we met the Pags in Carlsbad, NM to camp and see the cave. They were in their tent and we in the RV. Around midnight, a beautiful day had turned into a blowing storm with winds knocking their tent almost parallel to the ground. We had them come into the RV, and we woke to snow – and a full house: 4 adults, 6 kids, and 1 German Shepherd: all in a 41-ft RV that barely slept 8. Now that’s RVing with kids!

(Compare this experience to when our families tent camped at a campground in France – there the excitement was when we were kicked out of a public pool for wearing swim trunks instead of Speedo type swimsuits.)

I do miss those RV days.

I discovered an interesting foreign perspective about U.S. consumers:

The air mattress we bought in Germany has separate warnings for Great Britain and the U.S. The U.S. warning mentions that the mattress is “Not for use in water” and “These warnings are to avoid serious injury.”

I understand soccer vs. baseball, scones vs. apple pie, and Indian vs. Mexican (cuisines the countries have taken over domestically) – but how is it that we Americans wouldn’t know that the warnings will help us avoid serious injury? And don’t the Brits take things into the water that don’t belong there?

Anyway, the mattress was taken out because we hosted the retirement party and final two weeks of stay for good friends, Lt Col Ben and Susan Paganelli. Our families met in Germany. They lived up the street from us; have three children of the same age and gender; and, also sent their kids to the local German school. And we enjoyed having a beer together in as many countries as we could fit into our holidays. Talk about commonalities.

It’s funny how providence (and the military) works. The Pags are sent to Germany, and then we are. They’re sent to Colorado Springs, and then we end up here. Now they’re off to Washington, and we’ll see if providence guides us to a new “used” Class C RV so we can go visit.

The parting was a repeat of a part of military life though. The military is a great life because it provides us with so many good friends. But along with the introductions come the departures and the sad goodbyes. But, without the goodbyes, we wouldn’t have the friends. And, with the Pags, we got to say goodbye twice. And, the parting included our hosting a great party. That worked out well.

Ah, life on the farm. We found a field mouse in one of our window wells. I was about to get Joe’s pellet rifle, or at least one of the dogs, but Mary Claire handed me a shovel and a bucket so that I could save the mouse and let him go in the scrub oak. That’s easy for her to suggest, she doesn’t have to carry the bucket with the mouse, wondering if the darned thing can scamper up and onto her. She also didn’t consider that this little guy might end up in our house come winter.

The mouse was a distraction from school registration: this process is another transition to life back in the US. Previously, our children have experienced a Japanese Montessori school, German public schools, and home/road schooling. So, when they enrolled in the school here last January, it was their first time in a US public school (though we selected a charter school).

Now, as we experience the beginning of the school year for the first time, we’re going through the whole back-to-school registration and buying sprees. We have the lists and we’re off to the BX, Kohl’s, Target, Wal-Mart, etc. for binders, pencils, uniform clothes, etc. This is not a very “green” process though, which is surprising considering how schools teach the kids about respecting the environment. I wish the school had a less extensive shopping list or process. In Germany, the school registration was much easier – and “greener:” Registration was done through the mail, the kids met the teacher on the first day, and for supplies we made one trip to the local bookstore, told the clerk our school and grade, and he returned with all books and supplies: One stop shopping at its best.

Things are good though. The kids are excited. The 8th grader is in Honors Science, the 6th grader is in 8th grade math, and the 3rd grader is in the same class as his buddies. And, the only whining we hear is that cross-country practice is too hard on the older two. I can live with that.

We’re getting used to summer life in the states. Joe went to a week-long Boy Scout Camp at 9,000 feet in the San Isabel Mountains; learning how to rock climb, track animals, accidentally cut someone with their own knife – all the things a boy should know. While he went to camp, Mary Claire drove with the other two children to Wilton, CA for a family reunion. Since my summer teaching doesn’t end until this week, that left me home alone with the puppies – and spending most of the time filling in holes along the fence line where they had dug out (luckily Joe hid his pellet rifle).

I picked Joe up over weekend and drove him to the airport so he could join everyone in California for the reunion and the Weird Al concert. I offered him PF Chang’s and James Bond movies on Netflix if he stayed, but Weird Al won out. A funny thing happened on the way from the Scout Camp to the airport though.

I was wearing my Assistant Scout Master uniform and we stopped at a rest stop – for stop and a rest. Well, I was walking to the car and a guy saluted me! I know medical marijuana has been approved in Colorado, but I didn’t know recipients were driving the highway. The Scouts don’t even salute me, or even listen to me for that matter.

The point of this entry though is that I gave Joe my cell phone for the trip, in case of flight delays and such. Additionally, MC had the GPS. It’s not that we use the cell phone often, or the GPS, but it was odd leaving the house and knowing I was out of communication with my family. Additionally, my ATM number is secretly scrambled in my phone, so I couldn’t get cash. Gosh, I just feel so eighties.

During several years of our assignments overseas, our kids often asked about getting a dog. We always answered: “when we get back to America.” We saw too many hassles of traveling and PCS’ing with dogs in tow. But when we did get back to America, our 41-foot RV just felt too tight to share with pets. (Although that did not stop our kids’ constant pleas.)

So when we finally settled in to our home on five acres with deer grazing occasionally and hawks soaring overhead, we saw it only fitting to have not one but two dogs to make up for lost time. Our newest members of the family have quickly adapted to the Wahl lifestyle—but have taken “Wandering Wahls” to a new level.

Why is it that 5 acres is not enough for them? They have managed to escape our fully fenced property at least a dozen times. They visit neighbors (even the ones we haven’t met yet), and follow us any time we dare to leave them alone. We have patched the gaps, placed boulders in the holes, tried chicken wire below the fence—but “Houdini” and his sidekick still manage to wander.

Our neighbors suggested cayenne pepper along the fence-line. I guess we’d better make a trip to Costco.

Other than the $1200 estimate from the Invisible Fence company, does anyone have any other suggestions?

Yes, you read that right.

We recently had a bit of experience with the local non-military medical system – you know, the one that is in disarray. This was new to us. Living in Germany, we had all medical appointments and such on base. Well, let me add that we did experience one medical appointment on the German economy – and it was a great experience. We were visiting Garmisch, Germany and my mother-in-law needed a doctor’s appointment. The British hostess of our B&B called the local doctor and we had an appointment within an hour, and only a two block walk.

We saw the doctor; didn’t have a wait; he did some tests; and, we walked away with the prescription: all for about 30 euros. The best thing though – the doctor’s name was Dr. Seuss (insert Green Eggs and Ham jokes here: would you like your shots in house, would you like them with a mouse…).

Back in Colorado, my father is visiting and we had to go the local ER due to an eye problem he had. The doc was nice but couldn’t see behind my dad’s retina, so he sent us to one of their specialists. In the military clinics, I’m used to walking down the hall to see the specialist. Here, I have to drive five miles to see the specialist.

At specialist #1, we fill out the same forms we did at the ER and the doc takes the same initial tests as at the ER. Finally, we get to the “behind the retina” exam – he can’t see anything, so we are referred to specialist #2. (Isn’t this the reason we were sent to specialist #1 – are these people in cahoots?)

After a six mile drive, we arrive to more of the same forms and the same tests. Finally though, specialist #2 gets behind the retina and prescribes a blood test, and suggests bed rest and a follow up appointment.

We drive five more miles to the blood test (forgive me Landstuhl Medical Center for complaining about long walks down your corridors) and we’re done.

While the docs were all nice, the experience made me thankful for our military medical system – even if just for the electronic records system that eliminates filling out redundant forms and allows the specialists to know what has been done previously.

Oh, and my dad is fine.

We adopted two puppies to roam our 5 acres and because we promised the kids. I also thought they would be good to chase the voles away. However, they’ve only succeeded in nabbing 2 Magpies and 1 ground squirrel. The vole holes are still popping up.

This is a new experience for us because we withheld from obtaining pets during MC’s career due to the moves and being stationed overseas. There were too many stories about the hassles of PCSing with pets. So, now that we have settled and found ample land, we adopted the puppies.

One thing I never expected was to feel like we had toddlers again – the similarities are amazing. For one, we’re talking baby talk – “Aach, aach” or “Did you go potty? Number 1? Number 2?” (As if they would answer – it was the same with our kids as well, and they never answered either.) Along these potty lines, our trip took me back to toddler days as I walked through the campground with the dogs with poop scoop bags in my back pocket, just like I used to carry diapers around.

And the training takes me back to when the kids were toddlers – positive reinforcement (“Good boy, Rocky!”); everybody has a different opinion on training; they want to play when I want to relax, etc. And sometimes, they want to talk, talk, talk (well, bark, bark, bark).

Even still, all is good – every home needs a good dog or two. The kids love the two pups, they’re training them well (the kids are even training the puppies sometimes), and we have an inexpensive burglar alarm.

We have friends in Colorado Springs who are getting ready to retire in a couple of months. It’s interesting watching from the outside as they go through the house cleaning, garage sales, landlord dealings, planning the retirement ceremony – as well as planning for the new location: schools, house, etc. In a few months, I’ll be interested to watch as they experience post-retirement.

Post-retirement, for us, has been frustratingly interesting.

For one thing, buying the house has brought “joyful” moments dealing with large organizations regarding our loan, particularly with the bank’s 800 numbers. Dialing a bank’s 800 number and waiting on hold reminded me that when I was in Germany, I used to wonder how much of my life was wasted at the Shoppette’s gas pumps waiting for the inside clerk to clear the pump so I could fill my car. I have now found a new and greater source of wasteful moments – phoning our bank regarding our loan.

We weren’t informed when we signed the loan documents that calling the 800 number would result in forty-five minutes of hold time, only to be transferred among three agents and end up back with the original. The only thing worse though is having the 800 number labyrinth bring one to the patronizingly sweet female computer voice responding with replies such as: “ookkaayyy, that was banking, right?” She does not help calm the frustration of an 800 number.

If I could only reach into the phone and shake her – or better yet, talk to the financial institution and ask who approved this? As with all big organizations though, I’ll bet the people who approve these procedures are high enough that they never have to use them.

Dropping off the RV was bittersweet for us – we were leaving our home of 18 months and a pretty significant period of our lives. Many memories passed by as we turned over the keys and drove past the RV for the last time – all the places, new and old friends, relatives, adventures, education and new discoveries of our country’s natural beauty came to us as we shared favorite stories of the trip. The folks at Steinbring Motors made it easier with their Midwest hospitality and friendliness over the 2 nights we stayed there prepping the RV for it’s handover – if you need an RV, go to Steinbring.

Directly after Garfield, MN we headed toward De Smet, SD to the Laura Ingalls’ homestead. My daughter has read all of the “Little House on the Prairie” books and she wanted to see Laura’s home from age 13 through marriage. Plus, having traveled the prairie in our Wahlstar RV, we felt a kinship with her and our own “Little RV on the Prairie” adventures.

Admittedly, the site wasn’t on my top 25 list, but pleasing my daughter was. In the end, this visit ranked up with other stops! The homestead wasn’t a homage to the books and Laura (though you can pick up at the gift shop any title you’re missing), but was a fantastic hands-on educational site about families homesteading in the prairies.

No glass-enclosed displays here – instead the family that runs, and now owns, the old Ingall’s homestead site have set the place up so that people can touch, climb, and experience the realities of everyday life of the late 1800s – from grinding corn, to making dolls and rope, to lessons in the one-room schoolhouse, to riding a pony and carriage.

We even stayed in an authentic shepherd’s covered wagon for the night (comfortable I might add). If you’re still thinking of where to stop this summer for a family trip, I strongly recommend this spot. From here, you could make it down to the Homestead National Park in Nebraska for another great spot about our country’s homesteading past.

Well, it’s back to the car and a cramped road trip home – we need to buy our new, used, smaller RV version soon.

Well, the time has come. The “Wahlstar” (our Newmar Allstar 4154 RV) is being put out to pasture in a sense. We’re driving it to Steinbring Motors in Garfield, MN so that they can try to sell it for us on a consignment basis.

This doesn’t mean that our RVing adventures have ended. Far from it: Two of the discoveries we made on our RV journey were that we truly enjoyed our countries state and national parks, and that we liked the RV life. “Roughing it in style” was how one RVer put it to us. So we want to buy a smaller version of an RV (a Class C for those who know) and explore the national and state parks within reach from Colorado – from Rocky Mountain National Park to Bandelier National Park to Grand Tetons National Park to Custer State Park. Seeing the parks in this fashion allows us to hike the trails, see our country’s unique natural beauty, and still sleep on a comfy mattress.

Speaking of Custer State Park, that is where I’m writing this entry. We’re here for 5 nights on our way to Minnesota. This is a wonderful park in SW South Dakota that you should consider seeing. It is where Lt. Col. George Custer surveyed before his little adventure at Little Big Horn up the road. This strikes me as interesting coincidental since Custer had his last stand in this area, and we’re having our last stand in the Wahlstar.

I hope our “last stand” has a better ending though.