Not long before my mom died she said, ” You sure have a different lifestyle.” That was not a compliment. She never understood my wanderlust, and, when wandering became a full time way of life almost 3 years ago, she was aghast. She never said that outright, but she took swipes whenever she could. It was almost indecent in her mind to be a nomad. I have mentioned before that she even called me a hillbilly once! By the way, I get the last laugh. Scientists idendified a wanderlust gene, and they believe it is passed down through your mother!!!!

She was right about one thing. Living and traveling in an RV is different and it can change quickly depending on where I park. When I am on undeveloped national forest lands or other secluded places away from people it is cozy and quiet. However, when I am in an RV park, like I am now, personal space is minimal and I am aware of the others around me. It’s easy to see inside each other’s rigs and many times I forget to close the curtains when I start changing into PJs. Then there is the ritual of walking the dog shortly after waking up. Who wants to get dressed so early, before a full cup of coffee? I do have a small yard and, sometimes, I leash him up outside, but it is not a regular substitute for a morning potty walk. So, that means walking the dog in jammies or some sort of cover-up. A bathrobe seems too casual so I made a long poncho out of a fleece blanket which I wear on cold mornings. I try to remember to comb my hair too but can’t say it happens every time. The only consolation: other RVers are out there too, in various stages of being dressed. So, I laughed when I saw this on Facebook the other day:

Its true. RVers walking their dogs in the early hours usually wave and share a “good morning”. At the RV Ranch in New Mexico, where I stayed the last two winters, you could stop by and chat with others who were sitting outside with their coffee. It was extremely informal there and most people were single, so socializing with neighbors was an important part of every day. NM was camp for (mostly) old folks!

In general, people at the RV park in Sequim are friendly, but it is all couples. And, most couples (trust me on this one) do not warm up to solo females. Sure, they will say hello, but not much else. I met several of the couples at happy hours the last two Tuesdays. They were polite enough. However, on Sunday, we had a group Thanksgiving potluck in the clubhouse, and, when I moved over to a table to take a seat, one gal threw her purse on the seat before I could get there. I asked her if someone was sitting there and she just glared at me. I found my way to another table and had a great time, anyway.

It would seem that these women are jealous. I don’t understand why.  I would not want to spend any amount of time with any of their husbands; I won’t be trying to steal them anytime soon!  I wonder, also, if my nonconformist personality and appearance come into play. I was trying to make friends with another gal each time I saw her around but she was consistently cool towards me. She and her husband are from Minnesota and, at the happy hour last week we were all talking about Senator Amy Klobuchar. The wife started talking about how people in the Midwest like other people who are “in the middle.”  She kept looking at me and saying things like we don’t like people too far one way or the other. Okay, I get the message! I am a bit too eclectic for her.

The people in this RV park are not necessarily committed nomads. The MN couple, for example, has been living in their RV while they wait for a house to get built here. In the future, they plan to travel a few months each year. In New Mexico, everyone was or had been a fulltime nomad, so I had lots of like-minded single friends and a social life. However, I did not have the other things I want, like a great library and extensive outdoor activities, including water for kayaking!  In Sequim, I have everything I could possibly want, including fun adventures on the ferries and access to a great airport, but it will take some time to find friends. Which leads me to think about how I should go about finding them. There is a saying that is attributed to Einstein that I think about often right now:

In this case, why am I going to places with only couples and expecting to be accepted and/or to find other singles? The results are always the same, I don’t enjoy their conversations and they certainly seem uncomfortable with me. There is nothing wrong with who they are and nothing wrong with who I am. We simply don’t have any common ground. So the best thing is to stop intentionally socializing with them over and over! Seems simple enough. And, I am out and about doing other things, like kayaking, taking classes at the Y and attending Al-Anon meetings. Friends will come. In time.

….to be continued