Gypsy Livin' : Awning Schmawning

As our first week of being full time trailer park transients draws to a close, we are pretty excited about this new lifesyle we are embarking on. Aside from a few problems, we have been sleeping great, cooking comfortably and are quite content. Except for one thing... Axle is less than thrilled about being tied up or cooped up inside, and Quincy's bike is also cooped up inside and I am less than thrilled about that. Yes, he doesn't want to lock his bike up outside in the rain and sun. Grrr! BIKES WERE NOT MADE TO BE  INDOORS.. IT IS AN OUTDOOR ACTIVITY! I'm not actually yelling mad, just thought I'd use caps to add some drama.

Anyways, the two of us, half unpacked boxes, dog and bike are feeling a little cramped. I've become obsessed with finding the perfect solution to an indoor-outdoor living space solution that works for us, especially since we are going to be picking up a new puppy next weekend. Yep, I've heard the words "you" and "crazy" mentioned in the same sentence a few times in the last week or two (or 20 years?)

Wait... I think my mind's about to be blown... 

Yep, I've heard the words "you" and "crazy" mentioned in the same sentence a few times in the last week or two twenty years.


That was awesome.. I always knew you could do that, and that it must be simple but was too lazy to go searching for the solution. Hence the bracketed phrases found throughout the beginnings of this blog. Unfortunately while typing version two I was inspired to try version three which can be found below.

Yep, I've heard the words "you" and "crazy" mentioned in the same sentence a few times in the last week or two or twenty years.


Third time's a charm I'm thinking. Consider that one the official choice of phrase for this post. Also, get ready for some blatant overuse and overenjoyment of the line through words that you should say until you decide to take it a step further. How did I miss that little button a the top of the page clearly displaying it's function for so long?

But I digress (I've always wanted to say that in a conversation becasue it's so nerdy and pretentious but never had the chance)... back to the awning.

I started secretly plotting a way to remedy this situation a few days ago when I took an enormous heavy duty tarp that I used for a previous project out of storage. Quincy had been urging me not to take action on the awning issue until we had settled in and sorted out some of the other little problems that we are experiencing with the camper. Fortunately for me, my mind is capable of multitasking the problem solving. Anyways, I digress... just kidding (see; I was going to write just kidding - not, but I chose to use the line through text function instead and it was awesome) I took the tarp and raised his suspicions, but kept my plans to myself except for asking a few casual questions such as 'do we have a drill in the trailer? did you bring a hammer? where is your measuring tape?' Then, the next day while he was at work I headed for Home Depot to scope out supplies (lumber in fact. I know, crazy). On the way to Home Depot, however I had to drive past Canadian Tire. Naturally I stopped and went in because, well, they have everything.

I walked through the front door and couldn't believe my eyes.

I'll admit - this is from a google images search. I was hoping to find an example of the in-store display wihtout giong back to take the photo in-store and this is as close as I got... a miniature in store display. Its so cute!

this is one of the real deals

They had variations of the accordion type patio gazebo on display and I just knew that this was perfect. They are super easy to set up, relatively durable and definitely portable. I looked over some of the options and started mulling over issues like size, price range and of course colour. Their cheapest/simplest one was on sale fir $119 and they went up from there to the $300-$400 range but with a steel frame etc etc. . And theeeennn I found gazebos with mosquito netting and privacy screens and it was just like on the intro to The Simpsons where the title page comes through the clouds and you hear aaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAH Thuuuuuu Simmmmmmpsoooooonssss... except with out the The Simpsons part.

This is so perfect. It means no tying up Axle and puppy, bike locked outside, and we can block unwanted neighbour peeping. The problem, they come as 10x10 or 20x20... 20' is much too wide for a campsite to bear and 10' is good but kind of depressingly small considering that this is supposed to be perfect in every way. So, after reviewing the merchandise, I continued on to the Home Depot to check out their stock... and sitting in the parking lot I saw...

aaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAH Thuuuuuuu.......

A portable/temporary carport set up with clearance items for sale. 10' x 20' with a canopy and sturdy frame. It just gets better and better folks. After some investigation, I learned that they don't sell them but just have one for events, wouldn't sell me the one they have and had the same selection of gazebos as Canadian Tire. Well, now I had my sights set on something. While the carport was the PERFECT size, it was without the easy setup and dismantle, and also lacked in the bug screen department. Walmart next I'm sorry to say.

Walmart, those sneaky buggers had the canopies for the gazebos packaged seperately from the gazebos themselves so that the customer is actually making 2 purchases... I guess if you are just looking for a replacement canopy this is not a bad thing. Anyways this story is getting alarmingly long.

I went there and found this


It's perfect in every way. 10' x 20', netting, accordion style setup. Also, it's under $300 (I can't remember the specifics)  and it looks nice. I was hoping for black or grey and this is more of a greige (see what I did there? word combo = awesome). I am going to buy one in the near future (we are moving to Hope, BC next week and will likely purchase it then rather than set up now dismantle and set up again).

It was made even more perfect when I went to an RV supply store to purchase roof sealer and asked for a quote on a real camper awning... Oh, we could get one alright to the tune of $1300 and still have to create an enclosure for the dogs, bike and deal with the lack of headroom... We're big people, ok?

Case of the wanted awning: CLOSED.

The Literature

 

So after some agonizing google searches I purchased 2 Gypsy books for my Kobo!

And I've just got to say... why hasn't anyone compiled a list of the best Gypsy fiction to read that comes up first on google when when you type gypsy+fiction. Seriously, I'm pretty sure there are a lot of Gypsy books out there.

Anyways, I finally found a book called 'The Gypsy Girl'.


Also added to my Kobo library was The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Actually, when I first remembered that this was a gypsy story I thought to myself 'Heather, you already know that story. Try something new you lazy Louise.' and then, flashes of Disney cartoon crossed my mind. Way to be knowledgeable and cultured girl, I'm pretty sure historical fiction in writing is a little bit better than Disney's cartoon rendition. Blah












One disappointing thing about this whole situation is that 'The Gypsy Girl', as it turns out, is about a crippled boy who falls in love with the Gypsy Girl and tries to save her (from what I've gathered) He is the gofer for the bosses of the orphanage/hospital/workhouse blah blah blah. I'm thinking this will follow the plot line of the Hunchback quite closely. darn.
And yes, I did just call the bad guys bosses, just like you do in old school video games. Think Super Mario World on Super Nintendo. Ya, we all did it... right?


Time for me to get on with the day... the father in law is here to help Quincy unplug the plugged vent, and then we are going to ride the horses followed by taking in a car show and demolition derby!!! Ahhh, this takes me back to my childhood... Stay tuned for a post and photos!

Gypsy Livin'

Oh my poor little experimental writing platform. Things are not going as well as we had planned are they?
But here is the reason why, I have been busy preparing the gypsy train! In the last two weeks I have successfully moved our little family of two people a dog and three horses off of an acreage near Kamloops and into a new (very old) Avion camper! Here is a photo of our entire gypsy fleet in the same place at the same time.

And that is Quincy's face midway through repairing a water tank leak, and clogged vent.  An investigation of the camper's underbelly became necessary after we began to notice a smell that got worse and worse and worse as time went on. eeew.

While he was working, I went for a short walk to walmart (our first RV park is next door neighbours to Walmart - camping at it's finest people) and purchased a pot and dirt for our house(camper)warming plant. I'll snap a photo of it for you in the future. Maybe.

And now, I am doing some online research to find a good book about real life Gypsies of the days of old. I figure that if we're going to commit to this lifestyle for the next while, I should be doing some research. We are not very good at it so far, if you take the example of our next door neighbours (some other full time camper dwellers). We have not been up in the middle of the night drinking and fighting, have not been drunk by 10:00 am and we have not taken in any migrant/temporary residents.

We will keep working on this, I promise. Actually I wonder if reading books is even appropriate, maybe I should just do my research by watching episodes of My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding.

Yes, that would probably be more 'true to life' but as yet, we do not have a TV! I'll let this one pass if you do... book it is!


And now it is time for me to sign off, I've been sitting outside near the internet router in the park and my eyes are getting sore from squinting at the screen that I cannot see due to the glare...

Writing dreams = dashed

Grr! I've been on quite the emotional rollercoaster regarding my dreams of taking a summer distance- ed writing course via Okanagan College.

Long Story Short: not gonna happen.

Long Story: find course online, follow instructions and apply for a myokanagan student number. Wait 1 week and log in to register for course. Course full, go on waiting list. Check again on registration deadline, one spot available. 1/2 hour in Starbucks and 10 open tabs trying to find registration page. Call IT support, transfer to distance ed, transfer to registration office, hold, give student number. Discover that I am in fact not a student, they require me to apply for a program even though I am not going to participate in one, need my high school  transcripts (I feel like they are on yellowed paper in the basement of a museum.. that was a long time ago, right?). Anyways, it's not going to happen due to transcript delays and etc etc plus I'm kind of p-o-ed about the whole thing.


This basically exactly to a 'T' illustrates my feelings on the situation

Oooh Montgomery

My palomino pony Montgomery is just a going concern. I have been intending to introduce him to the blog... well since I started the blog but each time I formulate a post in my mind he does something that is worthy of a post on it's own, and so the previous post that I had been formulating is out dated and feels irrelevant. My solution to the problem is a Monty Mini Series. I will start with the story of how he came into the little Burr family, and go from there. Starting... sometime soon. For now, enjoy a little photo montage collage sportage dressage.

Gypsy Livin'

This little blog is about to get a lot more exciting.... The Burrs are going Gypsy! We've been migrating around a lot in the last year, and made the decision to make the migration a little easier... bu purchasing a vintage Avion (Airstream knockoff) camper to live in. We will be setting up camp near Quincy's job sites all summer as he paves highways all over beautiful British Columbia! We are doing some minor renovations to the guy, and I've got a long term 'style' plan so stay tuned.. it may take me a while to figure out how to transfer photos from my glitch-y phone of the work in progress (courtesy of the hubby - no girls allowed) and to figure out how to make one of those mood board dealios for my vision!

Another bonus, when we finally get to move in, we will be gaining internet access = better blogging!!! (but losing private laundry access boooo)