I’ve been avoiding blogging about this RV park in favor of doing my work and making money, walking the dog, and hanging with my sister and her dogs. But the lemon incident required some typing.
The incident involved a middle age woman and her elderly mother who passed by the The Tiny often on their way to the shower or water aerobics. The mother, who may have had dementia but who was all smiles, was enchanted with my trailer. She absolutely loved my set up. She talked about another camper here, Samantha, who also has a T@B trailer. The mother and daughter mentioned to me one day that Sam and I not only have similar trailers, but we also have similar dogs. Bodhi is full breed Aussie, Cannoli is part Aussie. Sam and I became friends, hiked in the desert, and exchanged phone numbers.
This morning the daughter approached my awning with the hippie panels and called out “Excuse me.” She held 4 lemons in her hand. She said; “We’re leaving today and my mom wanted you to have these Meyer lemons from our tree back home.” Oh how sweet!!! I said YES, and mentioned how much my sister loves lemons.
I didn’t want to like this RV park in Palm Desert with its row after row of RVs. For some of us, that’s a nightmare scenario. I only came here because my sister wanted to try it out in her new-to-her motorhome, and it’s always good for me to try out a new park in my membership.
I am shocked at how much I like this RV park. I normally like the big spread out campgrounds with massive amounts of trees and coyotes and owls and hawks and stunning mountain views. Here among the rows of palm trees, I found out that when you are tightly packed like this, people talk to each other more. When I’m out walking the dog at 6 a.m., I’m likely to come across and greet a dozen or more dog walkers. In the hot tub, conversations between strangers start up easily. I’ve had long conversations with the folks on either side of me.
The woman on the right, Gerri, looks to be in her 70s and has been full-time RV living since 1999. She is a bright and beautiful soul, with silky white hair, glowing white teeth and long pink fingernails that she has done regularly as a gift to herself. She once had a 5th Wheel trailer that she hired someone to move from Thousand Trails campground to Thousand Trails campground every few weeks. But after her dogs passed away, she realized she doesn’t need that much space. Now she has a 16-ft. travel trailer that she pulls with her classic Buick station wagon, which has Montana plates. She is big on water aerobics.
The people on the other side of me, in a large Class A motorhome, worried about my dog chasing their cat, which they walk on a leash outside. Recently another dog lunged at the cat, which made my neighbors extra skittish. I assured them I would keep my dog on a leash. A few minutes later, Sam came by with Brodie and I let my dog off her leash to great him, and thus went back on my word just minutes after I made it. I eventually put up my dog fencing and assured my neighbors that my dog will not be a bother. The woman came by one day for a tour of The Tiny.
With tightly packed RVs and a well run park, you’re likely to find lots of fun activities. My first night here, walking the dog, I came across the weekly karaoke event in one of the lodges, The door was open and I leaned against the railing enjoying the local talent. There is also water volleyball, pickle ball (kind of like tennis), horse shoes, billiards, card games, crafts, water aerobics, Texas Hold ‘Em poker, yard sale at your site every Tuesday, Yoga, and more.
One of my big fears, heading out on the road, was that I would retreat into myself and become isolated and lonely. I also feared that I would feel like a freak in my tiny trailer with the hippie panels in front. But a place like this offers no opportunity to be lonely. And you can’t feel like a freak because there is so much diversity here, as well as in all the campgrounds and RV parks in my membership. There is the all-purple set up around the corner, and the classic trailer with a giant photo of President Kennedy. There are million dollar motorhomes, and beat up travel trailers, and a smattering of tents. In my mind, Thousand Trails campgrounds and RV parks are a great equalizer. While so many of us strive to live in neighborhoods among our own kind, this environment mixes us all together.
I’ve heard that travel is the secret for opening one’s heart and mind. That has certainly be true for me. I have been accepted and loved up by others who are living this life, either full time or part time, and that has made me more loving and accepting toward others and myself.
When I get some work done, I’ll walk over to my sister’s motorhome across from me and delight her with these lemons. My sister will take great joy in these lemons, just like she has taken joy in everything about this place and this area and every other place we have enjoyed together. Because when you live this amazing life, being happy and joyful and grateful just seems like the thing to do.