Fulltiming in a motorhome - a blog
Discussion
Spuffington said:
It’s coming up a year since my last update and as I mentioned previously, we were on the cusp of something new. This time a year ago we placed a deposit on a brand new barn conversion style property on a lovely new estate. Eight weeks later we were moved in and haven’t looked back.
Given this was all about fulltiming, it would be remiss of me not to mention the motorhome. Although ours was the only remaining property and we felt we’d got the worst plot (it’s all relative) it actually turned out to be fabulous. We have a 10.5m long parking space outside the house, so The Concorde fits perfectly (at 9m long) and although we don’t have her parked there all the time, it’s great to be able to bring her back to the house to do work on her or prepare or unload before/after a trip. She’s quite the talk of the estate and being able to spend some time on her, she’s looking in superb nick. I’ve done lots of maintenance both preventative and reactive on her. I had to rebuild the rear double bed recently since Concorde’s poor design had weakened the end of it. It’s now super tight and won’t be wobbling anymore. I’ve painted the grill and some exposed metal to tidy her up and she’s recently had a full service, brake fluid change and passed her MOT for another year. I’ve therefore treated her to a new headunit with Apple CarPlay, Waze and all the usual 21st century bits which she’s currently lacking with her 2005 vintage ICE and nav system. The plan this year is to head to France or Germany once the quarantine is lifted and do some touring with little lady and my Partner.
After that we have to see............since in October, I’m due to become a Father again! Super exciting news and makes me marvel when I look back at this thread on what a journey it has been and how much better life is now than back when I started writing it. There’s no way that anyone could’ve known what lay ahead and I certainly wouldn’t have believed it if someone had told me.
So for now, the expenditure on the motorhome is the last discretionary spend I can get away with before we start on the baby stuff purchasing. My daughter is over the moon with the news and delighted to be part of a bigger family and so happy and proud she will be a big sister. The reaction to the news last week was pure gold and so heartwarming. We’re now 22wks and counting. Exciting times ahead!
I’m guessing that really is the fairy tale ending, so any further blogging I do will be about my motorhome only.
Thank you so much for all your support throughout. And for anyone going through something similar, hang in there. Life has a funny way of turning out ok, no matter how bad it may seem.
Given this was all about fulltiming, it would be remiss of me not to mention the motorhome. Although ours was the only remaining property and we felt we’d got the worst plot (it’s all relative) it actually turned out to be fabulous. We have a 10.5m long parking space outside the house, so The Concorde fits perfectly (at 9m long) and although we don’t have her parked there all the time, it’s great to be able to bring her back to the house to do work on her or prepare or unload before/after a trip. She’s quite the talk of the estate and being able to spend some time on her, she’s looking in superb nick. I’ve done lots of maintenance both preventative and reactive on her. I had to rebuild the rear double bed recently since Concorde’s poor design had weakened the end of it. It’s now super tight and won’t be wobbling anymore. I’ve painted the grill and some exposed metal to tidy her up and she’s recently had a full service, brake fluid change and passed her MOT for another year. I’ve therefore treated her to a new headunit with Apple CarPlay, Waze and all the usual 21st century bits which she’s currently lacking with her 2005 vintage ICE and nav system. The plan this year is to head to France or Germany once the quarantine is lifted and do some touring with little lady and my Partner.
After that we have to see............since in October, I’m due to become a Father again! Super exciting news and makes me marvel when I look back at this thread on what a journey it has been and how much better life is now than back when I started writing it. There’s no way that anyone could’ve known what lay ahead and I certainly wouldn’t have believed it if someone had told me.
So for now, the expenditure on the motorhome is the last discretionary spend I can get away with before we start on the baby stuff purchasing. My daughter is over the moon with the news and delighted to be part of a bigger family and so happy and proud she will be a big sister. The reaction to the news last week was pure gold and so heartwarming. We’re now 22wks and counting. Exciting times ahead!
I’m guessing that really is the fairy tale ending, so any further blogging I do will be about my motorhome only.
Thank you so much for all your support throughout. And for anyone going through something similar, hang in there. Life has a funny way of turning out ok, no matter how bad it may seem.
.I've just read this whole thing start to finish.
What a compelling story, with a fantastic ending, although hopefully it's not an ending, but a (nother) new beginning.
This stuff keeps me positive, having had our own horribilis in 2019, and emerging, blinking, this year into a whole new maelstrom. I'm generally an optimist, but me and my wife are getting tired of waiting for the silver lining, and your story reassures me that it'll turn up eventually.
What a compelling story, with a fantastic ending, although hopefully it's not an ending, but a (nother) new beginning.
This stuff keeps me positive, having had our own horribilis in 2019, and emerging, blinking, this year into a whole new maelstrom. I'm generally an optimist, but me and my wife are getting tired of waiting for the silver lining, and your story reassures me that it'll turn up eventually.
Gosh, just been reminded of this thread after my T6 post.
Just to round it off as I realise it was left hanging.
I now have a wonderful 16month old son who is super fun, playful, adventurous, chilled and loving. He and his 9yr old sister are like peas in a pod - both very similar looking but also great mates and play really well together.
My Partner and I got engaged 6wks ago and should be busy planning a wedding. But more likely will continue as we are and just do a registry office jobber and small family shin dig.
And to bring it back to motorhoming, Carrie the Concorde was sold in October last year. In her four and a bit years with me she kept myself, Partner and daughter safe and warm and gave us a place to call home. The fact she also provided a base for some truly life affirming adventures was the icing on top.
Unfortunately however as time moved on, she became a bit of a drag. She was quite Labour intensive as an older van and although I was still able to fix 90% of the issues myself, time has become ever more a precious commodity. Bringing Carrie backwards and forwards from the storage yard to the house to do work or go on trips made her ever less the spontaneous adventure bus. And with the little one making logistics more challenging, we decided reluctantly to move her on to someone who could give her the TLC she needed and deserved.
It was a very sad day when she left our stewardship and every now and again I look back on photos and reminisce on how amazing it was to own her. But it was the right decision. The proceeds from her sale we’re invested into landscaping our garden and doing lots of additional work to the house to make it our perfect family home. There’s a lovely cyclicality to her having been my home to now making OUR home ours.
I’m sure, like everyone, life will throw more challenges my way but I feel very grateful for the journey I’ve been on over the last 5yrs. It’s a sage lesson to us all that when life looks its most bleak, there are always opportunities and bright days around the corner, even if they take a while to be realised.
Thanks again for all your support. It really did help me through those darkest moments.
Just to round it off as I realise it was left hanging.
I now have a wonderful 16month old son who is super fun, playful, adventurous, chilled and loving. He and his 9yr old sister are like peas in a pod - both very similar looking but also great mates and play really well together.
My Partner and I got engaged 6wks ago and should be busy planning a wedding. But more likely will continue as we are and just do a registry office jobber and small family shin dig.
And to bring it back to motorhoming, Carrie the Concorde was sold in October last year. In her four and a bit years with me she kept myself, Partner and daughter safe and warm and gave us a place to call home. The fact she also provided a base for some truly life affirming adventures was the icing on top.
Unfortunately however as time moved on, she became a bit of a drag. She was quite Labour intensive as an older van and although I was still able to fix 90% of the issues myself, time has become ever more a precious commodity. Bringing Carrie backwards and forwards from the storage yard to the house to do work or go on trips made her ever less the spontaneous adventure bus. And with the little one making logistics more challenging, we decided reluctantly to move her on to someone who could give her the TLC she needed and deserved.
It was a very sad day when she left our stewardship and every now and again I look back on photos and reminisce on how amazing it was to own her. But it was the right decision. The proceeds from her sale we’re invested into landscaping our garden and doing lots of additional work to the house to make it our perfect family home. There’s a lovely cyclicality to her having been my home to now making OUR home ours.
I’m sure, like everyone, life will throw more challenges my way but I feel very grateful for the journey I’ve been on over the last 5yrs. It’s a sage lesson to us all that when life looks its most bleak, there are always opportunities and bright days around the corner, even if they take a while to be realised.
Thanks again for all your support. It really did help me through those darkest moments.
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