An errand that took me to Kanata gave me the perfect opportunity to reconnect with another of my good friends. The intention was a couple of hours of catching up.

To say we chatted would be a terrible misrepresentation. A couple of hours became a quarter of a day spent sitting and talking, petting cats, sharing recent adventures of both the personal and outdoor variety.

I was treated to a slide show of Carole and Joe's Excellent Adventure (2004/2005 edition). If I needed any more inspiration for my latest passion this took care of it nicely. Just before Thanksgiving I happened upon a book called Freewheeling Homes by David Pearson that re-ignited an idea I'd had during the moving from pillar to post in search of work and/or medical care that has been the hallmark of the past few years of my life. My daughter's observation that I moved so much I ought to just get an RV and be done with packing and unpacking and having half my things in storage while I was (and still am) in limbo (aka "between jobs" aka "early retirement with no benefits" :-) was the first seed.

While I was in Kingston I briefly explored the possibilities of locating an older RV and gutting it. The only resource I had found was an RV dealer, the salesperson at which was unsurprisingly less than encouraging about the advisability of refurbishing one to my personal whims and specifications. I was curious about the ability of a traditional RV to house and transport my much missed piano safely. I was met with a bit of skepticism on that point.

Lately I have been renting very small quarters -- approximately 18' by 18' -- complete with hassles with my landlord and a view that leaves a lot to be desired. As an aspiring migrant tech worker I am anticipating landing who knows where to ply my trade. An RV-type living arrangement would be very practical and would get me off the grid, something I've been dreaming of for years.

With all the natural disasters occurring these days, the nomadic life seems even more prudent. If my house is on wheels, I can drive away from impending weather (or other) catastrophes and wait them out or keep moving to more hospitable territory. Short of putting up a teepee in the summer and an igloo in the winter I can't think of a better way to live in these uncertain times. There is reportedly a bit of First Nations roots to one side of my family tree that may be to blame for my decidely non-materialistic approach to living, my love of the outdoors and my wanderlust.

Thanks for sharing your stories of the road, Carole. Dixie thanks you, too -- for the "Smoke" ball. See you again soon. I had a great time!