Readers probably laughed off my "getting better with age" arguments as a mere pep-talk. But I don't give pep talks, and roll my eyes when I catch somebody else doing it. Here's another important thing that can get better with age: the ability to appreciate more things in life.
This ability is not guaranteed or automatic with age. It requires broad and varied experiences. Most of us don't really get this from our lives and jobs. Life has become too bureaucratized and regularized for that.
But let's not surrender completely. Retirement offers enough independence and freedom to allow for wider experiences. (Must I say that I'm not talking about trivial experiences like looking at pretty scenery?) Of course early retirement offers more opportunities than retiring at the standard age, where, unless you are lucky, doctor appointments start to take over life.
For instance, even though I have owned a stick-and-brick house, I've never before had the experience of watching a house become a home. There is some interesting chemistry happening here, or rather, biology. I'm not talking about running around town buying fripperies and trinkets to decorate the new trailer. Rather, I'm talking about walking in and finding that everything works together; that you can find what you're looking for -- quickly; that you can turn around without bumping something; that you can walk around without snagging your shirt on something; that it is reasonably convenient to keep it reasonably clean.
You must be able to work efficiently in the kitchen or you will use that as an excuse for eating out. What parts will require maintenance first, and do you have those parts squirreled away in a box somewhere? Oh yeah, where?
The mechanical and electrical structure was done a week ago. But it was just a structure. It needed a human being living in it to make it complete. For instance, I just had a nasty coffee burn and spill because my top-heavy cup was sitting on the drying-cloth too close to the edge of the kitchen counter. Now I have to make a small project out of making sure that that never happens again.
This ability is not guaranteed or automatic with age. It requires broad and varied experiences. Most of us don't really get this from our lives and jobs. Life has become too bureaucratized and regularized for that.
But let's not surrender completely. Retirement offers enough independence and freedom to allow for wider experiences. (Must I say that I'm not talking about trivial experiences like looking at pretty scenery?) Of course early retirement offers more opportunities than retiring at the standard age, where, unless you are lucky, doctor appointments start to take over life.
For instance, even though I have owned a stick-and-brick house, I've never before had the experience of watching a house become a home. There is some interesting chemistry happening here, or rather, biology. I'm not talking about running around town buying fripperies and trinkets to decorate the new trailer. Rather, I'm talking about walking in and finding that everything works together; that you can find what you're looking for -- quickly; that you can turn around without bumping something; that you can walk around without snagging your shirt on something; that it is reasonably convenient to keep it reasonably clean.
You must be able to work efficiently in the kitchen or you will use that as an excuse for eating out. What parts will require maintenance first, and do you have those parts squirreled away in a box somewhere? Oh yeah, where?
The mechanical and electrical structure was done a week ago. But it was just a structure. It needed a human being living in it to make it complete. For instance, I just had a nasty coffee burn and spill because my top-heavy cup was sitting on the drying-cloth too close to the edge of the kitchen counter. Now I have to make a small project out of making sure that that never happens again.
 |
| She likes the view out the back. It's all screen, and she can walk out whenever she wants! |
 |
| The window order got screwed up, so for the next week I'll have to be happy with the light and air from the Fan-tastic vent I just installed. It makes quite a difference. |
Comments
.
To be safe, I want the inside of the trailer to be breathable. That means leaving as much of the wood raw as possible. It means avoiding foamboard (like everybody's vaunted polyisocyanurate) that has metallized vapor barriers on it.
Besides I just plain like the touch and smell of raw wood. Why do people rhapsodize about how warm and natural wood is, and then glaze it over with polymeric coatings? We only interact with the surface. It you put a plastic coating on the surface, the whole thing might as well be plastic.
So I painted those places where the wood is likely to be splotched with gooey fingerprints, water, or food, and left the rest naked. This is just one more manifestation of Living at the Point of Diminishing Returns.
My trailer's obsession with mesh and screen makes it cat-unfriendly. Even my new office chair has a mesh seat and back! And I'm working on a 4" air mattress bed (Alps Mountaineering). You can just imagine what a cat would do to that!
As long as you camp where the nigh time temp is above 45-50 deg & you don't heat the interior you will be fine. If you camp in colder climate and heat the interior - you can just harvest your fresh water by collecting what runs off the walls. If you could figure out how to turn your sweat & urine back into fresh water, you would never need to make another water run again.
I goofed up and deleted your second comment about heating water outdoors in the sun in a black bottle. Sure that will work, but why bother? I have a nice propane stove that takes 5 minutes; why shouldn't I use it?
Solar showers and solar ovens (only 6 hours and your potato is done!) is nice fun for weekend campers, hobbyists, or solar purists/enthusiasts. I am a full time RVer. I will use a propane stove for quickly heating what needs to be heated.
Here is a little report on that: http://catchbobifyoucan.blogspot.com/2012/02/un-oven.html
Your mileage may vary.