Improvisation and Soda Bottles

Hello everyone. Sorry I disappeared for a while. Things were definitely hectic here. So much has happened in the last two weeks I barely know where to begin. I have promised you all updates on my progress as well as comprehensive outlines of my construction projection. I am working on them all right now and they should be posted very soon. In the meantime I would like to review my first week as a vandweller.

My first night in my new home was November 4. The lease on my apartment officially ran out on the first, but the people moving in are good friends so they let me stay on for a few days while I got things straightened out. I slept in their living room. When I did start sleeping in the van it was parked in front of their house. They are truly generous friends and my thanks go out to Kay and Magnus. I have plans for a brilliant house warming gift after the holidays.

The days before moving into Mr. Miyagi were filled with outfitting my walk-in closet. I always wanted a giant walk-in closet and now that I have moved into a van I finally have one. Magnus, Kay, and Em all spent many hours helping me outfit my little 5'x10' storage room into a wonderful space where I can keep my wardrobe, bulk dry foods, tools, and books. It really looks like a walk-in closet and I adore it.

The second step was to outfit the van. I have only finished construction on the floor which sucks because I am way behind schedule, but it is good enough for now. So I threw in my twin size mattress, fit a suitcase, a rubber tub, a basket, and a toolbox around it and stuffed all of the bare necessities in. Privacy right now is kept by crude cardboard cut outs that fit into the windows. I hang quilts over the back window and behind the driver seat for complete enclosure.

The cat litter box is upfront in the passenger floorboard. - I got a covered litter box at 50% at the pet store because one of the snaps was broken. - My construction tools live in a box on the center console and my backpack and coat sit in the passenger seat. Cesare, the plant, lives on the dashboard. The cat food and water sit on my toiletries box behind the driver seat. There is a lot of trial and error involved, but improvisation is getting me through.

Sleeping out in the van was a little unnerving for the first few hours, but I finally got some rest. One large challenge was the need to urinate at night. Normally I get up three times a night to pee. I drink a lot of water though I am trying to cut back after 5 in the afternoon now that I don't have a built-in bathroom nearby. When I parked at Kay and Magnus's place I just used their toilet. When I parked out at Em's new place in the sticks I just peed outside. Recently, though, the weather has been getting cold and wet so peeing outside isn't as easy. Also when I park in town I really only have the option of peeing at Walmart. I could continue doing this but I don't like parking at Walmart at night and I hate wasting the gas driving down there. So I improvised. When I have to pee and I can't leave the van I use a funnel and an old soda bottle. It actually works really well, though I have already ordered a little john with a lady J attachment. I am relieved to know that if I need to, I can pee in the van without any problems.

Hadassah is adapting beautifully. She wears her jacket during the day most of the time and whenever the door or windows are open I just put her on her leash and she roams about freely. She still isn't sure about moving about so much but she is much calmer now than she was five days ago. I am sure that Hadassah will adapt quickly to the new lifestyle and be back to her old self soon.

That is about it for now. I will be resuming construction on the van this weekend and hopefully I will have the ceiling done by next week and the walls by Thanksgiving. Take care and enjoy the fall.