4/8/18 Sunday
Patience. The constant practice. A trait celebrated and revered, difficult to obtain for many of us. I think I do OK with it, but it doesn’t always feel good. Like right now, when I’m supposed to be hitting the road to join a band I love for a few days on the road in the Pacific Northwest. Instead, I’m killing time in Ukiah until Monday morning when I can take the van to my mechanic. A worrisome dash light came on Friday night, one that’s come up before and if you believe what you read on the internet, could result in complete engine destruction if not addressed immediately. There’s still a chance that I can make my planned trip, but I’ll be gunning it up Interstate 5 instead of taking a leisurely and enjoyable excursion on back roads and highways as planned. First world problems, I know. But this would be my first extended trip since living in the van full time and I’m itching to go. Tired of being stuck in Ukiah.
So what does it mean when your mobile home stops being mobile? It’s still a home, but the prime directive is thwarted, rendering it mostly just a metal box with a bed and a bunch of my belongings in it. I'm lucky the light came on when I was in Ukiah and only a few blocks from my mechanic. I’m also very fortunate to have friends in town who will let me park the van in front of their house while I whittle the weekend hours away. I managed to have an entertaining evening watching MMA fights and hanging out with said friends, enjoying many laughs and getting to eat dinner on my old dinner table (oh, the nostalgia!). Today I might try to get out into the hills for a bit (driving my car instead of the van), just to keep from going stir crazy. We’ll see.
This past week saw me & my dad finish the frame of the galley, which is a much needed step forward in the build-out process that seems to have ground to a halt. I (patiently) await the availability of my electrician so we can finish installing the solar stuff & wire up the lights and outlets. Once that’s done, the ceiling panels can be put on, then the cabinets my dad made can be installed. But until that electrical stuff gets put in, there isn’t much that can be done.
Patience.
