Looking back on our 2 weeks in San Diego, it was a turning point for all of us in a few important ways. First, it reset our mindset for the rest of the trip. While we’d let go of our original northbound plans weeks before, San Diego was the first actual “new” stop on our new path. It was a “new start” in a way. From here, we also planned our next stop: Joshua Tree National Park.
By settling in for 2 weeks, we got a dose of regular life. The going & doing & seeing & adventuring is fun & the main reason for our trip – but, here we felt how wonderful it was to settle in & have some downtime. I say “downtime,” but TJ actually worked for 1 of the weeks, so we all bounced back into a M-F 9-5 schedule (ish). My regular tasks resumed: shopping & cooking, & I set to doing a 2nd big reorg of our space. While our 5th wheel feels perfect, we’re still 4 people & a dog living & working in a home that’s approximately 350 square feet. We’re always thinking about how to use the space efficiently.
Stout needed a nail trim, so I took him to the local PetCo. This Chihuahua mix operates at “anxious” as his baseline, & no matter how many tranquilizers we hide in peanut butter or how much CBD oil we squirt down his throat, he turns into a psycho the second someone with a motive to trim his claws even looks in his direction. Long story short, we got denied at PetCo, because their policy states that the dog must walk in on their own & consent to their paws being touched. (I’m trying to imagine what dog would do this freely, but maybe it exists?) Stout got an F for the day, & I spent the rest of the afternoon calling groomers, doggie daycares, and vet clinics.
Luckily, I found a VCA nearby that offered nail trims. The groomer came to the waiting room to meet my tiny psycho. She could tell he was nervous, & I gave her the run-down: you’ve just gotta manhandle him, & it usually takes 2 people (one time it took 3). She said it wasn’t a problem – she places the dog on its back with its head facing out the back of her armpit & dremels the nails. Desperate to get this job done, I hid my skepticism & said a prayer for both of them. Five minutes later, she returned, & his nails were the best they’ve ever looked!
But – here’s the best thing that evolved in those 2 weeks: the kids truly blossomed here. I saw them grow exponentially, putting themselves out there to try new things & meet new people – with great attitudes! A rhythm developed, & while TJ worked we did some schoolwork. Both kids chose to wake early & finish their work so they could head outside on their own by noon. Those hours between noon and 10 pm gave them freedom & responsibility they’ve never been able to experience before in CA. (We lived in a beautiful neighborhood, but there were enough drug addicts & crazy people wandering around for us to be uncomfortable with the kids alone in the front yard – let alone let them run around the neighborhood.)
The kids learned what it’s like to take off on their own, either to hang out & wait for something/someone to do something with (like the old days!) or participate in all the park activities the recreation director planned. This KOA was like a family summer camp. There were a mixture of kid and family activities planned each day, like bingo, wiffle ball, kickball, tie-dyeing, rock climbing, Gaga ball, scavenger hunts, and bike rentals. Sofina highlighted the itinerary & hung it on our fridge.
Here are some pics they snapped during their scavenger hunt together. They are some of my favorite pics yet!
At the same time, both kids grew more responsible. They were offering to make meals, fill our water bottles, walk Stout, run to the camp store when we needed something, and chop wood for our fires.
It seemed like we were all finding an identity in this new way of life. The kids took note of different waves of people coming & going. They noticed different campers, trucks, & setups & came home to tell us about it. And the 5th wheel truly started to feel like home. We started referring to it as home. “Time to go home.” “When we get home.” “I’ll run back home.” We had fires & movies outside. We watched Murder Mystery 1 & 2 (the next day another family moved in beside us & did the exact same thing!). We played tiny Uno. The kids asked if we could keep doing this even after we land back in Ohio. It was truly a wonderful, growing experience in San Diego for all of us!
Go Big and Go Roam 
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