It’s difficult to believe it’s only been a week since we’ve arrived here in Roseburg, Oregon. The days are starting to blend into each other. Everyday begins the same with planning out where to go and what needs to be done next. Everyday we scour the job sites looking for new listings to apply for and see for any new updates on the ones we previously applied for; as well as search for new local “treasures” to call our favorites. Each day brings its own laughter, frustration, and sorrow; but we always find ways to make each other smile and laugh at night, reminding us of why we are holding on so strong.
It’s interesting living in the van. Yeah, we get sick of each other and wish the other would just get away from us…wanting nothing but our own personal space to just be inside our own head for a while; but we still make it interesting. We love to people watch and calling the truck stop home, is probably one of the best ways of doing that. We see all kinds of people. Lately we’ve been seeing a lot of the larger motor homes and coaches…ones we look at and wish we had just to make life a little easier, only to come back to reality and realize we have difficult paying for the gas and food we have now…imagine how much more difficult it would be if we had one of those. Ouch! Star Whale’s a/c (that’s the name of our van) isn’t reliable and to be honest…we are so focused on saving money and gas, we just don’t run it at all…so we try to find the shadiest spot around and people watch. 
Earlier this week was probably the best day ever for people watching. There was a motor coach parked in front of us, and the people inside were taking the time to take their dogs out for them to do their business. I love all furr babies…my husband is constantly teasing me about this fact. He’s always pointing out the furr babies around us at the truck stop. But this motor coach was different. At first we didn’t pay much attention because only two keeshonds were out, but then we noticed them bringing out a different dog each time one would come back out. In the end we counted 13 (yes, 13!!) of them, with most of them on the larger side. We were amazed at how they were able to fit three adults and 13 dogs into the motor coach. Hubby and I have each traveled with dogs and neither of us could imagine traveling with that many in that confined of quarters.
One thing we have found about living out here…it is a Mecca for hippies. So many of them are on the side of the roads asking for help with food or gas. The other night, the truck stop played host to an old “hippie bus”. I hadn’t seen one of those in years!! I didn’t think they still existed. They left the next day…continued on their pilgrimage I’m sure…but it made an interesting night watching them hang out in the parking lot together (I was waiting for the drums/guitars/hacky-sacks to come out).
This past weekend was horrible hot. It was all we could do to keep cool. Even sitting in the shade didn’t help. We kept looking at the sky asking for rain. We had all that rain while we were driving here…now I wish it was here with us still. Ugh!!! At least it’s cool at night which makes sleeping a bit easier.
In truth, this past week has been difficult. We have been hot and hungry for food, hot showers, and a bed…but we keep looking towards the future knowing that better things will come. We left behind so many people we love, so much familiarity and comfort…but we also left behind the negativity of those who weighed us down. Oregon may not be a “land of gold” and we may be lacking in many areas on need and some creature comforts, but we can already feel the positivity growing inside. This is our story…and we have just changed the setting…the plot it doth thicken…
Dispatches from the Willamette Valley 