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Now Hiring!

Position Title: Teacher LINC Level 2/3/4 – Conversation

Program Title: Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC)

Work Week: Tuesdays and Thursdays (2:30PM – 6:30PM and 6:30PM – 8:30)

Location: 1257 Queen St. W.

Funder: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)

  • Collaborate with other teachers to promote the learning and implementation of best practices in teaching.
  • Coordinate curriculum development and teaching activities in consultation with the Language (LINC) Coordinator and PIA’s staff (as approved by the Executive Director).
  • Prepare, plan and deliver settlement and multi-leveled, student-centered, LINC lesson materials and teaching aids.
  • Monitor and record student progress on a regular basis in order to maintain continuous quality improvement standards.
  • Work with the Language (LINC) Coordinator to ensure effectiveness of recruitment, client intake and promotional activities.
  • Work in coordination with other programs and agency staff, where and when required.
  • Research and make recommendations on the purchasing of teaching references, teaching aids and other material to the Language (LINC) Coordinator.
  • Perform any and all required administrative duties: take attendance, call students, submit forms, etc.
  • Perform any other duties as assigned by the Language (LINC) Coordinator and/or Executive Director.
  • Attend team and PIA meetings when requested by the Language (LINC) Coordinator and/or the Executive Director.
  • Adhere to PIA Personal Policies, Procedures and Practices.

  1. Excellent command of oral and written English.
  2. TESL Ontario Certification from an accredited institution.
  3. A Post-secondary degree from an accredited institution is an asset.
  4. Cross-cultural training or experience in working in a multicultural environment.
  5. Solid working knowledge of LINC and PBLA Program Guidelines and Procedures.
  6. Knowledge of settlement issues.
  7. Possess skills in facilitating group discussion and problem solving.
  8. Excellent command of oral and written English.
  9. Excellent interpersonal skills.
  10. Proven leadership skills.
  11. Strong proven ability to work cooperatively in a team environment.
  12. Computer literacy.

Start-date September 3, 2019

Please submit your resume and cover letter by e-mail no later than August 9, 2019 to

We appreciate and thank you for your application, however we will only contact those candidates we wish to interview.

Thank you for visiting the Parkdale Intercultural Association website.

We invite you to explore this website to learn about or to find out more about our organization, our events and the programs and services we offer.

We offer our services in multiple languages. Please visit our languages page to see a listing of the languages in which we can serve you.

LINC Class

We provide free English classes for eligible adults

For more information please click here.

Settlement Services

Settlement services are also available free of charge

For more information please click here.

Recent Events

Every Tree Counts Presentation June 2019

Refugee Rights Day 2019

Annual General Meeting 2018

Fort York And Humber Bay Field Trip

Meet And Greet Wellness Day

Citizenship Ceremony At Highpark

2018 Annual PIA BBQ

2018 Seniors Event

Canada Day Participants

Child Minding Training Graduation

Cashier Training Graduates

Go Green Initiative

2018 May 29 Newcomer Day Celebration at PIA


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Yesterday- Memories, Grief, And Looking Towards Tomorrow

On Friday, I saw the film Yesterday. It’s not a Disney film, but I see those, too! It’s a fun film about a glitch in time (the one everyone worried about, which never occurred, at the stroke of the year 2000) in which all memory disappeared of the existence of The Beatles. It’s hard to imagine. I saw the film largely because of Ben’s love of The Beatles. As I frequently do, I wanted to see it through his eyes. When I attend Disney films, I often sharply feel Ben’s absence, and sometimes I do feel his presence, but this time I wanted to be his eyes, enjoying it as he would. It had emotional moments for me, and, even without the obvious title, made me think about “yesterday,” and the concept of time as I’ve journeyed through caregiving, watching Ben battle ALS, coping with the depths of grief and the adjustment to co-existing with it.

If I travel back enough yesterdays, I remember that the first song I ever danced to with Ben was The Beatles’ Twist and Shout. We met at work and at a gala, before we were actually dating, when that song came on, he grabbed my hand and took me to the dance floor. I learned how much of a fan he was of The Beatles and developed more of an appreciation of them. Now, I listen to the albums more often and with more love. During the yesterdays of Ben’s ALS struggle, when we were fortunate to travel to Walt Disney World several times, at Epcot’s England pavilion, I loved watching Ben watch and play the air guitar along with the live bands as they performed music of The Beatles. During the yesterdays of Ben’s time in the hospital, and even on his very last day on this earth, musicians visited him to play Disney music and some of Ben’s favorite Beatles songs, including his favorite, In My Life. On his first day in the hospice unit, Ben had a visit from one of the very kind residents who treated him early on in the hospital, before his tracheostomy and feeding tube. They spoke for quite a while about music and which was their favorite Beatles album. It wasn’t easy for Ben to communicate, but the resident did a great job reading Ben’s lips and I was there to help translate. This resident did not have to visit, but he was a lovely, compassionate soul, and he had to deal with one of Ben’s crises on his very first day as a resident. I know that he will be a wonderful, caring doctor. A lot of yesterdays. A lot of memories. A lot of sadness. But, a lot of love and even laughter in the darker times.

Walt Disney World, 2011.
Ben’ in one of his many Beatles tshirts.

The lyrics of Yesterday start with

All my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks as though they’re here to stay
Oh, I believe in yesterday

In the film Yesterday, some of the past is erased. It’s a flawed plot, but it did make me think. Imagine if The Beatles had not become The Beatles. Imagine if John Lennon had not been shot. And, more to the point, imagine if Ben had never been diagnosed with ALS. Imagine if there was no ALS? How would life play out? Thoughts like that do at times drift through my mind. It happens often when I see elderly couples walking hand-in-hand, because Ben used to always comment that we would be a couple like that.

2010- Shortly after Ben’s ALS diagnosis and still standing, albeit unsteadily. In his favorite Beatles shirt at a fair with my Pets en Voyage products.

The concept of time is fuzzy when I think back to my days taking care of my dad and Ben. I measure time by significant events in the progressions of their disease and then “firsts” without them and, of course, milestone dates like birthdays and anniversaries. February is a month I dread because it was my dad’s birthday, Ben’s birthday, the month when my dad died and, most recently, the month that my cat Disney died. Summer is the marker of when I lost Ben. The start of each school year reminds me of the insanity I felt when I returned to school a couple of weeks after Ben died, feeling the drastic change of not having the same caregiving responsibilities, which only magnified the feelings of loss and the accompanying grief. They say time heals all wounds. When it comes to grief, I think time helps you adjust to and learn to coexist with the grief. Sometimes my experiences feel like yesterday, sometimes they feel like further in the past.

Indeed, before Ben’s diagnosis, it’s not that life was perfect- it never is- for one thing- my dad had cancer, but an ALS diagnosis sent us into a tailspin. There was always the wish of going back to yesterday.

The narrator says this in reference to Cinderella’s grief over the loss of her mother.
Cinderella © Disney 2015

The narrator (Fairy Godmother) of Disney’s 2015, live action Cinderella said, “Time passed, and pain turned to memory.” This is one of the Disney film quotes that always gives me pause. I can look back at my yesterdays and say that after nearly four years, I still feel the pain of losing Ben. Pain has not turned to memory, but I can view that pain as part of sixteen years of so many memories with him, only the last six of which involve his life with ALS and mine as his caregiver. There has been a gradual shift from continuing to live within the pain of suffering and loss, to embracing the wide range of memories, and the feelings they bring, but also defining and diving into my new “present.” Pain, sadness, joy, anger- a bevy of feelings and emotions related to my yesterdays- are all part of cherished memories and I see that they continue to shape me and lead me towards a bright tomorrow. I even made sure that I visited Abbey Road when I returned to London in 2016- it was a way to honor Ben, have him present with me, and see London, one of my very favorite places but one I never saw with Ben, through his eyes. Yes, I wish I could erase ALS, but this was our unique story. It did not have a Disney happy ending, but it did have love and even some pixie dust. I will carry in my heart all of those yesterdays as I face today and tomorrow.

Feeling like a Beatle, as Ben would have wanted to do.

On July 4- Thoughts of Independence, ALS and Aging

Today, here in America, we celebrate Independence Day. In our challenging political climate, I cannot help but reflect on how our independence seems so fragile. I think about my dad on holidays such as these, and how he, the proud Marine, lamented that less and less families displayed a flag. As much as I miss him, I am relieved that he is not living through these times because I firmly believe that it would make him physically ill. He would be worried about my future, but at least now he is watching over me.

I also can’t help but think of independence as it relates to ALS and to aging.

My dad was used to being the tough guy- after all, he was a Marine. As he got older, it was hard for him not to be able to manage the tasks that required physical strength. It was a hard thing to admit that aging has taken some of his independence. Even things that he could do independently, he wanted me to take care of. He wanted his independence but he wanted to depend on me. He wanted to know that I was there for him. I navigated his pride as I, the consummate klutz, and a pretty weak one at that- lifted and schlepped for him. He worried about my back but he did not want to have groceries delivered. I shopped in the city, cooked for him and brought everything to him by train. I know that he was comforted in the knowledge that I was going to take care of him. He was coping with fear of being alone, fear of his cancer progressing, fear of dying, and even fear of leaving me. Whatever it was, my dad had cancer, he was more than eighty years old, and I loved him. I was his caregiver and I was his daughter. Actually, anyone I met during his doctor appointments or visits to the neighborhood told me that I was his life. I knew that and he wanted me to know that.

Daddy loved to visit the Cradle of Aviation museum and relive his USMC days.

Ben dealt with a loss of independence as ALS stripped more and more of his abilities. ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that ultimately results in the loss of voluntary muscle action. Patients are affected differently in terms of progression, but people may lose the ability to speak, eat, move and breathe in any order of events. Ben’s initial symptoms were weakness in his legs and lack of balance. Next, he struggled with the use of his arms and hands, then his ability to chew and swallow. His speech was impaired though he did not lose it until he had a tracheostomy, and he got a feeding tube at the same time.

Imagine the loss of all of those abilities that we take for granted. People with ALS cannot independently take care of daily life activities. That is a physical and emotional struggle. I was always struck by Ben’s sense of humor and determination to devise strategies for managing on his own. He was quick to purchase things like adaptive zipper pulls and computer accessories that allowed him to function at least somewhat independently. He loved his scooter and electric wheelchair because they gave him the freedom to get around and be outside. As he lost dexterity in his hands, it became more difficult for him to steer, but he could be out and about.  He tried hard to avoid, for as long as possible, his loss of independence.

As Ben’s caregiver, as he became increasingly dependent on me, I, too, lost independence. This was an emotional battle for both of us. Even within couples and families, each person maintains a certain level of independence. Ben and I lost that independence, albeit in different ways. I could no longer take time for myself. And, I witnessed Ben’s struggle and was consumed with trying to accommodate his efforts to maintain some level of independence. Ben and I were dependent on each other in this world in which our relationship was shifting beyond our control and we desperately wanted to maintain some semblance of who we were at our core, before ALS. After I lost Ben, I was frequently told that it was good that I could now reclaim my freedom. Only now, nearly four years later, am I becoming more comfortable with my independence. Still, I blog and maintain my deep connection to people who are experiencing ALS, as patients or caregivers. My experience left me with some battle scars, but it also left me with a tremendous appreciation of and perspective on independence.

Walt Disney, Walt Disney World

Walt Disney said that “Mickey Mouse is, to me, a symbol of independence.” This was said in the context of the success that it brought him and his company, and the freedom to pursue his dreams. “Independence” is vital to our existence in many literal and figurative ways. On Independence Day, we honor this country and its founding principles. Let’s be grateful for independence. Let’s fight to preserve those values that are currently under attack and being chipped away and could potentially impact on the medical care and research that strives to help make ALS more manageable and, ultimately, to eradicate this cruel disease. In my practical way, I contribute, through donations, volunteering and the raising of awareness about ALS. In my Disney way, I continue to wish for and dream about a cure for ALS and all other diseases.

Happy and Hopeful Independence Day.

Disney Pixar “Up” Helps When Grief Has Me Down

Up Copyright © Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar Animation Studios 2009

Today was the last day of school. I eagerly anticipate this day throughout the entire school year. Today, however, I felt terribly sad and lonely. This is the fourth summer that I have approached since Ben died. I guess that I may never enter summer without remembering that summers were difficult for me when my dad and Ben were ill because I juggled caring for both of them. Just as I didn’t get excited about weekends, summer didn’t really represent any kind of freedom or fun, other than being away from the school building. Ben died in August 2015, having spent the summer in the hospital.  I still feel twinges of guilt and sadness that I was so angry that, without talking to me first, Ben made the decision to let go his home health aide because he said that I could do everything since I wasn’t teaching. It ended up being  only a week before he ended up in respiratory crisis and in the hospital. I don’t like remembering the anger and resentment, though it was an honest part of our experience with ALS. I also remember the days and nights spent at his side in the hospital, when there were terrifying, devastating, frustrating and also many loving moments.

I relate so much to this scene from Up. I like to reminisce about my time with Ben. But, there are times like today, when I want to share the celebration of the end of a school year with him. Like Ellie’s, Ben’s chair is empty. He’s not at home. I’ve gotten better at planning my own adventures, but on days like this I am too keenly aware of being alone.

Every summer has come with melancholy and anxiety, and a regression in grief, but this seems to be the first time I have had a very tearful last day of school. I don’t really know why. I guess I will always be thrown by the unexpected tears and clinging sadness and loneliness. I don’t fight the feelings. I acknowledge them and let myself have the moments. I know that the profound loneliness and loss that I am feeling will fade and I will get back up to speed. I’ll use this time to spiritually commune with Ben, try to work through that difficult summer, and try to balance his  absence and presence. Maybe part of my sadness is the change of routine. With school, Ben was part of my structure- I listened to my “Ben playlist” on the way to school every day. I have not firmly organized my next few days. That was probably a mistake. Without structure, I might be able to distract myself, but I might flounder. I’ll have to see how it goes. I’ll try to remind myself that I am going to have new adventures this summer and he will still be with me, just in a different way. That will never be enough, but it is a lot.

Ben and I at Walt Disney World, July 2014. A good summer memory.

Celebrating The Anniversary Of “The Lion King” With Important Quotes That Give Perspective On Caregiving and Grief

The pre-ALS days-Christmas 2007.

Today is the 25th anniversary of the release of The Lion King. I have always adored Simba but had a hard time with how cruel Scar was and how he actually killed his own brother. Still, the animation is incredible and was yet another stellar achievement by the Disney team. As with so many Disney films, I see different insights and am touched in many ways that reflect my own experiences with caregiving and grief. I’ve written about being “surrounded by idiots” and how it has not always been “hakuna matata.” Now, I’d like to share some of the quotes from the film that resonate with me as a daughter, a wife, a caregiver, and a person who has experienced grief. I’m including photos that Ben and I took at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom.

“Life’s not fair, is it?”- Scar

Scar speaks the simple truth. It’s not fair that our loved ones become ill, suffer and leave us. It’s not fair that caregiving is so difficult. It’s not fair that things like insurance and finances have to be concerns when we are already coping with the physical and emotional devastation of terminal illness. It’s not fair that we don’t always have family that is helpful or caring. But, as loving people, although we may lament and vent about the difficulties we face, we also look for share love and positive influences.

Ben told me that he never asked the question, “why me?” when he was diagnosed with ALS. They were the cards he was dealt. So, I never let myself ask that question either. It wasn’t fair, but we tried to make life as good as we could for as long as we could.

We saw Simba! 2007

“I’m only brave when I have to be.”- Mufasa

I have often written about not feeling brave. Though not from this film, my favorite quote, and the one to which I relate best, is actually from Christopher Robin: “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.” The fact is that my dad, Ben and I were brave when we needed to be.  It was terrifying for my dad each time he had to go to the emergency room, or to find out that his cancer had spread a bit more. It was terrifying for Ben as he lost his abilities one by one. They had to be brave and I had to be in control as their caregiver and advocate. Also, as their caregiver, and as a wife and daughter, it was excruciating to have conversations with my dad and with Ben about their right to decide how to live and die. I did my best to put on a brave face and then, I cried when I was by myself. I can only remember two occasions when I cried in front of Ben about what was happening to him and, in those moments, he bravely comforted me. At those times, I felt guilty, because, in my mind, it was my responsibility to comfort him and alleviate his worry. We were vulnerable and frightened, but we showed strength for each other when we needed to. It was a powerful and important lesson.

“Nobody messes with your dad.” – Mufasa

I was always a Daddy’s girl, but also a Mommy’s girl and a Grandma’s girl. I know that I was my dad’s whole world, and I was constantly reminded of that when he was in the hospital and then the hospice. It was difficult to see him struggle with cancer, particularly because he had a very defeatist and negative attitude. I think it’s hard for any child to become the caregiver for a parent and, essentially, take on the role of parent. Growing up, I firmly believed that no one would ever mess with my dad. He was a Marine! Unfortunately, cancer messed with him, and ultimately won, and it was heart-wrenching to watch. But, in my memories, he will always be the Daddy who protected and loved me with all his heart. Nobody or nothing will ever mess with that.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom- 2001. Ben was psyched to meet Baloo!

“Sometimes bad things happen and there’s nothing you can do about it.”- Simba

Another truth. We could not change the diagnoses or wish away disease.  We could only attempt to demonstrate integrity and grace while coping with the illnesses and their impact on our lives.

“You said you’d always be there for me, but you’re not.” – Simba

I have definitely thought this. In the end, just like Simba, I realize that Ben and my dad are still here, in my heart, and that our relationships continue, although in a different way. Sometimes that’s enough, but not always.

2007- The Christmas tree decorations at the Animal Kingdom.

“Whenever you feel alone, just remember that those kings will always be there to guide you and so will I.”- Mufasa

This thought is a comfort to me and I can say that, in my experience, it has been true. I still turn to my loved ones for guidance and wisdom. Sometimes, it’s memories of conversations we had and ideas that they shared that help me to move forward. Sometimes it’s just that I know with all my heart that my loved ones are watching over me.

Ben was doing his best Ricky Ricardo impression. 2007

“He lives in you.”- Rafiki, talking to Simba about Mufasa

 “Oh yes, the past can hurt. But from the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it.” – Rafiki

“Remember.”- Mufasa

Without a doubt, I see within myself reflections of my mom, dad, grandma and Ben. The love we shared, who they were and my experiences with them- particularly as a caregiver for my dad and Ben- have shaped me. Caregiving was challenging and at times downright ugly, but I don’t want to run away from or pack away that time, because what I learned from those experiences and memories is profoundly meaningful and indescribably loving. Now, I want to make my loved ones proud and I want them to know through my actions that they are remembered and loved in every step I take.

Lady And The Tramp and The Hunchback of Notre Dame- Lessons on Cherishing Memories and Living Life

Toay is the 64rd anniversary of the release of Disney’s Lady and the Tramp. It was always a favorite of Ben’s and mine. We actually loved to sing the “Siamese Cat Song”; in fact, I used to sing it to my first cat, Tiffany (but she preferred “Born Free,” to which she actually meowed along!)

A poignant quote came from Tramp to Lady, when he told her, “Aw, come on, kid. Start building some memories.” I am always drawn to quotes about memories because memories played such an important part of our lives when Ben was fighting his battle against ALS. Memories became increasingly significant to Ben, particularly as he became more homebound. He loved to look at our photos and videos from Walt Disney World and to listen to the theme park music soundtracks. We could do that for hours. It was my motivation for designing the photo calendars, throw, shower curtain and towel (click here to read more about them)– Ben was surrounded by our photos everywhere in our home. It’s nearly three years since he’s left and I remain surrounded by those things. They are a comfort for the memories the photos hold and for my memory of the happiness that I gave to Ben with those gifts.

Dessert at Tony’s Town Square Restaurant- The Lady and the Tramp-themed restaurant at Walt Disney World. The Lady and the Tramp drawings were done with caramel- pretty fabulous!

We were so fortunate to be able to visit Walt Disney World four times after Ben’s ALS diagnosis. Each time, we tried to recreate our favorite memories, attending our favorite shows and visiting our favorite attractions. We did, at times, lament the attractions that Ben could no longer ride. But, we laughed that we could take the “It’s a Small World” boat repeatedly because there was never a long line and we got a boat to ourselves. Ben’s attitude was amazing. He focused on what he COULD do and, thanks to the amazing Disney cast members, we could do almost everything.

Recreating memories was, however, a tricky endeavor. Given Ben’s physical changes, it had the potential to be incredibly fun or incredibly sad. However, we were so grateful to be able to return to a place that was so important and filled with joyful memories. At Walt Disney World, we were distracted by the excitement and caught up in the fantasy. Ben loved and frequently commented about that. Once home, when Ben looked at photos, he scrutinized how he looked and how his abilities had diminished from visit to visit. For me, looking at photos is sometimes filled with splitting my world into pre-ALS and post-ALS distinctions and observations. Still, more than the physical changes, I see the joy on his face.

Our final visit to Walt Disney World in 2014 was uniquely memorable, not only because we were not sure that we would ever get there again, but also because it was filled with the creation of new memories. Frankly, I was worried that Ben would be disheartened at not being able to do a lot of the things that we used to do. Also, he could not eat many foods, so going to the restaurants that we always loved might have been an upsetting experience. So, I organized several surprises- new and different  events that gave us the opportunity to create new memories. My plan was a resounding success, which makes me so proud and grateful. I wrote about our visit in a prior post, which you can see by clicking here.

Walt Disney World 2002, the pre-ALS days. We didn’t kiss over spaghetti, but we did kiss Eeyore!

Ben and I had 16 years and a dozen visits to Walt Disney World, all filled with wonderful memories. When I was the caregiver of my dad and Ben, those memories sustained me and took me from one Walt Disney World visit to the hope of another, and I lived vicariously through my friends, reading about their adventures on Facebook and occasionally, and proudly, posting photos of Ben and me at Walt Disney World or out in our neighborhood when he was still able to ride his scooter. Our friends did like to see him out in the world. I immersed myself in those memories for some time after Ben died. I know that some people think that this blog is a way to stay hidden in those memories and in the past, but the perspective I gain and thoughts shared with other caregivers in this writing process lead me forward.

Coincidentally, as I reflect on the importance of my memories, I realize that today is also the 23rd anniversary of the release of Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame. I think about what the gargoyle, Laverne, told Quasimodo: “Life is not a spectator sport. If watching is all you’re gonna do, you’re gonna watch your life go by without ya’.” This quote holds an important message for me. I think that one of the most difficult things for me was when people told me it was time for me or time to take care of myself.  I don’t really like to put the spotlight on myself. It was particularly difficult to go out and be distracted and even somewhat happy, just to return to an empty apartment and reminded of the loss and alone-ness, as well as guilt for even trying to enjoy myself.I preferred to put my energy into helping Ben relive and create new memories and, after he left this world, I took pride and comfort in thinking about those memories. The truth is that I will always love to visit with my memories of Ben, the good and bad times. But, my memories don’t have to end there. I can delve into new adventures that will become a part of my treasure trove of beautiful memories. I do not have to live vicariously through other people.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame
1996 Walt Disney Pictures

A sadness looms over my summers because they represent the most difficult times in Ben’s battle, and ultimately when he succumbed to ALS. However, I proactively made plans to do things I love: travel to see my friends, take part in some animal adventures, do some volunteer work, and continue to work on my blog while formulating new ways to reach out to caregivers.

Although sometimes I do prefer to be a spectator in life and to get caught in fantasies of what I think I would like my life to look like, I don’t want my life to go by without me. It helps me to  find peace in the knowledge that Ben’s spirit will always accompany me as I follow my life’s paths, make some dreams come true and make new memories.

My photo collage calendar filled with wonderful memories and new events that will bring new memories. where Ben will be present in my heart

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From the outset of her career, the work of PJ Harvey has commanded attention.  A multi-instrumentalist, she is primarily a vocalist, guitarist and pianist, while also an accomplished player of the autoharp.

In 1991, Harvey formed the eponymous bass/drums/guitar trio in Dorset, England and by that autumn had released the debut single ‘Dress’ on independent label, Too Pure. Dry, released March 1992, was hailed globally as an astonishing debut album, particularly in the United States, where Rolling Stone magazine named Harvey ‘Best Songwriter’ and ‘Best New Female Singer’ of 1992.

In 1993, she signed to Island Records and released her second album Rid Of Me. The album, supported by a lengthy world tour, garnered Harvey her first Mercury Music Prize nomination. The original trio dissolved and Harvey’s solo follow-up, 4-Track Demos was released in the autumn of 1993.

To Bring You My Love, an eclectic and starkly original album followed in 1995, and was accompanied by live performances that saw Harvey explore a more theatrical edge on stage. She received her second Mercury Music Prize nomination, two Grammy Award nominations, and ‘Artist of the Year’ awards from both Rolling Stone and Spin.

Her fourth album Is This Desire? released in September 1998, attracted plaudits globally, gaining several BRIT and Grammy Award nominations. The much anticipated follow up, Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea, was released in October 2000 and went on to win Harvey’s first Mercury Music Prize. ‘Stories…’ was supported by a sold-out worldwide tour. After a summer of live dates, including the first rock concert to be held at London’s Tate Modern gallery, Harvey finished work on her next album, Uh Huh Her.

White Chalk was her critically-acclaimed seventh studio album, which marked a departure as it was composed almost entirely on piano. It was supported by a string of notable solo performances including Manchester International Festival, The Royal Festival Hall, the Hay-On-Wye Festival of Literature, the New Yorker Festival, Sydney Opera House and a performance at Copenhagen Opera House for the Crown Prince couple.

In 2006 PJ Harvey: The Peel Sessions was released – a collection of recordings for the veteran British broadcaster John Peel, spanning her career to date.

Harvey’s 2011 album, Let England Shake, was created with a cast of musicians and long-standing collaborators Flood, John Parish, and Mick Harvey. The songs focus on both her home country and events further afield in which it has embroiled itself. The record evokes the troubled spirit of its time, whilst also looking back through our history. Let England Shake won Harvey her second Mercury Music Prize, setting her apart as the only artist to have won the award on two occasions, an achievement recognised by The Guinness Book Of Records. The album was also awarded ‘Album of the Year’ at the 2012 Ivor Novello Awards and was named ‘#1 Album of the Year’ by numerous publications including The Sunday Times, Los Angeles Times, Mojo, Uncut, Washington Post, The Guardian, NME, Spin, Sydney Morning Herald, Le Matin, OOR Magazine, Irish Times, The Independent, and The Sunday Telegraph. Prior to the album’s release, in May 2010, Harvey made a guest appearance on BBC1’s Andrew Marr Show, the week before the UK General Election. She was interviewed by Marr and performed the song ‘Let England Shake’ in front of Marr’s other guest, the then Prime Minister, Gordon Brown. She was invited back on the show in April 2011 alongside Brown’s successor, Prime Minister David Cameron, and performed the song ‘The Last Living Rose’.

Let England Shake was accompanied by 12 short films by award-winning photojournalist Seamus Murphy.  Murphy, with whom Harvey began working in 2011, has spent over two decades documenting the world through his lens. His work has taken him to Rwanda, Eritrea, Kosovo, Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.

Harvey’s work with Murphy continued over subsequent years, with the pair accompanying each other on trips to Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Washington D.C. This unique artistic, journalistic and photographic journey became Harvey’s ninth studio album, The Hope Six Demolition Project. In early 2015, the album was recorded during a month-long and groundbreaking residency, called ‘Recording in Progress’ at London’s Somerset House, during which audiences were given the opportunity to observe Harvey at work with her band and producers in a purpose-built studio housed in the basement of the iconic London building. The Hope Six Demolition Project was released in April 2016 and became Harvey’s first UK number 1 album.

In 2019 Harvey released her first original theatrical score album, All About Eve, via Invada Records & Lakeshore Records. The 12-track album contains 10 original pieces of instrumental music as well as two new songs written by Harvey and sung by Gillian Anderson and Lily James.  Harvey’s score for All About Eve, is performed by herself, James Johnston and Kenrick Roweand uses Franz Liszt’s ‘Liebesträume’ (a musical element of Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s original 1950s classic film) as a musical touchstone, exploring the more somber and deeply psychological aspects of the story.

PJ Harvey has collaborated with a wide range of musicians, including Thom Yorke, Nick Cave, Tricky, Sparklehorse, Josh Homme, Josh Parish, Pascal Comelade, Gordon Gano, Ramy Essam and Mark Lanegan. She also wrote, recorded & produced material for Marianne Faithfull’s 2004 album ‘Before The Poison’.

In 1996 she worked with John Parish on Dance Hall At Louse Point, both an album and a live accompaniment to the Mark Bruce Dance Company production of the same name. The follow-up collaboration with Parish, entitled A Woman A Man Walked By, was released in 2009 ahead of an extensive tour of Europe and America. The video for the first single, ‘Black Hearted Love’, was directed by the acclaimed British artists Jake & Dinos Chapman.

Her work with photographer Seamus Murphy has seen them collaborate on two albums: Let England Shake and The Hope Six Demolition Project, as well as Harvey’s debut book of poems, The Hollow of the Hand and the feature-length documentary A Dog Called Money.

Harvey has composed extensive soundtracks for film and television, in 1994, covering ‘The Ballad of the Soldier’s Wife’ for the documentary ‘September Songs: The Music of Kurt Weill’, and in 1996, contributing ‘This Is Mine’ with Nick Bicât for Coky Giedroyc’s film, ‘Stella Does Tricks’ and ‘Who Will Love Me Now’, again with Bicât for Philip Ridley’s ‘The Passion of Darkly Noon’.

In 2009, Harvey composed the soundtrack for renowned director Ian Rickson’s New York production of ‘Hedda Gabler’. They worked together again in 2011 on the music for Ophelia in ‘Hamlet’ at the Young Vic, starring Michael Sheen, and for his highly acclaimed 2014 production of ‘Electra’ at The Old Vic starring Kristin Scott Thomas. She also scored Rickson’s “The Nest,” as well as “The Goat” starring Damian Lewis.

In 2019, Harvey was commissioned to score Ivo Van Hove’s West End production of ‘All About Eve,’ starring Gillian Anderson and Lily James. Her artistic process on this and previous scores was documented by BBC Radio 4 journalist Jon Wilson, as part of the BBC’s highly respected ‘Behind-the-Scenes’ series.

Harvey contributed original music for the BBC’s ‘Peaky Blinders’ Series 2, starring Cillian Murphy, and the radio drama productions, ‘Eurydice and Orpheus’ by Simon Armitage and ‘Orpheus and Eurydice’ by Linda Marshall Griffiths. Other projects have included soundtrack work on the films ‘Basquiat’ by Julian Schnabel, ‘The Cradle Will Rock’ by Tim Robbins, ‘What’s This Film Called Love’ by Mark Cousins, Sarah Miles’ ‘Amaeru Fallout 1972’, ‘Dark River’ by Clio Barnard, and ‘Six Feet Under’.  Her tracks, ‘Horses’ and ‘Bobby Don’t Steal’ featured in Mark Cousins’ 2012 film, ‘What’s This Film Called Love’. Original music by Harvey features in Shane Meadows’ 2019 4-part drama, ‘The Virtues,’ including the end credits song “The Crowded Cell.”

As an actor, Harvey appeared in the 1990 film, ‘Lost in the Stars’ and as Mary Magdalene in Hal Hartley’s movie ‘The Book of Life’ in 1998. She also had a cameo appearance in Sarah Miles’ 1999 film, ‘A Bunny Girl’s Tale’.

In addition to her musical career, Harvey paints, draws and creates sculptures.

Summer 2010 saw Harvey guest design Francis Ford Coppola’s art & literary magazine; Zoetrope: All-Story. The issue featured her previously unseen paintings, sculpture and drawings. She contributed artwork to Beat Magazine in 2015 and a photo montage she created appeared in Vogue Australia in 2016. She continues to paint and draw, and her latest work will be released alongside her new poetry collection.

In August 2013, PJ Harvey released the song, ‘Shaker Aamer’, to highlight the detention of the then last British resident held without trial inside the US prison at Guantánamo Bay. The track was streamed exclusively on The Guardian’s website and received positive worldwide attention. Aamer was eventually released two years later in October 2015.

In June 2017, PJ Harvey collaborated with Egyptian recording artist Ramy Essam, and producer John Parish, to write and record ‘The Camp.’  The song was created to raise awareness and funding for The Beyond Association, a national Lebanese NGO. Beyond’s work provides access to education, healthcare, and psycho-social support for displaced children in the Beqaa Valley of Lebanon.

In 2008, Harvey appeared on ‘Private Passions’ on Radio 3. She was a guest editor on BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme in December 2013, and in 2017, Radio 4 broadcasted a 15-minute drama, ‘On Kosovo Field’, inspired by PJ Harvey’s notebooks and poetry from her travels in Kosovo, written by Fin Kennedy.

PJ Harvey’s first collection of poetry titled The Hollow of the Hand, in collaboration with photographer Seamus Murphy, was published by Bloomsbury UK in October 2015. To celebrate the release, Harvey and Murphy presented The Hollow of the Hand – two sold-out live events of poems, new songs, images and conversation at the Royal Festival Hall – as part of the London Literature Festival. Her poem, The Guest Room, was first published in The New Yorker in 2015. She continues to study poetry and is currently writing her second collection.

On 4th November 2015, PJ Harvey appeared alongside Irish poet Paul Muldoon in a new experimental series of ‘In Conversation’ style evenings called ‘Soundings at the Byre’, created by the University of St. Andrews’ new International Writer in Residence, Reif Larsen, and Professor of English, Don Paterson.

In 2013, Harvey was awarded an MBE for services to music. The following year, she was awarded an Honorary Degree in Music by Goldsmiths University. She has been nominated for several Grammy Awards and is the only artist in history to have won the Mercury Music Prize twice.


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Cabo San Lucas

Cabo has been rated one of Mexico’s top tourist destinations. Located at the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula, it’s famous for beautiful beaches, amazing scuba diving, and all-inclusive resorts.

Culture and Language

Spanish is the official language of Mexico but many PokerNomads find it pretty easy to get by with speaking only English.  Many locals speak English because Cabo is such a big tourist destination.

poker in cabo san lucas mexico

Party Scene

There’s a happening nightlife with many locals and tourists partying through the night. Spring break brings in thousands of partiers that are always down to have some fun. The Hookah Bars and dance clubs at night are a popular choice among PokerNomads.  If you want to see tourists getting drunk and dancing on the bar, check out El Squid Roe where the party never stops.

Cost of Living

The cost of living is low. You can live affordably in the city or you can be a baller and live in a huge Mansion Grindhouse in Pedregal.

Busses and taxis are reasonably priced, plentiful and reliable.

Overall, the climate is amazing in Cabo.The weather is beautiful and sunny year round. There are occasional thunderstorms in the summer months.

Poker Grinding Facts

Cabo has been a very popular spot for American tournament grinders. Internet is reliable for Mexico and back up USB sticks are inexpensive and always recommended.

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In 2015, the couple paid cash for their used 30-foot Four Winds trailer and Dodge 3500 pickup. Downsizing into the rig was relatively easy since their tiny two bedroom apartment didn’t have room for too many possessions. “We cut it to the quick when we moved out of the apartment,” says Kristy. “I’ve been very pleasantly surprised with how little we actually needed, even with the kids.”

We have setup our lifestyle as a lifestyle of freedom. No set schedules or times that we really need to be anywhere and our reservations can always be changed. This is amazing yet causes problems. Since our time is ALL ours. We could all stay in our pajamas all day if we wanted to every day. Of course we can’t do that because we do have to work and the kids won’t sit still that long.
Some years are worse than others, but it averages $1791/year, which includes optional equipment, maintenance (tires, oil changes, batteries, etc.). Also includes roadside service insurance payments, vehicle insurance, registration, specialized and optional RV expenses (club memberships), paint & body work, and the expense of two major breakdowns over the years. This was for a ‘94 36 foot, Class A, diesel, RV.

Excellent read, but now more than ever, I want to head south before it's too late. I planned to head out of CT to IN for Nov/Dec, then go south. But the RV parks (just 2 that are open year round in that area) have an age restriction for their RV's. Mine is a 1985 Class C, though not in the least bit embarrassing. I'm afraid I'll run into this age restriction thing all over the USA but the fear of spending the winter in CT is getting to me, too. I can't even imagine my propane and electric costs to get through each month, not to mention the cost of skirting. Help!!! Can someone ease my fears about the age of my rig in regard to campgrounds during the winter months? Will I be stuck parking in Cracker Barrel's?
I was surprised at the cost of insurance but then saw it is a Travel Trailer. Motorhomes are rather more expensive. As far as lot costs, we would/could not justify that as retirees. We pay $500.00/mo which includes water and electric in Denton TX., and traveling will require a fair amount of research as so many parks are above what many of us travelers can afford.
2017 Update – TOTALLY. I still recommend a contract-free approach whenever possible. This gives you the flexibility to sign-up to the best plans (and offers) whenever they became available which has improved our own set-up and saved us many $$ over the years. The whole Mobile Internet landscape has changed dramatically since 2011 (e.g. Millenicom is now caput and gone), but there are still many contract-free options for mobile travelers. You can read about our current internet, phone & boosting set-up HERE.
Sewer Hose – Use a PVC pipe for your sewer line instead of the standard RV drain hose, it will hold up much better in the freezing temps.  If you have a constant water supply and you want to let your grey water drain the safest thing you can do is wrap the sewer pipe with additional insulation, if temps will be freezing for multiple days you may want to install heat tape around the PVC pipe.  I always recommend keeping the black tank closed off and dumping only when necessary, getting a #poopcicle stuck in the drain is not a good way to start the day.
Having never driven more than an SUV, I certainly didn’t feel equipped to pull a 30-foot trailer with a diesel pickup truck (our setup last year). But like riding a bike, practice makes perfect. A few hours maneuvering around a Walmart parking lot, getting a feel for turns and backing into empty spaces, and we felt comfortable enough to head out on the open road. It’s always necessary to do an appropriate amount of route scouting in advance to avoid low overpasses or the possible restricted roads, but within a few weeks’ time, pulling and parking the rig was second nature.
I went on your site today for some inspiration and ideas. I feel like you two are taking the words right out of my mouth, I have said so many of the things I read here. I love that you are so honest and up front about everything. I’m planning on selling my home and buying a cabin with a few acres but when I search for information on living a simple life the lists i find are just things anybody could tell you, and I find myself saying “well “duh” thats obvious.” This is when I found homesteading sites with folks living off grid.
Don, I liked your post. I like the idea of modifying an existing system to make it better. Another trick I discovered while boondocking for the past 6 months, I extended my furnace and generator exhaust to blow on my drain and tank outlets. These outlets are the first to freeze since they poke down from under the insulation. Just be sure your unit is sealed, and use a CO2 detector, as you should.

Bus/RV: We have a full-timers policy on our bus that is kinda like a combined home-owners and auto policy ($1018/yr), and annual tag fees for our personalized speciality plates ($110/yr). As of 2013, we are registered and insured out of Florida – and we have limited full coverage options for a restored vintage bus conversion (our policy is through National General – and our agent is Epic-Insurance – Gina is awesome, give her a call!)
I see someone asked a similar question, but maybe you just missed it. My girlfriend and I are nurses and we’re about to travel. We’re thinking an RV is the right move for us and I’m trying to figure out what its going to cost. We don’t have much money saved for something like this, we pay student loans of course! It appears you’re not financing your RV, is this the case or do you keep your payment to yourselves? I just dont know if its crazy to think that people are financing say, a 150k RV over 10 years at 1500 a month. Is this what a reasonable couple does? Or is that wacky?
*Diesel is mixed with additives and processed by the fuel companies in three stages (summer goes to -11 degrees, autumn/spring goes to -24 and winterdiesel goes to -32 Celsius), so here you do not have to worry as much about wax forming in the diesel. A tip is to not fill too much at lower altitudes, as gas-stations at higher/colder parts of the country will change over to the next “level” earlier in the season. so fill up when you get there, not before…
Jan Wesner Childs is a journalist and wife of a 26-year Army Special Forces veteran. She has lived, worked and traveled around the world and the U.S. She is currently a freelance writer based in Florida, where she writes about anything and everything, including local schools, the space and tourism industry, and military spouse and family issues. Her blog, “Beyond the Gilded Cage,” details her family’s RV adventure and gives the scoop on transitioning to life after the Army. She can be reached at janwchilds@yahoo.com.
Ah, Verizon. I have a love/hate relationship with Verizon. I pay them nearly $250 a month for two smartphones and a jetpack (a wi-fi hotspot) with 20 GBs of data. Verizon is great because they have reliable service across the country, so we can always trust in Verizon when it comes to needing internet for work on the road. I recommend Verizon because it’s what I use, and from the people I’ve talked to, most everyone relies heavily on their network.
I have read a lot of these kind of site and I was wondering if any of you make time for bible study and do you find different churches to attend. We live in a camper full time for freedom from all the bills you have with living in a big or little house. I have three girls and we stay in one place for the most part. We are in a park with mostly pipeliners and it’s hard to keep the girls quite but I also don’t want them on their phones and tablets all the time can anybody help me with ideas
$3,472 *not included in overall expense* 2WynnInc Expenses – The corporate expenses associated with running our business from the road: Bookkeeping, Payroll, editing, etc. Doesn’t include state or IRS taxes. I’ve included my business expenses for this Quarter since we just posted our Make Money and Travel article. I don’t spend this much every quarter, it can vary widely depending on each project, but on average we spend around $1000 each month on the backend (i.e. not the website, email subscriptions, hosting, etc) to run our traveling business.
I have a question to ask. Try not to laugh too hard at my extreme paranoia lol. First you should know it is our sincere goal someday to rv full time. We loove to travel and we are both photographer hobbyists. However. I have zero experience visiting or ever even being in a desert and I am extremely frightened and paranoid of snakes, scorpions and mostly–spiders. How often have you run into these creatures boondocking in the west/in the desert? And no, this issue won’t derail our plans or anything, but just wondering what I am in for! Thanks for putting up with my silly question!
Did you have any trouble passing a home study while living in the camper? We are currently full timers while we save up money to pay cash for a house. We are wanting to adopt but I worry about the homestudy. Our camper is 34 feet and right now its just the hubby and me. I know we can make it work, but how to I prove that? Would love your advice! Thanks!
Getting Personal Effects coverage above and beyond the $20,000 limit generally requires scheduling each item and giving it a value. Progressive requires each item to be appraised ahead of time and submitted as part of the application process for securing an insurance policy. Nationwide doesn’t require appraisals but asks for receipts showing prices paid and date of purchase so they can determine the depreciated value. I’m not sure how either handles the “outside the RV” scenario if the base coverage is higher than $20,000.
The UPS distribution center was small, and they said only the driver would know the exact time. To our utter astonishment, they gave us the UPS driver’s cell phone number. So we called him!! He was very friendly and said he could drive over to where our RV was parked and hand deliver the package in about 10 minutes. We were both totally shocked when he pulled alongside our rig and handed our package to Mark — at no charge. Now how’s that for service?!

Public campgrounds: State, federal, county, city, etc. parks can range from $5-50/night (some are even free!), but generally have a 14 day limit on them. Amenities can range from dry camping to full hook-ups with electric/water/sewer. We generally love public parks, as they offer larger sites, more privacy, great views and access to active things to do out in nature… we spend a lot of time in them.

I could live in my RV, either in my hangar — there’s plenty of room — or on my property where it was already parked and hooked up. The trouble with that was that my RV, the “mobile mansion” is not designed for cold weather living. To make matters worse, I had parked it 66 feet from my onsite water source and I knew the hose running in a makeshift conduit under my driveway was very likely to freeze.
As for Thing 2, the goal has continued to be keep learning as fun and interesting as possible. He reads, reads, and reads. He isn’t crazy about math but I’ve insisted that he keep up with “requirements” because math is one subject that is hard to catch up should we decide to stop homeschooling. He, too, enrolled in a virtual school math class and also received an A both semesters. The biggest change for him was more independent learning. The previous 5 years I was more hands on but with Thing 3 in the picture it became increasingly difficult. Thing 2 really stepped up and took initiative to complete assignments on his own.
Curtis, thanks for the tips. We don’t spend much on campgrounds now and have not signed up for Passport America becuase the campgrounds have not been on our route yet. And we do shop at farmers markets frequently and love them! We have been looking into some alternatives for phone plans. If you run across something that looks great, let us know. And as for the reward points we use the heck out of those things! We agree they are super awesome and we almost never pay cash for anything.
1. About the internet how exactly does that work? We do not plan on having a “home base” so to speak so we would be on the road 100% of the time living in various places. I have to have decent internet for my work so that we could continue to live the way we want. How hard is it to get internet if say you are living off the grid in the woods somewhere? This is an absolute must for us.

Comments on this site are moderated for appropriateness and relevance. While differences in opinion, questions and other constructive comments are welcome, we will not be posting offensive, argumentative or unrelated comments. If you have a service, parts or product related question, please contact us to reach out to Winnebago Industries staff directly.

@Van: Really? Mass generally correlates fairly closely with Weight. Maybe in Outer Space, the links you provide could be useful for a Tacoma truck camper set up for parking in low earth orbit. Forget traveling to new gigs, he could get work doing satellite repair. Just park in the satellite’s orbital path and the paycheck will come to him. Probably won’t be much colder up there than Alaska, but getting fire wood might be a problem. But then again those 60watts of solar panel power would probably be enough to run an electric furnace 24×7 … shoot I forgot about eclipses.
I’ve been wondering what to do with my life. I;m single and own a home with a mortgage. Going it alone is tough…especially when things break down, like the water heater. I have been looking into either leasing or selling my house and getting out of debt, then buying an RV. The thing is, I’m looking to set up permanently in an RV park and wondered how / IF that is an option and how would it work. Any advice or info about this would be greatly appreciated.
After reading their story, if starting a blog is something you are interested in we put together a step-by-step tutorial for you. Like Heath and Alyssa, we have discovered that starting your own business, like a blog, can lead to a TON of freedom in life. If you have the desire to live in an RV and travel full time starting a blog should be one of your top priorities.
Part of being a parent is giving our kids the wings and space they need to become who they are. We were willing to take that risk if it meant our kids could have this amazing opportunity to see the world and that we were able to do that with them before they left the nest and were on their own. Our hope is through the bond we are building as a family all of them will always find each other and us no matter where life takes them and we will find ourselves together more often then not.

We’re still living out of our backpacks with just a few belongings each - but we have a bit more room and space to move around while we’re here. The house was empty - it’s different then the "tiny but full of expertly packed items" space of the COMET or the Element, but it’s nice. We’ll talk about doing more house-sitting like this in the future during the winter if the situation is right.
You guys are terrific. Your details of showing your budget is incredibly helpful. Both with business info and now without (thanks to mean people) I love watching yalls videos. Been telling my wife about your adventures . I email her lots of rving videos and she watched the 2 bike Chicago videos and she is now hooked on watching your adventures. I have been talking full-time for 4 years, she kept saying no. Now she is quickly seeing what we could do fulltiming thanks to The Wynns. If ever in Houston Tx area yall can park on our back 1 acre with 110 plug, sorry no 30 or 50 amp. Better hurry tho, full-time might be coming next year for us. Fingers crossed. Thanks again for yalls openness and for sharing.
2. I would have taken it to a mechanic before buying it – Being a 23 year old RV, I knew I’d have to put some money into it and I budgeted for that. But knowing WHAT I’d have to repair would have given me much needed peace of mind. Every time I took it out the first few months, I lived in fear of breaking down on some country road in the middle of nowhere. Knowing what was likely to break (and when) would have been comforting and allowed me to budget better.

Our first major engine maintenance, including generator, was about $2k ($1200 parts including lots of spares, $800 labor – which including training us on doing it ourselves) – subsequent general engine maintenance has been much cheaper, as we’ve been doing oil, filter and zinc changes on our own.  We spent about $7k in our first year on bottom paint, changing out zincs, divers to clean the bottom ($100/mo), replacing thru-hulls, wash/waxes and other necessary maintenance. We’ll continue to track this and share.

With our retirement within 5 years, your blog is a continual source of information, inspiration, and encouragement. Thank you so very much. As far as saving money, have you read “Retire to an RV” by Jaimie Hall Bruzenak and Alice Zyetz? It’s an e-book that I found on-line and downloaded (PDF-format). It seems to be a great source of “living in an RV” information including how to save money. Thanks again. Neal
Brent and I chose to put our desires on hold for a few years to launch these two amazing young men into the world from a stationary foundation because after many long talks, hard cries (on my part), and prayers we felt settling down was the most loving decision for them. Unfortunately, we can’t read ahead like in the Choose Your Own Adventure books and make a decisions on the best of two outcomes. The thing is we will never know what was the “best” for them because we can’t live two lives and compare. Maybe one day we will wish we would have stayed on the road. Maybe not. It’s impossible to know. All we can do is make the most loving decision based on our present knowledge while considering what we have learned from the past and then hope for the best in the future. In other words, I can’t control everything as much I’d like to. Damn.

Emily, you have done an absolutely fabulous job of compiling tons of useful information and we avidly read your blog and go back over things as we prep to hit the road full-time. We love the way you think, your personality and just everything we read. You have been so kindly open with your budgets etc but there are two things we are just curious about being of similar ages and not able to get pensions or SS at this stage in our lives.

Sounds about right, not to mention personal expenses like student loans and taxes in our case, you are also paying for the experience of seeing amazing places – each visit to a state or national park is a donation towards preserving it for the future, each meal you eat in a kitschy restaurant is a memory to share that saving money can’t replace. Once you get away from the east coast, you might see things get a little cheaper as well. The smaller the town, the less chances to eat out and more BBQ memories you can have, also if you buy gallons of liquor for mixed drinks rather than wine or beer, you can save. We spend a lot on gas to get to the cool stuff in our truck because it’s a 350 diesel, but for us, it’s a full time lifestyle that we wouldn’t trade for anything and the extra costs are just part of the awesome things we get to do and see.
Knowing how to budget for the RV Lifestyle is done when potential RVers understand why they want to become full timers and what they want to accomplish. It’s a lifestyle choice that should be carefully thought out and may take a great deal of discussion between a couple who are thinking of doing it. They should ask themselves what kind of traveling they plan to do—long distance, a slow ramble, or only move once or twice a year. Do they plan on working to subsidize their savings, or is this a once-in-a-lifetime trip? Be clear and understand the pros and cons. Understand what is required to enable you to make the decision of becoming full time RVers.
Your water hose WILL FREEZE! Do not leave your water hose connected during freezing temperatures. There are special water hoses you can plug in to keep warm, you can also make a heated water hose using Pipe Heating Cable (Heat Tape) and Insulating Foam Pipe Covers. During extreme freeze your ‘heated’ water hose may still freeze. Numerous times I’ve seen people in the bathroom trying to thaw their heated hoses. Save money and save hassle, just fill your fresh water tank and disconnect your hose, repeat when necessary (it’s really not a big deal and it will save you money and you won’t have to store a bulky winter water hose all year)
We were city dwellers before heading out on this never-ending trip. We drove daily to work in big cities like Dallas and the area around New York City (for her part, Kerensa will readily admit she took public transportation daily in NYC and was already out of practice).  Doing it in a car is one thing, but in a motorhome is an altogether different experience. Cars tend to zip around you and most people don't realize how long it takes for an RV to stop. It can be a little nervewracking. To combat this, we try to avoid rush hour and may take alternate routes. PSA: Don't cut off an RV in traffic. You may think you're jumping ahead, but you may be dooming yourself to being rear-ended by something 5 times your size.