2017 Version of the Snowbird Lifestyle

Dining Area 

In a blog post I wrote several years ago about the world of winter living at a price you can afford, I gave you all the lists for things to do so that you could leave your home unattended during the winter. Then I gave you choices for how you might actually leave for several months without breaking the bank. That blog post was called How to be a Snow Bird...answers and lists. Much of the information there is still relevant. BUT there has been a shift in our RV Resort life financially.

Remember back when I touted the RV lifestyle and RV Resort living as the end all be all? I think the rules might have changed when the boomers came into retirement. 

See, during the recession housing prices fell dramatically and our life here in our park model remained much the same. So it was a convenient wash for us in that it was just easier and a little less expensive to live in the park model. Now it is 2017.

Our owner has raised our lot rent to over $5145 dollars a year. That works out to $428.75 a month. AND the value of the park models has gone through the roof. Just a couple of years ago models sold for less that $20,000. Those same park models have sold for up to $40,000 this past winter.

What has happened is that we are at that intersection where lot rent and park model values are rising faster than housing prices. It is a good time to make a change I think. We may be able to stop the rent bleeding that seems to be the new norm for RV resorts.

Boomers have more money and they are wanting to be mobile. The RV lifestyle is perfect for them. During this period of time life in the RV resort will continue to become more expense because there is such a huge demand.

So, wouldn't you be asking yourself why you don't buy a townhouse using the park model selling price for a down payment and actually own something. I know we are. The payment might not be more than our monthly payment here in the park...maybe. I have looked at the appreciation that will be coming during the next year and it is very good. In fact flippers are all over it and buying things that need to be cleaned and repaired so they can cash in on the possible profit.

People our age will be making changes that suit our retirement lifestyle. It is all working out wonderfully for us.

So wait for the next episode. Anyone want to buy a park model? Let me know. :)

b+

Tiny House Living: Buying a Park Model

I recently received a letter from a follower about the best way to choose a park models. The writer had bought a lot in California and was thinking about putting a small house on it. Her inquiry went like this:

I am new to park models but recently obtained a lot in Southern California and have tried researching what the best manufacturer is but there seems to be limited information and most of the reviews are negative as to quality. Do you happen to have better info on which manufacturers are best and do most require you buy thru a middleman. Thank you.

It is a very good question don't you think. How do you make sure that the park model you buy is the best, the sturdiest and will fit your needs?

I have lived in the same park model for over 9 years now. It was built in 1987. In the world of park models, that is very old. But, fortunately, ours as a Cadillac in it's day. Even so, we do have to upgrade and repair a little all of the time. Here is how it works,

While the frame of a park model is very similar to a stick built house, the finishes are very light simply because it needs to be moved down the highway to be placed in it's location. When it is parked, the wheels remain underneath so that in the eventuality that it is sold to be moved, they can be remounted and used again. There are several reasons to leave the wheel underneath. In Arizona this affects the way your home is taxed. This type of home is not intended to be "permanent" in its location.

However, all the plumbing, electrical etc. is usually satisfactory and will last a very long time.

I do know that factories offer tours to prospective buyers.  I do think that seeing the structure in the stages of being built is a good idea if you are buying new. You might take a look at Park Models direct online. RVIA has a guide that could be valuable. I also looked at the webpage with the links for more information here or here.


But here is the deal...I think that buying a park model is very like buying a new car. The quality is dependent on the amount you are willing to pay and on what you can afford. AND once it is driven off the lot it begins to depreciate in value. The tweaks made to the model (added on porches, paint or decorations on the interior) can slow that depreciation process.

Buying a used model and having it moved may be a good choice. You can buy one for very little here in Arizona so I assume California is the same. Then you can use the amount you save to made the home just what you want. But you have to have the resources or ability to do that.

I am also a fan of the Tiny House movement. There are several builders including one in Portland that builds beautiful little houses. The TV show Luxury Tiny Houses is featured on DIY (I think).

As always, it is all about the research. Being well informed is a good thing. I have recommended that people simply rent a unit for a small length of time to get a feel for what they are in for. I love living in my tiny house and could do it year around.

Front porch was added after we purchased. It is decorated for Christmas.

We opened the wall between the bedroom and Arizona room
to make a large open private space.

We have removed the awning and repainted
the exterior, replaced the window and trimmed them out.
It has changed the character of the park model. 

Front porch at night.

Updated kitchen.

Every surface has been painted. We have since
put a dishwasher in where the small white cabinet
sits under the kitchen counter.

This can be a very inexpensive choice for living especially if you own your own lot. But anyone choosing to do this needs to see for themselves what it is all about.

The simple fact are:

• Yes you can skip the middleman and find a manufacturer that will sell to you direct.
• Finishes are not "cheaper" as such but they are designed for a movable unit. They require upkeep.
• Be careful about reviews. Unreasonable expectation are often the problem. Get some kind of guarantee from the manufacturer and be sure to choose one that has been around for a while. Here in Arizona Cavco is a well respected manufacturer...not perfect but someone like this business is probably a good place to start.

That is what I know. Good luck to all of you. 

b+

Links to other posts about Park Model Living.

Small Space Living "As Seen On TV"

Ok, I admit it...I love HGTV. I watch at least one show almost every morning before I even get out of bed. Give me my TV and a cup of coffee and I am a happy woman.

The episodes featuring small space living are all the rage right now. In Oregon builders are taking up the challenge and a lot of houses are appearing in the Portland area. My question here is "How small is too small?"

What 100 square feet looks like.

See, I think that 100 square feet is ridiculously small. That is a 10x10 room and I think that a bedroom needs to be bigger than that. But believe it or not some people are content to live in a place like that. Their needs are very little and they must feel safe with the walls very near.

We live in a space that is 12 ft wide and approximately 35 feet long with an add on that is about 8 ft wide and 18 feet long. I really believe that this is the minimum that I am willing to live in for an extended period of time. The add on was just put on last year and I absolutely love it.

Here is what ours looks like:

This bedroom and the Arizona room (below) are now one big room.

Our bedroom is very comfortable. We also have a TV in this room.

The bathroom is small, clean and perfect for us.

Kitchen backsplash was updated last year. We are replacing our
dishwasher that sits near the sink and stove.

This niche over the dining table had glass doors. We
removed them and painted the interior. The wall have all been repainted too.

My husband built the front porch where we dine most days. 

We are very lucky that we have three outdoor spaces.
This is at the side and we have another in the back.

The exterior of our park model (below) is not good. We
will replace windows this year. I want it to look
like this one (above) featured on HGTV

This small space even has room for my computer and a
printer. The stool serves as extra seating when we have guests.

 Have a wonderful day. If you have a question just put it in the comments section. I will help you if I can. See Snowbird Questions: Why Would You Ever Do That? for other questions and links to previous posts.

b+

Snowbird Questions: Why Would You Ever Do That?

Our friends in Arizona are very precious. We
could not wait to begin this part of our life.

Writing about our retirement and what is has and will mean to us has raised a lot of questions with my followers. I suppose being a snowbird is puzzling to many people. How do you manage two houses? Where do you go? How long do you stay?  And so it goes.

There are so many choices these day for people that want to leave the cold in the winter. I want to talk about RV resort living today.

A question I received yesterday went like this:

Would love to be an AZ snowbird, but we can't wrap our brain [around] paying for lot rental for the six months we wouldn't be living there. We would be interested in any thoughts/advice about this. (We don't have an RV so would love to buy an older park model in a senior park.)

Normally when people come to a RV resort like the one we live in, they will rent a park model or come in an RV.  Usually they end up buying a park model.

Many of the units available now are old and can be snatched up in March or April at bargain basement prices. The reason for this is that the rent for the next year will be coming due and paying the rent is costly. If people are going to sell and haven't found a buyer during the snowbird season, this is when they need to sell fast. It is a money matter.

Once the plunge to buy something is taken, the new owner pays the year's rent immediately. It will probably be over $4500. That works out to a little less than $390 a month.The justification for paying rental for 12 months when we only stay 6 or 7 is one that stops people in their tracks. It does seem to those people like a waste of money. The purchase for the park model may be minimal but the rent is not.

The life here in Tucson offers so many beautiful experiences.

It is all relative I think. We come south because it is very good for our physical and mental health. It is not a choice in our particular case. When we weigh the cost of buying a condo or renting compared with the cost for owning a park model, it seems to be a win-win situation. If there is any extra cost in that choice, we still feel it is worth it. A RV resort offers a lot of amenities that condo units don't. It also offers a community of people that become very good friends.

But above all, for people that are waiting, waiting, waiting, I can only say that as you age time is not on your side. Your health my suffer because you cannot be as active when the weather is bad. So...Tic Toc! Do what you can afford and enjoy life. Don't wait until the grandchildren are grown or the cat/dog dies. Don't wait for prices to fall because the likelihood of that happening are nil now. After all, if you wait too long, you will miss your chance.

Pickle Ball is a hot game in our park.
The courts are used every day. We actually
need more than we have.

So that is what I think. Please add to the conversation if you would like. And of course, I always welcome your questions.

b+

The articles you see below are ones I have written. I think you will find more information if you check them out. You can also click on the labels below.

Related articles

• HOW TO BE A SNOW BIRD...answers and lists!
• Patterns Snow Birds Follow...rent then buy!
• Affordable Housing for Retirees...Tucson AZ
• Counting: 10 How to be a Snowbird - Nuts and Bolts Ideas
• Snowbird: How do I find a place to rent?
• Pros and Cons for Snowbird RV Resort Living: When buying is still renting!

How Does It FEEL to be a Snowbird?

I have always wondered if I could really describe what it feels like to be a "snowbird". I am not talking about a person that owns a second home or travels all winter. I am talking people that fly south every winter to the same landing area. They are very like the Sandhill Cranes that have followed the same flight path since the beginning of time.

Our Arizona home!

It is a pattern repeated every year by thousands of retired people around the world. They all begin to get restless as the weather changes. That "other" home calls their name. I talk about this often here on this blog.

Unlike people that go on vacation to the same place every year, we go home to the same place. There is a lot of difference. I suppose you need to do it before you will ever understand. It really isn't about the climate or the fancy frills but describing what is it about is very difficult.

Oddly enough, the people that fly south often talk about how young they feel when the come to their winter home and how they miss all their warm weather friends when they fly back north in the spring. They are more isolated. It is just not the same.

So when we arrive here in the fall, we all gather together in the middle of the streets or near someone's home to catch up on all the news. We know each other's children and even grandchildren in some cases. It is like a family reunion only without the squabbles. When we want privacy, we just go inside our park model or condo. Everyone has a respect for personal space, at least there I live.

We hug a lot. There is something so wonderful about the human touch that keeps us happy. Even the very elderly get a lot of attention. I talked with a lady with a walker the other day. She was getting out her Christmas decorations and we chatted over a flower growing beside the road. Being alone does not need to happen.

There is something about being around age-mates that keeps us feeling youthful. We all move at about the same pace and share a common bond. We dance and play cards. I work in my tiny flower beds and my friends golf. Some read and others write. I suppose that is why we find each other interesting.

It might be cooler this winter or warmer or windier or even rainy. We don't really care. Home is home...we snowbirds are just very lucky in that we happen to have two place that are equally as welcoming. I like that.

Stay tuned. The 2015-6 season has just begun. The birds will be flying in by the hundreds. They will come from Canada and all corners of the United States. I am very excited about that.

Have a wonderful day.

b+

Was Yesterday Monday?

I knew I was totally free of work when I began wondering if it was Monday. Really, what day of the week it is doesn't matter. In spite of that way of life, I still love Fridays.

Anyway....Monday was a lot of fun this week. I made a recipe based an experience in Santa Fe a couple of years ago. I think it was Carol Cassara that brought it to my attention. She talked about baking cauliflower with a sage flavored butter. I can see the restaurant she was talking about. I love Santa Fe. And the dish is absolutely delicious.

Cauliflower photographed in Woolworths store in Melbourne, Australia (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Roasted Cauliflower

• Coat the bottom of a baking dish with olive oil
• Place washed and disassembled cauliflower in a baking dish. 
• Crush together sage leaves, chives, garlic, salt and olive oil.
• Rub cauliflower with the mixture.
• Cover
• Bake at 350 for one hour.
• Yum!

You are going to love it.

I found a picture of a very small house online yesterday that I loved. I want to recreate my park model using the picture as a guide. 

This is the way it looks now!

Is that purple do you think? I am not sure our park owner would go for purple but I think the style is darling!

So there you have it...the makings of a wonderful Monday. Happy Tuesday everyone.

b+

I would love it if you would beam me up to Facebook or Twitter or Google+...make my Tuesday even better. After all it is all about me. :)

Affordable Housing for Retirees...Tucson AZ

Screen Shot of Google Compare Mortgages

Condo Example

I have begun to think that the real estate market a better choice than RV resort living.  Why?  Well, here is the deal.  When I began looking at condos in Tucson, I found that there are some really wonderful condos available in the foothills of the Catalina Mountains.  I was amazed to find a condo with 761 sq. ft. LISTED at around $100,000...that is about 131 a square ft.  Who knows, the owner may sell for less.  The condo is in a gated community with a club house and pool.  It could be a possible perfect snowbird location.

Here is my thinking...we paid less than $20000 for our Park Model BUT we pay over $400 a month for rent on the space.  The positives of this situation is that we have an end unit that overlooks pickle ball and tennis courts plus a view of the mountains.  We get a lot of light and have plenty of room...it is all relative folks.  Now we have to ask ourselves "How much will $400 a month pay for on a real mortgage?"  A 30 fixed rate on a second home with 10% comes in at about $500.  Affordable?  I think so.  We would be building equity, I love designing small spaces and this might be a wonderful location.  I am thinking we should all take a look and compare the two lifestyles.

So if you will type Affordable Housing (city of your choice) in the search on my sidebar and look at what is available and then do the same thing putting in Google Compare Mortgages, you will have begun the process.  If it looks good to you, contact a real estate agent...believe me they will get back to you right away.  These people are a treasure house of information.

Times have changed since I began writing this blog for boomers and snowbirds.  It is always good to keep an open mind.  Think about it!

I am interested in hearing about your experiences.  Leave a comment and I will reply.

b
Link to earlier post:  Inexpensive Retirement 

Comment (just FYI) :

vivinfrance said...

Thanks for visiting my blog. Affordable housing: that's why we're in France, as there is none in UK. Our first venture into French property was in 1989, and for £25,000 we bought a stone farmhouse with 3 barns and a big garden (at least it became a garden when we were there, before it was just a head-high wilderness. Our second house was a 300 year old stone barn (£5000)which my husband converted and extended into a 5 bedroomed house with an enormous living room. We wanted to be within walking distance of village, shops etc, so we had a new eco house built about 2 miles from the barn, which is where we live now. No mortgage, no debts, bliss.

Is being a snowbird right for you? An Interview with me by Satisfying Retirement Blog

Is being a snowbird right for you?  I know that most retirees have toyed with the thought at one time or another.  I am a snowbird and live with my husband and a cat named RV in Oregon for 6 month and Arizona for 6 month.  I guess living the lifestyle makes me somewhat of an expert on both the daily living part put also the financial cost for owning two pieces of real estate.  So Bob Lowry over at Satisfying Retirement invited me to be interviewed and talk about the pros and cons of this way of living.

Being a Snowbird: Is it the right choice for you? was the title of the interview that contained 8 thought provoking questions.  Bob submitted the questions ahead of time and I wrote the answers at my leisure. Writing for an interview is one of those interesting experiences I wish everyone could have.  I think you learn a lot about yourself when you begin answering questions about your lifestyle and the world you live in.  And that was not even the best part.  When the comments began coming in, it turned out that people had other questions on their mind.

• What do you do with your mail when you are gone 6 month?, 
• Are people in Arizona friendlier than in Oregon?, 
• How do you take care of taxes and do you pay taxes in both places?, 
• What about licensing your car?, 
• Will I be able to stand living in a small space with my husband and a dog?, 
• How do I convince my "homebody wife" to travel with me?, 
• Isn't having two places twice as much work?, 
• Will you call me and have tea when you get back to Oregon?

...and so it went.

I wrote a response to each question and you can visit Being a Snowbird on Satisfying Retirement anytime.  I think you will enjoy it.

Oh, by the way, I love your comments or questions so don't hesitate to click on the comments and fire away.

b

Bob Lowry is a fellow blogger and has written a book called Building a Satisfying Retirement that is available on Amazon. (The ad in the sidebar will take you to the Amazon information.)  He is also included in a book called 65 Things to Do When You Retire, 65 Notable Achievers on How to Make the Most of the Rest of Your Life

Tucson for Snowbirds...a season at a glance!

It occurred to me that I had never written about a total retirement snowbird season in a RV Resort.  The emotional and financial implications of making the decision to leave home for a whole season are big.  Here is a small glimpse of what your life might be like.  Additional links to information is at the bottom of the page.  You will find more information on costs, real estate possibilities and park model living.

We begin our snowbird season in October. In Oregon, our home state, it begins to rain and turns cold. As soon as we have a few dark days our thoughts turn to our winter home. When we travel south, we leave the cold behind. It is generally very warm when we arrive but I am not sure if we just notice because it is cold in Oregon or because it is hot in Tucson. I shed my warm clothes in favor cooler ones. The warm clothes I arrive in go into storage for 6 weeks or so.

This brings up the issue of clothes that fill our needs for six months. While my husband leaves shorts, jeans, etc here in our park model, I don't do that. He tells me women are different. I don't know about other women but that does not work for me. I need clothes for the weather we find in Oregon from March through October. I use the same clothes year around. While we don't need fur lined coats in Tucson, it does make sense to pack for lots of layers. Each day in March or November, for example, can call for long pants with a jacket to short sleeve and crop pants. I change my clothes a lot. When it is winter in Minnesota it is winter in Tucson. It can snow, hail, freeze and blow here just like back home. I do not own two sets of everything so I take my clothes back and forth.

Arizona Front Door (Photo credit: Always at Home)

Fort Lowell Neighborhood 

• Jan 38.9°F 64.5°F 

• Feb 41.6°F 68.4°F 

• Mar 45.1 °F 73.3°F 

• Apr 50.5°F 81.5°

• May 58.6°F 90.4°F 

• Jun 68.0°F 100.2°F 

• Jul 73.4°F 99.6°F 

• Aug 72.4°F 97.4°F 

• Sept 67.7°F 94.0°F 

• Oct 57.0°F 84.0°F 

• Nov 45.1°F 72.3°F 

• Dec 39.2°F 64.6°F

As we move from October toward December and the days grow shorter, the days get cooler.  Actually this is one of my favorite times of the year.  We golf and I plant flowers in my little plot in front of my park model. The park begins to fill back up and the snowbirds fly south to find warmer weather.  Our park will begin to have dances on Halloween and a big Thanksgiving dinner is served for everyone.  The people here do become like a second family.

In December we fly back home to be with our family for the holidays. By using a Amex credit card or airline miles, we usually have enough in point to buy at least one round trip ticket. Most years we only stay for a week. Many times we have been back in the park to celebrate New Years Eve to go dancing with friends.

It will freeze here around Christmas.  The flowers will need to be covered for a few nights. We even protect the water on some nights. I wear jeans, long sleeved tees and sweaters. We have bocce ball fun league in Nov-Dec and all the activities in our park will keep even the most dedicated recluse active.  What we have here in the park coupled with all those things going on in the city make it hard to be bored.

Tucson is a city!  We live fairly near the Park Mall on Broadway. In the winter we love to take in a movie in the afternoon...like all senior citizens we take advantage of better rates on special days and hours. The mall also has restaurants and great shopping. When we settle in for the remainder of the season our life becomes very routine. But, as compared to our summer home, we are not isolated from other people. We can be with people all the time or stay out of sight. It is our choice. People gather in the coffee room in the morning and read the paper, share a story or two and then move on to the rest of their day.

January is cool and the days are short. We place bocce ball and if we play at three in the afternoon, we are wearing ALL our layers before the game is over.  February begins to warm but it can still freeze.  Frost delays are common on the golf courses up through March. In spite of the nippy mornings the pickle ball players are whacking the ball around almost every day. We have a table outside that overlooks the courts and we are regular spectators. We love to eat breakfast in the sunshine and we always have entertainment.

We live very frugally here. Our park model is beautiful on the inside but cost us less than a car.  We pay rent for the space. Our washer and dryer were added in the shed this year.  Before, I used the laundry room.  I like that a lot. I met some friends there. The pool is just outside the door of the laundry and I would sit in the sunshine and read as my wash tumbled dry. The clothes lines are very handy too.

Our library here in the park is really quite extensive. Residents read their books and then donate them.  There is no cost. Neighbors read the wide selection and do it year after year.

I am a great reader but I use a ipad or kindle to read most books. We subscribe to Cox internet.  We can afford this because we but our internet and TV service back home on vacation. No good internet service or tv package is cheap so you may as well bite the bullet and go ahead and get it. We have a wireless network in the park you can pay a monthly fee for...it is worthless and a big pain. Talk to your neighbors before you subscribe to any wireless service. I have yet to see one that is worth the money.

I tried the line dancing class but it turns out I don't like to get up and be at the recreation hall at 9:30 am.  Oh well, line dancing is fun to watch anyway. They added a Zumba class this year and that is a great favorite. Cards are a big favorite too and Texas Hold Em or Bridge will fill the card room.

It is March now. The wind is blowing today and it has been windy off and on all week.  But next week the temps will be in the 80's. My husband will play golf a couple of times. By using GolfNow.com or Easylinks he always gets the best rates.  The city golf course are generally much cheaper if you use these websites.  In fact I cannot imagine not using the computer here. Restaurant.com and Groupon are our go to places for almost everything. Like most seniors we try to live high style at a reasonable price. Go figure!

We love the outdoors and eat outside as much as possible. We own a space heater for our patio.  The Saguaro National Park is very nearby and we visit to watch the sunsets whenever possible.

By April the days will be getting very warm. We usually leave the third week in the month. Water is turned off, refrigerator emptied and windows shuttered.  Our little park model "doll house" will sleep until next fall. It stays very clean because it is closed up tight. When we come back in the fall, it will not even be dusty.

What Does Tucson Have to Offer?
Tucson is just an hours or so north of the Mexican border. The city is divided into two section; South Tucson is a separate town and made up mostly of Hispanic residents. Tucson proper has a upscale north side and the rest of us live middle class lives in the rest of the city. The area around the U of A is the old part of town and some beautiful Territorial style houses can be found there.

City center is beginning to show signs of a return to usefulness but really the banking and business community occupies it during the day and disappears at night. It is interesting to drive through because it retains the look of the Old Pueblo back in the day. Tattoo parlors are prevalent so the downtown has a very counter culture look. The addition of some condos and space for stores is helping the area now.   There are some very old buildings and the Congress Hotel has a great restaurant.  Just so you know, John Dillinger was captured here and the likes of Wyatt Earp visited nearby. I like that history a lot.

Living for six month in a culture so different from the one we enjoy in summer is one of the great pleasures of this location. I always have the feeling that this is where the "Old West" lived and breathed.

The food is fantastic. Mexican Sonoran food can be found in small family owned restaurants. We visit one on 22nd Street called Taco Giro. We are told that it has the best Sonoran cuisine around. If you are a  fan of great New Mexico Mexican food, a small place called Poco and Moms is the place to go. For more main stream Mexican we visit a place called El Rio. But if you are in the notion for white table clothes and wonder cuisine, you can find that in Tucson too. Beautiful resort like Lowe's Ventana Canyon and Marriot Resorts dot the area close to the Catalina Mountains. Tanque Verde Guest Ranch is a world renowned dude ranch and features horse back riding, bicycle tours and beautiful barbeques.

Hopefully, if you decide to come to Tucson, you will embrace the Hispanic and Native American culture along with all that it brings. An evening spent watching the Day of the Dead parade near the University of Arizona will give you a look at what this world has to offer.  People sit in the cemeteries on the holiday with picnics and barbeque's to spend the day remember a loved one.  Small monuments sit in front of houses on country roads with a shrine housed in a tiny concrete house. The San Xavier del Bac Mission is home to the Tohono O'odam Nation.They are having the nations largest Indian PowWow this weekend. This very old mission is so very charming and the photographer's dream come true.

However, if you don't want to ever rub shoulders with people that are unlike the ones back home or try food that is different, you should not come here. You will not like it.

Arts
A small community called Tubac is about 40 minutes south of Tucson. Here you will find a growing thriving art community. North of Tucson along the foothills of the Catalina Mountains you will also find art studios for famous artist  Diane Maderas studio is here as is De Grazia's Studio in the Sun. The University of Arizona brings performances in through out the school year. The Tucson Gallery of Art is located in the old downtown area.

I hope this post has been helpful for you.  Be well!

b


More Information Here....Park Model Living

Apartment Therapy....Making My Tiny Park Model Kitchen Look Big!

Apartment Therapy...notice the tiny kitchen at the end of the room!

My Park Model Kitchen

I live in a park model in an RV Resort for 6-7 months of the year.  Most park models boast around 300 square feet of space.  As a result, every nook and cranny has to be used wisely.  We hang pots between the cabinets on a copper pipe and beautiful kitchen tools on the wall.  The small white table (Home Goods) fills the place where a dishwasher used to be.  I slide it out for more counter space when we entertain.   We try not to cringe when we think about putting our dirty clothes in the broom closet.  Life here is not perfect.

My kitchen is big enough for us and I do entertain occasionally for up to 20 people.  The kitchen works just fine.  But I always think of it as extremely small...until I make the occasional visit to Apartment Therapy. They show some beautiful small kitchens that make my kitchen look like a huge space.  As an example I give you the picture at the top of the page.

b

Park Model Living...holiday party or entertain in the dark!

It will be a lot darker when we have the party!

I am having a party!  There will be 10 people.  I live in a very small park model with an Arizona room that is 8'x22'...not much square footage.  But I have made it work a lot of times.  Oh, did I mention that the Arizona room was paneled by the previous owner and then the roof leaked plus it got about 120 degrees in the summer.  The paneling buckled but we don't care.  The trick is to only have a party in the dark!!!

My husband has tacked white twinkly lights all around the ceiling and when there was a lot extra I had him swag the extra to the middle of the room over the table and we hung a lampshade over the extra lights.  It looks very cool!!!

I don't have any candle sticks down here so I spray painted two wine bottles silver, attached two sprigs off the clementine tree with a silver ornements.  The tree is made of green foil and I bought it at Target.  I painted the base silver and sprayed it with a little silver paint so it would match the candle holders.  The small ornaments were in a container at Target and were the perfect size.   I am going to use silver chargers, wine glasses I buy by the dozen at Ross and some pretty holiday napkins.  Hopefully, I can take a picture or two of the real party on Thursday night. 

This is what you call living stylishly by using what you have, being a little creative and entertaining in the dark!  I really is lots of fun.


b

Park Model Life...Maintaining our home!

There are things that need to be done when we return from our summer home.  This little doll house (park model) needs some love and attention.  Part we do because we want to and part we do because the park requires it.  When we wash and wax the outside it is not because we want to...but we love it when it is nice and clean.
     No park wants the resort to turn into a mini-slum.  Making the residents wash, pull weeds and clean up is part of their plan to keep up appearances.  And, you know what, it really does work.  Even the oldest of the park model trailers look appealing when they are clean and shiny.

I really do live in a little 1987 Park Model!

     So this is what we did today.  We own a long handle chenille washing tool that will fit inside a bucket.  We also have a large bottle of car wash/wax.  We made a solution of this with hot water.  We washed, rinsed dried what we could reach, squeegeed the windows and our park model looked like a brand new 1982 model with a few hail dents...but still looked like brand new!!!  We are done for another year!  
     The beauty of a resort like this is there is always someone that will do these things for you for a small fee.  We have retired plumbers, electrician, builders and technology geniuses.   House keepers, window washing, even furnace repair people round out the list...if we have a problem there probably will be someone that can fix it.
     So how many calories to you suppose I burned today?  I even went for a long walk. Staying busy keep us mentally and physically happy too.   Gosh, I love this life.   Smile!

b

Park Model Living....coffee hour with the girls!

I love to have company.  A perfect Blue Berry Scone + coffee made with beans freshly ground...the beans must have a slight hint of chocolate.   I am in heaven.  Add a couple of friends on a sunny morning sitting on the deck in the shade.  Topping it all off is a set of coffee stirring spoons I found online at Amazon.  What can I say....

b 

Image from MoMA

Don't forget to visit Fab Over 50!

Wendy's Blueberry Scones
Serves 10
Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
2 Tbsp. low-fat or fat free milk
6-8 oz. fresh blueberries
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 450*F (425*F for convection ovens). In a mixing bowl, toss together flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Slice up butter into cubes and add to flour mixture. Using a pastry blender, two knives, or your fingers cut butter into flour mixture until the butter is the size of peas. Mix together yogurt and milk, and add to the flour mixture. Do not overmix! This is key to making any quick bread. Add the blueberries carefully. Pour mixture onto cutting board sprinkled with flour. Knead the mixture gently 2-4 times. Pat into a circle about 1 inch thick. Using a knife or dough cutter slice like a pizza into 10 wedges. Place onto a baking sheet and bake for 8-12 minutes or until golden on the edges. Serve with fresh fruit!
  From Edible Nutrition

Related articles

• Southern Biscuits (segwayne.com)
• Sunday Scones (momblognetwork.com)