So, we’ve been full-time rving for about a year, when a fellow camper began chatting with me.
“The Mrs. and me.” His head tilted to the screen door of their 5th wheel trailer. “We’re only here for a couple of days.”
I nodded my acknowledgment.
Within a few hours of pulling into their site he had already added quite a bit of yard art. He had a flag pole made from PVC piping with the America Flag proudly flying. He had a solar light secured to the stand so he had the option to fly the flag after sunset.*. He had a number of path illuminating solar lights planted in the dirt, a propane fire ring, and a table cloth with candles burning.
I was a little bit jealous. We had been in our site for over a week and we looked like we had just arrived. We did have a couple of lawn chairs and a corkscrew dog chain planted securely in the ground. But no fluttering flags and no glowing lights. Maybe they were just weekend warriors. People who had spent the last fifty weeks working, and now they were trying to cram everything into their two week vacation. Although he looked much older than I did. “Are you on vacation?”
“Nope, retired.” His chest puffed out. “We’ve been full-time RVing for over 2 years.”
Before I could feel like a slacker for having a plain yard he continued his story. “We just left from our house in Colorado and are on our way to Florida.”
“Are you going to an RV park?”
“No,” he shakes his head. “We own a house in Florida. When we get down there we will put our camper into storage.”
My eyes rolled. I wanted to tell him he wasn’t a full-timer RVer if he wasn’t living in camper, but instead I smiled. It doesn’t matter. I don’t care what people call themselves. I certain don’t care if their grass is greener or their picnic table matches their rug, chairs and awnings. What’s important is … for only being neighbors for moments we are talking and exchanging pleasantries and greetings.
Life isn’t about the possessions you acquire – it’s about the people you meet and those you choose to call friends.
And yeah, sometime it is about adding Yard Bling…
*The Flag Code states it is the universal custom to display the flag only from sunrise to sunset on buildings and on stationary flag staffs in the open. However, when a patriotic effect is desired, the flag may be displayed 24 hours a day if properly illuminated during the hours of darkness. The American Legion interprets “ proper illumination” as a light specifically placed to illuminate the flag (preferred) or having a light source sufficient to illuminate the flag so it is recognizable as such by the casual observer.
RVWife 