Hillbilly Haven

To be truthful, I'm just counting down the days until this trailer is hitched up and wheeled off of this property once and for all. While mobile home livin' has been good to us, it's had its issues too. We've been surviving with one bathroom (shared with a busy laundry room). This is usually fine for just the three of us (and 3 critters), but when we've had houseguests, the quarters are extremely cramped! Also, this 'manufactured mansion' only has two bedrooms (J's is bedroom/playroom)-- so we're REALLY looking forward to having a guest room - so that no person or animal is displaced upon the arrival of guests.

The other problem is the diminishing "space". There is absolutely no storage. We are literally living between piles - and heaven help us when we need to find something. These piles have grown exponentially with the building project. Our master bedroom is crammed with new lighting fixtures, sinks, faucets, etc. etc. for the new house. The front porch is completely stacked with who knows what (my dear thrifty husband loves garage sale-ing, auctions, and is also a bit of a pack rat). So, when you walk down the stairs off the deck, you need to strategically walk around the bikes, the dog bowls, the garage sale finds, the shovels, and the lawnmower. Are you getting the picture? Keeping the trailer clean (inside and out) amidst the clutter is a no-win situation. Dust from the construction will not go away. Mud has been tracked in, via dogs, via kid, via me, via R's workboots. The dust and dirt build-up is incredible. I literally dread the idea of anyone popping by for a visit. A few friends have dropped by to see the new house and I do everything I can to cut the visit short enough so that they don't ask to use our bathroom! Such a hostess with the mostess - I will NOT even offer them a drink for fear it will fill their bladders! I'm even forewarning them of the "MOUSE" problem, if they say they'd like to come in.....

Anyway, I have been admittedly feeling rather trailer-trashed these past few months. I even wonder if I'm starting to look and act the part. For the month of April I had no windshield wipers - yup, the switch was broken so I manually had to flick the lever up. No sooner did I have that problem fixed, my hubcap flew off on the freeway, and my left turn signal just stopped working (now I'm hand-signalling out the window, rain or shine). I've replaced the bulb so I guess it means yet another visit to the service bay. Anyway, I'm sure they've labelled me trailer trash too - the thick mud undercoating gives it quite the look. They actually washed, cleaned and detailed the poor car for me (that probably took more time than the repairs). Unfortunately, it was entirely mud-crusted again within a few hours. But, for the record, I'm not yet dressing like Britney Spears, carrying a shotgun, or drinking beer for breakfast. Although I'm quite sure the neighbours might be really starting to wonder.....