Insulating

Our friend, Noah, finishing up the insulation.

After a month of hiding away from the heat and smoke, we are finally making progress, again, on the bus.  Thanks to the help of a dear friend (thanks Noah!), we have wiring done and our first layer of insulation on the ceiling.  We are hoping the insulation will make bus life more comfortable for us in the summer and winter months.  We will be using Low-E Wrap and Rigid Foam on the ceiling, floor and walls.  The ceiling and walls will then get a layer of wood paneling; the floor we are still undecided.  Since we are attempting to use almost all salvaged goods our options are limited.  We hope for cork, bamboo, Marmoleum or engineered wood for our flooring but so far have only come across maple-look laminate.  We want to keep in consideration the thickness of the flooring and the method it is applied.  Keeping our fingers crossed that something perfect comes along soon.


For now, we will be finishing the ceiling, removing and patching windows, wiring and insulating the walls, and then laying the insulation underfoot, followed by flooring.  After all this, we will begin to see the interior space form.


On a fun note, we are talking about what to paint on the outside of the bus. We have lot's of ideas but are yet to settle on a design and colors.  We will update once we decide.


Warmly,
Marissa

Stuff, Stuff, Stuff!

Bus life is going to present some tight living quarters. Going from a 1500sqft. home (plus, essentially, a three car garage) to a tight little space, we are expecting to be a bit of a challenge. We have it easier than you may think, as we will be storing some of our household furniture, necessities and beloved possessions until we move into our "brick and mortar" home. However, our upcoming transition has still gotten us thinking long and hard about what we truly need and want in our lives. So, I am having a blast clearing out our garage, cabinets and house in preparation for a huge yard sale. We have accumulated so much "stuff" over the past years and much of it we never (or rarely) use.  Granted, some of it I do enjoy looking at - like my pristine collection of vintage Limoges - but I would much rather pass them on to someone who will actually use them. Oh, and of course, make some cash in the process.

This road to freedom from clutter has come over time. I wish I could say that we transformed overnight and that we are forever free from our yardsale/fleamarket/thrift store tendencies, but it was a longer trip and will likely continue on - with a few "flea market find" speed bumps along the way. I mean, doesn't everyone need 5 vintage mexican serapes and several Pendleton throws?!  But, seriously, my blanket obsession aside, we can proudly look at ourselves (and our stuff) and say "we've come a long way, [baby]".

So, now gracing our "sell" pile are much of the vintage tableware, [some of the] handmade pottery, quirky knickknacks, multiple kitchen gadgets (who really needs 4 potato peelers?), and so many other items we (or, honestly, someone else) thought we needed or would actually use but never [or hardly] did. Even our two year old has jumped in on the fun and is happily offering some of his things either for simpler, higher quality items (which will likely last longer and contribute to a creative mind instead of take away) or just to clear out the clutter in his own space.

Now is where I get to tell you about the awesome books that helped us come to terms with our pack-rat ways and transition into a less cluttered lifestyle (yes, read into those words...that means activities, responsibilities and possessions). I won't overwhelm you so here are a few to whet your palate: "The Simple Living Guide" by Janet Luhrs, "The Joy of Less" by Francine Jay, "Living Simply with Children" by Marie Sherlock, and "Your Money or Your Life" by Robin, Dominquez, Tilford.  I should mention, too, that most books about the consumerism monster will probably do the trick too (at least give you a jump start).

Now, before you start getting all nostalgic on me about your own prized vintage heirlooms, your giant box of beloved stuffed animals from the 1980's (who still has a Popple? I kinda wish I did...), or your collection of 5 spatulas and 6 slotted spoons (a plastic one, a metal one, wood, and maybe bamboo and silicone too?); know that when it comes to simplifying I think the proper motto is, "to each his [or her] own". I won't tell you to get rid of your curio cabinet of Precious Moments or your ten notebooks of High School English papers.  But, I might encourage you to ask yourself why you like having them around (especially if the curio cabinet is in the garage or some storage building costing you $30 a month). This is just so you may discover why they really are so important and what place they still have in your heart (we could all stand to truly appreciate the things in our lives a little bit more). In the end, the ultimate goal is to surround ourselves with what (and who) truly reflect our desires and passions.  Embrace those people, things, activities which compliment your life as you want to live it...and the rest, well, sell it (or just let them go).

[Note to my family: Sorry to say, but the last sentence does not apply to you, concerning us; you are all stuck with us whether you like it or not. We like YOU, so at least, we hope you will consider still keeping us around... <3 Oh, and, yes, we really did appreciate the gift you worked so hard to pick out for us but is now in our yard sale pile. Truly. Really, it's the thought that counts. But, please don't get us a new one...]


Warmly, Marissa


 

The Wheel Well Controversy...

We have been busy with some family outings and gatherings so not much has happened on the bus lately.  However, we are feeling the pressure to have it done by Spring (and want to take advantage of these beautiful summer days) so we are planning to get things moving along. I was going to wait before I posted anything as right now we are just patching the missing wheel wells and running wires for electrical. However, as we discovered on the Skoolies forum, flattening the floor (i.e. taking out the wheel wells) is not necessarily taken lightly in the Skoolie world.  We received many well-intentioned "warnings" from other skoolie owners but I am confident in my husband's knowledge and ability to lead a new generation of bus owners into the world of flat floors (at least with our model of bus).  Anyways, the pic shows before (the wheel well humps were removed by the previous owner) and after.  Benny primed, welded, screwed and caulked (and probably a lot more, but I was far away avoiding the bright arc and smelly fumes).

While we are working with sheet metal we will probably start removing some of the windows and sheeting over them. I will post pics as we get to that, as it will begin drastically changing the look of the bus.  Once we are done with wiring the inside then we will insulate and finish the floors and ceiling so we have a nice smooth surface to build our interior walls.

Warmly, Marissa

Finally, a Floor Plan

We finally have a floor plan to post!  The program we used to draw it up was less than cooperative (probably more like "user error"). If anything, it gives a good idea for the feel of it.

Here goes: In the upper left corner you will see the stairs with the drivers seat directly across.  Behind the driver's seat is built-in seating (with storage and seat belts) and across from there are two swivel captain's chairs with a fold-down table in-between.  Next to those is a woodstove which will be swapped with an AC unit in the summer months. You have just visited our family/dining room, now take a step further and welcome to our kitchen.  To the left (on the top) you will see a range along with some counter space and sink.  There will be some upper and lower cabinets also. To the right (on the bottom) you will see counter space, a fridge and pantry.  Continuing on... turning the corner is the bathroom with tub/shower, toilet and sink. The washer/dryer combo is across, next to the outside access (patio door)...ha ha. Now, a shimmy and a twist will land you next to our 5' walk-in closet (shelf storage on one side with hanging space on the other) and looking on into our roomy bedroom (a king-sized bed wall-to-wall, along with a modified twin above the back engine hump).  The sleeping area will have built-in shelving for books along with storage underneath.

I am sure we will be modifying as we go, but this is the basic concept.  We are looking forward to getting started on building.

Warmly, Marissa

All Clear

Here is a pic of the bus mostly cleared out.  Since the previous owner had taken out the seats and wheel well covers then it was pretty easy - just a couch, a la-z-boy, a mattress and some lumber. In the pic I am seated atop the engine, where our beds will eventually be.  You can also see some plywood and paneling leaning up at the front of the bus, this we are planning to use on the ceiling once we put insulation up.  The plywood on the floor is covering big holes which will be fitted with sheet metal and welded shut.  We have put some masking tape on the floor to play around with different floor plans.

Since our last post, there have been many questions as to our plans once we move onto the bus.  We will be parking the bus in town here and Benny will continue working at the family business.  By doing this we intend to save money as we look for property to build on.  We are currently looking at building a structural yurt made by Solargon (a local company). They are constructed using SIPS panels.  There are a few other companies we are exploring but we will be visiting a Solargon structure first.  In the future we do hope to travel with the bus part-year, but have some other priorities before we can focus on doing that.

Warmly,
Marissa

It's a Bus!

We said we would announce a BIG change, so here it is: [take a look at the pic] introducing our new wheels AND "home-sweet-home" (come Spring 2013).  Yes, you see right; we are packing up our family and moving onto a bus!!!

Don't get us wrong, we love our current house, in fact, we adore it.  Not a day goes by that I don't thank God for the roof over our head and the amazing space we are so fortunate to live in.  (Actually, there might be a few tribute posts to help along the "letting-go" process).  So, why move?!  Well, simply because we choose to.

Over the years Benny and I have been on a journey of discovering who we are as a family and to what values, vision and principles we hold in high regard. More recently, we have come across a series of books that have inspired us to truly reflect on our life and contemplate who we really want to become.  As a result, we were able to put aside our fancy notions of what life should be and finally understand what we (as a unique family) need to pursue a life of pleasure and meaning.  We realized that so many of our [usually well-intentioned] choices have made our journey more of an uphill battle than a leisurely and exhilarating walk through all of nature's glory.

So, that led us to our BIG changes. We'll write a bit more about our choices, and the values that led us to make these changes, in other posts.  But, this announcement is enough for now.

Many of you are probably sitting with mouths agape, others shaking their heads, and some of you with a silly grin because you know us too well to expect anything less than out of the ordinary.  Regardless of your reaction, we invite all of our family and friends to join along on our adventure.  Whether you want to share in some friendly conversation, loan us a hand and get experience in school bus conversions or just pop onto the blog from time-to-time, we appreciate all of our relationships for how truly unique they are.

Warmly, Benny and Marissa

(P.S. I can't possibly mention "books" without saying what they are.  Here are a few, for the curious: "Your Money or Your Life" - Dominguez and Robin; "Living Simply with Children" - Sherlock; "Radical Homemakers" - Hayes; "Above All, Be Kind" - Weil; and a slew of others I will mention in future posts.)

Back on Blogger

Ocean City, Maryland - July 2010

Well, if you glanced at our last blog post you will have likely noticed it has been quite some time since we have bothered to log on and update. Nevertheless, we have been busy bees. Here is a summary: Since our last post we took a year to purchase and fully renovate an old [1880's] house, lived in it for another 4 years (and counting), welcomed our son in October of 2009 and are expecting another bundle come Fall 2012. Benny is still working at Uncle Benny's Building Supplies (the family biz) and Marissa cares for the matters of the family and home.  Currently, we are planning a BIG change; look for our new post coming very soon. :)