Don was born in NYC but his dad was a doctor in the Navy and for his first 6 years they traveled around the US-Englewood NJ (where his mom was from) then Hatboro PA, San Diego CA, Battle Creek MI and then Rochester MN before they moved back to NJ-Leonia and then Englewood where he finished high school. It was on to VT for college and then he lived mostly in CT and NJ. He was married from 1974-88 and has 2 sons from that marriage. They have provided him (us) with 3 adorable grandchildren. For most of his career Don was a Systems Analyst-responsible for the programming of brokerage statements for ADP and then Broadridge.
I was born and raised on St Croix (STX) in the US Virgin Islands. When I was 16 I went to Switzerland for a year of school but the following year I stayed on STX because my parents were thinking about moving. We did, in 1970, to Ireland where I spent my last year of school in Dublin. That summer I came to the states and met Don. Rather than moving back to Ireland I stayed in NJ. We dated for a year but then split and I started moving all over- San Francisco, Palm Beach FL, NJ, (where I got a nursing degree) then Littleton and Meriden NH where I was a school nurse, then Boston MA. In 1982 I moved to Lebanon to work as a coordinator for relief services for the Palestinian refugees there and then from there I moved to Cairo for 3 years working in the Palestinian Red Crescent Hospital as a supervisor and nursing teacher. I returned to the US in the late 80's and began moving around again! Cambridge MA to Chapel Hill then Durham NC and then back home to STX. It was there, in 1994 that I received a call from Don and 3 months later I moved back up to the states, 10 months later we got married and then the next year we had our son who is now in university. We moved to the Hudson Valley in NY until 2003 when we moved to Northport NY (on Long Island.
When Richard graduated in June we'd planned to move to STX but health issues intervened and we decided instead that after Don retired in November we would sell our house, buy a motorhome and take, at least, 2 years to see the US and possibly Mexico and Canada. In January, with the house sold we bought the RV in MA and drove to Jupiter FL where my sister graciously let us park it for 3 months. Richard stayed in the house with her and we set about renovating it, installing 440 W of solar power and a 3000W inverter with 6 6VAGM batteries (well, we had someone do it for us) and a composting toilet. We live with a 12 year old English springer spaniel named Phoenix and a 4 year old part Bengal cat named Cadbury. Phoenix is a laid back and wonderfully friendly dog who follows me everywhere. Cadbury was 3 before we introduced him to the idea that he was no longer free to roam at will but whilst outside would be in a vest with a tether or a leash. Well, the first days he was a sight! He refused to fully extend his legs and walked around in a crouch. I was fully understanding of his "trauma" until I went next door one evening during the time that he was wearing the vest to "get used to it" and forgot to lock the pet door. Whom should I meet strolling up the street, free as can be legs FULLY extended but himself. Of course he refused to walk when attached to the leash but finally, in my sister's yard in FL where there is all sorts of wildlife to observe, decided that in order to chase the lizards and the various other things that moved (to the end of his tether) as well as the chance to spend day time sitting under bushes and enjoying he view he would have to walk. Now he takes 2-3 strolls every day on his leash and spends most of the time that we are present on a tether. He lets us know when he wants to go in or out and has charmed many a person that we've met-especially children who cannot believe we have a cat on a leash.
So that's pretty much our story.
Since I am starting this blog 4 months into our journey the posts will be in the past until I catch up. I will also be doing-at some point in the near future- a blog about the places we have been for kids (2nd-5th grade) "written" by Cadbury.
Here is a picture of what we have and the car we tow:
how fun!!
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