It’s been a while since my last blog! During this quarantine, I’ve decided to get back into journaling and blogging, using a first-person voice to keep both you and me entertained. It might feel like you’ve missed an entire season, but we’ll catch up as we go. In the meantime, stay safe and keep washing those hands.
We’re now on Day 42. Living in a 300-square-foot RV with two huge Great Danes and a large Marine husband definitely has its challenges. Especially when I’m making dinner and both dogs are sniffing around while my husband is trying to see what’s cooking. This usually leads to me shouting for everyone to get out of my space.
Our bed is smaller than a standard queen size (RV sizes are different), and between that and having my closet wall right in my face, I can feel a bit claustrophobic sometimes. But I can’t really complain—we’re on a gorgeous beach where people spend millions to live, and the sand is just a 15-second walk from us.
It’s a big change from living alone in a 2,500-square-foot house in Guatemala, with two acres of land and 300 yards of beach just for me. Now, I have to learn to share my space. I also need to give my husband his space. He’s out working all day, so I get some alone time. When he comes back and wants to relax or nap, I usually take the dogs for a walk.
In such a small space, even a little clutter feels overwhelming. Today’s quarrel: he wakes up and complains about a single plate on the kitchen counter. That one plate takes up about 80% of the countertop, so he has a point. But since I handle 99% of the dishwashing, drying, and putting away, more arguments follow, especially since he pointed it out while I was still in bed.
Long story short, even when you love each other, you need personal space. My previous kitchen was about the size of our entire RV, and dishes would pile up but get cleaned by an employee, without affecting the vibe of the place.
Personal space also means accepting that we don’t have the same daily routine. Back in Guatemala, I used to wake up between 6-6:30 AM and sleep by 9-9:30 PM. Now, if I stick to my old schedule, David would wake me up when he goes to bed, and I’d wake him up in the morning.
I can always take the dogs for a walk. David has this superpower to have a full conversation with one eye open and then fall right back asleep. I also need to find my own comfy spot outside of the bed. We recently bought some really nice outdoor chairs on Amazon, and they should work as long as I can stay out of the sun. The RV even has an outdoor sound system, so I can play music outside without bothering anyone inside.
