Tales from the Lot

So I've been parking in a city surface lot for more than a year now. I started parking here after Westbay Marine Village RV park shut down for good. It's been a pretty good space for the most part, once we settled on where I should park that I am not in anyone's way and won't be hassled by city workers. I haven't really written much about the parking lot until now, so I thought I would jot down a few highlights from my time here in the parking lot. All sorts of folks use the lot, but an even more diverse group are on foot/cycle/scooter/stroller etc. They are in no particular order other than as I could recall them to write them down.

I should set the scene as well. I am in a square parking lot that is bordered by houses and townhouse complexes on three sides, and the fourth is Royal Athletic Park, a baseball field and stands for the Harbour Cats, the local baseball team. They also hold concerts, festivals, beer fest, etc there. It is not a huge park, but gets pretty busy when games or events are on. The parking lot has trees on all sides, some more mature than others, providing some nice shade. There is a shipping container parked along one edge, not far from where I park. It has disaster supplies in the event of one such as a tsunami or earthquake, which are the two biggest threats here. Vancouver Street runs between the lot and the ball field. It is well shaded by mature trees and has several dead ends to limit car traffic. It is a very popular route for walkers, scooters, skateboards, and bicycles. 

• This morning I watched a guy on a bicycle come whipping into the parking lot from Vancouver street, jumped off and threw it to the ground along with a bag he had with him, next to the disaster shipping container. He was bouncing around, stretching out in the most exaggerated manner mixed in with some good old tweaking and twitching. It was hard to tell whether it was a mental health crisis or a drug fucked crisis. Either way, it continued for about 10 minutes or so. He took everything out of the black cloth shopping bag, including a box with what appeared to be an expensive bottle of spirits. He took everything out and looked at it, then shoved it back in, and then took it out again several times. He drank from his water bottle that he had also thrown on the ground. He continued to bounce and was very agitated, and talking to himself, and repeated several actions over and over. It was quite bizarre. Then he parcelled himself off and left again. My best guess - he stole the bag from someone and wasn't sure what he had stolen, and was on a theft high - wondering how he could sell the stuff to buy drugs and how much money could he get. 
• Last night a friend was visiting and we had the curtains open and low lighting in the RV so we could watch the world outside. At one point a small station wagon parked along the outside curb of the parking lot - Vancouver Street. There are several no-parking signs along that portion of the road across from the ball field. A guy got in and out of the car several times, fucked around with what was in the back of the car, then inched along the same curb back and forth several times. Then he seemed to have left, only to come back and park on the opposite side of the street, in and out of the car several times. Then he left again only to come back and park on the same side of the street as he did first. Same behaviour, in an out of the car, up and down the curb. Then two guys got out and off then went to meet someone else parked up on the sidewalk by the ball field. Before long they came back to their car and seemingly left. Moments later they were back again and parked right behind me on the street, so about 30 feet from where we were sitting. We heard a woman scream (in frustration more than pain I think) and next thing some woman is stomping by the RV, having left this car. She wasn't talking much so it was difficult to tell what she was pissed about. Our best guess that night was that the guys were involved in some sort of drug exchange and she didn't get what she wanted or was kicked out of the car for some reason that pissed her off. 
• One afternoon when I was parking in the middle of the lot away from Green Street, I heard a commotion and looked out to see several police cars and officers yelling out "PUT THAT DOWN! PUT THE NEEDLE DOWN RIGHT NOW!" And so on. There was apparently a woman under the truck parked on Green Street (a local who lived across from the parking lot) and she was bearing a hypodermic needle in each hand. I'm not sure what prompted the situation, if it was a call from someone reporting drug use on the curb or what. Either way, it was pretty crazy at the time - the officers continued to demand that she put down the needles, and I guess she eventually did after they pulled her out from under the truck. An ambulance showed up shortly after and she was loaded onto the stretcher and off she went in the ambulance. 
• There is a couple that walks up and down Vancouver street, and they seem to be having the same argument each time they pass the parking lot - she is yelling that she loves him and did not cheat on him. He tells her he doesn't believe her and she continues to plead the same to him again, and again, and again, and again until they are out of earshot. Same argument EVERY SINGLE TIME. 
• There is no shortage of bottle pickers in this city. There are several different types of bottle pickers though - some are seniors simply looking for something to do with their time, often while walking a dog, will just pick up bottles and cans to return. There is an Asian woman in this neighbourhood that we see all the time, picking bottles around the clock - I've had her pass me at 4am at times. She has passed through the parking lot on a daily basis. There are also many folks who pick bottles to supplement their income. They usually wear gloves and have a cart of some sort. Then there are the homeless bottle pickers that drag their whole shopping cart, bicycle, suitcases, garbage bags, etc with them as they scour the city for bottles. I hear them rattle their carts through here all the time, or the crinkle of their cans in a garbage bag, all hours of the day and night. They often jump into the dumpsters to see what treasures they can find in there. Most carry a digging stick to reach stuff in the dumpsters. There are the most random things left beside the dumpster here in the parking lot. This particular one is for organic street cleaning waste and grass clippings, so it is a big open top dumpster bin with signs that say - no private dumping. People ignore this all the time. The last bizarre thing was a pile of cut up fabrics outside the bin. It was about 18 inches tall and about 3 feet across. Small scraps of random fabric. I did not touch it of course, but later in the week I did see someone had picked up some of it and taken it away - I passed him on Vancouver Street, with bits of fabric falling out of his cart like a trail of crumbs back to the dumpster. 
• There are a number of folks who seem to have their mental health crisis breakdown as they pass or cross the lot. Lots of screaming, yelling, swearing and carrying on when folks appear to be very much alone - no ear buds or phones in sight that may explain who they are talking to. I peek out the windows but avoid all eye contact as I do not wish to become involved in someone else's circus. Got my own thing going on here. 
• Baseballs fly out of the park ALL THE TIME. Pretty much every single game, I can hear the crack of the bat, then the swish through the trees before a THUNK onto the ground, or my RV, or someone else's car. I've even had one drop right in front of me as I was walking down Vancouver Street back to the lot. I've given the balls I found away to children as they seem very happy with them. Saw one land on a police car while he was in it, writing up notes on his laptop. He was parked right beside me and I saw it all happen. He wasn't angry or anything - how could you be when you are parked next to a baseball field. Shit happens. 
• The intersection of Vancouver Street and Caledonia (which both border the lot) there are several accidents that have happened there, at least one a month, sometimes more often. Sometimes it's car vs car while other times it's cars vs pedestrians. The intersection is an odd one, and folks don't always understand who has the right of way. Coming from Vancouver south across Caledonia - there is a stop sign and you cannot drive north on Vancouver as it dead ends in that direction. There is a stop sign on Vancouver before crossing Caledonia. There are no stop signs on Caledonia so they always have the right of way - except for the marked pedestrian cross walk. There are tons of people spilling all over the sidewalks and streets on a game day, so just a busy place. I'm not a looking Lou so I don't go over when it happens, I just watch from afar. 
• Lots of dog walkers stroll on by or through the lot. Then there are what I call the lazy fucks. They come to the parking lot in their car, park and let their dog out onto the small patch of grass next to the car, talk on their phone the whole time and then load the dog back into the car and take off. They stay only long enough to bring their dog there to pee, but not to let them have any exercise or even a short walk. They do not always pick up the poo. Jerks.

I'll wrack my brain to see if I can come up with more. In the meantime, brunch is calling!

Camping and RV Life - Details and many photos!

Been camping a fair bit this summer. We went to Sunny Daze for a night in the woods, with a river flowing below us. It was pretty hot that weekend so we were grateful for cooling waters! I took two friends with me this trip. They blew up their rainbow unicorns and floated on the river. 

Even Nash found it hot so stuck close to the floor.

Then I spent a few days at Goldstream Provincial Park with the candle police. Apparently a big propane fire ring is okay but three tea lights in enclosed holders are a big risk for the fire ban...jerks. This was the first time I used a cloth on the table. We crowded around the table instead of the fire pit as the ban was on. It was cozy and looked cool. I took a family of five camping with me this time. 

Then it was time to return to the city. I found a nice space to park in at the lot that gives me some much needed shade for the upcoming heat wave. I was going to go back to Sunny Daze but their forecast was about ten degrees hotter than here, and with it being so enclosed by trees, I worried it would be just too hot. So Royal Parking Lot is is. 

Nash on the dash

The space is directly opposite the ball field so there is a chance I might catch a ball with my roof...it has happened before!

They had some lovely fireworks last night too. I just hauled out a chair and sat down behind my RV to watch. 

RV life is often very different than living life in a static environment. While we usually strive for the same comforts - running water, toilet, fridge and stove, and a comfy place to sleep, just how those things work and what is involved in maintaining those comforts is very different so I thought I would jot down a few things here:

Sleeping quarters - While I do not have a dedicated bedroom like some RVs I do have a dedicated bunk room. That is, I can pull a curtain across to separate me from the rest of the RV cabin. The bunk room has storage underneath where I lay my foam mattress. The storage space cabinetry does not fully support the mattress so I have two Rubbermaid bins and my propane tank under the remainder of the mattress. I'm not sure why it was designed this way, but I was happy to see that Rubbermaid contains are exactly the right height. In the storage compartments below my bed I have stored several gallons of bottled water, my suitcases with extra bags and clothes in them, and my two deep cycle marine batters in battery boxes. In the storage that is accessible from outside (where the gasoline generator used to be stored) I have an empty gas can, my water hoses, and my barbecue. In the Rubbermaid bins I have some sentimental stuff like photos, books, etc that came out of my parents house and my grandmother's old hand crank sewing machine. In the second bin I have all of my boots, my hand saw, silicone for repairs and the gun to squeeze it out, frisbees, Nash's flexible cat carrier and other odds and ends. For sleeping I have a 3inch camping foam on the bottom (it used to be in the Karma van so was cut that size) and on top of that I have a proper foam mattress, about 8 inches I think. It is a single bed size, but the space could accommodate about another 6-8 inches if I wanted to spend $300 for a custom mattress and have no sheets that fit...I also installed a shelf next to the bed to put things like tissues, books, my phone, an LED USB charged lamp, and a bottle of water. Above me are two big cabinets where I store mostly off season clothing. There is a long cabinet at the end by my feet where I store all my vinyl records, sketchbook, shopping bags, iron, purses, and a few other things.  On my bed I have only handmade quilts and one fuzzy blanket that Nash loves to knead, and five pillows. Love my pillows. One is to keep my bed from sliding around too much, and the others are for comfort and support. I have two big windows in my bedroom, and one of them opens wide, right beside my head which is pure bliss when I am out in the country and breathing the earthy air all night. Nash likes to sleep on the bed with me most days, especially in the winter as he loves the body heat I think. In the summer he spends less time but still manages a few hours of cuddling down near my legs. I have a curtain that I can pull across the end of the bed where I climb in, but I usually don't bother with it. It is usually only pulled when I am having company and want to hide my unmade bed!

 On a hook on the wall I have my bag holder, my silk robe (in a cloth bag to avoid damage) and my waterproof cell phone carrier.  The decor is a big painting from a woman who I met in Alice Springs from Utopia. It is a bush medicine painting. I have several other prints from other artists in Canada a black and white photo of Amber standing by the Eiffel Tower, my father's showshoes, a hand woven belt from the Aran Islands (Ireland) and a sombrero Amber gave me. I also have a baseball bat beside my bed for any intruders. 

Kitchen - I have been able to adapt very well with my compact kitchen. It is in the centre of the RV, forward of the bedroom and bathroom, and behind the living quarters. The kitchen is equipped with a four burner stove and oven, an apartment sized fridge and freezer, a double sink, a row of drawers and several cabinets. I have a small hot water tank, I think maybe 5 gallons max. It is more than enough for what I do in the kitchen. I have a little bit of counter space, and increase that by simply putting my big bamboo cutting board over one of the sinks.  I have the table if I need even more space, but that is rare. The stove is propane and I LOVE COOKING WITH GAS! It is instant heat, no waiting for burners to heat up. I have a breadbox that I store my breads/wraps, bagels in, and on top is my dish drainer. Must utilize all spaces! I have a spice rack on the wall to keep them accessible and secure. I used some stick on tiles as a backsplash around the stove. I have a full kitchen with me in here, minus a few appliances. I have two frying pans, three pot sizes, three mixing bowl sizes, loaf pans, cookie sheet, cake rack, muffin pan, pizza pan, cheese grater, two sizes of colanders, a kettle, and square and rectangle cake pans. I have a set of dishes, extra bowls and plastic plates, cups, mugs, coffee bodum, food choppers (two sizes - hand pulley from Tupperware), full set of cutlery, sharp knives, cooking utensils, three cutting boards, water bottles, and a toaster. I only get to use the toaster when I am plugged in so otherwise toast is made over the burner on the stove. I have a full pantry of baking and cooking supplies, spices, oils, sauces, etc. I have all the condiments I need in the fridge, and space for boxes of crackers, chips, snacks, canned goods, etc. Also in the kitchen is a small closet that I converted to a pantry to carry both food and toiletries. I also store all my crushable hats, necklaces, propane bottles, tapes, towels, staple gun, extra wires, paint, nail polish, boot polishes (saddle soap and dubbin) and such. It is amazing what I have crammed in there. Under the sink I keep all my cleaners and garbage bags, parchment paper, sponges etc. In the drawers I keep the cutlery, dishcloths and towels, measuring cups and spoons, more cooking utensils, ziplock bags, foil wrap, Saran wrap on, and so on. The double sinks come in handy as I keep Nash's waterbowl in one of them, freshened several times a day, and he loves to play in his water so it does not go on the floor beside his food. The other sink is used for piling dirty dishes, as it doesn't take long to feel crowded in the kitchen when there are dirty dishes in the way. I have cooked full chickens, steak, casseroles, cookies, muffins, beef and pork roasts, etc in my little oven. The only thing I cannot fit is a turkey. 

The lounge room: This is where I spend most of my time. In here I have a pull out couch. I like to use the whole couch pulled down to lay around on but it takes up so much room in that state and I have to squeeze by to the table and benches, so I usually only have it down out of necessity - someone is camping inside with me or I cannot sleep in my bunk room - either for medical reasons when I had hand surgery, or when I was dealing with too much moisture. It is comfortable enough for now as a couch, but narrow and I really want to get a new cushion for it in dense enough foam that it feels like a proper couch. Nash loves the couch as the back of the couch sits under a window where he sits for hours at a time. He also likes to curl up on the couch when I'm in the room. Because the couch is not that plush on its own, I have a layer or camping foam and then meditation cushions over top of that for comfort. The table has two bench seats on either side, seating two on each side but I have stuff stored next to the window so it only really seats one on each side. I have a piece of foam for Nash in that window so he doesn't have to sit on my table to look out, and on my side I have a few baskets of things I like to keep handy. One is full of my notebooks and other reading materials. The other has mail, keyboards, small papers, etc. The last one has odds and ends like manicure kit, tooth flosses, my reading glasses, napkins, mirror, etc. On the table when I'm parked, I have a teak tray of my cannabis related items and a few trinkets, candles, etc. I also have a bottle of lotion, pen cup, pill case, notepads, earring tin, box of caramels and shells, and two plants. Nash has his oat grass on the perch. I built a long shelf for my more valuable trinkets, collectables, and blue glass. It has a lip on it and non-skid pads to keep it from sliding around. I do have to take down much of the blue glass and other glass when I travel as it can bounce around a bit. Several pieces have bounced off over the past few years and mostly never broken. I also have a button tin, a tin for my rings, and my VW bus collection. I also have what was once a small square cart stand. The wheels are no longer on it as it would move about the cabin. It has a drawer filled with odds and ends, and has two shelves, on which I have two baskets. The bottom one stores things like my kite, USB fans, extension cords, headphones, and other bulky stuff. The middle one has all my stationary/office type stuff in it and another littler basket with my over the counter meds like ibuprofen and acetaminophen, tums, etc. I also have a bison leather bag with my current writing projects in it, and my laptop bag. On top I have my sweet grass smudge stick, bluetooth speakers, tissues, and a few trinkets. On the shelf next to the stove, I have my television (I can only use it when plugged in) and my inverter for the solar panel charged batteries under my bed. I have a shelf on top of that for my laptop when I watch downloaded items on my tv. For decor in the lounge room, I have many original and printed arts, licence plates from Canada and Australia, photos of my parents and my daughter, nephews, friends. A few tin signs including my cherished "Hippies Use Back Door" sign from the Karma van. I have several things on the ceiling as well such as original artwork and embroidery, posters, a world map (always a staple anywhere I live), a glass mosaic guitar, several types of "J"s, a slice of BC jade in the window, other dangly things, and a poster about Nash in the van on my window facing outside. I have a magazine rack on the wall with many Australian items in it. I also have a boomerang and a bark painting form Austrlaia on the wall. In the cabinets above the couch I have a bunch of books, notebooks, cribbage board, scrabble and dominoes, my Beatles box set, any photo CDs and DVDs I have (nothing to play them on though), my sewing kit, candle, souvenir box, batteries, photo albums, my daugher's baby book, and a few other bits and pieces. In the cupboards over the table I have my craft supplies, laminator, colouring books, bin of markers, big container of Lego blocks, other large books, and bits and pieces. Under the table I store my sewing machine, a cube of shoes, and Nash's cubby hole that is carpeted and doubles as my footstool. Tucked beside the stand is also a bamboo lap desk and my cordless drill, and behind it is my tool bag. Under the seat by the sink is my water tank and the seat belts for the two seats. Under where I sit is all of my fabric for sewing, and my yarn supplies. Under the couch is a cabinet I blocked access from the inside and only access from outside. In there I store my shovel, axe, beach umbrella, marshmallow sticks, two cafe chairs and a small table, two camping chairs, a small rug, my extension cord, and perhaps a few other things. 

Top bunk over the cab: There is a large bed up there but I cannot stand to climb up and feel so claustrophobic as my face is just a few inches under the roof, so instead I use it for storage. I have four Rubbermaid bins with my clothes in them - one for socks/underwear/bras; one for tops; one for jeans and pyjama pants, and the last one has all my leggings and shorts in it. I have another Rubbermaid bin for sheets, blankets, tablecloths, saris, etc. I have a file box of all my important papers, laminating sheets, envelopes, etc. I have a wooden box that came from my Dad (he made it) and store my Christmas tree in there with the mittens, hats, gloves, etc. I also have a bin of purses and other stuff, and a full size cooler with my blow up toys for summer water fun in it. I pull the cooler out when someone comes camping so they can put their cold drinks in there. I also have a box of leather scraps, my yoga mat, extra pillows and blankets, my portable record player, and a basket of stuffed animals. Nash also have several things up there such as two cat beds, a cardboard wave to scratch, a round ball toy with a scratching pad in the centre, and a proper post and platform scratching post. 

Front Cab - There are just two seats that are quite comfy, and a nice dash table below the radio and climate controls. It's made of wood and has a couple of cubbies and two cup holders. I keep my dad's ashes in one of the cubbies as he is my trusty co-pilot. I have my escape tool, tissues, pens, paper, and a mat for my water bottle (doesn't fit in cup holders). Behind my seat are my gloves for the pump and dump, rags for checking the oil, a jug of oil, flip flops for when I don't want to wear my leather sandals to dump and pump, brake fluid, some cardboard and paper to use for funnels when needed. Behind the other seat is a bunch of stuff Nash has stashed or chased there. Under the seat is a locked compartment where I have my firebox and some important papers - nothing of value really to anyone but me. 

Bathroom - Has the usual RV toilet, sink and bathtub/shower. I only really use the toilet as I use wet wipes and the kitchen sink more often. The tub/shower has a clothing rack in it so it has been serving as my closet since I moved in here. I have my seasonal clothes that needs hanging in there like coats, sweaters, cardigans, scarves, skirts, dresses, etc. In the tub is my laundry basket for dirty clothes, a Rubbermaid bin with my paper products like toilet paper, paper towel and Kleenex in it. I also have my compost bin (mostly unused as Fort Vic does not have a compost bin to dump in), my propane heater when not in use, a cube of plastic storage containers, and my towels. The decor in there is limited to a few pieces of art and a photo I took of the Grotto in Austrlia. On the back of the bathroom door inside is a rack for hats, scarves, purses, backpacks, and two holders - one for my broom, one for my mop. The dustpan sits in the bathtub, On the outside of the bathroom door is a long mirror (came with the RV) a photo of my daughter in Rome, and a string of silk flowers from Cambodia. 

Outside compartments mentioned earlier: 

And that's it! That is my whole RV tour, complete with photos. 

Busy Summer

Nash and I arrived back in Victoria in mid June and spent a few days in the city connecting with friends, meeting with my psychologist for the first time, getting a massage, nails done, and then took off to Salt Spring Ialand for the weekend with a friend. We stayed at my friend's house who was holding a Summer Solstice/Birthday/Houewarming weekend. The event was lovely as were all the new folks I met and the brilliant musicians that brought their taken to the fireside of the back yard. Wonderful! My co-camper though struggled with the basic rules for co-camping - please do not let the cat out and please do not cover yourself in the fur of other cats or Nash will go after you. She failed on both counts, which caused me great anxiety, and got us both scratched up. So I cannot have her co-camp with me again. She is a good friend but high maintenance and struggled to follow my direction. 

From Salt Spring I then went camping with a few friends not far out of town at Goldstream Provincial Park. It was nice to be in the woods again and the first night was pretty good, however by mid day the next day I was struggling to be around anyone at that point and the barbs from one certain friend were just really hurting and then new campers showed up at the site next to us and started a very loud generator and left the site...I had enough and went in the RV for the rest of the night and cried with frustration. I left without saying much the next morning. I will not go camping with said barb wire friend again. Too much exposure. I can barely handle a short evening gathering, let alone camping at the same site for two days and nights. 

I've been in town since then, some nights parked at a friend's house while other nights I've been in the parking lot. Nash and I went to one of our favourite places yesterday, the Esquimalt Lagoon. It was a lovely breezy day so I flung open all the windows and cleaned the RV from top to bottom, weeded out some stuff I don't need, organized my summer clothing and so on. We also hung out for an afternoon with a friend at Clover Point - another of our favorite beaches. 

My daughter and her partner are in their last two weeks of work before moving to Salt Spring Island. I'm so excited for them! I can't wait to go and visit them and see the farm, meet his parents and see just what they have gotten into! She is so happy right now and bought her first farmer girl plaid shirt as pictured below with Cruella Devilled Egg. 

They have also purchased a school bus to move their household with and then convert it to a chicken barn to begin acquiring laying hens right away. I think it would make a great tiny house though or crash pad. Either way, it's pretty cool to own a school bus I reckon!

I heard some bad news today - the dog I have been dogsitting for the past year and a half died a few weeks ago after having a twisted stomach and unable to undergo surgery because of his age. Nash and Memphis were fast friends and we will miss him. I am still house sitting there, but no more doggie walks on the Galloping Goose Trail. RIP Memphis.