Creative Retirement & The Improv Life

It may help some people, especially those considering a major turning point in their lives, to understand how I arrived at this particular nexus in my own universe. My path has been anything but smooth, and over time I’ve learned, sometimes by opportunity, sometimes by sheer necessity, and sometimes by what felt like a curse, how to make the best out of circumstances that were far from ideal.

For many years, I was married to a man who betrayed my trust not once, but twice. After recommitting to our marriage following his first betrayal, he repeated the same mistake. That was the moment I decided to let him go not only for my own dignity, but also so my sons would grow up respecting their mother. Through it all, I never allowed resentment or bitterness to poison my daily life, nor did I let my children see the depth of the pain I carried.

That strength, though, wasn’t born overnight. Long before my marriage, I endured years of trauma at the hands of my own mother. By the time I was grown, I was well-practiced at masking my anguish, tucking away pain so deeply that others rarely saw it.

People often remark- sometimes with amazement- at my ability to rally, to rise again, and to move forward with determination no matter how bleak the circumstances. One friend even confessed that she had once believed many of the difficulties I faced were choices I had deliberately made. Only later did she realize that what she was witnessing was not a series of chosen hardships, but rather my refusal to sink into despair. She saw how I transformed whatever cesspool life threw me into something livable, sometimes even meaningful.

So, fast forward to more recent years. The product of this resilience—this survival instinct honed over decades—has been an ability to adapt and push forward, no matter the setback. Most recently, I found myself in the unusual position of losing my job just as a major political event shook the nation in November 2024.

The government sector froze openings and social services held still not knowing what was going to come of their government funding. Very few openings in my field occurred and very little response to any applications I made. As time passed I began to realize this may be a sign that I needed to make a life change….at the very least figure out a way to live very cheaply so as to not spend all my retirement savings in just a few years sitting here waiting.

Unfortunately, the man I was dating at the time was not in a place to support these changes and bailed on our young relationship. This proved to be the opening I needed to start really thinking outside of the box.

I started to hear about people who lived and worked from their RVs. I had always been interested in traveling by RV (had even shopped for one with an old beau). Was this something I could do with a small budget and an even smaller RV? I did more and more research looking for a way.

There are these resorts and campgrounds all across the country and they all need staff. Who knew? I have been called Julie from the Love Boat more than once in my life so I could meet and greet people. I could organize activities for our guests. So I began to apply in warmer areas to see if this could be an answer to what I was looking for. A creative path in retirement where I could still work and use my talents and strengths.

The people that I shared my idea with reacted in any manner of ways… Some predictable, some not. Why would you? Aren’t you going to? want to save every little scrap of paper your kids wrote on in elementary; miss your family; have a place for the kids to come home to; Oh well you never wanted to have the traditional role of a grandmother (???)

But then there were those while scared said it was the best idea they ever heard of…this is just like you to be so creative. Many said how will they live without me nearby…

But here was the rub… I did not have the community in my day-to-day life that I crave... I crave connections and laughter. I crave close bonds that stand up to the test of time. People did not notice that I was not the first one called with an idea…if at all. The only events that I was a part of were those that I initiated (other than my very loyal and fantastic trivia team members).

People called when they needed something usually a warm strong shoulder to lean on… So I said no more sitting around waiting, no more pining for the community that I craved. I had to act and build it wherever I go. No longer will I seek happiness, but I will create it wherever I go. I do it already with every encounter I have even if it is just contact with a cashier. (Once a cashier told me that she would not be home before a big storm was coming and she had no washer fluid in her car. I left the store and went across to Lowes to buy her a gallon of the fluid and went back and just put it on the cashier’s counter, smiled and walked away. She had a huge grin and tears in her eyes.)

So I got the call from Yuma, Arizona to be an activities team member and work and live at the 55+ community resort. Sun Vista Resort I will have a full hook up which includes water, electricity and Wi-Fi in exchange for 16 hours a week planning fun things for the guests to do! To say I am excited is an understatement! Could things be falling into place after so long of waiting and worrying about work and cost of living…

I now call this Creative Retirement and Improv Life! Each day has been an adventure and even the process of this major downsize has gone so well. I met so many people who loved my stuff just as I did and were willing to pay $ for it. I met people who assisted those coming out of homelessness and domestic violence Operation Blessing as I gave stuff away, and Habitat for Humanity Online Donation - Habitat for Humanity International came and took away so much that I did not have to deal with. Donations of art supplies to kids’ and adult programs finished and anything that I NEEDED could go in the car or camper.

Of course, need is a very relative term when you have a NuCamp Tab 320s camper.

9/23/25-Planning

As the household preparations were going well, I still had to figure out where I was going and where would I stay. I found a site called Harvest Hosts that have stops all over the country where people who own farms, breweries and wineries and more generously open their land to you for a free overnight. There are rarely any services offered but occasionally you might get electricity. I found the hosts to be as friendly and engaging as you want them to be. For example, I was tired and a bit overwhelmed on my first stop after leaving my family and I really needed quiet and solitude. The lovely couple who has a gorgeous spot on Crystal Pond in Eastford, CT welcomed me, gave me electricity, and left me to my own company. I read and journaled next to their lake on a lovely dock.

Using ChatGPT (Thanks, Marcie) I was able to map out my route going along Route 70. I chose that route across the middle of the country since I had never been that way and I had planned to land in Vegas to visit my sister. Also, a friend said I had to see Moab, Utah. (ha-ha best laid plans…)

With very little effort I was able to map my route and include suggested Harvest Hosts sites. I was going to try to do as many free evenings as possible while stopping every few days at a campground in order to replenish water and electricity and dump waste.

On Ramps & Off Ramps

(8/15-18/25)

I scheduled my first stop to be near my parents (Wompatuck State Park, Hingham, MA) and as hope and luck would have it my family was able to arrive on Saturday night and have a bon voyage pizza party to send me off.

Wompatuck is a very large, wooded park that basically offers campsites and walking trails. Most of it is open to the public as it is set in a very suburban area south of Boston.

(9/18/25) My next stop was the lovely lake in Eastford and the next day I met my son’s girlfriend’s parents in Branford, CT. We had a lovely lunch, and they wished me well on my way to next stop (9/19/25) at Readington Brewery and Hop Farm in Readington Township, NJ. Again, it was just what I needed. I had a couple of delicious local IPAs and chatted with a great couple and their two dogs. They were on their way home from an adventure and stopped just an hour away from home to wait out the traffic.

(8/20-21/25) I was up and out early heading toward West Chester area to stay at a KOA campground. These are great campgrounds. Quite clean and well organized but also quite popular! So expect to be surrounded by other campers of all sizes. I will say I love dogs but feel badly when they bark as they do to communicate but their owners yelling quiet every time to shush them is more annoying than the barks. My real reason for picking this site was to stay two nights to connect with my new friend Omar. We had met while he was attending a professional development conference in NH. We hit it off and have fun together. Nothing serious! Although he is looking into PD near where I am headed this winter. 😊After a lovely visit of great dinner and conversation I headed back on to the road the next morning toward Somerset, PA.

(9/22/25) Here was our first glitch of the trip. I had a reservation through Harvest Hosts for a llama farm. However, the hosts were not on site at the time I arrived, and I had absolutely no signal to communicate. I waited for a bit but did not want to be stranded in the hills of southern PA, so I headed back out to the highway and splurged on a hotel room to do laundry and having a snooze in bed (although I was not missing a real bed at all!)

(8/23/25) My next stop took me near Columbus, OH at the Skyview Drive-in. For the price of the movie, I could park in back and stay the night and watch the two films. I met another Harvest Host camper, Kevin and his dog Rufus. (I once had a yellow lab named Rufus, so we fell in love instantly!) Rufus (and Kevin) lives in a huge RV fully equipped to allow him to manage the whole thing and live from his wheelchair. He lives mostly in the RV but still has a home in Indiana. Funny side story is I was sound asleep before the first picture even started! Exciting life on the open road!

(8/24/25) My next adventure took me to an animal sanctuary in Freedom, IN, Peak Animal Sanctuary, that was supposed to have an assortment of farm animals but ended up being only chickens and roosters and several pet dogs. The owner apologized for the barking dogs, but I hadn’t heard them barking over the roosters crowing! It ended up being a very lovely spot in the country and they offered a half bath in their office area for my use.

(8/25/25) The next night took me to a horse retirement farm in Woolbridge, MO near St. Louis. Selby Farm Horse Retirement was nestled in the country and while once again there were no horses it was a lovely spot to park, and the owner was quite friendly and offered electricity for the night.

(8/26/25) Finally arrived to the “middle of the country” in Kansas City, MO where I stopped at a the Z & M Twisted Vines Winery. They actually opened just for me as a Harvest Host guest. I think I made it worth their while when I purchased four bottles of delicious red blends. The host manager was extremely well versed in the wines they develop and a pleasure to talk to about many other topics.

(8/27/25) The next night was another winery in Hays, Kansas called Shiloh Winery. There were three other Harvest Host campers, so we had a nice little gathering with the owners late into the evening. A bottle of wine, a neat t-shirt and electricity and it made for a fun stop along the way. It rained like the dickens late in the night and driving out the dirt roads the next day was not pleasant. I think I still have some Kansas dirt on my car and camper a month later!

9/24/25

(8/28/25) Leaving Kansas and heading toward Denver... I feel like a real traveler...getting so far across the country with all I own. It kind of hit me on this part in a very good way. Not sure why Kansas had that effect on me, but I think we have all thought of Kansas as the center of the country and to pass it felt different. Really enjoyed the drive and the tunes.

I should add in here that music is a huge part of my life...as a listener. My ex-husband once told me that as a musician they would be nothing without an audience. SO, I take my role as a fan and listener to heart. Each live music event is a moment in time we will never experience again and the conversation between the musicians and the listeners is precious! Packed my CDs and made sure my Spotify is ready and off we went.

I was very much looking forward to getting to Denver. I had reached out before leaving to connect with my old friend Trudy and her husband John. They had moved away from NH where we had worked together to follow her two daughters who had made their homes in the Denver area. They live in a lovely 55+ community and have made many friends and are quite active on their own AND they get to babysit their grand babies as much as they want! I was surprised by how flat Denver actually was with the Rockies looming over your shoulder. They pampered me with a room and bath of my own and lovely dinner and conversation. I slept very well and after a delicious breakfast and realizing that I was not going to Boulder, CO but Boulder, Utah next (ha-ha) I set sail for my next adventure.

However here is where the best laid plans went awry. Shortly after hitting the road, I received a call from University Medical Center in Las Vegas. My sister had been admitted the night before and was not doing well. Her heart, lungs and kidneys were beginning to fail. They knew I had planned to visit her in Vegas and were wondering when I would arrive. I said I was planning to get there by the following Tuesday and today was Friday. They were concerned that that might be too late. I told them I could be there the next day. We hung up and I continued to drive and realized that perhaps I should drive straight through to Vegas just in case. They called again to discuss whether or not she would want to be intubated. After discussing what we would hope to achieve with that and decided to not do it if only to keep her alive for my sake, I informed them I would arrive that night at about 9 their time. They were quite relieved to hear that. So, I flew over the Rockies and through canyons I couldn’t really see since it was so dark. After going through a couple of time zone changes I felt like I had driven the same hour over and over!

I arrived at the ICU about 9 PM and was guided to her room. It had been 20 years since I had seen my sister, and they were not kind to her. She is only a year older than me but looked 30 years older. Another day and time I could write about my life with my sister and her life, but it is a sad tale. I stayed with her for a couple of hours, and she was really struggling with so many pumps of medication going into her. They could not keep her blood pressure up and felt that it was just a matter of time. I went to the hotel my brother had arranged for me and tried to sleep. The hospital called me at 7 AM to see when I was coming back in as things had worsened. I arrived shortly after and sat by her side. She was not very coherent and kept screaming for me when she came to. I do think there was a moment of clarity, and she knew it was me. After discussions with the doctor, we decided to remove all the medications and allow her to pass. It was less than an hour before she took her last breath with me holding her hand.

I needed to stay locally to wrap up a few details after her death, so I transferred to my campground reservation at the local KOA in Vegas. It was good to get back to my RV and out of the main section of the city. I always thought I would not like Vegas, and I am sorry to report that nothing was able to change that opinion. I have to be honest because you need to trust my opinions on where to go and stay, right? There was a strong hum and energy that vibrated around me constantly. I am an empath and do tend to fell energies strongly, but I was a happy camper when I finally was able to leave Vegas for my best destination for this leg...Alameda, CA!

9/29/25

(9/2/25) My son and his family have lived in Alameda, CA for about twelve years. He did his residency in Contra Costa area and then worked with a clinic in Oakland called La Clinica. He had taught himself Spanish hoping for an opportunity to use it. He was able to create his work to meet his needs emotionally and intellectually. He delivered the babies of his many Guatemalan patients at a nearby hospital and eventually worked with a homeless organization to travel the city of Oakland to bring healthcare to the various encampments. He traveled in a van with a nurse and social worker to deliver vital care and preventative medicines.

He just changed jobs and works with a Stanford practice that will give him a better schedule and time with his family. They are now living on the Bay and loving life!

I did take a side trip over to Sausalito, just north of San Francisco. My aunt had lived here for several years, and I guess I was feeling a bit nostalgic, and I wanted to share the beauty of this area. However, I did look up real estate on the pier where Nancy had once lived and there was one boathouse for sale for 2.9M! It was a different time and place back in the 70s and 80s.

(9/27/25) After almost a month with my son and his family it was time to head south toward my ultimate destination---Yuma. But first I headed to Manhattan Beach which is outside of LA and a lovely tiny town on the side of a steep hill, which is apparently the headquarters of Sketchers and the owner has apparently seven homes in the town! I had dinner at The Kettle which provided me a lovely view of the ocean and all the people watching I could do! My Harvest Host was a lovely couple that just had me park in their driveway and gave me a ride down the hill to the center of town.

The next spot was in Palm Springs, but I took a detour through Pasadena to have lunch with my nephew’s wife’s parents. They are such lovely people, and it was nice to reconnect. I did not stay too long since parking in Pasadena is a bit restrictive and so I went on my way toward to KOA Palm Spring/ Joshua Tree. Fairly empty campground but I imagine it will start to fill up in the next week as the October weather seems to be the time of change for this area. I will be here for a total of 3 nights as I wanted to have a bit of down time before I began working at the resort, Sun Vista Resort in Yuma.