Having a dream is a curious thing. We never know what twists and turns are waiting to throw a curve into the path. What dreams little ones have are big reaches; doctors, lawyers, to be in the NFL, to be a cheerleader or pizza girl, or to be one’s own self. As an adult your dreams become more practical. Career dreams take shape and even then what we started out to accomplish doesn’t always mean that’s where we end up. Marriages come and go and come. You have kids, who grow up before you know it (memories are forever), and while you worry about them every day at some point you don’t worry about them anymore. You have grandkids-we have 13, did I mention that yet? You have great grandkids – we have 1. You love them all and hope you have time someday to spoil them and spoil them and spoil them and spoil them. True friends are forever; false friends come and go when they or you tire of the other. Then one day you start thinking about how much you wanted to do prior to the day you can no longer do those things you think about doing. Dig?
So about 6 years ago and on a whim and because I had been thinking so much about it I asked Barbara if she want to be a vagabond-to sell everything we worked all of our adult lives to have, take a year or 2 or 3 and be a non-domiciled resident of some state and buy a motorhome and see America using the National Parks as an anchor maybe be workkampers make it to Ann Arbor for the opening game every fall and at the end of it all say we weren’t so straight-laced or afraid we didn’t live out one of our last dreams. The most wonderful partner a man could ever have said: “Sure, why not!”
So we traveled in our 34.5 foot Class A motorhome Aimee, named by Graham because its French meaning is friend. Aimee came to us in May, 2017 with a big thank you to Pete Polloni at Fretz RV in Souderton, PA. We read and talked and agonized and prioritized the stuff we wanted and read and talked and agonized some more before being able to make our choice. Aimee served us well, and was sold during September, 2022.
It’ ain’t over though. We’ve purchased a condo about 12 miles north of Ann Arbor, and plan to be off the road until fall, 2023. In the meantime we’ll spoil our grandkids and great grandkid, and will work for the University of Michigan Athletic Department as event staff – ticket takes and ushers and shuttle cart drivers and security for athletic events. Minimum requirement is 7 of the 8 home football games, but we’re planning on working basketball and ice hockey, and trying out working the olympic sports to see what fits. Not a bad gig – right?
We’ll figure out how to continue this journey started so long ago and get back on the road so stayed tuned.
Brian Block and Barbara Garrison
Oh yeah-Graham named the blog – guess in my old age he expects me to be lost more than found.
Aimless Wanderings 