Two weeks ago, the air conditioner in the RV finally died. We’d had it serviced for a squeaking noise at the end of May while we were in Memphis. But a few weeks later it started squeaking again, and dripping, and, while Marika was in Philadelphia, the noises became deafening. I made an appointment with a mobile repair company to come on Wednesday. Shortly after Marika got home on Tuesday, it died. 

 

That night, it was 80° outside with 80% humidity, and even moving into the living room for the cross breeze didn’t help. Neither one of us really slept. In the morning we were both tired and hot and the repair guy didn’t come until late in the afternoon. He said we needed a new unit, but that he’d have to order it and come back the next day to install it. 

 

Marika and I had already talked about how much a new unit might be. She had guessed $1200. So when he said $1100. including installation, it was easy to say yes without involving her.

 

We sat outside under the awning, catching the brief breezes, and watched TV on our phones. I checked in on Facebook, where a friend suggested staying at a hotel for the night.  I wondered why we hadn’t thought of it sooner.

So we packed an overnight bag and found a nearby hotel that was pet-friendly. And they had a swimming pool. I was so glad I had packed my bathing suit, and that Marika encouraged me to go swimming, even if the pool was heated. 
 

Because I so needed to be in the water, moving in my body, weightless, then floating, releasing the stresses of the last few days. I needed to feel held as we moved through this ordeal, so that I could support Marika too.

 

We got a decent sleep, Cody seemed relaxed and comfortable, and I went to work the next morning while Marika waited for the repair people to return with the new air conditioner. They finally arrived around nine at night, in the dark. It was a quick install and we both had a good, deep sleep.

 

Now we are dealing with a water leak in an outside compartment. Gratefully, it is not leaking inside the RV, which would be a serious problem. The mobile repair guy checked the usual places, but wasn’t skilled enough to further explore possibilities. So today, as you are reading this, we’re driving about an hour north to an RV repair place, where, hopefully, they will be able to fix the problem.

 

Meanwhile, I’ve settled into the rhythms of my volunteering here. When it’s quiet at the Visitor’s Center, which is 75% of the time, I play games on my phone, read about the area, and last week, I used the time to write some thank you cards. 

Marika has been taking care of home stuff while I’m working, but last Saturday she joined me at the Visitor’s Center because none of the other volunteers had signed up. I handled all of the transactions, and she loved interacting with the visitors, and watching the birds at the feeders out the big window. She even brought her lens cleaner and cleaned the loaner binoculars. We both had such a good time that she’ll be working with me most Saturdays.

 

And on our days off we’ve been exploring the area. We visited nearby Brigantine, a barrier island near Atlantic City. We found a free parking spot on the street and took a quick walk along the seawall, but it was too warm and sunny to be on the beach.

We found the Observation Tower on the north end of the island and Marika saw glossy ibis, black crowned night heron, snowy egret, red winged blackbirds. I sat at the top of the stairs, enjoying the shade and the breeze, and the faint roll of the nearby waves.

We stopped at the Brigantine Historical Society where Margaret Kuhn, one of the volunteers, gave us a tour. She was born and raised on the island and she told us stories of growing up, and of her father, who was very active in the community, especially with the Beach Patrol and Lifeguards.

That’s Margaret in the photo, holding the tray, and today, standing in front of a painting of her father, and a photograph of him next to the first Beach Patrol car that you couldn’t even drive on the sand.

 

Another day we drove north to Barnegat Light, another beach community famous for Old Barney, a decommissioned lighthouse. We looked around the visitor’s center, then I climbed the 217 steps to the top for a beautiful panorama of the ocean and the bay. My thighs were talking to me for a few days, and I was still so glad I did it.

We’re learning the backroads to the supermarket and visiting different farm stands to find our favorites. We’re enjoying the bevy (I love to use my mom’s name in a sentence) of restaurants, including the Friday Lobster Fest – a 1.5 lb lobster, salad, corn on the cob, and a baked potato – all for only $25.00. And last week we bought live lobsters at the Shop-Rite for $6.99/lb, had them steamed, then enjoyed delicious lobster on our salads for four meals.

This weekend we’re taking the RV up to Philadelphia for a three night visit-the-families weekend. One of my cousins will be in town so a bunch of us will get together, and we’ll spend time with Marika’s aunt and her sons. Of course, we’ll be doing some touristing too.

And then it will be back to work, and our simple, lakeside living. We have a mosquito tent now, so we’ve been sitting outside more, enjoying the quiet and the view. This past week it’s been a little humid and raining, and the mosquitos are in full bloom, but bug spray helps and it makes for fine neighborhood walking weather. 

Marika has gone birding along the eight-mile Wildlife Drive almost every day, and once a week, I join her for a shorter cruise around. She loves to watch the skimmers and I enjoy the expansive views, and seeing how much the osprey chicks are growing. This week they are hopping more in the nest, getting ready to fledge and fly. (That’s a green headed fly on the windshield.)

I am so grateful to be here, despite the weather, the bugs, the glitches with the RV. This is the life we choose to be living. And I wouldn’t trade it for anything.