Hi everyone,

Hubby and I joined the forum on the weekend or should I say I joined for the both of us lol.  I have been reading and reading since then.  Every time Ray comes into my craft cave he just laughs and asks what I have found out to date.  We are in the planning stage at the moment and avidly making lists etc.  I am taking early retirement at 55yrs and Ray is 60yrs so he wants to keep working.  I am on a disability pension (very recent) due to requiring double knee replacements but if I just sit around and wait for the operation I might go insane and it means putting off our dream for longer and longer.

So for now our trips will be for a couple of days at a time until Ray retires. But that will get us used to living in a caravan etc.  I might add that al through our married life we have always travelled long distances and moved to many different places. The only state I have never visited or lived in is Western Australia so that is a priority for us.

Our van requirements would have to include an ensuite and a full stove with oven as I love to cook but we will also cook outside if the weather permits.  We also want air conditioning as I have lived in a van before I met my husband and know it can be very cold.

I also plan to purchase the Grey Nomads book when I get paid.  I look forward to getting to know you all on here and then down the track meet some of you in person.  Reading the various posts has been fantastic and informative and the one I loved the most of course was the cooking section lol.

Michelle & Ray

Hi Michelle and Ray,Welcome from me too.

As Kieth has said there is a wealth of skills and knowledge abounding on the site.

Everyone has different views and opinions so pick and choose what you take on board and 99.9% is given in good faith.

Like any 'Family' sometimes we can rub each other up the wrong way and what one finds funny may not be everyones cup of tea.

Most of the people on here don't post but just take on board all the info and knowledge as and when they need, so if you want to post or not.........

Hope your knee problems can be sorted asap and you get on the road soonest.

Lots of forum members to meet and become friends with here

Take care

 

Safe Travels

Trevor

Dougwe wrote:

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Dazren, What, you 12, and I'm only a 3, well, I never.

I'm going up to Mildura to see my Brother and his Family and another Sister in law that's up there, I might extend a couple of days.

Sorry Michelle and Ray I have gone off subject a little. It's Dazren's fault. AS USUAL. 12 indeed.

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 Geez no need to apologise Dougwe, sometimes we have to go off subject or go mad lol.  Have fun in Mildura and you are going at the right time as in the summertime there although all the grapevines are gorgeous to look at it is as hot as hades there.

-- Edited by BohemianGypsy on Tuesday 5th of June 2012 11:53:00 PM

Keith19837 wrote:

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Hello Bohemian Gypsy.  I think I'm the first to welcome you aboard.   I'm fairly new to the site (even though I'm now a Veteran Member).   I'm still trying to find the best ways for me to 'drive' this thing.   Plenty of advice comes through, and there are some great topics.   There is a wealth of information to be mined here.   We have ex engineers, mechanics, medical people, past legal eagles and so forth; plus that huge wealth of 'life skills' and life experience that just can't be taught, bought or thought in schools or universities.   You may not get a reply or two for a while, but that's because many of us (well me anyway) can't always find a particular 'thread' or when we do, we lose it again in the sheer volumn of 'stuff' that's here.   Sorry to hear about your knees, hopefully time and the right medications, fish oils of whatever will put that behind you.   So Salaam, welcome and G'Day from 'us' here at Grey Nomads.      Keith.

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 Thanks so much Keith for your very warm welcome *grins*.  I am a regular user of the computer and the net so getting my way around this forum is fairly easy for me but not Ray hence usually it is my job lol.  I knew that there would be people from all walks of life making their journeys and that's what makes it so interesting and exciting in my opinion.  

About my knees well I did read a thread on here about Tom McArthurs amazing cream which I will be purchasing on payday as well.  I would love to be living pain free without having to take heaps of daily pain medication. . .oh to be free!!!

Once again Keith thankyou for the very warm welcome

Michelle

 Hello and ### WELCOME ### From me to Michelle.

I think .. Keith 19837 covered all the info in his welcome to you, well spoken Keith ?

The only thing he missed was to ''warn you about '' a Feral wombat '' that's roams this forum, he is away at the moment, but when he returns, you will see what i mean

So welcome again, and don't be shy ask anything, there is a lot of help here

dazren

Hi Michelle & Ray,

Oh a girl after my own heart! You have a craft cave!! I too have a craft room, which I call the Sgt's Mess - Pete was in the Army, so I think that's quite appropriate, and it does get very messy, although just before we came away, I cleaned up a bit and you can actually see the floor!

To the best of your ability (and I commisorate with you about your knees - have my knee brace on at the moment) get hubby to retire and get out there, it is absolutely wonderful 'on the road' Pete retired Decd 2010, and it has been great. Hopefully we shall catch up with you somewhere, sometime.

Welcome to you both, and safe travels.

Pete & June

Pejay wrote:

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Hi Michelle & Ray,

Oh a girl after my own heart! You have a craft cave!! I too have a craft room, which I call the Sgt's Mess - Pete was in the Army, so I think that's quite appropriate, and it does get very messy, although just before we came away, I cleaned up a bit and you can actually see the floor!

To the best of your ability (and I commisorate with you about your knees - have my knee brace on at the moment) get hubby to retire and get out there, it is absolutely wonderful 'on the road' Pete retired Decd 2010, and it has been great. Hopefully we shall catch up with you somewhere, sometime.

Welcome to you both, and safe travels.

Pete & June

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 Hey June,

nice to meet a kindred spirit and both Ray and I have been in the Army so I very much appreciate your craft cave being called the Sgt's Mess very apt lol.  I don't call it mess I call it creativity ROTFLOL.  

I don't think we could afford it for Ray to retire early I can only wish that with all my heart he had always been in a job that did not have good superannuation so he will retire with very little and has to rely on the aged pension.  He does have a heart condition with 5 major heart attacks under his belt and only works 3 hours a day 5 days per week but he needs that to feel like he is contributing even though he does in so many other ways, bless him.

Look forward to perhaps catching up and chatting etc with you both down the track sometime.  If you are ever in Inverell in the next six months or so let me know and we can arrange to show you around if you like.

Regards

Michelle

Hey Doug,

Thankyou for your welcome lol.

I reckon I might find myself in the naughty corner on the odd occasion being a rebel and all ROTFLOL. I soooo will not tell Dazren though (fingers crossed behind my back)

Hey Dazren. . . .did you hear?? *loud laughing*

Regards
Michelle

Hello Michelle & Ray and welcome to the group I joined not so long ago myself and now am on the road with hubby... it's great, we're really enjoying ourselves.. this trip is a 'get to know the bus' trip then we're off home to take out or put in stuff we need/don't need... then off for the big lap!! wooohooo! can't wait!! And good for you with the craft area, I have one to at home altho I do alot of things on the computer like digital scrapbooking which makes it easier to take with me :) Keep planning/reading and making those lists... your going to have a ball when you get out here :)

Dazren, What, you 12, and I'm only a 3, well, I never.

I'm going up to Mildura to see my Brother and his Family and another Sister in law that's up there, I might extend a couple of days.

Sorry Michelle and Ray I have gone off subject a little. It's Dazren's fault. AS USUAL. 12 indeed.

neilnruth wrote:

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Welcome Michelle and Ray. You'll enjoy your time I'm sure. And keep dreaming the dream.

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 Thanks Neilnruth,  I will enjoy everything as it has been a long time coming and if we stop dreaming then what?  I would rather continue dreaming it keeps me going.

Regards, Michelle

Michelle wrote.-----It sounds like everyone here might be a 12 Dazren!!  

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Now listen hear Michelle, if you are going to make everybody on here a 12

Then I am going to do a revised scale ??? it is Now from  1 to 20

So the new revised scores are dazren. 24,  the rest ? 12.  and i suppose i will have to adjust wombat and dougwe's rating as well, to maintain my reputation of being, Fair and Impartial.

New Rating for wombat 4, [ subject to 12 months good behavior] not possible

New rating for Dougwe 5, [ subject to 3 months probation.

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If any members wish to prove themselves wrong, ? by disputing these fair and Impartial figures. Maybe this should be moved to the   '' I Digress'' Section..

hey, BohemianGypsy

We seem to have joined at roughly the same time.  Already, like you. after reading hundreds of posts, I am really excited about being part of this forum (part of this family).  By the way, thank you to all those who have welcomed Jenny (the Boss) and me. I started thanking a few, but thought I was really getting away from the topic of the forums I was in.

Cheers

Jim

-- Edited by geobuz on Wednesday 6th of June 2012 07:57:46 PM

dazren wrote:

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Michelle wrote.-----It sounds like everyone here might be a 12 Dazren!!  

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Now listen hear Michelle, if you are going to make everybody on here a 12

Then I am going to do a revised scale ??? it is Now from  1 to 20

So the new revised scores are dazren. 24,  the rest ? 12.  and i suppose i will have to adjust wombat and dougwe's rating as well, to maintain my reputation of being, Fair and Impartial.

New Rating for wombat 4, [ subject to 12 months good behavior] not possible

New rating for Dougwe 5, [ subject to 3 months probation.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If any members wish to prove themselves wrong, ? by disputing these fair and Impartial figures. Maybe this should be moved to the   '' I Digress'' Section..

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 Hey Dazren,

I cannot afford to upset anyone I am a newbie and not that I want to hehe.  If you want to make yourself a 20 *cough* then everybody can be a 19 perhaps lol.  That's not soooo bad although I maintain that 20's all around is good too and I'm not that precious where I think this should be moved to "I digress" it adds to the conversation is all.

It is so freaking cold here in Inverell this past two days and I do love the cold, but today I wish I was somewhere a little warmer perhaps.

I am seriously looking for a van and 4WD now as my super fund said I could withdraw the lot and Centrelink said if I was making those big purchases then it would not disrupt my pension, so I have been doing the happy dance all day today.