Spring is here and the hippie hangout, hit the road!

RV World Fredericton, NB

Call Ian Graham at RV World

​Today is a new day, I am updating our website and writing a blog to share where we are at! It has been over a year since I updated this blog - Trip has been to hell and back with his cancer treatments and surgeries but he is on the upward swing, slowly but steady. Looking back I realize I did not update this site but that is because during the darkest times - I wrote long essays on the life of a caregiver on my personal blog "Big House in the Big Woods - The Sherman Journey" and Trip has recently been able to start writing on his personal blog as well "Trippin' with Trip" ... but I am sharing our business card and thought I BETTER update this website! I also look forward with hope for much light and happier times from here on in!

In Sept. 2017 we were heading on a bucket list trip to Newfoundland and Labrador - we were very excited and had planned to borrow a tent trailer from a friend. I was extremely grateful to them since we did want to camp and things were coming together quickly so I had not found us our new "tiny home on wheels." As things turned out through a fortuitous cycle of events - 3 days before we hit the road we became the proud "new" owners of a vintage 1973 21 ft Golden Falcon - we were stoked! Trip spent a couple of days washing and painting the exterior and simply adding the words "Trip 'n Daisy - Born to be wild/mild" on the back and our adventure began! We appreciated the hardtop trailer vs. tent trailer since it rained about 70% of the time!

As we traveled the highways and byways of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, Newfoundland and Labrador - we discovered our little rig was drawing some attention.  We very much enjoyed the freedom of driving as long as we wanted, stopping and napping or eating or using the facilities - all at the side of the road and meeting so many kind people. We began to envision a longer more extensive trip - across Canada - East to West and back again! Trip is a graphic artist and illustrator and his talents were vibrating with excitement at the thought of painting our rig in a manner that exuded our inner personalities and alas "Trip 'n Daisy" our alter egos and "The Hippie Hangout" our new home - were born!

Unfortunately, life has the means to kick us down and knock us flat - which it did. We knew he might be sick, but not to the extent of it and by Christmas 2017 we had a rectal cancer diagnosis for him and I had to completely give up working and be his full time caregiver, housekeeper, chauffeur, personal assistant, wife and best friend. We continued to dream but honestly became very low at times. Initially the "spread the love" tour was for fun and just to invoke a little more happiness in the world around us in what can otherwise often be very dreary. My giving up working and having any income coming in, hit hard. The expenses of travel and other related costs due to his treatment and illness were extraordinary and we are so grateful of the kindness extended to us in the form of fundraising, donations, etc. that were offered to us.

Here we are now, the spring of 2019, on the brink of our "Summer of Love" tour and trying to generate income to get us on our way. It is a frightening prospect, watching the price of gas rise and the distance to go, but we are working on it, diligently. Trip was always the artist and the "crafty" one but with so many hours of sitting, waiting and watching over him for the past winter, I too have begun to draw on my inner hippie and have fun making things. So we attended our first event this weekend to share our thoughts, dreams, hippie hangout and crafty items with the public. I am learning that many of us look back at the sixties and seventies with fondness, sweet reflection and a little yearning for a simpler time. 

I was born in 1966 so I missed most of the sixties, but by 1976 I had my days of wearing bell bottoms and wishing I had been about 15 years older and been able to enjoy more of the world with flowers in my hair, love and peace.... I dreamed of hitchhiking across Europe... It never happened but it would have been very cool! It is a simple concept and it resonates with me and how I feel inside. Life has dealt me many blows, like it has to most of us, but we can either dwell on them and shut down or we can open our arms and learn to embrace the beauty around us. Can you believe that until I was 38 years old I had a hard time hugging people? Now meet me and if I feel the vibe, you are LEAVING with a hug! 

So, here we are, this weekend we took the trailer out for its first run of the season. We had planned to boondock in a parking lot over night but here in New Brunswick, Canada, it is still pretty cool at night even though we are into May . (Hell, the ice is still on the lake!) I belong to several trailer and camping groups and have been following them for sometime. Facebook is a time waster in some ways but a great source of news, information and resources and meeting some fabulous people! I put out the request to the Camping Eastern Canada group and I had several kind offers of  a place for the night! We were put up at RV World, Fredericton and were welcomed with open arms and great hospitality! We also had an offer from Durham Bridge RV Resort - but had to come home a day early, so not this time, but soon I hope! So many people have offered up their kindness and friendship - RV life is truly its  "Own World" and I can't wait to meet many more people! We are Boondockers Welcome hosts and plan to be guests!

I think what the past year and a half has taught me is, the world is big and scary and there are awful things happening, but it is also small and loving and there is kindness all around us if we open our hearts to it. I know that when we travel, we will meet people, our trailer draws strangers to us and I LOVE THAT! It is a conversation piece and evokes memories of a bygone era. We CAN HAVE THAT AGAIN! We CAN spread love and kindness and friendship! So, if you are interested in following our journey, like our social media pages either Facebook or Instagram or follow the website which I shall endeavor to keep up to date! Let us know if you would be interested in a visit - to help generate income we would be happy to come do a book reading, a pop up shop, etc, if you think you have people who would like to come out to that. Want to sponsor the journey? We are headed coast to coast and can carry your logo or details...  Just pop us a message or email and let us know what you think... 

Trip is also painting little hearts $5 each and they show those who are spreading the love and sending their hearts across the country. Check it out!

No matter what happens - I am a hippie in my heart and now it has become a part of my persona.   I know that there are many changes in our country and when we see the world from the limits of our own home, it is easy to think that kindness is gone and there is little love left, but I KNOW kindness matters and so many people share love and kindness... every ... single... day!

Our love has carried us this far and who knows, hopefully we shall have it for a long time to come. I know somehow, someway, we will make this happen. My goal is to be on Vancouver Island mid summer and renew our vows and love at our Hippie Wedding with many friends and family beside us.  

Time to update our Etsy shop, empty the trailer and get back to sewing... there is money to be made and time, she is awastin'!

Sending out much peace and love, 
Channel your inner hippie, 
Daisy

PS: Check out our Etsy shop ... I am updating it now - or our FB or IG pages to see our hippie art, flower child fashions, eco friendly sustainable crafts and upcycled items! Made with love for you!

AND don't forget if you need (and we all do!) high quality THC free HEMP oil CBD ... let me know! 

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