I'm so glad some of you remember a lot of the things I do. Some of my most cherished memories are when my playmate two doors down (Ellen) and the girl our age (Mary) across the alley would play in a little lean-to playhouse built against the north side of Ellen's garage. They had a huge wooden sandbox. People don't like the tracking and what it takes to fill and maintain sandboxes, but I've got to tell you it was heaven on earth. The sandbox was under a slightly larger pergola. Over the pergola grew Concord grapes. How beautiful it was under the shade of the leaves and when the grapes hung down as we played in that sandbox. Sadly, Ellen whose parents had the sandbox died from cancer a few years back; we had been separated for years as she taught school and moved to Michigan. The other girl, we parted ways after kindergarten, and she went to the Catholic school. We made new friends and lost touch with one another. A few years ago I found her how? The internet but somebody must have given me some clue, didn't even know what her current married name was. I met her when I was 3. She lives in NC and is such a lovely person. I cannot remember the last time I saw her, before I was 10. We correspond regularly and share these precious memories. Right now I have heard that her husband is facing a terrible ordeal with cancer and his pacemaker; her health sounds good. Tears flowed from my eyes when I read that, and I need to answer soon. I didn't have a video camera, but one beautiful fall day, I walked the old neighborhood with my wide angle lens, walked up the middle of my street and back (there were low hills on both ends of that two-block long street), walked back down then around and up the alley we shared, then around and down her street, clicking all the way. I put the photos on a cd and sent them to her. She was so grateful for them. I'd never met her sister who was older and away by the time I met her, but she sent those photos to her sister, too. I'm so glad I did that. This is the same street from about the exact same spot and one of my photos from that day. The older one I took with my brownie Kodak when I was about 8. The second one was Oct 2005. My house was the one on the right that is yellow now (hard to tell the color) with a red roof and the white rails. Ellen's house was the first one on the right you can see, a grey house with red trim and grey roof. There was a small one in between that isn't visible. I presently live about 1/2 mile from there. The oddest thing is that apart from the cars, trees and a few cosmetic changes to the houses, it has changed very little. 55 years then and now.

Say, I just "Googled" "Trailmanor Campers on the I-net and got a whole bunch of info, which seems straighforward, and very interesting! You will probably need something to tow with, other than a VW car, or a lightweight sedan or van! At least a 6 cylinder engine! I didn't see anything in that site indicating the trailers can be towed by an under powered car, or light duty truck! Remember, the world isn't flat, like the plan where you live! There are steep hills that can be encountered all over this land, and there's nothing worse than grinding slowly up a mile long hill, with other drivers gesturing with the one-finger salute after you get to the top! And, where you have to cool off the engine! I towed a Coleman tent trailer up over the mountain, from Cherokee to Gatlinburg, and it heated up! The engine was a 350 Chevy, but it was steep! I thought i had plenty of power, but how wrong i was! you'd probably have to investigate a crew-cab 1 ton pickup for towing. Not 4WD. 3/4 ton might suffice. Cars, as built today, i don't think so, unless you tow where the land is flat. HTH: Rusty Jones

We haven't lived in a camper while we built, but we did travel for 2+ years in a motorhome while looking for a home, land and what state to live in. In retrospect, we would have gotten a large, comfortable but less expensive fifth-wheel or trailer (which sounds like what you want to do) instead of the 45 foot luxury, expensive, used motorcoach we got. We were always too afraid of messing up the custom everything to enjoy it. If you are willing to live in a smaller space for a while, do without some luxuries, and you think you'd be content and flexible, you'll be fine. It can be enjoyable and liberating to see how little you need! If you take the opportunity to, you can make it a time to really slow down, simplify, escape the tyranny of stuff and take the experience for what it is and what it offers. The mistake we made was we tried to bring all our "stuff" with us - computers, exercise machines, a library of books - and it just got in the way and made it cluttered, physically and psychologically. Some luxuries you may have to be content without: baths (most have showers only), a big, fully equipped kitchen, etc. We stayed in hotels sometimes just to take baths! How much you enjoy it is more about your mindset than anything else, I think.

Congradulations on your wonderful find! We have had a camper for the past three years and we have gotten tons of use out of it. What type of print is on your cushions? Does it have curtains? Make sure when you choose fabric to go with something stain resistant and mold proof. I haven't done any decorating in ours, but I did have fun shopping at yard sales for all of the "stuff" we had to have. We keep ours stocked with dishes, pots and pans, blankets, towels, canned foods, silverware, dishwashing supplies (a washtub and drying rack), and toiletries (hotel soaps and shampoos that my Mom brings back from her trips). We also keep a couple of games for late night entertainment. I am ashamed to admit it, but I also have a tv and a microwave. Did I mention that ours is a pop-up camper and we have 4 kids (plus an extra one every now and then) to pack in as well. It's a great way to spend the summer! Take pictures and let us know how it turns out. Pam