Two boomers who’ve been living the dream

Two baby boomers we know wrote for BoomerCafé almost exactly a year ago about an adventure on which they were about to embark … an adventure in which they would finally be “living the dream.” Well now, that year has passed, and Marti and Ed Kirkpatrick, formerly of Dickerson, Maryland, look back with affection on what they’ve done and where they’ve been … but they also look forward to returning to their roots.

Having now lived for more than a year almost exclusively in our 25-foot Winnebago RV, touring parts of America and Canada, something we discuss often is the old idiom, “Home is where the heart is.” Having sold the dream house we designed, built, and expected to die in, a brick and mortar home is now a thing of the past, and while knowing from the start of this journey that we’d miss friends and family, we were excited about starting our new adventure.

Marti and Ed Kirkpatrick.

Heading off across the countryside, we have visited with friends we haven’t seen in years. We also meet new and interesting folks on the road. We’re seen bustling cities and quaint towns, magnificent landscapes, stunning skies, and unique and varied flora and fauna. With the assistance of technology we talk, text, Skype, and blog shared photographs, stories, laughs, and the daily ups and downs in the lives of our children, family members and dear friends. We are having the time of our lives and are eagerly looking forward to seeing and experiencing so much more.

Here is a photo album of Ed and Marti’s tour of America.

Every time we have slept in a hotel, another person’s house, or our friends’ loaned efficiency apartment, we have commented to each other that our little house-on-wheels is where we’d rather be.

All that being said, we’ve also discovered to our surprise that for us, probably sooner than we originally thought, being back in Maryland — back in our well-stocked kitchen, back with friends and especially family sharing good food, drink, and the physical touch of those we love — will reinforce that idiom: HOME IS where our hearts are!