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Sheila and I have been living in my car for about 2 months now. It’s amazing how fast it’s gone! Initially, I didn’t have a set length of time to live like this. If I hated it after a month I could figure something else out. But for the most part, it’s been a very easy adjustment. I have the potential to save a lot of money living like this so for now, I’m going to plan on doing it for a while longer.
I’m fortunate enough to be in Arizona for the winter so it’s actually been pretty great temperature-wise. We had a few cold days, occasionally some strong winds (gusts up to 58mph one night!), and a few days of heavy rain. But generally, it’s been high 60s-low 70s during the day and 30s-40s at night. Even for someone like me that is always cold, it’s been easily tolerable with the right layers.
I feel like I’m finally getting into a good daily routine. Most mornings after we get up I make tea and throw the ball for Sheila while I wait for the water to boil. I feed her, and maybe make something small for myself, then we walk through the desert.
This puts me in a good headspace for the day and gets Sheila off on the right foot. Despite living like a nomad I still have a 9-5 job and she gets bored without proper exercise and stimulation. With a little fetch, a full belly, and a good 20-30 minute sniff walk, she is content to nap for a bit once we get back. Especially if she can find a nice sunny spot!
Once I start work I put her on a long line and let her do her thing, typically she sniffs around now and then and naps. On my breaks, we usually get in a few throws with the Chuck It and then do an enrichment activity. This could be a puzzle toy or chew in a holder, a few minutes of training, or even just scatter feeding some treats.
After work, I make some more tea, feed Sheila dinner, and we go out for our evening walk. Again, this is typically 20-30 minutes where Sheila can sniff to her heart’s content and I can clear my head. After our walk, the sun is going down so we clean up for the night and head into the tent. She sometimes gets a chew and then settles into her bed and blankets while I work on blog stuff.
This last weekend I did my big town trip. Every few weeks I board Sheila for a night and stay at my sister’s house. I’ve talked about it before but my sister’s house is too much for Sheila. She has a large boxer who is sweet but isn’t great with personal space. She also has 3 young kids that are, well, kids! They are loud and fast and unpredictable, all things that cause her stress. So she stays at daycare (which she loves!) for a night and I visit my sister.
I also collect my mail and take advantage of her laundry and shower because moochdocking is real hahaha! Before I pick up Sheila I run any errands I might have. Typically, groceries and other shopping, sometimes lunching with a friend.
After I picked her up on Sunday we headed back out to the desert. I forgot it was a holiday weekend and damn it was busy out here! But I found a great spot that’s kind of far back from other people and I think Sheila and I are both pleased with it.
As much as I like it out here I can’t wait for the weather to warm up so we can head back north! I miss the forest and I really want to visit friends up in Oregon.