I spent this week somewhere I haven’t spent much time in the past year – inside a house.
Last week, after an incredibly rough few days, my partner and I made the decision to go home. It was an easier choice than I thought it would be: the moment I made it, my system flooded with relief.
It made for a long weekend of driving and in true Bevy fashion, we didn’t make it through without the check engine light coming on. My back hurt, my throat hurt, and my brain was tired by the time I arrived. But it is so good to be here.
I’ve spent the past five days relishing in the little comforts of being in a house. The plumbing in the toilet, unlimited hot water on tap, and space – so much space to spread out in. Perhaps too much space for some of us. Unexpectedly, my dog is not happy with this decision. She enjoys the tight proximity of the van and having so much space has clearly been jarring for her. She follows me from room to room, discontent with being anywhere but at my heels.
Despite this, I am thrilled to be here. I wondered if the decision to come home would feel like quitting, but it is nothing of the sort. I know I’m not done in the van, and in my head is ticking countdown of the days left in April before I have to hit the road again. This makes it easy to relish in the comfort and ease of being in a home.
And that is the biggest difference – it is easy to be in a home. I don’t have to worry about filling up the grey water tank doing dishes or managing the fill in my toilet. I can wake up and take a shower, close a door and separate myself from my still-sleeping husband. It makes me long for the apartment I left behind, quiet and cozy. It makes me dream of the next place I will call home and the unlimited potential there.
But in the meantime, I am thoroughly enjoying this reprieve from the van. I hope to miss it before the month is over, to feel that longing for adventure on the open road. But if I don’t, that’s okay too. I will enjoy what I can in my last six months of van life and know that I have done all I wanted to do in the van. And if I’m overcome with missing it? All the better.
I have no photos to share this week because I haven’t taken any since leaving Nashville. I’ve been taking it day by day, trying to keep afloat of the massive workload I’ve taken on. I expect that to continue this month, so if you’re here for the photos, I’ll see you again in May.
