These posts must seem very boring lately to those expecting gorgeous travel photos and tales of exciting journeys and sites. Unfortunately our winter months have been very sedentary and gray in southern Texas. Very soon, though, I’ll backtrack and cover the last six months in a series of updates. Stay tuned!

We finally splurged on a few smallish items that have been on the wish list for the past year.

Mavic

Shawn got a drone so that we can take footage of the trailer, campgrounds, and our adventures out and about (when we start having more adventures – ahem). It’s a DJI Mavic Air – very small and compact, so it won’t be difficult to lug around on hikes. Watch for future videos!

I finally got a “real” camera – the Sony α6500, a mirrorless DSLR — so that I can start using something other than my phone. The LG takes nice portraits, and the optional wide-angle setting makes landscapes a cinch. But it really falls short in low light or the brightness of midday. And forget creeping close enough to any wildlife to take a decent photo!

Sony

The Sony will let me capture rapid movement, snap a half-dozen shots in a couple of seconds, and focus on the foreground instead of the entire image. The detachable telephoto lens will easily let me zoom in on the elusive heron in the pond. Cheap filters reduce the haziness of midday sun and glare. Image stabilization will make my videos clearer.

I’m sure there are a dozen other features that I don’t even know about yet. I bought 400-page digital photography book months ago but I’m only on page 14. Now if only the rain would let up — !

Honestly, though, I think I’m most excited about my new desk. Of the three, it’s certainly the item that will get the most use on a daily basis.

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(please excuse the mess)
Now, I fully recognize that Shawn’s the one bringing home the bacon. He needs a separate space so that he can focus on the innumerable conference calls he participates in as an IT manager. His need for an office (with a door!) is what led us to purchase our current home. The DRV Atlanta has a 6-foot bunkhouse with desk in the back of the trailer. Here’s a pic of his quad-monitor display nearly covering the back window.

quad-monitor2

Although I’m not (yet) bringing in an income, I spend a lot of time on the computer too. Travel planning and writing are necessities, as is using social media to keep up with family and friends. I’ve been using the dinette since we hit the road, but the space was not remotely ergonomically correct, and I had to shift everything out of the way for meals. I know, I know, first world problems, eh?

I’m just so excited to have a space that is MINE! I can put a pretty candle on the desk, and photos under the clear desk protector. I no longer have to gather up all of my books, papers, and peripherals when we break for lunch or dinner. Squeeeee!

For now I’m using one of the folding chairs that came with the rig and match our dining room chairs. We’ll be on the lookout for something with better back support.