We just spent three awesome days with friends we feel like we’ve known forever, despite the fact that we only see each other every couple of years, and just about every time it is in a new country or state. They grew up California hippies, sailed the world (we first met in Oman, though they claim Sri Lanka), and have settled as California hippies once again—for a few years anyway.
Every time we visit them I’m inspired by their lifestyle. They’re one of those friends that we have that we can sit around with at night, beer in hand, and nod and agree with on about every subject. A lot of that has to do with having so many shared values, and a lot has to do with actually being able to talk about countries like Sri Lanka, Eritrea, and Turkey, with others who have traveled there themselves. During one conversation we were laughing about a Port Captain that we’d both met in far southern Egypt. Conversations like those don’t occur often for us.
There were plenty of opportunities for the kids to get hurt, and we took advantage of just about all of them. Ouest took the brunt of it. We hadn’t been there an hour before she took a big wooden zip-line swing to the mouth. Blood everywhere. Three loose teeth right up front. Oy. I was actually surprised they stayed in at all.
It was a great few days where the kids got to be kids, with free range of the property while running between house and bus, and an endless supply of new toys, sticks, and dirt. Good times.
We were all sitting around their house and I was flipping through a book filled with tiny homes—from traditional, to boats, to rvs. When I put it down I said, “There’s some characters in that book.”
“You guys are one of them,” they said.
I thought for a second and then commented, “I never feel like we’re one of them. Like because I don’t think of our homes as Tiny Homes, they really aren’t. Even though they clearly are.”
“I know, I feel the same way. It never occurs to us that our house is tiny. [pause while the husband shuffles around] Honey, can I get in there a second, I need to grab a spoon.”
It never occurs to us that our homes are so small, yet both of us have to ask our wives to vacate the kitchen in order to get a spoon. It’s funny how you just adapt to your surroundings.
A few years back we helped them hang this swing. Ouest threw up after spinning around on it back then. It’s a different story now.
When we would walk by this neighbors horse Ouest and Lowe would call out, “Hi horse!” It would come sprinting across the field, skid to a stop, and crunch down the few apples we had brought. Days later Ouest is trying to convince us of how we could get a horse on the bus.
Asked what was her favorite thing about visiting our friends, Ouest decided it was collecting the chicken eggs each day. On our first night there she was laying in bed when she asked me, “Papa, do you think in the morning a chicken is gonna cock-a-loo-loo-loo?”
Lowe is eight months younger, but that didn’t stop the two of them from falling in love. “Lowe’s cute!” she would squeal.
Bath time. By the end of it the kids were asking if they could take a bath like this on the bus. Not sure we have room for a trough. Though I suppose if we’re going to be getting a horse we’re going to have to find room.
12 Comments on “Sebastopol”
Wow.
Lowe has a girlfriend! I want that house. Lovely pics.
Okay, I am commenting every time now and that’s just weird. It makes me feel like a stalker and I SWEAR I’m not!
But this is just…surreal (trying not to say “weird” twice). You guys are in Sebastopol visiting friends that sort of look like us – only of course they are better looking and they live in a house on flat land while we live in a yurt on a mountain. Seriously. You should have detoured while driving down 101 and visited us on the Lost Coast!
Maybe we’ll catch up one day. 🙂 I have a feeling our kids will get along too
Cool
What little girl doesn’t love a little guy in his underpants… haaa.. Love the lifestyle.
Sebastopol is a “primo” area, as is Garberville. We have friends in both places…we miss them.
Heh . . . I don’t see the problem. Your Travco could easily pull a horse trailer with a horse and a bathing trough in it.
TJ
Love reading your guys adventures. My partner and I are currently converting a 7.5 ton truck into a family home for us, our baby daughter and our little dog. So excited to have a tiny house on wheels and be living free!
Have never lived “free” but have freely lived and prospered….enjoy following the post and remembering our travels and many experiences traveling around the country and living in South, North East and West….
It has been a few weeks since I looked into where you were.
If you are still in the area of the Sonoma coast take that little curvy drive up to the Salt Point area. Look for a very small parking lot (or area if the darn California Parks Dept. have not opened it) of
Stump Beach.
Pack some items, water and food and head down the steps to the beach.
But the kids will have just as much fun if you cross the small (maybe dry at this point) stream on the South side of the beach and go up the bluffs. Follow that around to an area of weathered sandstone and tide pools. It is a stunning place to visit and explore and I never tire of it. You can finish the day up at the beach if the weather is nice.
Ther is even a natural arch on the way if you go far enough.
I hope you get a chance to explore and don’t tell anyone, it is my secret.
Will
Such a gorgeous family.
I Really hope you took your little girl to the emergency department, your a great dad, so i am sure that you did, i bet she got lots of stitches? Poor baby.