Wonderful news to share with all of you. After nearly three years of searching for an affordable home with a chance to start over, we have finally landed in Las Vegas. We found a furnished apartment, with a gated community, security around the clock, and all inclusive rent. The complex has a pool, on site laundry facility, includes cable, electric, water, and a land line phone. We are thrilled to finally be in a stable environment. We are thankful to be where we know we won’t be harassed for resting, working, and living. This is our first day to wake up in our new apartment. We stayed the first two nights in a hotel on the strip, which the kids just loved! Jayden was overtaken by the casino shaped like a castle, the Excalibur. She kept asking for us to drive by it each time we were out. I’m sure it is like a wonderland to the children. So many folks have been so nice, congratulating us. Its just unbelievable, it really feels surreal.
Katherine, the children, and I are taking time to adjust to being indoors. It’s been a battle of wills between us and the children to get them to leave the doors, locks, and drawers alone. Also, walking instead of running has been a big issue. Today, while Katherine went out to the van to get a few more belongings, I walked onto the stair balcony to ask her to retrieve a pan as well. The kids locked me out while I was 15 feet from the door. I felt horrible out there, with no key to unlock it. After having to yell through the door a bunch, the neighbors all coming out, the kids crying, and me panicking, the door was finally opened. Shortly after, the security guard showed up with a noise complaint. I explained what happened and he understood. I told you we were the loud kids on the block! Lol My favorite part of the apartment is the television is on a bar that rests between the living room and our bedroom, which can be swiveled to be enjoyed in either room. But the bar still provides privacy, and air flow from the air/heating unit. Very neat idea, one tv, two rooms...
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www.sarahtalk.com/ep054-two-trans-one-van/
SarahTalk had us as guests on their podcast. Here is what she had to say and the interview! Hope you enjoy! This is what they had to say: "This week we put down the newspaper to share the story of a pair of transgender parents who are, in spite of overwhelming life garbage, are doing amazing things for the community. You’ll fall in love with them. The end. We feature James & Katherine Blake, a trans couple and their life journey. James blogs about their journey, a project called “Two Trans One Van” and Katherine works with the Trans Lifeline. We talk in generalities on the show about job loss, disability and homelessness, but here’s a real-life example of an amazing couple facing the odds to provide for their kids, support each other while still finding ways to give back to the community. I absolutely loved talking with them!" Being in the hotel these last seven days has been really relaxing, quite refreshing, and like a retreat. We’ve had direct access to WiFi, a shower and a microwave. Which is a change, we usually have to drive to access these things and pay $13 each time we want to clean ourselves. We have had two beds, instead of one bed and a converted twin sized area; having a queen and a full in two different rooms has been a great additional feature we’ve enjoyed. Although, the children began having separation anxiety the first few nights and slept on a pallet at the foot of our bed, they have managed to stay in the bed several nights. Even though our three year old has made their way into our bed two nights in a row now. It’s really been an adjustment to us all, the little one generally sleeps with us in the camper and Jay takes the twin sleeping area. We are all used to being within a very close proximity to each other, twenty-four-seven. Even when I was working last year at the call center, the three of them were outside in the camper, I would go check on them each break during the day.
Having running water is something we’ve really missed, being able to do more than just use wipes and hand sanitizer for most of the day feels way more civilized. We keep a holding tank full of water and use the turn style spout for gravity fed water for washing dishes and our hands, however it’s under the bed in the storage and difficult to access after each time we get our hands a little messy with say a little food crumbs or something. The baby wipes and sanitizer seem to work okay in between times, but having access to a sink and shower has been so wonderful. You don’t even understand how folks really take them for granted in this country. Most establishments want you to buy something to be able to use the bathroom, even just to wash hands sometimes, especially if the person requesting hasn’t showered daily. Another nice thing about the hotel has been the lack of noise. At the truck stops, we constantly hear the roar of the highways, the rumble of the big rigs located all around us, and the customer traffic in the parking lots. Here in the hotel the quiet was unnerving the first night or two, but we’ve gotten accustomed to it. Our kids on the other hand haven’t gotten used to using inside voices and the absence of having to speak over a constant roar of trucks, traffic, and more. So we now spend a good portion of our day hushing the children. Television. We haven’t had television in four years. Meaning, our kids have no clue what commercials are. I hear more questions about commercials now than I ever thought possible. We don’t really agree with a lot of tv watching since we spend most of our time doing other activities. But we thought since there is one here and we are out of our normal routine, when in Rome, right? A refrigerator is a handy little machine. Our three year old keeps opening it to feel the cold, amazed that it keeps our drinks cold. We don’t even need ice! The additional resource has allowed us to save money on our food bill. It sure is nice having cold drinks instead of drinks the same temperature as the outside. The neighborhood this hotel is settled in is fairly quaint. There is a grocery store, laundry-mat, and gas station all-in-one complex across the street. Along the road leading up to the hotel are several unique eateries, a fountain, beautiful home gardens, and pretty greenery. The only loud noises I’ve heard here have been two occasions when a fire engine and ambulance came by; then another time a dog was barking but that was just the one time. A couple of new friends came down, took us out for a nice meal, gave us a little gift. They went their way shortly after, having brightened our day and filled our tummies. We went out for ice cream a little later that day since we all love a sweet treat. It’s been nice feeling like a “normal” family. We’ve enjoyed a couple short distance walks, the kids got to ride the kiddie rides, the grown ups got to enjoy other adult company. The occasion was quite enjoyable. All-in-all the hotel experience we’ve accepted as a much needed vacation from our life of permanent camping. Someone recently told me that when they come back from camping for a weekend, they need another day off to recuperate from the vacation. I guess when camping is every day life, over a week of recuperation is needed. As our camper home is being repaired, so are we in this semi-retreat. |
Authors:James and Katherine are a transgender couple raising two kids. They were southerners when coming to understand themselves as trans. Ultimately it lead to a nearly three year road trip to find home. Now they are re-housed and still focused on outreach in the transgender community! Archives
October 2020
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