My floor in the kitchen, living, and bathroom area is done, sealed, and ready for the shorter posse to be in me. And the humans tracking in and out.
Tuc, JG got his new Unanchored community TUC site built and ready to open.
JG got my sister, Vanna the 1999 Ford Windstar van, fixed. It’s used to go get materials so they don’t have to load inside of me. Vanna had almost quit running. JG thought it was time to park her, but while checking under the hood, he heard a sucking sound. Come to find out, there was a major vacuum line split. I’m finally running good. I been taking the posse on their trips to town and Trade Day, and I’m getting 12 mpg nowadays.
JG is back to painting. Slow, but painting. He will be posting the new study paintings on TAD soon. He did some updates on the TAD site.
JG and Kathy Rose are taking some personal time. They’re doing a real fun photo shoot, dressing up like Bonnie and Clyde. A local photographer ran an ad on Facebook: $65 for a couple, and the photographer has the car and props. JG got Kathy Rose a new dress and accessories for the photos. JG will be posting the photos when they get them.
Spent time with new friends James and Annette. They invited JG and Kathy Rose to sell art at Trade Day at their booth.
Good health report 3 months check-up for JG and Kathy Rose, that’s always good.
“A win feels like you won when the wins have been very thin.“
Quote written by Jg Artis spoken by me, Pp the van
Pp out!
Jg says we will do a post on the build status soon with lots photos!
Well, May is almost gone. Jg says he’s always heard that “April showers bring May flowers.” Back when he was a kid living in Tennessee, that was true—but here in Northeast Alabama, it’s more like May showers bring May flowers. Am I just remembering it wrong? Did you guys grow up hearing that?
The Man Behind the Wheel
That Jg is a “working fool”—yes, I called him a fool, lol! He has to stay busy, or he gets in his head way too much. Between the PTSD from his past and his anxiety, the worries all come rushing in if he sits still. He’s trying to manage a healthy lifestyle balance of work, rest, and play. It’s hard on someone like Jg, who has always been a “get-er-done right now” kind of person.
Progress Report
With the weather and his health, my progress has slowed down some, but it’s okay—he’s still steadily getting me done.
Flooring: He finished the kitchen and living area floor!
Audio: He got a sound system installed in my cab. He needs that music; it’s his therapy!
Rain or Shine: The New Projects
This last week of May is all rain here in Northeast Alabama. Jg is spending a lot of time organizing the storage RV for supplies and tools, moving everything from the outside carport tent into the RV.
He’s also keeping his mind sharp by working on:
The PPT Posse Journey Blog
Tad: His art blog.
TUC: A new online/offline community for nomads and people who feel secluded from religion or family because of their lifestyle choices.
TUC is really going to help him open up about his life and beliefs. It’s a way for him to find his tribe and help others find theirs. Stay tuned—TUC is coming soon!
”Even in the dreary rain, you can see the light of day.“ Quote Written by Jg ARTis | Spoken by Pp the Van
I Miss Pp; Was a good girl today. I took Jg and Kathy Rose to the movies. They went to see the new movie, Michael.
Spoiler alert! ⚠️
Jg said he will try not to give anything away, but he can’t promise.
Jg Said: “The movie was very well produced; I love the music selection. Michael’s nephew, who played him, was very good—you could see the family bloodline in him. Michael really seemed to have a good heart and loved his fans. The charity work he did in the movie really touched me.
At the beginning of the movie, I was really moved and triggered by my past. My father loved his belt and ruled with a strong hand as we traveled across the Southeast in a bus and preaching tent. He had to keep us in line. He would beat me for no reason; I never spoke back to him or was a bad kid. So, I feel a kinship to MJ there. All in all, the movie is well worth seeing if you love music, love talent, and want a behind-the-scenes story.
Ty 😊 Dr. Eric and Tammy Lee for your recommendation.”
“Remember, things don’t look as detrimental looking back as the act felt harmful in the moment!”
Well, Mr. JG, Miss Kathy Rose, and yours truly, PP the Van, went out on our first date night. JG drove us to the famous Guntersville Lake in Guntersville, Alabama.
It was a **beautiful** night; the weather was just right at 75° around sundown. The three “shorter posse”—Tippy, Louie, and Raz—stayed home in Vincent at my brother, the shuttle bus tiny home. He don’t run, so he has to stay home, ha ha ha!
JG and Kathy Rose went to see the **Tequila Falls** band at the new Pier 1939 Bar & Grill.
Kathy Rose did her nails, even her toes. JG dyed his goatee, and he gave me a bath.
Tequila Falls sounded real good from the parking lot! I couldn’t go inside with them… something about being too big, lol.
JG and Kathy Rose had some beers (Coronas) and the loaded sidewinders topped with queso cheese, jalapeños, and bacon. JG removed the jalapeños; he said “too hot” for him.
It was a good night out and a well-deserved break from all the hours JG and Kathy Rose have been putting in building me and repairing my running parts. Yes, I was a good girl—I didn’t throw even one fit!
“A break is good even when time is not plentiful.” Quote Spoken by Pp written by Jg
Check out the story “Why We Live on the Side of the Road,” written and narrated by JG Artis.
“‘
Life has a way of stripping you down to the essentials when you least expect it. In 2020, I had a remodeled home and a big-screen TV; by 2024, I was fighting just to keep the blood flowing to my brain. Between those two points lies a journey of hard lessons, “big mistakes” made out of love, and a bridge burned with the people I thought would always be there. If you’ve ever wondered how a person trades a fixed address for a life on wheels, this is the raw truth of my last six years.
Why We Live on the Side of the Road
Well, this journey to the side of the road all started back in 2020 in Pensacola, Florida, in the middle of COVID. I had just remodeled our living room into an art studio with my 60-gallon fish tank, big-screen TV, and surround sound. When COVID hit, all the painting events I had planned closed. I was stuck at home with a back injury from the remodel work.
My stepson got himself locked up for robbing a gas station for drug money. His mom, Kathy Rose, was afraid he would die in prison after her brother had a dream that he would. Her son called me and begged me to get him out; he said I was the only one left who would and could, so I did! Big mistake!
He and his girlfriend moved in with us. He got a job and all was well, until it wasn’t. Money came and money went—drugs, yep, you guessed it. He didn’t give a first dime to help his mom or stepdad. A lot of our money was spent to get him out and down to Pensacola from Montgomery, Alabama. Finally, it was time for him to move on. Having to evict them to the street sent me to a low place and put a strain on Kathy’s and my relationship.
A few months later, in August of 2020, I bought a 16-foot pull-behind camper that was headed for the scrapyard and traded my Ford Ranger for a full-size Suburban to pull it. After six weeks of work, we hit the road for a new and fresh start. I’ve always had a gypsy soul; being on the road recharges and reconnects me! We headed out east, then north. By the end of August, we visited northeast Alabama—my mom and sister’s place, our old home place. Then we headed north to the Carolinas, west to Memphis, south through the Mississippi Delta into Louisiana, east to New Orleans, and then back north to Alabama.
My mom and sister talked me into spending the winter with them. They needed help with their rental properties in return for a place to park our RV, “Indy.” After a few months there, we decided to make it home. We moved into an old church that had been converted into two apartments; one was Kathy’s and one was mine, which I turned into an art studio.
In June 2022, I hit a low again. The home-based life doesn’t sit well with me. I had a real rough day and just needed to be somewhere else. I left and drove to my youngest brother’s grave without telling anyone where I was, not even Kathy. I took a picture of my red, crying face in front of my brother Bartholomew’s grave and sent it to Kathy and my sister.
Well, that was the most awful thing I could have done, sending it to my sister. Minutes later, I got a call—it was her, screaming and cussing at me. “Don’t ever send me a photo of my dead brother’s grave!” On and on she went. I tried to tell her I was sorry, but that I was having a hard day and we could talk about it when she got off the road. I told her I needed to get off the phone. She began to tell me what a piece of shit I was and how much of a problem I was. I told her exactly what I felt about her, and I wasn’t very nice about it. I then said, “I’m hanging up; we can talk when you get home.”
She has never spoken to me again. My mom told me I could find somewhere else to live and that I was an untrustworthy, no-good person. When I asked what I had done, she couldn’t give me an answer. She hasn’t spoken to me again to this day. I sold Indy, bought a shuttle bus, made a quick home in it, and six months later we moved in and moved it to my brother Mt. Man’s place in November 2022.
I tried and tried to get it running—a new rebuilt engine, then a used engine—but it still wouldn’t run. By March 2023, the place where we were parked had become a swamp. A gun-slinging lady living on the property threatened me over her wild dogs trying to kill the “baby dog” of the landowner, and we couldn’t let our baby Chihuahuas out.
We left and moved to my best friend’s empty lot on the side of a state highway. The first year, we just survived. Then I got a “rent-a-shed” and moved into it, making myself a bed and a place to paint. All was going well, but in the winter of 2023/2024, I became sicker and sicker. I thought I was dying. I had dizziness and nausea and breathing issues; it felt like everything was shutting down.
In February 2024, my left arm gave out. I had surgery and thought all was good, but four weeks later, my right shoulder blade swelled. I was in bed for six weeks in the most pain I had ever experienced in my life. It turns out I had two discs in my neck herniated, cutting off my circulation and blood flow to my brain. It took until February 2025 to get the surgery done. By April, I was healed and given the clear to resume life as normal. The only problem was that I was weak from over a year spent in bed.
I had bought a 1999 Dodge van in July of 2024 in hopes that I would get better and could turn it into a tiny home. That dream was put on hold until April of 2025. Now, almost one year later, that 1999 Dodge van has become known as “PP”—Purple Passion. It is halfway built and ready to hit the road soon—hopefully by mid-April 2026.
So, that’s how we ended up living on the side of a state highway in northeast Alabama.
Looking at “Purple Passion” now, she’s more than just a 1999 Dodge van—she’s my ticket back to myself. The surgery is behind me, the pain is fading, and the strength is coming back into my hands one day at a time. This stretch of Alabama highway has been a place of healing and survival, but my soul wasn’t made to stay parked in one spot forever. Come mid-April 2026, the engine will turn over, the dust will kick up, and we’ll finally leave the side of the road in the rearview mirror.
JG took me to the doctor today and—ouch!—those humans cut me! They pulled out a cutting torch, pointed it at my pipe, and sliced right through me with fire to take off my old parts. Then, they hooked an electric clip to my frame and “stuck” the other end to me to weld the new pieces on.
When JG cranked me up, I sounded like a total badass—like a real sports car! I felt like I could race anything and win. Jeff’s Muffler Shop really took care of me and gave JG a great deal on the bill.
Now, JG can’t keep his foot off my gas pedal; he just loves to hear me roar. I think I’m finally road-ready! Kathy Rose even took a turn behind the wheel to hear me sing. Afterward, JG drove me through the local Piggly Wiggly parking lot while Kathy Rose videoed it—how embarrassing! 😳 I had everybody turning their heads. I’m so glad JG is proud of me again.
” When you feel unseen, just put your best self on and be a queen.”
Hi! I’m Pp the Van, and yes, I’m being a “bad girl” again. 👧
The Fuel Pump Saga
JG finally got my fuel pump running! It took a few days because he had to jack me up over a foot in the air and drop a 35-gallon tank. Since it was half-full, that thing weighed over 100 lbs. It was a rough job for JG to do all by himself.
Actually, that’s how it always is. JG is always there for everyone in his life, but there’s rarely anyone there to help him—that’s just how it’s been his whole life. So, if you ask him for a favor but haven’t been there for him, be prepared for a “no.” It hurts him to be that way, but JG has to save his time and energy to keep his own life moving.
Now, the “4-Legged Posse” is always there to help, but three Chihuahuas giving kisses doesn’t do much when you’re lifting 100 lbs! And while Kathy Rose is always willing to help, at 73 years old and 116 lbs, there’s only so much she can do—especially since she’s still on light duty while her left ankle and knee heal.
Not sorry for the rant!
Work Smarter, Not Harder
After installing the new fuel pump, I cranked right up and ran like new. The previous “new” pump just died—I guess that’s what happens when you buy a cheap pump online, or maybe it was just a dud. This time, he replaced it with a lifetime warranty pump from a local chain store, so a replacement is never far away. He even got a replacement for the cheap one to keep on board as a backup.
JG is a smart man, though; he cut an access door in my tool bin and the bed floor directly above the pump. If it ever goes out again, he can fix it in under an hour instead of spending eight hours jacking me up and pulling the tank!
Another Bump in the Road
But here I go being “bad” again. JG cranked me up, and I was running great, but then he heard a rattling coming from underneath. His heart sank—at first, he thought my engine was knocking.
He drove me up on blocks to slide under and check. Thankfully, it wasn’t the engine! It was the catalytic converter; the insides had come loose and were rattling. He was relieved it wasn’t the engine, but disappointed that I’m still not mechanically ready for the road. It’s looking like a $400 to $500 trip to the “Muffler Doc” this Monday. Between the pump, the wrecker, and now the exhaust bill, we won’t be heading to Pensacola until early fall.
🎨 How You Can Help: The “Pp Repair Fund”
That’s just how life goes sometimes, and you have to make the best of it. JG is going to start painting again now that he isn’t on such a tight schedule.
Custom Work: If you’ve been wanting a pet portrait, landscape, or still life, now is the perfect time to ask! It would really help the Pp Repair Fund.
Available Art: Check out the photos of the paintings he has on hand. If you like one, make a donation offer to the fund (plus shipping), and JG will be happy to send it your way.
Here is the story of my first trip taking Jg and the posse camping! On Friday, April 24, 2026, Jg had me all set up in the building yard so the posse could spend the night in me and feel right at home. Jg said it would help to see what we might need and what we were forgetting to take on the camping trip on Saturday, April 25, 2026. He was smart to do that; as the night went on and morning arrived, there were quite a few things they hadn’t thought about or were forgetting. My new bed—a 10-inch queen memory foam mattress—sleeps amazingly; it has just the right firmness for a good night’s sleep.
Saturday morning, Jg and the posse finished loading their stuff in me, then got me ready to hit the road. Jg checked my oil and fluids, then checked the air pressure in my air shocks. With Kathy Rose at the back of the van, Jg went through all the lights. With a thumbs up, Kathy Rose gave the OK that the turn signals, brakes, and running lights were all working. K. Rose put my living quarters’ doorsteps in, put my hanging plant inside, and closed the plant hanger. She put the “three-shorter” posse—Louie, Tippy, and Raz—in my cab, and the posse was loaded and ready to drive. As always, Jg played my song that I “sang” (which he wrote), “The PPT Posse Theme Song,” just before we pulled out.
Oh yeah, before we left, K. Rose put out food and plenty of water for the two strays we have. Jg locked both RVs and Vincent—the tiny home built in a shuttle bus that the posse lives in until I am finished.
On the Road
On the road, Jg drove me on the back roads. He says I’m old (whatever!), and since I’m loaded with precious cargo in my cab—the posse—he doesn’t want to drive on the interstate or big highways. He wants to take it slow and easy. On a 50-mile trip, we stopped three times for walks, bathroom breaks, and snacks. K. Rose had to get scratch-off tickets while in Georgia, since Alabama doesn’t have them.
Then we made it to Mentone, Alabama. What a beautiful, “laid back in time” town! The posse had dinner reservations at the Wildflower Cafe at 4:00 PM, so they checked the town out first. They made sure there was room to park me at the cafe, and Jg and K. Rose walked through the old cabins that house shops. At one shop, they found an antique cast-iron clawfoot tub to go in me! Then it was off to the campgrounds for a rest and a shower before dinner.
Dinner at the Wildflower
We met the owner of the Wildflower Cafe over 20 years ago, but Jg and K. Rose had never actually eaten at her restaurant until today. What an experience it was! Miss Laura Moon greeted us as we entered with a big smile and a genuine hug, then took us to our table. Laura Moon is such a genuine, caring, and giving person. The cafe has her touch from start to finish—from the design to the food, you can feel the love and heart that has gone into it. K. Rose kept saying it was the best food she had ever eaten in her life, and I agree! They have eaten at a lot of places during their years of traveling and working on the road. The Wildflower Cafe is an experience they will not soon forget, and they will definitely be back.
Afterward, it was off to the boardwalk into the woods, which Jg said was so peaceful. Back at campground lot #3, Jg got me all settled in. When he plugged me into the shore power, I kept popping the GI breaker in the park’s plug. It’s a good thing I have solar! Jg just switched me back to solar so the little posse was comfortable. Later, Jg put his crazy brain to work and came up with a solution for me popping the breaker. The posse had a good night’s rest; the evening plans of sitting outside by the fire playing guitar and singing were stopped by a storm that came through, but Jg said that was okay because they needed the rest.
Sunday Morning Challenges
Sunday morning, we were up and at ’em. When Jg got back from the bathhouse, he found K. Rose looking very emotional and in a frenzied state. She was having a bad “dementia morning,” feeling lost and unsure. She couldn’t find her purse with her cards and ID; she knew it was in the van, but she was so disoriented she didn’t know where to look. Jg found the purse and helped her finish getting the babies ready.
She opened the front door to the cab where the three babies were to put something in, then went to the back door to get something else, leaving the front door open. Jg came around just then, made sure no babies had escaped, and shut the door. He calmly said, “Mema (K. Rose), you left the door open. Make sure to keep a watch on that.” K. Rose began to cry; it scared her that the babies could have gotten out or fallen and been hurt. Jg just gave her a hug and said it was okay and that he would help watch more closely. K. Rose thanked him for being so patient with her and her forgetfulness from getting older and having dementia.
Then it was time for a bathroom run for the whole posse—”Poop and Pee City,” lol! The “three-short” posse loved their walk. After that, the babies went up front to the cab while K. Rose and Jg got me ready to hit the road.
DeSoto Falls and the Journey Home
Off to DeSoto Falls… wow, what a beautiful place! K. Rose is still using a cane to walk (doctor’s orders), so she couldn’t walk down the steps to see the falling side of the falls. Jg went and took some photos so she could see them, and so you guys following the PPT blog could see them too. Jg and K. Rose just sat on the rocks by the falls and shed a few happy tears. They thought about how it has been a long, hard two years, but they were glad to finally have me built enough to take a trip and spend the night in me and thinking of the trips to come.
We headed to town for breakfast at McDonald’s—Tippy’s favorite place. It was about 15 miles to Fort Payne, Alabama. On the way, I shuddered a little once; I could tell something wasn’t right. Jg drove us safely to breakfast, parked in a spot, and got the posse breakfast and a frappe (K. Rose’s favorite).
Then it was off on the 55-mile trip home. At a turn lane, as I was approaching the right turn, I started feeling weak and began stalling. Then I just stopped and wouldn’t run. “It feels like I’m out of gas,” Jg said to the posse. Jg turned the flashers on and began to troubleshoot. He discovered I wasn’t getting gas by checking the fuel rail pressure. He thought maybe I was out of gas, even though my fuel gauge said half a tank. I didn’t have a gas can on me, but there was a Lowe’s a little over half a mile away. Jg walked to Lowe’s, bought a gas can, and asked a friendly man loading wood into his truck for a ride. The man said sure.
Jg added four gallons of gas to my tank, which raised the fuel gauge by 1/16th, so he could tell I was not actually out of gas. At that point, he decided I was just going to continue throwing a fit, so he called a wrecker. It was a rough trip for me; the interstate was bumpy with my front wheels in the air hooked to the wrecker boom. Jg had a good chat with the driver, Jimmy, all the way home. Jimmy gave them a good price—$325, but he only charged $300 because Jg had pulled my driveshaft for him.
Back at the Yard
Back home, the posse got their stuff and went to the bus. Jg didn’t say a word to me; he just tried starting me, and I just turned over without cranking. Monday was wash day, so Jg pulled all the bedding and the posse’s dirty clothes and helped K. Rose get it all washed and hung on the “solar dryer” (the clothesline). Then he just went inside their bus and still didn’t say anything to me. I felt so bad. I thought Jg didn’t love me anymore.
Then I saw him coming with a serious look on his face. He raised my hood and got his fuel pressure gauge, his computer scanner, and his electric meter tester. I knew then he still loved me! After testing and seeing I had no fuel pressure, he ran a scan on my computer—all good there. Then he tested the power to the fuel pump—all good there too. Jg determined that the new fuel pump he had put in me seven months ago had gone bad.
So, Jg began jacking me up 1 foot in the air so he could pull my gas tank and replace the fuel pump. Now we are just waiting on the pump to get here. Jg plans to make an access panel in my tool bay under the bed so he can reach the fuel pump from there and won’t have to remove my fuel tank ever again.
I will let you know how it goes after the pump is installed.
“Even when you’ve been “bad,” the ones that truly love you will still love you”
JG and the posse had a long but productive week. JG is worn out and in bed getting some much-needed rest. This Sunday morning, Kathy’s sister, Debbie, came to visit. She brought the sweetest little Micro doodle poodle baby, “Millie.” She is so tiny! 💜 It was Millie’s first time meeting her Aunt Kathy and Uncle JG. Debbie just got Millie a week ago Saturday, and Millie is already one spoiled and loved baby. Welcome to the family, Miss Millie! 💜
Millie and Aunt KathyMillieKathy, Debbie, MillieMillieMillieMillie and Uncle Gg
JG and the posse have a new temporary member named Brownie, a Yorkie-Terrier mix. Brownie started coming around a little over a year ago. She would stand off at a distance and watch us feed the other strays. We saw that the bigger strays weren’t letting her eat, so we started giving her food off to the side. She still kept her distance at first, but when Kathy’s knee went out and JG started feeding the strays while cooking under the kitchen tent, things changed. JG is a big softie; he started feeding Brownie under the kitchen tent, and the rest is history—Brownie hasn’t left the yard much since.
She follows JG and Kathy around the yard while they’re working on me, PP the van. When JG lays down to work under me, she crawls up beside him or on top of him and “helps” him work. Today, she was magic! 🎩 As Debbie was driving down the highway, she missed the turn to our gravel road. Just as she went by, Brownie let out a single bark to alert me. Now, Brownie had never met Debbie, and Debbie hasn’t been here since Brownie started living here, yet somehow Brownie knew it was Debbie in that car. She knew we were outside watching for someone, but how did she know that specific car had the person we were looking for? She’s a pretty amazing doggie.
The posse hates to see her go, but they are finding Brownie a good home 🏡 so she won’t be left behind while JG drives me and the posse on our trips.
Until next week, may the April showers bring May flowers into your life.
PP out.
Brownie & JgJg & BrownieBrownie Helping Pp passenger sidePp Front Pp Drivers side
