Threading The Needle

We’re tucked snuggly into Mike and Shauna’s driveway.  It’s like stringing thread through a needle with all the trees on both sides of the driveway, but we were able to slip in without incident.  We have one rule when backing this monster up – Go Slow!!

While we were having breakfast at the Kopper Kettle with Mike and Peggy yesterday morning, the tire store called to let me know that our tires had arrived.  So, after licking our plates clean, Judy and I made our way over to get the new tires installed.  It took about 30 minutes to part with four hundred dollars and leave with the truck re-tired.

We were just about all packed up so with a little effort we were able to be on the road by quarter after eleven.  Not a bad morning’s work, packing up in preparation to hit the road, a nice breakfast with Mike and Peggy, and getting new tires installed. 

‘Twas about one o’clock when we arrived at the end of our eighty mile trek.  Mike was ready for his new tenants so we backed right in and set up home sweet home.  After greetings and hugs we dragged out the lawn chairs and popped the cap off a couple of nice cold Molson Ices. 

Shauna had to go to work, she’s a per diem nurse and works at a couple of hospitals in the area (not at the same time, silly), so that left Mike, Judy, and I to hold down the fort (oh yes, can’t forget Katie and Alex).  We took a little drive around town to see the changes since we were last here.  There weren’t many over the past eleven months. 

Mike cooked up some grub, a nice salmon with rice and a spinach salad while we continued to visit.  After dessert of a fresh Great Value Drum Stick (thanks Mike E. for planting that suggestion) we spent some more time just looking at each other’s pointed little heads for awhile before making our way to beddy bye.

Sort of, kind of a productive day, wouldn’t you say?  Rain is in the forecast for the next three days, but we won’t let that hold us back.  We’ll find things to do no matter what.  Judy and I have downloaded a couple books to read and I’m sure that the four of us can find some mischief to get into along the way.

So, in the meantime, Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - -  

It’s Up, Up And Away

The coach has been washed, the truck has been washed.  The truck still needs new tires.  Due to a mix up somewhere, the right tires didn’t get shipped into the tire store for the truck.  Supposedly they’ll arrive this morning at nine o’clock. 

We returned the ladder to Mike and Peggy’s and visited for a few minutes before heading out to Uncle Wally’s.  Once home, we had dinner, watched some TV, and did a little reading before hitting the hay.

Today it’s up, up and away - We’re moving to Belfast.  We had planned to go on Friday, but rain is moving in tonight and lasting through the weekend so we decided to hit the road early.  No sense driving and setting up in the rain if you don’t have to.

We’ll have breakfast with Mike and Peggy at Kopper Kettle and then, hopefully, go to “retire” the truck.  We plan to be on the road by noon time (best made plans of mice and men).  It’s only an eighty mile trip from Topsham to Belfast so after a couple of hours you should find us all set up again.

So, we’ll see ya from Belfast.  Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - -

Mission Accomplished

Well, it’s accomplished, however, the roof is not as clean as I would have liked it. It was absolutely positively filthy. After I finished washing it, I finally have it to the point where it just needs to be washed – if you know what I mean. Man, those pine trees were brutal. Most of (not all, but most of) the pine dust has been washed away.

The slideout awnings still have spots of pitch all over them. Once we get back to ‘Bama, I’ll need to lay on the roof and reach out to get some of the pitch off. Then I’ll need to get out the ladder and go at it from the other direction.

To answer a few questions I’ve had about what I use to wash the rig. First of all, when we ordered the rig, we had it “clear coated” (same as a car) so bugs and black streaks wash off easily. For a regular washing I use Liquid Dawn and for deep cleaning I use Lestoil. Lestoil will remove dirt, oil, grease, tar, pine pitch, black streaks, bugs, etc. without hurting the finish.

However, Lestoil does remove wax as well so you’ll need to re-wax the rig after using it. Speaking of waxing, I use Nu-Finish that can be purchased at Walmart in the Auto Section.

We have a fabric awning so I use the Lestoil on it as well. When we had a vinyl awning I used Tilex to kill mildew, especially underneath.

Some rigs have a chalking issue; we don’t have that problem because of the clear coat finish. To solve that issue I suggest you visit a local marine store and ask some questions. They have products to restore the finish to fiberglass and gel coat boat hulls that should work on an RV just as well.

Well, hopefully I “cleaned up” those questions for you and you don’t think that I’m all “washed up”. Of course, I could be, however, those hints have worked pretty well for me over the past years.

Last night we went out to China Rose for dinner with Sandy and Bev (our pastor and his wife). It was nice to spend some time with them before we head out. The meal was outstanding and, on top of that, Sandy treated. Thanks guys, we look forward to seeing you again next summer.

This morning I’ll finish washing the rig and later we’ll go see about having the new tires installed. I think we maybe pulling out of here tomorrow since Thursday and Friday has rain in the forecast. We only have about 75 miles to travel, but it would be nice to get set up in the sunshine rather than in the rain.

Take Care Until Next Time - - - - -

Getting Ready To Wash

What can I say?  Yesterday’s weather was perfect.  Today’s weather is perfect.  Tomorrow’s weather will be perfect.  Nothing to whine about?  Well, not exactly.  I just heard on the news that the price for a barrel of oil has dropped again, “rolling back the price and erasing all the gains for 2011”.  My question, “When in heck do they roll back the price at the pump?”  Diesel is still over $4.00 per gallon.  No, we’re not being gouged – not at all.  Okay, so much for that little rant.

We just received the news that fellow fulltime RVers Ed and Marilyn Dray have lost their fifthwheel to a fire.  It seems that a wheel bearing locked up causing the fire.  They were able to unhitch the truck, but everything else was lost.  They are in our prayers.  May God be ever close to them and bring them peace at this time.

Hope all you dads had a great day yesterday.  I did, worship in the morning, nap in the afternoon, and company for dinner last evening.  Friends from our past, Dave and Linda, joined us for a baked spaghetti dinner and conversation.  It was great spending some time with them catching up on our lives since we moved away from Maine fourteen years ago.

Today is “this is the way we wash our rig, wash our rig, wash our rig!”  I’ll do the hardest part this morning, that is, washing the roof.  It’s a mess with all that pine dust so it will take a good couple hours to get it clean.  This afternoon I hope to wash the front and rear caps and will finish washing the rig tomorrow.  The awning needs to be washed as well.  Note to self:  Don’t park under pine trees again (I know, I made that note once before, but this is just a reminder).

Well, that’s it for today.  Take Care Until Next Time  - - - - - -

Not Much To Report

Randy and Terry headed back to Pennsylvania yesterday morning, sad day !  But, at least they had a good trip home and made it back safely.  The six of us are looking forward to our next gathering.

Being that yesterday morning was overcast and we own a black truck, it just made sense to give the truck a bath.  If you are asking what an overcast day has to do with it, try to give a black truck a bath on a hot sunny day.  You have to move fast as black absorbs the heat and the soapy water will dry on if you don’t get it rinsed off quickly.  So, anyway, the truck is nice and squeaky clean, now on to the rig – tomorrow.

While I was washing the truck, Judy was cleaning house.  When we get busy, like we have been for the last few days, house cleaning tends to slide so she had plenty to do.  We need to do some “deep cleaning” over the next couple of days.

Yesterday afternoon was naps and thunder showers while yesterday evening was Dairy Queen with Mike and Peggy – Perfect!!  We finished the day by watching a movie, “Second Chance Harvey”.  Don’t know for sure what today is going to bring forth, but it’s Sunday so worship is the first thing on the agenda.  Actually, we should begin everyday with worship; giving thanks to God for all He has given us.

We’ll just have to color in the agenda page as time marches on; just don’t expect me to color inside the lines, that’s just not my style.  Take Care Until Next Time - - - - -