Lost 2 RV's, and Gained a Van, All In One Day

It was cold again this morning, so I was back to layering on clothes. But I didn't wear my working jeans, as I knew the folks were coming to get the Merry Miler. They were so excited about it, that I knew that they would arrive.

The cream passe partout on the raw edge of the paneled "Sight Glass" for the vertical water tank...................>

I put the newly painted water heater door back on the Merry Miler, and did some tidying up in the workshop. Jay managed to get some of the dark stripes compounded, and waxed, to make it look better. Shay gave it a once over with the shop vac. There was no way the windshield drape that I have for my B+ would work in it, as it is a Ford and mine is a Chevy. It seems that the Ford windows are taller. There was no time to make it, so I found some of those Reflectix windshield covers, and made enough to go around all three front windows. At least that would keep the sun out, and they would have some privacy if they went camping, until I could make it.

When they got here, they were ecstatic about it, and said that the pictures didn't do it justice.

It took a while to show them everything, and how it all worked. I gave them a new white hose, water pressure regulator, and one of those little hose crook things, so that the hose doesn't crimp. Showed them that the fridge and AC were cold, water pump pumped, started the genny, all that good stuff. The wife is a seamstress, so she took the fabric and will make the windshield drape. So I was in and out, up and down..... my poor old knees. Now, this is a 1-ton van, with 16.5" wheels, so it is higher up than a regular van. But I didn't even get a chance to take some Aleve after they finally left with it, as I had to feed the puppies.

The guy, Joe, that wanted to trade the van in on the Class C, had emailed that he was coming today, too. He wasn't going to be here for a while, so that gave Jay and me time to go into town to the bank, and the auto parts store for some stuff I needed. I ran Jay home, grabbed a quick sandwich, and tried to lie down to rest my back and knees. But, no, that didn't happen. Joe called from 10 freeway exits away, so I went out there to it, armed with a step stool and two pillows to put behind my back, and started it up. My feet won't hardly touch the pedals in that stick shift Class C !! Fords seem a little colder natured than some, and I like to get them warmed up before I show them. Joe had already seen, and driven it before, but I wanted to make sure it would start, as I had to put a battery charger on it yesterday, as someone had left a door open.

Joe arrived with the white Chevy van. Now, I don't need a van, but I need something air conditioned to drive, that will haul stuff, and I wanted that Class C out of here in the worst way ! I looked it over, and it is a nice conversion van, not camper van, done by Explorer. It has a button you push to make the rear couch into a bed. I will have to take that couch out, if I want to haul any 4' x8' sheets of lumber. Or I can push the button and make it into a bed, and carry a moving pad, so as not to ruin the velour, and carry stuff on top of the bed. It has 4 captains chairs. Powder blue velour seats, hurray ! Not leather. Power driver's seat, power locks and windows, front and rear AC. It had little oak nooks and crannies built-in, like cup holders, ice chest, drop down drink tables, magazine racks, oak closet pole across the back, and oak things, like a bar, built into the doors. Nice powder blue cellular blinds and velour drapes. It has the table that goes in the middle of the captain's chairs, but the pole was missing, no biggie, I have one ! It had had a TV in the console, and all the antenna stuff is already in there, so might put one back in. Unfortunately, it doesn't have a hitch.

I drove it down the road, first checking that the tranny didn't slip, by putting it in gear, forward and reverse, and revving it a little with my foot on the brake. It didn't slip. I wanted to check the brakes before I drove it anyway. It drives well, but I could tell that it needs shocks. I had already done the "proctology test", and stuck my finger up the tail pipe, to see if it was clean or oily. Joe had told me that one power window didn't work, so Jim, the mechanic, will have to have it for a while to fix that, and the shocks, before I want to drive it.

Joe and I did all our paperwork, and I showed him where everything was, and explained how it all worked. More up and down, and in and out. My aching back and knees. By the time he left, it was time to feed the pups, cat, kittens, and me.

Tomorow, if we have time, I am going to have Jay take out all the oak parts, before it goes to Jim's, so that they can be re-finished. I might even let May come back to work long enough to do that, as it is her forte. It will look extra super, by the time I am through with it, as it will be for sale, one day, when I find my station wagon.

With all that going on today, when I fed the pups, I forgot to give them their last dose of the de-worming medicine. Mashing the powder in a tiny bit of canned cat food in four little dishes, worked like a charm yesterday. It was so easy, they just ate it all up, even though they were caged separately. Now I am waiting for them to be hungry again, so that I can give it to them for the last time.

So that was my back breaking day.