Trying to make good use of my time

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Some of my old ways have rubbed off on Sue Anne.  We listen to Willies Place why I drive, good drivin' music.

She likes Ranger Doug and the sons of the pioneers, not my favorites but they are fine. 

Life is good! ;D
 
So now we are into another favorite of ours bluegrass, I've got to take her to a bluegrass event one day, she will like that.  I'm really trying to slow down and get a chance to enjoy life before I can't.  They are playing the old religious bluegrass songs, now if they still played or sang such as that in church we would likely go.

I hadn't used the w/d that much yet and I'm finding out how to use it.  There is no manual and being an all in one unit, its taken me awhile. I found one knob deal was on half dry after correcting that the clothes are drying completely.  I wonder how the previous owners did it.  The lint clean out is from outside and the piece was rivoted in, luckliy the round part was plastic and we cut it out and put in a removeable one.  Need to clean the lint out of it tomorrow.  When we bought it we found later that the lint was packed in there.

But it makes some noise, I doubt a 20 year old oddball appliance like that could be repaired, probably a new one will go in at some time.
 
Near Valdosta Georgia tonight, didn't go to far today.  I said I wasn't hurrying, have done that all my life.  I stopped at a Pilot about noon as I was so sleepy was going to close my eyes for a few minutes, slept from 12:30 to 2PM. So much for getting anywhere today and stopped about 5 tonight.  This is the 75 RV park, apparently lots of train traffic with blowing horns nearby but once I'm asleep won't bother me.  Raining again tonight and some has been pretty heavy tonight.

Also a big traffic jam but I made it to a rest area and pulled off till it cleared think it was an accident or something like that.

Tomorrow is another day.
 
I think you were very smart to take a break when you felt tired. Just a little lack of full attention at the wrong time can lead to serious problems.

Enjoy to drive.

ken
 
I don't push when I'm tired and I also told Sue Anne don't expect me to do to much for a day or two once we are here, I'm going to kick back, not as young as I used to be.  also sore throat so not feeling the best today.

Went from cold and rainy to HOT, almost 80 this afternoon.

Getting ready for bed, I'm tired.
 
I'm so excited, my new w/d is in.  The tech said there was no rot or anything underneath but when they hooked it up he had to put in a new valve as he didn't think it had ever been off and on and started to leak.  He finished that load I had, but I'm washing one tonight to see what the spin cycle does.  He said if it bounced they would bolt it down, he said it did not for him, we shall see.  We have water and electric but only a dump site, no sewer
hookup.  I see its supposed to use from 7 to 18 gallons depending.  So far I can't hear or feel it but its not on the high spin yet.  I didn't even put the leverlers down tonight as this site is nice and level.


They are having trouble getting my winegard to work on Dish, he said Direct TV is easy but Dish is a bear.  The winegard is less then a year old.  So finish that tomorrow, my sink filter and going to change out that propane valve for me plus put up a new dash fan above my head.  My old one died.  He said they should be done tomorrow.

I was telling him I really admired the looks of all these new motorhomes but was keeping mine.  He said he has heard the engine running on this one and he said it really sounds good, not to worry about it.  Actually I'm not worried about it.

I hope the tranny has nothing wrong after my 2 shudders though.  Time will tell.

Sue Anne is exhausted, she fell asleep on one of the couches at the service center, as did half the other folks.  I spent the day working on a big jigsaw puzzle they  have laid out, I like working those.

We were to pooped to go out for dinner so I'm munching on frosted flakes, will fix Sue Anne something when she wakes up.  Wouldn't have had them do more but its been raining and not much they can do anyway.
 
Oh my gosh, the w/d is awesome.  A tiny bit of vibration on high spin is all.  What a difference, wow, is all I can say.  I wish I could have washed all the things we have but with no sewer and a shower plus showers last night, we are filling up and Sue Anne has to get her shower yet so no can do.


I think the last of the rain should be going through tonight and tomorrow.  Hope so or we can't do much.  After this on to Orlando.

About ready for bed, pooped tonight doing nothing today.
 
There's an old Bluebird here for sale.  I was going to look at the inside but it was locked.  It must have some age on it as I looked in and the passengers leather seat was very worn but sure looked nice on the outside.  I was tempted to get someone to unlock it but I'm betting its as old as mine so why bother.

Several guys mainly are surprised that Sue Anne and I are traveling alone.  One lady said she hadn't tried to drive their motorhome yet, they are pretty young looking, 50's maybe.  They sold their home and went fulltime, took early retirement.  Many very nice folks out here.
 
I have just given my carpet a lease on life. 

I had purchased a small Dirt Devil upright and it picked up a lot of dirt but did nothing for the carpet nap.

So yesterday I was going to go look at a small Dyson not really into that kind of money for just this motorhome, Walmart carries them someplaces but apparently not here.  So I bought a Shark Navigator because I needed something better and figured I would try it and return it.  Not going back!  It's a wonderful vacuum.  It has a canister that comes out with a little brushhead so I can clean out the car and the steps in the motorhome.  So I have vacuumed twice and it has sucked out a ton of dirt already.  The other didn't raise the nap and this does and I've just given my carpet a lease on life, won't have to change it quick as I thought afterall.  It was $158 so I feel that is a reasonable but not outrageous price.  I don't mind buying something that is worth what I spend for it and I think this is.  I would recommend it for a good vacuum, not excellent but a very good one.
 
I got my awning fixed.  The awning is the original, fabric??  I don't know if that is true, but its still good, its covered with the aluminum cover.  If the awning fails, Tom and I can replace it, we have done it before. The spring was no good, they removed it, put a new one in, adjusted the awning and now its all good.  Yes!  A whole $211, I think that is pretty reasonable.  Another item dear old Tom would have done and didn't have time.  I love having an awning, this one is so much easier to get out then the one on the newer one we had.  I could never get that thing in and out for some reason.
 
My list is getting smaller each day! Of course on a rig of this age more things will pop up.

Left to do for now, the propane valve replaced, that will be done in the next few days and 2 new steer tires, those will happen before we leave here also.

Tom will have to redo the tv stuff again and put in the Hott Rodd
no hurry on either of those as I can use cable and can heat the water with propane.
 
Does anyone know if the windshield wiper sweep can be adjusted?  Mine are going off the outside of the window and on the passenger side even left some rubber streaks on the rounded part of the windshield.  Seems like they don't need to go out that far.
 
Carolyn-

When you say adjust the sweep, do you mean reduce the total amount of travel?  (I.e., the wiper stops at the same point on the inside but doesn't go as far out on the outside)  Or the total amount of travel stays the same, but adjust it so it goes farther to the inside, but not as far to the outside?  (hope that makes sense)

If you mean the former, then I have no idea.  If you mean the latter, I may have some thoughts.  I have never looked at this problem on a MH, but have on a passenger car, so I don't know if it is the same or not.  On cars (or at least older cars; haven't really looked at one lately), the wiper arm mounts onto a shaft that has teeth like a gear.  The arm goes down onto the toothed shaft and is then held in place by a nut or a bolt (which is then covered by a hinged cover that flips up for access.  The teeth keep the arm from shifting.  If the wiper arm goes too far in one direction, you can unbolt it from the shaft and rotate it a tooth or two in the direction you want to adjust.  Then tighten everything back down.  It is possible this may accomplish your goal.

One warning, if the wiper arms have somehow gotten off center, it is a possible sign that a gear is stripped or missing some teeth in the wiper mechanism itself and that failure is on the way.
 
They are ok in the middle, just go to far to the outside edge and they aren't off center.  It's almost like the arms are to long, but of course they aren't as I'm pretty sure they are the original or been on here forever.  Tom did replace the wiper blades but I'm pretty sure they are the same ones that were on here.
 
I had a similar problem on my Damon motorhome and solved it as Jag described.

Because of the geometry as the wipers sweep across the windshield, changing the arm's placement on the driving shaft makes a big change in the sweep at the outer end of the windshield but only a small change at the center.

If the hold down bolt worked loose at some point, it's likely the arm shifted on the shaft.
 
I will take a look at them this afternoon.  It may not be something I can do or may not want to do.  I think it will fix them though.

I just talked to my insurance agent, they bought our 2007 Winnie, they love it and plan on keeping it 4 or 5 more years till his wife retires.  They go often but not far and also don't tow.  He said its a great little motorhome, they knew we maintain our mechanical stuff very well and kept after me to sell it to them before we were ready to do so.  We had intended to keep it another year while Tom fixed this one up but then a bird in the hand.  They waited till Sue Anne and I went on a trip to Vegas and back and we decided to sell it to them, afraid they would find another.  I'm so glad its serving them well, would hate it if they had troubles with it.

The best thing I've done in here is replace the w/d, its WONDERFUL.  I hear folks saying they are so small, this one holds 15 pounds of clothes to wash and 11 pounds to dry.  I split up the load to dry especially if there are dress clothes in it.  I generally do 1 or maybe 2 loads a day in it.

We are about ready to go running around this afternoon, beautiful day out.  I couldn't get my internet to work very well, finally closed Weatherbug and Skype and its running better, must take up to much capacity.

Sue Anne is wanting to stay here through next week, I was wanting to go further south, we are here now till Monday, but I don't care, there's lots to see and do around here so its a go.  Also I hear there is a snow storm coming into Indiana, not for me, I see ice and snow now going across the area west.  Brrrrr, I don't make a good penquin!

Tom says in Borneo its about 84 in the daytime and about 74 at night day after day.  They do have rains though.  Not sure how much longer he will be there. I didn't know it but Indonesia is made up of about 17000 islands, Borneo is one of the biggest.  He is acutally in East Kalimantan.
 
They had a farmers market here today.  Wow, I think someone is burning dinner out there, well back to this.

We got cukes, zucchini, corn on the cob, tomatoes, pomelo grapefruit, couple baking potatoes, red bell pepper, a delicious cantaloupe we just polished off.  I think I will overdose on good veggies and fruits, seems like what we get in Indiana is the leftovers.  But a lot of the stuff we get in Texas isn't that great either at times.  this stuff is really good, wish I had gotten a couple of sweet onions.

I extended our time here to March 4th Sue Anne is wanting to stay through March 9th her birthday, we may.    Then we really need to head for home.

Monday I'm taking the motorhome to an RV place Camping World recommended.  We are going to have the fill valve changed out on the propane tank.  It's a very old style with a button you push underneath to fill it and most people are not familiar with it and can't fill it.  Also Tom said he and the propane guy had to mess with it to get it to fill.  He said I really need to have that done.  Took me awhile to find a place that does it.  Also they have to inspect it and recertify once they take the valve off and recertify it, here's hoping we don't have to have a whole new tank put on.  But we both agree better safe then sorry, we doubt they have to replace it, my understanding these old Manchester tanks are thick steel.  Unless its rusted inside or other issues it should be fine.  Crossing fingers here.
So I'm going to hook up and get everything ready Sunday night to get over there on Monday morning.  Need to remember to have them hook up the electric as my fridge is full. And kitty, he said he has a place she can stay, my little baby.  Then Sue Anne and I have to find some place to go and mess around for about 6 hours and that's hard to do from early in the morning.  I hope he can get it done in one day or we will be in a hotel that night.
 
Our last item this trip will be 2 new steer tires, next year likely all new back tires.
Will be enough spent for this year and hope we don't have to add to much next time!  Fixing an old motorhome one piece at a time!!! ;)

I plan to stain the crown moulding in the motorhome next summer.  Some has been wet from leaks prior to us buying it and I'm sure some is just from condensation through the years especially in the bathroom.  I don't think I can make some of the dark stains lighter, but no matter it will look better just cleaning it  Then polyurethane it.  Going to be hard to do to keep off the ceiling material and sidewalls. I need to clean the hardware too.  And it sure won't hurt to go over the wood with some of the cleaner and use wood treatment or conditioner on the doors and cabinets.


 
When doing the wood trim use wood bleach on the dark spots or all of the trim after sanding off or removing any finish that has been applied to the wood.  Wood bleach is different than regular bleach and can be purchased at any paint store.  To clean and oil your cabinets and any other wood in the coach use Touch of Oranges and there is a cleaner that comes with it.  It can be found at most of the big rallies such as FMCA, Good Sam or Escapes.  You could probably find it on the internet too.  Google is your friend.
 
You got me on that, never heard of wood bleach but that should do it.  The trim has lots of groves in it, a lot of it is fine, the part that isn't is in the hallway and bedroom, not that much molding in the main area, just cabinets.

I don't think I posted this, enough that I have to fix things, but sometimes I create problems I have to have fixed.  A couple of evenings back I was cleaning the windows and screens.  I was cranking one of the louvered windows back in and the bottom didn't want to seal, it was dark and I just gave the crank a couple of extra turns.  Well the middle louver just shattered into thousands of pieces.  I still don't know why, guess I stressed it to much. I should have looked when it didn't want to seal.  I tried to find a place to fix it but all said they would have to order the panel.  I contacted American Coach and they just got back pretty sure they can get it for me.  However, I'm going to have to tape it up and that sure looks crummy.  I bought a transparent shower curtain and taped inside, its a window beside the bed.  The piece is 40" by about 8", so now I'm going to tape it on the outside and put more plastic over that.  The tape is some of that good strapping tape and I don't think it will come off but I'm betting I will have to have the glass mailed to Indiana, I don't know how long it will take them to get it yet.

You know there hasn't been anything so far that I have needed from American Coach for this old motorhome that they haven't been able to get.  I do order items from ebay if I can find them instead like a new cover for my stove.  It had a stainless or metal but it was rusted in places and I couldn't clean it off, I got a new black one and changed the back hooks out and its perfect.  I saw there is a place further south in Florida where I could likely get the window panel made but this will work.  They have given me great service, but Winnebago did too, no complaints from either one.

If I ever need window replacement I'm going to the factory, I think they will do the best job.  We have a crack but its never moved so for now leaving it alone.
 
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