Downsized to new RV

Cullman,   AL

Ever since we came off the road as fulltime RVers we have talked about not needing a 43' Fifthwheel.  One that size was ideal when we lived in it.   Now for the occasional weekend, NOMADS project or a week or two at a time we felt a 28 to 32' travel trailer would be just fine.

But first...... repairs had to be made on our Open Range.  All under warranty.  Good thing.

The repairs were such that it had to go back to the manufacturer in Indiana.  While there they had to replace flooring due to 3 leaks caused by loose fittings.  In addition they had to remove the entire drivers side walls and replace.  There was a crack in the shell that was fixed twice but then cracked again.  Also we had 2 spring hangers break.  So they picked up the rig back in November and took it to north Indiana. The repairs were done in December but the weather was such that we were not about to tow on ice or snow.  Since we had to inspect it, we had to pick it up.

It appeared we would have some better weather last week.  So we took off on Wednesday.  It rained all day.  As it was a 606 mile drive we spent Wednesday night in a motel.    We finally arrived at the manufacturer Thursday morning.   In rain, then sleet, then a little snow.  But turned back to rain.

Len was drenched, cold and a little cranky by the time he hooked up and we could get back on the road.  After going a few miles the sun came out.  Whew..... this is good.  We thought.  Two hundred miles down the road on the busy Interstate in Indianapolis...... smoke.  Tires were rubbing together.   ANOTHER SPRING HANGER BROKE.   Talk about unhappy campers.

Len called back to the Open Road folks.   As we were stuck on a busy Interstate we needed a safer place.   Open Range contacted Lippert, the frame maker who arranged for a tow.  We got off the road and realized we were there for the night.   Two mechanics from Lippert drove 3 hours on Friday to do the repairs.

They replaced the broken spring hanger and noticed another one was about to break.  They also replaced the equalizers.

Needless to say... there was some frustration of our part.  We do have to admit although they didn't correctly fix the problem we sent it there to do, they did a lot of stuff we didn't expect.  There was a huge dent from when Len hit our carport.  They replaced that panel. A awning leg was damaged when winds came up in Branson last year and as we attempted to retract the awning the wind was so fierce the leg bent. They fixed that.  Screws had come loose and fallen out of valances.  They fixed that.  One shade in the bedroom had a broken string.  They fixed that.  Some trim had come loose in the kitchen.  They fixed that.   They also washed and waxed the rig.

Well this was good as our plan was to sell it and downsize.

We finally got back on the road Saturday.  We were to take the rig to our local RV dealer.  When it was in their shop last year, they ripped the roof.  As we needed the use of the rig, they patched it with plans to put a new roof on at a later time.  So we dropped it off on the way home.

While there we talked to a salesperson and told him our plans to downsize.   Today we went back and did just that.

We are now the owners of a 2018 Grand Design Imagine travel trailer.  We went from 43' to 32'.  Google Grand Design Imagine 3170BH.


Our last two RVs had huge residential fridge with ice makers.  But we can live with this smaller rv unit.   Not the counter space the larger units have but that's okay too.  Especially since it has an outside kitchen with a 2nd microwave, two burner stove, small refrigerator and storage drawers and cabinet.

A large booth dining area that can be converted to a bed.  Two recliners.  Len is thrilled.  They not only recline but have a heat and massage setting.

The bunk room.  This room closes off for privacy.  The bunks on the left with a TV.  On the right is the sofa that folds down to a bed plus another bed that folds down above the sofa.  Drawers under bunks and sofa.  Plus a closet.

Our bedroom.  Not real big but satisfactory.

The bathroom is surprisingly large.   Good size shower and some shelf space on the vanity.

Yea, some things I will miss.  The washer/dryer combo.  The huge living room in the Open Range.  The residential fridge.  The fireplace.  LOTS of storage.   What I won't miss is the stress of wondering when the next spring hanger will break.   And towing and finding sites for a 43' RV. We expect that due to downsizing the insurance and cost of tags and registration will be less expensive.  And we know we will get better fuel mileage.

Hope to pick it up by the weekend.  Can't wait to get the tubs of "stuff" out of our basement and start arranging them in a new part time home.

Until next time.

Mystery Solved but still upsetting

Culllman,  AL

My friends on Facebook know that I have been posting regarding Sunday, the cat that was left here by the previous owner.

It took over 6 months before I could get near Sunday.  Then it got to the point that when I sat on the porch swing he would walk by and I could pick him up.  He loved laying on my lap sweetly purring and slobbering all over my jeans.

Last summer we were visited with a young Raccoon eating Sundays leftovers.   It never seemed to be a threat

On Sunday February 4 while watching our Philadelphia Eagles whip New England Patriots Leonard said he heard a thump on the back porch.  Since we heard nothing more, sadly we never got up to investigate.

As per my usual routine, the next morning I walked to the back porch to feed Sunday.  I found his house pulled out about a foot from where it had sat.  And the thick padding we placed inside that kept him warm all winter was pulled out of his house another 4 feet or so.  Next to the padding lay Sundays body. 

We took a quick check of his body but saw no bites or marks.  We wrapped him in a towel and Len buried him placing a large flat rock over his grave.

What could have killed him we wondered.   I did some Internet searches.   I disregarded Coyotes, although I know we have them in the area. A coyote would have eaten him or carried him off.  Maybe a dog?  A Raccoon?  I didn't think so.  What about a bobcat.  They eat their prey and this was not the case with Sunday.

A few days later I saw footprints near the porch that appeared to be those of a raccoon.  Maybe?

It continued to play on me.  So we went to a sporting goods store and bought a game camera. We talked to the owner of the store and he believed it would have been a Bobcat. He said it happens often in this area.  So we figured the same.   We then placed the camera two feet higher than the porch floor and left it there several days. 

I had tossed Sundays dry food that was left out in the yard.  Birds took care of it.  So I wondered if whatever it was would return.

It did.  We got four sets of pictures.  One set was taken about 6:30 at night.   One around midnight, the other two around 4 am.   Most of the pictures had an animal in it but just a small bit of the back, ears, etc. One had a face.  And since night pictures are black and white it was difficult to determine what it was.

Well yesterday we contacted the local conservation officer.  He asked me to load the pictures on my computer and send to him.   Now the pictures were clearer.  Our first suspicion was right.

Raccoon!

The officer says a Raccoon will become very vicious if another animal interferes with a food source.   They are well known to kill small dogs or cats if challenged.  Their bites so small and often not evident.   After getting the pictures from the camera we  put it back out on the porch.... no further night visitors.  But there is no food there now. 

I regret that I would leave food out at night.  I knew Sundays habit of eating.  I would feed him in the morning and it would take him all day as he "grazed".   The food at night was always gone in the morning.  I suspected raccoons were eating what Sunday didn't but never knew they would kill for it.

I so miss our time together on the back porch on the swing.  I would go out and call him to me or he would sit on the railing looking in the kitchen window as if to say... when you gonna come out and pet me?

We had our time together the evening before this sad ending.   Now often both in the morning and in the evening I will have a quick flash in my mind..... time to feed Sunday.   Then I remember.

Old versus New

Cullman,  AL


Is there ever so much we want to do.   And we are loving it.   After putting shiplap on a wall in the dining room last week, we decided to continue it on into the living room.   So..... Lowes is loving us even more.    Our work earlier in the week.

Before:

And now.

We continued it around the next wall until we ran out of supplies.   Time to order more.

In the meantime, gotta keep busy.

A few weeks ago Leonard rotor-tilled the garden.   It took him most of the day.  Then the rains came and weeds and grass grew, as we expected it would

This morning he went out to till it again.   After one hour of pushing the rototiller he was wiped out.  Only two passes were made in the length of the garden.   He can't be doing this.

The solution?   A tiller for the back of the tractor.  Let's go get it I said.  I was surprised (sure) that he agreed so quickly.    So after shopping around and making some calls it was back to the Mahindra dealer. 

Taking it off the truck:

Getting ready:

Doing the job:

He made two passes through the earth on the right with his push rototiller.  It took over an hour and left him exhausted.  The tilled earth on the left took 35 seconds and left him wanting to do more.

We will let the garden sit for a few days as surely there will be more weeks and grass growing.  Then he will till again and repeat.   Once we have the garden planted, the push rototiller will do just fine for between the rows.    But for now, life is easier. 

Can 't wait to plant.  We do have one tomato plant in a large pot on the back porch. Love this time of year.  And the anticipation of fresh tomatoes.

Now not only Lowes loves us but also the local Mahindra dealer.  It's so nice to be loved.

Until next time......

Gotta stop watching....gives us more work.

Cullman,   AL


While Leonard watches his Westerns I usually watch some HGTV.   That can be dangerous.  Gives me lots of ideas.   Those of us who watch Fixer Upper know all about Shiplap.   Well now Leonard does too.

Our initial attempt is a dining room wall where I wanted a chair rail.

But then the idea.... Aha!  Shiplap part way up the wall.   So I think.   Lowes.  They love us at that store.  And why not?  We feel it's rude when we are in town and passing by not to stop it for a visit.  And they were so good to give us a credit card which give us a 5% discount.   Such nice people.

I sorta kinda knew what I wanted.  So last week when we just happened to be in the area we dropped on in.  Didn't have what I imagined at the store but surely their online store must.  Yup... there it is.  Just punch a few keys on the computer and wait for UPS.   Easy as that.

Today was as good as any for this latest project.

And all it took was some finishing nails, adhesive, saw, hammer and getting Leonard to turn off his Westerns for a few hours.   Don't worry.... he's watching them now.  He's a happy man.  And I'm a happy wife.   He like projects.  I like changing things up a bit.  Works for us.

The remodeled wall.

We like it so much we plan to continue the Shiplap into the living area.  All I have to do is punch some keys and get out that 5% discount credit card.

Until next time.

Trash!

Cullman, AL

Sometimes when buying a house you get more than you bargained for.  Sometimes good, sometimes not. 

It's taken us a year to finally get to the completely overgrown back acre.  Just last week Leonard made it to the back property line.   Up until recently we could not even walk through the thick brush.

This shows how thick the growth was.  Our neighbor Hilton last February doing a bit of clearing.

After we bought our Mahindra tractor in October Len has been pulling out trees.  Our intent is to fence this area and get a couple of head of cattle.   

How it looks currently.

Our house was built in 2001.  We have been told that prior to the house sitting here there were trailer houses.   Once we started tearing out brush we found where they had their own personal dump.  Once Len got trees out of the way, we started removing items ..... sinks, bathtub, water heater, stove, washer, dryer, air conditioner, bed springs, etc.etc.

Now what to do with it.   We found in the local Shoppers Guide the number of a man who carries away metal.   We could take it and sell it ourselves, but have enough to do than load it up in our trailer (we only have an enclosed trailer) and haul it away.   

These two nice elderly men were glad to make a bit of extra money and we were glad they came to get some on Saturday. 

Len got out the tractor and assisted in the loading.

They took all they could carry and will be back for more.  The recycle center damaged the rails on their trailer on Saturday.  Leonard told them to bring it over and he will weld it back together.  They are so thankful.  We are glad to help.

 This is how the dump pile looks currently.

Still a lot of do.  It will be cleared.

Had we not wanted the brush cleared off the property we would have never known what lay beneath.  Once we found it, we knew we could not live with trash in our backyard.

Until next time.

Winters Cold

Cullman,   AL

This month has been exceptionally cold not only here in Alabama but throughout most of the country.   Some days here in Cullman it never got above 20 and at nights down to 5.   Oh how we look forward to Spring.

But there were rays on sunshine. 

First rays were visits for four days of my daughter Terri and son-in-law Steve.

And grandson Justin

They flew into Birmingham airport from Harrisburg, PA.   We picked them up at the airport and after unpacking, four of us went to the local Logans for dinner and then to Len's sons Lennie's where Terri and Justin met our new daughter-in-law Lois.    Steve was under the weather with exhaustion and a cold having played in his band the night before and getting less than two hours of sleep.  He stayed at the house hoping he would feel better the next day.

The next day was again very cold.  We went to the local attraction Clarkson Covered Bridge.  That was about it for the day.   Other things we wanted to do but with  the extreme cold...... guess those things will have to wait.   Unfortunately Steve was still ill.   However, I had made arrangements for soap making class at my friend Stephanies.   So the next day Terri, Justin and I made soap.

We each made 12 cakes of soap.    Mine is the brown one.  The scent is Hazelnut.  Terri's is the green and white with a more outdoor woodsy scent.  Justin made the white cakes and actually smell like coffee and has spent coffee grounds in it.

All too soon it was time from them the return to Pennsylvania.

A few days later my sister and her grandson Lance came for 4 day visit.  They live in NJ but Debbie has two sons and their families that live in Wytheville, VA.   Their homes in VA are half way between here and NJ.   So Debbie and Lance spent a few days in VA, then drove to Alabama for a few days and then back to VA for a few days.

One day we drove up to Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge.  They were having their annual Crane festival.   It was cold walking around but not unbearable.

Cranes must really like this place. There were 100's. Sand Hill cranes  (and ducks and geese).

And one of the two resident Whooping Cranes

Another day we went to Ava Maria Grotto.   The go-to place when we have visitors.


We haven't done much since our visitors have left.   I've had a cough for close to two weeks.  It seems to be getting better.  But I feel really good.  (Except when coughing).  Len has been down a bit with cold or flu symptoms.    He too has a cough but also a low fever, headache and no energy.  But he too is on the mend.   As it is supposed to get in the 60's tomorrow and it is his birthday..... time to get well!

Until next time.

I'll think of something else..... soon.

Cullman,  AL


Poor Leonard.  As soon as he gets one project done I will think of something else for him to do.

This week it was changing out the UGLY recessed lighting over the kitchen sink.

Not only were they outdated with those gold rims, but they were useless.  The ceiling is slanted down. When standing at the sink the lights shine behind me.

Do we ever love Lowes.   And they really love us back.

Out with the old

Notice the different shirt?     When we got home from Lowes I realized although I liked the lights I chose, they just did not go with the rest of the kitchen.    So back to Lowes.  Oh, and since it was about lunch time..... stopped for Bar B Q.   Can't really cook when other work is being done in the kitchen,  right?

Yea, thinking I'm gonna like these more.

I do.

As with most areas of the country, we are in a cold spell.  Down to 11 at night and only in the 20's during the day.   He can't work outside.   So it behooves me to find things for him to do inside.  Chair rails next?

 I will cut him a break for the next two weeks.  Tomorrow my daughter Terri, her husband Steve and our Grandson Justin will be flying in for a four day visit.  Then next Saturday my sister Debbie and probably her grandson Lance will be here for 4 days.  None of them have visited previously.  Looking forward to the visits and introducing them to our Alabama living.

Until next time.....