Accomplishments

Friday did end up being a very busy day for me,  l got a lot done.  The box that was made Thursday is now painted a chocolate brown to match the vans exterior colors. The vans mostly loaded - just needs straightening up and final things put in it (which today - Sunday - still seems like a lot).  I had a chance to actually poke around the van on Friday, l found some switches that l didn't know l had.  I located the fuses, not just the fuse panel, but the random ones.  One is back by the battery, another one under the fridge - beside the furnace.

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l de-winterized it, flushed out all the lovely pink anti-freeze.  They had hooked up a plumbing by-pass for the winterizing so l reversed that, ran water through the city water connection. Kitchen sink, shower and toilet all function. Yeah!

I washed and waxed the van and it looks really good.  It's like l gave the old girl a face lift.  I can't get some of the age spots off of her, but l am happy with the result.  Not bad for a 1988 Ford Falcon.  I fixed the door trim that was falling off on the passenger side door.  Snug as a bug now.

[caption id="attachment_798" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="All Sparkly & Clean"][/caption]

Also on Friday l went to a friends for dinner and had to earn my keep by moving some of her furniture around (just kidding).  She has a condo that had a flood a month ago (apartment 5 floors up sprung a leak) and has just had all the floors redone and needed her furniture moved back.  Dinner was delicious.

Then it was Saturday.

On Saturday l went back to  J's, the friend that built the box for me and helped him rake his yard for a couple of hours.  He has almost 10 acres, so it was no small feat.  I've got the blisters to prove it. Okay, we didn't do the whole ten acres, not by far, and there were a number of people there helping....but l still got the blisters.

I had also forgotten to get a piece of wood cut for my tub/shower when l was there on Thursday.  The wood is to cover my tub/shower so l can place the kitty litter on it while the shower is not in use.

 

[caption id="attachment_802" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The Kitty Toilet"][/caption]

I know Glenn from http://www.tosimplify.net/ choose to take out the passenger seat for the kitty litter for his navigator, but that seat is just too comfortable and l will need it for my office.  So for now, the cats will have to go to the bathroom in well, the bathroom.

I did meet a couple from the conference l went to a couple of weeks ago that have trained their cat to use the toilet, even in the RV.  Can you teach a couple of old cats, new tricks?  Maybe after their trauma of moving into a house that moves l will give it a shot!

J also helped me fire up the water heater, furnace, stove and fridge.  I have to admit, l am a bit leery of propane.  And since this Falcon hadn't had the propane appliance used in over a year, l wanted the comfort of someone l trust, that is handy, there with me when they were fired up for the first time.

You see, l've had a bad experience with this liquid called propane.  J and l had a landscaping and pool business many many years ago.  We had had a propane van.  One that actually ran on propane.  It was an old city van that was converted by the city to run on propane instead of gas.  Well, that van exploded on us one day.  Needless to say, l have been traumatized  and a bit scar'd by it!

We had it stored inside in our storage unit, when we went to the unit one morning, we entered the unit, and then plugged a tool in (don't remember what it was).  That was a big enough spark to ignite the propane that had leaked out of the van overnight.  Propane is a heavy gas, and lays low on the ground.  Next thing l remember is flames shooting across my sneakers in a wave.

I lost some eyebrows (just temporary) and J had some pretty bad burns (also temporary - since propane is a gas once it's gone, it doesn't damage the skin anymore.  Where as gasoline is a liquid, it boils as it burns, causing more skin damage, and results in scars).  It put a healthy dose of fear in me for that propane.  For a long time, just lighting a BBQ scared the shit out of me.

Good news is....no wait....GREAT news is that the stove, water heater and furnace works!  Double Yeah! The verdict is still out on the fridge.  We could get it to ignite.....but it wasn't on long enough to see if it gets cold.  I am very pleased that everything seems to be working, since l didn't try anything and took the vendors word for it - and even then they only took the guy they bought it from 'word for it'.

J also build a little shelf for me.  Took him 5 minutes with his table saw, and just needs to be painted.  It's not going to be chocolate brown like the box, so it will have to wait until l decide what to paint the interior of the van.  I also still need to do interior work on the van, new laminate floors, the carpet in the front needs to be ripped out, and what ever other adjustments l need ot make to it to work for me.  For now, she's almost ready to roll (save, what l have to do today).