Uphill Battle

I was over at a blog that l follow on a regular basis http://travelswithmiranda.uskeba.ca/, the author Rae has just gone through an experience that l hope never to go through, she was rear ended while travelling in West Virginia with her Class C and toad.  The toad was a write off, and the RV suffered some damage too.

She is heading home to Quebec on a trip planned before the accident, and has just arrived, safe and sound.  She made a comment today about the consideration of other drivers, or shall we say lack of.  And l have to agree with her.

I was driving yesterday, in the Adirondack Region of New York, in my Class B Falcon, traveling from Wilmington to Lake Placid.  The terrain is hilly, and lets face it, my old girl is a wee bit slow on the uphill ride.  I've actually figured out that l can go faster if l am on cruise control (who ever invented cruise, l will forever love you!!!) then if l just jam my foot on the gas peddle.  I pretty much go to a crawl if l am not on cruise when l hit a hill.  I don't know if the Falcon has a guvnor on it restricting it from switching to high gear when not on cruise when climbing a hill, or if it is something else(anyone know - feel free to chime in).

So yesterday l was going 45 MPH uphill in a 50 MPH zone, when l was passed shortly after, which is fine with me.  I understand, l can lumber along and usually just stick at the speed limit.  What l don't understand, is about 150 yards after this guy passed me, he put on his brakes to make a right hand turn.  Really?  You couldn't wait an extra 30 seconds to get there, you had to pass me???

I always get out of the way of traffic behind me if l am going slower then posted speeds, l always stay in the right lane, and l am putting it out there, that if you are stuck behind me and l am going to slow for you, l apologize in advance.  :-)

Rest Stops

The last two days l have been making my way slowly to the Lake Placid, New York area.  It's enjoyable not having to drive bad out of hell to get somewhere.

I spent last night at a rest stop in Michigan, and tonight will be the same.

Last night my neighbours, two different ones where sleeping in their cars - goodness knows in my past l have been just like them, cuddled up in their seats against the cold, running the car intermittently to stay warm.  It was nice being in my van, stretched out comfortably, with blankets, a toilet within crawling distance.  I definitely have the most preferred way of staying in a rest stop.

Locked Out

You know you have experienced it, l think everyone has at least once.  The impending gloom you feel as you shut your vehicle door a second before you realize your keys are still inside and you have just locked yourself out.  I had it happen once at a car wash when l was washing my truck a couple of years ago.  I had left it running while l  washed the truck.  Boy was it clean, and it was locked.  Some how the truck had locked itself (honest).  I bummed a ride from the attendant to my house which was once a couple fo miles down the road and grabbed my spare set.

It happened to me today.  I was backing out the side door, the natives (the kitty cats) were a bit restless and l didn’t want them running out in the parking lot l was at.  I pressed the lock on the door and shut it, only to realize my keys were sitting on the counter.

Now, you might think that was all bad.  But l had a few back up plans for just this problem.  First of all l could call CAA, but that would take too long, and why bother when l had already planned for something just like this.

I have to say, l didn’t think it would happen so soon into my trip, but prepared l was.  The reason l was ready for this, l had read about Glenns’ (www.tosimplify.com)   fun time squeezing thru the top window of his van when he had locked himself out with his Falcon running and his navigator inside (his cat). And for icing on the cake, I believe he was in the middle of no-where.

So after my friend J built my shelf, l thought it would be a great idea to put my extra set of keys on the shelf in my pen holder that is up there.  Then, l would know where they were if l ever needed them (everything in its place).  And two, l could open the window reach in and grab the spare set. Unlike Glenn, l is not Spiderman.

I went and borrowed a chair from a local business – it was either that or a wire coat hanger, because l could open the side window and feed the coat hanger thru the window and grab the keys with the hook part. Within five minutes l was back in, chair returned.

 

 

$22.00

I managed to fill up my propane tank Monday.  Actually it was a pretty big necessity since it's not nice outside (it's FREAKIN' FREEZING). It only cost me $22.00, l was tickled pink about that.  To me it looks bigger then a BBQ tank, so l was expecting to have to lay out more cash.  I was even more tickled, really jumping for joy, that the guy didn't seem to mind that he filled a tank that does not have the auto release valve that now is required on propane tanks.  I know this one hasn't been retro fitted.  The cost to retro fit such an old tank, would be in the neighbourhood of $1000 + because you would have to replace the tank also.  The required valves don't fit on the old style tanks.

[caption id="attachment_850" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="This is not the right valve"][/caption]

 

I saw snow flakes Monday, which my flakes don't even come close to the 8 inches New York is getting.  All l can say is "Thank God l'm not in New York".

With the propane filled  l can heat the van, heat the water and cook the food...all the basic necessities of life.

If we didn't have those really nice, unseasonable warm days already this year, the weather would be easier to take.  Having the weather behave like an eratic yoyo makes it hard to enjoy the snow, wet, cold days.  But l have heat, so life is good!

Everything Has A Place

I have found with living in a small space two things.

1. Have things with multi purposes.  The luxury of having an item for one job, is just that, a luxury.  And not very conducive to living in a small space.  It just won’t fit.  So the more purposes a single item can fill, the better.


2. Everything has its place, and once used, needs to go back in that space.  Thereby, eliminating the hours searching for the lost object.  Of course, this could also be a sign of my age :-)  Or finally, all my years of collecting useless information has filled my brain to capacity.

Those two rules l can live with to have the freedom of living in my Camper Van.

It’s pretty cool to have everything l own with me.  I no longer risk forgetting to bring something to work with me, because, it’s here with me 24/7.  The farthest it is away from me is the parking lot. :-)

What Is That?

Every Day is a discovery in this Ford Falcon.  Last night l discovered the built in alarm clock.  Yeah, don’t laugh.  It’s on the wall above the gauges for the LPG, the Battery, the Gray Tank, Holding Tank, and Fresh Water Tank.



In the picture the bottom display is all the gauges l know about.

The one l knew nothing about is the top wall fixture  the “Micro Alarm” (who knew it was an alarm clock).  One night after getting the van as l was driving home from a friends place after dinner, it went off.  Even though there were no lights displaying(meaning it wasn’t ‘ON’.  I just started hitting buttons trying to make this most annoying buzzing sound go away.  I did drive home with an elevated heart level that night, since l hadn’t had a clue what set it off.  And,  as you know, l have a slight fear of propane and vans exploding.

And here it was all along a flipping’ alarm to wake you up.  Well…..it woke me up, so l guess that was a success.

Honestly, read what is printed around the buttons you push to set this damn thing?  Am l the only one that had to live in this Falcon 5 days to figure it out?

[caption id="attachment_831" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Alarm - sorry it's blurry best l could get with a crappy camera"][/caption]

Oh well l guess l wanted an adventure.  Who would have thought, l could get it right here in my own van. :-)

Coming Along

I’m getting used to the small space of the van.  Last night l cleaned out some extra blankets l  organized some more.  It’s getting there.

It just me and my two cats in this van,  and those little guys don’t take up much room.  I’ve got their kitty litter over the bathtub, and then two little dishes, one for food, one for water.  I am amazed that some couples full time in a camper van.  I don’t know how they do it.  It really is a tight space, l would think some blood would be shed before too long if a couple were to shack up in one of these.

I can’t imagine plunking down a hundred grand for a new one of these things and then find out it’s not enough room.  That would hurt the pocket book for sure.

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.

[caption id="attachment_799" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Storage Box"][/caption]

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).



 

5 Days..... So close

It's so close now.  Only 5 days left until l have turned the page in my new life.

Is it any wonder why l can only think about it?  I am constantly thinking about what changes l want to make to my van when l get home.  The downfall of that is that all l want to do it move on.  I am relishing the change.  The jitters are gone, the excitement is there, the longing is driving me crazy!!!

 

12.5 Days until departure

This morning was a bit cooler when l started the van and no problem keeping it going.  This afternoon, when l was leaving work heading to the airport, it stuttered a bit when l started it.  It had sat there for 4 hours, it had warmed up 15 degrees (the air), and the tank was with the good tank of gas, and it STUTTERED.  It didn't stall, just gave the feeling that it would, so l lightly pressed the accelerator.  I guess l will need to get that attended to when l get back from Saskatoon.

It seems a shame to leave this beautiful weather we are having here and going to a colder climate.  Only 12.5 days to go though, so all is good.

I'm lucky this time, staying in Canada, l don't have to go through the hour line-up at customs.  And the security line-up  is never an issue on this side of the airport.

When l was going through security, there was a lady travelling with her cat.  I chatted with her a bit about it, since it is a big concern of mine to travel with my cats.  Right now they don't want to go near the van.  It has wheels, and to them that means, a trip to the vets.

When l had my fifth wheel, they didn't mind snooping around in the interior when it was parked in my driveway.  So them not going near the van is a wee concern of mine.  My fingers are crossed that all works out with them (and me)!!!!

I'm thinking when l do my reno's on the van l will paint the interior.  I really don't like the fake wood panel look.  I'm thinking of a lighter color to brighten it up a bit in there.  I can't believe that in 20 days (because after the 12.5, l will be going to a conference for the new job in Palm Springs for a week) l will be jumping in with both feet getting Fiona (the van) and me ready.

 

14 Days - That's just two weeks!

Holy Monkeys!!!!  Two weeks, that's it?  And most of that l will be on the road in Saskatoon.

Yesterday, I  bought some storage containers for my clothing that l will place up on the bunk.  There isn't much storage in the cupboards of the van.  Not that l am a clothes horse.  I can live out of a suit case now for two weeks at a time now. The only thing is, season change and l will need sweaters for the fall and winters, towels to shower with, files for work, tools to fix/maintain the van, bedding blankets, pillows...etc....etc.... so l will need the extra space up on the bunk for the overflow.

I also bought some curtains to hang between the cab and the living area of the van.  They were on sale, so bonus!  The hanging will have to wait until l get back from my trips.  Pretty much everything will have to wait until l get back from my trips. :-(

l will spend today doing laundry and packing up that suitcase for Saskatoon.  Yep, the fun never stops here!!!!  :-)

Deadsville..... 15 Days to go

Yep.  My fault.  No one to blame but me.

Yesterday when l went to work it was foggy, a bit thick in places so l turned on my headlights.  Well, l forgot to turn them off when l got to work.  It was sunny then, and the last thing on my mind was headlights.

Fiona is a bit long in the tooth and not up to the fancy standards of the new vehicles that will scream at you if you leave the lights on after you turn off the car and open the door.  Fiona was quiet as l exited her.  So of course, 8 hours later when l came out to drive her to a dinner with friends, she refused to turn over.

I knew it wasn't the starter this time, since l had fixed that problem.  The problem was me.  Yep, me.

I must develop a system that will remind me that in the dawn if l turn on my lights, l hang something, tie something on a part of the van l can't miss as l exit.

So, l got a boost, she started up fine, and l was on my way.  I was at work longer then l was expecting, then to have the battery be dead on top of it, let's say l was really happy to drive out of the parking lot.  And of course, now there are only 15 more days to go! :-)

Day 22, 21 and 20

Day 22 - Lending a hand to a Friend

Saturday, l spent the day helping a friend build the closets for his house.  Well actually, get the wood ready for the assembly.  We were at a friends of his work shop and were cutting and putting the edges( the finished edges that are glued on the cut ends) on the shelves.  I kept joking with him that he was putting big enough closets together for "Kate plus 8".  He was doing his and her closets for the master bedroom, two linen closets.

We had an assembly line going, C was cutting the 4 x 8 sheets of plywood.  J (my friend) was running them thru the machine to put the tape on them.  And l was sanding and cutting  the excess tape and taking the excess glue off.  I was there about 7 hours, l then went to visit my Grandpa for a couple of hours.

Day 21 - Cleaning the Van

The weather man was right.  It was a very nice day, sunny and around 58 degrees.  It was gorgeous.

I spent the day in the my van.  I was equipped with a bucket of soapy water and a bottle of fantastic.  It was great being in there when it was warm.  I flipped the sofa/ bed down, measured it and actually think l will keep it as is for now.  I trashed the foam mattress in the overhead bunk. Cleaned all the cupboards, lined them with shelf paper. Yanked down the lace curtains - not my style....lol.  Scrubbed the stove top, cleaned the fridge.  It was all in pretty good condition, l just wanted it all cleaned.

I wonder who thought shag carpeting in a camper van was a good idea?  It's been ripped out of the rear part and a cheap cracking laminate is down now.  Up front is still shag, and of course the Dog House is covered about half way up with shag too.

The flooring project will come in April before l take off, and will include new flooring in the back and front.

 

Day 20 - Yuck!

I don't want to go to work.  Only 20 more days though....l can do it, l can do it......:-)

Day 25 Start 'er up

I have an appointment booked this morning to fix my starter.  I bought the part on Saturday, but today is the day for the fix.

Yesterday l had to crawl under the van 3 separate times to lightly tap the starter to get the van to start.  That was fun.   l'm so thankful that it started each time with ease after the little nudge from the hammer.  While it's in the shop l'm going to get them to change the thermostat also.  I'm not sure if it's on its way out, but l think it is.  So better to be safe then sorry.

****

I just got out of the mechanics.  Starters in, new thermostat is in.  He also repaired the spout on the water pump, so l can avoid buying a new one.  So, $300 and 3 hours later, Fiona is running great.  I will put my hammer back in my tool box instead of beside my drivers seat.

 

 

29 Days....Van won't Start

Errrr.  I go outside to start my van.  And nothing.  Nadda.  So, what do l do now?  I don't think l left my lights on all night.  Shit.  And l have such a full day today.  I was planning on going to the RV show, then visiting my Grandpa who's sick.  Shit, shit, shit.

My sister's not home to get a boost (not that she can since she has a new car and there's a chance it will fry her computer brain).  I never got around to buying that tickle charger yet. Or CAA (like AAA). Crap.

So my Macgyver brain starts firing.  Hey, l got the house battery in back.  I grab my tools and head to the back of the van to pull the house battery out.  Let's just say, access isn't all that easy.  There is a plastic pipe for the toilet in the way.  After some finagling l get it out.  Carry it up to the front and bring out my booster cables.  Hook it all up, hop in my van, turn the key in the ignition.  Nothing, Nadda. No tick, tick,tick (the sound that is usually made when a battery is dead).

I get out of the van, fiddle around with the cables, making sure they all have a good connection.  Hop back in, try the key again. Still nothing.  I pull the cables off of the van to test if the house battery has juice, and l get a spark.  Then l do the opposite and see if the engine battery has a spark.  It does.  It has lots of juice (big sparks)

Okay, so not my battery.  Must be my starter.  I go in search of my hammer to give the starter a whack.  Crawl under the van.  Hmmm..wheres the starter.  It's been years since l've seen one.  I kind of remember what it looks like.  I just can't find it.  Winds blowing sand in my face and eyes when l'm under the van, l can feel the neighbours are watching me from inside their homes.....

So l choose.....phone a friend.  He tells me where it should be, and back out l go.  Still can find the damn thing. I dont' have a manual on Fiona so l consult the next best thing.  The Internet. Today YouTube won the day for me.  I watched some guy for 2 mintues install his starter on his van. Got a good idea where it would be located....and.....

Voila, l found my starter.  Armed with the hammer l gave it a nice little tap, crawled back out, key in the ignition, and smiled as the engine started.  Whoot Whoot!!!  I did it.

I started out on my day (a few hours behind schedule), first to go buy a new starter, then l was going to head to the RV show and see my Grandpa, but the wind that was blowing the dirt in my eyes, was pushing me all over the road.  At times l felt like l was landing a plane in high winds when they "crab it in".  They come in at a angle to the runway, then at the last minute turn and land.  My van was catching the winds something fierce.

So l turned around and headed home.  RV show and Grandpa are now scheduled for tomorrow.  I grabbed the starter on the way home at a parts place, grabbed some groceries, it will be nice to cook the next two weeks instead of "hotel" fare.

I feel proud that l could solve my problem today.  Have l said how much l love the Internet?  Greatest invention EVER! (today at least)

Can't Sleep

It's late, or very early.  Depending what your perspective is.  It's 3:30 am, and l have lain in bed awake for 2 hours now.  Not really tossing and turning, but laying and thinking.

Thinking about how my life will change in the next little while.  It's only 30 days now until it happens.

I've been laying here designing the van changes in my head.  I have been quietly thinking about them since l purchased it back in December. Thing was, l could never really get my mind to focus on them for too long.  I guess because l wasn't sure what l wanted to do.  And l wanted the changes to happen organically over time.

I didn't want to jump into it, make changes, and then discover, that they just wouldn't work for what l needed.  Another thing was, how many changes do l make that won't negatively effect the vans value if l choose to sell it soon.  Do l really care?  I didn't spend that much on it, but l also don't want to throw that money away if l change my mind on my lifestyle.  On a sidebar; if l live in it for just one year, it will have paid for itself - so l'm not too worried.

How was l going to need my living space?  What could l live with and what could l live without.  I need a small office space in there, and just how was l going to get that to work.

How would l manage living in there with 2 cats?  It's not the space that is a concern when it comes to my cats, l know we will fit just fine.  It was more of, how was l going to get them to 'relax' in there.  They don't like cars, especially cars that move with them in it.  And l will be moving. It will be a bigger space then a car.  And it won't be a trip to the vet, which would freak any human also - getting poked and prodded.  I hope the adjustment period isn't too long for them in the van.

What l've learned

One good thing about being in Toronto, fighting rush hour traffic, TWICE  a day is my van seats are comfortable.  They are cushy and have arm rests on both sides.  On the side closet to the window, it even has it's own fold down arm rest.  I don't need to put my arm on the hard plastic moulding of the door, instead a nice padded armrest waits at my beck and call.  Ahhh.. the lap of luxury l say!

Another great thing, that l wasn't expecting in this van when l bought it was, l have cruise control also.  Not that l need it in rush hour, but when l score some driving where l can implement it, its great.  I love being able to move my feet when l sit in the drivers seat.  It's like a little mini "get out of the van and stretch my legs" moment.

It's the little things ya gotta love!  And the little things l am grabbing onto right now.  :-)

Back to Work

I'm back in the office today.  For a half day, l think (don't have a bunch to do, just need to set myself up for next week).  I actually enjoyed getting up and out the door, a little bit of routine, a little bit of purpose.

That's the thing about commission sales, you gotta make the hay while the sun shines.  That's why l'm here today.  I don't have to be,  it will make the next two weeks a bit easier on me by being here today.

I was thinking last night while l was trying to fall asleep, it's probably a good thing that the weather is a bit cold to be doing modifications on my van.  The reason is, l was poking through others peoples pictures online with regards to their van set-ups, and l might change my mind on what l had planned for mine.  This way l get to stew about it, and try to figure out as well as l can, what will work best for me.

Of course l will still be itching to put those plans in place,  in good time.

Taking theTrain

I'm going to be hoping on a train today.  No, not the subway train, but an actually bonefide Via Rail Train.

It's just going to be a short ride of two hours.  I have never gone on a train before, and would love to do one cross country or from Alaksa down to Victoria, BC, for now it's from Toronto Union Station to London, Ontario.  I need to pick up my car waiting out in London for me.

As Promised....The Van Revealed

I've yet to come up with a name for my "new to me" but long in the tooth van.  I've driven her for two days now.  Since her name will be in black and white, l can only do this once.  Like a sail boat, it's bad luck if it's named more then once.   My sister, niece and myself tend to name our vehicles using the first letter of the make of the car/truck.  Thereby narrowing down the choices by quiet a bit.  Her name needs to start with an F, for she is a Ford Econoline van with the RV manufacturer being Falcon.  Her name definitely needs to start with an "F".

There isn't a lot of storage in her, so l plan on using the top bunk for bins of clothes and other things, l will put them in baskets or bins of some sort.

[caption id="attachment_441" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Snazzy Kitchen"][/caption]

The kitchen is small but manageable.  The black metal thing in the photo is the grate that fits in the trailer hitch for storage.  It came with the van, and l will build a box with a lock to secure outside storage.

[caption id="attachment_442" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Luxurious Loo"][/caption]

It's tiny but at least it has one.  It needs some work.  the back curtains have got to go.  I'm thinking something more form fitting to the windows.

[caption id="attachment_443" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Facing the rear or the van"][/caption]

The couch/bed.  The monitors seem to work on the wall.  I did get readouts when l pushed them.  The curtains have got to go, once again.  Not really into lace curtains. :-)

I'm not sure when l can get out there and scrub her down,time is not necessarily the factor, but the weather is.  I would like to replace the floor, and add some window coverings that l like, and solar panels for power.  I have time to work on these things before l set sail.

How about Fiona?  It has a nice ring to it.  Fiona it will be.  Or Fie for short.   Welcome Fiona, to the family.