Tag Archives: RV Living

When I took a break from my work, last Wed and I’m like to ToRn….there is so much I want to do and get organized but have no idea where to start. So we just started to taking everything out of the cabinets that we just threw things in when we were packing. Felt good to get some progress made that day

So we are slowly, surely getting it situated here in Ackbar, until we drive and discover what is not secured down….lol Using Museum Putty/Wax to get things secure on our desk. It seems to be working pretty good so far. Prefer the wax over the putty….seems more workable

We figured out what we where to put the litter, because it isn’t going to work in the shower. ToRn made an enclosed box to put the litter in, secured it down where a chair use to be and attached the scratching post to it. They seemed to enjoy it.

The good thing about getting the litter out, is we finally get the shower cleaned out and set up. We changed out the shower head. We were going down to our friends’ house and using their shower. LOVE the running hot water….bbbutt…we really needed to start practicing in ours and getting use to it. Really need to learn how to conserve water….trying to develop a routine.

Thanks to Daphna, came up with an idea for the bigger closet. We had been using those hanging cloth shelves and they were so not working. Pretty much made pine tables since there is no real way to secure them to the press wood. With Daphna’s help I got it made and put up. Our closets look much better. We got some hooks up in the bedroom for our towels (can’t really get them into the small bathroom), jackets and hoodies.

ToRn attacked under the sink…it was just an open space that is both small and totally open. He got a shelf added for light things and put up hooks for some of our pans. Need to see if they are going to make noise when driving….may need to cushion/noise muffler on the wall where the pans hang, but won’t know until we drive it. But it looks so much better and more workable under there.

I found that the veggie hammocks are great for my scrunches in the bathroom, my small plush animals in the bedroom, veggies in the kitchen (of course) and another one in the kitchen for extra things. Thinking that it’ll come in handy when we are driving I’ll be putting in the little kitchen things for securing….like hand soap, etc…….empty starbucks cups….lol

It is finally feeling “homey”

We really want one or two nice days so we can totally rework out basements and weed out more stuff. That is the only stuff left that we have in our friends’ office area. Got the feeling we will be getting rid of a lot of it. The rest of the stuff we have in their office, is what we gave them……but makes it so confusing with the stuff we are keeping.

Had a good weather day yesterday….not so much today….our luck….lol And we really wanted to get more done….but that will be for another day.

Tomorrow, I’ll be attacking books and emails….if the weather doesn’t improve.

We had a perfect storm today…..I had a work emergency that I had to attend to….on top of everything with Ackbar….so I’m totally wiped out.  Obviously I’m not going to get into the work stuff….but I sure can get into the Ackbar stuff…..just a bit of sharing to get it off my chest.

We had simple plans today for Ackbar, the stressful removal out of the tight parking spot, then top off our propane and head down the I5 to the rest stop at mile marker 207 to dump our tanks, then parking back into the tight stop (it would be perfect if we were just a few feet shorter and the width of a class C not an A….lol)

Well…..yesterday, after using our furnace since last Wednesday, it started blowing black soot and inside Ackbar, it smelled like car exhaust…yuck!  We can’t have that….not good.  We took Ackbar to American Distributing in Marysville, WA to top off our propane and talk to them since they do work on furnaces and was hoping they worked on rv furnaces…..nope, no luck in that.

BUT they did recommend a place that we knew since we looked at a bus there over a year ago.  Not that far from us at all….Roy Robinson RV  I was afraid we would have to go 30 miles more north to Camping World….so did not want to do that.

Before we headed to Roy Robinson, we went up to the rest stop and dumped our tanks.

Unfortunate, our black water is not saying empty…..we don’t think we used enough water and chemicals so everything hasn’t broken down like it should.  And maybe the sensor is blocked.  Because hubby flushed the system a lot….so we are going make sure we use enough water and chemicals, get more broken down and see how it goes for our next dump.  But we were very pleased not to have pay for dumping….we were thinking of having someone come out to dump us….but that is pricey.

After the rest stop, we headed down to Roy Robinson.  We were lucky the guy that they gave us to help worked on Admirals for 15yrs and said we have a good rig and that our engine looked good and clean, because they sometimes get infested with rats and mice nest.

Now at first they said if they couldn’t remove the exhaust pipe then we would need a new furnace….which is like $755 just for the part.  They did get it out and discovered we need a burner.  That part is like only 27-35…much better…even through you know how labor is…icks  They charge $117/hr…but that is tech work. They did say other than the burner, it looks in good condition.

They did discover that whoever worked on it before, they didn’t put all the screws back in…which meant it wasn’t sealed and the exhaust would leak in…..not helpful at all.

They got the part ordered and ToRn will be taking Ackbar back tomorrow to get it done.  Right now, the total damage is running about $350.  We should be getting some reimbursed from our dealer since it under inhouse warranty, the issue is that we are in Everett, WA and they are in McMinnville, OR…..so they don’t cover it all due to cost differences.

So…it was totally stressful, spending money we didn’t want to spend….but it could’ve been much worst, so content with that.

Tonight we got Ackbar parked out in front, we have no heat other then our Buddy Heater….but for tonight, it’ll do.  We are just going to be sleeping in there with lots of blankets and cats……..going to be in the high 30s/low 40s

Cats sure didn’t enjoy today but they are recovering better then before. We really need to make sure we bag them once before we pull in the slide outs, because it frees up a big space behind the bed that the cats get into.  That they can NOT be in to put the slide out back out…..not safe at all.  Took a bit to get Sakura out.

Learned that we have got to WALK around the rig a few times to make sure we get everything before moving….icks  I know everyone forgets things and it part of the learning…but I really don’t want an expensive mistake.

So happy that we have Daphna and Allen to help give us different perspectives and insights…..great food and company. Helps with the stress….no way for us to fully ever thank them enough.

I’m exhausted…heading to our cold bed soon.  =)

We are here in Everett, WA….living in our home on wheels in our friend’s RV lot in their alley way.  Which was a very tight fit….doesn’t help that Ackbar is low and we had to worry about bottoming out trying to get into the alley.  It was not an easy park job at all….icks….but ToRn got it with Allen’s help.

Everything is all over the place, we are slowly getting things situated….just not fast enough for me.  We had to pretty much unload stuff into their garage so we can do the office area and bring it back in next week.

We couldn’t put the cat litter where we wanted due to a support beam.  Then things don’t come apart as easy as we thought.  So just going to get office set up, put things away there and move on from that.  We’ll worry about painting and such next year.

Hubby took a chill out day today after a very stressful day yesterday.  Me, I want to get things done, just don’t know where to start and it is stressing me out.  Then trying to get work done on top of it….icks….

I keep telling myself we got time, that is why we are here….have time and space to get set up.  But until everything is in it’s place….ggrrr  Right now it feels as if we are fighting Ackbar…everything is so small, that things don’t seem to fit…..

I’m stressing the holding tanks…we were at 1/3 when we got here and now 2/3rds???  How the hell did we do 14gals of each of the tanks….since Wed when we haven’t even taken showers in it yet?  Do have to be fair, it has been at 1/3 since we got it in Dec and it may have been half way between 1/3 and 2/3….so we may have had only 7 gals.  But how the hell we did 7 gals??  Haven’t it used it that much.

Don’t want to have to move it to find a dump station and then repark….did find a service that will come out and dump for us.  So going to have that done this Thurs…that is going to make me feel better, so we are starting fresh and now we can figure out how long it’ll last.

We got a WiFiRanger Mobile, seems to catch other networks, but we can’t always able stay on.  Our own 2 networks of AT&T & Millenicom….even our friends….and they are less then a 100yds away.  So another new frustration, that we knew we were going to deal with that….but with everything else…not helpful.

So when I have issues, I head down to our friend’s house and steal their internet for work.  =)

Our friends have been so, so helpful.  We are trying to visit without imposing on them.  You know what they say about fish and visitors after 3 days……so hopefully with having our own home, that won’t happen.  =)

Right now watching a Ron White, getting some needed laughter….