Cheers for Chairs

 When I bought the rig it came with this dining area. The valanes were removed. The chairs looked elegant enough but they were crowded and not comfy for typing, though OK for fast dining. I hated to part with them since they were solid oak, but I do most of my food entertaining outside anyhow. So I really just needed 2 chairs and not 4 crowded in.

The carpet was removed from the dining area because it had numerous burns and spills. I couldn't stand to look at it without feeling sick. The dining floor is at a slant and not level. I am so sorry I didn't notice then when I bought the rig.

Four months later, still trying to figure out how to fix it. A repair is in the works as I type. It seems like only yesterday I moved in here. I still don't know where all my stuff is, but when in doubt, I just search the shed which has become the walk in closet.

 Shown above are chairs I bought for $10 each and had buyer's remorse shortly afterwards. Oops!

They were big and comfy, a little too big. Chrome casters had been added by a previous owner so they did roll around. While I was using a bare floor in the dining room I was given the opportunity to snatch up goodies out of a shed. My friend had died, his relatives packed up all they wanted then said "Go look in the shed and take what you want."

I found that big hunk of Daytona vinyl. I laid it out in the dining are and it looked hideous with the other colors in the rig and competed with the beautiful parquet floor. In a different tone and style, it would look awesome, just not my cup of tea in this rig. So it's just laying there. I will move it to the shed and use it on the floor in there. It will look awesome and right at home in there!

 Third set of chairs is the charm! These Chromcraft chairs sell for $455 each new, but I found them at a thrift store for $20 each. I am super happy with them. Very comfy and oh so functional. They swivel, rock, tilt, roll and they sit oh so lovely with armrests that slide neatly under the dining table.

In the pic above and below, the chairs and dining table have been relocated to the living room while we work on shoring up the sagging dining area floor.

The chairs are solid oak with some kind of luxurious hunter green ultrasuede fabric. They are very comfy. All my other chairs I tried to sell for weeks and weeks on Craigslist to no avail. Maybe everyone is shopping thrift stores for their chairs. *SIGH*

Finally I donated all my extra chairs, they were taking up way too much room in the shed. I couldn't get to the shelving to where my stuff is, like digging out all the bandages and tape and goops I needed recently to patch up this old bod.

I think there is a shopper angel that steers me to such great bargains. These chairs had just been donated the same day I showed up to donate chairs. I had to press the cashier for a price. My friend with the van was a gallant gentleman indeed to haul my 8 donated chairs to a charity thrift store then haul back home the chairs I bought.

These are the final chairs. I am super happy and very lucky. They have an adjustable knob for the tilt. I can now tilt way back in the chair and do a good long stretch. Also it rocks and I love to rock. The chairs roll so you could say I can rock and roll!

YAY!

Amazon sell chairs

for all occasions too!

Raising Poop To A New Level

I am trying to get back to writing more often. Lately I've had to deal with a lot of time consuming alternative treatments. It all takes time. Precious time.

Nearly every day I try to fix or improve something on the new old fifth wheel. I am just now starting to get kind of comfy with her.

The first few weeks of ownership in December left me wondering if I had made a sound decision. On the flip side I contemplated reselling the rig while also realizing I may have to live with my mistake for a very long time.

As time goes on and I get the rig in tip top shape, I am falling in love with it, feeling like I did get a whale of a bargain.  Like most everything I've owned, it has required a lot of sweat equity.

There were several surprise problems a few quite comical. The toilet was too low! A big nice china toilet, no plastic but it was 3 inches from the wall and way too low. It was made for a bathroom that has a step for the toilet. Like my old motorhome the toilet sat on a step in the bathroom because the black holding tank for waste was under there and that gave it extra room.

This bathroom has a flat floor and should have had a taller toilet. Duh. The cost of buying and installing the correct toilet plus getting the plumbing relocated a few inches back was going to be a bit pricey. I was happy enough to keep using the existing toilet except some days it was very hard to get up off of it. It was like sitting on a very low step stool then trying to srping up vertical with no room to move. My bathroom closet houses the toilet alone and it's very tiny and efficient. A litte too efficient!

The solution was to buy a 4 inch raised toilet seat with a lid. i wanted the 5 inch raised seat, but couldn't find one in my price range with a lid. Are these seats designed by men?

Women like toilet seats. There is a cabinet in the tiny closet. I don't fancy opening the cabinet and having things fall down the open toilet.

So I had to settle for a 4 inch seat but it came with my must-have lid to close it.

 This was available from Amazon. 

Turns out it's surprisingly compfortable. It bolts to the sides of the existing toilet after removing the lid on the old toilet. This one came with it's own attached lid.

It more or less blends in nicely. Best of all it's functional. Getting off the toilet is simple now.

I busted up my legs in accidents years back and they are sometimes problematic. A low toilet was a problem as the closet is so close there wasn't room for the 4 legged cane or the walker to assist. Installing handrails wasn't an option either as we couldn't find enough supports in the walls to do that effectively.

One of these days I will splurge for the proper height RV toilet and get a plumber willing to put it closer to the back wall to give a wee bit more room in the closet.

At least the RV builder thoughtfully put a window and a skylight in there, so it's not at all claustrophobic.  I can sit on the toilet and wave out the window at the neighbor. I told her I was sitting at my desk. Har har har. If she ever visits inside, she will be a tad surprised.

 The bathroom door has a built in brass towel rack but I mostly use it for my long hair accoutrements. You can see the toilet is a few inches from the back wall. The original lid was removed to make room for the 4 inch raised seat with its own builtin lid. When the door to the left is closed, there is a huge  beautiful beveled mirror.

 The dirt stain on the wall was removed, sorry I didn't do it before taking this picture. I cleaned the wallpaper from floor to ceiling. It's in near perfect shape now. So one can sit, poop and have a view of the outdoors. There is a metal mini Venetian blind for the window which when closed provides complete privacy. The window has a limousine tint. In this picture the bottom half of the window is slid up and open.

There are wall switches for the overhead exhaust fan which needs an impossible to find blade. The other switch is for overhead fluorescent lights for serious cleaning and inspection. I plugged in a night light in the outlet just beyond the toilet paper roll. The night light provides plenty of light at night without the harsh glare of full on lighting.

The builder included an elegant solid oak cabinet for spare toilet paper and cleaning supplies. All the huge valances in the trailer were removed except the bathroom one. I kept it as a silly reminder. At least it was hung high enough not to interfere with the natural light. It thanksfully didn't come with the huge long sides like the others did.

I couldn't resell those ridiculously pricey big valances because each one was custom made into assorted different sizes. Grrr... such a waste of time and effort on something that to be looked gaudy and tacky.

My toilet has a foot flush. Something I had to get used to. Now I can flush it after standing up with my right foot or turn around and use either foot to flush. The white flexible plumbing attaches to a sprayer that can be used for cleaning and rinsing the toilet. It came that way, I didn't add this feature.

There you have it!

More than you ever wanted to know about my poop problem.

Now I can stand up without aid. Phew!

Peanut Butter Surprise Recipe

Speaking of peanut butter...

If you need a healthy hearty breakfast, brunch or whimsical meal,  try this fun high energy recipe made with peanut butter  ;D

For each serving you need"
peanut butter, 2 slices of bread, an egg, cinnamon, vanilla extract, applesauce and yogurt (or sour cream)

Plus a fry pan and some butter

Make a plain peanut butter sandwich
Dredge it through a beaten egg with a sprinkle of cinnamon and (optional )a dash of vanilla extract
Melt a bit of butter in fry pan and fry up the "stuffed french toast" on both sides
Serve with hot or cold or room temp apple sauce topped with a dollop of plain or vanilla yogurt or sour cream

It's fast to make for one or a group, and it gives you a ton of energy to greet the day, also delicious for lunch or supper.

I've also cored and sliced an apple, zapped it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes then used that as a topping for the stuffed french toast instead of the applesauce.

Sometimes I whip a little honey into plain yogurt and use it as a healthy topping.
A tablespoon of lemon juice stirred into plain yogurt makes a zesty sour cream substitute.

Amazon delivers peanut butter too!

Home Sweet Home In Progress

I never dreamed I would double my living space. It seems like only yesterday I bought this 1992 Holiday Rambler Imperial Fifth Estate. That is the name shown on the original brochure included with the manuals. It's a 36 foot 5th wheel. Imperial was their top of the line 5th wheel in 1992. Holiday Rambler has been bought and sold several times. It appears that now they no longer make 5th wheels.

In looking at current ads for used Holiday Rambler 5th wheels, I see that many of the lovely features mine has were dropped over the years. Of course dealing with a 25 year old RV can be dicey indeed, but I felt like this one was worth doing because otherwise at my super efficient budget, the chances of me owning such luxury was slim to none. Of course one also faces a money pit. I am optimistic that I truly lucked out all around though I've had many "hidden" surprise repairs.

Part of it might be me being so picky. I want things to work correctly. Whether it's a broken cabinet latch (recently reglued to work) or the little dishwasher which I don't need but since it's here, I want it working. (It does!) The dishwasher just needed a good hard water cleaning (done with vinegar.)

I am super fortunate this Holiday Rambler came with a 15 foot slide out in the living area that adds another 4 feet in width to the living, dining and kitchen areas.

I bought the 5th wheel early December, moved it to my lot just before Christmas then detailed my Class C motorhome which sold the end of January. It was 6 weeks of hard work moving out of it then detailing it in preparation for sale. I wanted top dollar and was willing to work hard at that crazy dream. At times I was a nervous wreck wondering what if it didn't sell at all? What is the offers were crazy low end? What price to start at?

Amazingly it sold less than 36 hours after the ad went up on Craiglist.org. It was a tearful goodbye as I watched it drive away with a new proud owner at the wheel. I suddenly realized my final trip in it had been to see my ailing friend who shockingly died shortly after my visit. During my extreme grief I realized if the rig didn't sell by the end of January I was liable for more taxes and tags. I had already had to pay a year's worth of insurance on it Christmas Eve, so the clock was ticking. I figured I could keep working on the Class C, grief stricken (tears and all) to get it up on Craigslist in time to possibly sell it without incurring more expenses.

Angels were looking out for me. I think I got top dollar for my 1994 Class C (with no slideout). 24 hours after it sold, I was donning my funeral garb to go lay my friend to rest.

More pictures!

Below is the huge 7 foot sofa that came with the rig. Both ends make into big comfy recliners. Laying on the couch end to end is super comfortable. Propping up in either recliner is suepr comfy. The recliners actually adjust so far back, you can lay completely flat.

Small wonder I have slept entire nights on my sofa! The sofa is located in the slide out which has a slight step up. Those wonderful blue valances were removed. I just didn't like that they hogged so much natural light. This RV came with loads of amazing 12 volt and 110 lighting all over the place. The wall sconces behind the sofa have articulating brass arms. Behind the sofa is a full length console table. Harley dog hides his bed back there on the table so he can have views out the windows.

To the left of the sofa is a built in credenza below and upper cabinets which sport stained glass windows for cabinet doors.

I was shocked to learn my new kitchen came with a small 18 inch dishwasher. The slide out has 4 huge windows which I adore. The kitchen has the original parquet floor. The dining table came with 4 solid oak padded chairs shown below, but they were hard to scoot across the carpet. They were a wee bit crowded. It was hard for me to scoot back and forth for typing. They've been replaced twice now with other second hand chairs. In this picture the dining carpet is shown before I ripped it out. The previous owner had heavily damaged the carpet in that area beyond repair.  The rest of the carpet was kept and I hope to give it more than just spot cleaning at some point in the future. It could stand to be replaced, but in view of other repairs that cropped up, that has been pushed to the bottom of the list repeatedly.

Dumpster diving, actually shed dining... yielded the Daytona checkered vinyl flooring shown below.  I laid it down to see how it looked. It clashes something awful. So the vinyl will be used in my shed for flooring. I will buy something else to use in the dining area that is more compatible with the existing decor.

In this pic you can see the oak dining chairs have been replaced with some big dining chairs on casters. I bought these used for $10 each. The armed version is sitting across from the sofa. While well padded, they are too big for the area. You can also see the blue valances are all gone now. I like the clean lines of the simple shades above the sunny windows. Removing the overly huge valances was a big chore and then the accordion type blinds which were previously attached to the valances had to be hung on the walls. They need replacing but that will have to wait.

The kitchen windows sported damaged rusty metal mini blinds. These were removed. There is a tiny window in the left corner not shown in the picture. The old fireplace with no heat was sold and a new one with electric heat was installed. An RV repairman made a housecall to get my propane furnace operating. The thermostat had a dead wire, once it had a live wire, the furnace can supplement the electric heat when needed, which in Florida is rare, but the need has arisen several times.

That beautiful wicker stool was found at a thrift store months ago for a pittance. I was using it in my shed. Now I use it in my kitchen and sometimes it doubles as a TV tray in the living area. Other times it's used for sitting in the kitchen to work or as a little island for extra stuff. It's strong, durable and woven to be extra comfortable.

Overhead are several fluorescent lights and an opening hatch with a semi-functional fan. The air conditioning is ducted through the ceiling, coming out of round ducts. There are also overhead speakers. The kitchen has additional lighting under the cabinets. The cabinets in the living area have little brass spotlights that can be twisted and aimed 360 degrees. I have converted them to LEDs.The cabinets have the original hardware which is in great shape. My old Class C had numerous pricey LED light bulbs. I removed all of them to relocate to the 5th wheel. I had the old lights to replace so I did sell the Class C with working lights, just that the pricier LED's had all been swapped out.

 This is the bedroom slideout with a window instead of a headboard. The valance has been removed but the shade installed on the wall for privacy. I like the little brass sconces on either side of the bed. Both sides also have electrical outlets and loads of cabinets plus little end tables builtin on both sides with a cabinet above and below.Everything is solid oak. No fall-a-particle board!

Bedding is still a problem. I had to toss out the old hard as a rock mattress and replace it with a Talalay Latex mattress that has no inner springs to interfere with my joint problems. My old mattress in the motorhome I sold was a custom made Talalay Latex, but it was a double size. This one is a Queen size. In the motorhome I was using a twin comforter because a double draped over the sides and in the motorhome the bed was crammed in with no where for the extra comforter to drape, so I was using a twin size. It looks silly on this big queen bed but it's all I have for now.

The 5th wheel came with a set of cheap polyester sheets. I am allergic to polyester, so I had to regift them. I didn't own any queen sheets. I am using some old flat sheets until I can buy some soft cotton sheets. There has been so much to fix and repair!

I had to buy an electric mattress warmer. It helps me when temps are below 70F I can use it to stay warm and it seriously helps my joints and scar tissue pains. The bed sits on a platform that houses the slide out mechanism. The sliding mirror doors house my closet. To the right is a dresser with drawers below and a cabinet above. The top slides in and out, as it was designed in 1992 to hold a big clunky TV that could slide out for viewing from the bed. There is an opening hatch above the bed plus builtin speakers and more air conditioning vents. The AC for the bedroom is not working at this point and time. More to fix!

One of these days I will be thrilled to shop for bed linens. But for now, I make do. My birthday is in 20 days, so who knows, the birthday bunny might surprise me. I keep checking the thrift stores for queen cotton sheets with no luck yet.

This diminutive night light is the original one that came  with the rig.  I should have straightened up the shade before this picture. Oops!

It's cute as can be lit up after dark providing enough light to navigate the bedroom without having to use bright lights. Like Tom Bodet says "We'll leave the light on for you!"

While I have enjoyed a compact washer in my old Class C, this RV came with a little laundry center by Kenmore. Above the dyer are two shelves, one with a lazy suzy to make it easier to store and find the laundry supplies. 

The laundry center hides behind the double oak doors below. The top and bottom of the doors have air vents. There is an automatic light in the laundry closet. When the doors are opened, the lights come on, when the doors are closed the light goes off. 

I dreamed of a nice vanity and this rig provides one! My old motorhome had a teeny tiny sink, this one has a full sized bathroom sink set on a Corian countertop. Bright makeup light are above the mirror with a nightlight below the upper cabinet I installed. I had to stand in the shower across the aisle to take this picture! The vanity and laundry closet are on the passenger side of the rig, the toilet is in a separate closet on the drivers side, across from the laundry center, so it's very private. You can't see it in this pic, but to the left of the vanity is a floor to ceiling tall skinny closet with adjustable shelving inside the cabinet above with two drawers located in the bottom. All the mirrors in the RV have beveled edges. The oak cabinets match nicely, just that the lighting makes it appear to be different colors, but it's all the same. I use the night light for navigating the hallway at night. There are steps at either end, I so want to remember they are there! The nightlight makes it easy to see them.

 These were the interim dining chairs that proved to be too big but I kept on using them until recently when I found swivel rocking oak and ultrasuede chairs in a thirft store. I tried to resale these chairs with no luck. Finally I donated 3 of them to a charity thrift store. The 4th one I am using temporarily in my living room.

 The sofa needed a special table. With both the recliners in use, there isn't room for a big coffee table. Besides a coffee table is too low, since the couch sits up on step above the main floor on the slide out. Sometimes I eat and watch a movie, sometimes a friend joins me. So I was looking for a higher table. I wanted round because I like to move the table out of the way for dancing when the mood strikes me. I often crank up the stereo and dance alone. The silly dog will dance with me some too, I wish I could get a video of that! To the left, you can see the cordless drill and other parts, more work in progress.

Finally after months of fruitless searching, I found this cute cherry wood plant stand that makes for the perfect table. It's big enough to have dinner on. The wicker stool in the kitchen is also big enough for dinner, so basically they both double as TV trays when the mood strikes. If I am using the recliner at either end of the sofa, the table can live in the middle where it doesn't hamper the recliner footrests. Pretty nifty!

 The remaining unsold dining chair is in use in the living room. It has Harley's washable dog blanket on it, so I can snatch the blanket off when humans visit and wish to sit. It was a cold day and I had my fireplace providing heat. It has a thermostat which is handy. I'm amazed at how realistic the fire is! I can also use it for ambiance without the heat turned on. How cool is that?

Life is goof.

This rig was a whale of deal and an ongoing project while I get it ship shape.

Shop Amazon

Sometimes I earn a small commission

When you use my links. 

Thank you!

Same Day, New Bull

No matter how hard life gets, though, it just keeps going. 
In fact, that’s what makes existence oddly beautiful.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And that's no bull... 

I wrote the above this morning while having a rough time changing bandages and cantankerous tape that causes awful reactions to my skin. The pucking fain was just hugely distracting. I closed the laptop to rest awhile. How can two sentences be so exhausting?

Later in the day I went outside between rain squalls to sit in my rocking chair and meditate for deliverance. Suddenly a cow behind me at the farm let out this loud bellowing as if screaming for help. I leaped up to go have a look-see, she was just over my fence a few feet away laying on the ground mooing at the top of her lungs while her sides heaved.

I thought "Oh my! You're in pain too! What's wrong that you're over here caterwauling?"

Suddenly she bawled quite loudly then pushed out half a calf! While I scrambled to go get my camera, she heaved out the rest of the calf.

He was laying on the ground when I returned with big open eyes looking very confused.

Over the next 20 minutes his mother bathed him, removing the afterbirth while the little runt tried to stand up. He was shaking and tangled up with his new feet. He kept falling back down. At one point the little calf looked over at me with big round eyes.

"Hi. I'm new here."

 I made several  videos of his numerous attempts to stand. Finally I caught it on camera, his final successful attempt at standing. Later I checked the time stamp. Twenty minutes after birth he managed to stand up on all four hooves and remain upright.

Take a look:
https://youtu.be/bizpdEXxpqs

Thanks for plopping by today!

Baby Bull Gifts at Amazon

Honest to goodness, they do have it all!

 

Bike Week

Love all the comments, thank you!

Sorry I haven't posted much lately. I have tons to write about fixing up this old rig. I am enjoying my new old home.

Lately I've been consumed with alternative treatments that are taking up a lot of my time. It's sadly one of the main reasons I had to consider settling down for a spell. Some days are good, some are better.

Luckily I am still in an RV, so I can feel like I am ready to travel,  though this 5th wheel is more of a destination RV. Besides I can't tow it with my bicycle anyhow.

It's bike week in Florida, well every week seems like bike week in Florida. This RV park has many snowbirds and their motorcycles here for the winter.

Has anyone seen my doggy? He loves motorcycles.

He's had company too for bike week.

His future ex girlfriend stopped by.

She is sporting a doggy sized helmet. 

Ponderances

Why do people with sloppy handwriting choose to label critical items?

I am trying to decipher the electric panel.

What fun!

I've been busy  oscillating between repairing and recuperating with not much time to write.

Life is goof.

 Mobile Solar Power Made Easy!: Mobile 12 volt off grid solar system design and installation. RV's, Vans, Cars and boats! Do-it-yourself step by step instructions.

The Sun Rose

Every day is a good day.

I woke up alive. 

So I am off to a good start!

My RV lot came with  this magnificent azalea bush that suddenly burst into bloom.

What a magnificent surprise!

It hides me pretty well from the street. 

Life is goof.

Any day you wake up alive, it's a GREAT day.

Yeehaw Junction

Traveled in time to Yeehaw Junction, Florida in a friend's RV.

Stopped to walk the doggy and found the tavern open for lunch with live music inside and about 100 motorcycles parked outside.

Surprisingly they had a table for us. One dollar bills with names written on them were tacked up all over the place. I figure about four or five thousand dollar hung around. 

Years back in the Caribbean I was at a seaside bar with the same thing, one dollar bills with names on them tacked up on the ceiling blowing in the wind. Back then drinks were a dollar. The proprietor said the fishermen stuck a dollar up there with their name on it so that if they came in one day with no fish or money, they could take their dollar bill off the ceiling and buy a cold one.

Not sure why all the money tacked up at this place, maybe for the same reason, though I don't think there was anything on the chalkboard menu for under a dollar.

Food was fabulous, home cooked to order. In view of all the chaos inside and outside the wait wasn't that long considering the awesome food. They had real french fries. I normally avoid french fries becasue most places serve up awful frozen ones that are typically chemicals plus some potato powder thrown in. These were plain old potatoes sliced and fried. Oh my gosh, the taste was awesome. 

Not sure if were were at Jackass Crossing, Yeehaw Junction or the Desert Inn. Either way it's a hysterical landmark. Oops, I mean historical landmark. Very whimsical.

I've driven by and stopped here before, but the place was always closed. What fun to find it open. The live music was provided by a gent that might have seen 70 a long time ago. His voice was like velvet and he played non stop during our time there keeping the crowd entertained.

At some point the motorcycle group roared up their engines all at once, then took off in a cloud of dust. I managed to save a bit of my meal for a certain little Harley dog who was patiently waiting outside in the RV during lunch. He was thrilled of course as he loves to dine out.

Varoom!

Gone on a short road trip!

No, not towing my 5th wheel with a bicycle *giggle*.

I have left with a friend in their RV.

Back soon!

 These were blooming near my lot when I left. How exquisite.

Home Sweet Home, Some Pics of the 5th Wheel

 My new used wheel estate is a  1992 5th wheel that is 36 feet long with a jumbo 4x15 foot slideout in the living area, with a second slide in the bedroom that is the width of the queen bed and slides out maybe 2 feet or so. Shown is the blue window valances which have now been removed to allow more sunshine inside. They just weren't my taste and they hogged a lot of precious natural daylight. The upper cabinets between the living and dining area are stained glass. All the cabinets are solid oak, not fall-a-parti-cle board. Behind the sofa are two wall sconces with articulating brackets. The sofa has two built-in recliners that are massive and can lay down completely flat for serious snoozing. I know, I have slept there quite a few times!

 This is my kitchen before I moved in. I have not owned a dishwasher in 30+ years. This is an 18 inch dishwasher, not a full sized, but it works nicely. The countertops are white Corian. Those blue valances were removed. The large window in back still has the hurricane shutter closed up on it, but I opened it after relocating the rig to my lot. In my motorhome I had to use a step stool to reach the microwave, in this one the microwave which also has an electric broiler built in is much lower and I don't need a step stool to use it. The top drawer has a built-in long wooden chopping board that slides in and out or is removable for using on top of the countertop. It also has a built-in knife drawer. The sink came with Corian covers, but I don't really use them as my sink stays so busy since I eat at home 99% of the time. Amazingly the propane oven came with a 12 volt light, extremely rare for RV's. I had to order the replacement bulb from Vintage Trailer Supply.

 The past fire(?) or malfunction from the propane hot water looked frightening! The hot water is 10 gallons where as my motorhome had 6 gallons. It's converted to electric only now. Amazingly, the mess cleaned up in 5 minutes of hard work. Why did the prior owner leave it like that? Just mind boggling.

 Above is the 15 foot slideout. Four of the windows on the RV came with awnings. They all have a dark limousine tint. That is storage area that is actually behind a builtin table behind my sofa. It's called a console table. Harley dog has moved his bed up there so he can have a nice view of the outdoors.

 Harley dog inspects the new bedroom. Both sides of the bed have wall sconces. There are end tables with cabinets plus over head cabinets in the bedroom plus chest of drawers and not shown is a long cabinet to the right that is under the opposing window.

 Eventually I removed the blue valances. The decorator had them hogging nearly a third of the window! I just didn't like their style even though many folks thought they were beautiful, I wanted more natural light. I kept all the accordion blinds. They aren't in the best shape but they work and provide privacy at night. The big mirrors to the right are the sliding doors to the closet.

 Lots of moving mess! This big long window was hidden by the oversized valance which has been removed. Harley dog loves it that he has a view out the window. The bottom section slides open. It came with a destroyed screen which has now been repaired and replaced.

 This small valance in the bathroom was kept, since it didn't hog any window area. The toilet is in a tiny room by itself with a window and (not shown) an oak cabinet for loads of toilet paper storage. The toilet was the wrong size in that it was super low designed for RV's that have the toilet that sits on a platform like my former motorhome. The low to the floor toilet was giving me such problems, that I added a 4 inch raised seat from a medical supply company. This was far cheaper (for now) than replacing the china toilet with the correct size. The new toilet seat is much higher and came with a closing lid. Many for some strange reason are sold without lids, but me being fussy, wanted one with a lid. The window has mini blinds for privacy but the dark windows by day, afford privacy without the blinds. It's only at night, one needs the blinds as otherwise the bright light in the bathroom lights up the window view from the outside. Not sure I am describing that right.

 Here is my kitchen in full chaos! The blue valances have already been removed. I have lots of cabinets. The parquet floor is original from 1992. The rig has overhead fluorescent lights as well as spot lights. My view out the kitchen window is of the farm in back of me.

 My new shower is super roomy with a builtin seat and an oval tub. It's really just kid sized, but it's easy to bathe the dog and to soak my feet while showering. Overhead is a big sky light. I had to buy a drain plug for the tub. Just one of the oddball things missing from the rig. The tub of course is handy for washing up big things besides dog or stinky feet.

 This is the split bath with the hallway going down the middle. At both ends are oak pocket doors that slide in and out of the walls with ease. The two steps shown go up are to the bedroom. The shower has a glass door trimmed in brass. Not shown, but to the right is a generous vanity with makeup light, mirrors and a full sized bathroom sink with beveled mirrors. It has a cabinet below and above. That tall closet on the right hides a stackable washer/dryer. I have not owned a clothes dryer in 30+ years! To the left is a mirrored door that hides the toilet room (water closet). The ceiling has a opening hatch with a 2 speed exhaust fan.

 I feel so spoiled having a washer/dryer hiding behind these double doors.To the left of them you can barely see the vanity counter and just beyond that is a tall slender linen cabinet with drawers below. That oval mirror is on the living room wall with the exit door  (not shown) to the right. You can barely see the pocket door to the right. It closes right to left to add more privacy to the bath and laundry area.

 Shown below is the mirrored door hiding the toilet room.To the left are two steps down to the living area. It's a bit confusing, but reflected in the mirror is the exit door to the outside with a big wall clock above it and a red fire extinguisher by the door.

More pics coming soon!

Tons of work in progress fixing broken things.

This rig was a huge bargain, but requires some sweat equity to make it splendid. I was never expecting to own such luxury or such a generous size. The room is double what I am used to in my little old motorhome. This rig has about 300 square feet of indoor area, which to me seems HUGE.

Some of the work being done is for my safety. For instance the floor registers for the furnace were cheap flimsy plastic. Two were broken and one being right in the hallway (shown above) was an ankle breaker waiting to happen. You can see it above in the mirror. Chasing down sturdy metal registers in the correct size turned out to take a monumental effort and the cost wasn't cheap. I had to settle for several in a grayish brown color and one in white. That is how hard they were to find! I put the white one in the bedroom.

Greenish Yellow Stuff