It's about time.

Many of you can relate to Working long hours at your career. Raising your families. Buying a home and paying all the bills related to being homeowners and parents. We're now retired and don't need all that work and expense. Now "It's about time" and what we do to follow our dreams.

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Monday, October 31, 2016

Ready or Not, One Sleep Before We’re On The Road.


Our Location today is McGregor, Ontario, Canada. 

I could tell that I was running out of time when I went to bed last night. I kept being awakened as I worked on the trailer in my sleep. My mind just wouldn’t shut down. When I woke shortly after 7:00 I didn’t want to take any chances of sleeping in so I just started my day early.  
Kathy joined me in the kitchen shortly before 8:00 and insisted on cooking up the last of the eggs for breakfast. As we ate we discussed what errands needed to be run and since the temperature was still in the mid-thirties we chose to run them as soon as we got dressed. 
We had gotten a call from Sun Parlour Trailer on Saturday telling us that the RV-que that came with our trailer had been sold. We were very busy that day and being that we are now into the fall season they had closed at 1:00 that day. We have become spoiled using our Weber and wanted nothing to do with the RV-que, besides the brackets was bolted to the rear bumper and to us that was valuable real-estate. We arrived there shortly after 9:00 and they were more than happy to give me my asking price. The person who bought it was also happy with his purchase as it turned out to be just what he wanted. 
Our next stop was the Amherstburg Home Hardware Building Center. Last week I had picked up additional bolts for the Bicycle Carrier that was being built for the rear of the trailer. After some recalculating and using Hitch-pins rather than the stainless bolts helped to reduce the price considerably. 
The drives both going and returning Home were enjoyable as the fall colours are really starting to show. In some instances, it’s as if the trees had suddenly just changed colour overnight. 
With the lower Brace it was solid when I jumped on it.
Not wanting to waste much time I had my coveralls and sweater on to keep warm and was outside by 10:00. The first thing I tackled was installing the Mounting Brackets on the bumper then I stood the Carrier in place while I added the bolts. With the Carrier, still in the upright position I then added the Braces to the Carrier before Lowering it down and had no problem connecting the Braces to the Bumper Brackets. Testing the design to I climbed aboard and actually jumped on it. Kathy thought we were experiencing an Earthquake but it was only me testing our product. 
You can see why I plan to add directional lights on the
Carrier at a later time. You can barely see the turn signal.
Now the headache of emptying the shed began. There were cases of water and pop that had to be loaded in the trailer to be brought with us on our travels as well as other freezable items that will have to be dropped off at our Climate Controlled Storage Unit before we leave town. By noon when Kathy called me in for lunch it looked like a bomb had gone off on our patio. 

Kathy came outside after lunch to help me to wrap our trees that are planted in large urns with burlap around the bases to keep the roots from freezing and then we wrapped the tops with a plastic mesh so they won’t be damaged by heavy Snow. Once the trees were secured we had to make the mess on the patio worse by taking things out of the basement that would be left behind for the winter. Around 5:00 Kathy was really starting to feel cold so she went in and made supper. 
Spaghetti with Meat Sauce and Shredded Cheese.
After eating I had no choice but to finish packing things in the basement that we’ll be taking with us, things in the shed that will stay behind and things in the truck that have to be brought to our Storage Unit. Kathy came out to see how I was doing and considering we have less basement space she thought I did good. 

We want to get an early start in the morning because we need to make a quick stop at Leisure Trailer for some adjustments before we go too far. Hopefully we’ll be moving on from there in the afternoon. Thanks for following along and feel free to leave a comment. Be Safe and Enjoy! 

It’s about time.
Krackers 

Office Jokes, Quotes, and Anecdotes 

Caffeine isn't a drug, it's a vitamin! 

Anonymous

Sunday, October 30, 2016

Fabrication Complete, Got Stung and Generator Home.


Our Location today is McGregor, Ontario, Canada. 

After having a fun evening celebrating Halloween at our son Kevin and daughter-in-law Melisa’s home last night it was a no brainer that we’d sleep sound the entire night. The only time we partially stirred was around 2:30 when the sound of rain started tapping on our roof. It only took seconds to recognize the sound before rolling over into an even deeper sleep. As the rain intensified so did the depth of our sleep. Finally looking at the clock I was up and calling to Kathy before my feet hit the floor.
Our son Kevin at last night's party.
It was past 8:30 and we were expecting a morning visit from our daughter Karen and son-in-law Greg so we had to start getting things partially straightened up before their arrival. We’d finished breakfast by 9:00 and moved to the computers to finish our coffees and get caught up on our reading. Moving on I got my morning chores finished before putting my raincoat on to make certain everything we needed was out of the car. Greg was having to get some major repairs done to his truck so he was borrowing our car until he gets his truck back. Then he’ll have to top off the gas tank and bring it to our son Kevin who will take care of it until we get Home in the spring. 
All the parts to be assembled on the rear of the trailer.
They arrived around 10:30 and only stayed a short time as they had to head off for one of Tyler’s hockey games. With so much still needing to be completed before we leave we had to pass up this last game. Karen really held her mom tightly wishing her a safe and enjoyable trip. She turned to me and said to “Make sure you take good care of my Mom.” Can’t say she’s too dependent on Kathy can we! Maybe she just likes having her Mom close to her! 
These are the brace arms.
Kathy continued with her research and almost made a reservation but decided to hold off until we are closer to our destination. It’s a new way of traveling for both of us and one that is hard to get used to. 
Added brackets at rear of Bicycler Carrier.
The rain finally stopped and we’d finished having lunch by 12:00 so I bundled up and headed outside to work on our project. Even though the outside thermometer showed it to be 52 F (11 C) with the cloudy sky and a cold northerly breeze it surely felt less than that. Bit by bit I finished drilling and welding all the brackets and braces. I had to make a few adjustments where the pieces fit just a bit too tightly. Since there was no sign of the sun the entire day I had no idea what the time was when I started repainting the Carrier, Mounting Brackets and Braces 
Added brackets on the left will better support the Bicycle Carrier
on the rear bumper of the trailer.
Since Kathy hadn’t yet called me to supper I got all the tools put away and started putting the firewood our neighbour had gifted us on to our firewood rack. It was easier to take the rack cover off by removing my gloves but without thinking I started grabbing the top chunks of wood to put aside bare handed. I suddenly felt this stabbing burning sensation in my hand. I’d just been stung by a Yellow Jacket Wasp who had chosen to make a home in our wood rack. He died a quick death before I went inside and sprayed my hand with Peroxide which seemed to do the trick as far as stopping the burning sensation and swelling. I managed to finish putting the remaining wood under the cover while wearing my gloves before calling it a night. 
All our Firewood is on that rack.
That was when Kathy handed me the last of our Johnsonville Brats to grill on the Weber Q for our supper. They always turn out perfect on the grill. Kathy had prepped the sides and buns for when they were ready. As we ate supper we discussed picking up our Honda generator tonight so that we would stay at Home tomorrow. After a quick call, we were soon on our way to Amherstburg. 
Johnsonville Brats on the Weber Q.
It was nearly 7:00 when I backed the truck into Kevin and Melissa’s driveway. I had tools and a box of surplus wiring to return to the garage. I also had a wire frame Shower Caddy that I had to reshape so it would properly hang over the shower walls. Having tried to shape it without a vise on the picnic table had not worked out too well. I was able to repair the mistake I had made using the vise and got it evenly shaped so that it will hang over the wall properly. Now I’ll put some heat shrink on it to make it waterproof and to stop it from scratching the shower frame. 
Johnsonville Brats with potato chips and Beets.
Hot chocolate helped take the chill out.
For dessert we had leftover cake from last night's party.
Kevin helped me to load the generator in the back of the truck before we went inside for a hot cup of Tea. We had our last short visit with them discussing how last night’s party went and a few other things. It was past 8:30 when we said our good byes which will have to hold us over until next spring before we will see them all again. 
Our Honda Generator in the back of the truck.
Back Home by 9:00 the Shower Caddy fits better than any we’ve had in the past. Tomorrow we have so much to get ready before we leave we’ll have to do three things at once to get it all finished. Thanks for following along and feel free to leave a comment. Be Safe and Enjoy! 

It’s about time.
Krackers 

Classic bumper sticker #259 

Body by Nautilus; Brain by Mattel.

Saturday, October 29, 2016

Errands, Chores and Some Clowning Around.


Our Location today is McGregor, Ontario, Canada. 

As long as the temperatures are not too cold or too hot we enjoy having the windows cracked open slightly to let the fresh air into the trailer. Because I’m spending most of my days outside lately in an attempt to accomplish what we feel should be done before we leave on our southwesterly trip I’m also getting more than my fair share of it. What that all means is that we are both sleeping so soundly at night that someone could have a parade right outside our trailer and neither of us would hear it. 
Kathy with our grandson Cameron.
We were both up having breakfast before 8:00 this morning knowing that we had a busy day ahead of us. We finished our coffees at the computers before accomplishing our inside chores.
Kathy and I wearing our old Cake Decorating Smocks.
By 9:00 we were headed out of the Park with our list of things that needed to be accomplished. Our first stop was at the Essex Home Hardware Building Center where I returned the Titanium Drill Bits that had failed to do what they were designed for. When I explained to them I finished making the holes with a round-file where the drills would not bore through they immediately refunded the entire price. On my way out of the store I noticed the Girl Guides were having their Annual Cookie Drive so I supported their cause and surprised Kathy with a gift that we both started snacking on. 
Our son Kevin.
Heading towards Windsor the first place we stopped at was Guardian Storage to check our mail. We had been waiting for our refund cheque for Kathy’s In House Foot Treatment from Green Shield. With its arrival our next stop was to the Credit Union where the only thing we did was to deposit it into our account. 
Cameron's brother Matthew.
Next we swung by Princess Auto where I picked up some Hitch-Pins to be used in place of bolts on the Bicycle Carrier that is being built for the rear of the trailer. 
It was now time to head over to Fantastic Sam’s for our last11:00 hair cut appointment for this year. We arrived early and Jen had us both finished with our hair cut the way we wanted by 11:15. In the spring she’ll have the problem of straightening out what the hairstylists in the U.S. will do to our hair because they just don’t seem to be trained to cut hair in the same fashion. 
A couple of Blood Suckers.
Jeff and Jody.
Since we will be bringing our generator with us on this trip we headed downtown to Windsor Battery Powerhouse to get a new battery for it. Since the normal batteries only last three years maximum Kathy chose to get the A.G.M. battery for it which should clearly last about ten years and save us money in the long run. 
Heading back to the east-end of the city it was already lunch time and Kathy was starting to feel it. We had planned on going to Wendy’s but when we saw the Michigan Diner on Tecumseh Rod we stopped in there instead. We also haven’t had Fish and Chips in a while so that was our very filling lunch. We figured we’d simply skip supper because we’d be snacking later in the evening. 
Turning around I dropped Kathy off at Walmart while I walked to the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce to change the PIN number on my card. For this being a Saturday the place was packed and then the computer was giving the teller a hard time. After nearly twenty minutes I had to go finish the process at the ATMs where there was another lineup. By the time I got back to Walmart Kathy was already at the Check-Out with the Fruit and Vegetable trays she’d gone in to purchase. Back at the car she told me of people almost getting into fights over these trays that they wanted for their parties tonight. 
It was nearly 2:30 when we got Home and unloaded. Concerned that I was running out of time for the projects Kathy encouraged me to put in a few hours before we had to leave. I managed to get the bracing brackets made and installed on the Carrier itself as well as getting the brackets made that will be mounted on the Bumper Mounts before she told me to close up shop at 5:30. 
Inside the fridge.
I was washed within minutes and we were on our way to our son Kevin and daughter-in-law Melissa’s home in Amherstburg shortly after 6:00 for their Annual Halloween Party. First we stopped at the Canadian Tire Gas Bar to fill the car with gasoline. 
Texas sized Spiders.
We were the third one’s to arrive. At the last-minute we chose not to wear any facial masks but everyone in attendance understood that we were wearing our old Chef’s Jackets from when we used to do cakes as hobby & business. Kevin went all out dressed as a Clown with full makeup. Others were dressed as Cats and Vampires in fact a couple Jeff and Jody came as a Vampire Couple. Normally everyone is dressed up but his year some just came as themselves with no costumes. 
There was more food there than could be eaten by everyone so it made up for our missing supper. Kathy started feeling strange around 9:30 and suddenly realized it wasn’t from the food or being tired but the evening medication she hadn’t taken that was still sitting on the table back Home. 
Saying our good byes everyone was wishing us safe travels and plan to hear about them at next year’s party. We were Home shortly after 10:00 and soon after taking her medication Kathy started feeling better. 
More of a sinister look/
Tomorrow the weather will be cooler and somewhat damp but it is now Crunch-Time at getting everything ready for our trip.  I made a mistake on how many days were left the other day so the correct time is two days or three sleeps before we leave. Thanks for following along and feel free to leave a comment. Be Safe and Enjoy! 

It’s about time. 

Krackers 

Words of Inspiration 

If I had a flower for every time I thought of you, I could walk in my garden forever. 

Alfred Lord Tennyson, English poet

Friday, October 28, 2016

Cheap Bits, Change of Route and Slow Progress


Our Location today is McGregor, Ontario, Canada. 

After spending my afternoon outside in the cool fresh air when it came time to go to bed I remembered laying down then noticing the sun shining along the windows edge. Kathy wasn’t so lucky it seemed in the short time we were amongst a throng of shoppers in Walmart and the No-Frills grocery store she seemed to have caught a bug that kept her up most of the night. At the breakfast table, she said it was like her stomach was flipping and she didn’t want a mess in the bedroom. 

When I opened the dining room curtains I noted the glistening of Frost on our neighbours car windows and the whiter shade to the grass. Looking at our outside temperature gauge it showed us at the freezing mark. We chose to finish drinking our coffees while doing our morning reading on the computers and being that it had hardly warmed I didn’t feel the least bit guilty about it. 

Kathy planned to continue with her research for our upcoming trip while I was out the door before 10:00 in an attempt to finish our project. As mentioned in yesterday’s post I needed to do additional welding but I also saw the need to add more holes in the Supporting Arms on the Carrier. When drilling larger holes it’s always wise to drill a smaller hole as a pilot so the larger holes will remain where you want them. The smaller holes went in easy and even the medium sized holes bored through the light angle iron with no problem. When it came time to drill the half inch holes the drills weren’t going anywhere. 

Kathy called me for lunch and we discussed a slight change in the route she wanted to make. We also discussed the problem I was having with the larger drills where the cutting edges just seemed to be rounding instead of doing their job. 

Back outside I managed to get the new brackets all drilled to the medium sized holes but when it came to the larger holes even with the Cobalt Drill it was a no-go. I asked Kathy if she could go to the McGregor Home Hardware while I continued working on other pieces.

She was back within twenty minutes having bought the last two drill bits that were in stock. Thoughts that I’d be one step closer to finishing were soon dashed as these brand-new drill bits only made one hole each before loosing their edge. The only alternative was to buy new bits again. Kathy said I knew more about the drill bits than she did so I should take the time to go.
 

Having called to verify they had drills in stock I headed to the Home Hardware Building Center in Essex. When I left Home, I’d brought the new bits with the worn edges and the receipt. The could see the cutting edge had failed and there was no other sign of wear on the bits. They didn’t have any more of the same bits but they did have the better Titanium Bits in stock. They credited the other bits and I purchased the last two Titanium bits they had. 

Back Home I was back in my coveralls in no time knowing my time was disappearing. The first thing I did was to finish drilling the last four holes. I managed to drill 1.8 holes with each Titanium Drill Bit before their cutting edges failed as well. Taking a chance, I used a round file which easily removed the rest of the material needed to create the four holes. That old file had no problem finishing those holes but the new bits that will be going back to the store failed. 

Now it was time to weld the new pieces to the bumper brackets. I placed them in the firepit to cool down when I finished just before Kathy called me for supper. 
We each had one and a half burgers but I so hungry
that I'd already ate the half before taking the picture.
She was about to cook the last three Brisket Burgers in the fry pan when I said I’d grill them on the Weber Q. We’ve been so busy lately we haven’t used the grill in over a month and I was starting to go through withdrawals. It felt good even if it was just flipping burgers and they tasted better than if they had been done on the stove. 

After supper, I continued working outside filing the tubing brackets until nearly 8:00 when our new neighbour Corry pulled in. I mentioned the problem I had with the larger bits and he said most are being made in China these days and are not holding up. 

With all that fresh-air I was nearly falling asleep taking my shoes off. Kathy suggested that taking my shower early would probably wake me up as usual and she was right.  

Tomorrow we have lots to do and it won’t be on the Bicycle Carrier. Thanks for following along and feel free to leave a comment. Be Safe and Enjoy! 

It’s about time.
Krackers 

You Might Be a Redneck If 

You've mentioned body odor in a eulogy.

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Cold Wet Weather, Frustrating Instructions and Minor Changes.


Our Location today is McGregor, Ontario, Canada. 

With only four more sleeps we are both looking forward to starting our southwest trek. It would be better appreciated if the weather was just a bit more cooperative. When we started our Fulltiming Lifestyle this past April we never suspected that we’d be moving a second time this year. Since there had already been a number of modifications made to the Avalanche in preparation to Boondocking off the grid. Now it’s a mad dash to having our new Home ready for such an undertaking. 

The Temperature was at 43 F (6 C) when we got up this morning and would only rise by a few degrees for a daytime high of 46 F (8 C). Since it was still drizzling after we’d finished our breakfast we chose to go pick up a few more items that we’d forgotten to add to our shopping list yesterday.  

First we had to stop at the Park Office in order to FAX the information off to Verizon in an effort to reactivate our MiFi Jetpack. 

The Walmart in Amherstburg seemed to be the most logical place for us to go as a One Stop Shopping type of place. With three things on our list we were shocked when they had no Lined Slippers in my size, nor did they have any S.D. cards under Thirty-Two Gigs but the real shock was when half the Cereal aisles was empty. 

Walking out empty handed was disappointing but then we noticed the rain had finally stopped even though the North Wind seemed to have increased. Driving up the road we stopped at the No-Frills grocery store we were happy to see employees all over stocking counters and shelves. After finding enough cereal to hold us over until we reached a grocery store in the U.S. but that was definitely the only thing on our list we were bringing Home 

Since it was nearly lunch time but we both had the craving for a Hawaiian Pizza we stopped at Little Caesar’s. With only one employee in the building it was amazing that she still managed to have our order ready within ten minutes even while taking more orders from other customers. When given our pizza I immediately double bagged it in our Insulated Shopping Bags to take it Home. 

The drive Home was still cloudy even though the rain had stopped. Kathy could feel the heat on her knees even with the double Insulated Shopping Bags which made her knees feel better but was also making her want to fall asleep. The aroma of the pizza filled the car making us wish we were already Home. Inside the trailer steam was still rising from the pizza as we enjoyed it for lunch. 

Kathy would spend the remainder of the afternoon researching places she thought we could explore. I spent the afternoon continuing to work on mounting our Bicycle Carrier. That was when I noticed another flaw. In order to not affect the electronics inside the trailer I needed to remove the Carrier and Brackets so they could be welded off the trailer. Using square tubing as the method of bracing most of the fitting had to be done using a hand file to make it all fit. 
It was nearly 6:30 when Kathy told me to call it a day and come in for supper. Getting the layers of work clothes off and getting washed for supper I found that I was chilled to the bone. Luckily Kathy had made a Salad with Chicken and Fruit for our meal but the mug of Hot Chocolate helped to ease the chills. 

This evening I got on the phone calling Verizon to confirm the information we had sent but they just can’t understand why we have a Canadian Address and that I didn’t FAX them the right information. I sent exactly what they asked for and would spend over eighty minutes on the phone and they still won’t connect the Hotspot. Guess we’ll just wait until we cross the International Border into the U.S. to get it fixed. 

Tomorrow the temperature is supposed to in the mid-fifties with less wind so hopefully I can check another chore off my to-do list by the end of the day. Thanks for following along and feel free to leave a comment. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.
Krackers 

The World's Great Proverbs 

It is a wise child that knows its own father.

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Progress on A Rainy Day.


Our Location today is McGregor, Ontario, Canada. 

With all the fresh air we had for the very short time we sat by the Campfire last night neither of us had any problem what-so-ever sleeping. When we got up this morning again there was no sign of any frost around the Park but the outside temperature was hovering just degrees above the Freezing Mark. Once our breakfast was over we spent very little time on the computers other than to review today’s weather forecast. With the threat of an all-day rain we were on the road headed towards Amherstburg by 9:30. 

The first stop was at Sun Parlour Trailer where I wanted to settle the price difference for the Cargo Door Key Locks that Rob had left outside for me to exchange after their closing time. Having dealt with Sun Parlour Trailer for over twelve years they knew we would make it right. Cathy, Rob’s wife said everyone was out winterizing trailers at all the trailer parks in the area. 
Continuing down the road we stopped off at our son Kevin’s home to drop off frozen meat that we would not be allowed to cross the International Border with. Since Kevin and Melissa put on a yearly Halloween Party we found Kevin in the garage cleaning and decorating for the event. They’ll be able to use some of that meat to make a dish for the party. 

Going further into town we had to return to Pharma Care to pick up Kathy’s Flonase that I had forgotten to order when having the rest of our medications filled. Again, they wished us Safe Travels as we left. 

Our next destination took us up 18 Highway through La Salle all the way to Windsor. We haven’t driven that route since we moved from our apartment back in April when we started Fulltiming. It was almost a pleasant drive except for the rain that started as soon as we left the pharmacy. 

The first stop in Windsor was the Wholesale Club on Dougal Avenue. Even though we had just stocked up recently on cough drops with the sudden cold damp weather we’ve had recently we both had to use quite a few to survive. Not wanting to go away short-supplied we wanted to restock because we are unable to find those cough drops in the U.S. 
Since we were back in Windsor today we stopped at VitalAire. We had stopped in last Friday to pick up our CPAP supplies but the woman who put together our order had called in sick. Today she was there and had the majority of the order ready so we can only hope she’ll have the rest ready before we leave. 

The rain was non-stop but we made it to Guardian Storage to pick up our mail. Wendy asked if we were anxious to leave and another customer there asked if he could come along. 

We headed to the Credit Union to do some banking but the clerk we needed to see was on her lunch so we had to come back in an hour. That was our fault for not scheduling an appointment. 
Since Taco Bell was next door and it was 12:30 so we stopped to have lunch. We didn’t over eat but felt more energized when we left. 

After a stop at Dollarama for some last-minute treats for Halloween we went to Princess Auto. After assembling the Bicycle Carrier, I noticed the need for additional bracing and had to pick up extra steel tubing. 

A stop at the east-end Walmart got the few groceries we know we’ll use before we leave next week. 

We finally got back to the Credit Union and within minutes had all the paperwork we needed signed. 

Since Princess Auto does not carry Stainless Steel fasteners our next stop was the Tecumseh Home Hardware Building Center. Since all the Home Hardware outlets are privately owned and operated not all the stores are stocked with the same products. Going through the Stainless-Steel fasteners I was disappointed to find this location didn’t have anything close to what I needed. Telling Kathy of my find there was only one answer to this delima.  
We headed up Manning Road staying clear of the Windsor rush hour traffic and recent road construction closures we made it to the Home Hardware Building Center in Amherstburg in only a half hour. While Kathy walked around the store looking at Christmas Decorations I carefully selected the fasteners that would be needed to finish this project. 

We arrived Home close to 4:00 but my duties for the day were not over. After unloading the car of our purchases, I spent the next hour on the phone attempting to get our Verizon Hotspot put back in service. In the days of electronic communications, I have to FAX them some information in order for the service to be restored. 

This has been another all-day rain so our choice to complete errands was the proper one. Tomorrow we’ll try to make further progress towards our departure next week. Thanks for following along and feel free to leave a comment. Be Safe and Enjoy! 

It’s about time.
Krackers 

You Might Be a Redneck If 

You've ever been frisked leaving a yard sale.