ODE TO MY COFFEE CUP

It happened so quickly, & my old friend was gone. In a hurry, coffee in hand, I headed out the back door to-day to see what the doggy guys were barking at. Not wanting to put my coffee pal in harm's way I reached out to set him on the deck railing whilst I headed down the steps to do battle with what was probably a chipmunk making faces at little Cora. It was the "thunk" behind me & the tell tale sounds of breaking pottery that reached my ears before my brain did. I knew instantly, my favorite coffee cup had just bit the dust. No point in even looking back as I continued out into the back yard to have words with the furry cast of noisy characters. It was good I had something to focus on for a few minutes before returning to....pick up the pieces:((

My old friend & I first met in the Apache Canyon Trading Post near the Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico back on December 22, 2006. The Bayfield Bunch had stopped in to have a look around after exploring the Carlsbad Caverns earlier in the day. I'm not much for hanging around in gift shops too long so after a quick amble through the place I was headed back for the door when I spotted him sitting quietly with a bunch of his brightly painted pottery friends on a shelf by the window.

He had a tanned adobe look with colorful markings & a name that read, New Mexico. And I liked his black glazed interior. A handsome devil indeed. I knew right away we were made for each other as I gently lifted him up off the shelf & headed for the counter. It was the beginning of a friendship that would last nearly 2 years with many memorable moments spent to-gether, relaxing hand in hand. Sometimes beside me as we enjoyed many desert campfires, sometimes riding for endless miles up on the dash of the motorhome scouting the way ahead. There were times he helped me outside in my various projects around home, & other times rode with me to work. Occasionally he went missing for a day or two until I was able to locate him again sitting on a stump in the garden or a rock out in the yard someplace, just where I had carelessly left him. But most often as not, he was right here on my desk beside the computer as I plunked away at the dusty keys day after day.

I will glue him back to-gether & then set him on a shelf near my bed where he will remain a fond memory of many, many, happy days gone by...............................

I am going to miss my old traveling buddy. I am going to miss him a lot:(((((

In 3 of the photos you can see me & my old porcelain pal to-gether. Apache Canyon photo taken near Carlsbad, New Mexico 06. Two center photos taken at Pancho Villa State Park in New Mexico in December of 06. Last photo was taken just west of Ajo, Arizona in the Darby Wells road area in January of 08.........

BEGINNING TO ORGANIZE THE RIG FOR THIS WINTER'S TRIP

Almost the middle of September so I figure we've got about 5 maybe 6 weeks of good weather left if we're lucky. Figured it was time while the weather is good to start organizing the bins in the motorhome & getting things squared away for this winter's trip. I have all the bin doors numbered & keep an inventory of what is in where & in which bin. If I don't write it down, things sorta get lost forever. Not a foolproof system but it kinda works for me. Hooked the water up & no leaks anywhere. Amazing!! The photo is me listing some items I had just put in the bin.
Looking back, it was one year ago in September that I first started this blog, so it's a big thanks to all the people dropping in on us, that it's still going:))
Hey, just noticed...........thanks for the shoutbox messages Hermit & Tom. Always great to hear from people:))

TRYING OUT A "SHOUTBOX"

Am trying out something new on the site called a "Shoutbox." It's located in the right hand column not too far from the top. Anyone can leave a message or comment here for the Bayfield Bunch. A lot easier than the Guestbook for sure. And you don't have to leave your email addy or anything. If you have a minute, say hello. Thanks Helen for the first message...........now I know it works:))

TRYING OUT SOME NEW COLORS FOR THE BLOG

Personally, I like the dark colored backgrounds but some readers have said they find it hard on the eyes for any length of time. And, some of my blogs can get a bit lengthy. Photos look better against a black background so that was probably one of my original ideas for doing that. However, there is much more dialogue than pictures so it's only logical to put the priority on the written word. But a white background....never!! I may change this color scheme a bit as we go along. We'll see how it goes................................

2 NEW WINDSHIELD WIPERS PLEASE.....WHAT!!!!

It was time to take the motorhome in for it's pre-trip inspection & tune-up last week. The windshield wipers were totally worn out, plugs were still original, needed a broken muffler hanger fixed amongst other things. That hanger had broken in Arizona last year & I had it wired up with about 2.4 miles of clothesline wire. I have a tendency to over-do things you know. Probably half the labor cost was for the mechanic cutting all that wire off. The bill for the tune up was about what I was worried it would be, but the real kicker was the price of 2 windshield wiper blades. Yes, they are 29 inch blades & specially made for that type of windshield I guess, but we were all flabbergasted at the price, including the people at the garage. $137.00 for 2 blades!!!! Guess that didn't make 8 spark plugs for S104.00 seem so bad. They are Iridium plugs which Google tells me is, "One of the world's finest spark plugs. The result are spark plugs that require less voltage to spark, burns fuel more efficiently, sparks at leaner air/fuel mixtures, and delivers higher horsepower and better gas mileage."
Well, I sure hope the engine appreciates all this pampering & the windshield understands it's being wiped clean by the finest of blades!! Maybe the tailpipe will even feel better now knowing it's not so wired!!
We sure had a go-around with the Actia company in Elkhart, Indiana who are the makers of speedometer/odometer clusters for motorhomes. There has been a software problem for quite awhile in their computer versioned set-ups. The cluster in our motorhome was originally replaced back in 2005. The software goes & the LED read-out becomes unreadable. You lose your mileage, trip meter, fuel calculations, oil & transmission pressures, etc. It does a lot more calculations, engine updates, & reminders but do I really need it to tell me when my next colonoscopy appointment is. I think not!!
We phoned Actia about the odometer problem & they said it would not be covered under warranty & would cost us $354 for another cluster. They sent us a form to fill out regarding mileage on the coach. We then had to get the form signed by a mechanic to verify we weren't shysters & the actual mileage was accurate. They then program that mileage into the new cluster before shipping it out to us. The cluster was sent by UPS courier which cost us another $107.00 because of tax stuff at the border + courier costs. We had wrongly assumed they would have sent it by post which would have been a fraction of the cost. The odd thing about this, is that 3 days after UPS brought that cluster, another one arrived via UPS & the shipping costs on that one was $51. Of course we refused the second cluster but why the two different shipping charges, & as it turns out.....that second delivered cluster may very well have been the right one!!!! When we had the motorhome tune-up we had the mechanic swap out the defective cluster for the good one which added some labor costs. After picking up the motorhome at the garage I was about half way home when I realized the new odometer cluster.......was the wrong one!!!! Unbeknownst to us, there are 2 clusters for these rigs. A standard one & a computer version one. I wanted the same cluster as had been in the motorhome so it was back on the phone for Kelly to Elkhart, Indiana. More back & forth calls finally led to them shipping us a third cluster & with that, it was back to the garage with the motorhome for hopefully the last swap. Success, the cluster was correct. While at the garage I figured I may as well get the rig's propane tank filled up, but then discovered another problem. Could not get the bin door open to access the propane tank. Well, out came the trusty mechanic again & within a few minutes was able to get the bin door opened from underneath with a wire somehow. Turns out there was a piece of white metal in the lock assembly that was broken. Glad that happened at the garage & not at some Flying J gas bar in the middle of nowhere someplace. And, once again, no way around the problem but to get a new part. And where do we have to get that part of course.........Elkhart, Indiana again. That is where Damon Motorhomes are made so it will be back on the phone this week & here we go again. We are familiar with Elkhart in more ways than one. Last year we had to make a special trip there on our way home to have a damaged screen door replaced. We had traveled & put up with that bent door for 4 months & finally got it replaced one day before arriving home. It just don't figure, do it!! By the way, we ended up shipping 2 odometer clusters (original broken one & incorrect one) back to Actia....C.O.D.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Monday Sept. 8 Update on this Actia problem. Kelly has been on the phone this morning with UPS & it's looking like we are going to be re-imbursed for some of those shipping charges.) Ok, looks like I've nearly worn out another keyboard here but it's raining this morning so figured it was a good time to catch up the blog. Been a busy morning though. Kelly's working at the Lodge to-day. I'm on the second load of laundry, dishes are done, been to the store for milk & bananas, vacuumed the sunroom, have 2 of about 23 windows cleaned, dogs are fed, forwarded some jokes, took a picture of the wiper blades, made a coffee, & am contemplating making my bed. (that's always a tough contemplation) Might even go & BBQ me up a big bowl of oatmeal. All & all it seems like I'm quite the little multi-taskar this morning & I'm looking forward to my next favorite multi thing soon.........multi relaxing. Hey, I might even catch a few minutes of Sesame Street:))))) Oh ya, passed my 1rst complete physical in 3 years with almost flying colors last week. That cholesterol thingy is always a tough one but I've been working real hard at it. Have dropped from 212 pounds in June to 203 as of yesterday. Totally cut out all fried foods & sweets for starters. Doctor says I'm good for another 50 years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first................ And with that, I'd better get back to my morning multi-taskinating. (Had to use a tele-photo lens shot through our living room window for the windshield wipers because it's pouring rain out there. RV television photo shows where the TV folds back to the wall for travel & is secured there. Forgot to add that pic in the previous post. The 2 geese on the pond photos was taken yesterday morning across the road from our place & once again I used a telephoto lens so as not to stampede the geese off the water)

THE "LAST" TELEVISION RENOVATION.....OR ELSE!!!!

Pictures show Bruce lining up the wooden mount. Finished picture shows television fully extended on the mount. It can tilt up or down & swivel from side to side & folds back to the wall for traveling. Click on the pics to make them bigger.

I am hoping to-day was the "LAST" television renovation & I won't have to update this blog again!!!! After mounting the 23" LCD flat screen twice on the end of the kitchen cabinet I still wasn't totally satisfied with the way everything ended up. Afterall, I did all that myself so what could I expect. In an earlier post I stated that if I wanted something done right I have to get someone else to do it. Well, this TV project was no exception & by the time I was done I had so many mounting holes in the end of the kitchen cabinet that it looked like a woodpeckers convention. Had to call in my old buddy Bruce again to save the day. Bruce is retired & has the patience, tools, know how, & interest for little projects like this & was glad to bale me out of the mess I had made......again!! In the process though I did have a bit of a light bulb moment. When you look at the pics it makes things a bit clearer. We had a big hole where the old analog TV came out above the dash so I figured why not take the cabinet door off up behind where the LCD TV is now & use it to fill that hole up front. Bruce framed in a little place for the door to fit & put the cabinet door there. It matches the cabinet doors on either side. I had sawed out a couple of panels at either end of that line of cabinets to access co-axe cables so Bruce simply made a couple of nice hinged doors & covered up the square holed mess I had made. And I still have access to those cables plus some extra storage too. He just has to put a floor in that center cabinet yet. Now, where the cabinet door came off by the end of the kitchen cabinet & behind the new TV, Bruce made a wooden piece that the television mount bracket is now bolted to. On either side of that wood mount he made 2 hinged doors so I can still access that cabinet plus that's where the 3 co-ax cables for the TV are. In the pics you will notice I haven't got the TV wires hooked up yet but maybe to-morrow.
This re-locating the television has been quite an ordeal but had I had the forethought to have Bruce do it in the first place I could have saved myself a lot of time & aggravation. However, I am a man so it is expected of me to be a master plumber, electrician, mechanic, welder, auto body tech, gas fitter, hydraulic specialist, carpenter, roofer, painter, machinist, heavy equipment operator, etc. etc. etc. plus jack of all trades that I haven't thought of. And master of them all too!! Not easy being a man you know, but I keep trying. Now, where is that light bulb installation I've been having trouble with.....................

"IS THAT A DIESEL MOTORCYCLE SIR??"

"Is that a diesel motorcycle sir" Thought it odd hearing those words coming from the young gas attendant fella at a Shell station in Goderich Ontario a few days ago. I had just rolled in on my motorcycle & topped up my gas tank. I generally run regular gas in the bike & about every 4th tank or so I fill it up with Premium. To-day I decided on premium, so by-passed the regular nozzle & without looking, reached for the premium nozzle on the other side of the pump & filled er up!! I said to the young fellow, "no, this is a gas motorcycle, to which he kindly replied, "well, you just filled up your motorcycle with diesel fuel......sir." ARRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!! There it was, right on the pump beside me....DIESEL. Well, to say I could feel my stomach sliding right out from under me would be putting it mildly. What a huge feeling of frustration & anger I had with myself. (not to mention embarrassment) Just taking things for granted & not paying attention to what I was doing again!!!!
Wheeled the bike around the corner of the garage, slunk out of sight & got the owner's manual out of the saddle bag. Tried to find out if there was some kind of a gas tank drain valve. Couldn't find anything. Even got down on the ground & had a close look for some kinda valve or something. Suddenly dawned on me that if I had a hose I could probably siphon the diesel fuel out right out of the tank. No hose at the gas bar so walked across the large parking lot to a Canadian Tire store at the far corner. Got me a siphon hose with a plunger thingy on it & headed back. The young fellow at the gas bar fetched me a big white 5 gallon plastic pail. The siphon didn't work well because the siphon part was a solid plastic tube so wouldn't bend well to get down into & around the bottom of the bikes tank. Back to Canadian Tire for a second time & got a 3' section of flexible gas rubber hose. Should have done that in the first place because this hose worked perfect except for one little thing. No suction plunger on this one so I had to use my mouth to start the diesel fuel flowing. Diesel fuel in my mouth, up my nose, in my beard down my chin, on my pants & all over my shoes. The bucket I was draining it into tipped over at one point so I had quite a mess of diesel fuel going on all over the place. Moved the hose around in the tank making sure I got as much fuel out as possible & by the time I was done I had about 3 gallons of diesel fuel in the 5 gallon plastic pail. Probably another half gallon on the ground & another half gallon on me!! Pushed the bike back out to the gas island, DOUBLE CHECKED THE GAS PUMP & re-filled my tank with V-Power Premium....GAS!! This whole ordeal lasted about 40 minutes but luckily ended well. If that young sharp eyed gas attendant hadn't noticed my mistake I would have rode out of there with a tank full of diesel fuel & promptly ruined my motorcycle engine. That would have been a major repair!! I thanked him & insisted he take $20. Probably should have given him another ten for not laughing at me & calling me a dummy. He didn't want to accept the $20 but I pulled rank on him using my superior age factor. Truly a nice kid. Next stop was the car wash to hose down the diesel infested motorcycle & the last stop of the day was home to hose down the diesel infested & somewhat embarrassed human!!!!