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)
Awhile back when I started up the motorhome to run the engine for a bit I noticed the digital odometer cluster was not legible. This is the computer driven little device that gives you info like how many miles you are getting to the gallon, how many miles of fuel left in the gas tank, trip meter, plus a host of other technical info. To make a long story short, we found out that these clusters made by the Actia company have faulty software in them & many people with the Chevy Workhorse Chassis like ours have had to replace them. Some folks have been lucky enough to get it done under warranty, but of course, not us:(( In fact when I re-registered the motorhome with Workhorse a few months ago we found out that our coaches cluster had already been replaced once in 2005. It's been quite a run around but after many phone calls to local dealers, Workhorse in Arizona, & finally to the Actia company itself in Elkhart Indiana we're finally getting the problem solved as how to go about getting it fixed. I guess I should say Kelly is getting the problem solved because she is the one who makes all the phone calls. To make an even longer story even shorter.............the cluster is in transit right now & UPS should be delivering it to-morrow. Our motorhome is scheduled to go in for servicing shortly so we'll have the garage do the cluster switch. It certainly has not been cheap!! $354 for the cluster & we had a call from UPS at the border to-day saying it's going to be another $107 for taxes & duty to bring it into Canada. Had we known that we might just have simply stopped in Elkhart Indiana on our way south this year & picked it up ourselves. Oh well, so much for the old saying about the older we get, the wiser we get. Ya right!!!!
It's a cool, gray overcast, & rainy Sunday morning here in southern Ontario & a good time for catching up on computer stuff & doing inside neglected chores that need some attention. Might even kick the furnace on for a bit to get that nice cozy warmth in the house to take off the early Autumn chill to-day. Yes, the seasons are a changing & I'm glad they are. 
It's nearly mid August & once again the signs of our summer slipping away are beginning to emerge. The tiny invisible crickets have a different chirp to them, once lush green leaves are taking on a harder edged look, days are becoming noticeably shorter, & our ever present resident pond frogs are quieter now as they contemplate their long winter's hibernation. Who's going to get the best spot in the mud this year. The nights are definitely cooling down & soon the Autumn crispness will be in the daytime's air. It is my favorite time of the year which approaches. The exciting freshness of spring is long gone & summer's steamy rush is rapidly winding down. Autumn is a time for quiet reflection. Everything seems to slow as we shift to a lower gear. In a month from now the kids will be back in school, the Labor Day week-end will be behind us & a few trees will be starting to show some of their early artist's brush colors. Autumn is also a time of anticipation & preparation for the long cold winter months ahead. It's a cozy time as we scurry about like little squirrels getting ourselves organized & hunkered down to await the chilling winter winds. It's also a time of new learning. I've always had a theory that I think is probably true. Ever since we were kids first starting school we have become programmed to begin an educational process every September. This continues for many years in our early life & becomes embedded in our very beings & I think it lasts forever. Even though I've been out of the school system since the early 60's I still feel that learning process beginning to kick in around mid August. Over the years I have enrolled in various night classes starting in September. Half a dozen photography related courses, a beginners computer course, Tai Chi exercise classes & probably a few others I've forgotten about. It's always a nice feeling to be learning something new & especially at a time of year when we have been programmed to do our very best learning. It takes me back to my early public school days & that fresh smell of new books, erasers, new ink in the ink wells & fresh apples in our knapsacks. Aw yes, Autumn. My favorite time of the year:)))))) Think I just talked myself into brewing up a fresh cup of coffee, lighting up a cinnamon scented candle, & kicking on the fireplace for a cozy stay at home musically relaxing day. 
The photos are from our flower gardens around the house. The one above shows a white Yucca growing up through some orange Day Lilies.
Last photo shows Kelly talking to her daughter & husband in Spain using Skype. Kelly is pointing our Microsoft web cam at the screen so Rebecca & Ricardo can see themselves. Works great:))
And, while I'm at it I would like to add some thought to another controversial argument. I have had an interest in Astronomy for quite awhile now & have found people often get Astronomy mixed up with Astrology. One deals with fact & the other deals with fiction. I came across the following explanation & comparisons a few years ago & thought it was explained very well.
Thought I would take the new mini video camera for a trial run on the motorcycle Wednesday afternoon. Curious to see how it would turn out. Video only lasts about 60 seconds & isn't very exciting despite what looks & sounds like a mishap seconds after turning the camera on. I should have shifted up into 5th gear before firing up the camera so what you see is my clumsy attempt to shift gears with the same hand the camera was in. Not too smart I'd say. However I did manage the shift & even got the cam turned around for a brief mugshot. Well, that probably wasn't too smart either because I could have easily broke the camera right there!!!! Stay tuned & next time I'll see if I can jump over a hundred & five end to end school buses. Any volunteers to sit on the back seat & hold the camera? :))
In September of 2006 we decided on a truck & fifth wheel combo so purchased a 2005 28' Rockwood 5th wheel & a 2000 Chevy Silverado half ton 1500 p/u truck. They came as a combo & were fine to-gether under normal flat driving conditions but after driving it for a bit I just didn't have the confidence in the lighter 5.3 engined truck to do the job in the heavy mountains I knew we would be going through later. It was a really well kept & sharp looking truck, but...........
November of 2006 saw us trade in the Chevy Silverado on a heavier 2004 GMC 2500 Sierra heavy duty truck. Bigger engine & a stronger truck for towing. This p/u was totally loaded & I found it a bit overwhelming with all the gizmos. Traveled around the American Southwest in 06 & 07 but realized that the truck & 5th wheel just were not suited for us. Remember, we have 3 dogs & they had to ride in the small back seat of the truck. Oooooo, about 4,000 miles of continuous dog breath. Not nice!!!! This is the GMC & Rockwood. 
In April 2007 we traded the truck & trailer in on a 2003 Damon 33' Motorhome & that is what we have at the present time. No plans for any more changes at this point:))