Wed - 7 Jan/15

Another nice start to the day with plenty of sunshine and temps in the high 60's F; however, there are frost warnings for tonight as the cold front dips deeper into Florida. Still this is nothing compared to the havoc up north. Kat (daughter) phoned from the Great White North. -25 and waist high snow....Brrr!

Up early today. I drove Charlotte to crafts. She arrived before 9 am; yet there were several already set up and working.Today she will cut the roll of huck towelling she bought into "tea towel" lengths for embroidery. I then checked the mail and returned to the RV. Today will be an "Odd Job" morning for me while Charlotte is at crafts.

First, I brought the heater in from the storage bay to the bedroom in preparation for this evenings cold front. It is set to go on if the temp dips below 66 F. This is a quieter option than the propane heater(s). I would prefer to keep the propane supply for use when we are on the road.

Next up; I placed the mini 12 V cooler into the storage bay slot that previously held the heater. When we start out on trips we use the 12v cooler rather than the regular refrigerator to keep perishables cool. It can now go away until we hit the road again.

I then replaced the mini back support on the driver's side of the Del Sol with a spare. The old one was pretty beat up and had torn away from it's frame in the one corner. I still have 2 more spares.

Next, I moved Charlotte's craft bin from the bedroom; placed it near the kitchen table and covered it with a quilt top.

Another job was to employ an old RVer trick. The toilet had a slow leak that let the water in the bowl gradually escape. I heated white vinegar to warm (not hot) in the microwave then poured it into the toilet and let it sit for a bit. This removes the calcification that develops around the valve seal. It's easier (and cheaper) than replacing the seal. Repeat if necessary.

While I was at it I added TP (toilet paper) and PT (paper towels) to the inside supply. It also reminded me I had to re-order the storage bays. That will be another day.

For a change of pace I paid a few bills using online banking. This is a service I really appreciate. My daughter, Kat, checks the mail a few times a week and emails the bills. There are other ways to do it; however, this works great and I am kept up to date.

Back outside I had to find a few tools. Unfortunately, this was another reminder that I need to straighten up and organize the storage bays. It also reminded me that I need to recharge the batteries on several of the tools. The battery drill didn't have enough power for the job so I took out a corded drill. It's always go to have at least one of each available.

I installed a few "reel" devices in the RV. One has 50 feet of hose for the compressor air line to inflate the tires or run air power tools. The other two each have 40 feet of electrical extension cord; one for a light and the other for a power bar.

I needed the drill to modify the door latch I installed the other day. It was useable; but a little difficult to unlatch because the main door covered the end of the latch when together. Solution: drill the tab and attach an extension. I thought of a hanging rawhide loop; however, I decided to try a long bolt which I bent to ease access. I added double nuts w/lock washers to hopefully keep it from vibrating loose as we go down the road. It is now much easier to use.

Charlotte returned just as I was completing the latch. While I put the tools away she noticed in a coupon book that the Mason Jar restaurant had a Wednesday special: Liver and Onions with half off the second entree. She knows I like Liver and Onions which she cannot cook (something to do with the texture of the liver). That was enough of an incentive.

We were off to the Mason Jar which is only a few minutes down the road. It is always packed and today was no exception. It is one of the local restaurants with great home cooking, huge portions and reasonable prices.

I, of course, ordered the Liver and Onions (w/3 sides). Charlotte ordered the Cabbage Rolls (2) which only came with 2 sides. Good thing, Each cabbage roll was 3 times the size of any we had seen before. My liver came with a steak knife. No idea why? It was so tender it cut with a fork. Yes, we filled a take-out box with what we couldn't eat.

A couple of minutes down the road and we pulled into Publix. We picked up a few things we needed (bread, soda, mushrooms, dish soap, paper towels and a Women's World magazine) and a few we didn't (Key Lime Pie from the bakery and Lottery Tickets).

We bought a Mega Millions and a Powerball. The odds of winning the hundreds of millions in prize money are astronomical; but not as bad as not having a ticket.

It took only a few minutes to return to the RV. I dropped Charlotte off at the clubhouse so she could check on materials needed for an upcoming project. The sign-up sheet say the instructor will tell what is needed; yet there is no material list, phone number or lot number - duh!

Our lot is so close to the clubhouse that by the time I had emptied the trunk and placed the items inside the door onto the RV floor she was back. She had all put away inside before I finished placing the soda and paper towel into the outside compartments. Now it was time for a movie from our collection.

Our Choice: Narrow Margin starring Gene Hackman. It is 1990 a remake of a 1952 thriller (The Narrow Margin). A woman secretly witnesses the murder of her blind date for the evening by a top Mafia boss. She immediately goes into hiding without informing the authorities. When they finally catch up with her, she is unwilling to testify to what she has seen, but the Mafia are on her trail. Accompanied by a deputy district attorney, the woman boards a train travelling through a remote part of Canada. (We've been on that train through the Rockies - going East not West) The Mafia know him but they have never seen her. The chase is on. Good start-to-end tension - worth a watch.

We were still full from the late lunch. Dessert, of course, was the Key Lime Pie.

By then it was time to watch Jeopardy and do the day's blog.