24/7 Chat About Anything

[maki2]

cabinet door photo. A work in progress of course.

 

[user 30781]

^^Beautiful!

 

[Cammalu]

Looks great!

 

[travelaround]

Nice cabinets, Maki! I like your lightweight design esthetic.

My van build has just gone to pieces for a while at least. The RV guy and the carpenter (both very talented in their own fields) are having a falling out. I guess they've known each other a long time. Since first thing in the morning they've been contacting me. Both offered to do it with someone else they know. Nobody has offered me a contract though... and since I've already registered my van as a commercial vehicle (at great cost) I'm no longer in a big hurry to get it transformed into an RV. They both have been here and now texting me. So... I told them both I'm postponing my decisions for two weeks until the dust settles. Really don't like being placed in the middle of an argument. I'm going to pray about it and hopefully within two weeks I'll be able to decide how to proceed with my project.

This old woman just wants to relax and read a book. You know me.

 

[user 30781]

^^ I say relax and read a book. Things will work out as they should, sometimes you just have to go with the flow. I tell myself this all the time and then I fight the flow. lol

I'm over at Reddit reading at the Vintage Ads sub. I am full of nostalgia tonight.

 

[maki2]

My design also allows for air circulation. That first section on the right has my diesel heater/ stove over it and that need stove needs air movement below it. The lower. double doors on the left end is my battery compartment and that works best with warmth in the winter and reduced heat build up in the summer.
The first small upper cabinet door towards the right end houses the RV type of electrical converter charger. That area also requires air circulation to remove excess heat.

On the other side opposite the center aisle I have my refrigerator on a pullout slide and my toilet. Both of those items also need air circulation inside the cabinets.
 
The cabinet under my bed needs air circulation to reduce condensation as well as improve warmth in the winter.

My choice of design is not just about ,weight reduction and looks. It is also solving critical issues for a requirement of air circulation within those cabinets.

I have put a lot of thought into the interior design, it was driven by function. But of course I also want it to look pleasing and reasonably modern rather than that late 60's vibe which was not at all a good look.

 

[travelaround]

Sounds like a good plan, Maki. I still have no plan for cabinets, but since I have two weeks to mull things over (at least) this would be a good time to come up with one.

I'm thinking of taking a mini-vacation to Oregon next week... it will be my birthday retreat. I could set up a bed on boxes full of things I bought for my van build. Or stay in a motel. I need a change of scenery. I want to go somewhere I've never been before.

I think tomorrow is a good day for rearranging things and setting up a new temporary "no build" build in the van.

 

[maki2]

Travelaround a no build build is a good idea. Getting out on the road will give you more thinking time about your plans
In the long run it will also help you decide which van builder will work best for you. It might even work to have 2 different teams. Just put one team on the insulation, walls plus basic electrical including solar and powered roof fans, propane and heater as well as any water and waste tanks. When they are done the other team comes in for installing cabinets and other fittings including sink and water, hooking up the heater, etc.

You do need plans drawn up and a schedule for the order in which each  task will get done. Otherwise you will have chaos, missed deadlines and back tracking rework. Plus you need to know when you must order the various supplies.

There will be a number of weeks when the van will not be available for your use during the construction phase. So go and get some camping time in now.

 

[GypsyJan]

travelaround:

My birthday road trip to NC/TN definitely helped a lot. I returned home with more vim & vigor and a new perspective on things. You might have better luck getting motel reservations than campground ressies. If you are boondocking, keep an eye on the temps....none are "normal" these days, so an airconditioned motel room might be a great present to yourself. Enjoy your trip and have the happiest birthday ever.

 

[bullfrog]

If you haven't tried them an AirBnb is much better and cheaper than motels in most places we have found.

 

[maki2]

Travelaround you could turn that trip into something extra fun that fills a fancy of yours. Stay in a yurt. There are lots of them on airbnb. Of course it is unlikely to. Be airconditioned so maybe head to the coast where it is not so hot.

 

[maki2]

My returnnto a former camping spot might not work out so well. The forest service road it is on has mapping software detouing traffic on this 10 mile or so long  graveled road to avoid construction backups on Interstate 40. The problem with that is it is not a 2 lane road. So to get into the campsite I have to drive very slowly when a vehicle comes from the other direction. Fortunately it is mostly people in pickups who can clear the ground with 2 of their tires off the edge of the road. I sure cant safely play that game of chicken. So I will move furter East and join a facebook tribe camping on a different forest road about miles away.

Then more trouble today, my car key is having trouble fitting into the ignition slot. It is not the key, the pins inside the ignition are wearing out. Fortunately there is a Honda dealer in Flagstaff. It will have to wait until Monday when they open. Not going to be cheap but it is an essential repair.

Before you start telling me to lubricate the lock, I of course tried that fix right away with several different products. I also tried using my spare key. This is not an unusual problem on my model of vehicle. In the meantime I am not yet stuck unable to use it. But for a while I was afraid I would never get the key into the lock. Just the normal frustration when things don't work as they should. it will all get sorted out by throwing some money into other people's hands and doing a lot of sitting in a waiting room. But at least it will be airconditioned!

 

[bullfrog]

^^^Walk over to the Toyota dealership next door they are owned by the same company used to have have free drinks, cookies, donuts and popcorn as well as a big screen TV and nice chairs

 

[desert_sailing]

This forum, reddit and the cruisers forum are the only social media(?) I've participated in. However I have had to witness the effects of fb, Twitter..etc, etc in real world interactions.

I saw this little pic and knew this is exactly why so many people are $hitters in these times.

As this forum is relatively respectful to each other... this doesn't really apply here... but I'm guessing most folks can relate.

edit... that is a screenshot of a screenshot...sent to me... I avoid twitter like it has the corona schmorona.

 

[user 30781]

Today I'm starting an IF (Intermittent Fasting)/heart-healthy diet. I have an 8 hour window to eat 2 meals and I'm taking 12-8 pm like I did last time I did this. Lunch is a salad with balsamic vinaigrette made with organic extra virgin olive oil, salmon cooked in the same olive oil and sprinkled with Old Bay and some brown rice. Every dinner I have will be steel cut oats, but lunches will vary. After the salmon is cooked I pour whatever oil is left in the pan over the salmon and eat that too. EVOO and salmon oil are so good for your good cholesterol and your heart. I did this last time I went on this diet and my bad cholesterol plummeted and the good skyrocketed.

Also, I know I *should take everything down and glue it back up, but I've decided to go with the twist pins to reattach my headliner. Part of the reason is, my daughter and I are going to put a silk sari up there in billows so it won't matter what the fixit job looks like and I intend to keep that GC until its final days anyway, so I'm not worried about resale. And if I do resell it, maybe I'll charge them extra for the beautiful silk sari.

 

[bullfrog]

^^^I really like bright colored interiors, they always put me in a good mood!

 

[user 30781]

^^ Me too! The inside of that GC was so unrelievedly grey before I got my hands on it. I mean, it was nice, everything in excellent condition (except a headliner that was about to self destruct), but it was....grey.

Last week a woman on FB posted a pic of her gypsy van. I begged her for interior pix and omg you should have seen it. Wild colors and hand painting everywhere. Just those pix made me so happy I was in a great mood for the rest of the day.

 

[user 30781]

Almost forgot. Two squares of 70% dark chocolate for dessert. Because that's good for your heart too.

70% is as dark as I can stand, I'm a milk chocolate person. When I'm not on a healthy diet binge.

 

[nature lover]

I spent the last several days down in Lancaster County civilization. I did this only because of doctors appointments, I hate the traffic I hate the noise, I love some of the people, but it’s a limited amount. I have returned to our families cabins in Perry County Pennsylvania for a few days and then I’ll go back up to my beautiful quiet mountains campsite on Bowers Mountain Road into Tuscarora Forest. When I was in Lebanon County I drove east of Lebanon to Myerstown past the place I called the adultery bookstore. Of course they call it the adult bookstore. You can’t help but notice the place with all the signs they have up. So my deluded mine got to thinking about the sign that says “live nude dancers”, I asked this question but nobody seems to know the answer and I’m not going to find by going in there to get the answer. (my mind has enough trouble as it is) ….but….. do those “ladies” have to wear masks due to Covid? I think I’ll call the state department of health to find out. God bless all the nomads. Keep your eyes on the road.

 

[maki2]

Nature lover you really need to get back to focusing on the other kinds of birds, the kind that grow feathers instead of wearing them as costumes.