I'm sailing away

[rvpopeye]

Back when I was in school guys named Jim usually got called Jimbo , maybe we can start calling you Jim-go ?
Happy Trails , tick , tick , tick , tick go the days...............

Nice battery box , easy access !

 

[masterplumber]

Hey Jim, glad things are a little more settled for you. I hope to meet you at RTR. If you need help with any last minute stuff, or just a different place to park before you head south, I'm just down the road east of Monument.

 

[jimindenver]

Popeye, I'm waiting for the Jim-gone.

Thank you for the offer, some days I feel like doing just that if the weather was nice. With todays work the must do's with the trailer are done. I fired up the systems and nothing burnt down. I made a segmented cover for the lower bunk so I can access parts of the storage without having to move everything off. I'll order the splicers to take the panels parallel eventually and a 450w hotrod for the hot water heater tonight.

 

[jimindenver]

I had to tell the customers I am retiring today. It was sad since most have been with us for over 26 years and while not close, they are more than just customers. None were surprised, they have watched me struggle for years. They are happy Zack is continuing and that made him happy too.

Amazon Prime 2 day shipping has been worth the yearly cost now that I'm in a rush to get it all done. The Directional antenna and fuses for the inverter showed up today. Tomorrow the truck gets its tires and fluids changed. I have already told them that I checked the oil pan and it doesn't leak. I expect it to be that way when I get it back.

 

[anewbiewannabe]

Jim,

Congrats! I'm guessing your eye surgery went well. This is first thread I'm reading to catch up. Weaning off a med with horrible side effects so still kind of out of it.

Sounds like there's some bittersweet, but also like there's a lot going on for you that's so very good. I'm excited for you! I haven't made it yet, but I'm hoping you've provided pictures in another thread! Sounds like you have an awesome set-up.

 

[jimindenver]

Thank you. The eye surgery was a success for the most part. The iris isn't round but it doesn't affect me much, certainly not worth another risky surgery. As it is two weeks are now by and it is really beginning to sharpen up. The difference in detail, depth perception and field of view using both eyes is amazing. Come to think of it, just seeing one of everything is pretty amazing. I am so glad the airplanes didn't sell.

I'm sorry to hear about the side affects. I think the Gabapentin I was taking was more debilitating than the injury I was taking it for. It's taken a month or more but I'm beginning to feel better.

Bittersweet? sure, it's a lot to let go of in different ways. Then again getting out of here the way I am would have been a dream come true for many years. I work two days this week and two more next week and that's it. The bleeding stops, I get to retire and live a life I have dreamed of since I could drive. I'm pretty happy really. I started this thread as a positive moving forward after I got my check and knew it was over. I'll bring any pictures here and a lot of new ones too.

 

[anewbiewannabe]

Oh! Gaba is the one I'm coming off of slowly. Nasty stuff---had no idea how nasty til recently.

That's so great about your eye and being able to see just one and all.

I think a little bittersweet is a good thing. It means there was good in the previous chapter. <3 I wonder how many of us had that rambling dream when we were teens? Sounds so great that you are on the way to "sailing away" on the journey of your dreams.

I do so enjoy reading everyone's tales and seeing the pictures so I look forward to yours.

 

[jimindenver]

Thank you. I am very fortunate to have it working out this way.

Today the trailer went back down for new awning fabric replacement and a power jack. I kept the manual jack just in case. The new tires are impressive so far on ice both with and without the trailer. I still need to drop off the wranglers for disposal.

tick tick 15 more days.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

You really have me considering putting up the newly remodeled home I'm finishing up and hitting the road myself! Battery box looks great and all the last minute preparations will be well worth it once you're out on the road. Enjoy those new tires and awning!

 

[rvpopeye]

Happy Trails.errrr , I mean smooth sailing with following seas!

 

[jimindenver]

ERLH, It's a wonderful yet terrifying feeling leaving it all behind. I am sure I'll settle once I am out of here.

Popeye, thank you. I look forward to smoother waters but am getting anxious with what the weather will be when I leave on the new year. The forecast has snow on Christmas eve so far.

 

[jimindenver]

I think the UPS man is beginning to wonder. lol

The SunFlair solar oven, 3 to 1 splicers and antenna cable for the Wilson sleek came in today. I need to measure the space but I think I will be looking at a Whynter 65 quart 12v fridge/freezer tomorrow.

 

[jimindenver]

Well the storage is gonna cost me but it has been a godsend. Things are disappearing faster than I can pack them up. I had intended to pick the tools I would keep and let him have the rest but everything got tossed into boxes and taken to the storage the day after I caught him looking at them like a kid deciding what candy bar to get. I had to change the lock on my closet after he sat there and told me of things in there but only because he noticed I had moved them. Then he hit on something that use to be in my desk and recently put in my closet. I thought for a second and said thank you for letting me know you have a key to my door. A trip to HD fixed that.

I put off the airplanes too long because people would call, say they would come the weekend and never show up. A lot of it is just been tossed. The old birds that were wore out or busted up I cut out the goodies and away they went. The Cap and the Pitts were the hardest but I have new birds to build and fly, it's easier to store just the parts. Still it's taken days to pack it up and I'll be glad when the rest of it's in storage today.

My last eye appointment is tomorrow. It is sharper than the right eye for distance to the point I can't wear them driving. It's close to the right closer up but both need the glasses to be really sharp. Sometimes neither eye seems sharp on it's own but together it's wonderful. The downside is I have to wait a week for the glasses.

We work 6 hours tomorrow and three hours next week, tick tick, tick

I need to check on the trailer today, if any of the bazillion hole I put in it didn't seal I'll know it after this last storm and 50 degree temps today.

 

[Txjaybird]

  Hang in there Jim, it's gonna get better soon.

Jewellann

 

[rvpopeye]

Every tick is one tick closer to the beginning of your fun !!!!!

 

[Gunny]

Jim, anxious to meet you at RTR, hope things continue to progress nicely for you. Rob

 

[jimindenver]

Thank you, I really look forward to meeting you all.

I must be one lucky guy or maybe it's clean living. I don't know. (yeah right lol)  Anyways I went out to the trailer to check for leaks and the good news is I didn't see any obvious ones. I was running my hand along areas I knew the holes were trying to find cool spots when my foot hit something solid near the head of the bed. There was a full Deep rock bottle in there from our last trip, how it hasn't split open I have no idea. It was frozen solid.

Once I got that out of there I went up top and cleaned the snow off the panels. I hope to never do it again.

 

[RVtrek]

I look forward to smoother waters but am getting anxious with what the weather will be when I leave on the new year. The forecast has snow on Christmas eve so far.

You can't worry about the weather.  Seriously, weather people can barely get anything right.  And even if it does snow, just drive slowly.  It'll be an adventure, and you'll be so happy to be on your way, you won't care the weather is terrible.

 

[jimindenver]

Oh sure, I can just see my 6 tons of fun sliding sideways down the expressway taking out everything in its path. Getting caught in it is one thing, starting out in it is another. I'll worry when it gets here, if it gets here. I may be delayed a day or so for my glasses anyways. (they said a week )

My Newair 400w oil filled panel heater came today, I love it. Small enough to fit under the table and run off the solar on sunny days. Two 200w Myheat wouldn't stand a chance at putting out the heat this is right now. Combined with the heat the controller puts out and I bet the furnace stays off.

Also coming today was the Meanwell HRP-450-15, at least I got what I paid for in delivery fees. Usually I pay the fee and they hand it off to USPS for a few days delay. I have everything I need to hook it up except a discharged battery, maybe this weekend. It is pretty sweet that it will pair with the little generator purring along on eco mode. Thanks SW.

 

[jimindenver]

I went after my den like I did the airplanes. In one evening I had pulled and shredded so much that one of the shredders over heated. The pile was growing faster than I could shred so it was deemed a commercial shredder would be worth the expense. All that is left in there is to pack up the big computer, monitors and hard drives.

I have been through my closet before tossing out anything spotted, frayed or tattered. Then came the first trip to Goodwill with what I knew I'd never wear. Last night I marked the rod for the size of the trailers wardrobe and that was my guide for how many shirts I could take. You can hang a lot of shirts in 25 inches. Jeans and shorts will be on the bottom. Socks, undies and undershirts will be in drawers, heavy seasonal items like heavy coats, sweaters and sweatshirts will be in a storage bin on the bunks.

The hardest part was all of the Red wing shirts that my family sent. Mom passed this year, she was my hockey buddy. It was the only sport she ever got into and we watched the games together on line for years. Now without her I have a hard time making it through a game, sporting the colors just doesn't have the same impact. Luckily there are a lot of Red wing fans here to snag them up at Goodwill.

My heavy hunting boots are heavy enough that they made me grunt just picking them up. I can't remember the last time it was cold enough to wear them, the snow bibs and down jacket that went with them. I'll leave if it's that cold.

Today it's pack up the camera gear and the rest of my closet. Wrap up the nick nacks around the house and pick up the bins I will use to store it all on the bunks. The forecast can change I know but I couldn't ask for much more this week. Sunny and dry with night time temps above 20F.

One more week.