Winter Travel, full-time streaming
Vol. 1 - Florida & Southeast 11/08
Vol. 2 - the Southwest 11/09
Vol. 1 - Florida & Southeast 11/08
Vol. 2 - the Southwest 11/09
Day 80 - House-sitting - Bambi upgrades
Posted 02-21-2009 at 08:57 AM by Phantom
2009/01/30
Day 80 - House-sitting (10 nites FREE!)
Lake Alfred, FL
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After Fisheating Creek we returned to Sandy & Benny's house in Lake Alfred to house-sit while they went on a week-long cruise. We used the time to visit with old friends, rest & recuperate, wash & polish the vehicle and trailer and make some minor upgrades. The days were lazy and clear but cool. We had the 4-runner serviced at a dealership... oil change, driveshaft greased, checked brakes, differential and u-joints, all OK.
I studied the sun reflections on the walls... watched the pool... unheated and unused in the three cool winter months. The Sandhill Cranes walk down the sidewalk and cross the street like they know the protocol. They'll let you approach within 30 feet... then slowly walk away with their stately bobbing gait. Unhurried and unafraid. One day I saw a Short-tailed Hawk fly over the house.
We spent Superbowl Sunday with old friends Ken & Maureen... at 'Old Man Frank's', a tavern on a lake in Winter Haven. Also visited his business, Leisuretime RV in Winter Garden. Nice RV dealer. We ate good Mexican food in downtown Winter Haven and tried the new Italian restaurant in Lake Alfred... Luigi's... both excellent!
Finally, I put myself to work washing and waxing the Toyota, then started in on the Bambi. I washed and dried it thoroughly, then got up on a ladder and used aluminum tape to cover all the caulking around all the vents and riveted seams on the roof. This should prevent the caulk and putty from drying out for many years. This and other 'upgrades' were at the suggest of Frank, whom we met in the Everglades... a six-year full-timer. They made sense to me. Then I cut 1" strips from terrycloth towels and wrapped the jack feet (stabilizer and tongue) and around the axel and shock mounts inside the wheels. These cloth strips were then soaked with Home Defense bug killer/repellant. This should eliminate ants and bugs from climbing onto and into the trailer. I drilled a couple holes in the propane tank mounting hardware and installed a lock... insurance against tank theft. I added a couple quart size plastic jugs with tops cut off... to hold a windshield squeegee and spray bottle of soapy water to check for propane tank valve leaks. Also, a plastic mustard bottle full of 'Goop' hand cleaner... to lube trailer hitch ball, anti-sway bar and weigh distribution bars.
The Toyota has never been so clean and detailed. The Bambi was polished for the first time with Meguilar's Cleaner Polish. It glistened, but I must admit... I couldn't tell a clean, washed panel from one just polished!
We left well-rested, cleaned up and re-charged.
Day 80 - House-sitting (10 nites FREE!)
Lake Alfred, FL
ALL PHOTOS RELATED TO THIS BLOG
ARE AVAILABLE FOR VIEW AT:
Picasa Web Albums - Phantom
After Fisheating Creek we returned to Sandy & Benny's house in Lake Alfred to house-sit while they went on a week-long cruise. We used the time to visit with old friends, rest & recuperate, wash & polish the vehicle and trailer and make some minor upgrades. The days were lazy and clear but cool. We had the 4-runner serviced at a dealership... oil change, driveshaft greased, checked brakes, differential and u-joints, all OK.
I studied the sun reflections on the walls... watched the pool... unheated and unused in the three cool winter months. The Sandhill Cranes walk down the sidewalk and cross the street like they know the protocol. They'll let you approach within 30 feet... then slowly walk away with their stately bobbing gait. Unhurried and unafraid. One day I saw a Short-tailed Hawk fly over the house.
We spent Superbowl Sunday with old friends Ken & Maureen... at 'Old Man Frank's', a tavern on a lake in Winter Haven. Also visited his business, Leisuretime RV in Winter Garden. Nice RV dealer. We ate good Mexican food in downtown Winter Haven and tried the new Italian restaurant in Lake Alfred... Luigi's... both excellent!
Finally, I put myself to work washing and waxing the Toyota, then started in on the Bambi. I washed and dried it thoroughly, then got up on a ladder and used aluminum tape to cover all the caulking around all the vents and riveted seams on the roof. This should prevent the caulk and putty from drying out for many years. This and other 'upgrades' were at the suggest of Frank, whom we met in the Everglades... a six-year full-timer. They made sense to me. Then I cut 1" strips from terrycloth towels and wrapped the jack feet (stabilizer and tongue) and around the axel and shock mounts inside the wheels. These cloth strips were then soaked with Home Defense bug killer/repellant. This should eliminate ants and bugs from climbing onto and into the trailer. I drilled a couple holes in the propane tank mounting hardware and installed a lock... insurance against tank theft. I added a couple quart size plastic jugs with tops cut off... to hold a windshield squeegee and spray bottle of soapy water to check for propane tank valve leaks. Also, a plastic mustard bottle full of 'Goop' hand cleaner... to lube trailer hitch ball, anti-sway bar and weigh distribution bars.
The Toyota has never been so clean and detailed. The Bambi was polished for the first time with Meguilar's Cleaner Polish. It glistened, but I must admit... I couldn't tell a clean, washed panel from one just polished!
We left well-rested, cleaned up and re-charged.
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