Likewise when a charitable group was offering to spay and neuter the local stray cats Yours Truly took the wayward Siamese to the vet to get her "fixed" and we wound up taking care of the little PITA for several days.
Oh, and for those of you that want to know about the nuts and bolts of keeping two (now three it would seem) cats in an RV without having the place smell like the Lion House at the local zoo, the first thing to keep in mind is "use the best cat litter available." It's not cheap, but the stuff works. That, and change it regularly.
As originally manufactured, there was an icemaker built into the cabinetry of the Bluebird opposite from the refrigerator. I removed that and we put a litter box into the space vacated by the icemaker, with a simple curtain rod and drape disguising the existence of the litter box. Out of sight, out of mind. It's worked well, although seeing the big gray cat trying to wipe his paws on the curtain from the inside is hilarious; it sorta looks like the litter box compartment has a ghost inside that is trying to get out.
We did replace our carpeted floor with what the building people call an "engineered" laminated wooden floor, and that also helps tremendously to keep the cat fuzz and such at bay. Vacuum it regularly and things are fine. The factory built-in vacuum wasn't up to the task and so that too was removed and replaced with a modern "turbo" vacuum designed for apartment dwellers with limited space.
Odors are a big issue with motorhomes and sailboats, and they seem to be one of the first things that come up for discussion every time we talk with fellow full-time RV'ers or liveaboard sailers. We really don't have any problems with odors at the present, and I chalk that up to a combination of repeatedly and methodically looking for mold and water leaks (EVERY motorhome or boat leaks, it's just a matter of degree), coupled with the design of the Bluebird and regularly putting some chemicals into the holding tanks.
Not only does the Bluebird have exceptionally large holding tank capacity, but it also separates the "gray water" (kitchen sink and shower) from the "black water" (that's the nasty stuff that goes down the toilet). It's perfectly legal to empty the gray water in a pinch, and while gray water is really nothing but soapy water around here that stuff can develop a really potent sulphuric smell if you don't empty the tanks regularly. Thankfully there are chemicals to treat the sulphur smell, and if you do need to empty the gray tank into the grass the odor vanishes in about 5 minutes. Hell, in this part of Florida ALL of the brackish streams smell worse than the discharge from a gray water tank, so it's not a big deal.
At our workshop we have installed special electrical hookups for our motorhome but we don't have the proper waste hookups, so we fire up the Wanderlodge weekly and head over to a nearby RV park to empty the holding tanks. Nothing damages a motorhome quite like sitting all the time, so bringing the engine up to operating temperature and taking a little drive across town weekly helps to insure that we can pack up and be gone at any time should an emergency (read: "hurricane") arise.
~~~
Sometimes you eat bear. Other times, the bear eats you. Lately it's been a real case of the dreaded Maintenance Blues.
Firstly, Deb and I were at the local Publix grocery doing our weekly shoplifting when we heard that call on the PA that no one wants to hear: "Will the owner of a green BMW please come to the office."
Some poor, clearly pregnant gal ran into the back of Deb's car. Thankfully the young lady did the right thing and didn't run off. Her friend whispered to me as the driver sobbed "She's a bit hormonal" and I responded "Ya think?"
I am not even going to mention that the pregnant young lady wasn't even pulling into the space next to Deb's car. She was pulling into a space 2 spaces away when she managed to hit Deb's BMW. Yikes!Result: One creased fender, and BMW says that they are going to have to replace the taillights because those got bent in the accident. No, I'm not making this up. Total: $1,600. Thankfully the other gal's insurance appears to be paying for the damages.
Trust me, this is a lot more civilized than taking a shower with salt water on the deck of a sailboat.
We did, however, suffer the first of what I would think of as being a "serious" mechanical problem, considering that my definition of serious is one that keeps you from moving.
I was getting ready to make my run to empty the holding tanks and the blasted bus wouldn't start!So picture this as a worst-case scenario. Deb's not around, so I had actually put off the weekly trip to empty the holding tanks, said holding tanks are full to the bursting point, and I cannot get the bus running. Arghhhhh!
A mobile truck mechanic who works on tour buses came out and decided that there was something wrong with the starter and starter solenoid. So he crawled under the back of the bus and pulled the unit out (about the biggest starter motor that you have ever seen, I might add) but being as how this was Sunday I had to wait until Monday AM to get the parts.
Monday rolls around and I take the assembly to the local Freightliner truck dealer and ... drum roll please ... the starter works just fine on the workbench.
So rather than replace both the starter and solenoid assembly we decide to replace just the solenoid. The only problem is that the solenoid by itself isn't in stock, so that part has to be ordered and it doesn't arrive until the next day.
I pick up the solenoid but my mechanic buddy can't get back out until about 6PM that evening (ironically I was right behind him in traffic at one point as he was making his way to another job site).
We got the bus started but then start to experienced all manner of weird electrical problems. The alternator isn't producing any current, and the battery chargers that run off of house current are shorting out.
So it's back under the bus to figure out which cable is hooked up incorrectly. Between the two of us we figured it out but there were plenty of sparks, swearing, and smoke to go around.
That was a long night. Once we got the Bluebird running I drove her over to the nearby RV park, emptied the holding tanks (Thank You Lord!), ran back to the workshop, showered for what seemed like the first time in several days, and then headed to a nearby pub for a well-deserved cold one. I got there just before Last Call at 1:30AM. Whew!
Cost of repairs: About $700.
Emptying the getting-close-to-being-ripe poo tank: Priceless.
~~~
Like I said, sometimes you eat bear, and sometimes the bear eats you.
Someone has gone around and installed what I think of as video slot machines at a number of the local bars. They come with a copy of a letter from the local High Sheriff stating that they aren't really gambling machines and are legal in the State of Florida, so who am I to complain?
Deb has to be about the luckiest gambler that I have ever seen. She won over $500 on the slot machines at a Mississippi casino last year. Earlier this year she won just under $600 on one of the video machines here in town.
Last night she hit the jackpot not once, but twice, at the same bar.
Now, if we could just get some of that luck transferred to the Lotto ... ;)