Day 10 Looking for a House

We got up early today and took Sirus out to play while it was still cool out. He enjoyed it and I think it helped his boredom some. When we got back I spent some time trying to find a doggy day care to take him to during the days. They seem to be lacking them around here. I found one but its like 30 min drive away. I think I will do it this week. The AC was acting up. Just bloody wonderful. I turned it on fan only for a bit and it started to shoot ice all over the RV, much as I appreciated the ice I felt this was a bad thing. Ken called the RV place and found out it was because we ran it on low when it was so humid out. they said high only in this weather. Once the ice blocks were gone it worked well. Sirus thought it was great fun to catch the falling Ice. So glad I could find a simple way to entertain him. We finally found a realtor that took calls on the weekend and was willing to help us get a house quickly. They got us in touch with a loan person for financing and a the realtors that called us are awesome, Becky and Dom Fletcher from Bob Hayes Realty. They have to be some of the nicest people I have met. Don was down to earth honest about everything we looked at. if a house didnt meet his standards he told us. If he saw a problem he told us. Becky was wonderful helping us figure out the bus to kens new work. I don't think I have ever seen any other realtors put so much of themselves into helping us. I would recommend them in a heart beat. They took us to a wonderful mexican restraunt which I added to my GPS as I MUST go back there again. It was out of this world good. They are going to send us some more information about a house that both ken and I just fell in love with. We will look at a few more but I get the feeling we will be living in this house before long. Ken even figured out the bus route for it LOL. When we got home we took the dogs out, Sirus had not eatten anythign amazingly. Tonight we relax.

Day Nine

Its just over a 150 miles to Louisville. We drove on to a Flying J and had breakfast. Over all I have to say how good the food has been at 99% of the Flying J's. We really only had one bad meal at one so thats not bad. After breakfast I went and dumped the black water again, Still not draining. Ken called the KOA and they said they could get us in early so we left the black water till we get there. The rest of the drive was an adventure in itself. It was pouring rain so bad I could barely see the road. We pulled into the KOA at about 1:30 or so and were given a temperary place untill the monthly place comes open. Its superr crowded here and no green space for the dogs. there is some grass across the street that we can take them to but it kind of sucks having to go so far. I guess thats the price of a city KOA. We got the black water problem fixed up with my new hose and poop wand. The hot water heater is still acting up. Oh well such is life. We called for a rental car and they came to pick us up. we rented a biggerr vehicle becausee of the dogs then went to look for a car. The first place we went didnt have what we wanted and I kind of glanced over a few more and nothing. As I was driving down the road I noticed a used car place. we went in there and found the car we wanted. A 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan. I really like it, the seats fold into the floor for the dogs. When we took the other car back, for the 3 hours we had it they charged us $120. I dont think I like enterprise. We got home and found that Sirus ate the face plate on our stereo. It is 100% my fault he is bored and I was stupid enough not to put it away. I cant believe I did that. Oh well live and learn. I never had problems like this in the house its plane and simple boredom. I was mad but at myself more than anything. We went out for a drive around and to find some fix for the internet problem (ken gets on ok but I have trouble) We did not find anything but did find a place to look for dog bones. When I asked the butcher for soup bones he thought I was nuts, in the pet sectioion we did find some bones there. When we got back we gave each of the dogs a bone and they spent most of the night chewing on that. We also took Sirus across the street to play ball this evening. He needs some exerrcize. Corky is not doing well in the heat. Its bad on his heart.

Day Eight

When I got up this morning the rv was cool so I went to turn on the heater, only cold air blew though so we turned it off. The black water tank is still showing full but I did drain it. I guess when they say you cant pack your sh*t in an RV they are wrong. I went into the KOA and bought an addition to the hose that blows water up into it and a wand. Just what I always wanted a sh*t wand. Like I cant make enough of my own. Anyways I tried the thing that lets you spray water up through the hose. it didnt work but it looked real cool. (See through, I got some lumps out...I know you will appreciate the fun of that statement David) I did not want to run a hose through the window and over our bed so I didnt use the wand behind stiring the tank with it a bit (ewwww) it still shows as full. We left the Koa this morning and went to Camping World in hopes of fixing our waterheater and getting our sh*t together. Its was hard as hell to find a place to park. Go figure a RV store with no RV parking. I finally said to hell with it and just parked in the drive way behind the RV's they were selling and made a mad dash for the store. It took a while to get help. as expected they were busy. I was standing at the counter waiting and the guy asks 'Did you want some help?' I felt like saying 'nope I decided to come hold up yhour counter for half an hour' but I didnt. When he finished with his customer came over and spoke to us, then proclaimed the place to busy to help. He finally decided that the service manager may be able to come out and look at the RV. After another wait the service manager showed up. The guy came out and checked the water heater, it does not seem to be getting any gas. Just wanderful. He however said that he could fit us in for service but not for 3 or 4 hours. However as we spoke to him I mentioned the heater not heating this morning and he told me to go try the stove. I ran out through the rain and tested. sure enough the stove would not light. it seems that Aiden laid on the gas sniffer and turned it off. I turned it on and woosh the water heater light. Well red faced I went back in and told the man and ken, After lots of blushing we were on our way. We bought a foam topper for the bed so we could get rid of that big air matteress we had. its very comfortable. I also bought a hose that I can hook to the tap for that wand that goes into the toilet. That should help some. I also bought some face cloths so I can shower properly. We are on the road again. It didnt take to long to get to Chicago this is where the toll roads started. First toll I paid a dollar fifty and thought well thats not bad, I wonder why people complain about it...then we hit construction. Ok not a problem they are keeping the toll roads in good shape it wont go on long. Then I saw a sign Toll ahead. Wait a minute, didnt I just pay a toll? and the construction just ended. So I paid a toll and landed in construction. It went on like that for hours. Toll Construction toll Constrction. By the 5th toll I was getting annoyed, It seems like every time they decide to do road construction they put a toll booth before it. Well we finally got past all that and not a penny too soon. I was running out of coins, The next toll booth I would have had to toss in a ferret. About 7 pm we started to look for a camp ground. We wanted to work on the Toilet some. And check the hot water. I saw a sign that said there was camping just off the highway at about 9:30 or 10. We followed the directions for a while but ended up off in the boonies and no camp ground. The gps kept yelling at me to turn around when possible. Of course there was no place to do that. Finally it told me to turn left ahead. I started to make the turn and ended up on the smallest road possible, there was no way the RV was going down it, and down it was a really steep hill. So here I am in half a turn on an incline and branches so low I can not go forward. I waited till there was no cars on the highway and quicky stepped from break to gas and backed up onto the highway to be facing in the right direction. We went on to the right highway and got back on it. I was so mad I didnt even try to find the campground after that. What is with these places that go "camping" then don't tell you where to go after that? Well we kept looking for a place to stop and by about 11:00 I had given up. I pulled into a rest stop. Most said no over night parking but I didnt even look for the sign. I stopped and went to bed. I was exhausted. To top off the night the hot water tank is still not working and the blackwater tank reads full. I am getting beyond frusterated with this whole adventure.

Day Seven

From Kathy Perry

We woke up at about 6:30 and got on the road shortly after that. It was a good thing we stopped when we did because there was a note on the highway saying it was closed over night for repairs. Making it through Minneapolis, MN was really easy with the GPS, it took us around the outside of the city which is awesome. When we went this way last time we went down I90 which took us right through the city. We went by Wisconsin Dells at about 1:00 pm and we considered stopping but decided to go on, we ended up stopping about 3 at Madison Wis Koa. They had bike rentals so we rented a 2 seater (side by side) and zoomed around the KOA. We took Sirus and Adian at seperate times for runs. Sirus about pulled us all over the park. While we were over renting the bike though one of the dogs had a case of the runs in the RV.. Yuck! Oh well got that cleaned up. I think it might have been corky he is looking a little under the weather. My poor baby. He is such a good travelor, he sleeps under the table all day. We went to heat the water once we got it all set up and it still wont light so we will need to have someone look at that. I just dont know how to light the pilot. We at least have water. I guess hot water is for another day. Ken got the new locks on the hatch doors. they were not exactly the same so he had to jerry rig them but with the old parts and the new it worked well. If you look at the "day one" you will see how the ferrets cage looks, we built it into the closet, the main problem with this is that you can not open the bottom door on the cage because of the wood bar from the closet, Since we want to sell the rv we do not want to cut it out. Also Strabo can not be put with the other ferrets so that means I have to have the cage seperated into two.

Day Six

From Kathy Perry

Well we went over to the RV shop and as I expected they did not have time to fit us in. About to leave dejected and saying 'ya that figured' the guy goes ...However.... He got us an appointment at a little shop behind them that does fan belts. and then took us to the RV shop and we got a new sink which ken like a pro installed while we were driving. Damn he is good!. We have 2 door latches on the RV that are broken and everywhere on Vancouver island we called told us we had to replace all the doors as they dont make those any more. Amazingly this place had exactly 2 of them. So ken will be putting them on. They also told us how to fix the hot water heater. DUH a plug was out I didnt know about so it would not heat the water. I am going to fill up with water and then get that going. We did not find a place to sleep tonight so we slept in a truck stop/gas station. Not a bad night but it was warm as heck no heater needed tonight.

Day Five

We got started late today but it was a nice break. My knee has started hurting when I drive more then a few hours so I have had to take a few breaks. I can not put my chair back far enough to stop the pain because of the sofa behind me. I just have to keep telling myself to 'suck it up princess' At lunch we went to stop at a restraunt and when I first saw it I thought it was a dive. broken windows plastic flapping in the wind. It was a Dive (in Glendive city even) I peeked inside and it looked ok so we went in. It was darned good food and I am glad we stopped in. Goes to show you can not judge a book by its cover. We went just under 300 miles and stopped at a KOA again tonight, its the Bismark North Dakota Koa. I am not to impressed with it, you are packed in like sardines and there is little place for the dogs to play, also the internet is sparadic at best.

Sirus is getting a bit better with his upset tummy but he is getting really bored I wish I could help more. Sirus tried to eat kens book reader but we caught him. He needs something to do. I can play ball with him only so much at the end of the day.

Day Four

Sirus has the runs. Just what we need, I stopped at a petsmart to get some food for the dogs. They did not have any good brands so the dogs are eatting crappy food but at least its food an it will do for now. Since Sirus is being cooped up so much he is hard to handle, I got a pinch collar and asked for help putting it on, neither the manager or the dog trainer knew how to do it and the dog trainer was rather rude to boot. We also went to target and I got spore.

The GPS did get lost today. The whole way here it told me to go down I94 from billings. No sooner did I get to Billings and it wants me to go down I90, no idea why but the I94 route is 50 miles shorter and uses toll roads which tend to be nicer so I went that way. It took a bit but it finally worked. We stopped at the Miles Montana KOA for the night, showered and washed cloths. It was in a really crummy part of town and I was leery of staying there but over all it was a good stay. Lots of room for the dogs, good internet and clean laundry/shower area.

Day Three

Woke up warmer but still cold, we need to figure out the temp to set the furnace at. The dogs are getting bored as are the ferrets. I wanted a little warm water to wash, when I tried to turn on water heater, wont work, I am thinking we have to light a pilot somewhere but I dont know how. The Gas is leaking really really bad now. Kens parents found a place that will help us. By the time we got there he was swamped to it was a 2 hour wait. We showered and Ate while we waited. We finally got in and the hose was not one he had, he also could not find one anywhere. He tried to do about 10 different things but nothing worked. Finally he found a hose but when he got back he found it would not work because it would not stay in the shape it needed to be and would crimp. He took the spring from our old hose and put it around hte new hose. With this on the gas no longer leaks but now we have a chance that it may crimp and not take gas. OH well I guess thats better then leaking. They could not do anything about the fan belts and the squeeky AC. Got on the road and did about 3o0 miles today. Amazing with how late we got going. Stayed at a rest stop. Ferrets didnt get much time out. Played a bit of ball with Sirus, he is going batty.

Day two

I woke up vomiting today, that is not pleasent. Its also cold as hell in here, we figured out how to turn on the furnace thank goodness. I hate cold!!. Went into Walmart and got some pepto to take on the road. Stomach kind of settled. Went to fill up the rv and the damn hose is leaking again. No where to get it repaired we will have to find a place and have them look at it. I fill up with the gas away from the attendants so they don't complain about me spilling gas.

Day One

We got up early and finished loading the RV. Had a bit of a fight to get the ferrets into the closet where thier cage will be. I finally got it after a lot of cursing. It was a bit touchy there as to if we would have room for everything but we made it. Mind you the shower is stacked full of stuff. Oh well we will make it.We got on the road after some tearful goodbyes to Pasha and last minute instructions.

Went to just about Sidney near the ferry and stopped to get gas. The fellow filling up next to us informed me that i was leaking gas. We pulled over to the Mcdonalds across the way and after calls to all the RV places which are right in the area finally called Alpine to come help us since no one else would.

As we waited we ran into Fred, he told me it was Aud that had left the presents for me at Alpine. Well I guess I am down one stalker guy. Oh well it was fun while it lasted. Alpine finally showed up and jerry riged the filler hose on the RV. I filled up and it did not leak. Seems like we are good to go.

We finally got to the ferry after lunch. We missed the one ferry by about 10 minutes, talk about bad luck. Once over the ferry we drove straight to the boarded and went though. I used the peace arch boarder. I think I should have gone through Blaine with the RV since this was a tight squeeze but I didnt know that at the time.

We were through there in 10 minutes. No problems. We drove for a bit and ended up staying at a Walmart for the night.

Breaks and Gas sniffer.

Well we took the rv in to Alpine at 8 am. Aud drove us back to our place. Its nice to be able to say bye to her. We don't see her often but I will miss her. Pasha drove us back to get the RV at like 4 and this guy that works there comes up and hands me this 2 things but he is talking to someone and does not tell me why he is giving them to me. I was like what the fuck? One was a crystal that says gemini in it and I could not figure out how the hell he knew I was a gemini...Stalker!! We got to Tom's RV too late tol get anyone to do the sniffer. We bought one and took it home with us and installed it. Stove and Fridge now work. However its too damn late to get on the road to we are going to wait till tomorrow.