Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Junk in the Trunk....

Last week I had started a "to do" list, of projects around the rig, and one of those was to clean out and organize the tool boxes on the truck. Since Linda didn't need to go into work until six, we decided that today was the day to cross that item off our list. One by one Linda and I took everything out of each, threw away the junk and organized the remaining items. After coming to the last toolbox(there are 4 total) we thought about the way everything seems to bounce and move around more in the rear boxes than they do in the front ones. So, back we went and reversed the items that we had in the boxes. Put the heaviest items in the tool boxes closest to the cab to see if that jingling, we hear every time we go over a bump, would decrease.

I also decided to remount in the basement of the RV an under cupboard style AM/FM CD player that also has a weather radio. It had been hanging in there using a sling type of device I rigged up but every time I need to get in the basement to work, I seem to hit my head on it. Having found my roll of pipe strapping in one of the truck tool boxes I figured I would hang it up next to the ceiling, using the pipe strap. This is one of those DIY projects that goes well if you have 3 hands but since that isn't the case I needed Linda's assistance. Being bifocal impaired, for me it's impossible to look up at something like a screw head and have it in focus well enough to line up a screwdriver to it. I decided the best tool for the job was my cordless drill, with phillips bit, instead of a handheld screwdriver. Lying on my back in the basement of the rig, I had the screw in one hand and the drill in the other. I needed Linda to hold the radio up so I could fasten the pipe strap on each side of it. It was a rather space constricting predicament which was resolved by me putting my legs up over Linda's shoulders so she could get close enough, to the rig, to reach in and hold the radio. Looking like a set of circus performers, there I was trying to look up and get the screw aligned with the existing holes....Linda struggling to hold the weight of the radio out horizontally and then I kept dropping the screws. For those bi-focally challenged RV'ers out there, you can appreciate how challenging this small task was. After I dropped the screws about five times we both got to laughing so hard at the way the whole thing must have looked, that it was all I could do to get those screws anywhere close to where they needed to go. I told Linda that it looked like something from America's Funniest videos....Finally, after multiple attempts and Linda retrieving all the dropped screws, we got it installed. Now that's teamwork....

Linda was scheduled to go in at six tonight but got a call at four and they said they didn't need her. She is supposed to work there Wed and Thursday also so we'll see what happens. Great weather day....started out cool (50's) but then was in low 70's with a light breeze. Calling for a few more nice days before the threat of rain again over the weekend.

2 comments:

Tom and Donna Clapham said...

Linda,
You paint the word picture so well...I got so tickled reading this thread I almost peed my pants. You guys probably looked like a monkey having sex with a football!!!! rockin'

imMovable Book Lady said...

And that vision thing is why I have a pair of glasses that is close-up only, so I can see in any direction and read and work on the computer and read labels in the grocery store on the bottom shelf etc etc.