Transmogrifie and Me

[lornaschinske]

Originally Posted by Shadoll

... In bus tonight it's 10:00 and it is supposed to get down to 33 tonight. Better than 25. Have the big buddy on medium because when I turn it down to low it's still cold...

COVER ALL YOUR WINDOWS!!! If you can't afford the rigid foam, you can use bubble wrap (either packing material clear which will let light in or the heat barrier Reflectix which will seem like living in a cave) or stop by the local thrift store and load up on quilts and heavy blankets to hang on the walls over the windows. Also if you have no additional insulation on your lower walls, that will suck a lot of hour heat out. Either rigid foam sheathing or let the blankets hang from the top of the windows all the way to the floor. If you can, hang the blankets well above the windows. I don't know about your bus, but we have screws in the cove above the windows that is right where the ceiling and the wall cove meet. You can use the pull tabs from soda cans as hanger clips that you screw to he wall. Use a clothes pin or safety pin to hang the blankets in the soda can tabs. We actually use binder clips that I buy in rather large packs from Sam's Club. I do have to use a washer to keep the screw head from slipping thru the binder wire. Of course a soda can pull tab (the kind that stays on the can until you snatch the things off) will make a cheapie "washer" for that use.

We use binder clips for lots of things. They are very handy.

[roach711]

You can also hang a couple of quilts or loading blankets to close off your sleeping area so you don't have to heat the whole bus at night. In the daytime you only have to heat the living area.

Spring is coming!!

[roach711]

Originally Posted by Shadoll

One day at a time.

One day you'll look back on this as the best time of your life. When wifey and I first started out we were living in one room of a tiny house while we slowly scrounged the stuff we needed to make the rest of it livable. Money was tight but we looked at it as an adventure. Now we're established fat cats but a part of me would like to go back and do it all over again.

[Shadoll]

Originally Posted by roach711

One day you'll look back on this as the best time of your life. When wifey and I first started out we were living in one room of a tiny house while we slowly scrounged the stuff we needed to make the rest of it livable. Money was tight but we looked at it as an adventure. Now we're established fat cats but a part of me would like to go back and do it all over again.

I am finding I'm still looking at it as an adventure. Hope I can keep that attitude a while longer.

And I too use binder clips for things as well.

[Shadoll]

Originally Posted by lornaschinske

COVER ALL YOUR WINDOWS!!!

We use binder clips for lots of things. They are very handy.

I will get there...

[Shadoll]

Originally Posted by wmkbailey

You will get there!

Believe it or not, I'm envious that you have a bus and already living in it. When I get mine, I will have a hard time keeping myself from moving in with just an air mattress and cooler.

Can already see the advantages to having some things done before you move in. I just have to realize that 'anything' takes jut a little more time and effort. You can't just turn on the water and wash a dish, or turn on the heater or put your coffee in the microwave. I am already re-packing a few things to take out of here. I don't need 8 of two sizes of plates or glasses... it's just me .. and maybe 'a' guest. Or towels or.. Next order of business is getting the front door remade so I dont' have to keep going in and out the back. Today though my glu-lams (sp?) make shift sawhorses are turning into steps.

Cat is still mad at me.

[lornaschinske]

Originally Posted by Shadoll

Cat is still mad at me.

They do tend to hold a grudge. You could try bribery.... a can of greasy REAL tuna fish. Just remember that often, once becomes a habit.

[Shadoll]

Sat on my new porch and had coffee and chocolate chocolate chip cake for brunch this morning, listening to the birds and the dogs bark.

[Shadoll]

It was a good thing really that I took up the first floor... I might have missed these someday. Pick looks reversed, strange, it really was an inney.


This morning....

I left the heater off last night because it's doing something I need to have checked out. I can live with this....

Had a couple of 'look see' visitors this weekend. Friends from work wanted to check it out. One had to duck. Fits me perfect but landlady says she feels uncomfortable with her head so close to the ceiling.

[Shadoll]

One week in the bus. Heater is inconsistent and either humidity, air flow, gas flow, outside temperature is affecting it, haven't figured it out yet. Last night it remained at 61 all night and I actually had to kick covers off and outside temp was raining hard and 36 degrees. Still on low. Go figure.

Can feel 'cold' emanating off metal walls, so they will be nice to get rid of. Bubble wrap is slowly being 'correctly' put on windows. I duct taped it up the first night I moved in at a hurried rate.

I feel like I have a lot of work to do but it will have to wait until I recoup some. So the bus won't be 'mobile' for a time yet. Already planning steps for built ins. Visitors are surprised the amount of room I actually have. (Course I haven't moved my 'sewing' things in yet.) Just doing little futzing around stuff for the moment. Organizing.

Routine of showering at the gym has been working well, actually get to work earlier on most days than before. Get up, make coffee, feed the cat, turn the heater off, grab my bag I packed from the night before... smooth. Except for the one day that the gym wasn't open, no sign. Plan C (go to friend's house).

Cat met landlady's lab face to face without the glass. Dog got whapped in the nose and cried. Cat rules.

[bus-bro]

I find these magnets handy for sticking stuff up: http://www.supermagnetstore.com/ceramic ... -in-block/

Buy several dozen.

(I haven't used this vendor, can't find the one I used.)

[lornaschinske]

Originally Posted by Shadoll

One week in the bus. Heater is inconsistent and either humidity, air flow, gas flow, outside temperature is affecting it, haven't figured it out yet.

How are you providing propane to your heater? The reason I ask is because some heaters (like ours) have the regulator built into the heater itself. So they do not need a regulator at the tank. Double regulating makes the heater act weird and unpredictable. Because ours has the built in regulator (it can run off the little disposable 1 lb tanks) we have it running (temporarily) of a dedicated 20# LP tank with no regulator... just like we run the tabletop LP grill. Other things that may make your heater act weird... spider webs in the system. For some reason spiders love LP. I think something about the stinky gas additive they like. It seems the stinkier the LP the more spiders we have. One of those little air cans like used to clean dust out of computer keyboards will work nicely to blow the cobwebs out.

[Shadoll]

Originally Posted by wmkbailey

My Boarder Collie Durango likes to herd things, go figure. When we first brought him to our horse farm he decided to herd the cats. The first one he went to was the big one, Borris. A few minutes later he was sitting beside me with a bloody nose. Now he only tries to herd the other cats.

10 lb cat - 45 lb dog, cat usually wins.

Funny. Yeah my cat weighed 16 pounds when I got him.. he's probably about 17 or 18 now, but I haven't weighed him in a while. I hope not.

[Shadoll]

Originally Posted by bus-bro

I find these magnets handy for sticking stuff up: http://www.supermagnetstore.com/ceramic ... -in-block/

Buy several dozen.

(I haven't used this vendor, can't find the one I used.)

Actually, I was reading another bus log where they used the magnets to hang the blanket wall and I thought.. shoot.. That would be perfect. Then I got to thinking maybe I should ask here if anyone has had adverse effects from magnets on the bus. Heck the whole thing is metal and I've already used the small magnets on the walls for stuff. Thanks for the site, was going to look into them on payday.

[Shadoll]

Originally Posted by lornaschinske

How are you providing propane to your heater? The reason I ask is because some heaters (like ours) have the regulator built into the heater itself. So they do not need a regulator at the tank. Double regulating makes the heater act weird and unpredictable. Because ours has the built in regulator (it can run off the little disposable 1 lb tanks) we have it running (temporarily) of a dedicated 20# LP tank with no regulator... just like we run the tabletop LP grill. Other things that may make your heater act weird... spider webs in the system. For some reason spiders love LP. I think something about the stinky gas additive they like. It seems the stinkier the LP the more spiders we have. One of those little air cans like used to clean dust out of computer keyboards will work nicely to blow the cobwebs out.

Good idea on the air can to clean with, I tried to get one to clean my power tools and Walmart was sold out. They keep it behind the 'contraband' counter now. I am also using the heater that has a regulator built in. I blew through one tank in 2 1/2 days this time, just seeing how it worked. Was really cold and rain and snow and I cranked it up on high and had the bus up to 72 degrees inside at one point. Usually low is plenty. But I think that also contributed to the excess condensation inside. That.. and my boiling eggs on the stove.

I've talked to the heater people and confirmed my set up for that particular heater. I like it overall. Mr. Heater Big Buddy.

[lornaschinske]

Originally Posted by Shadoll

... They keep it behind the 'contraband' counter now...

Why?

[inkblots84]

Originally Posted by lornaschinske

Why?

Because there are some idiots out there that think it's a good idea to huff the fumes. I got carded the last time I bought some.

@shadolln keep up the good work! I know it takes some adjusting but are you enjoying staying in your bus now?

[Shadoll]

I am @inkblots84.

People at work ask me how my bus is and it's like every day there is something new, some new challenge, some new find, some new score! And some fails. Ah well. We had snow again on Saturday. My best friend let me come over Sunday and take a shower and do a load of laundry, filled my 5gal water jug and she even fed me dinner. I have to get the schedules down for the laundromat etc.. haven't had to use one in years. As long as I can play World of Warcraft on a snowy Saturday I'm golden.

I did manage to get some of my deposit back from the apartment after all that hassle. Not a lot but every bit counts.

And Lorna... yeah.. what he said. You have to show ID to get canned air.. and they were still out.

Main situation at the moment is a high condensation problem. I am going to check home depot, or wherever, now for magnets and dig out some curtain type items to hang up. Now that the weather is supposed to warm up.

[Shadoll]

A work acquaintance that found out that I had moved into the bus lent me a couple of books that he had on Full time RV-ing and modifications today. Amazing some people's reactions to the fact. I love it.

My bosses comment... "she's from Oregon".

[lornaschinske]

Originally Posted by Shadoll

... lent me a couple of books that he had on Full time RV-ing and modifications...

I have found the Trailer Life books 10 minute Tech Vol 1 & Vol 2 (yes I own them) were very helpful in pointing out situations that folks had run into after spending time in their RVs. Many of the modifications and tips were built into the bus right from the start. Others were things we had personally run into when living in the Class C and the pop up fulltime along with the decades of camping in public parks we have done. Modifying your behavior and "living with it" for a weekend or a week at a time is one thing. But day in, day out living means you end up making tiny changes to some things. Even if you thing you have it all figured out... you will still be making little modifications. It never ends.

Places for ideas....
http://www.modmyrv.com/
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fu...ays/365/srt/lr