If you ever want to make God laugh, tell him your plan(s). Four years ago I was told I needed a triple bypass. Since then I have been laid off of 3 "good jobs". I would take it personally if it weren't for the many others got the boot as well. My "plan" was to get a few things in order before I go & take on serious surgery. I intended to be back in to have it done in 4-6wks. Four years, three jobs and (God knows) everything else that went wrong along the way... but another layoff in June of 2014 and I was done. ("restructuring") LMAO
WHAT fun??)
I decided to just take the unemployment this time and start scheduling doctor appointments. But no, that was too simple. Thanks to bad gas (I think) my van refused to run from 4 days after that June layoff until every single part of the fuel system was replaced or blown out. What a nightmare.!! Typically, the whole job COULD be done for $500-600 in a just weekend or even just one long day. Remember that overdue bypass? Took me FORVEVER.! Work 15min... break a half hour... repeat until done. add for bad weather. Add for all around town trips now accomplished by bicycle. Three of those trips were all day, 40+mi. excursions to my nearest Harbor Freight store. Back in the day a trip like that could be done before lunch time.
Fast forward to now & cardiac rehab. The official goal is 5hrs/wk on the bike or treadmill. (40-50miles by bike) Almost laughable to think that a week of rehab is roughly equal to those trips to Harbor Freight.
I've been out to visit the bus on several occasions since the surgery and it never ceases to amaze me. What a beautiful, massive project this is. In the course of events leading up to "D-Day" the bus was my housing, project, lifesaver, keeper of dreams, tool storage, my cat's home... my home. It had become everything I needed for two years.
Through all this "disruption of life" in the last couple of years I've spent much of my computer time looking at what my freind calls "Bus Por.n". Yes, that's right... Skoolies Dot Net were former school buses are stripped for their owners' delight and dreams. LMAO
For some of you "Old Timers" (relative to this site anyway) I thank you for helping people like me not look so crazy when we talk about buses, campers, life on the road, life without a road, freedom, self reliance, the brotherhood between people (whether bikers, campers, skoolies or other lesser known species). No truer words were ever spoken about brotherhood than to say, "IF I have to explain it you wouldn't understand." I think Washington.D.C. has much to learn in that arena.
This summer, I expect to complete the electrical, insulation as well as interior walls & partions. On the exterior I have a couple small spots to seal up and paint at least the top. She is currently blue and white. At first glance it would remind you of Rustoleum Blue but it's several shades darker. Almost a royal blue. (Skoolies uses a pic of one that's nearly an identical blue.) My bus is tentatively known as "Mir-Cat Manor" though subject to some sort of upgrade later. (Or not... LoL
As is, I have 3 solar panels charging 2 31series standard batteries, a rather large wood stove, 2 kerosene heaters (used for quick heat while waiting on the stove to get up to speed), one cot, a small temporary dinette and a LOT of storage.
I have quite a few pics IF I can get my Android to give them up. The phone died last month and I think I had it set up to save pics and contacts on the Sim card rather than the phone "just in case of such an emergency". Kinda like Foghorn Leghorn keeping his feathers numbered... Just in case.
I'm off to Best Buys to get a Sim card reader for the computer this weekend. Wish me luck.
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