Winnie's first trip

Since neither of us knows a thing about RVs, we wanted to take Winnie out for a day trip, to learn how to operate everything - get comfortable using all the appliances, etc. So, on Memorial Day, we set out early in the morning to Bolsa Chica State Beach for the day. Everything was planned so carefully. Gerald assembled the little barbecue we bought just for the RV, and we brought food and drinks for breakfast, dinner, and snacks. We packed books and magazines, lawn chairs, sunscreen - we thought of everything. It was going to be perfect!

We got to the beach a little after 7 am. At the gate, the attendant informs us that because it's a holiday and they expect big crowds, we cannot open the awning, have our chairs out, or barbecue! Hmmm... Once we parked, the first thing was to get the refrigerator started. Success! The second, but really the most important thing was to make some coffee. Hmmm... none of the electric outlets worked. After reading the manual, we realized you have to either be plugged in or run the generator. Hmmm... the generator wouldn't start. No biggy, we can do without the electricity, we'll just make some breakfast. Again, get out the manual and figure out how to start the stove. Once again, success! I rather enjoyed making scrambled eggs on the little stove. Time to do the dishes. Hmmm... no hot water - even though the water is heated with propane, it needs electricity to start the 'spark'. No biggy, the dishes can wait until we get home.

All in all, the day was a success. I can't remember the last time I was so relaxed! We took the dogs out for a long walk, read, napped. We went for another long walk in the afternoon, without dogs, and picked up some beach glass and shells. We cooked our dinner, originally planned for the barbecue, on the stove.

The following day we made an appointment to take Winnie in and get the appliances checked out. $826 later everything runs fine.

Travel Journal

Getting an RV is the perfect time to start a travel journal. I made this one from a composition notebook. I glued an old map to the front, back, and inside covers. I added a Jolee's Dimensional Title Sticker to the front.

Inside the front cover, I pasted an envelope to be used as a pocket to hold receipts, maps, notes, etc. I made the little RV on the pocket... very amateurish, but fun to do.

I plan on keeping a record of everything we do with Winnie - the places we go and the people we meet; photos, postcards, tickets - so far, it's just a lot of notes about cleaning, repairs, and money spent!

All cleaned up and ready to roll!

Except for the bathroom (yuck!), the chocolate milk spotted upholstery, and the pile of Cheez-Its, assorted toy parts, and MORE chocolate milk up in the cab-over area, she wasn't that bad. Nothing a ton of elbow grease couldn't take care of. Thank heavens for my Little Green Machine and Febreze.

After tearing out all the rotten fabric over the windows, I went looking for fabric that would match the plum upholstery, lavender carpet and counters, and the pink, blue & lavender walls... no such luck. I like these colors, but they are not easy to work with! So, instead, I found at Walmart, some plastic raffia trim, like a mini grass skirt, and stapled that up for valances. I love it! It serves the purpose of finishing off the window and was a cheap, if only temporary, fix. Some day, when I have more time, I will continue looking for the perfect fabric and make something more permanent.

In the meantime, I can't wait to hit the road tiki-style.

Meet Winnie!

We bought an RV! After weeks of looking, we finally found one that seems to meet all of our requirements - a 1994 Winnebago Minnie Winnie Class C. Neither of us has ever had an RV and I'm really excited to get started cleaning her up and make her a little more "aesthetically pleasing".