The job of the day was to replace our back-up camera. The original one had somehow gotten moisture inside and would not focus. It was something that I had put up with for more than a year but since it was slowly getting worse, I contacted Intec, the manufacturer. It turns out that Intec has excellent technical support and the tech also had a reconditioned camera available for $250.After a discussion with the tech and having run several tests that he suggested, I ordered the replacement camera.

Thanks to the assistance of tech support folks, the job went pretty well. As is so often the case with things in RVs, the biggest problem is in access to the mountings. The camera is mounted behind an access panel of about 6" square, that is above the top shelf of our clothing closet at the back of the RV. I had to stand on the bed with my head and shoulders stuck into the closet, and half lay on the shelf. Since the screw to hold the mounting comes up from the bottom I had to work with both hands pushed through the small opening and work pretty much blind. What could be a half hour job quickly because a three hour job, and it was very hot up on that shelf, with outside temperatures above 90. But the camera is now in place and the new camera has been caulked so as soon as things are cured, I can remove the masking tape from the camera and the job is done! And this project only took me a month to get around to it.

Even when you live in an RV there comes a time when you just have to get busy and do home chores. Since we are parked completely under cover and so have both shade and protection from any rain, should that happen, we have both been quite busy doing some of the things that we have managed to put off for months, to even years. One of my first chores undertaken this week is one from the "years" category. One by one I have been emptying each outside storage bay completely, sorting through the stuff and getting rid of what don't belong or we don't use, or in some cases we have too many of. It is surprising how many items I find that I have forgotten I and, and then purchased another one! Such as three different containers of wood filler! Since our friends here have a large shop all of the extras are going into his supplies and a surprising amount goes to the trash. Inside, Pam has done the same and the result has been that we made a nice donation to the local Goodwill Store.

In addition  I have done a few things like waxing the end caps, minor reinforcing of storage bays, vacuum the bays, and also replaced both of the plumbing vents for our gray water system. Should you ever replace those vents (there are usually two, one under each sink) they are quite easily removed and the cost was abut $5 each. When you put in the new one, always use some Vasalene on the threads as a sealant because it not only seals things but it also keeps it easy to remove when the time comes to change then again. The most difficult part of me is to remember what the devices is called at the home supply store. I tend to call them a vacuum breaker,which is what they do. The store knows them as a mechanical plumbing vent. If you remember the name they are easy to locate and available in nearly all plumbing departments!

One of the interesting things to visit when you happen to pass through Wichita, Kansas is the Coleman Camping Equipment museum. It is located in the older section of downtown Wichita, in part of the restored area. The building is mostly an outlet store but the front section has a small, but very interesting museum. It holds some of the earliest products ever built by the Coleman Company. What facinated me was the number of products that were not originally marketed as camping equipment.

The company actually began from selling a lamp built by the Edward Miller Company of Meriden, Connecticut.  William Coleman was a school teacher who went into the business of renting the lights to businesses for $1/week, including fuel and service in 1900. In 1902 he moved his company to Wichita, purchased all rights to the lamp in 1902 and began to manufacture them in 1905 as the Coleman Arc Lamp.The first of the portable lamps were introduced in 1908 and the first Coleman Camp Stove was introduced in 1923. In 1949 production of the gasoline table lamps ended but by the 1950's the Coleman Company had become the world's largest manufacturer and marketer of camping equipment. For any who have ever been tent campers, the small museum is well worth a visit, and we found it interesting to walk through the store as well, even though we no longer have any need for most of the products sold there.

Pam has been doing a complete redecoration of our RV home over the past year. Last summer it was the bedroom, then she reupholstered the dinette. This spring & summer it has been new window coverings for our living room. We were never happy owners of the day/night shades and so I am happy to report that they are all now gone! We put blinds in the bedroom last year and the curtains and new draperies are nearing competition up front.

One of the major changes is in the shade that has been over our entry door. Pam was never happy with what has been there, and for that matter, I was not all that thrilled by it either. When we are in cold locations, the entry door has also become a bit of a heat-loss problem as it just isn't as tight as it was, ten years ago. With it now somewhat debatable just how many years we will have to continue this, we figure that replacing the entire door, frame and all would solve this but at what cost?  My ingenious wife designed a combination, curtain/insulating blanket to do two jobs in one! My part in this project was to remove the old valance and then develop a means of trimming out the door for the new covering. The project is now complete and very soon we will be mounting Pam's new shade.