RVing With a Purpose

Friday, May 12, 2017

We got home about 7:30 last night and spent the next two hours unloading the truck. It was so packed that we were afraid to open any door without being ready to catch something that might fall out. We had somewhat underestimated the room it would take. Tuesday when we loaded out what we thought was a lot of our stuff we were feeling pretty good about getting everything home. Really thought there would be some extra space. NOT! We barely stuffed it all in yesterday afternoon. So now the sunroom and our bedroom are full of boxes and bags of FRED stuff. We packed so fast last week that we didn’t label anything and therefore will probably be looking for things for several weeks. Oh, well.

Today we almost felt like we had gained a “free” day because it was suppose to be a travel day.  So instead of staying home and working we decided to go play. Tiffin Motorhomes in Red Bay, Alabama does something most manufacturers would not think of doing. They allow you to follow your rig from the time it enters the factory until it is complete. There are certain things you can’t do, like the welding shop, but for the most part very little is off limits. You can wander around, talk to the people working on your rig and ask questions, going in and out of the motor home as you please. Of course, you have to stay out of everyone’s way so they can work and stay out of the way of the delivery of parts to the rigs.

We have the build schedule which gives the hour by hour schedule for our rig. Since our new motorhome started in the welding shop on Monday and into the main plant on Wednesday, we decided to make a road trip back to Red Bay. The work day at Tiffin starts at 6:00 and ends at 2:30. We didn’t make it there for the start of the workday since we had a two hour drive, but were there by about 6:30. After we checked in with security and received our badge and safety glasses, we had to go find our rig. We knew where it would enter the plant from previous visits, but there is more than one assembly line. We didn’t know exactly where our rig would be when we arrived. We knew our build number, 108449, and that that should be on the parts and rig, but where was it. There were so many rigs. We wandered around looking, looking. It was so exciting when we finally spotted “108449” on a rig right at the station listed on the build schedule. They were putting the large driver side slide in place when we first saw it. We are so glad we made the trip. It was so fun to watch the building of our future RV. Everyone was very nice. They even gave us the extra pex and plumbing tubing so we have started our spare parts kit. Hope it was Ok for them to give it to us, but they were going to throw it away and when we asked they said “Sure you can have it. You’re paying for it.” They are about 1.5 to 2 hours behind schedule right now due to a problem further up the line. Hope they don’t get too far behind since we are on a pretty tight schedule. The employees seemed very conscientious. When the employees from Station 12 finished the rig they were working on they picked up their parts and tools and came back to Station 11 where we were and started doing what they could from there. The young lady said “I can’t stand to get behind and I don’t want to start Monday even further behind, so I just go to where the RV is.” As we talked to the workers, they asked questions about where we travel and what we do with our RV which allowed us to share the NOMADS story. Can’t help but think that as we talked and they got to know us a little, that maybe they were taking a little extra care of our new baby.

It was just a really good day of time spent together not thinking of cancer. Now back to the real world of sorting and organizing and being responsible.

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Happy Birthday, Bill! We hope you have a great year.  Now that the NOMADS have finished maybe you can get some well-deserved rest.  Thanks for all your help.

Today we officially concluded the spring project at Hinton Rural Life Center. As usual we started the day with our devotion and a time of sharing and prayer. We then reviewed our work list and marked off the completed items. It is quite a list. Since we had completed our part of the remodeling of the Lake House yesterday, we just worked a few odd jobs today – mostly yard work and re-organizing the tool rooms. The cabinet makers also finally showed up and installed the wall cabinets.

We stopped work about 11:30 and went to Roma’s to celebrate Bill’s birthday. The food was great and the company even better and a great way to end the project.

After lunch we returned to campus and Dave and Carol and Bryant and Jackie readied their motorhomes to leave. We went back to the Lake House and found that there was no water because a plumber who had come to install a new meter had cut the line to the house. We then decided we might as well head home. Since we had already loaded most of our stuff in only took a little while to finish. We notified the team members and then made an uneventful drive back to Alabama.

We look forward to working with all these NOMADS again.

“See you down the road.”

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

It was another beautiful spring/summer day in Hayesville. Looking out on Lake Chatuge is just so peaceful and renewing. Feel so blessed to be here at this time.

Devotion today was by Sandy and Steve. Steve started by saying “You know we all have something to share.” The scripture was John 1:6-13. He then shared from Our Daily Bread, “Too Good Not To Share” and ended by reminding us that people who don’t read the Bible read Christians. How’s that as a sobering reminder of our responsibilities?

What did we do today? We finished the Lake House remodel!!!! A day early!! AWESOME!! We had hoped that the subcontractor who is building the custom cabinets would finally arrive, but it was not to be. Nothing else can be done until the cabinets and flooring are installed. This morning we installed the last of the trim, installed the wiring for the heat pump, touched up a few areas on the paint, and then started cleaning up. The clean up took a while. Getting all our tools back to the motor homes, and the Hinton tool shed was a big task. Then cleaning up all the dust was another big job. The pressure washing of the exterior was also completed. We then had a little time with Bill where we all signed our names on the floor which will be covered with carpet. Bill thanked the team for all their hard work and officially declared our part of the remodel complete. We know the pictures don’t look complete but we will post some additional pictures after the cabinets and flooring are installed. They will also have to get someone else to do the final plumbing and electrical since that can not be done until after the subs complete their work. We had really hoped to do that job for Hinton. Tomorrow we will be doing some outside work.

Dinner tonight – our last meal at Hinton this project – was also AWESOME! Phillip served us a wonderful potato casserole, grilled veggies and a scrumptious beef tenderloin. Oh, and there was a wonderful salad bar and delicious pineapple cake. Yep, don’t think we will be having anything but salad after we get home. Salad and a lot of walking and other exercise. Oh well, it was worth it.

After dinner we were back to the Lake House for a group picture and closing worship and communion. We usually do this on Thursday evening of week three but Dave and Carol will have to leave about lunch tomorrow because they have to get on to Kentucky where they will be leading next period and we didn’t want them to miss our closing. We asked Bryant to serve our communion since he is a retired UMC pastor. We held the service in the remodeled upstairs of the Lake House. It was AWESOME!!! We so appreciate Bryant and what he has meant to the team. It’s been a wonderful three weeks. The team really was a team in every sense of the word. This team has also been so supportive of Anne in the difficult times with Marguerite’s cancer battle.

Tomorrow we will probably work a half day so everyone can get all the tools sorted and loaded in their motor homes and be ready to hit the road Friday morning. We are ready to go home and get our life sorted back out after packing everything from FRED into two pickup loads.

Thought this published last night but guess it didn’t.  Sorry.

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Another gorgeous day. Actually got pretty hot when we were working outside. Needed hats and sunscreen today.

Gene presented our devotion today and used “A Parable from Your Pencil Box” from his church’s newsletter and Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 . The team really enjoyed this parable and provoked good discussion. Gene ended by reminding us of the quote on the board in the dinning room last night “When the world shouts just give up, God whispers try again.”

We then reviewed our tasks list, and enjoyed marking off several items that were completed yesterday. Bill also added a few things to our list but we will probably be able to complete them by Thursday afternoon. Today’s goal was to complete the painting. This was our number one priority and with everyone helping we accomplished this today with the exception of some new outside work. We also have almost all the electrical work completed. Unfortunately, there was a new assignment today of the installation of a major electrical cable. The heat pump has not been working as it should and when the repair person arrived today it was determined that new wiring needed to be run to the outside unit. We hope that is completed tomorrow. Sure glad we have some guys with great knowledge of electrical work. Also Bill, our agency contact, is very knowledgeable as well. The stairs were completed today too. The ceiling fans and all but one light fixture were reinstalled. The pressure washing of the outside was begun. The LP tank looks amazing after the pressure washing. Almost looks like it was painted but, nope, just washed it. The picnic table and some additional benches were painted as were the railings for the patio. Wow – lots accomplished/finished today. Maybe that’s why we are so tired tonight.

This week there are a number of state troopers here at camp receiving PTSD training. Since the Chef has to cook for the other guests, NOMADS get to eat in the dinning hall too. WOW! Chef Phillip has out done himself. Last night was grilled pork chops and tonight BBQ ribs with all the fixin’s with cookies and apple cobbler for dessert. They also always have a really fresh, good, salad bar. Suspect our weight will be up after eating all this wonderful food. When we had the motor home we prepared most of our own meals but we sure are enjoying the dinners here this week.