STUFF... LOTS OF STUFF HAPPENING!

We planned to go to Manzanita on Saturday....  Well, we left to go on Saturday, but not until 6:30 in the afternoon.... Lots had to be done before we got on the road....

The first project, was.....

...switch out those Ontario plates... It really was strange to watch Jim change out the plates.  It's like those Ontario plates were my link with home... and, they're now gone... Seems very strange... But, it's a done deal and we've moved forward.

We got on the road at about 6:30 in the afternoon... Jim was driving Beluga and I was driving the Chevy... We were about an hour outside of Panguitch, when the side storage compartment blew open... We pull over to the side of the road, and the locks had torn off... don't know why, they were just gone... So, Jim, as handy and dandy as he is, with the plethora or tools that we usually travel with (really...) pulled one of the locks from the other side of the motor home off, and put screwed it on the other side and we continued.

Now, you have to realize something... I am night blind... I just flat don't see well at night... and it's getting darker and darker and darker and I'm panicing....  We need to take I-15 to exit 95 to get to Panguitch...  Jim is in front of me, and I'm watching the signs count down the exits.... 100, 99, 98, so I know that we're going to exit pretty soon.... I see the sign that says exit 95 is about a half a mile away and I am preparing to exit....  and then I watch Jim zoom by the exit.... and I'm flashing my lights and hitting the horn trying to get his attention... nothing.... I take the exit and call him on my cell... Poor thing was deep in thought, and just flat missed the exit.... The only unfortunate thing is the next exit is 13 miles away...  Jim tells me to just go on, and he'll catch up....  The area that I was driving through is a canyon... winding roads, steep drop offs, and I'm freaking...  absolutely freaking...  Jim caught up with me AFTER I made it through that canyon... and we carried on.

We got to Panguitch, and decided that instead of taking the motor home up to the property, we would just stop at an RV campground for the night..  Jim backs Beluga in, and I park the car in the appropriate space next to the RV...  This is what I saw the next morning....

When I was parking the car, I didn't notice there were big rocks that I was supposed to park between...  Can we get any closer here???  I think if I had hit it, I would have noticed...

Our first night in the motor home really was... nice...  Very cozy, very comfortable... It got a little cold in the middle of the night... but, that might have been because I put the spread on the bed sideways, instead of lengthwise.... and our feet were sticking out the bottom of the bed...  Got that one remedied at about 5 in the morning.... Giggle...

Moving forward, we got to the property on Sunday, and started getting a space cleared out for Beluga to call home...

We got the space cleared out, and our lovely lady moved in...

Jim continued using the backhoe to start the 2nd driveway that will eventually connect to the cabin and the 1st driveway...

And... we continue to fight with that stupid Manzanita...  I hate that stuff... and it's everywhere... It is the plague of my existence...

And Beluga not only has a new home, but she has a new friend also...

Mission accomplished... Here's my sweetheart... tired, worn out, exhausted... but did a great job...  love that man..

Fallin' in love more and more and having another grand adventure....

Cheri

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE

Theresa Sprickerhoff had a little clip on her facebook this morning, and I loved it.  It is about a group of boys in Thailand who wanted to play soccer...  They didn't have space to practice, didn't have equipment, and everybody laughed at them...  Watch the video, and see how their dreams played out.

I have been asked by a whole lot of people about the possibility of Jim and I building this cabin, and actually completing it...  People don't understand - it's not the finished project that has been the excitement - it's the journey. We may be laughed at, lots of people may question our motives, or our age, or a thousand other things.  This is our dream, this is our adventure, this is our love, this is our passion.... and we're making it happen...

Figure out what your passion is, and go for it.




http://funniestvideoalbum.blogspot.com/2014/03/what-if-nothing-is-impossible.html

Cheri

WEIRD!

We are going to be taking the motor home down to Manzanita tomorrow, where it is going to stay for the next couple of years while we are building.  Jim has worked so hard getting it all ready to go - new floors, new bed, new stove, new appliances and new cabinets.  Last week, I stocked the cupboards with food - things that are not perishable,  and I was packing up clothes into totes last night.  It just seems unreal.

I was laying in bed this morning, and it just seems so strange to me... we have been planning this for a couple of years now, and it's finally happening....I guess I don't know exactly how to feel.. It's a combination of excitement, and worry, and scared and anticipating... 100 different feelings - almost like excitement for the next chapter, and fear of the unknown.

I expressed my feelings to Jim this morning, and he agreed - he was feeling the same way.

Here's to a new chapter in the book called "Another Amazing Adventure".

Cheri

BELUGA!

Well, the final part of the motor home story has been completed!  With all the problems we had trying to get the plates changed from Ontario to Utah - we were issued brand new Utah plates yesterday!

We have been working on this project for a couple of weeks now... We had the hassle with Customs at the SLC airport - which we thought was going to be the worst of it... Apparently, it wasn't.  In Utah, you have to get a inspection and an emissions test on all vehicles... UNLESS you live in certain counties which don't require the emissions testing.  Kane County, where our cabin is going to be, is one of those counties.  So, we only had to have the physical inspection.

Jim took Beluga down to the place we usually get our car inspections done... they don't do inspections on motor homes... BUT, they refer him to a place that does commercial vehicles.  I think I've already written this part...

Anyways, he takes it down for the inspection, and they check out the lights and this and that... and it passes... The only thing that they have a problem with is the back brakes.  In order to check the back brakes, they have to take off the wheels and the rear axle... all for $10.00 - the cost of the inspection.  They are not thrilled about this, but tell Jim that the brand new vehicles have these two little holes drilled into them, so that all you have to do is pop the little rubber cap off, and shine a light in there, and the inspection is done...

So, last week, Jim drilled the two little holes...  He takes the motor home to the inspection station yesterday, they spend a whoppin' 10 minutes to crawl under the motor home (because Beluga doesn't fit in their bay) did the inspection, signed off on the emissions paperwork, and we were done!

Jim then drives Beluga down to the DMV, which is in the downtown core of Provo, to get the plates.  Poor thing was having a freak trying to figure out where to park Beluga, but finally found a space right in front of the DMV... He went in, gave them the 20 pages of paperwork, they had a chuckle over Beluga's name, and they handed over the plates.

We haven't switched over the plates yet... I think Beluga really likes the Ontario plates - she thinks they are pretty...  at least I do..

Cheri

FLOOR!

Jim, bless his heart, spent most of Sunday pulling up old flooring in the motorhome and putting down a beautiful, new floor... It looks spectacular.  It was a perfect day for being outside - not extremely hot, beautiful sunshine...

I asked Jim if he took picture of the finished project... he said no.  By the time I mentioned it, it was too dark out.  Hopefully, we'll get some pictures today.

Cheri

Finally got the picture taken.. Doesn't this look great?!

ME AND BELUGA

We've decided to call the motor home, Beluga - just because she is a whale, she is white, and she is Canadian... Beluga whales are, big, white and are native to Russia and Greenland - so they're imports, just like our motor home...  just go with me on this one...

Well, Jim and I and Beluga went to Salt Lake Customs this morning with all our paperwork in hand, attempting to get the customs release that we need to take to the DMV to get our Utah license plates.  We made it there within the correct "extended" window of time, parked in front of the International office, and Jim went inside.  I had to stay in the belly of the whale while Jim went in because someone has to stay in the vehicle at all times...

After about an hour of paperwork, (no kidding here) Jim comes out with the Customs guy and he checks the temporary plate that we have, checks the engine, looks at the door tags and signs off on the paperwork!  He told us that Beluga looked great and he hoped we would have an enjoyable time with her....  I was shocked.  I was so sure something was going to go wrong...

The customs officer said that because of the new NAFTA regulations, we didn't have to pay import duties or taxes.  We were thrilled. We were absolutely sure that we would have to pay something, but the cost was absolutely zero...  But, at 8 miles per gallon, trust me, that little 45 minute trip to Salt Lake cost...

We were going to take her down to Manzanita this afternoon, but we still don't have the safety inspection done.  That is going to be taken care of on Monday.  We could have it down closer to the cabin, but, we aren't sure if there is a commercial inspection station in Panguitch.  I know there isn't one in Hatch, but wasn't sure about Panguitch.  So, we have put that trip off for a week.

I got Beluga's bedroom finished last night, and I was really pleased with the look..

Not much room in there besides the bed... The door to the left is the shower, and the door to the right is the restroom.  We bought a cupboard this afternoon to put in the bedroom, but, these babies aren't made to store anything.  Giggle.

.... another amazing adventure.

...AND TODAY'S SAGA CONTINUES...

So, Jim took the motor home over to get the safety inspection done - couldn't get it done because the place we usually take our cars, only does regular vehicles... But, they told us where to go where they do the inspections on commercial vehicles.

Jim goes over there, and they say that of course they can get it done....  But, they have to take the back wheels off, and the axle off, and inspect the brakes that way... and it will be done.. Monday at 2:00... Monday at 2:00?  Um... we need it today... Well, not gonna happen.

So, we decide that we'll just drive it up to Salt Lake Customs this afternoon, and get that inspection done.  I call before we head up, just to make sure they are there, and the lady that I talk to says that they will close their doors around 5:30 pm because they have a flight from Mexico coming in, and customs will totally close the rest of the day... Um... What about this, "We're open until 6:00 pm" deal...  No, they close when international flights come in..

BUT, they are open Saturday mornings for an extended period of time.... 10:45 until 12:00 noon... extended period of time?  Do they know the meaning of that phrase?

So, we are going to be making a trip to SLC customs, at the airport, tomorrow morning...

It's starting to get comical, I know... but, I'm not laughing..

Cheri

PRE EXISTENCE

Update - so, Jim calls me just before I come home from work.  He ordered the "letter" from Ford - and they said that it's going to take 6 weeks for them to mail it to us... 6 weeks?  Um, our temporary license for The Whale is for 30 days.... ok....

Jim calls the Customs guys back at the airport in SLC and asks if he can bring The Whale up and get it inspected by them, and just have a suspended file until we get the stupid letter from Ford....  They say, that they've been talking about this situation amongst themselves, and they don't think we need the letter from Ford - we just need to get the emissions and safety completed by the State of Utah, and bring it up to the airport, and they'll check it and we're good to go... ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME?

We've been round and round with this stupid thing all day, and now they say we don't need the letter.

So, Jim is off, with The Whale getting her inspected, and if all goes well, we are going to speed up to the Customs at the Airport and get their seal of approval....  They were so generous - said they'd be there until 6 today....  Think about it... we are 45 minutes away from the airport, Friday afternoon, rush hour traffic....  and we have to make it there by 6...  ok....

I think that in the pre-existence, somebody said, "Hey, who wants to have this really strange life, filled with really strange people, and really stressful - down to the minute situations, and have lots of amazing adventures.......?"  and I was stupid enough to raise my hand, and say, "I will!"  (Maybe, at that point, I didn't know the meaning of the word, strange..."  Sigh...

Well we didn't make it.

Cheri

JUMPING THROUGH HOOPS!

Update on the DMV issue - Yesterday, the guy at the DMV tells us that we are supposed to take the motor home back to the port of entry to get the correct documentation signed...  The motor home entered in Buffalo.... we are supposed to drive this stupid thing back to Buffalo, to get an inspection and then drive it back... just so we can get a Utah plate... um - no.  Not gonna happen.

Today, Jim calls customs at the SLC airport and talks to them.. We have to get a certification from the manufacturer telling them that this motor home was built to US FEDERAL specifications... um, really?  It's a FORD.  So, Jim looks for the name and number of the manufacturer in Canada - guess what - they're out of business... But, some guy in Alberta bought up all the trademarks etc... Jim finds this guy's name and number and gives him a call... He's a really nice guy who retired in 2010.  The guys at the SLC airport say that we have to get a letter from him...  This guy in Alberta says that there is a little plate on the door that gives all the information... So, Jim finds it, calls SLC Airport customs back and they say that's great, and that is for the body of the motor home, not the engine.

The front of the motorhome is made by Ford.  So, Jim has to take the motor home to our local Ford dealership, where they can look up the VIN and give us a letter based on that...And of course, it's lunch time, so nobody is at the dealership right now to help.  Well the dealership ultimately says no, and gives Jim an 800 phone number that turns out to be Ford Roadside Assistance.  Drrr. . .

But at home, the Internet yields up the Ford Canada RV Assistance department, who send Jim to a website to order the Federal Compliance letter for the whale's VIN number.  Holy, we are making progress.

But now, Customs at the airport say that they are open all day long for inspection - except during a certain time period when a flight from France comes in and the whole customs area is shut down...  WHAT?

This is so dumb...  I'm not so good at this jumping through hoops stuff...

Cheri

The Whale

Well, I've decided that the motor home is like a giant, beached whale in my driveway!  But, the good news is, the whale is being moved to Manzanita today!  I am so excited!

We went to the store last night, and bought all the supplies needed to stock the cupboards, and everything that I have bought previously, will have a new home this afternoon.  This includes things like dishes and silverware and pots and pans, but also, an ice cream maker, crockpot, electric skillet, and cupcake maker.  I mean, a girl has to have all the necessities.

I also started to buy all the pantry supplies that I think we will need.  This is always so difficult for me.  I live in a world where I go to the grocery store every single day, and purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, and having to buy everything ahead of time, really is taxing my brain.  And, anything that is prepackaged and can be stored, can't be in a packet - we don't want to invite mouses.  The town that is closest to our property doesn't have a grocery store.  The next closest town is Panguitch which is like 20 miles away - so, driving to the store every day is not very practical...  This is really crowding my love of shopping......

Jim went to the DMV yesterday and started the process to get Utah plates on The Whale - The State of Utah doesn't seem to like our Ontario plates.  We have to jump through some hoops to get the plates, but I think it's going to be do-able.

...another amazing adventure.

Cheri

GETTIN' READY.....

It's been such a busy week!  This Friday, Jim will be driving the motor home down to the property where it'll stay for the next couple of years while we build!  An amazingly big step!

In the meantime, major renovations have been going on inside the motor home.  We're converting the two twin beds into one Queen sized bed, changed out the stove, replaced the flooring in the kitchen and bedroom... the list goes on and on...  One of us... and I'm not mentioning any names, didn't like the way things were and before the move was made, it really needed to be changed. I was not too happy about inheriting the motor home, and the drive back to Provo from Ontario was terrible, but, I like that it's going to be such a benefit when it comes to building our cabin... we'll have accomodations there and waiting whenever we are working.

In the meantime, I have a huge motor home parked in my driveway, along with my truck, the Gramma jamma, Jim's car, the Montero and the F-450.  We're looking like a car lot!  Giggle.

Cheri