ODORIFEROUS OOPS!

 For non-RVer folks, I'll set the scene.  Larger RVs have 4 tanks: fresh water, shower and bathroom sink used water, galley used water, and black (toilet) used water.  Those larger RVs have 2 water inlets to which you connect a hose: one to fill the fresh water tank, and one to flush the black water tank.  In our fifth wheel, those two water inlets are right beside each other.  

When flushing the black tank, the gate valve must be open and the sewer hose connected to allow the flush water and filth to escape.  If the gate valve is closed, one or more of three things will happen: the tank will burst, the filthy water will escape through the ceiling vent, or it will fill the toilet and overflow onto the bathroom floor.

Pendleton, OR 2 days ago, tired from driving, I intended to fill the fresh tank.  By now, you can guess what happened: I connected the hose to the black tank flush inlet instead of the fresh water inlet.  And let it run for 5 minutes.  Was the black tank gate valve open?  No.  Did the filthy, stinking, toilet water overflow the toilet?  Yes.  Did it create one helluva stinking mess?  HELL YEAH!

Not only did it flow on the bathroom floor: down the heat vent into the duct, and into the basement.  Trish was less than totally delighted, loudly proclaiming my stupidity, while cleaning up inside, as I worked on the basement and outside.  Afterwards, deep six the stinking mop-up towels, bathroom rug, gloves.  Spray 409 on everything, wipe hands with alcohol.

Once was more enough for this 'adventure'.  Never again.

On the bright side, I think the tank didn't burst.  We'll see.

My Ducks Are In Line!

 It took nearly 8 decades but I finally got my ducks in line. Never mind that there's always an odd duck (I named him Ralph) that just has to face the wrong way. This is on Lake (a shallow pond, actually) Quinevere, looking out the back window of Tiny.

The pond attracts lots of birds: ducks, geese, herons, blackbirds nesting in the bordering growth, bald eagles snarfing up baby blackbirds. Also turtles and frogs - including Canadian frogs that croak out a deep bass 'EH'.

Tiny is Done

 Yup, all completed.  Finally.

Although it took 3 times as long as we hoped, we now have a covered entry deck.

Washer and dryer to be installed this week.  Supposed to have been last week, but: they didn't tell us we had to run the dryer vent line and vent.  I've just about completed it.

Tiny

 Here are pix of Tiny, done inside but not outside.  First 2 pix were taken 180 degrees from each other.

The skirting is done but the covered entry deck is not.  Should be done in a few days.  The contractors have been plagued with illness, injuries, rain, sick dogs (not ours) and everything else possible.  What could have taken 8 workdays has taken 3 weeks and will take at least one more.  Hopefully.

Park Model aka Tiny Home

 Here's Tiny (my name for it) as it pulled up to our lot yesterday at 4:30.  It came from Indiana.

Starting to back on to our lot, had to move our mailbox.

The guy on the left, one of the Wide Load car drivers, is directing the truck driver.  We had the exact area marked with string, stakes and flags.

Big rig!

In place!  The setup crew comes Wednesday, will deflate the tires, remove the tongue, build skirting, entry deck and roof, do utility hookups.  Will take about 8 days.  Meanwhile, I'm putting together the bedframe, chairs, table, etc.  Trish is cleaning, picking storage shelf areas, doing all the domestic stuff.

We like it: bright and airy.  Quiet.  Will do another blog when we're in and have it furnished.  We're off to Minnesota on the 16th for the 30th family reunion, should be done by then.

My Complex

 

The sign reads MIKE DELANEY Pickleball Complex  At Dick Samp Park.  The picture includes the LHC mayor, city manager, city council members, parks and rec manager, chief of police and me.  It's the City's thank you for my donated $ to build the last 4 courts.  

The City planned to have 16 courts, 12 of which were completed.  City management said there'd be no more funding for the final four courts for some time.  

I wanted to see all courts completed while I was still able to play.  So, I met with the City and told them I'd fund the last four.  It cost a lot more than anticipated, but I went ahead and ponied up the $.  

The big sign and my name on the entire complex was a nice surprise, and the sound of people whooping when they hit a great shot and groaning when they miss an easy one is music to my ears.  Love the game and the numerous friends I've made playing it.

Dutch Pour

Dutch Pour is an advanced acrylic pour technique.  First, flood the canvas with a base coat of paint, any color you like.  Second, pour 2 or more different colors in a wavy stripe across the canvas.  Third, use a hair dryer to blow the color around.  Sounds easy, right?  It's not.

My first attempt was a disaster.  Took a critical look, thought yuck, wiped the canvas clean.  The second attempt was better, kept it - for now.  I like the third one, definitely a keeper.  Depending on personal taste, some may say it's beautiful, others: "It looks like dog barf". 

Why is it called a Dutch Pour you ask?  I wondered, too.  Turns out, the woman who came up with the idea is Dutch, like the Dutch Masters - who would surely sneer at a Dutch Pour.  Unlike Master Van Gogh however, she didn't sacrifice an ear to her art.  I'm guessing V G was smoking some really good shit, not the cigars named after him and his fellow artists of the Dutch persuasion.

Maybe I should come up with an Irish Pour.  Drink a Guinness Stout.  Rinse the bottle and fill with several shades of green paint.  Pour it onto the canvas.  Drink another Stout.