FIRST YOU MAKE A MESS

Yesterday we went to Precision Painting to check on the progress of our RV remodel and make a few design decisions. Back in our boating days when we would have work done it was very stressful. We were in Michigan and the boat was in Florida. We always seemed to spend lots of money and were never very happy with the work. We always felt that they took advantage of the distance to do less than they should. In fact once we even had our boat stolen by someone who was suppose to be working on it. But that's another story.

I am happy to report that so far Precision Painting is doing what they committed to. As you see in the pictures you have to make a mess tearing things out before you can make it look better. Apparently American Coach did a very good job of putting down our original tile. They are going to have to grind the floor smooth before putting down new underlayment and new tile.

The first two pictures are looking forward.





This is the view looking back.




They have committed to having the work done by the 4th of Sept. The biggest concern is that Flexsteel is on time with the new chairs and sofa. We are suppose to attend a national American Coach rally in Columbus with our friends Stan and Kathleen on the 10th. After the rally we take the coach to Celina, Ohio to have a new Direct TV satellite dish and o.t.a. antenna installed and some network cabling done.

While in Bremen we also met with the cabinet maker. With a last name of Yoder we expected to see horse drawn wagons outside his shop. To our surprise there were pickup trucks and Ray Yoder didn't have a beard and wasn't wearing a black hat. We did enjoy our visit, and came away feeling good about his part in this project.

We were surprised that of the 7 or 8 coaches being worked on at Precision Painting we were by far the oldest. We saw coaches only a few years old being torn apart and remodeled. Maybe people have decided it's cheaper to remodel than trade in.

We are getting excited to have the coach ready to hit the road again.

we have a new dog

Or so it seems. Yesterday was Molly's second training session with Ken from Bark Busters.

For awhile now, we have been annoyed and embarrassed by her almost constant barking, jumping on people, and basically not always minding us. Then, after a couple of scary cat and mouse chases through our neighborhood, we knew we needed help.
We wanted an obedient dog with good manners.

So we contacted Ken, who owns a local Bark Busters franchise. What we liked about their method of training is that it is done in our home and uses our body language and voice control to establish leadership. No hitting, yelling, or even treats. We're not trying to change her personality, we just need to be the top dog.
It is still taking some getting use to, but we're now growling a deep 'BAAH' to get her attention and giving her lots of praise.

When Ken was here last week he realized that Molly is actually very timid and wants to please, so he suggested we not overwhelm her with too much training at once and to take our time. So we'll work with her for about 15 min total a day for awhile and Ken will come back in 6 weeks for another in home session. Since we plan on spending a lot of time traveling in our motor home, Ken is going to give us some ideas and suggestions for that situation too.

So, in one week, we feel like we have a different dog. Molly still has lots to learn but she is much calmer and more relaxed, and she actually listens to us now. No more frantic barking when the doorbell rings or she sees a squirrel in the yard. No more jumping up on family and friends. We are amazed.

Back to the big Mitten

So this morning we cleaned up and packed up the coach for the grueling 5 mile drive to Precision Painting in Bremen. Precision was formed by some ex Newmar Coach people and does some of the nicest paint work you'll see anywhere. A year ago they started a new division that does remodeling of coach interiors. Although, according to a nationally known RV blogger, my very use of the word 'coach' implies that I am a stuck up snob. Fortunately, I hid my FMCA plaque. Oh well.....

Back to our story. We spent the morning picking out new tile, and deciding on a color for the new sofa and chairs. The cabinet maker couldn't be there today but we'll hear tomorrow regarding details on building the new desk and TV cabinets. We have yet to upgrade to a flat panel TV, choosing to wait for this project to get completed first.

At one point this morning we were thinking of just getting our old sofa reupholstered instead of buying a new one. Unfortunately it is cheaper to buy a new one rather than reupholster an existing one. Something seems wrong with this picture, but it is what it is.

The people at Precision were patient and let us take all the time we needed to feel comfortable with our decisions. They have 6 bays dedicated to interior work, and 5 were full. It seems that we are not the only ones remodeling instead of buying new. We are not in a big hurry for the work to be completed, and are scheduled to pick up the coach on the 7th of September.

This afternoon we headed back home but first stopped at Essenhaus in nearby Middlebury for a late lunch. Our meal was first rate and made up for our disappointing meal at Amish Acres. We arrived back at the condo by 5pm and then had a nice dinner with Jonathan and Laura.

This weekend once again reminded us how much we miss being in our little home on 6 wheels.

A weekend in Amish country

Saturday morning after breakfast, we hitched up the jeep and headed south to Indiana. We have not been on the road with the RV in almost 10 months. We were headed to Bremen Indiana to an appointment Monday morning at Precision Paint. We are having the flooring replaced and possibly a desk built.

We came early so that we could relax and go to the 47th annual Arts and Crafts Festival at Amish Acres. Saturday afternoon was rainy but we did decide to go to Amish Acres for dinner. They feature a family style country dinner. Sorry, but we cannot recommend this place. Bland food, poor service, and overpriced.

Today we went to the art fair. We last attended this fair over 10 years ago. At that time it was considered a high end event. It is billed as having over 350 juried artists from around the country. We paid our 7.00 each for the privilege of walking up and down endless aisles of what I call TNT (trinkets and trash). I think the term "juried" means if your check clears you can have a spot. The art fair has turned into countless booths selling dry soup, dip mixes, and really bad yard art. After Judy turned down my generous offer to buy her new ear rings made from bottle caps, I knew it was time to leave.

We are staying at the Pla-Mor campground, which in Indiana means "Pay 32 dollars to park in the grass 10 feet from your neighbor next to the corn field, behind the train tracks." If any of you want to visit us this afternoon, it will only cost you 2 dollars a person to get in.

Still all in all we are glad to be back on the RV, having a good time, just relaxing.