Our RV Adventures

Wednesday

A few weeks ago I talked about the new Striped QUEEN Sateen Sheet Set that we had recently purchased from Amazon, and how much we liked them. So earlier this week we ordered another set, this time in Burgundy.

Here’s what I posted then.

Now, on to the sheets. When we spent the night at our daughter Brandi’s on Christmas Eve, Jan fell in love with the soft sheets Brandi had on our bed and wanted to get some for us. Brandi said they were 1000 thread count sheets that she got on Groupon.

 

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So I started researching high thread count sheets, and found that any thread count over 400-600 is kind of just advertising hype, because looms don’t hold more threads than that. What they do is twist several fibers together and use those in the count. So two fibers twisted together and then wove on on 500 thread loom becomes a 1000 thread count sheet. The biggest difference is the type of fibers used and whether the sheets are percale or sateen, with sateen being the softest.

So I got on Amazon and after some research, came up with these.

They’re listed as being 1500 thread count which probably means 3 fiber thread on a 500 thread loom. The reviews were pretty uniformly good except for some who were upset about the depth of mattress the fitted sheets will handle. And even they’re not $200, they’re not $100, or not $50. They’re $25 for a set of 1 fitted sheet, 1 flat sheet and two standard pillow cases.

So we took a shot and ordered a queen size set from Amazon, knowing we could return them if we weren’t happy. We also order a set of two king size pillow cases as well, since we have two king size pillows and two standards.

When they came Jan washed them and we put them on the bed. And they’re a big hit. We really like them. They’re very soft, but not slick, and have a kind of microfiber feel.

It looks like about a dozen of you have purchased these sheet sets from Amazon through our blog and we really appreciate it. I assume that everyone likes them as much as we do, since no one has complained.

For dinner we headed up to League City to have dinner at a long-time friend’s house. Barbara is a great cook and we always enjoy her meals. Since we last saw Barbara she’s gotten married and moved down from Pasadena. We had met her new husband last year, and we enjoyed catching up.

After a great meal, a fun time with a lot of conversation, and enough Muscato to keep us there for a while, we finally got home about midnight.

And thus, no blog post.

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Thursday

Today started out great; beautiful weather, and lunch at our new favorite restaurant, Twin Peaks. Or should I say ‘breastaurant’.

And even better, It was Lingerie Week. But unfortunately, our usual waitress, Lauren, wasn’t working today.

Lauren knows about this blog and has even seen her picture here, If she had been working I would have had no problem asking to take her picture in her underwear.

But with a waitress we didn’t know, I would have felt like even more of a dirty old man than I really am by asking to take her picture. So you’ll just have to make do with the photo from their website.

It’s probably not surprising that Twin Peaks was busier than we’ve ever seen it. We got there just as they opened at 11 and there was a line waiting to get in. And when we left about noon there was a line out the door waiting for a table. We eaten there several times at noon and never had to wait for a table. I wonder why that might be?

Leaving lunch we drove over to a client’s house to pick up a recalcitrant laptop before heading back to the Clear Lake area. After a stop at HEB for a few things, and then Buc-ee’s for coffee and Cranberry Nut muffins to go, we headed back to the rig.

About 6 PM I headed over to a client’s house to set up a new computer, and a Wi-Fi network, as well as a new Canon wireless printer. They also wanted their old computer stuff moved and reconfigured.

One thing I ran into was a problem with their HP Officejet 6500 printer/fax machine. There was a problem with the power plug socket. It was intermittent and you had to hold the power cable to one side to keep it working. After determining that it would be almost impossible to get inside the printer to fix the socket, and after talking to the client and telling him the problem, I asked if he had any Duck Tape and told him I would fix the problem. And I did it like this.

The tape holds the cable to the side and it now works fine. I did tell him
not to move it too much. But it’s better than having to buy a new printer.

But the time I got everything up and working, it was almost midnight before I got home, so once again, no blog.

Friday

After coffee and the last of the Dunkin Donut Munchkins (donut holes), I spent some time doing Internet stuff before heading outside to enjoy the nice weather and get some actual work done. I was finally going to get a chance to repair my broken Kwikee step.

While we were gate guarding last year, our step just stopped working one day. I could still here the motor running so I knew that was OK, but I didn’t worry about it until we got back to Houston where I would be lying on concrete rather than in caliche mud.

When I finally got a chance to look at it, I found that the linkage bar that connects the motor/gearbox combo with the step itself had sheared off right at the gearbox shaft.

It should look like this.

The repair kit gave me a new linkage as well as a new cover plate, a bushing, a clevis pin, and a cotter pin.

I started out by removing the 3 screws that hold the cover plate on. At least that’s what I thought I was doing.

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As it turned out, I was removing the 3 screws that held everything together.

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Including the heavy motor/gear that quickly fell down on my head. Below you can also see the shaft that remains from the broken linkage.

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Removing the shaft,

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I hooked the linkage back to the step mechanism and then inserted the shaft into the gear box.

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I then put the gearbox plate back on and tried to screw it all back together. Easier said than done.

I found it a little difficult to hold the heavy motor over my head and also get the screws started, but finally got it all back together and tightened down.

I next sprayed all the joints with silicone spray and gave it a successful test. Another job done.

Coming back inside and still having some time before we headed out for dinner, and wanting to cover the area around the rig pedals with carpet, I started making a paper template by cutting out sections and taping them together in the correct position.

Here’s the area I’m trying to cover.

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And here’s what I ended up with.

The rug section will be split vertically from the left side of the two openings shown above, so I can fit it around the pedals.

At Home Depot I found a ribbed charcoal mat 18” x 27” for only about $3. It’s rubber-backed and very tough so it should work well. And it’s big enough for me to make two attempts if necessary (probably necessary)
. I’ll try cutting the template out tomorrow.

A little before 4 Jan and I headed up to Webster to have our Valentine’s Day dinner at Floyd’s Cajun Seafood, one of our favorite local places, seafood or otherwise.

The Floyd in the restaurant name is Floyd Landry, one of the Landry brothers that started the Landry’s Seafood chain now all around the county, before selling it.

We’ve been eating here since for more that ten years and it’s always good, and always Cajun. Jan had her favorite Chicken Fried Chicken Breast along with Sweet Potato Fries and I had a big bowl of the Seafood Gumbo along with a Blackened Boudin Link. Can’t be beat.

Tomorrow I’ll see how the template is going to work.

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Thought for the Day:

“Necessity is the plea of every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.’  –  William Pitt, 1759 – 1806

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Sorry to do this again, but I didn’t get home working with a client until almost midnight.

So we’ll try again tomorrow.

But I do want to wish my Sweetie a Happy, Happy

Valentine’s Day

Thought for the Day:

– you will never be paid less than what you are willing to work for.
– you will never be paid more than what it costs to replace you.