Things aren’t much different around here. The smoke wasn’t bad Monday but Tuesday and today it was awful–you would never know we lived in the mountains! The Cowboy looked at a wind map and thinks most of our smoke is coming from the Oregon fires. On Labor Day we had six inches of snow. One week later on Monday our temp was almost 90 degrees again.
On Tuesday last week we noticed the Hurricane heating system for the motorhome would keep shutting down. It’s a diesel fired hot water heating system using the same diesel the engine of the motorhome uses. One of the manuals stated that the system would not work with one quarter or less diesel in the tank. Uh-oh! At about the same time we realized one inside dual wheel was low. So, the Cowboy put air in the tire and he and Larry headed to town for a flat tire fix (bad value stem) and fuel.
When they were home, I said, “why does our motorhome stink like diesel??” The Cowboy blew me off as men have a habit of doing😁and the smell went away. Fast forward through our ATV trip and filling the motorhome in Big Timber on our return. As we were driving away from the gas station I said, “we smell like diesel again.” Once again he ignored me. 😁
While dumping the tanks the Cowboy always tilts the motorhome or RV toward the dump station in order to get all the “stuff” 😝out of the holding tanks. I smelled diesel again and when the Cowboy moved the motorhome there was a puddle on the ground–ah-ha!! We do have a leak. The fill hose from the gas cap to the tank was leaking–and had been leaking a long time. Our local auto parts store had a hose and the Cowboy spent Monday changing that hose–three changes of shirts and one change of jeans–he was exhausted Monday night but it’s fixed. After a long washing in hot water and hanging on the clothes line all day his clothes still smell like diesel!
Last Wednesday when we departed for the Bitterroot National Forest it was 28 degrees. As we traveled both of us noticed the coach just didn’t heat. I was sitting under a quilt, the Cowboy wearing a heavy vest, Emmi wrapped up in a blanket. We could feel cold air swirling around us. While camped the motohome also didn’t heat well. I told the Cowboy I could feel cold air coming from under the slide as we traveled. Well–the slide is a super long slide and the entire gasket underneath is gone–missing in action leaving the coach open to not only air but critters 😲. A new one has been ordered, what was left of the old has been removed and the Cowboy will have another day long job replacing that gasket.
Such is life when purchasing a 20 year old motorhome.
I made jelly for the first time in 7 years! Made my brain hurt! But, it gelled, the jars sealed and I only broke one jar in the water bath–didn’t have the water deep enough I think.
Another knitting project is finished but as it’s a gift, the reveal will have to wait. I’ve started a baby blanket and am about to start some other gifts. Life is good on the knitting front.
More photos from our Bitterroot National Forest ATV trip.
Life is good in spite of Covid, in spite of the six to seven political phone calls we get per day, it’s just good.
Restoration Cowboy Style 
your jelly looks good. and diesel stinks and the smell stays and stays, don’t know why. I always know when farmguy has been changing filters or fixing the tractors or trucks.
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Yes diesel stinks but I think gasoline is worse! I fuss at the Cowboy all the time for getting diesel or gas on his hands or shoes and then getting in the car with me.
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I am getting between 5 & 10 emails a day from the Trump bunch begging for money. Guess they haven’t figured out we sold our Arizona place years ago, but that and the fact that we can’t vote anyway probably doesn’t even occur to them.
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Now that’s funny John!
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We just arrived in Congress, Az, 105*, far cry from 29* at your place! Hope your not over doing your knee. ATV pics are cool! What a trip!
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Whew! That is way too hot! Overdid the knee today–will be better tomorrow. That was an awesome trip–we are ready any time you call again!
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Those smoke-filled skies are so ominous. I can’t wait for the rains to come and put out the fires in the West…our beloved Oregon is burning up. Meanwhile, here in Florida, we’re dodging hurricanes. So glad you guys are safe. We might as well do our best to enjoy every day…and it looks like you’re doing just that!
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The skies are ominous–on our way home last night from an evening with family it looked as if it was winter and about to snow–we can only hope, right. Stay away from those hurricanes–at least they come with warning.
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Leaking diesel huh? If only someone had smelled that earlier 🙂 Sounds like a messy fix but you’re lucky to have such a handy guy. And now he has a slide gasket for another fun job! Your smoke looks nasty, hope it moves out soon. Oh the other hand your jelly looks gorgeous. What a beautiful ATV trip you had, so nice to get out in the hills
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I am lucky to have a handy guy especially when we own older motorhomes! I feel as if the smoke is affecting not only our health but our mental well being too. Chokecherry jelly has such a beautiful deep red color–that really stains white sinks!
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Our daughter sent a photo taken down her street with the sun and it looked just like what we have here off and on with the smoke and she is in PA. The state was right in the path of the heavy smoke swirl that moved east. So strange. I feel so badly for the people living with the fires and that heavy smoke. We really need lots of rain. The jelly looks so nice all packed in the jars. Yum!! Having a white porcelain sink in the MH I use Oxi-Clean. Fill the sink with warm water add a scoop of Oxi and wait. Bam! Pure white again! Coffee stains and beets are the worst. Hope you were able to get the sink cleaned. Michael is coming in handy once again (even if it took awhile to listen to a woman). Good to hear all is still going well in your world. We, too, are doing well. Life is very good. We are blessed.
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I am going to have to try the Oxi-Clean–the motorhome sinks need a good cleaning and I don’t like to use bleach in the MH. The west needs rain, lots of rain. Cochise County Arizona has been declared a drought area once again.
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