Travels With Miranda

I would like to introduce you to one of my favourite little gadgets, my Grabby Thingie:

Officially, it’s a 36″ pick-up & reach tool.

I got this wonderful tool from Donna and Ken, whose RV should have really been named Ali Baba’s Cave.

As you can see, there is a handle at one end and a gripper at the other. You just squeeze the handle and the gripper closes to grab whatever you need to fetch that is beyond arm’s reach.

This gripper is very strong. I have actually used it to pick up heavy tools like my hammer and drill from the main floor while working in the loft. The warning sticker that says to wear goggles while using it (LOL) puts its capacity is 2lbs. It also has teeth that actually grab the item.

I mostly use the gripper to grab things deep in my pass-through compartments so that I don’t have to empty everything out and then crawl in.

Donna claimed not have much use for it, so I don’t feel too guilty about having accepted the gift since I use it several times a week.

BLECH. The day’s weather just keeps getting worse. It is so damp and chilly. I put the computers in the truck to charge them and then realised that I might as well join them so that I can enjoy the HEAT.

This was an afternoon for curling up with a good movie, so I put on the mini-series True Women, which I mentioned after my trip to Goliad.

The mini-series starts just before the Goliad Massacre and ends after the Civil War. It is the story of strong, brave Texan women pioneers and is very honest about the harsh reality of life on the frontier. The Dana Delaney character in particular is remarkable. I really do have to read the book on which the series is based.

My new favourite line from the series is, “I’m glad I came to Texas.”

Indeed.

I’m in an area where the outside weather tends to be hot but inside temperatures in public places are cool to cold. How do you dress for this? You don’t want to overheat while walking around outside, but dragging a coat or sweater is a pain.

The solution is to carry a pashmina scarf. They are inexpensive, super lightweight, take up no space at all, and can make all but the most casual outfit look a little dressy.

I tend to carry two, one that’s a wool blend for really chilly locations or spitting rain, and another that is a shiny rayon blend that looks dressy. I have a dozen pashminas in all colours to coordinate with any outfit. You can pare your wardrobe down to basic colours and then use a pashmina to add a pop of colour.

You can also use your pashmina to cover up when visiting religious shrines; to protect you from the sun, wind, or rain; as a bag to carry things; as a pillow or blanket while traveling; as a beach cover up; and more.

Andy Baird’s wonderful treasure trove of RVing tips and tricks, Eureka, is now accessible as a free website!

I’ve raved about Eureka before and am very excited that Andy is now offering an expanded, and more easily updatable, database. For the newbie or seasoned RVer, Eureka is the ultimate resource for RVers who think that factory design is just a starting point. From cooking to electrical instructions to advice on the best equipment to buy and why, Eureka Live has no competition. I can’t believe it’s free.

Please visit Eureka Live and if you like what you see, please buy through Andy’s Amazon link to support the site and encourage Andy to keep adding to it.

My neighbour Mrs. H just brought me this awesome departure gift:

From left to right: chocolate chip cookies, chocolate cake (I think), raisin bran muffins, banana bread, and sugar cookies with sprinkles. Yuuuum! The expectation is that I throw everything in the freezer and ration it out until I get to Dawson. Let’s see if I achieve this.

As for water, I don’t like to drink from my fresh water tank, so the only way to bring the Campbell River water with me was to put it in jugs. I bought a fresh water jug when I hit the road and it just hasn’t worked out since the water starts to taste plasticky very quickly. Moreover, I lost the lid the last time I was at the Chasm. I decided to just chuck it and see if Canadian Tire might have some collapsible water jugs. They did, and they’re BPA free to boot!

I didn’t intend to buy two colours; I simply didn’t notice that there was a choice. They fold up beautifully and have a lifetime guarantee that they will not split or leak under normal usage.

Here they are filled:

They can be laid on their side on a counter for easy pouring since the spout has an open and shut valve.