Creative Downsizing and Smashing

 FINALLY ... the temperature got all the way down to 75 last night.  We are in a heat wave.  Not compared to Arizona of course, but that 105 degrees is HOT HOT HOT!  Especially when you are out in an RV trying to figure out how to make things work.  My brain doesn't work all that great when it's frying like an egg on the sidewalk.

First minute in the rig ... Mr. Cooper was not impressed.  Hey Mom ... this is NOT my couch!  I know little buddy ... but you will be just fine.

The first thing I need to do is get a rug for the very slippery floor.  As the place heated up, I pulled all the blinds and turned the vent on low.  I'm getting the panel figured out, except for the one that shows the solar stuff.  It's a 5,000 piece puzzle to me.

Out with the crazy stuff, like the window shade in that black bag that weighs at least 30 pounds.  I've already heard from other owners who said to ditch it.  Maybe there's a secret to setting it up, but I haven't found it yet.  Also, in the box, is a blow up mattress to lay across the front seats for an extra kids bed.  I won't be needing that.

In no time it was so hot inside that I stole the sunscreen from my truck.  What a difference THAT made. Yes I could have used the AC, and I did for a time, but when it's on high, it's pretty noisy, as expected.  Outside, it's as quiet as a mouse!!

Time to get inventive.  I made a quick trip to Wally World (in my truck) to pick up some storage containers.  Downsizing is the name of the game.  I have no plans to feed dinner to 25 folks, so all but 4 of each utensil went away, along with six serving spoons and eight kitchen knives.  Where did all this stuff come from?

I picked up a few plastic containers to hold canned goods and found my find of the day ... two plastic cereal containers.  Being creative is not usually my thing, but one of those boxes fit perfectly behind that bar to use as a waste basket.  Surprisingly, all my black tank products, TP and hair products fit underneath the sink.  

Thank goodness for Quakehold ... that stuff museums use to keep things from falling and breaking.  I used it to adhere my toothbrush holder and a soap dish to the counter.  That left more than enough room in the medicine cabinet.  Not my rig pictured here.  I'll take a few more pics today.

At least an hour was spent trying to get the TV to work.  Turns out you have to TURN ON the antenna!  Not my channels, but it's more about the "company" than anything else.  If it ever cools off enough, I'll spent a night or two in it to see what else I might need.

Surprisingly, my little toolbox fit perfectly.  Here's my next dilemma.  The gray knob controls the inverter, the red one the battery disconnect, plus I can turn the inverter off inside.  So do I leave both of these on ALL the time?  Even when I'm plugged in sitting in my back yard?  Do I need to keep the lithium batteries charged up or just turn it all off until I go on a trip?  

I turned them both off, thinking that would stop the occasional whirring sound of the inverter inside, but it whirred anyway!!  Is that a word?  I just can't seem to grasp the solar inverter thing versus being plugged in when I'm not traveling.  

Here's Mr. Cooper checking out the FOUR boxes from Amazon.  Yessirree ... I have been busy.  The first box I opened brought everything to a screeching halt.  My rig has an induction cooktop.  You can only use induction cookware, which I have NONE of.  I order four pieces ... least that's what it said.  Silly me, I didn't check the SIZE.  I opened the box from the top and went to slide the pans out.  Got it .......

Yup I GOT IT all right.  The 3 quart glass pan lid fell out the bottom and right on to my two left toes.  I won't repeat what I said.  I haven't been in that much pain since I broke two on the same foot when pulling out of a campground somewhere around Oklahoma I think.  MAN THAT HURTS !!#$#.  

Three hours later, it was excruciating, so I'm pretty sure it's broken.  It's definitely BLACK in spite of an ice pack.  Aspirin made most of the pain go away until I walked on the bedroom carpet barefoot.  It's now all taped up ... no use going to the doctor because they won't do anything for it.   That pretty much put the kibosh on my loading and packing for the day.

I'm returning it all.  It's way too big for my new minimalist lifestyle.  They say to take a magnet to the store and if it sticks to a pan, it will work.  So I'm heading for Marshalls for something cheap.  Sadly, two out of four boxes will be returned ... more on that tomorrow because right now I need to go play with Mr. Cooper and try to figure out how to get some kind of ladder .. or box set up so he can get up on the RV couch.  I really need to get creative on this one!