A VERY EXPENSIVE DAY ... BUT YOU KNEW THAT

 It's going to be a GREAT day!!!  That's what I kept telling myself when I woke up at 2:00, 2:45, 3:30 and finally gave up at 4:30.  I mean really, there's no use just laying there when there's work to do, yes?  I really was happy to see the sun come up.  That means it IS going to be a great day!!

It started okay I guess.  I finished unhooking the rig from everything and unlocked the gate.  But first, let's at least have SOME sort of breakfast.  I really wasn't in any mood to cook, so an English muffin it was, along with the last of the bacon.

In no time, I was off to Mercedes two towns over to get the oil changed.  Here's the thing ...  I only have 7,000 miles on it, but the chassis was built at the end of 2023.  The camper part was done in early 2024, which is when I bought it.  Even though I don't have many miles on it, they consider it two years old.  I don't believe it needed an oil change, but at the risk of losing my warranty, I acquiesced.

I admit, I was pretty nervous.  I just don't drive this thing enough.  Oh it drives like a dream, but it's long and wide and has a gazillion electronics to mess with.  It took an entire hour to get there through terrible traffic, but at least I was on time.  I just wasn't looking forward to the female service advisor they gave me.  Pretty awful of me, being a female and all, but there are very few in the world who know anything about machinery and especially diesel rigs.  

I was surprised she was busy when I arrived, and I got Sean.  He's buddies with Jake ... from State Farm.  Not really, but that's whose name he took to make it easier to fit in.  This guy Sean ... he was great too.  I knew I was expecting at least $1,000 for this service.  I asked him to tell me exactly what they were going to do.  It actually came to $1,100.  I deleted two items off his list and it came down to $900.  I mean think about it ... they have to pay these guys probably $30-50 bucks an hour, not counting all their other employees ... taxes ... the cost of running a business. Anyway .........

So while I waited, I drank 3 Starbucks coffees, ate 2 cracker biscuit things and 3 cookies.  They put it up on the rack and did a video, showing me exactly what they were checking (brakes, brake lines, frame, etc) and if it looked okay.  Well that's a first.

These are awful by the way.  You can skip them and go for the Nilla Wafers.  The brakes were good and everything checked out.  They changed the oil, the fuel filter, aired up the tires and filled the water reservoir with "special" stuff.  The last thing was to reprogram the computer due to a recall.  I was actually out the door in half the time they told me it would take.  

I know it's pricey, but they are really very nice, will answer any question and keep you informed by text about everything they are doing.  Really REALLY good service.  I'm good for 20,000 miles, so maybe next time I'll find a cheaper place.

Then I was off to the dive shop.  Wasn't I shocked when I walked in and heard Scuba Steve's voice.  He's the ORIGINAL Scuba Steve of Padi Diving.  I was one of his very first students when he became an instructor.  He's now a legend around the world among divers.  Gosh it was good to see him again.

He unloaded all the camera gear I had and may be able to give it to someone who deep dives.  When I asked about small dive cameras, he came up wth this.  He said he's been using this housing with his phone since 2020.  It's a true waterproof housing, and most any phone will fit in it.  By the time he demonstrated it, I was sold.  I will tell you however, this is not cheap.  It was $400, but less than a regular dive camera and is good to 100 feet, not that I plan on going there again.

It even has colored lens covers.  When you get 20 feet or below, you need a red filter.  Otherwise you lose all color underwater.  That's why dive instructors (including myself) wear yellow.  It attracts the sharks.  Just kidding .... sort of .... it's one color that shows up on deep dives so people know where you are if they have trouble with their gear.

The good news, Steve will take all of my old dive equipment.  He will do service on all of it and either give it away or sell it really cheap to young divers without much money.  YAY!!

SO ... with my 4 year old phone not having a great battery any more, I stopped in to look at a new one.  That's a LONG story for tomorrow.

I got home, just as dirty as when I left.  

I spent the rest of the evening digging through my closet for all the diving gear I have.  I won't be using it any more, so it might as well go to some new diver.  There are two BCD's (buoyancy compensating devices) that you either put air in or let air out so you stay level in the water.  Two regulators with dive computers in cases, one drysuit with jammies (soft fuzzy ones to keep you warm), two wet suits and three OH MY GOSH heavy tanks.  How did I ever carry those around?   Good grief ... and I have to load those in my truck!!  There are two more bags of "stuff" not in the picture.  Room in my closet now ... WOOHOO!!

Exhausted, I hung out on the couch for the rest of the night.  I think lugging all that heavy gear around did me in.  The sunset started out nice .......

And turned into this crazy weird  picture ten minutes later.  This is looking behind my neighbor's house.  What a nice way to end the day.

It is of course Bingo night, so I'm putting on my armor.  I should have done that before I went to check on a new phone!!!!!