Lady Tear Droppers, drop in and say "Hello"!

[subdivo]

Hello everyone,

I'm Michelle and I live near Vancouver BC, in a little fishing village called Steveston -- its much like a small town in the middle of a big-city. I have two girls (6 and 14) and during our travels with the teardrop they will be sleeping in the tent.

My husband and I just bought a 4x8 Cubby that we're restoring. I'm secretly glad for the water damage in the galley, because we got to rip everything out and start from scratch -- I get the kitchen the way I want it!

It was certainly built for a GUY, as it had huge speakers and a bar pump in the galley. I might make the original builder cry if they saw it, because I am transforming it into a girly country-kitchen without booze-on-tap.

Thanks to all you girls on the forums, I picked up lots of great tips that helped me when planning the kitchen.

Cheers,
Michelle

[Miriam C.]

Welcome to the playground. A woman's kitchen should always be what she likes and needs! You go for it and don't forget

[CAJUN LADY]

Ladies, how's everbody doing? Nobody is really chatting much here lately. Anybody camping...sewing...quilting...crafting...building? Let's chat....I'm lonesome for my camping gal pals and that means newbie's too!

[honeask]

Becca, you sure you can't come to the gathering in Louisiana during Halloween, LCG, sort of a "coming home trip" for you? It will be our first gathering with our new teardrop that we will be getting in September. It would be nice to meet you in person.

[CAJUN LADY]

Becca, you sure you can't come to the gathering in Louisiana during Halloween, LCG, sort of a "coming home trip" for you? It will be our first gathering with our new teardrop that we will be getting in September. It would be nice to meet you in person.

Sandy I would love nothing better to meet you and camp! But I will be camping with some forum camping friends at Manatee Springs the same weekend in October. I hope someday to own a trailer that I can park in Louisiana at my mom's house so when I want to go to the annual October Lake Bisteneau gathering, I won't have so far to pull a camper. I think I may talk to my sister about doing that.

[rebapuck]

I haven't been camping since April. I've got a few leaks to take care of before I re-install/re-build the interior of my VW. Then I'm recovering the seat/bed with new different fabric. New curtains and coverlet already bought. However, that is all on hold as it is brutally hot and humid here. I don't do well in the heat.

I did get the quilting bug and have been sitting at my machine for several weeks.

Trying to lose weight too. Not easy since I've been sitting so much. But I am down 9 lbs. Doing low carb at the height of fresh fruit season!!!

[CAJUN LADY]

I haven't been camping since April. I've got a few leaks to take care of before I re-install/re-build the interior of my VW. Then I'm recovering the seat/bed with new different fabric. New curtains and coverlet already bought. However, that is all on hold as it is brutally hot and humid here. I don't do well in the heat.

I did get the quilting bug and have been sitting at my machine for several weeks.

Trying to lose weight too. Not easy since I've been sitting so much. But I am down 9 lbs. Doing low carb at the height of fresh fruit season!!!

Awesome on your weight loss! Every pound counts!

I want to recover my dinette cushions and sofa bed but I am not that great at sewing. I have a new machine, nothing fancy just a Brother but it works great. I know if I had the patience I could recover the dinette cushions but the sofa is a different story. I figure I should just save my money and have someone who knows what they are doing and enjoys doing it recover them. Two years ago my mom would have been able to do it but she's on the downhill side of life now. I missed my opportunity.

[rebapuck]

I redid the VW when I bought it 21 years ago. It was simply a matter of stapling the fabric to the back of the plywood. Same with the Puck seat cushions. The back cushions I just pinned the fabric to the foam with long straight pins, pulled it around snuggly and whipstitched it down with a curved needle.

[Jazzy Lynn]

I was able to camp one overnight trip in June but nothing since. Everything here has been closed due to fires and extreme fire conditions. We've finally had some rain and some things are slowly starting to reopen.

I've kept busy with home improvement chores. I painted one accent wall in my bedroom and painted the upstairs hall along with all the base boards and door frames. Also took down the bedroom/bathroom/linen closet doors and sanded, primed and painted them. Replaced all the old brass door hinges and knobs with brushed nickel hardware. Next up is shampoo the carpets.

I had my 30 year old sewing machine repaired earlier this year, but I haven't done any sewing. I make purses and tote bags for my niece to sell in her crafts business. These are some of the small bags.



I need to get started on making some more so they will be ready in time for the Christmas crafts shows.
Barbara

[CAJUN LADY]

Barbara, you've been busy girl! That sounds what I did about a year ago but it was only in my bedroom and the guest bedroom. We had a flood during the night a little over a year ago when the ice maker water line busted about 2:30 a.m. I happened to be sleeping in the guest bedroom because of dog and husbands snoring when I put my foot down on the carpet and it was completely soaked. I thought it had rained and the roof caved in or something until I walked in the kitchen and heard the hissing. We had to pull up the carpet in that room, pull off the baseboards and let the concrete dry for about a week. We dedided to lay tile so that was my chance to paint the bedroom another color, paint the closet doors and change the blinds and curtains. It was a lot of work but worth it. The bathroom and hallway is next.

Very cool bags you are making! I bet they will sell like crazy.

I camped in February with a few forum buddies and I'm going Halloween weekend to Manatee Springs with the same group. I'm going to try and get away for a weekend in the next 2 weeks. It just rejuvinates me after working all week. Wish I could camp for a living!

[Jazzy Lynn]

Sorry to hear about the flood Becca; that is not what you want to wake up to. Looks as though it worked out well in the end though. That's what you call making lemonade out of lemons. Thanks for the thumbs-up on the bags. I hope the bags sell since my niece could really use the extra funds. She works full-time, goes to school part-time and does some crafts that she sells at shows. Now she is a busy girl but she's only 20 so she has the energy for it.

Have fun on the bathroom. I did my bathroom last year. I painted, took out the old, rusty medicine cabinet and put in a new one, and replaced the light fixture. No major work but small changes that really improve the looks of the house.

Camping for a living sounds good to me too!! Where do I apply???
Barbara

[S. Heisley]

Becca, am I mistaken or have you had home water problems about 3 times in the last couple years? Have all your problems been on the fresh water side or has some of it been grey water related?

[CAJUN LADY]

Sharon, I've had a flood and then a water pipe burst under the tile, in the foundation in our bedroom - twice! One under a dresser and the other one i front of my closet. Copper pipe is what they used when the house was built about 22 years ago. If it happens again we are going to replumb the house through the attic.

So yes, it has happened 3 times but only one flood Thank God!

[S. Heisley]

Becca, is it possible that you are getting city water at too high a PSI? You can check that easily. Simply purchase a small, reasonably inexpensive pressure gauge; screw it onto one of your exterior faucets; and turn the faucet on full blast. If the reading is higher than 75, you need a new pressure regulator for your house. That would be a lot simpler and less expensive than all new pipes. Also, check to see if the compression joints were soldered as a lot of times they weren't or were done poorly. If you do get new piping, be certain to get credit for the old pipes' value or sell the old pipes yourself. Copper is now so valuable that thieves are ripping it out of vacant houses and even cutting down electric poles in some areas to harvest it. It could help pay for the re-piping project.

[Ratkity]

Becca, is it possible that you are getting city water at too high a PSI? You can check that easily. Simply purchase a small, reasonably inexpensive pressure gauge; screw it onto one of your exterior faucets; and turn the faucet on full blast. If the reading is higher than 75, you need a new pressure regulator for your house. That would be a lot simpler and less expensive than all new pipes. Also, check to see if the compression joints were soldered as a lot of times they weren't or were done poorly. If you do get new piping, be certain to get credit for the old pipes' value or sell the old pipes yourself. Copper is now so valuable that thieves are ripping it out of vacant houses and even cutting down electric poles in some areas to harvest it. It could help pay for the re-piping project.

A lot of times, copper gets these pin-hole leaks and then eventually fails. Has to do with treatments the water company uses and how they interact with the copper. I have a few pipes in the basement I'm keeping an eye on because of it.

I've heard about the copper and rare metal thieves. They are even cutting off mufflers and catalytic converters for the rare metals inside.

Hugs,
Ratkity