I decided to upgrade to the latest WordPress software (2.0.2) and finish my blog header. I was waiting to decide what to call the trailer before putting any effort into it. I still need to put some effort into it, but this is it for now.

To name or not to name: I just couldn’t decide on a name for my new trailer::: Athene (warrior/travel goddess), eStream (elly’s airstream or the electronic airstream), Serenity (in honor of Firefly series), Rosie, etc. I decided to go with the cosmos, every time I worked on her last summer, I had my “Rosie the Riveter” t-shirt on and at one point found myself using the riveter at the same time… from this day forward, the trailer shall be known as “Rosie”. It helped having “Wheel Interested” aka Carol, from Digital RV forum, say she thought it would be cool.

Reading in the MsTioga blog about a cool desk being built, has inspired me to pull together some layout ideas that have been floating in my head for close to a year. I was saving it as desert until some of the more mundane tasks were done, but since I have mental time and not physical labor time, I’m going to play. I don’t know why it took me so long to figure out I could scan the layout from the ’73 Safari Manual and use that as a scaled template. Will post the template and ideas after I get someone to move the scanner where I reach it without breaking the golden rule of no BLT’s (bending, lifting, twisting).

[3/26 — See “Design Ideas” page for schematics.]

As I start feeling better, I’ve been reading blogs and forums about Airstreams. Here’s a couple of my recent and old favorites

1. Tour of America
   The musings of the editor of Airstream Life as he and his family tour America and live and work out of an Airstream. I not only subscribed “Airstream Life”, but ordered all the past issues as they each had an article I wanted to read. I figure they’ll be a good addition to the trailer. Gotta have some dust collectors.
2. Digital RV
   Rich wrote the book I wanted to write – “The Digital RV”. I also ordered this and it looks like a great resource. The forums are starting to get active and are worth reviewing.
3. Vintage Airstream Podcast
   These first three are a little incestuous as they all refer to each other, but each offers a different flavor. These podcasts remind me of Click-n-Clack on some level. I really enjoyed Tim playing some songs from the “Trailer Park Troubadours“.
4. Airstream Knowledge Forums
   This is where I hung out for years learning as much as I could vicariously from other owners. Now that I have something to practice on, I think it will be even more valuable.

So, the last post was 2 weeks before I broke my back (10/15/05) on a railroad track while on a 50 mile training ride to see my mom in Endicott. The first part of the ride was great with the fall colors on the hills and the smell of autumn in the air, but then it started raining and THEN I hit the railroad crossing with its narrow angle to the road and elevated slippery rails. AND it turns out there was actually a train 5-10 minutes out, on a leaf-peeping tour. The track is only used a few times a year. The tourists waved to the crying lady sitting along side of the road amidst the corn fields – to them I was taking a break from my bike ride and part of the quaint scenary, not knowing I had just crawled off the tracks with a broken L5.

After 8 weeks of seeing multiple doctors, having multiple x-rays, CT’s, and MRI’s, I had surgery in December, performed by Dr. Seth Zeidman – a wonderful and competant neurosurgeon with a staff of angels in Rochester, NY.
After a major back reconstruction with anesthesia and blood loss complications, I’m now over 2 months post-op with several months of recovery a head of me. I started PT last week and am amazed how little it takes to exhaust me.

I often look out the window at my neglected little Airstream sitting in the driveway covered with snow. I’m sure there’ll be more damage to the floor from the leaky spots, but she’s waited this long for some tender loving care, I guess she can wait a few more months.

I categorized this post under “Trips” cuz this last 4+ months has been a real trip. One I could have done without, but everywhere you go, there you are (whole and healthy or not).

Well, it rained hard this week for the first time in a long time. Unfortunately, the water is still leaking below the small window next to the door. The antenna cover is also still leaking, but that’s not a mystery.

I read online that I could remove the inside pane of the broken side window by disconnecting the big window arm openers (bolts), removing the big screen (sheet metal screws), the plastic cover over the side window (drilling out the rivets), and then unscrewing the frame of the inside pane (sheet metal screws). Well, I got to the last step and the screws look like they were sealed at the factory with liquid metal.

I tried every implement and tool I have, including a propane torch with no luck. I’m afraid to use an impact wrench for fear of breaking the good pane of glass. Soooo, I took out the broken safety glass by hand (literally) and dug out the 3/8 inch groove of chunks of glass and scraped off the window seal that was between the panes. In the end, I decided it looks fine and will just not have a storm on this window.

I couldn’t stand the subfloor anymore, so Cay gave me some floor paint that she couldn’t use because of the color – its pumpkin. Perfect for this lovely fall weather. I put two coats on, only two hours of work and its so nice to have it sealed.

The Belles-Lettres is not just any book club, its an interesting, literate, fun group of friends. This year’s retreat was held on the east end of Wellesley Island. Besides laughing and eating nonstop, we took a boat tour of the thousand islands which included a romp through a couple of island castles. One of our best conversations revolved around Katrina and how (repeat after Tree), “the poor are powerless”. The book for the retreat was “To Dance with the White Dog”, about an older man and his battle to maintain independence in the face of age and health issues. We’re ready to start a commune for the elderly.