Panoply has space for an over cab bed that is longer than a true queen bed, but it is closer in width to a full bed. We decided we might prefer a wider bed – and a nontoxic bed. Therefore, we wanted the option to sleep on the sofa/beds in the back.

The original beds had plywood that slid across the plywood storage boxes to meet in the middle. The back cushions then slid down to become part of the mattress, therefore providing a king sized bed. We pulled that plywood out and Leon built new slatted frames for the 32′ wide mattresses, though the front legs are still to be added.

His side has room only for the legs, but my side will have additional storage beneath it for shoes. With his size 13 feet, there were few places to store them. I mean I could have just laced the tennis shoes around the ladder out back, but that would not have been something to be proud of, would it? But then again, his shoes will be beneath my side of the bed. I guarantee baking soda and activated charcoal will be on the shopping list.

The frame is 2×2′s with IKEA birch veneer slats. Each slat is screwed into the 2×2 on the ends, installed with countersunk screws in a way that allows the arched slats to flex a bit. Because they are arched he cut equal amounts from each side of the individual slats after removing the ribbon that held them together.

All wood and slats were sealed with AFM Safecoat Hard Seal as I prefer not to smell the glues and wood used to laminate the slats. This is the same product we sealed the walls and wood throughout Panoply.

Seeing the first bed frame in place was “a moment”… bigger than converting the incandescent bulbs to LEDs.

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“Life is lived like poetry is written: though each moment is its own rough draft, we can then ReVisit our past, ReValue our decisions, ReVise our forward path, and ReVitalize our passions.” Marcia M Bogaert

On to the subject at hand. I’ve ignored my blog – and yours – while we have been trying to get work files and personal files scanned, loose ends tied up, research and order products for our future part time-full time RV lifestyle, and get Panoply remodeled enough that we can take our first (ever) RV trip later this year – barring a hurricane hitting here before we leave. If that happens, Leon’s clients take priority to our adventure.

That said, though Leon has not had as much fun as I have during this process, he has had his moments, they usually occur when a project is completed or near completion.

We had the pleasant distraction of our granddog Bella visiting. It was too hot for her to stay outside with us while working on the RV for long periods of time, so I volunteered to go inside to ‘check on her’ often. Which meant, of course, sitting on the floor to pet her and soothe her wounded psyche that ‘grandparents’ ignoring her. : D

I seriously did not get enough done while she was here, but she went home early enough that I did help Leon some.

The closet is shelved!

The first of two bed/sofa frames that slide are cut, drilled, and sealed; MaxxAir Fanmate Rain cover #1 and MaxxAir Window Cover #1 of three are installed so we can air out the RV longer hours; we found what we need to complete our sink installation; the first two LED lightbulbs are installed (Gee, who did that job?); and most all other items needed are at least ordered.

We may get Panoply ready yet! I hope you all are working on your dream project – or have it done and ready to start the next.

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Mercury. Wait! Don’t rush off because it is so little and you have been told it doesn’t make a difference if it is disposed of properly!

Think about how many bulbs are broken by tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes each year? Or lamps tossed without thinking after a flood?

I don’t need to do the math for you. And I doubt many people have even thought of this.

We are converting most lights to LEDs – they have changed – much better light produced than they were in previous years. They are cooler and no mercury.

Yes, they are expensive – I won’t go on that rant right now.

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We gave up on an exact fit. I found a sink I could live with after literally looking at thousands online. (Most of that time was spent trying to find a close fit to the opening.)

The original sink was white acrylic, double bowled, so each side was too small. I wanted a single bowl. Guess what?

I found one big enough for my large pasta pan to fit in with room to spare! And the sink is nearly three inches deeper than the RV sink was. (I know, I probably won’t even take the pan with me, but….)

Yes, we are giving up height beneath the sink, but are, also, gaining space by removing the plumbing for the second sink drain.

The existing sink opening is 14.75 x 23, too big for our new sink. Leon dreamed up two possible solutions for solving the obvious, the cut out is too big. Will he be successful? Yes. Will it look good?

Function over beauty is my choice, but you never know, if either of his ideas are successful, I’ll be thrilled with it! I’ll post the brand and store name with pictures when he is finished….

Now to see if I win the faucet battle or not. Leon and the salesperson ganged up against me. They both refused to give an inch that I could/should try to make my favorite faucet work. I need ONE measurement from a manufacturer to be what I am hoping to win. And if I am wrong, it’s going to cost him (us) a lot more to get my second, third, or fourth choices! Because I will not settle for another “style” faucet.

Keep searching for what you need. You will either find it or find something better.

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Yuck. Now to figure out how to clean it – someday. Too many priorities right now. I heard those Mr. Clean sponges might help. (Awful tiny to do that big surface.) I suppose I should read the booklet that came with the Lazy Daze and then search the forums for other suggestions as well. Any guesses as to how clean it will come?

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We have vowed not to eat or drink anything other than water up there — here’s hoping we honor that. But I am as worried about pens; I must make all notes on my iPhone,

The seats are Flexsteel, covered in Ultraleather. We purchased them through and had them installed by Glastop, Inc. in Fort Lauderdale. They are wonderful to work with – and patient. When we explained our solar tech’s need to keep our RV a month more than planned because of a family emergency – they patiently waited – responding with, “family is important”. You cannot ask for more than that. Did I say they were helpful and pleasant? Yeah, I think I did. ; )

Finally, the old seats are out – and they smelled so horrible- no one would believe me unless they experienced it. They had picked up all the off gassing over the years they had the RV before us and whatever else. Something tells me our son’s shed is going to smell pretty rank with this Florida heat pulling the smells out of the old seats. Maybe it will suck out enough that someone will want them. Other than the horrid smell they are in great condition.

Today, Panoply smells sooooo much better!!! There is hope yet. Now on to another project.

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Finally, all five AMSolar panels are installed. 600 AH of battery storage, 500 A in solar panels – and all the stuff that goes with them. Full details to follow.

The custom sofa/bed mattresses were ordered along with the rear camera and monitor. (Vendors, info on great customer service, and links to follow.)

But – the RV stinks. It is considerably worse in late afternoon if closed up, because heat and humidity cause off gassing to increase. Overwhelmed me yesterday. Panolply is still off gassing horribly, in part, because we opened up areas that are normally sealed off, in part because the old seats still retain the formaldehyde, etc. that had escaped previously.

The pantry that had been completely sealed with AFM’s Hardseal and had remained closed for months – it was like a breath of fresh air when I opened it. So, there is hope. And, yes, I am more sensitive to odors than most, but even Leon is bothered by it.

We are taking out the stove so we can seal the off gassing paneling behind it and the area that held the drawers – and we may cut out the drawer area of the wardrobe so we can eliminate more of the paneling that won’t seal – and get at the back side of the other paneling. We already removed the wardrobe doors, and I think Leon is going to go along with my idea to leave them off. I have an idea to keep stuff hidden and also from falling out.

The seats are ready to be installed. Do we dare? I’m afraid they will suck in those chemicals and never let go of them, but the dealer has been more than patient while the RV was stuck on the other coast so long.

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Our new cab seats are waiting to be installed; the mattresses for the sofa/beds are being custom made this week; smaller parts are cluttering our living room waiting for someone somewhere to install; and… so… on. Pictures of all, including the businesses that gave us great customer service will follow soon!

In the meantime, I’ve been ‘nesting’. Cooking, cleaning, organizing.

What the heck is going on? A day or two is not unheard of for me, but weeks on end? It was moving that provoked it, I’m sure, but most likely it is this: I love moving things around! At the last condo we rented, the floors were rough concrete – the felt we had on the furniture feet did not move on that stuff. Now, with smooth tile, I can move furniture any time I want. Lucky for Leon this house is not quite as conducive for changing around as our first home.

(I’m enjoying this long term ‘nesting’ thing, ’twas a long time coming. I hope I get out of it soon, Leon will think he is living with the wrong woman.)

Quote Me:

A day is incomplete if one does not find one reason, however lame, to smile. MMB

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I could make excuses, I have been online searching for:

• sink to replace the cracked RV one (thousands of sinks later and not one that is what I need – or want)
• no VOC flooring

And then there is the packing as we are moving into our son’s rental property, but other people move and raise kids and have fun and blog at the same time. Of course, I have spent a lot of time creating lists….

Do I follow them? No. My joy is in creating them. At least now, most of my lists are on the hard drive rather than on bits of paper that a tree sacrificed itself for.

One list I have followed and because I have, I’ve been supporting online retailers! Since Panoply, our RV, will be our full time home part time, I am getting anything I deem a health or safety related item ordered now. Dishes or cute little pillows? No! We will make do with what we have.

But, I refuse to compromise on these:

• no or low chemical items for flooring, curtains, and sofa/bed mattresses
• new technology fire extinguishers (and more of them)
• LED tail lights (so much brighter)
• tire pressure monitoring system
• extra smoke detectors and another propane alarm

My biggest frustration with myself? I am quite capable of organizing almost anything. It is following through with the plan where I fall apart.

Today, I took one step forward. I typed this instead of sitting in front of the TV procrastinating. Oh, and I deleted about 100 links to products I have no intention of really needing or buying.

And one more important duty to stop procrastination on: I am in the next minute installing the free virus checker for Mac, ClamXav. It’s about time. Then I really should start packing

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Our son granted us his driveway, again, so we could work on RV Panoply. He coordinated a painter to finish sealing nearly every sealable surface in the rig, including inside the cabinets, so Leon could concentrate on earning a living.

Sealing most of the materials that off gas really helped! (More info in a separate post.) We left the dinette booths and the floors for us to seal.

Leon cut the rear facing one down first. A pain because he cut it in place since it is secured from the outside, beneath the aluminum RV frame. We wanted to keep the integrity of that anchoring system. It took power saw and hand saw, much twisting and turning. Just need to add angle irons or wood blocks to anchor the side to the back and front. Then the ragged edges of panels will be tucked tightly beneath trim.

It is as I wanted it. YAY! (Yes, I am aware I lost storage. I may regret it in the future, but that just gives me an opportunity to scheme again. (Don’t tell Leon I said that, please. He is about to his limit of my schemes after 35 plus years of being the one to tweak and build them.)

Cut into two pieces:

Our new one person booth seat:

The seat itself is 24″ plus the side piece. It was supposed to be 25″, but we changed which pieces interlocked with which- just as he began cutting – and forgot to allow for the difference it would make.

What is that rule? Measure twice, cut once….

It is actually an inch plus larger than the cab seats, though.

We should not have done that one first. Why? Because when we pulled up the piece of carpet beneath the other, 31″ booth that is made to expand to seat two, we discovered an electrical junction box that would have been in the walkway had we cut it back. Not only that, but the way the booth is made because it slides, they would not have been identical and I completely dislike symmetry gone awry – unless it is obvious asymmetry. What to do?

Redesign table to give a ‘reason’ for the disparate booth widths, of course! Done. In our heads, that is, but completion of the table will come last.

Coming up: First safety items purchased for our RV; sink replacement; new Flexsteel cab seats; AM solar to be installed in Florida; portable macerator; sofas/beds to match the one at home; flooring; EyeTV 250 Plus; desk; food pantry; skinny pantry; car decision; and more.

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