Time travel once again with me as the Vermont adventures continue.
June 2022
We bought our RV used in what looked like great condition. We took a risk by not paying for a third party inspection and as newbies didn’t fully test all the systems before putting our money on the table. Realistically, I knew it was a risk, but I also knew that this RV had more than everything we wanted, and for the price, it was our best option. We were eager to start this new life so we rolled the dice.
Well, it didn’t take long to find our first problem. And it was kind of a doozy. (Content warning: it’s about to get stanky! )
During our summer on the farm we were connected to electric and fresh water. We had to disconnect and move the RV about once a week to dump our tanks. So, our three holding tanks stayed closed at all times.
Within the first week of living in Vermont we realized that the pipe connecting our blank tank to the flush valve in the wet bay had a nice long crack in it. Yes, our wet bay was slowly and steadily filling with poo water.
How this passed by unnoticed through the supposed twice annual maintenance checks the former owner paid for is beyond me. Even by just simply cleaning and flushing the tank it should have been uncovered. A lesson for the next RV we buy, no doubt.
I can’t, and won’t, describe the smells that leached into our bedroom during the next few days. Given that the wet bay is basically right beneath our dresser drawers. Seriously, there were nights when it was hard to breathe in that bedroom and I questioned our health (and sanity). Clearly, we knew we needed to address this immediately but we were in a pretty remote area. Mobile techs and RV shops were all going to take at least a month to schedule something. So, I started figuring out how to do our first home repair.
Thankfully with YouTube and advice from a friendly RV tech over the phone, I figured out a plan and collected the parts I needed to replace the cracked section of pipe. We borrowed some tools from the farm and Billy and I patched it up. I have to say, I felt very proud of myself for figuring it all out and not depending on a professional. The “patch” is still holding up over a year later. 🤞
Figuring it Out
There were two more important lessons we learned rather quickly. Both revolving around the fact that tank sensors are not to be trusted.
- When the shower fills up with water it’s not clogged, the tank is just full. A drain snake or plunger will not help 😂
- When water starts leaking out of the second bathroom onto the floor that tank is full too. Lucky for us it was just dishwater from the kitchen sink. We never actually use the toilet in that bathroom 🫢
Starting out without full hook ups was obviously more challenging, but it helped us figure out our systems. I’m grateful for that.
So…yeah
Otherwise, our time in Vermont continued on smoothly. I got into the rhythm of early mornings in the cafe and enjoyed the long evenings of summer. I took walks around the farm, visited the sheep that were pasturing just behind our RV and best of all, spent lots of time outside with Bowie.
If you don’t know, Bowie was my baby boy. My cuddly, snuggly, orange and white adventure cat that had been with me since 2007. I could write an entire post about him, and honestly, that might come later. But for now I’ll share about Bowie’s love of being outside!
Anywhere we’ve ever lived he always loved trying to sneak out of the front door. When we lived on the second floor of a house he would push himself past me, run screaming down the stairs, and then scream even more at the main door. We had a fenced in yard so when I had the time I would let him out to explore. Generally, he would stay on the porch, but sometimes he would run into the grass and start chomping away. The only times that cat EVER hissed or swatted at me was when I would have to drag him back inside.
Simultaneously a baby boy and an old man, Bowie was 14 years old when we got the RV. Truthfully, the thought of giving him this adventure in his golden years was one of the reasons I was anxious to stop waiting around and just do it! Now in Vermont, Bowie really seemed to be loving life. He would strut around in the grass, roll on the gravely road, sniff the traces of the 3 farm dogs, 2 barn cats, and who knows what other animals, and stroll. He would actually walk along with me on his leash….or maybe I would walk along with him. When he got out without his harness on he knew to run directly under the RV where I couldn’t reach him to bring him back inside. Sneaky little monkey.
Some afternoons and evenings we would hang outside for 30-45 minutes at a time. Sometimes he jumped back up the RV steps himself, but sometimes he still got fresh with me if I carried him in.
Unfortunately, he passed away about six months after this summer. Writing this does bring tears to my eyes, but I’m so happy we had this experience together. He was the ultimate sun cat and this was his summer of sun. I know it was just as peaceful and fulfilling for him as it was for me.
Enjoy the Bowie slideshow below and give your furry friends extra snuggles for me today. Thanks for reading!
