Does this make sense?

First, I am remiss in not earlier welcoming Jessica and Harry to our blog! Welcome and I have read your blog. The time will fly until your fulltime adventure starts.

A quick update. Yesterday the dealer called. They asked if I had a digital camera. Yea. Okay, they said Keystone needed pictures of the back end of our fiver to determine what it looks like. WHAT????? Keystone does not know what the back end of a rig that is only one year old looks like?

So I immediately took pictures and emailed then to the dealer. Does not the dealer know what they sold us one year ago? From what I understand our Montana 3455SA is a very popular model. Aren't there brochures? Well here she is in all her glory, duct tape and all.

Again, does this make sense???

A quick update

Len called the dealer on Monday. They STILL had not ordered the parts. They said they were getting the item numbers together. Again, that does not make sense. If we already have the check from the insurance company, did they not already have that information?

So Len called Keystone on Tuesday. They received the order that day. He plans on calling Keystone tomorrow for an update. Customer service at Keystone agreed that we were getting the runaround. In the future, while in NJ if we need servicing we will take the rig over to a Delaware Montana dealer.

Very hot and humid here last few days. Today it is mid 90's.

Not what we wanted to hear.

We were waiting for word about when to take the rig back to the dealer for the repairs.

Well, on Wednesday the dealer called Len. They wanted to know if we were ready for them to ORDER the parts yet!!! WHAT???? We took the rig to them almost 4 weeks ago. They kept it for five days to determine what needed to be done. When we picked it up they requested a deposit before ordering the parts. We gave them $500 which is the amount of our deductible. (The check has been cashed.)

The insurance company, National Interstate, has been great to work with. We already have the check for the repairs. Our claims adjuster has kept us informed every step of the way. So why didn't the dealer order the repairs? They said they were waiting for our okay. Come on now, the insurance company agreed to payment, we gave them $500. We told them again and again we live in this unit and are anxious to get back on the road. What more did they need.

So now they say it will take at least four weeks to get the parts in. Once the parts arrive, THEN they will put us on their schedule. This being summer and their busy time, it could take a while.

Looks like our goal of leaving August 1 might not be feasible. I suppose that is okay. Our first commitment is not until a NOMADS project starts on September 13 in Hayesville, NC.

On a good note - Since we were stuck here in NJ, Len starting working for a temp agency. They gave him a job that he worked for 2 weeks. They were only giving him about 32 hours a week. The job was 22 miles away.

Then my former employer called and needed a truck driver to shuttle loads for 6-8 weeks. Their driver was having surgery. Perfect! Len stated working for them last week. A dollar more an hour plus only 3 miles from the house with 10 hour days and work every other Saturday.

Len retired from NJ Dept of Corrections in January and because he left voluntarily he is not eligible for unemployment insurance. However, once re-employed and he earns 6x his weekly benefit and gets laid off he is eligible to collect. His weekly benefit is $600. He will easily earn the $3,600 before the job ends and he is laid off.

Bottom line - aggravated about the delay in repairs to fifthwheel. Thankful for the earning opportunity for Len as we have had many, many unexpected costs come up the last few months. It is all a balancing act. It will all work out for the best.

Abby is ONE

This is my 3rd week of staying in Maryland during the week and returning to NJ on weekends. It looks like the project Amy is working on will be completed no later than this Friday.

Last weekend I took the girls to our home Friday morning. As Amy and Scott had a function to go in Milford, DE we met them early Saturday morning to return the girls. Scott's Masters Thesis was on a defunct shipyard in Milford. They were invited to a simulated relaunching at the shipyard.

This is Abby and Charlotte as we get ready to roll.

Amy and Scott bought this house about two years ago. It was built in 1900. They have LOTS of work to do but as they enjoy old houses, they are up to the challenge.
The house sits on about 3 acres with a shallow stream running through the back of the property. Included are two large outbuildings and a rental property. The rental house is quite small. Looks to have about the same square footage as a good sized RV!

The road in front of their house turns into a gravel road about 1/2 mile beyond them. Their area of Maryland is mostly rolling hills. Across the street are hills of corn.

This is our birthday girl. She turned one on June 10. The picture was taken in the dining room. They have removed paneling exposing old plaster. They are debating what to now do with the walls.

Abby with sister Charlotte getting ready for some cake.

We are still waiting for word when to take our rig back to the dealer for repairs. It will be three weeks on Saturday since we got it back from their inspection. Surprisingly the cost is less than we expected. Only about $10,400 of which over $1,800 is shipping.

We so much want to get our home in order and just settle down for a while before hitting the road again by August 1.

In Maryland

Welcome Jim and Dee to our blog!!! Glad to see you here.

Here I am writing from White Hall, MD. Daughter Amy was to have completed an archaeolgical project in D.C. around the last of May. Therefore she removed her girls from daycare, intending to stay home with them for a while. But the project is taking longer than she expected.

Last week I came down on Tuesday and stayed until Friday night. This week I drove down yesterday morning. I plan on taking girls back to NJ with me on Friday morning then meeting up with Amy and Scott Saturday morning to return them. She thinks the project will wrap up next week. Unitl it actually does wrap up, I will be coming down here during the week, returning to NJ on weekends. It's been a long time since I have had the opportunity to just goof off around the fiver.

Len is working evenings into early mornings so he remains back in NJ. We both started suffering from head colds over the weekend. His was much worse than mine. I could function; he could not. He stayed home from work yesterday as he was suffering from chills and feeling alround miserable. During the night his fever broke. He called this morning to report he feels so much better.

Once I am not needed down in Maryland, I will spend some time with girlfriends in NJ. Karol and I still have not gotten to the shore. I want to have dinner with Carolyn and Lois and lunch with Dot. I hope to catch up with Linda too.

Once things settle down, Len and I plan on seeing Marie, Bob, Clare and Tom. We also look forward to reconnecting with Andy and Kathy and Bev and Art. Then there is a potential dinner with Terri, Steve, Scott E, Carol and Tom A, John K and Jonathan S.

Since we are here waiting on repairs to the fiver, Len is working to bring in some extra funds. This will make life easier once we hit the road for real. Until then we hope and plan.