Cupboard Refit

Where Are We Today

The Ridge

Our kitchen cupboard where we keep our dishes, can and dry goods, has two adjustable shelves in it. The adjuster strips are made of plastic and held on with 5/8 staples. I suppose for normal use, these plastic strips are great, but for full timers, like us, and the traveling we do, they are not the best.

Plastic adjuster strips removed

5/8 inch staple that held the strips on

With the weight of the goods on them when traveling, the shelves tend to bounce and the plastic tabs bend and sometimes break, causing the shelves to either droop or drop down. We decided on our way home, that since we never adjust these two shelves that I would make them permanent. To do this, I used four boards 3/4 X 1 3/4 x 22 inches, to replace the plastic strips, and permanently fastened them to the sides of the cupboard.

Pat always seems to a pic of me working

Patsy emptied the cupboard shelves in preparation for the refit.  I drilled four holes in each board, counter sunk each hole and used 1 1/2 inch screws with plastic anchors to mount them to the inside wall of the cupboard. There is a space of about 3/4 of an inch between the inside and outside walls of the cupboard, so I had to trim the plastic plugs a little so they would fit in between the two walls.

First shelf done

 I had pre-measured where each shelf was, so marking the sides for each shelf, I held up the boards and marked where the holes in the wall needed to be drilled. Put in the anchors and fastened the boards. Replaced the shelves, cleaned up my mess and put the tools away. Patsy then restocked the shelves.

Second shelf done

Shelves back in

That's about it for this post, today is another cold windy day here at "The Ridge" and it looks like we are in for a few more before the warm temperatures return. Until the next time, take care, stay safe and let common sense prevail.

 

Update, Projects and A Rant

Where Are We Today

The Ridge

Priceville, Ontario

Six weeks have passed since we returned home from our winter in the south , and life is anything but normal, more about that later.

It was five days ago since I wrote that first line, I guess I got distracted, so I had better stick to it and get this post done before Ken posts that they have returned home.

Since we have been home, we have busied ourselves with getting "The Ridge" all set up, which I am sure you all know about by reading Patsy's posts. In my last post, I mentioned that I started building an RC kit. To update my progress, the wing structure is framed, the leading and trailing edges have been shaped and I am now getting ready to put the skin on the wings.

Left side

Right Side

So, what else have I been up to you may ask, well let me tell you. A couple of weeks ago now, while driving back from getting water, I saw on the side of the road a couple of cupboards, chairs and work tables that someone had put out for free, so I scooped them up real quick and brought them home for a use to be determined.

Finally, I decided to put the two cupboards up in the utility shed to help organize better then it was.

Cupboards installed in the utility shed

The two work tables are sitting just outside "The Hangar" where they can be used for any project. I used to have two of these in my hobby room at our sticks and bricks house with my band saw and drill press on, they were sold along with other items when we sold the house.

The two tables

One other major repair that I have done since returning here, is to replace the black tank dump valve, a smelly job to say the least. The valve is located just after the tank, and opened and closed by a pull/push cable, located inside a small compartment on the outside of the trailer. 

Here is the valve, just below the tank. The tank is located right underneath the bathroom floor.

The black handle is the remote pull to open the valve.

We have had a problem with this valve operation before and it seems to stem from the cable binding and making it almost impossible to operate.  So I decided to replace it with a standard operating valve, where I will just have to reach in through the basement storage area to operate the valve.

The replacement process is no easy feat, as to the confined working space, but with some grunting, groaning and a little blue air from an old man, I and a little help from Patsy got the job done.

Not an easy feat.

Here is the new one installed.

Now back to life, it is anything but normal. By now we are all getting tired of the physical distancing, the constant news stories, who's right, wrong or indifferent. In the beginning, we came home, did our isolation and  practiced the physical distancing.  I have to admit that I was at first upset by people that ignored the whole thing and said they were going to live their lives. I wanted to give them my two cents worth, but old age has calmed those impulses.  I realize that they are entitled to their opinions and I have to respect that, so I do.

The Hangar

We all have to decide what to believe from articles published by so called experts and news agencies. I for one , do not believe all the stories from the news , as stories have been proven false.

Our two countries were built on freedom through democracy, we say freedom came from the wars fought and the lives lost, and we should not forget that. Freedom also came with responsibility, to live by the laws made by those we elected to govern us, along with the right to march, protest and demonstrate peacefully to try and change those laws. I hope we all can remember that.

Home on the Ridge

Both our countries, each state /province, county, townships within counties, towns and cities  are handling this in degrees of difference, hard to fathom or make sense of.

 Normal cannot come soon enough.  For my friends and family, from now on, the next time we meet, if you are open to shaking hands or giving hugs, I am too. If not, I respect that as well. Remember, as with any cold, flu or sickness be sensible, wash your hands, cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze and if you are sick, stay home, protect those who are at risk, especially the elderly.

That's my rant, no more said.

Thanks for tuning in, until the next time stay safe, healthy and take care.