My T@B Guru At Work

Two Stories in two days . . . I love it!!  There was a bit of chatter on Facebook last evening among some T@Bbers concerning my new modifications.  You see, my Camper Mom posted a link to my Stories and let everyone know I have a new bike rack.

What she didn't do was tell them about my new MaxxAir vent cover! That's right, I have a spiffy, white cover over my Northern Breeze fan so I can leave the lid open when it rains.  This is another one of those things that Momma Sharon has wanted and talked about for a long time.  She can be so impulsive sometimes buying things for me and at other times, she's on Sharon Time!  Go figure.

One weekend last May, she and Aunt Becky made a trip to Camping World and she finally bought one of those coolio covers for me.  I think in the back of her mind she worried about it blowing completely off while we're out on the road.  But she took the plunge and got it for me anyway.  I told her to just chill and not worry so much!

My buddy Highway Bob, my personal T@B Guru, did the installation.  For a long time, I thought he was going to have to drill holes in my ceiling and I was scared to death.  However, when I found out that the MaxxAir actually attaches to the sides of the fan and hardly touches my roof at all, then I said "let's do this!"  Aunt Becky pulled out her step ladder, found a quilt to go on my roof, and the installation began.

It didn't take Dr. Bob very long at all and before I knew it, my new vent cover was sitting pretty right on top of me!  Because it's white, it blends in nicely I think.  Thanks a bazillion Bob!!

You might be wondering why Momma Sharon is going a little crazy lately making things for me and adding modifications.  I have an idea about that . . . I think it's because we are traveling to Ohio a week from Saturday to join almost 150 T@Bs and Little Guys for a HUGE rally called Rolling Home. I'm guessing she wants to show me off in all my splashy lime green and blue glory!

I really appreciate you scooting over here today for another Story and I have a news flash for you . . . I'll have another Tale for you tomorrow concerning me and Toolbelt Sue.  Until then, always remember . . . 

"Peace, Love & Camping!"

Mod Day Under The T@Bport

Hey hey y'all.  I hope you had a great weekend, because I sure did!  Not a drop of rain and sunny every day.  The only thing that could have made it better was if I was parked in a campground somewhere.

Today something really special happened.  Momma's friends, Bob and Susan (Little Red T@Boose's folks) drove to Newton from Pittsboro.  They rolled down my driveway this morning and Bob began pulling out tools!  It was Mod Day under the T@Bport!!

Momma Sharon and Bob have had some serious discussions about a bike rack for many months and Bob told her that if she could find one, he would install it.  That explains the visit this morning.

He had the base fabricated in Pittsboro, so all he had to do for me was drill four holes in my frame.  Momma Sharon wanted it to go just in front of the battery cover. 

With all the tools laid out and ready, we ran an extension cord into Becky's garage for power.  The big ole bit and drill made quick work of the four holes.   I was kinda afraid that it would hurt, but I was a big girl and it only tickled just a little bit!

The stainless steel bolts were a perfect fit, so next Bob attached them securely with self-locking nuts from below the frame.

The beauty of this bike rack is that when not in use, Momma Sharon can pull out the locking pins, and remove the upright assembly.  It won't interfere with the jockey wheel handle or the battery cover or the jockey wheel itself.  It doesn't wiggle, it's shiny and black, and I think it's perfect!!  Thanks a million Highway Bob, my T@B Guru!!

Momma, Aunt Becky, Susan, and Bob all took a break for lunch.  They came back about 2:30 to finish part two of Mod Day.  If you come back around tomorrow, I'll tell you that Story, but in the meantime always remember . . . 

"Peace, Love & Camping"!

Oh No . . . T@D Strikes Again!

SplashT@B here with late breaking news!  T@D (T@B Awning Disorder) has struck again!!  Momma Sharon spied a pretty little beach umbrella and stand at Family Dollar when she was off on that metal stool quest a couple months ago.  I guess the green, blue, and white umbrella that she saw has just been eating away at her ever since.

This morning about 11:30 she unexpectedly paid me a visit and I immediately knew she was up to something.  She got her camera out of the car . . . uh-oh.  Then she grabbed a long plastic sleeve with something in it.  Yep . . . T@D got the best of her again.  OMG, what am I going to do with her??

First she brought out a nice plastic base that has a plug in it where you can add sand or water or something else to give it extra weight to hold it down.  That's smart.  Then she put the bottom pole in and it fit nicely. Then she opened up the umbrella and inserted that.  Heavy sigh . . . 

It is a nice match . . . 

It is just the right size . . . 

It even tilts at an angle and locks nicely in place . . .

I am lookin' pretty groovy with it next to me . . . 

It is a cute pattern . . . 

I gotta admit, my Camper Mom knows what I like and so what if it brings her collection to ___ !  Oh my, I've lost count!!  I'm proud of her that she held out so long, but honestly, I knew it was just a matter of time before she got it so we would have it for our big trip to the big Rolling Home Rally two weeks from tomorrow.

Hey Daisy!  This Story is for you sweetie 'cause I know you understand what I'm going through!!  Have a good weekend everyone and always remember . . . 

"Peace, Love & Camping With 

A Coolio Umbrella!"

A Summer Place

Hey hey . . . well, you did make it back today for another one of my Stories . . . thanks mucho!! Yesterday I told you all about the vintage felt pennants that Momma Sharon has been finding for me.  

I have a distant cousin who lives up on the elbow of Cape Cod and she's a bigger version of me called a T@DA.  I met her for the first time this past April when we were all hanging out together at James Island down in South Carolina.  Her name is "A Summer Place" and what a beauty she is!  Her Momma Sandi is a junkin' queen and loves that shabby chic look.  

One of her all-time favorite movies is "A Summer Place" with Troy Donahue and Sandra Dee.  In fact, I think Sandi was named for Sandra Dee!!  Anyway, when it came time to choose a decorating theme for my cuz, her Camper Mom went with nautical reds, whites, and blues.  You probably figured that out by looking at the sign that she made at my Blue Ridge Rally.

Inside of A Summer Place is lots of cool fishing stuff because Papa John is one of those guys who loves to fish.  But what I wanted to tell you about today are all the cool pennants on display inside that big ole T@DA.  They aren't scrawny little ones like I have . . . they are the great big, full-sized ones from long ago!  Just like mine, they represent all the fun places she has been.  Take a look . . . 

Some of my cousins far and near don't like to have things stuck all over their walls and filling up their spaces, but I'm so happy that our Moms do because it makes us feel all groovy inside!

OK, that wraps up today's tale.  I'm serious when I tell you I'm tickled that you stopped by for Story Time!  Have a great hump day and always remember . . . 

"Peace & Pennants, Love & Camping"

Vintage Felt Pennants

Hey-eeee campers and friends!  It's SplashT@B snitching a little computer time to share another Story with you.  I hope all has been well with you since we chatted a couple weeks ago.

My Camper Mom and Aunt Becky took a road trip to West Virginia last week, but they didn't take me! That's actually OK because I heard that they did oodles and oodles of u-turns and I'm not so hot on u-ies. While they were there, they did some junkin' and I know how happy that made Momma Sharon.

Way back in the summer of 2011, Mom found a small vintage felt pennant that said St. Augustine.  It only cost a couple bucks and since we were all going there for a big Halloween rally that fall, she bought it for me and put it on my wall over the stove.  

On our post-Blue Ridge Rally Caravan in May of 2010 we stayed four nights in Gettysburg, PA.  When she spotted another little pennant from there, she snatched that one up too and put it on my wall.

Every time she and Aunt Becky are out junkin' they are always on the lookout for more felt pennants from places we have camped together. While on our Natchez Trace Caravan last fall, she found another one! You know where this is going . . . ha, ha.

Now here's what you don't know.  Last spring, Aunt Becky saw a Great Smoky Mts. vintage pennant in an antique store in Black Mountain and told Mom about it.  Well, for a variety of reasons it took her a couple months to drop in the store to get it.  Guess what?  It had been sold . . . boo hoo.  I was really wanting that one in particular.  Well, on their trip to West Virginia last week, Aunt Becky was standing in the aisle holding something in front of her and guess what it was?  Oh yeh, it was that National Park pennant we've all been looking for for months. How cool is that?

This morning Momma Sharon came down to the T@Bport and we got to hang out a while so she could put my new (old) pennants on the walls.  I love them and hope she finds lots more in her junkin' and travels.  Since we're all going to Ohio in August, who knows what we'll find!!

I'm planning on sharing another Pennant Story with you tomorrow that involves a distant cousin of mine who lives up in Cape Cod.  I'd love for you to come back then, sit down with me for a bit, and let me tell you that Story.  Until then always remember . . . 

"Peace & Pennants, Love & Camping!"

Lamp Post Finishing Touches

This afternoon, my Camper Mom paid me a quick visit.  She was on a speedy mission to get a couple signs and one flag out of my storage bins.  Those items were needed for a final photo shoot of my new camping lamp post.

Momma Sharon decorated the lamp post with the same duct tape that's on my luggable loo.  It's got paint splashes all over it and I think it's pretty cool because I look like I have paint splashes all over me! You remember that's why she named me Splash . . . tee hee.  She told me that "the jury is still out" on her design and I'm not exactly sure what that means.  ???

Maybe I should ask you guys what you think of it!  I know that all those circles and stripes will peel right off and the whole post can go back to white with very little time or effort involved.  I also know that Momma Sharon is still arranging the signs and flags and can go with a bunch of different combinations to get it exactly how we like it.  Plus, I told her she needs to get a few S-hooks to try.

Well, take a look at the finishing touches and see what you think . . . 

It's pretty hot around these parts today, so I hope you are staying cool wherever you are.  I'm really happy that you came back today to see my finished lamp post and always remember . . . 

"Peace, Love & Camping!"

Rolling Home Lamp Post Project

Hey Campers . . . Splash here to tell you a story about my Rolling Home Lamp Post Project!

My Uncle Rob made an uber-cool lamp post out of PVC pipe for Pod's upcoming F.R.O.G. Rally in August.  He's going to join dozens of other Forest River campers and almost two dozen R-Pods for a big, big gathering.  So, it shouldn't surprise you in the least that Momma Sharon snitched his idea after seeing Pod and Tinker-Pod's lamp posts! If you'd like to read about his creation, look over to the left side and you'll see the link for Pod's blog.

In August, I'll be going to Ohio for my HUGE rally where I'll be hanging out with my T@B and T@DA brothers and sisters.  It's called Rolling Home and we'll be joined by a whole slew of Little Guy teardrops!  I told Momma Sharon that I wanted something really special for the rally and that's how my lamp post idea was hatched.

On Saturday, she and Aunt Becky drove to Landis so that Pod's dad could help her make one.  A quick trip to Lowes was in order to pick up the PVC pipe pieces, couplings, flange, power cord, duct tape, and lamp.

While Aunts Becky and Trisha were inside chatting, the lamp post-creators got to work!  Pipe pieces were cut to length, holes were drilled, and everything was dry-fitted.

They threaded the power cord and used a pop rivet to hold it in place.

Next, Uncle Rob added a plug for the lamp and attached another piece of PVC to hold the lamp on top of the pole.  Then it was time to test the light and VOILA! it worked!!

Momma Sharon knew that she wasn't going to spray the post black like Pod's, because black doesn't match me for goodness sakes.  Plus, she decided she wanted it to have two arms to hold all my signs and flags while we are out camping.  She made sure the power cord is extra long too.

Mom wanted to wait until after she decorated it to show you, but I told her that Tink would shoot her if she did that, so here's what it looks like all put together!!

  
What do you think?  I'm really diggin' it and cannot wait for you to see it all decorated.  I'll keep that a secret until tomorrow.  So if you want to see what groovy design Momma Sharon chose, come on back tomorrow for that Story.  Have a great Monday everyone and always remember . . .

"Peace, Love & Camping!"