Got Wanda Back

Okay, so I got lucky, the only damage that was done was to the water pump. That was 150.00 so add labour and the winterizing service, and you have a bill of about $375.00. The RV Dealer was nice enough to not charge me the dumping fee of $150.00. So they were nice and gracious in doing that. As well, they did the work done promptly. I appreciate everything that they did.

I still consider it a bit steep to charge me, or anyone, $150.00 to dump the tanks, which anyone can do themselves for $3.00 simply because you don’t want to do it. The process is simply connecting up a hose and opening a couple of valves. I still say they should do it as a matter of course during any RV service, a nice little thank you. It is not like they have to crawl into the tank and scrub it out.

So I did get Wanda back and did plug in and sleep in her last night. I was warm enough and was able to do what I need to do both yesterday and this morning. It was colder than a normal house, but again, I kept my temp set lower so as to not use too much propane. I also want to get myself used to a colder house so to not need to heat the house as much. 

So, while it is possible to do this, and it did dip down to just below -20, and the furnace was not going constantly, I am not sure I want to do this. I checked out prices for rooms to rent and only the scary ones or way across town are anywhere near $500.00. Most places want $800.00 and above FOR A ROOM! Not a basement suite, but a bedroom.

I won’t pay that much for just a room, simply for convenience, to do so would put me too far behind. It is criminal to charge that much for simply a bedroom in someone’s house. This is the bad and negative side of capitalism at work; it is justified because people say “the market can bear it.”

So for now, I am in Wanda and will stick it out, if the right deal comes along, I will consider it, but until then I will hunker down, stay in Wanda and pay my cards down, all the while refining my wintering in Wanda system. 

For one, I don’t think that I will put the slide out, out anytime soon, not until a Chinook anyway. As I don’t want to damage anything further, and Wanda doesn’t seem designed for the deep freeze. I know that I will be fine in Wanda in winter and if things get too dicey, I still have keys for work to warm up inside. Also I won’t be driving away from work unless I have to do any shopping, as I am planning to plug in each night so I can use my electric heater, it does seem to work well.

The “Polar Package” or whatever “Winter Package” sticker they put on the side of the RV looks nice and may help sell units.  Help sell units is all it is designed to do, not actually help you in winter, I am talking about all of the Manufacturers as they all seem to be the same. Don’t believe me? Just try to find a temperature rating for any of the RV’s on the market, “Winter Package” or no. 

Sure the extra insulation is nice and comes in handy but the heating system for the plumbing sucks and seems to not have been tested in conditions where it would be needed.  It may be worth the money, just don’t expect it to actually keep the plumbing working in winter.

It is nice to know that I can do this, that I can live in Wanda and make it through winter. It is comforting to know that one way or another I will be okay, I will survive and get through this. Each night that I stay in Wanda, each month that I do, is one step closer to getting these credit cards done once and for all. That is something worth being uncomfortable for: debt freedom.