Tuesday 11 November 2014

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

I am warm and have the luxuries that come with a “stationary house:” unlimited running water, unlimited heat, flush toilet, unlimited electricity and everything, heck even WiFi. I am in a hotel, one which, shall we say a quaint little hotel from Calgary’s past which has physically aged well, but not so in reputation, nor has the neighbourhood. Yet for someone who is not used to paying anything to sleep where I want, any price is way too much. 

Wanda is in for service and as we speak is snug in a shop, defrosting and thawing out. On Wednesday, the service people will look at her and see if any pipes burst or if there was any damage.  Mainly they will be “winterizing”  her, meaning they will be draining the tanks (charging me $150.00 to do what I can do for $3.00 because they ‘don’t want to do it’). They will also drain the plumbing and fresh water tanks and lines and put antifreeze in her lines and tanks so that no freezing will occur. 

This means that Wanda’s plumbing will be deactivated, but the rest of her systems will work. This means that I am faced with a choice ‘Should I stay or should I go?’ I know that logically I should rent a room for winter and wait to live in Wanda again in April. 

I also know that if I had a woman with me that we would have moved into some place on Saturday. (I can almost hear the non-stop bitching and whining . . . after all everything is my fault . . . I have a penis.) 

I am not saying that women can’t endure these conditions, just that they won’t. The women I have been involved with in the past, (most of them), seem to have dropped most of life’s problems on my door. Somehow I should have magically seen this or that coming and prevented it, or I am a dumbass because I didn’t do this or that. I digress (and yes, with this attitude I know I will be single for a very long time).

As I am alone, or as Johnny Cash put it ‘A Solitary Man, ’ so that means that I have the choice to either stick it out in Wanda without plumbing all winter or rent a room. Sure I will be using more propane but now that I don’t have to worry about the pipes freezing and plan to plug in every night, it shouldn’t be much more. Plus with my electric heater helping out, that cost will be reduced more. I also have warm clothes, so I know that I can do this. With no plumbing, -30 in Wanda doesn’t scare me. At absolutely worst, I can buy an -40 sleeping bag and be golden.

Why would I do this? Why would I live in a freezer in winter on the prairies? Apart from the challenge of doing this, I like the idea of trying to get caught up on my credit card paydown. I have long since stowed my pride or disregarded what people may seem as ‘proper’ or ‘dignified’ in how to live. I mean, who lives in an RV, parking in parking lots? Not ‘normal’ people, anyways.  

If I can do this, and stick it out in winter I will have put myself back on track to paying down my bills by August. That is the goal and what I am shooting for, that by the end of August 2015, I will be credit card debt free. Then I can talk to the bank in mid September to redo Wanda’s payments to make sure that when her payments are done, that she is done, no balloon payments. 
I am looking forward to the day when I am now saving money and paying down Wanda and Trea with fixed end dates. That would be great as then I will have an end in sight, and a date set for absolute debt freedom. 

Then, on that day I will have a place to live and no debts, I will truly and once and for all be free. I could then live and go where I like, needing a fraction of what I need now to live. That day, that image is what keeps me going, for that will mean that I can then pursue all of the crazy dreams that I have, not really needing to worry about a massive cash flow just to live. Once I have everything paid off, all I will need is: food, gasoline, propane, and yes enough for insurance payments.  

I am still furious and disgusted with the RV manufacturers, as don’t let them fool you they are all the same. Their ‘winter packages’ are in reality a ‘good fall package’ as they are not designed to work below zero. (the RV service department confirmed this)

I mean seriously, at -10 C I couldn’t drain my tanks because a couple of valves froze up. Let’s get serous, at -10 C most of us think if it is worth putting a coat on to take the garbage out . . . it’s T-shirt weather!!!! (I have walked out in a T-shirt, sweat pants and slippers at -20 C to take the garbage out).

If I had the resources I would start my own RV company and make units designed to easily work from +30 to -30. (Hmm, how about the “Loose Moose RV Company” or what about the “The Husky Beaver RV Company”).  Something which touts the Canadian pride and ability to not just survive harsh winters but thrive in them. Hmm, Investors, talk to me ;-).

I suppose I already know the answer and what I will do. I will continue to live in Wanda, just to get through this and onto that saving money phase as soon as possible. I still reserve the right to pull the plug and move into a room later, if it seems unfeasible, but for now, I am staying. All that remains to be seen is what damage, if any, had been done to Wanda and how much it will cost to get her back. 

Don’t worry, I won’t be starting any Crowdfunding campaign  to pay for it, this is my problem and my own lack of foresight. Learn from my mistake, and if it looks like it will dip below -5 C drain your tanks and winterize. Then decide if you wish to live in an RV in winter with no plumbing.   

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