Angst with Ava Jean

Hubby decided to replace part of the Avion's floor.  The bathroom got torn out, the floor pulled up where it needed replacing and then he crawled underneath and removed the belly pan.  Things got real and ugly.  The frame is rusting out.  Bad frames are a deal breaker for us.

 We were sick.

We decided to walk away for 24 hours and work on the yard, clean the house and not talk about it.

I packed up all of the building materials with their receipts to make returns.  I contacted other Avion owners. Both of us were thinking of calling Z's Recycling.  Cut our losses and walk away. I can hardly write about my feelings during that time.

Saturday morning Hubby asked me on a date for that evening and then left for work.

We had dinner at Drizzle and talked it through.  We aren't quitters. We didn't want to jeopardize our relationship during this project. People get divorced putting up wall paper!  We had to give up our timeline for this project.  He wanted to see my vision for the interior and I loved him for that because I am so excited about what I chose. Hubby has always wanted to take up welding.  We enjoy the rescue of vintage trailers.  We could set new goals.  We agree that while Ava can be fixed and we will enjoy her, she isn't going to to be our end all trailer.  The Curtis Wright Model 6 is going to be our best work.  Practice makes perfect.

Yep, we're both in. There were negotiations and a shared dessert.

I am pretty happy to not have to return a sofa, two chairs, two twin mattresses, Pergo flooring, nine light fixtures, sheets, mattress pads, quilts, a table, wallpaper, fabric, an outdoor rug, and cabinet hardware.

And I am glad that all of the cabinet sanding and prep I did isn't for nothing.  Or the paint removal from the bath tub.

I am thinking of coloring my hair in January (after Max and Kassie's wedding) to a silver because the gray is coming on fast with this project.

Seriously, I like it.

Meanwhile at home.

The figs are ripe.

Danny and Jessica are coming this weekend.  They are road tripping from Michigan.  We are so excited to see them. All this mama wants is one night with her three guys and their girls, and isn't that all that matters?

And our favorite trailer rally is coming up in August.  Nile Valley or bust!

Bryce Creek

 Last week I took Huaka'i Annie up to Bryce Creek Campground.  Hubby had to work but encouraged me to go with our church to camp for a few nights.  He came up for dinner on Friday night.

 I had Melanie Shankle's new book, Church of the Small Things, to keep me occupied. I'll share more about the book later but know that presales are happening now on Amazon.

 I went on hikes.  If a four year old was going I figured I could keep up, and went on the hike.  Good camper logic. In theory.

 It is so beautiful and peaceful at Bryce Creek.  A group makes breakfast for all of the campers on Saturday and Sunday. They made me a special pancake.  It's Annie!

 There were 30 littles at camp and on Saturday evening they performed a circus for us.

I enjoyed watch all of the kids on this trip.  Several Moms came with their kids and tented it.  Kudos to those brave mamas.

I came home to a lot of mail for Ava Jean.  I love her new key chain from Down River on Etsy.  Thanks Rene!

 All of the lighting has since arrived and I picked up the flooring yesterday.  This trailer needs to get finished so we can reclaim our living room.  The picture was taken before lighting and flooring arrived.  #trailerrestorationproblems #thestruggleisreal #ibettergetbusy

Ava Jean Update

Ava Jean has a binder and a notebook.  Hubby found an owner's manual online so that went into the binder.  Old ads and brochure copies are in the binder.  Ideas, measurements and punch lists are in the binder.  Measurements are also in the small notebook for taking in my purse.  Design boards, samples, receipts go into the binder.  It's organized chaos.

 We are just working on Ava Jean over here.  Not anything exciting to share unless you like making old, dirty, rusty things looks like brand spanking new things.

I am pleased with the screens and the hinges.  They were in pretty bad shape.  I have many more hinges to restore, they are covered in paint.

 Does anyone want some cherry flooring?  It's free and I need it gone yesterday.

There is more than one wheel barrow full, probably three or four.

Hubby is off tomorrow and Wednesday so the sub floor will come out.

I ordered twin mattresses, bedding, chairs and a small sofa.

The UPS guy is gonna be busy this week!

If I can order it with free shipping I will, including furniture.

We had plans to go camping this weekend.  In fact, our church camp changed dates so we were double booked.  Hubby put in for leave.  He got it!  We were excited until we realized he got the wrong weekend.  I will probably take Annie for a night or two to church camp at Bryce Creek.  Since Hubby has the next weekend off we will use the time to work on Ava Jean.  We really want the rewiring done and the flooring down.

Our goal is to take Ava to the Mt. Baker Vintage Trailer Rally in Lynden, Washington for her debut.

The open house is September 9.  Save the date.

Ava Jean our '68 Avion

One of Hubby's coworkers had a trailer for sale.  We went to see it.  Considered it.  We came to our senses and realized if we brought her home that we would be working nonstop all summer and talked ourselves out of it. Some days Hubby was thinking yes and some days I was thinking yes, but not on the same days.

And then I made a Pinterest board, just in case.  Hubby researched.  The '68 Avion kept creeping into conversations.  Yesterday we took her home.  She is meant to be a fast project before the Curtis Wright Model 6.  This is not a frame off.

Our other trailer rescues were brutal with truck trouble, 405 traffic, rain storms and over a mountain pass.  We went yesterday with those memories.

Imagine our surprise when we were back home in a little over an hour! Round trip! No incidents! 

It was the kind of rescue that makes us feel invincible and want to do it every day.

Thank you Andrea for your help!

I named her Ava Jean.  Ava because she is an Avion trailer and Jean because my Mom's middle name is Jean and my Dad's middle name was Eugene.  I always thought I should have been Tamra Jean instead of Tamra Rae.

Our plan was to flip Miss Ava but now that I've named her Hubby realizes that we'll probably keep her.  He's not wrong.

 Ava is a big gal and we set to work yesterday helping her lose some weight.  The cherry floor is out and the tile is gone.  She feels better already.

 We plan to put in twin beds.  She has a bathroom with a shower.

She needs to be rewired.

 While I was pressure washing, Hubby took up the floor.

And then we both took out the tile which was a big job because whoever tiled that counter wanted it to last forever.

I love her gold Hehr windows and the fact that she has all of her windows.

It's a bit like a girl with all of her teeth. 

 My work pressure washing and scrubbing was rewarding yesterday.

 A 1968 Avion has anodized aluminum so she will have a satin, not shiny finish.

I found new Avion stickers on eBay and ordered them.  Rene' is sending us an Avion key chain from Down River Co. on Etsy.  Thank you friend!

I'd call it a successful, productive first day for Ava Jean.

And I'd call us craaaazy...

Random Monday Post

Hubby and I went to George, WA for the 4th of July weekend.  Kassie rode over with us.  Her parents, her sister and family friends, Johnny and Deb came too.  We all camped on Max's yard. It was a fun weekend.  We did some some work on the house, we went to the river, enjoyed lunch at Jake's and we did some wedding planning.

 I always make a fat boy breakfast when we are camping. We brought the Pizza Que and baked pizza one night and Ron grilled steaks a night.  Max had told me he might be busy and was fine with everyone camping at his place but he wanted good food when he was home.  I'd say we were successful.

I have a new photo app on my phone, It's called Prisma.

It's free and it's fun!

I went on a field trip to San Juan Island with the Pie Pals. We had a fun day, riding the ferry, eating pie, laughing, talking and meeting new friends including a fox named Foxy and a woman with an Irish accent.  Please read with an Irish accent, I am a meddlesome mum and they are literally lucky to have me, they don't realize though, I tell them all the time what to do and how to do it and they are literally lucky to have me.  Holly, Jodi and I were like, oh, so you're one of us. 

Foxy is a mangy looking fox, super lazy and lays on the corner with a sign that warms against feeding her but obviously she is living on handouts.  A transient fox looking for Doritos.

I met Sam for coffee on Saturday morning and we got caught up.  Since he doesn't work in Lynden anymore I don't see him as much.  We kind of miss him coming at lunchtime to clean out our fridge.

I've been reading this summer and loving it.  A reading marathon! I have been avoiding housework like the plague.  I always do book work on Mondays, laundry and some tidying up around the house.  Today I seriously need to clean.  I should have a party because  that always causes a flurry of domestic chores.  There is no occasion or motivation so we are living in a dust bowl.

Do you clean in the summer or let it slide?

This was random, as warned. Until next time...

Diner En Blanc

When Rene, Kathy, Jean and myself planned the Riverbend Ladies Camp we didn't plan much.  It was going to be pretty loose and easy going.  And it was, with a few events.  Jackie asked if we wanted to do a dinner with everyone wearing white.  I was excited as a Diner en Blanc was on my bucket list. I told Jackie, I'd help her.

As I was packing champagne flutes, an ice bucket, candles, table linens and making place cards, Hubby remarked that I camp differently than him. Yes, well, I was going with serious glampers.

 I love my camping girlfriends so I wanted to treat them to a Champagne Cocktail to get the party started.

 Rene asked if she could help me with anything, uhhhmm yes, I had my champagne chilling in other camper's fridges. Could you go and find it?

 We got set up and dressed up for the Diner En Blanc. We had an early dinner because the bugs were bad in the evening.

 All these beautiful, gracious, women dressed in white gathered by the river.

As they gathered and sipped their champagne I could feel the excitement and the love.

 Jackie had homemade lasagnas in her trailer freezer (of course she did) and the rest just fell together.

Shelly asked the blessing and Jackie made a toast and we enjoyed a delicious dinner.

There was some dancing by the river.

 There was so much beauty, on the table, around the table and in the friendships.

 Did you know there were fancy cocktail aprons for housewives in the 50's?

Kathy and Wendy knew.

These women know how to celebrate life, beauty and joy.  They know how to dance by the river and surround each other with compassion and love. I am so thankful and blessed by each one.

*please note that many of the pictures were taken by others, we agreed to share.