Not So Good News

Lakeland, FL
53 deg  clear, no wind.
Forecast today = high temp.81 deg. partly cloudy, SE wind @ 5 mph.

Well, Jim, Linda and I got some not so good news yesterday morning. After disassembling my Webasto diesel fired furnace for it's annual maintenance, it was determined that the burner tube is cracked. This is not real uncommon, especially in a furnace as old as mine is, but is not a common problem either.

Now, this is probably not the cause if the noise that Jim heard when we were back in DeBary, so that is still of some concern.

So, what to do? Well, in order for the furnace to be safe to operate, the burner tube must be replaced. The part is available, but as Lester says, "Those people must be very proud of their parts by the prices they charge". Needless to say, this is a part that they are very proud of and it's going to be quite expensive. So, the part is ordered, (from a warehouse in California), and it is expected to arrive here in 3 to 5 business days.

Today, they changed my fuel, engine coolant, and hydraulic filters and lubed my chassis. Tomorrow morning, the guy is supposed to come and look at my couch and fix it in place if he can. Otherwise it will have to be removed  and taken to his shop for repair. Then it's just a matter of waiting for the furnace part to arrive.

If everything goes according to plan, (and from past experience, it usually doesn't), I should be able to leave here by the middle of next week.

The folks here at Creative Coach are great and are working us, and, as of this afternoon, I'm now leveled with my hydraulic jacks, hooked up to 50 Amp electric and am settled in for the duration of my stay here. There's also water available if my fresh water tank gets low and they do have a place over by the office where my tanks can be dumped if it becomes absolutely necessary.

The good part of all of this? Well, I'm not in a campground paying camping fees, it's fairly quiet here, (except on Friday and Saturday nights when they have races at a small track near here), there are all kinds of restaurants and stores near here, there are a few other RVers staying here while waiting on repairs to their RVs for Jim and Linda to talk to, and the guys that work here are always willing to talk and kid around with, when they're not too busy.  ;-)

Did you know that during World War II, hundreds of young British airmen were taught to fly at Lakeland's Lodwick airfield by volunteer flight instructors, a collection of barnstormers and independent pilots?