9 JULY 2003

Dion has dropped the bus off today. I went and meet him at a place an hour out of New Plymouth had to wait for a bit but that was all right, just sat in a coffee shop and read Harry Potter. I didn't get to drive it but learnt how to, also all the workings of the bus. This thing is huge.
It will take a bit of getting used to but once I learn hour to drive, it will be better. Rang up some joiners to get a quote for the work we want do on the bedroom at the back, also need a door on the shower and toilet, and we are going to put new carpet down, the one there at the moment is showing it's age. I think it will be really nice once we are finished.Well have had the joiner round and he had some ideas but thought we might try it the way it is for a while and see how that goes, Sheryl and me in the top end bedroom and either Eppie or Chay in the bottom one with a single bed, and still looking for a constantina type door for the bathroom. Have got the schedule for sitting my class 2 heavy traffic and the course starts on the 13th 14th August so will enrol in that as so as possible.

26 July 003
Well the Garage sale went on today people standing outside waiting at 6.00am, sold the lawn mower to the first fellow for $50. We made about $500.00 so not to bad, enough for the deposit on the carpet and tiles for the bus, which we had a quote for the other day for $965.00 for under lay carpet and tiles and lying. I have to rip up the old stuff as well as the lino, which is proving to be a hassle but never mind need to get it done, also have found a door for the bathroom a constantina one from mitre 10, I think you can get them the size you want will have to measure up and find out if they can do it for me.

2 August 003
Well have started ripping up the carpet this morning that was easy but the lino is a bit different, tried heating up an old iron and softening the glue but the first lot was just laid on ply wood and the layers of wood where coming up with the lino but managed alright in the end, the rest of the area was easy used the spade and just lifted it with that. Sheryl also got some test pots of paint to do the bedrooms with and also took down the lining on the ceiling she thought it was a bit hippyish, and her and Eppie are going to pick out some more cloth to do the ceiling with, the new carpet is going to be laid on the 8 August so hope everything goes well.

Just a look of what it looks like before the new carpet and lino pretty messy at the moment eh but will look good when we have finished,Sheryl has asked Thea to do the sowing for the new lining for the Ceiling, she has brought a light sort of material and we have brought a light carpet with a dark fleck that won't show the dirt so much, hopefully.
The carpet and tiles is going to cost $965.00 that includes underlay felt and laying of the tiles and carpet, better to get it done properly.

4 August 003
Been down the bus all day with Sheryl, she was painting and I was ripping up the lino, we were working away when we had a call from a council lady who said they had some complaints about the bus being parked there we argued with her a bit about the rights and wrongs of parking there but in the end she said we had to move but they gave us until the 16 August to move, so Sheryl made a couple of phone calls to some local camps and she came up with one that is close to the beach and not to far away from the kids schools they should be still able to ride there bikes there and back alright, he is going to give us a park and power and the use of toilets and kitchen for $100.00 a week so not to bad, also he has garages that we can store our furniture for $20.00 a week which is pretty good leave it there for a year or so and see what happens.

5 August 003
I spent the day finishing of the top coat of both the kids rooms, doesn't look to bad but might need another top coat because Sheryl only put on a very light first coat but might do. Was waiting for someone to come and measure up for a grey tank which we will need if we want to travel round and stay at camps and DOC places but he never turned up so rang a local house bus builder and hopefully he will come out and measure up for us and give us a quote for the tank and fitting as well this is proving to be quite expensive but never mind we are nearly there. Also went to Smith & Smith glass and got an estimate for the front screen which will have to be made and will cost around $600.00 - $800.00 bucks bugger might have to wait and make a claim on the insurance,

7 August 03
Well this morning they are coming to lay the carpet and tiles J I hope I done the job right. We will start loading this in to the bus soon like the chairs and TV and cabernet. We are also going to load other things as well will have to give the inside a wash down though as a bit dusty from me sanding the floor. We are getting a guy to come and give us a quote for a grey water tank could be up to $800.00, but to be classed as self contained we need one. Will have to keep a diary of expenditure from when we bought the bus, starting from when we bought it.

8 August 03
Well the carpet has been laid and looks good but have to do some more work on the floor before the tiles can be placed, need to fill up the holes a bit better and then sand it down a bit better, the floor is pretty rough but I think I have done it right this time.

10 August 03
Have put Eppies bed in her room had to cut a bit off the end to make it fit but looks good now, but there is not much room left in there and I don't think Eppie will be happy there so I am trying to come up with an idea on how to work it so she has some more room, I got the idea from a bed I saw some where not sure where, but there was a bed like bunk beds but underneath, instead of a bed there was like a work station, with a desk and draws underneath and the bed on top I think that will work and will give Eppie some room to do her homework and stuff.
Will start to sand the floor tomorrow.

14 August 03
Well have passed my class 2 licence it wasn't to bad and now have my licence Whooooo lol. Now all I have to do is shift it tomorrow, should be easy enough.
We also had the mattress people arrive Ha! we can fit any mattress anywhere he said! Ha, well they couldn't fit it in our bus so we had to buy a new one, we will get two foam mattress to make up for the one that wouldn't fit also we will get a $200.00 refund and he said the suppliers would shrink wrap it for them to make it easier to get in so hopefully that will do us. Put the bathroom door up today a bit awkward but managed in the end makes the opening to the bathroom a bit smaller but is better with a door on it.

16 August 03
Asked Jono to come and help start the bus today because we have to move it, he came round and checked the batteries and said they were flat so drove the Toyota closer and joined the batteries to jump start the bus then I told him about the generator and he said start it up and that might help start it so I did and that seemed to do the trick let it run for a while, Sheryl was talking to Nanna, and Patton (Nannas 4yr old daughter) was sitting in the drivers seat playing with the steering wheel and Jono said try and start the bus so I flicked the switch and pushed the button, lol well it started up and Patton flew out of the seat as if her ass was on fire and Sheryl moved just as fast out the door saying I'm out of here, so we waited until the air brakes filled and then Jono checked the electrics for me and explained a few things I needed to know which was good J so I sat in the seat and tried to find reverse and finally managed to back up and then away I went with Sheryl following me I was a bit nervous but managed to drive down the street alright although a bit slow, Sheryl said I managed to get up to 20kms mind you had a lot of traffic behind me and drove pretty slow and carefully, crunched the gears a bit but I'm sure I will get better after a bit more practice(I hope)we also put some stuff that we are storing in the garage beside the bus. $20.00 a week for storage not bad, cheaper than any where else, hopefully will be moving in to the bus this week as Sheryl wants to have the house empty to make it easier for cleaning.

18 August 03
We started to shift some more things into the bus today and the kids came and had a look for the first time in a long time. I'm not sure that Eppie likes the idea yet but once we are on the road I'm sure she will change her mind, heres hoping, Chay seems to be a bit excited and getting in to the idea of living in a bus but maybe just a bit of a novelty at the moment.
Hoping to shift into the bus this week so we will have more time to tidy the house. We have put the bottom of the wall cabinet in the bus and looks good we will put the telly on there and with one of the 2 seater couches it looks good but will have to get an extension cord for the telly cord to fit comfortable, will have to see about that soon. Also Sheryl managed to get a hold of the guy about the grey tank, and he said he had ordered it to be made and would cost about $500.00 also said he would need the bus for about 3 days to fit the tank but we will be living in it then, he said not a worry he will only be working on the out side so we can still live in it will be costly but we do need it so had better get it done.
The guy doing the tiles is coming on Thursday morning at 8 oclock So will have to be there early.

20 August 03
Well the tiles are laid and they look real good the place is starting to look like home we also put the bed up in our room, well the mattres anyway not much room but hey we only sleeping so no problem. We hope to move into the beast this weekend. Called Novus to see if they can do anything about the window screen, hope so, could save us a lot of money so heres hoping they will ring me at work tomorrow. We still need to get a warrant and rego before we can go anywhere so need to get the window fixed. Had Novus people round and he said he thought the best idea would be to get the windscreen replaced.

22nd August 2003
Well We moved into the bus today it was cool just seemed to be home, might be because Sheryl done such a good job fitting it out, lit the fire and was very cosy been really busy shifting all the stuff out of the house, Eppie's room was the worst took her ages to empty it and then she wanted to fit most of it on the bus. Been travelling back and forward from house to bus with trailer loads of stuff for the garage, well finally managed to get everything out of the house and to the garage whew!
Living in the bus is cool, although we haven't had to do with out power yet.
Shifted the bus round the back of the building on to a grassy patch not so shelted and a bit windy and the bus rocks a bit, almost like being at sea. Eppie still not happy but not moaning at least. I think Chay is happy enough

Vickies room

Chays room

Eppie's room

click here

Places wev'e been

Contuine the Adventure