Beginning of the week, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, was quite interesting. Using the the same contact program PoBoy used to find my new used air conditioner, PoBoy uncovered a few other gems.

One such gem is a flat 18.5 pc monitor for 50.00. PoBoy will have that picked up by this evening. I like to consider this purchase as my attempt at "downsizing" beause it will help in the florida trailer spacewise. A flat screen monitor will take up less room then those bubble type monitors of old.

Oh and on the way home, PoBoy will be stopping in Holt to pick up a "free" laser printer. It has a problem according to the retired man in that it will only feed one sheet at a time. He thinks it needs a good cleaning but it could be more then that. PoBoy has always wanted a laser printer.

Okay this ends tonight's adventure. As planned PoBoy bought his first flat screen monitor. Now he can downsize his older monitor (the one with the big bubble in the rear). Also he stopped off to pickup his free laser printer -- the first laser printer he ever owned. So mission accomplished!

Tomorrow PoBoy's nerves will once again be on edge. For the next several months "Hurricane Season 2008" will be in effect. PoBoy chose a good location to retire as it is inland from Florida's costal region. Storm surge in these hurricanes claim for victims then the rest of the storm. However, he will experience high winds, and downed trees -- recall Hurricane Season 2005. One can only hope for the best, but this is the first time PoBoy has a lot at stake -- his four years of labor, sweat and tears are tied up in one spot. No Hurricanes please!

The TransVan

Sunday, April 27, 2008, PoBoy was up around seven in the

morning. Today he would visit the father of the fellow who

had sold him his boat. The father had a 1982 TransVan which

PoBoy had formulated in his plan to be a vehicle to haul his

boat to Florida. PoBoy also figured that the TransVan would

suffice as a sort of "Ark" in case a hurricane were to be

visiting the neighborhood where he would be living.

Having the TransVan would allow PoBoy to maintain

independence even in times of storms. He'd simply load up

and drive off to a safer area. The TransVan had everything

within except for labratory facilities. But PoBoy figured he

could use the campground facilities for that task.

The father had told PoBoy that he would not sell him the

TransVAn until he had at least driven it. Today was to be

"driving day." PoBoy had also invited three other people

along with him, two backyard mechanics and his son.

The backyard mechanics were coming to ensure PoBoy that

nothing about the TransVAn showed possible trouble ahead.

PoBoy was also going to have them refurbish the engine --

replace such things as hoses, fan belts, coolants, oil, and

so on. That project would occur in May.

As usual PoBoy forgot he was also "Camera Man" having

recently purchased a Canon A-560 Digital Camera. His

intention when he bought the camera was to take pictures of

his adventures. Well no picture taken today because he

forgot to bring the camera.

As we pulled up in front of the house, we could see the

transvan. It looked nice from the outside as well as the

inside. It had a small 2 burner stove. A small fridge.

Small table. A couple of sleeping bunks which converted to

couch style seats if you had visitors. All and all it looked

pretty good to be a 1982 model.

The father was out in the garage and PoBoy walked out and

bellowed "are you out here?" From above the garage came

footsteps coming down the stairs. "Hi" said the father.

Came over to take the transvan around the block," PoBoy

retorted. "Sure," said the father, I was just finishing up

installing a new battery," he said with a big smile.

He showed us the new battery and the connectors gleamed in

the rays of light that filtered through the pine trees.

"Say, one of those connections is loose. We'd best tighten

it." "Oh no," said the father, "I just tightened it." But my

backyard mechanic pulled on the wire and sure enough it was

loose.

Tighted once more, the father handed me a key and also wrote

a note that I was taking the vehicle for a test drive. You

know, in case I got stopped by a policeman -- a country block

is larger then a city block. The big 350 engine started with

the first turn of the key and soon PoBoy was backing the

transvan out of the driveway.

They went down the road. It seemed okay at first but

suddenly developed a shimmy and when PoBoy came to the stop

sign and applied the brakes it pulled to the right. PoBoy

drove it to the next stop sign but when he rounded the corner

he stopped so the backyard mechanic could test drive it too.

The mechanic revved the engine (which sent shivers up the

spine of PoBoy -- PoBoy would never do that), and the

transvan picked up speed immediately. As the mechanic drove

through the shimmy, he let go of the steering wheel and the

transvan pulled to the left. He did it twice to make sure.

Something was definitely awry with the front end of the

transvan. At the third stop sign there was the smell of

something burning. "We better get this thing back to the

barn." the mechanic said. As he went to drive off the

transvan stalled and would not start. We sat there a few

minutes and then tried to start it again. It started but

this time there was squealing sound -- like that of a worn

fan belt.

We returned to the "barn" and climbed out explaining to the

father what had occurred. If you were looking at the father

you could see a sense of pain in his face, definitely the

smile had disappeared. He had the hood opened and once again

found a loose connection on the battery post. About that

time the father's wife came outside and noticed smoke coming

from the right side driver's wheel. That was definitely

where the burning smell had come from. PoBoy was sad but

definitely happy it had happened so soon as if it had

happened 500 or 1000 miles down the road it would have cost

him dearly.

The father said his son would get in contact with PoBoy about

what had happened. PoBoy agreed that was a good idea and

they left. PoBoy felt sad for the father.

Beginning of weekend. Saturday (April 26, 2008) PoBoy drove to Jackson on a mission to purchase a used a/c unit. He's never had one like this before as it is a portable that sits on casters. You wheel it to anyroom you need air conditioning.

The odometer showed that PoBoy had gone 41.5 miles and he had found the home of the person selling the a/c unit. He sat in the driveway a minute to observe the house. It appeared to be under construction with slab type insulation exposed to the air. Around the the front yard was a bright and shiny chain link fence. A man came out along with a small doggie.

"Hi," he said, "you must be PoBoy." "I am indeed," PoBoy responded in a pleasant attitude. A small talk conversation ensued and then George, the person selling the air conditioner, asked him to come in. As PoBoy entered the gate he couldn't help but to notice that, he assumed, George, had really constructed a grey colored patio with a walkway leading to the entrance of the chain link fence.

PoBoy was amazed at the workmanship. Surround the patio and walkway were what appeared to be 3 x 8 pieces of wood that seemed to offer support for the patio stones. PoBoy had never seen anything like this. They came to the house entrance.

George opened the door and in they went. A lady was leanin over the stove and moving small mini muffins around. PoBoy announced, "I see I'm just in time for dinner." Smiles broke out around the room, and even George's nephew smiled (he was 13 and in the 7th grade).

After a round of hello's, George led PoBoy into the living room where sat the Air Conditioner. George both showed and explained how this unit operated. First, he showed PoBoy the the "water catcher" located in the bottom compartment of the unit. Then he showed him the filter system which was right above the water catcher. Then he showed PoBoy the hose setup on the back of the unit that led to a window. This is where a majority of water escapes back into the atmosphere (like a drip tray in a window unit). The hose snuggled into a plastic frame that was totally adjustable to fit in a window. You could, if needed, cut some of the plastic off in case the window was smaller then average.

Finally George showed PoBoy the keypad of buttons that operated the unit. One thing PoBoy must remember is that in order to set the temperature, one has to first push "Mode" and then "Temperature". PoBoy could feel the cooler air passing through vertical plastic slits. Another button caused the plastic slits to move from left to right giving even more circulation.

PoBoy asked one final question concerning the weight of the unit. George, was able to lift it up, but PoBoy also noticed that he strained somewhat. George said "I'd say it weighs 60 to 70 pounds." Well with that PoBoy was glad it had casters, and he figured once inside the trailer it would be just fine.

PoBoy made note of the weight and figured he'd have to find some one to help him lift it into the trailer. Once inside and as long as the unit worked, everything should be just fine. The width should be fine to get the unit down the short passageway of the trailer. PoBoy wondered if he'd ever move the unit out of his bedroom. Time would tell.

PoBoy's Retirement Program -- its beginnings

PoBoy has put in a lot of work and life's blood into his

retirement. It began just four years ago when he woke at age

62 to discover he had no retirement plan whatsoever. From

that time, PoBoy has tried to piece together a piecemeal sort

of retirement package.

It began with a dream. He dreamed he'd move to Florida to

live out the remainder of his years. But how could he

accomplish such an idea in four years.

Reflection of his past life was instrumental in formulating a

program that he could accomplish and that would work for him.

He was raised in Florida by a divorced mother who although

not destitute was only a stepping stone above that level.

There were three of them: PoBoy, his mother and his sister.

His mother worked as a secretary on the Atlantic Ocean side

of Florida. She worked along a busy route A1A -- called the

strip. People with money, like Ed Sullivan, and many others

of his caliber owned condo's along the strip. Some like Ed

Sullivan owned the top floor of a hotel.

After divorcing her second husband, PoBoy's mother vowed

never to marry again until her children had grown and left

the nest. The nest she referred to was an 8 x 28 trailer

(mobile homes they were called in those days). The trailer

had one bedroom, kitchen and living room. There was no

bathroom except that provided by the park community.

At seven years old, PoBoy's mother found him a job washing

dishes (and other odds and ends) at the restaurant that stood

at the corner of the trailer park. PoBoy's mother needed his

assistance in earning dollars and that he did. He washed

dishes from the time he came home from school until the

restaurant closed at nine. (Five hours a day of worktime he

put in religiously each week). Weekends found PoBoy working

ten hours Saturday and Sunday. He was full-time and didn't

even know it.

Meantime, his mother attended school. She acquired her

secretarial degree which helped to insure her of a full-time

position.

Ton's more of hard times for the PoBoy came into being but as

PoBoy remembered the "8 x 28 foot trailer" stuck in his mind.

If PoBoy's mother could raise two children in a trailer

without air conditioning, PoBoy could sustain himself in the

same manner in retirement. The plan was born.