End Of Year Stuff -> Family Visits, RV Projects, Health Checks & Reminders
Before I get into our best campgrounds of 2016, I figured I’d update you on some of the end of year stuff we’ve been up to.
Miami & Family Visits
Winter always seems to be a busy time for us, especially if we’re in an area with family. Not only is Paul’s family BIG, but it takes about an hour to go anywhere in Miami. So we knock around from one place to the next, trying to balance our visits with a little down-time in between.
The one big upside is that most restaurants in the Miami area are dog-friendly, as long as they have an outside patio. So instead of leaving Polly at home and trying to squeeze our visits into 4 hours or less we’ve been able to take her with us and enjoy some more leisurely stays. So far we’ve had some great paw-friendly meals at World Of Beer, and enjoyed a little downtown place called Cadillac Ranch. We haven’t done much real sightseeing (we rarely have time for it when we’re here), but that’ll all change when my family arrives from Europe on Saturday. I’m beyond excited for that!
Tackling Various RV Projects
The rest of our time we’ve just been hanging around Fort Lauderdale doing RV projects. We always seem to have way more project ideas than actual time to do them, and we never get around to tackling any of them until we find a place settle down for a while. Now that we’ve finally got a few weeks of stillness (not to mention Paul’s dad is parked here too) we’ve got no more excuses not to get them done. Not all of these projects are exciting, but they’re exciting to us so I figured I might as well share them.
New Toilet Bowl – Our first project was installing a new toilet. The flush pedal on our old toilet actually stopped working a few months ago, so we’ve been reduced to opening the ball mechanically since that time (I won’t horrify you with further details but yeah, it’s been fun) We bought and installed a new flush cable which didn’t do the job and thought briefly about replacing some of the other components, but in the end we just decided that 7 years was enough and a new toilet would be a better all-around solution. We stuck with the same ceramic-bowl toilet we currently have (a Thetford Aqua Magic Style Plus) and we found the best price online through RV Auto and Parts ($180). Unfortunately we had to go through 3 rounds of deliveries (the first two toilets were broken….aaaargh!) before we finally hit the jackpot, but we got there in the end. We installed the new bowl yesterday (super simple to do yourself) and are now happily flushing our various numbers down the loo. I cannot tell you HOW NICE it is to have a working toilet!!
P.S. I highly recommend a ceramic bowl for all RVers, especially those that boondock and might have to {{errmmm}} leave stuff to mellow in the bowl at times. Hat tip to Kerri for posting about this 🙂
Cleaning Our RV Headlights – Another short project was cleaning up our RV headlights. Over time our front lenses have become oxidized and yellow. It happens when the protective UV lens coating gets damaged, and once that occurs your only real options are either to replace the headlights ($$$) or clean off the oxidized surface ($). Basically all you need is some kind of “scrubbing” agent to remove that outer layer followed by some kind of polishing to smooth out the remaining scratches. Ideally you want to put a protective layer of coating back on afterwards too. There are professionals who do this kind of thing very well, and then there are many “home” remedies that work A-OK too. I’ve tried toothpaste (works pretty decent) and Aerospace 303 (also works pretty decent), but this time around we decided we wanted something a little more in-depth so we settled on the 3M 39045 Headlight Renewal Kit with Protectant ($30). It’s a tad more expensive than other kits, but also contains the protectant that should (hopefully) allow the clean lenses to last a little longer. It took all of about 15-20 mins on each headlight to get them sparkling clean again. We’ll see how long this lasts.
New Dash Radio – This was a larger project that we’ve had “on the books” for a while. Some time ago we were offered the opportunity to upgrade our old dash radio (which was ailing a bit, plus the screen was starting to go) to a super-fancy-schmancy Jensen JRV9000. It took Paul & his dad several days of wiring & support work to get it all complete, but WOW what a difference! We now have crystal clear touch screen (which also connects to our external side/rear RV cameras), integrated bluetooth, a DVD slot, and everything plays beautifully through our overhead speakers. This is one upgrade I’ve ended up liking WAY more than I expected.
Our Car & Tow Bar Repairs Are COMPLETE – Our car is OUT of the shop and looks great! We used Powerline Auto Body in Boca Raton and had an all-around excellent experience with them. The repairs were done on-time (only took ~10 days) and the result looks great. Also, Roadmaster completely rebuilt our tow bar (they offer this service for $150 to anyone, by the way**) and sent it back good as new. Lastly we upgraded our tow pins to these Locking Pins. We’re now fully repaired and ready to tow again. Finally!
* If you have a Roadmaster towbar and you’re looking to get it re-built or re-furbished simply call 800-669-9690 and ask to speak to one of the CSRs. The $150 price includes the return shipping to the customer.
We’ve got ONE more major electrical project planned, but we may not get to that one until after the holidays. I’ll definitely post again when it’s complete. That one will come with a video too (whoo hoo!)
Completing A Few Yearly Health Checks
One of the things we make an effort to do every year is our personal health checks. Sadly, in all 7 years we’ve been on the road we’ve never been able to establish a relationship with a primary care physician. Either they can’t take us on, or our insurance changes so they’re no longer covered, or there’s a multi-month waiting list to get in. I can’t deny it’s frustrating, but it’s just the way it is. So we’ve always opted for self-medical checks by buying online blood tests, supplemented by cash pay visits when we need them. So far it’s worked OK for us.
Online Blood Testing – Online blood tests are inexpensive, easy and fast. We’ve used several companies over the years (DirectLabs, AnyLabTestNow etc.) and typically pay ~$100 for a full health panel including lipids, CBC, liver & kidney values and minerals. We simply order the test on-line, pay for it with our HSA (Health Savings Account) credit card, print out the form and go to the nearest Labcorp for the blood draw. A few days later we have the results in our e-mail inbox. If anything is out of the norm we can decide what to do from there. We do one of these at the end of every year.
Yearly Skin Check – A more difficult visit is trying to find a dermatologist who will do a full skin check on me. I have lots of moles, all of which are abnormal in nature and I’ve also have had several pre-cancerous growths removed over the years. So getting a yearly skin check is really important. I always struggle to find a “real” dermatologist (i.e. who isn’t just a cosmetic surgery outfit), and who’ll take me on cash pay (skin checks are not considered “preventative care” by ACA insurance) without a ridiculous wait-list. But here in Ft. Lauderdale I actually found someone!!! Lauderdale Academic Dermatology was able to quote a cash price on the phone and could get me in the same week I called (I almost fainted!). I paid only $95 for a full skin check including a pre-cancerous thing that had to be frozen off my nose. It’s the best dermatology experience I’ve had in over 10 years. Plus it was one of the cheapest too. A recommend if you’re in the area!
The good news is that all looks OK, so we’re good to go for another year 🙂
Related Blog Posts:
- Self-Medical Care Part I – Why Do It?
- Self-Medical Care Part II – Self-Testing Links
- Self-Medical Care Part III – Negotiating Doctors, Hospitals & Clinics With Cash Pay
And Some End Of Year Reminders For You
Get Your Health Insurance Application DONE! For those of you signing up for health insurance through the ACA exchange remember that the deadline is TODAY for any plans starting Jan 1st, 2017**. So, if you haven’t already completed your application and chosen a plan you need to get onto the ACA and make sure that is complete. Most folks find this whole process pretty painless, but I have to admit it’s never been smooth for us. It’s taken me over 2 years to get our address confirmed in the ACA system and even then I’ve had to call the ACA people 5 times since mid-Nov to make sure my application was actually completed for 2017*** (I think I’ve spent over 6 hours on the phone with them in the past month). All this to say that if you’re applying on-line make sure to click through the details of ALL the paperwork (including the eligibility results) to ensure you application is actually legit & complete. Plus once you’re done with the ACA website, I highly recommend you call your health insurance provider to make sure the application is linked up and shows on their side too. We’ve run into issues on both sides every single year.
** If you MISS the deadline today, you can always buy short-term insurance to cover you for the month of Jan. The next deadline for open enrollment is January 15, 2017 (for coverage starting Feb 1st, 2017)
*** As I wrote in my post mid-Nov we’ve decided to go with the same Avera Plan as last year. This year it’s called the Silver Avera 4000 plan (it’s the only Avera plan that allows you to have a Health Savings Account). It has zero network outside of SD, but does provide *some* co-insurance for out-of-network.
If You’re Looking For An Extended RV Warranty, Consider Buying Before The End Of the Year – We’ve had an extended warranty through Wholesale Warranties for the past 4 years or so. We’ve been happy with the policy we got from the company and they’re one of the very few brokers we recommend if you’re looking for such things yourself. A little tip that you may not know is that extended warranty prices go up on a calendar year basis (at the beginning of each new year, all vehicles in-service are considered one model year older). Also all vehicles aged 2003 and older will no longer be eligible for RV Warranty coverage after January 1, 2017. So, if you’re looking for an extended warranty you may want to consider buying one before the end of the year to save some $$. If you’re undecided as to whether an extended warranty makes sense for you (and for some folks they really don’t!), have a read through the post I wrote about this very topic -> The Ins & Outs Of RV Extended Warranties
Gosh, that ended up being a longer post than I expected. Sometimes I wonder how we manage all these things? I’m going to try to finish my top 2016 campground post before my family arrives this week-end, but then the blog may slow down for a while. Got LOTS of fam stuff planned for the next few weeks….excited!!!!
I really enjoy your posts and beautiful pictures. Been reading all of your blogs for about 6 mos. Right now we are weekend campers and haven’t ventured too far from home just yet. One complaint we have with our travel trailer is that our toilet is too small. The bowl is not very deep and does not allow enough room for my husband to sit comfortably, if you know what I mean. Is your new toilet more of a household size? I can’t really tell from the pic. We will definitely be changing ours out soon.
Yes! One of the reasons we decided to stay with the exact same toilet model is that it feels much more like a regular house toilet than one of those tiny RV toilets. Ours is the high-profile, feels very comfy to sit on and fits perfectly in our space. I recommend getting the exact dimensions and making sure you can fit it into your particular space before you buy, but we really like this model.
Nina
You have been busy! I have to admit, though, the toilet fix would have been one of the very very first things to take care of! I can deal with a lot of “camping” things, but having a full functioning, porcelain toilet is a must….
You’ve jumped into the family thing with both feet haven’t you! While it is (will be) nice to get caught up with everyone I can only imagine how happy you’ll be when you can be all alone again!
We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and the happiest of New Years.
It took us WAY too long to get the toilet fixed, and honestly we probably should have just replaced it the first time around rather than messing with the cable. But hey, we got there in the end and now I get to feel a little surge of joy every time I push that pedal. It’s SO nice to have it working again!
Nina
Glad things are starting to look up for you all. From your lost pin issue I ended up buying the same locking pins. Thanks for the tip.
Also from your tip, we bought a 1998 Holiday Rambler 38ft DP instead of the 40ft we were shooting for. It is a nice older rig. Spending a ton of money for the 2012 CR-V and base plate, tow bars, light kits etc… But getting close to being able to hit the road in May full time. Still need a TPMS and a few things like Jack pads, leveling blocks, slinky support but all in all we are pleased.
Will be going up to Idaho for the summer then down south for next winter and quartzsite in 2018. Maybe we will see you on the road next year
Have fun and be safe!
Jim
Don’t know what braking system you use, but we got the SMI Air Force One. Did most of the install on baseplate and AFO ourselves, except the coach side of AFO. Saved some money. I will try to remember to click Amazon through your site for any future purchases.
I agree the functioning toilet would be a priority – glad all is working as it should now 🙂 Wonderful to have time with family – including Miss Polly joining you. Will be so exciting to have your family here in the states as well – I know you’re going to have a great time!!
The working toilet has changed my life!! It’s the simple things that matter the most 🙂 And yeah totally excited to have my family here. Can’t wait.
Nina
Noooooooooooooo!!!!!!!! to the broken toilet. Glad you got that item taken care of. I don’t even want to think about that. It’s always amazing to me how hard it is to get an appointment with a dermatologist. They’re one of the more difficult specialties to see, no matter where we are. Florida looks like fun.
Isn’t it crazy how hard it is to see a dermatologist? And they’re mostly booked with cosmetic stuff too. I tried to see a dermatologist in Idaho earlier this year (no go…over 5 weeks waiting time) and again when we got to MI (again no go). I almost fell off my chair when the clinic here in FL told me they could take me this week. Astounding!
Nina
Not to worry — your posts are NEVER too long!!!! Enjoy reading and the photos!!
LOL..thanks. Sometimes I get to the end of a post and I worry that I’ve written too much…yet again. I seem to have a tendency to ramble. Glad to know it’s still ok 🙂
Nina
A very helpful useful post….
You are much more patient than I would have been with the toilet issue! Nothing like that new toilet. We LOVE our new toilet. I’m sorry we waited so long. Enjoy yours:) Your headlights look great! John just did ours with toothpaste and it worked well. Ours weren’t as bad some I’ve seen. We’ll see it goes;maybe get the kit next time!
Lots of family time for the two of you. Must be almost time for your family to arrive in Miami:) I’m sure you are super excited. Have a wonderful Christmas with all the family around you both this year:)
Toothpaste does a surprisingly good job to clean up those headlights. I’ve used that trick a bunch of times and the results have always been pretty decent. It just doesn’t seem to last that long. Still, can’t beat the price 🙂
Nina
Just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you so very much for all the through comprehensive work that goes into your blog posts. You provide such valuable information, which I read all the time but I don’t normally comment. I decided the hours and effort you spend deserved a hearty year end thank you. 🙂
I have just gone back and read all of your medical testing posts and I cannot begin to thank you for that valuable information. I especially appreciate your extensive explainations and comments. All to say – yet again – thank you so very much for such an outstanding blog.
Thank you for the lovely comment! So glad all my posts are helpful.
Nina
Wish you and your family a Merry Christmas. Good post with helpful information.
Nina,
Another terrific post.
You chose a nice place to be during this Arctic blast all over the rest of the US. My home is just south of FLL airport and we are enjoying weather that is almost hot. I am not complaining.
Have a memorable time with family and try to ignore the rat race that takes place down here. It will surely make you appreciate your boondocking time later.
Best to all your paws and continued good health.
Marilyn in Dania Beach
It really is warm isn’t it? My family couldn’t believe it when I sent them the weather forecast for next week. It’s T-shirts, shorts and flip flop weather, all the way through Christmas. So different compared to the craziness that’s happening everywhere else in the country. I’m definitely not complaining either.
Nina
I hope you didn’t get caught in that mess on I-95 today. I live near the Jai-alai casino and even Dania Beach Blvd. was backed for hours. I stayed close and took the back streets to Publix. My friend said what usually takes a half hour to return home from the beach and it took him 1.5 hours to get home.
Thankfully we stayed close to home today. We’ve been trying to time our outings around the major traffic which means getting into Miami mid-morning and either staying overnight or leaving no later than 3PM, but sometimes we still get caught. It’s crazy how bad the traffic is here!
Nina
Merry Christmas to you and Paul. I enjoy reading your blog posts and viewing your pictures. Hope you have a Happy New Year! I am back in San Antonio after a few days down at Padre Island National Seashore. The campground was full up because the beach camping closed down with the high tides while I was there. Lots of Canadians and Yankees getting out of the real cold weather for the season.
Dan
We’ve yet to visit Padre Island. It was in our plans in 2011 when we drove back west from FL, but then Polly got sick and we were stuck in mid-TX for several weeks (and ran out of time to go down there). Bummer that the beach camping was closed when you were there as I gather that’s a big draw. Assuming it’s just temporary and it’ll open up again as the tides ease? One day we’ll get down that way!
Nina
We were spoiled when we lived in Coral Springs. Health care was good and immediate. Not so much were we now live in N Georgia. Not bad but much slower. Seeing a dermatologist in this area is a 3 to 4 month wait. Enjoy your stay in S FL and Merry Christmas.
3-4 months has been the typical wait time I’ve run up against most places I’ve tried to call too. It’s tough to plan that far ahead when you fulltime, so that just means I don’t get seen. It was a nice surprise that I could get in so quickly down here in FL. Health care is certainly way easier here.
Nina
Love the new porcelain bowl. When we just did our stereo upgrade (actually downgrade from a really crappy earlier “upgrade”) I thought got we’d end up with a double-DIN but stuck with a single. If your double-DIN has inputs for more than one backup camera, a thought: one thing I really wanted to do (just for fun) is install a backup camera over the door as a “security camera”. They’re only about $15-20 on amazon. Would’ve been a fun project.
Nice tip! Our double-DIN has 3 camera inputs, but we’re using them all (one back-up, two side-cameras -> all for RV travel), otherwise I’d definitely look into this. Love the idea!
Nina
What a busy year you have had. I’m glad that you and Paul have the opportunity this year to spend the holidays with family. Have a wonderful Christmas! I hope the new year is filled with much love and wonderful adventures.
It’s been a very “full” year. I think we’re going to want to slow down a bit next year. We’ll see…
Nina
Have a look at this link to find free skin cancer screening around the country:
https://www.aad.org/scs/search/Default.aspx
Outstanding tip! I’ve never seen this link before so thank you for sharing that. It doesn’t look like there are a ton of spots that offer the screen (for example the entire state of CA only yielded ONE result), but it’s certainly better than nothing! I will definitely be checking for viable stops along our route.
Nina