October 18, 2005

October 18, 2005

Nanaimo to Parksville, B.C. & return ... twice

YEAR 2 DAY 123

 

Today was cloudy and mild. No rain !

This morning we decided we should go to Parksville to shop for a new mattress at the foam mattress manufacturer we spoke to a few days ago. It wasn't raining, for the first time in many days, and we thought it was an opportunity to drive with a new mattress in the back of the truck without risk of it getting wet. Plus, we knew that the manufacturer was going to have a price increase very soon because of the recent increases in the price of oil, so the sooner we bought a new mattress, the better, from a price standpoint. After showering, breakfast, morning chores, and preventive maintenance, we set off for Parksville. We drove from where we are on the south side of Nanaimo to the area with large shopping malls on the north side of the city, looking for Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and Canadian Tire. We found the malls, and the stores we were looking for, and I stopped at a service station to fill up with diesel. After filling up, the truck starter refused to engage. UNBELIEVABLE ! ! ! It's a month old ! ! ! After a number of failed attempts, where I turned the key and nothing happened, I dug out a crowbar and hammer, gave the starter a whack, and away we went ! If that happens again, I'm heading for the nearest GM dealer and demanding ANOTHER starter. That'll be 4 starters in 2 years ! ! !

We headed north on Hwy. 19 to Parksville, then into Parksville on Hwy. 19A. We stopped at an RV dealer to buy an exterior light clear lens. They didn't have the right size. We found the foam manufacturer, Parksville Foam And Mattress. We went in and met with Marvin, the owner. It's a pleasure to deal with the owner of a business, with over 20 years of experience, and a true expert in the product he sells. With his guidance and recommendations, we examined, and tested, a variety of different types and densities of foam. Marvin discouraged us from buying a mattress made of memory foam, for a variety of reasons. Memory foam mattresses seem to be the latest "in" thing in the world of foam mattresses. We chose a mattress made with a core of 3.5 inch thick 40 pound density ( firm ) foam, with a 1.5 inch thick softer waffle layer of foam bonded to top and bottom, and a 2 inch thick pin cushion latex topper. We selected a percale 50% cotton, 50% polyester 8 inch mattress cover. Marvin's business doesn't accept credit or debit cards, so we told him we'd be back in a few hours with cash, giving him time to fabricate our mattress.

We headed out of town, west on Hwy. 4 towards Port Alberni, looking for Kerrect RV Service. We found it, and they had the exterior light clear lens I needed. Finally ! We drove back into Parksville, where we stopped at a Bank Of Montreal to withdraw cash to pay for the mattress. Joanne withdrew a sizeable amount of cash, presenting only a bank card. It seemed surprising that a bank teller would dispense a sizeable amount of cash to a stranger, without asking for photo ID or other proof of identity. We drove back to the trailer at Nanaimo.

We had lunch, then wrestled our old mattress out of the trailer. Marvin agreed to dispose of it for us. Disposal of our old mattress was one of our concerns. Dumping a mattress in a campground or RV park dumpster didn't seem like a particularly good idea. I tied the mattress down in the back of the truck, and back to Parksville we went. We picked up the new mattress, paid the bill, left the old mattress, and drove back to Nanaimo again. We stopped at a produce stand for fresh fruits and vegetables. Back at the trailer, we wrestled the new mattress into the trailer, removed it from the large plastic bag it was in, and wrestled it into the bedroom. I didn't know a foam mattress would be that heavy. Whew ! Long, tough day !

I rested for awhile, then went to the park office with the laptop to get online. I can't receive their Wi-Fi signal in the trailer. I got online, sent and retrieved e-mail, and updated my blog, while Joanne prepared supper. We had supper, then I did today's accounting, and sharpened all the kitchen knives, while Joanne washed dishes. We watched Amazing Race, then watched a really weird reality show about a degenerate family of bounty hunters, while I worked on today's journal entry. As I’m finishing this entry, we’re now watching a show about 2 families of rednecks and hillbillies building and racing demolition derby cars. God bless America !

DSK