and another new alternator..and a new grill.

So I have been pretty inactive on my two blogs. Working on the Tiny house has stalled and I have settled back into the vandaminium for the summer, or at least until I get the cabin moved. The good news is that I found an amazing place to move the house to (and park the van until then) but the bad news is that I am too broke to do anything about it. I have been trying to stay off the river and focus on the headhunting job which I know will bring me success at some point. As much as I love rafting, it is a viscous circle of poverty and I have decided that although I do not need to be rich, I need to make a better income than I have been as a whitewater guide.

....so last weekend the alternator went out on the Van (taking the battery with it, I am told). Replacing it was not too hard but I needed help to get enough tension on the belts. Everything seems to be working now and I feel pretty good about learning how to do yet another thing on the van. Hope this combo lasts longer than a year!!!

I have been living pretty lean lately, dividing my time between Marshall NC and my job which is about an hour away. With gas prices the way they are I have been boondocking in a national forest area called Mills River. There are beautiful campsites along the river and camping is free when you are outside of the campground. I have been going there and spending a few nights a week to cut down on my long commute and other than a 75 dollar seatbelt ticket (dumb!!!) it has been a great experience. Dinners have been pretty hum-drum but the other day I decided I wanted to grill and I found a great folding charcoal grill at one of the local box stores...

This thing is great, folds flat and is easy to clean. There is no lid which kind of stinks but as a hibachi it works great. The other night I grilled a steak and cooked rice and green beans on the stove in the van. The grill is really neat and is definitely the coolest purchase I have made in awhile. 

Well, that's about it for now. Safe travels!