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I have been a confirmed procrastinator nearly all of my life. I adhere to the motto "Why do something today, when you can easily put it off until tomorrow?"

Unfortunately, or fortunately (as the case may be), I have, from time to time, received positive reinforcement of my procrastination proclivities.

Yesterday was just such a day.

I have known since I purchased my trailer eight months ago that I would need to take it back to the dealer to have the roof inspected (which they do for free), as the sealant in the roof around the vents can develop cracks, especially in our hot climate. These cracks could lead to leaking. Also I would need to have the trailer "winterized" .

We don't have the kind of cold weather many of you do in other parts of the country, but temps can (and sometimes do) head south into the upper 20's for a day or so (staying around freezing during the day). Temps don't generally stay too cold for too long here - but possibly just long enough to do major damage to my trailer's innards.

I had planned to have this work done at the dealer on my way home from my last trip to Klamath Falls (the dealer is in Redding, the freeway goes right by the place) but I was just too pooped to stop.

I then planned to take the trailer up to Redding during the last month or so to have the work done, but with one thing and another, the trip never got done. Other commitments, yada yada yada.

Couldn't do it over last weekend, as that part of the dealership that does repairs and maintenance on trailers is closed on weekends.

Finally heavy rain was in the forecast for Wednesday, and I could imagine a pin hole leak in my trailer roof that I didn't know about (up to 4 inches of rain predicted!) leaking and damaging the inside of my trailer.

Of course, after a major autumn rain here, is always the chance of a major autumn freeze.

Got on the phone to the dealer service department in Redding (everone is busy, we'll call you back later) called the local Jayco trailer dealer several times (line always busy, over the course of an hour).

Now I am really sweating it.

In a panicked, last-ditch effort, I phoned a storage place that is just a few miles from me. It is a big, insulated, metal warehouse type structure, where all of the what-evers - (motorhomes, trailers, antique cars, speedboats, houseboats, etc.) are all stored inside.

I had been wanting and trying to get into this place since I first bought the trailer back in March (it is now nearly December), but they are always full - I think I was #10 on their waiting list.

A nice lady answered the phone, and I said something negative like "I'm guessing that you are full as usual, but I am calling on the off-chance that you might have a spot available".

The lady said, "Maybe - what is the size of your rig"?

When I said "17 foot" she said that they had just had a 17-foot trailer (!) move out very unexpectedly on Friday (this was Monday), and that only this one slot was available. I'm guessing that someone on the phone with a ready checkbook is easier than calling names on a long waiting list! This was my lucky day, for sure!!

I said that I would be there in ten minutes, and to please to hold the spot for me!!

I drove out there, signed up, then ended up going to Oroville yesterday and moving my trailer from there into this large enclosed storage facility, which is a LOT closer to my home. Whoo-eee!!

Yes, the place is a bit expensive, and certainly more than I am paying for uncovered outdoor storage now. But the place is more secure (because it is just vehicle storage, and not a mixture of vehicle storage and storage units with random people able to access their storage units 24/7). And the warehouse is locked at night.

As for expense, it is just a few dollars more to store my trailer there for the winter than the cost would have been to have my trailer winterized, and the long gas-consuming trip to Redding to have the roof inspected.

Since my trailer is stored inside, in an insulated building, freezing is no longer a worry (so don't need to pay to have it winterized) and the trailer roof potentially leaking is no longer a worry (because the trailer is stored inside a building). Additionally, I won't have to make the four or five hour round-trip drive to Redding to have it winterized (I will have the trailer roof inspected at the dealer's when I am next driving through the area).

Plus, when I got to the storage place in Oroville, there was good evidence that someone had tried to break into my trailer. The trailer has a double door lock, and I left with both locks locked, and the latch securely pushed in. When I got there the latch was pulled out, and jammed (door still locked, though!), and I had a heck of a time (took about 1/2 hour) messing around with the door latch to finally get the door opened. I may have to have the door latch replaced.

Luckily, no evidence that anyone had managed to actually get inside my trailer.

So, the moral of this story is that, by procrastinating, I was able to avoid the cost of having the trailer winterized, the cost and hassle of driving to Redding just to have the roof inspected, and actually finally got into the storage building that I had wanted to be in in the first place!

Had I done anything before this past Friday, none of these good things would have happened.

Positive reinforcement! Thus I am, and so I remain, a confirmed procrastinator!

Anne

sheila

Anne, I either procrastinate or jump in with both feet without thinking things through. My to do lists can look the same for days.

And as all of us procrastinators have discovered, if you leave a task undone for a long period of time, it probably didn't need to be done in the first place!

Also, if something is broken and you leave it unfixed for several weeks or months, occasionally it will fix itself, saving you time and money.

Anne, if you are in an area that you get extreme cold for a short period (less than 20*) for 3 hours or more, or either cold for a long period (more than 20* but less than 29*) for 6-8 hours, consider doing this. Turn off your water pump from the fresh water tank. Open all your faucets, close the hot water tank bypass, then blow the water out of the lines. This should put your water in your gray tank. Open the toilet and let the later into the black tank leaving the bowl empty. Now add booze into the p-traps in your bathroom lavatory, shower, and kitchen sink. If you think there is ample water in your gray and black tank just add some booze. I have done this more than once and gotten away with it. It was normally when the temps were going to be about 26* for 6 hours. During that time, it may or may not have frozen the small pipes so I chose to blow them out. The two water tanks, fresh and hot, had too much water for it to freeze. I should add that I did heat the hot water in the HW tank prior. So I just used a half bottle of some cheap booze I would never drink.....someone would have given me some of their favorite scotch (ugh) or bad bourbon so I put it to good use. Just a thought. Extensive cold and extended hours always changes thing. But I did this quick fix for my Casita when I had it.