You have always had the power my dear, you just had to learn it for yourself,
Glinda the Witch, The Wizard of Oz
Since I had Dorothy arrive I have found myself really quite overwhelmed by all the task needed to feel bonded to her. This week I finally feel I am getting somewhere and she is starting to feel a little more like she could be home.
Saturday 8th July An epic clean up!
Once I started I came to realise how throughly blackened Dorothy was inside. This may have been from general usage but also having been sat in Moons garage with the door open most of the time. it was one of those adverts where they spray and wipe a clear white stripe trhrough the black grime.
It took a good days work to clean the whole thing top to bottom and started to give me an idea of what was needed to be done.
Thursday 13th July
This was spent measuring and planning all the jobs and purchases I needed to make for my list of tasks. This involved taking down the curtains to measure them and research either where to get fabric or to buy readymade. After a few hours online I finally concluded to look for a pale green check. I found them online handmade at minimum £120 or feel like I've really adde dmy touch and make them myself.
I considered a slightly greener blue for the cupboards so needed a test sample.
I researched where to purcahse a gas replacement bottle and where to go to discuss body work paintmatching.
Friday 14th July Epic shopping trip
I set out into town with my To Do list!
Halfords; for black metal paint for the interior paintwork, and a different red touch up pen to try and match. Found a handy car bin.
APS; for bodypaint matching....having not succeeded in trying to get the petrol flap over to colour match they kindly offered to lend me a sample set of Rover colours to see if I could match it myself. Discussed options of whether I used spray paint or touch up due to cost. Because of it being metallic it will also need a laquer.
Newbury Tools; for a simple changeover of gas bottle, upgraded to a 7k bottle due to 4.5 being obselete.
Cutting Edge fabrics; I found the colour I wanted but they only had 4mtrs although at 150cm wide. Luckily they had more in stock in their other store so I could get more once I tried out a few at the weekend.
B&Q; over a coffee at Costa I concluded I would stick with the original cream provided for the cupboards and add emblemishes in red and pale green. Also tile paint as I find the tiles very dated and 'indoorsey' so decided to give it all a general cream base.
Lidl; I saw online they had a funky campervan cool box. They had none but did get a couple of fold up food bowls for Albis food and water. Hopefully this will help him feel settled if he find this in there.
At home I tried colour matching but it was pouring with rain so could not completely conclude which one.
At the canoe club AGM that evening one member came and offered to accompany me on my first few drives to help my confidence as he used to have a T2. Another paddle friend also has a camper and her tails reassured me the issues I experienced were actual traits of driving, not faults, this was reassuring me in Dorothys ability to carry me safely...once I got used to her.
15th July Time to get decorating
I had in my head a few decorating jobs I wanted to complete to feel I had a good solid base to build from.
Wet sand the black paintwork and paint
Sand the cupboards and toilet and paint
I also painted the Rock'n'roll seats as they were just raw wood. I hadn't decided yet to do with the mattress so needed the wood to look a bit more fitted than planks of wood.
Paint a red strip along the top of the cupboards.
Paint the tiles
Paint the inside of the glove compartment just to tidy it up.
I completed it all, just needs a second coat for the tile paint.
Body hurts now for feels very satisfied.
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