My recent posts talked about Harry, the moving truck of Sentinel Storage. Slowly but surely, the moving truck turned into a nice-looking RV.

We spent many nights painting and sanding to ensure that the job was done right.

Safety First

Now that the outside was done, we had to tackle the inside. One of the items on the checklist was electrical. Electricity is one of those things that we can attempt ourselves, but is it really the right call?

A big task like wiring an entire camper is best left for the professionals. So instead of DIYing this task, we hired a licensed electrician to get the job done. 

COVID Strikes Again

COVID put a lot of plans on hold, but thankfully, this time, it worked in our favour. One of the bay doors at our storage facility was broken, and because supply was low due to COVID, the door was out of commission for a while.

This allowed us to park the camper inside, and we were able to work in a warm environment. 

One Step at a Time

Once the electrician wired the RV, we were able to finish the interior. We bought a lot from Amazon since the delivery time was reliable and the return policy easy. 

The first thing we installed was the bed so that we can have a comfortable spot during our travels. Next were the cupboards to store the needed items for any vacation. 

My Motto: Keep Working Until It’s Perfect

My wife was by my side every step of the way. She supported me in the good and the bad, and believe me; there were some moments when I wondered what I started.

But I had to keep working; I couldn’t leave it unfinished. I strive for perfection in everything in life, and this was no exception.

The End is Nigh

The RV has a kitchen, a bathroom, and a cozy sitting area. Many ups and downs later, four months of work finally paid off, and we had a brand new camper that we were both proud of. 

We had one more hurdle to overcome. Insurance. We already had insurance for fire and theft, but now we needed insurance so that we could hit the road. You’d think that it is as easy as signing up, and we are ready to go, right?

Nope. We needed to certify the truck again, so off to the mechanic he went. Thankfully, this wasn’t much of a problem, and Harry passed with flying colours.

However, Harry also needed a valuation. How much was our “Royal Harry” worth? The truck itself was a good deal, but I invested a lot of materials and hours into it as well. It definitely became an investment project.

The insurance was not satisfied with pictures and receipts and wanted a quote from a professional appraiser. Thankfully, the appraiser was impressed with my work and quoted about double my investment to the insurance company. Royal Harry was insured and worth quite a bit more than before.

Don’t Give Up

Even though the task was difficult and it took a lot of time, we were happy with the results. We learned a valuable lesson through this project. 

If the job is difficult and how deep you are stuck in the valley, you need to keep climbing; there is always a way out. 

Never ever give up. Set your mind on the goal and keep going. 

There were times when we wanted to quit, but we focused on our goal, and we exceeded our own expectations. With the help of the Unseen, we have a beautiful camper, and we hope that Royal Harry will serve us for many years to come. 

New Year, New Beginnings

I hope that you enjoyed my little project, but I also hope that you learned that with determination, you too can achieve what you want. Just put your heart and mind to it.

I have been working on an exciting new project for this blog. If you want to know what it is, subscribe below and don’t miss anything I post!

Have a healthy and safe 2022, and God Bless!

In my last post, I talked about the beginnings of Harry’s makeover. Harry presented us with an opportunity to realize my and my wife’s lifelong dream. However, now that Harry was no more, we needed to give the truck a new look.

Keep reading about the next steps in Harry’s makeover!

Primed and Ready to Go!

Well, it wasn’t ready to go, but now that the primer was on, it was ready for the next step. I didn’t want a white truck, as that is quite boring. So I used my artistic skills to create a modern and sleek design. It turned out well if I say so myself. 

The first step in this particular project was masking. No, not the COVID masks that we have these days. Masking means taping off all the parts of the vehicle that do not require painting. Or, in our case, masking the design that I wanted to add. 

A Lesson Learned

On one of the nights, I learned a valuable lesson. I was running around the truck spray painting to my heart’s desire. At a certain time, I realized that the pressure was less and less with each passing moment. 

We used construction lamps to light the camper, and one of the lamps was a little too close to the hose of the paint. I started investigating, and by the time that I found the problem, the hose had swelled into a ball. It was big enough to start the World Championship kick-off!

A few moments later, it exploded with a loud bang, and painting was done for the night.

We knew now to be more careful with the construction lamps, and altogether it took me four nights to finish the paint job.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

In the meantime, I was on the lookout for RV accessories. Some I ordered online, while I bought others locally. I found a door at an RV dealership in London, ON. 

While we drove there, my wife kept me company in the front seat. However, on our way back, she was squished in the back because of the many purchased items for the late Harry, including a door. 

To give her a break, we stopped at a Burger King for an unhealthy lunch. As we were sitting there, we thought back to an earlier time we spent at Burger King.

Let me take you there. We are looking back about 27 years. My wife was pregnant with our youngest daughter. I remember exactly where it was and what we ordered.

We both ordered a Whopper. When we sat down at our table, I saw on my wife’s face that something was amiss. 

She said: “Herman, is this burger ok?”

I replied with a “Yeah, it’s good!” 

A minute later, she had enough and decided that the burger was spoiled and moved to bring it back. It was easily done. She came back with a new Whopper and a big smile.

I had finished my meal in the meantime when she started again. 

“Herman, this one isn’t good either.”

I went to the counter this time and asked for a third burger. The servers at the counter looked at me weird, and I just shrugged my shoulders. When I returned with the third burger, my wife didn’t like it either, so I ate it instead. 

I felt a little awkward leaving Burger King and knew from that moment on not to trust a woman’s opinion when she is pregnant!

Home Sweet Home

When we finally made it home, we started making our plans and doing our research on placing windows and doors. It is a task that needs the utmost accuracy since you don’t want any leaking!

I bought a kit from Amazon to place both the windows and the door professionally. Finally, I was ready for the scary moment of cutting wholes in my new RV. I double-checked everything about ten times. 

Thankfully, it wasn’t too bad. We’ve had many rainstorms since, and everything is still dry as the desert! 

The End is In Sight

Finally, Harry started looking like an RV. He had a new paint job, windows, door, and rims. I also got a backup camera from my daughter, which was also installed. The outside was as good as done! 

Tune in next week to read about the interior changes to Harry. But, for now, my wife and I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

God’s Blessings!

Last week we discussed Harry, the trusted moving truck from the company. We left our tale with the news that there was a change in ownership of the company we work for. And as expected, with the change in management came a change in rules. 

Management decided to change out the fleet of vehicles, and by default, Harry was on the list. Curious about what will become of Harry? Read on to find out!

An Old Dream Becoming a New Reality

I’ve always had a dream of owning a camper, and I never had the chance to realize it. I’d sometimes walk around Harry and wonder to myself, “What if?”

Now that Harry was on the scrap list, that “What if?” became a “Could I?” It was a question I had to ask myself, but most importantly, my wife. She knows me best!

I have to confess that I am always full of ideas; some are turned into a reality, some are not. So when I wanted to suggest this new idea, I had to come up with a great story. 

I decided to ask her if she would like to own a camper. It went something like this, “Honey, (It’s important to butter her up) How would you like to own a camper?

The answer was obviously yes. We were halfway there! She was excited at the prospect of owning a camper, so I said, “What about Harry?”

At this point, I thought to myself, “Why did I start this conversation?” But after a little while, we agreed to adopt our Harry and turn His Royalty into a camper. 

Start From the Bottom

To be honest, this wasn’t a small task. Where to even start?

I decided that the best thing was to start from the bottom and work my way up. I bought a grinder and a wire brush to get the job done.

One thing you have to know about living in Canada, we have harsh winters with lots of snow and ice. To battle the snow, we salt our roads so that we can get from A to B. As many of you may know, salt is not the greatest for our vehicles. When salt comes into contact with the metal, it becomes rust. 

My job was to remove all this rust to prevent any further corrosion down the road. I’ll tell you, I am in my 60’s and as I was hammering away the rust, I could hear my wife say with every bang, “Are you sure you want to do this?”

It took two weeks of hammering, grinding, and scrubbing, but I finally got it done. I sprayed it with a protective layer to prevent it from rusting again.

Working My Way Up

The next step was the beautiful paint job of our Harry. We, unfortunately, couldn’t keep him around. I bought the needed materials and tools to sand the outside paint of the truck. 

All this had to be done during the evenings, as we both still had our day jobs. Of course, customers would walk by and ask me about Harry. I would tell them that we are turning him into a camper. Some were excited, and some were skeptical. 

Of course, the skeptics were not very encouraging, but I kept going. After about two weeks, Harry was no more, and the Sentinel Moving Truck was a blank page. 

Overcoming a Painting Problem

At this point, we were four weeks in, and I could finally begin rebuilding the new camper. The first job was the exterior paint. 

This caused a bit of a problem. First off, I needed instructions; second, I needed a place to paint. 

The first problem was easily fixed. Youtube has many instructional videos on the how-tos of building a brand new camper. I bought an air compressor and a paint gun and was ready to get to work. 

Unfortunately, the second problem was a little harder to fix. A place to paint! As you may know, spray painting is a smelly business. 

We had a beautiful spot in the loading bay of the storage facility, but because our customers can access their units until 11 PM, we had to wait until the doors were locked. This meant that I could only paint at night. 

Thankfully, my wife stood by me. She knew that she was needed in order to keep me going. This project was far from over. So we spent two nights priming and resanding the truck to get a smooth base for the new paint job.

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It was April 2015 when we loaded up the U-Haul and left Kingston to move to Stouffville. Stouffville is a little north of Toronto, ON, commonly known as the GTA, or the Greater Toronto Area. We left a fairly small city to move to the outskirts of the biggest city of Canada. 

Hard Choices, Good Decisions

While we were in Kingston, we worked for a private storage facility. Over a few years, we gained extra experience to apply to other facilities, and we were able to receive better compensation in Stouffville. The choice was, in this way, easier. 

Of course, it was difficult for us to leave our family and friends, and the company we left was also unhappy with our departure. Thankfully, the new employer welcomed us with open arms. 

That’s how it is when you make choices in life. Choices have an impact and consequences on you and those around you. There is always someone who isn’t happy, but for us, it looked like the right thing to do.

New Employment 

Sentinel Storage, our new employer, was for us an improvement, not only financially, but it was an excellent company to work for. Their motto was, “If you are good for the company, the company will be good for you.” And that proved to be true. 

One of the things that made working for this company so great was our Operational Manager, Karen. If you are reading this, Karen, we miss you! She was always ready to help and support and found a solution to every problem. 

Just to be clear for those who are unfamiliar, self-storage facilities like these exist for overflow of personal or business items. For example, sometimes the units are rented when people are between houses and are renting a house elsewhere. This overflow, whether it is a few personal items or the entire household, is then stored at storage facilities.

Our Harry

Sentinel Storage provided a moving truck for these clients for one of the best prices we have seen so far. This meant that it was used quite often, of course, by both businesses, households, and anything in between. 

The truck was also called “Harry.” This was because it had the company’s logo on the side, a sentinel that had similarities to Prince Harry. 

The truck was often used, and the company took great care of Harry. He was maintained well and was treated like royalty. You have to be careful with those royals; you better give them the respect they deserve (or demand!)

News from Head Office

2017 came around, two years after we moved to Stouffville. We were invited for a meeting at the head office in Edmonton. 

Head office rented a location at the West Edmonton Mall to house all the managers across Canada. The West Edmonton Mall is one of the biggest malls in the world. It is a beautiful place to visit, with hotels, pools, and even a theme park attached. This is because Edmonton is one of the coldest cities in the world, especially of that size. 

The mall is a great place to visit with the wife and kids; just make sure you keep that credit card in your pocket!

Back to the meeting, it was, unfortunately, a shocking one. Sentinel Storage was sold to another company called Access Storage. This was sour news for everyone involved since Sentinel Storage was run like a family. There was support from all sides, and to be sold to a giant made everyone wonder what they should do. 

About halfway through 2017, the transfer was complete. Everything was now in the name of Access Storage. Including our Harry. He didn’t have any issues with the transfer; our Royal Harry didn’t care who held the scepter. He was the royal one anyway.

You can read what happened to Harry in the next blog!

Cheticamp is a wonderful place to visit for many reasons. I have a memory of the town that I won’t forget easily. I’ll tell you all about it in a little bit. Many visitors decide to stay in the lovely town for whale watching. An event that brings in tourists from all over the world. 

Cheticamp and Me: A Time I Won’t Forget

After our insightful conversation, we decided to keep going. We had about 20 more minutes to go until we reached our destination. As we drove through the town, a memory sprung up that would stay with me forever. 

About two years ago, our family paid a visit to Canada. We had a wonderful time driving out East and made many memories. Of course, one of the items on our collective bucket list was to experience the famous whale watching. 

We booked a day ahead for $50/person to guarantee a spot. As expected, the boat was pretty full, and all on board were excited to see some ocean friends. The tour was to be about 1.5 hrs. 

To give you some context on the geographic location of Cheticamp, it is obviously on the coast. However, it is protected by a peninsula, giving the water of the harbour calm and peaceful waters. 

Out On Sea

After about 15 minutes on the boat, the waters became a little angrier. Now, I have to confess, I’ve never been a fan of swings, merry-go-rounds, or any of the sorts that you can find on fairs. As a result, I have issues keeping everything inside after a while.

It goes without saying that I do not have sealegs. After about 20 minutes of bobbing up and down, my wife asks me if I am ok. Of course, I say, “Yep, no problems, I’m just a little queasy.” However, after 40 years of marriage, you get to know a person quite well. I couldn’t hide from her that I was, as a matter of fact, not ok. 

The waves became rougher and rougher, as well as my stomach. I looked around me and saw another gentleman with his head overboard and a few others looking a little green. Their loved ones were rubbing their back in a poor attempt to comfort them. Spoiler alert: It didn’t.

I heard somewhere that bananas are a good cure for seasickness, but where does one find bananas on the Nova Scotian shore? You don’t. I asked my wife if she had anything to eat. Now, those who know my wife know that she always carries a purse full of handy items. Toothpicks, chapstick, some wet wipes, after five kids, she’s learned a few tricks. 

She came to the rescue with some “Fisherman’s Friends.” An appropriate candy for this situation, right?  I kept eating them, one by one, hoping that we would see something so that we could head back to shore.

In the meantime, an hour had passed, and the only animals we saw were the seagulls screaming for some attention around our boat. We were a little disappointed because we expected a little more. We spot seagulls in every fast-food parking lot of North America. 

Thankfully, shortly after, the other folks on the boat got excited and pointed towards a group of brown whales. We were told that they were pilot whales. A playful type of whale that is a little bigger than dolphins. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any big whales, as expected, but we had fun nonetheless. 

Back to Shore

At this point, I had gone through the bag of Fisherman’s Friends in an attempt to keep everything down. Thankfully, we headed back after our whale friends moved on. 

A short, or long for some, 30 minutes later, we arrived back in the harbour of Cheticamp. There was at least one person that was happy to be back. You guessed it; it was me!

Opting Out This Time

This time around, my wife and I decided to forego this lovely experience and just enjoy the shoreline on solid ground. So we kept going towards our destination, “The Skywalk Trail.”

You can take two routes on this trail, the shorter 3.5 KM and the 7.5 KM. We chose the latter. After a little while, we arrived at a bay with a beautiful view. We were on a plateau high on the cliffs, about 500 meters. De plateau is connected with wooden stairs for tourists to take their time and enjoy the view.

As we were sitting there, looking over the stunning view, we saw a family of pilot whales! We made the right choice not to repeat the past. We were able to enjoy the view, the whales, and everyone kept their meals inside them that day.

A Brief History Lesson 

Just as we were about to leave, we met a few ladies who came out to enjoy the view as well. We quickly discovered that one of the ladies was a granddaughter of a chief of the indigenous population in Nova Scotia. 

The history between the indigenous and early immigrants is a painful one. However, she explained that the indigenous peoples helped the newcomers when the first settlers arrived, and mutual respect was established as both people groups learned to live with each other. 

Nova Scotia: Canada’s Ocean Playground

Once we rested a little, we headed back to the car. We made some beautiful memories, remembered some old ones from Cheticamp, and were refreshed and rejuvenated to continue on.

I hope that you enjoyed this little taste of both Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me. Also, don’t forget to sign up for the next blog!

Have you been to Nova Scotia before? It is one of the most exciting places in Canada. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, tourism plummeted by 84% in 2020. We were fortunate enough to pack our bags and book a gorgeous place in St. Peters.

First Stop: A Taste of Farm Life

It was almost two years ago when we packed our bags for a vacation. We originally planned to go to the Netherlands, but unfortunately, the pandemic had different plans. 

Nova Scotia was on our bucket list, so we decided to give it a go. Instead of leaving right away, though, we spent a week taking care of our oldest son’s hobby farm. It was an exciting experience, and we enjoyed many beautiful days taking care of the goats, chickens, cows, you name it; they have it all.

Journey Before Destination

The journey to Nova Scotia is gorgeous. Nature has always been one of the main reasons we love Canada, but New Brunswick tops it. The beauty of the countless lakes and miles of outstretched, untouched forest is incomparable. 

We noticed that the people are much friendlier and relaxed compared to the GTA. It shows that the hustle and bustle of the city can have negative effects on people. 

Not only that, but we also noticed that the pandemic was barely noticeable. We entered a Tim Hortons with a mask, and everyone looked as if we had some sort of disease. 

We came across a hotel along the Trans Canada Highway called Amsterdam Inn. Of course, this called our name. The owners were Dutch, and we had the pleasure of meeting them. We chit-chatted in our mother language and felt at home at this family-owned hotel.

After a good night’s sleep and a lovely breakfast, we continued our trip towards St. Peter’s, Nova Scotia.

Entering Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia handled the pandemic a little differently. We would stop at a grocery store or gas station, and if they saw that we were from Ontario, they would avoid us like the plague. The otherwise maskless society would switch in a heartbeat, and the 6 feet rule became 12 feet. 

Perhaps we should have worn t-shirts that said: “Fully Vaccinated.”

Our journey ended in St. Peters, where we rented a beautiful cottage with an ocean view. It was a gorgeous location. It’s always a little nerve-wracking when you book beforehand, but we couldn’t be happier with the spot. 

Touring the Cabot Trail

We planned to rest for a day and then continued towards the world-famous Cabot Trail. It is known to be one of the most beautiful scenic routes in North America. 

On the one side, you have the ocean roaring with all its might, while on the other, you have the sloping hills and the serene nature of Cape Breton. It is such a great experience. You are awestruck with each turn of the road. 

I read somewhere in a book: 

For the Lord is the great God,

the great King above all gods.

In His hand are the depths of the earth,

and the mountain peaks belong to Him.

The sea is His, for He made it,

and His hands formed the dry land.*

We found a beautiful spot to eat our lunch that had a view of the ocean with clear skies as far as the eye could see. 

At one point, my wife noticed that the moon was displaying its full glory. It was so clear and beautiful how the moon reflected the sun back to earth.

I read that He gave us the sun to guide us by day and the moon for the night. However, this was in the middle of the day and so close by. 

The ocean in front of us with her mighty waves, the sun sky high touching and searching everything, and the moon who took this opportunity to demand her place in this creation. It was a picture I’ll never forget.

The Beginnings of a Deeper Meaning

This picture that was painted before us sparked an interesting conversation. However, there is a deeper meaning behind this painted picture in front of us. 

I will discuss that in my next post. Sign up to receive the next post directly in your email!

*Psalm 95:3-5 NIV