We're waxing, we're waxing and waxing some more

Last evening we had a lovely dinner with friends. I had a great morning at the gym then got some work done in the afternoon. Even a little bit helps get the whole done. About 5:15, Carol mentioned that we would need to leave soon and to not forget about dinner with Dana. Of course, I was watching the clock trying to get as much done as possible in a limited time. I had just finished the "wax on" and had picked up the power buffer for the "wax off" segment. As soon as the orbital pad hit the side of the motor home, it departed for the farside of the driveway. I guess it knew I had limited time and that time was over.

Have you ever noticed the subtle changes that have been made to the instructions on car wax? It used to be the instructions said to use a damp cloth; rub in some wax on a small area; let it dry to a haze; and buff it off. At Pepboys, I was looking at some high end waxes and polishes. Evidently, the car care product manufactures have taken a clue from the wineries. One of the waxes I pick up gave the instructions as follows: When opening the container, take caution to use a proper tool to ease the lid from the tin. We find the common screwdriver is incompatable to the fit, resulting in the tin being scratched or bent. Our recommendation is to use a tool similar to the one used to open paint cans. You can find these in the paint department of any big box hardware store. Upon opening the tin, your nose should sense the gentle aroma of oils, polymers and cleaners with a slight overtone of lemon and chrome. Allow the wax to experience the freshness of clean air just momentarily before you gently draw off the top course with a lightly damp, lint free applicator. Be cautious not to take too much wax. At this time, you are not looking for a full body massage, just a moderate caress of fender section or a rear deck. As you approach the vehicle, you need only to massage the wax into the finish with gentle circular motion. You want the area touched and tingled by the wax, not roughly applied. You have time. Let your vehicle know that you care. Once the wax is applied, your vehicle needs time; time to fully absorb the oils and polymers it so desperately wants. Your vehicle will tell you when it is ready for more. The applied area will take on a soft haze as it wavers between wanting more and knowing the need to be buffed. This next step is most important. The choice between a clean, lint-free wipe cloth or a power buffer with a microfiber pad is your's to make. Some enjoy the reward of slowly but steadily bringing forth a deep, rich shine by working a cloth across the waxed surface. Others prefer the excitement of a power tool as it vibrates across worked area, achieving a rewarding shine in minimum time. It was at this point I needed to step outside for a cigarette.

This morning, I fixed the buffer and started in again. I'm somewhat anal with regard to the cleaning. As an example, I took off the plastic vent cover for the refridgerator, brought it in and cleaned it, took in back out and waxed it; then put it back on where it belongs. The side of the motorhome that I'm working on is exposed to the sprinklers and evidently gets a bit sprayed when the wind blows. Some of the water spots wax out, but the ones on the fiberglass sides are quite resistant. I'm thinking I'll need to do a quick hand wash prior to any more waxing.

After "Googling" the difference in route distance between I-40 and U.S. 6, I've elected to take the road less traveled. Google says the I-40 will take one day and 12 hours while the alternate takes five hours longer. What the heck. Carol has never seen that part of the country and parts of it are quite pretty. Now, I have to figure if I'm going to take any windsurfing equipment.

Ok, we're down to house cleaning, packing, waxing and a couple of mods. One week to get it done and we're gone.