Given this big chunk of time we are parked in Tampa, we are taking the opportunity to make many improvements for our next voyage. I’ve already documented a few of those in the earlier “Tweaking” posts. Yesterday, we moved from the mechanical improvements to cosmetic ones, with the purchase of new bedding.

It might seem like a minor thing, but in the small space of a trailer on an extended trip, you want everything in the space to be functional, compact, and if possible, attractive. Our previous comforter was an orange-and-pink nightmare (visible in an earlier post). Eleanor bought it for Emma’s bed months ago, and somehow we ended up with it. We’ve since replaced it with something we like: warm, “poofy”, and even more functional. It can be layered for cold nights and stripped down to a light blanket for warm nights, and still look good.

Emma, being a kid, wanted lots of bright colors. She got a mixed set of practically fluorescent sheets, blankets, and pillow cases (plus the aforementioned hideous comforter), and she loves it. It is so bright back there it practically glows.

The point is simply that you need to go with what works for you. Make the space your own whether you are in there for a weekend or a year. An Airstream is like a blank canvas in some ways. There are no rules about how you should decorate it, and that means we all get to enjoy a lot of artistic license, doing things we might not risk in the primary residence.

A few other preparatory items for our next adventures: I got a short haircut which Eleanor says she likes (that’s a miracle), the Nissan is going in for some minor service tomorrow to correct a shuddering when braking, and I’ve almost completed buying components for our new bike rack. We expect to meet up with another Airstreamer tomorrow too, our friend Doug Dukane. He’s another full-timer with small child, so I’m looking forward to comparing notes.