Preparing the Motorhome for Rainy Season

 And My Window Valance Repair

Jon Caulked Every Place 

Water Could Enter 

The rainy season is due to start in May, maybe early June. This will be the third summer we have owned Minnie Winnie. She hasn't leaked yet, and we want it to stay that way. 

First, Jon Removed Old Caulking

Sitting on a Stool was Perfect for Low Work

Jon is very detailed in his work and has to battle himself not to be too much of a perfectionist. Even in this 85-degree humid weather, he put in seven to eight-hour days for six days! So much for boogie boarding this week.🥺

Jon Found This Clear Caulking is the Best

Jon discovered it was worth the time to tape the lines to be caulked about 1/16+ inch away from the seam, with blue masking tape on the RV body. After applying this clear caulking, he dipped his finger in denatured alcohol, wiped away excess product, and smoothed the line. He removed the masking tape right afterward, leaving a perfectly caulked seam.

Anyone would be proud of the clean job, especially a guy with Parkinson's disease. Shaky hands and muscle cramps made the work difficult, but Jon loves a challenge!

My Window Valance Repair Project

I don't handle the heat as well, so I attacked my window valance repair project. The previous owner's cats shredded all three bedroom window valances.

Time to Fix Bedroom Window #2

First Step: Strip the Foam and Fabric

Taping the Remaining Fabric and 

Valance Cords is Finished

Two Coats of Paint and the Tape Stripped

Looks Good to Me!

Mother's Day in Lo de Marcos was fun! Jon bought flowers for me from a street vendor who was walking by the RV Park. Since we're camping, I had to improvise for a vase. What a wonderful husband!❤️

Mother's Day Flowers from Jon

We celebrated Mother's Day twice. México's Mother's Day was Saturday and the U.S.'s was Sunday. Well, we celebrate every day! I'm grateful for our health and life in México.

Lunch While Camping in Lo de Marcos

Dinner at Oscar's in Lo de Marcos

Thank you for reading 📚 my books and blog articles. I would love to get a few reviews on Just Another Manic Moment: A Novel during May, Mental Health Awareness month. See the book cover in the right margin👉. Click the cover to download it on Amazon, free with KindleUnlimited.

Terry L Turrell, Author 

SOLD 11/22/25! 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗢𝗻 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗰𝗼-𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲! (11/15/25) (Traduce al español con el menú desplegable de la derecha👉🏽)

SOLD 11/22/25!

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW OWNERS!

29-Foot Class C Winnebago Motorhome

(Traduce al español con el menú

desplegable de la derecha👉🏽)

New Les Schwab Tires and Brakes, Vinyl Flooring, and More

Price Reduced to $19,975 US or 365,500 MXN! 

(November 15, 2025)

See More Photos and Details in My Blog Article At: 

𝗪𝗲'𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝟮𝟬𝟬𝟱

𝟮𝟵-𝗙𝗼𝗼𝘁 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲!

To make an appointment, send me a message on Messenger, in the comments below, or email me at terrylturrell@gmail.com. We've enjoyed our Minnie Winnie for over two years. We have new travel plans, so Minnie Winnie is ready for a new owner.

Jon and Terry in Puerto Vallarta

SOLD 11/22/25! 𝗪𝗲 𝗦old our 𝟮𝟬𝟬𝟱 𝟮𝟵-𝗙𝗼𝗼𝘁 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲 ✨

 SOLD 11/22/25!

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW OWNERS! 

Imported from the US
Fully Legalized Title and Mexican-Plated

(Traduce al español con el menú

desplegable de la derecha👉🏽)

Shown With Two Slides Extended and Wheel Covers Off

Jon Opening the Motorhome Entry Door

Curbside View of Our 29-Foot Minnie Winnie

6 New Tires from Les Schwab in California

And All New Brakes and Bearings at Les Schwab

Floorplan: Sleeps Up to 8 People

New Skylight Installed and Caulked Over the Shower

Dinette, Kitchen, Large Refrigerator, Gas Oven, New MW

New Queen Mattress with Custom Upholstered Headboard

Bedroom Closet and Drawers Before

Carpet and Bedspread Replaced

New Vinyl Plank Flooring in Bedroom

Bathroom Cabinets & Towel Bar Over Toilet

Bathroom Separate From Shower

Wheel Covers On and In-Line Booster Water Pump

People ask us why we are selling our 2005 29-foot Class C Motorhome, a Winnebago Minnie Winnie, after all the work we put into it!

After two years of enjoying and improving our RV, we plan to travel by train more in Mexico. You may remember how exciting our Copper Canyon Adventures El Chepe tour was. Next, we’re headed to the Maya Train.

Below are more of Minnie Winnie's specs. If you are interested in purchasing it, please message me for more information or to make an appointment to see it in the comments below or through Messenger.

New Price 11/15/25: $19,975 US or 365,500 MXN

Fully Legalized Title and Mexican-Plated by Pat’s Plates. Renew the registration online yearly.

Odometer: 58,800 miles

Ford E450 6.8 Super Duty V10 Gas Engine

Two New High-ampereage Deep-cycle 6-Volt Trojan House Batteries

4000-Watt Onan Gas Generator with New Carburetor

Beds in addition to Queen in the Back Bedroom:

   Queen bed over the cab. The custom mattress folds in half for space.

   Dinette converts into a bed.

   The sofa pulls out into a bed. 2 Memory Foam toppers for comfort.

More improvements than shown in photos!

Located in an RV park in Puerto Vallarta.

Terry and Jon Turrell on Our Copper Canyon Adventure

Planning a Road Trip and 💙 Parkinson’s Awareness Month-April 2024 Newsletter

 My Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico Newsletter

Has Been Published!

Jon and I spent the weeks before and after Easter in La Peñita de Jaltemba. It was a peaceful place to escape the busy tourist period. We stayed in our motorhome at The Little Rigs RV Park on a quiet stretch of the beach and loved it!

Working on the motorhome has been good for Jon—he loves the projects. We’re almost ready for a road trip! We’ve been working hard to prepare the old Minnie Winnie for a drive to Mazatlan and El Fuerte. We plan to take El Chepe, the Copper Canyon train trip, and some tours in the canyon. 

Read more of the April 2024 newsletter HERE.

Follow our road trip adventure on my Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico Facebook page. I'll post about it while we're on our way.

Terry L Turrell, Author

And Her Husband, Jonathan

𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗿𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀! 𝗘𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲-𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲

 So Jon Devised a Safety Climbing Method in Case He Falls

Parkinson's Disease Causes Poor Balance, Making Ladders a Danger

Jonathan has devised a method to climb a ladder safely, even though he has Parkinson’s disease. His balance is affected by PD, so I was worried that he might fall off the ladder. But he is determined to repair the motorhome roof himself—he’s the best repairman! April is Parkinson's Awareness Month, so this story is fitting.

Jon ordered mountain-climbing gear from Amazon. No, he’s not a mountain climber. But with special gear—a harness, two different ropes, carabiners, and a ladder, Jon was determined that he could motorhome-climb to replace the leaky skylight. He spent hours watching YouTube videos and practicing the technique to tie the necessary unique knots. He won’t hit the ground if he falls off the roof or the ladder.

Jon Attaches the Main Rope to the RV Axle

So He Can Sling the Rope Over the RV Roof

On the Opposite Side Where He will be Working

Using A Heavy-Duty Mountain-Climbing Carabiner

Jon Pulls On The Harness and Adjusts for Fit

While Sophie Keeps An Eye on That Scary Ladder

Jon Tested His Mountain-Climbing Knot

To Make Sure it Won't Slip If He Falls

With The Rope Attached to His Harness, Jon Starts

Climbing the Ladder, Sliding the Special Knot Up 

The Main (Red) Rope Every Two Steps

The Hardest Lesson to Learn was that He had to Remove

His Hand From the Special Knot as He Descended or Climbed--

It's a Slip-Knot That Won't Stop a Fall if His Hand is On It!

Jon Scrapes off the Old Caulking Around the Cracked Skylight

The Cracked Shower Skylight Has Been Removed--

No Wonder There Was a Water Leak into the Shower Ceiling!

Jon is Ready to Install the New Skylight

He Sets the New Skylight into Place--Perfect Fit!

The Skylight has been Caulked with Self-Leveling Sealant

Now Jon is Scraping and Cleaning the Roof Gutters, A Big Job

My job is now to bleach the water stain on the shower ceiling. That's another story. It's a good thing Jon caught and replaced the cracked skylight early.

Jon's rope system and harness work so well that I don't feel like I have to be there while he works. If he loses his balance and slips off the ladder, he won't hit the ground. He's a Parkinson's Warrior!

Read more about life with Parkinson's disease in my book Pickle Jar Test: A Novel, available in all Amazon markets. FREE with KindleUnlimited.

Book #2 of 3 in the Series

The Paperback will be Available Soon!

Terry L Turrell, Author

Amazon Author Page

What's That Awful Smell in the 2005 Motorhome We Bought in Mexico?

The Bedroom Reeks!

Jon and I wanted a project, and we got one—more than we bargained for! When we bought our 2005 Minnie Winnie, we had no idea how many issues had been disguised. We keep reminding ourselves that we purchased it for a reasonable price.

October 1, 2023: Soon after we brought the RV home to Little Rigs RV Park in La Peñita de Jaltemba, Nayarit, we realized the cat urine smell was overwhelming. I spot-cleaned the carpet and treated it with an entire bottle of Nature's Miracle Spot and Odor Remover, an enzymatic neutralizer. A month later, I repeated the entire process. It wasn't going to work!

Two Bottles of Nature's Miracle Wasn't Enough

November 9, 2023: So, we tore most of the carpet and padding out. I cut out and removed the bulk of the stinky mess, and Jon used a razor blade to trim under the bed and closet.

Cutting the Carpet Out of the RV Bedroom

Luckily, the bathroom vinyl had been run under part of the carpet, preventing the urine from soaking into too much of the plywood floor. I cleaned the vinyl and wood floor with a Fabuloso solution—that works for disinfecting everything in Mexico, right? It helped get the filth out.

Dirt and Urine Under the Carpet Before Fabuloso

After it dried, I threw two area rugs on the bare plywood floor. That would work until we could finish the prep work and install new vinyl planks that look like wood—Dream Wood by DuraPiso from Home Depot. Whew, the odor is 95% gone! FOR THE MOMENT…

Time for a shower and some pool time!

Pool Time at Little Rig RV Park, La Peñita

December 5, 2023: The smell was back! We decided to paint the floor with the Behr paint from Home Depot to seal in the odor. It took me three days to mask-tape the edges and then paint and seal the bedroom floor in the motorhome. No more cat urine smell😄. It is ready for Jonathan to install the vinyl plank flooring! OR SO WE THOUGHT…

I Painted Every Nook and Cranny of the Plywood

January 5, 2024: Well, cr*p! Another lesson learned. That paint sure looked good on the motorhome floor. But then, Jon discovered the adhesive we had purchased to apply the vinyl plank flooring wouldn’t stick to the paint.

The RV Bedroom Floor is Painted and Drying

So, we started sanding it off. After one day of using sanding blocks, we walked to the hardware store and bought an orbital sander. Getting enough of that paint/primer off for good adhesion would take a lot of work. Why do we always have to buy the best paint Home Depot carries?!😩 

Jon took another walk to the hardware store to purchase 40-grit sandpaper, the roughest he could find. Oh well, our projects keep us busy and provide exercise. 

Jon Using the Orbital Sander and 40-Grit Sandpaper

January 18, 2024: Yeah! We’ve finished sanding and filling holes in the motorhome’s bedroom plywood floor! It’s all vacuumed, mopped, and drying. Time for us to rest for a few weeks at our condo in Puerto Vallarta before we lay the new vinyl plank flooring. That was a bear of a job🥵!

A Relaxing Dinner at Cuates y Cuetes in Puerto Vallarta

February 8, 2024: We finally got the correct adhesive for our RV vinyl flooring delivered from Amazon Mexico. It took a call to the Roberts company to learn that the first two adhesives Home Depot sold us were wrong.

February 17, 2024: Retirement for us means choosing our projects. Jonathan was happy working on his yesterday while it rained. He cut about half of the pieces of vinyl plank flooring for the RV bedroom. He’s doing a great job!

Dream Wood Vinyl Planks are 3 Feet Long and 1 Foot Wide

Jon Measuring and Cutting Vinyl Plank Flooring

Jon has Parkinson’s disease, which has caused his muscles to weaken, including those in his eyes. He works hard to keep in shape, but one frustration for him is that his eyesight has deteriorated. He has to use a flashlight to see the fine measurements.

February 21, 2024: 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗶𝗲𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝘂𝘇𝘇𝗹𝗲!

Jon cut and placed the last piece of the vinyl plank flooring on the motorhome floor. Then, we numbered each of the eighteen sections with a piece of blue tape in the order that he would glue them in. I took photos of the numbered pieces so we could piece together the puzzle when it was time to adhesive. We removed each of the sections and stacked them in reverse order. Bare wood again, ready to adhesive it and lay the vinyl—mañana! 

Jon Finished Cutting the Complex Piece for the Corner

Each Piece is Numbered and Photographed Before Removing

We needed a day off to play. Dinner and rock ‘n’ roll music at El Amigo Vargas on the beach in Rincon de Guyabitos was a nice change of pace.

February 22, 2024: Jon started gluing the vinyl plank siding to the bare plywood. He did it in three sections, dividing the job between several days. After spreading the adhesive in the space marked for five pieces, he waited the recommended twenty minutes and started installing the numbered sections according to the placement shown in the photos.

Jon Spreading Adhesive with a Special Trowel

February 24, 2024: After a hard morning of gluing the second section of vinyl plank flooring in the motorhome bedroom, we decided to take a day off and rest. We went to play in the pool, now a comfortable 85°F. Jon loves pool volleyball with the gang at the RV park! Then we walked to town for groceries and on to Avanti Restaurant for a delicious salmon dinner.

Jon and Other RVers Playing Pool Volleyball

February 25, 2024: Finished! Jon applied the last pieces of vinyl flooring, and we stripped the masking tape. All we have to do is clean the dried adhesive off the floor using mineral spirits and then mop it clean. It looks great! And it smells good, too—no more cat urine smell.

Installed Dream Wood Vinyl Plank Flooring

Installing vinyl plank flooring in the motorhome bedroom was a good project for mental and physical well-being, though difficult. I told Jon that I hope the next one he chooses is a lot easier. His Parkinson’s disease slows his progress, but he doesn’t let it stop him! He reminded me that I chose that project when I hacked the first hunk out of the carpet. We agree it was worth the work, though we learned a lot of lessons.

To read about More Lessons Learned, check out the latest in my Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico book series, available in all Amazon markets. In Canada, see it HERE.

I invite you to SIGN UP for my Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico Newsletter, published monthly with stories about our latest adventures, my recent blog articles, and news about my books.

Thanks for reading my books and blog articles. I hope you'll leave comments here and book reviews or ratings on Amazon.

Terry L Turrell, Author

Amazon Author Page