The day started with the promise of clear skies.

Forecast was for 91F and possible thunderstorms late afternoon. It is 5:21 p.m. as I’m writing this and the NOAA radar shows rain and a thunderstorm on track for here.

I had originally planned to go to Kalispell to get my mail and do a bit of Fall/Winter clothes shopping … yes, clothes shopping in an actual store. Actually just sweatshirts from Cabela. I saw what they had online and thought I’d actually GO and look at them.

But, it was cool and breezy until 10 and I just didn’t want to leave and then it got smoky and hot and I just didn’t want to leave. So I stayed home and did some food prep!

On the right is birthday present #1 a large air fryer. I bought a small air fryer when I sold the house, sold my large air fryer. The small size has been ok but I am on my 2nd small one and this 2nd one is starting to act like the first before it gave up the ghost. I looked at my storage and had a think … and then saw a YouTuber review this Cosori … went to Amazon and it was a special deal price so I bought it!

The waste basket/clothes hamper which used to live by the dog food has moved to one of the bedroom wardrobes…

And both the hamper spot and the pet food/Cosori air fryer situation work better than previous setup so yea!!

The second present …

This is under the dinette. On the right is my EcoFlow Delta 2 which I use for fast USB charging (this 2003 motorhome was before everything had USB outlets EVERYWHERE) as well as some AC use for charging my vacuum and my auxilary charger in the basket on top of the dinette.

Additionally, if I want to use the Instant Pot or Air Fryer when the A/C is running, I plug into the Delta 2.

On the left.

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would have a bread machine, but that is a bread machine.

I knew my sourdough bread, rolls, etc. were good but I didn’t realize just how good until I have had to rely on store bought stuff. My sourdough starter did not survive the move from cabin to rv and actually, the issue was the last several weeks in the cabin when I didn’t bake. The cabin frig was not great.

I ordered a starter from King Arthur baking and it did fine in the RV but I was still adjusting to the routine in Wild Thing II and ultimately I got rid of the starter and bought instant yeast thinking to simplify. But, I miss sourdough!

Fast forward to some research as well as the YouTube algorithm feeding me “RV sourdough” pointing a bit toward a bread machine and specifically to the one I bought which is about 1/3 the price of the big names I’d seen in the past.

So, I have a bread machine.

Between the large air fryer which can also bake bread and the bread maker, I hope to get back to all home made and hopefully sourdough baked goods.

Now, I have a gas oven and it works well. I used the oven in the Winnebago for bread. But the Bigfoot oven is significantly shorter and not enough room for a boule. I have figured out how to accommodate for the height for pizza, focaccia and a loaf pan … the issue being that the heating element is right under the lowest rack setting.

I have my pizza stone on the rack and then bake on a “cookie sheet” so enough “insulation” from that heating element to bake whatever without burning the bottom.

The other issue is that when it is very hot, the oven gives off more heat in the RV than the air fryer and probably the bread machine.

So.

I am here in Columbia Falls, near my storage locker for 2 weeks. The “plan” is to experiment with the large air fryer and bread maker while I am close enough to my storage locker to move either or both if they don’t prove their worth for the room they take up.

Back to today.

Preparing to make breaded chicken tenders.

Messy … but worth it! Putting all in the freezer for a bit. Some to come out and be my dinner with the rest to be vacuum sealed for future meals.

Backtracking. This morning I mixed up a small peasant bread and baked it in the gas oven on a baking sheet.

Not as flavorful as sourdough, but good for toast and my lunchtime tuna melt.

Progress is being made on the bread making!!

Rain!

Some thunder but thankfully with rain.