Space Cadet

When you RV, space is at a premium. You trade in your desktop PC for a laptop; that deep old TV for an LCD or flatscreen of some sort that can hang on the wall; you ditch the fine china in favor of something like Corelle (unbreakable and reheatable Corningwear dishes). If you’re a coffee fanatic, you might try one of the pod coffee makers that take up little space. These clamp down on a coffee pouch, then boil water from a reservoir and force it through into your waiting cup. You brew one cuppa, so there’s no waste. I had a Salton Juan Valdez, but it wouldn’t seal tight, and it had problems with losing water down the front.

Instead of using all those fancy pots and pans, try a wok. I have one from Calphalon I’ve used so long, it’s bald: the black coating is worn off. The narrow bottom takes a lot less heat than a regular pot or skillet. And check into those flexible plastic cutting sheets you can find in an oriental market: They take up little or no space, and you can fold them to funnel the last of the veggies or meats you just cut into the bowl or wok. For cutting, I like a chef’s knife even if it does take up space; if I were forced to, though, I might just use a pastry scraper. I picked one up at a garage sale for 10 cents, and it works both for cutting or scraping food up to put into something else.

Because space in an RV is so precious, you might consider getting rid of your pouchy golf bag in favor of a lightweight "stand" bag, with legs that click down when you drop it; or you might trade your walking cart in for a minicart such as a Clicgear (folds to just 24" X 15" X 13") or Sun Mountain.

Make sure the one you choose has a beverage holder, though; trying to pull it toward the tenth while you juggle a drink and your hot dog at the same time is a challenge.

If you really want to save weight, you could try out the Universal Adjustable Golf Club. This has one shaft, and the head clicks around to different positions: Iron, Wedge, or Putter, replicating everything from your 1-9 irons through your wedges to your putter, on demand. (Although they have just introduced a universal driver.) While it does give you that consistent shaft length, don’t expect the same length of drives. No universal utility club yet, either.

Then there’s the golf shoe. I still have a pair of cordovan two-tone leather shoes with metal spikes I bought in a weak moment a few years ago, and they’re a pain to haul around. When I play, I tend to just wear my regular old Rockport walking shoes I wear to work every day. Now there’s a product for those wet when I don’t want my flat soles to turn into skis on wet hills: Rede’s disposable, adjustable Soft Spikes. Just stick them where you want them on your regular shoes, then peel them off and discard when you’re done. Perty nifty.

I’m getting set to go with my coworkers to River Oaks Golf Course. in Cottage Grove, Minn., the day after the 4th of July. I’ll have to see how my right shoulder will hold up after pounding nails and sawing all weekend. I’ve been trying to be good about the exercises my physical therapist at the VA assigned me. I dutifully hold my arms to my side with a towel in the armpit, bend my elbows so my wrists are parallel to the ground, and move my fists together and out as far as I can, together and out. (Sort of a modified Chicken Dance.) Then I stand, hold my arms out as if I’m pouring beer on the floor (fat chance) and lift my arms up (thumbs remaining down) at a 45 degree angle to my body.

I lay face down on the bed for another exercise, with my body to the elbow supported, drape my forearm over the side of the bed, and raise and lower it at the elbow. Another one I’ve been doing is to raise my arms until my upper arms are straight out from the shoulder and my fists straight up, then bring my forearms together in front of my face, then open them as wide as I can. I only do these to the point they cause pain; pain is not a good thing in this case. I started with 12 reps on these exercises and more, and now am up to 20 repetitions; next I’ll start using a weight in my hands. Even a can of soup helps build up muscle.

Oh, were you aware that if you don’t eat enough protein, but still exercise, you will lose muscle instead of fat?

Now, muscle is space I don’t mind taking up in an RV.