Jennifer, Sophia, Emma, and Cookie drove their Jeep up Thursday and spent the night. Of course, they bunked in their RV.
Wonderful family time, including a campfire and s'mores. My quiver is full to overflowing! They left Friday morning for Ft Hood, TX, Rick's new duty station.
Greg was still recovering from gall bladder surgery the Friday before. He was unable to help much physically, but I loved his company, especially during the load-out.
We went to The Farm to complete what we had started - mowing and spraying, plumbing, and electrical systems. Rained every day but the one we left on - Saturday. No mowing or spraying.
We accomplished a lot of detailed tasks. The results of this and two prior work trips:
- Running cold water from the tank in the cellar.
- Water heater in bathroom (so it can be adjusted by a showerer)
- Flush toilet
- Basin
- Nice shower stall
- Replaced kitchen sink faucets
- Grey water, sinks, shower, spring overflow, and tank overflow combined in the pipe that drains at the barn foundation
- Kitchen cabinets hung and re-assembled
- Several 12V CFL lights
- Outside:
- House battery charging station
- Waste composting system vented up the sunny side of the house - 4" PCV black painted soil pipe - great draft - no stink in the basement.
- In the cellar:
- Basement toilet waste composting system vented outside
- Water tank (existing blue drum)
- 12 volt RV pump
- 120 volt powered 12 volt x 45 amp RV battery charger
- 3,700 watt 120V inverter.
- 2,200 watt Kawasaki 120/240 volt generator (run out of doors, of course)
- Rick demolished the old range, base cabinets, and sink from the old kitchen. We will mount the old pitcher pump on the deck once we replace the plywood and roof membrane.
- Cleanup - started but not completed. I'll take photos when the work areas are neater.
Greg is also faithful to family and helps out as much as we ask him to do. His are a good pair of eyes to observe and check my work and provide counsel. As he heals from his gall bladder excision, we will go up again.
We are more able to travel as Nora's condition has improved enough to be left alone or to enjoy visiting with family. She is now visiting Laura and family in NC.
Next trip? In a few weeks to improve what we have done in house, to install a larger pump and two sediment filters. and to mow and spray herbicides.
After that, tear off the deck roofing, maybe the plywood, too, and replace with an paint on elastomeric system or marine vinyl flooring.
Once the porch is repaired, weather tight, and safe, I hope to clean up the kitchen junk tossed over the rail, transfer kitchen storage to the kitchen, improve temporary storage of building materials.
Thinking of using a 1,000W inverter to drive 120V 18+/-W lighting. 1,000/18 = 50 or more lamps. The temporary DC wiring is enough for now - but not to be expanded any more. All the CFLs flicker and dim as the battery pack voltage drops. The pump draws a lot of current.
Enough thinking. Do you smell burning hair?
Dan
