Somethings in life are just not fair. In college, it was taught fair is what is right for the individual student, not the class as a whole. While I adhere to this thinking to most everything I do in life, sometimes life is just not fair. The summer heat is upon us here in South Texas. Temperatures are in the upper 90's and the humidity is in the 90th percentile. Okay, I don't really know how high the humidity has been but it way up there. Sweat pours off the skin and yet the body is still hot.
Well, experiencing summer heat is dependent upon your job. Take me for instance. I am at working shuttling the Kid to and fro summer camps this week. Don't fret, camps are within a five-minute walk from work. It is not like it is hard to do, therefore I am not experiencing great summer heat melt downs. Unfortunately while I am working in a cool 78degree building and the Kid is at camp (which this week includes the pool in the afternoon), the Planner is at home sweating like a pig. If he had a mud trough he might waller in it. Promise you. He is experiencing full summer heat melt downs. Have I mentioned I have the best kid ever? He is attending camp to learn about a local town residing figure head and came home with a mustache which he wore with great pride. Rock on Stinky Feet, you are the best-mustached man around.
Struggling through the heat, the Planner prepared for this weekends workload. Window #3. The Worrier is coming down to assist with the installment of window #3 while I commute to the next city over for the Kid's sailing camp.
To ensure time is on their side, window frames and hatches were prepared ahead of time. Frames are made of 2"x6" rectangular tubing and cutting was made easy with the use of the new band saw. To accommodate the full-length material a homemade roller was made out of various materials. The roller served it purpose but will need immediate modification in adjustable height.
Working only in the early mornings and late evenings and still having to take the kid to sail classes in the afternoons, the materials were prepared and ready for installation over the course of the week.
Again, I note the unfairness in my working conditions versus the Planners. Here I am at work watching the Kid and his friend play with homemade kites from the window of my air conditioned building over looking the beautiful bay. The Planner is at home over looking the parched, dry yard and dusty driveway as it has not rained for weeks and weeks. All the rain has gone away. Why when the rain is needed the most does it not rain?
Saturday the Worrier laid out the window opening, another 4'x4' window. This will be the first south facing window in the shop. In fact, this will be the first south facing opening period. Better prepare the lashings as it is going to quite breezy inside the shop.
Once again, the wind is blowing between 18mph-25mph this weekend making the installation of this south facing window interesting. Interesting to say the least.
As the Planner cut out the window, the Worrier created greaseable hinge barrels for the window hatches. This allows for complete service of the hatches ensuring working order when the time comes to batten down for bad weather.
Ensuring window hatches are easy to lift up and down is critical as they weigh a ton. Don't really know how much they weigh, but if I really wanted the exact weight, the Planner could calculate it based on known material specifications. But a ton will work for you too, right? Good.
Again, I note the unfairness in my situation. Here I am sitting in a public library on a Saturday invoicing bills and recording home school paperwork freezing my ever loving fanny off. Then there are the men working at home sweating off their hard-working fannies. On in case you are wondering what the picture does not show, I am wearing socks and shoes, pants, and a t-shirt, thermal shirt, and hooded zip up jacket over it all. Notice how my nose is still red from it being so freaking cold in the library. Cause books need it be sub-zero? Oh, and one more thing. It took countless pictures to duplicate this exact pose from weeks and weeks ago. Countless. So I thank you, hardworking men, for ensuring the Kid and I have a place to come home to even if it is the shop. Cause I know, once the shop is complete, then the house is next. Here's to the house.
Upon my arrival home, I am met with two very tired, very hot, very frustrated men. The wind blew and blew, the welding hut was causing major problems and was modified twice, and the frame still wouldn't mount.
Assessments were made, squabbles were squawked, and still, the frame would not mount correctly. Gatorade was delivered, a break was held, and these devoted workers went at it again. Devoted, determined, stubborn. Your choice.
At the end of the day on Saturday, the frame job was called quits. The window was far from completion and the wind still blew causing a whole new set of problems. Something would have to be created to protect the shop from outside elements, even if it was just for the night. As I cook inside my air conditioned trailer (no, cooking without AC means instant death in an Airstream), the men continued to struggle. Don't think I didn't notice the continued unfairness this week has presented me.
Sunday dawned, clear, windy, and hot. Not wanting to repeat Saturday's lack of a progress, a new project was started. An outside shower. Oh, yes, an outside shower. Nothing is better on a hot summer's day than an outside shower. Nothing!!!
Nothing, except a shower built from a re-purposed outside decking and patio stones. No more cramped Airstream showers. This shower is being built large enough to have a shower party.
Up until living in the Airstream full time since November, the shower has not ever been used full time. Showering in the trailer was always better than most trailers because the base it still 32"x32". It is the sloped side that kills you. There were always park facilities, campsite facilities, house facilities. Showering in the trailer was a thing for one or two days at a time, maybe a week. Not nine months. Nine months!
Done, done, done. Showering in the trailer is done. Showering in an outside shower will now have a confined space of 4'x4'. No! I am not being facetious. I am being straight up, straight arrow, never bending truthful. 48"x48" of glorious, confined space. On three sides, that is.
Am I worried about the neighbors seeing? No. There are none visible within line sight of the shower. All materials at this point were from the salvaged decking and not a penny has been spent. Notice how some boards are darker than others. Sun faded. Rustic. Worn. Warm. Free. Uh huh, a free outside shower is better than just an outside shower.
Testing the stability of the shower, the Planner attempted to pull over the shower. 4"x4" posts were dug three feet down for stability and support. This is the first structure at Plan473 that was not built hurricane approved. If it had been planned other than just with this mornings notice, it would have been. Guess our chances will just have to be taken.
In attempting to reuse salvage plastic decking from One Man's Trash turned out to be futile. The boards are designed to be screwed and these boards were being nailed with a nail gun. Hey, it is easier. The nailer had too much power or the boards were just too weak resulting in splintering and fracturing was occurring so the plastic decking was scratched.
Instead, more wooden decking was used and voila, in less than a half days work in the total and complete shade of the live oak trees, the shower was built and a walkway was laid.
Now, water lines are needed. At this time, there will just be water from the storage tanks. Hot water when the weather is hot, cold water when the weather is not so hot. A hot water storage tank will be installed later, but as it is the dead of summer, this is not a top priority. Hell, this is not even a priority. Hot water is something to deal with in October. Lots of time for that project.
As for the Kid and I, when we were not assisting with the shower we created a new chicken swing. The original PVC pipe was too light and smooth for correct chicken footing. A 2"x2"x3' lumber strip did not work either. This 2"x4" concrete piling form board worked perfectly. Just enough weight to offset their jump motion, gription for their feet, and balance for their swing.
It did not take Nosey Nelly long to explore the new swing. As a first tester, I would say this swing might be the final design. What a great way to end a weekend than with a swinging chicken and an almost completed outside shower.