October 5, 2019

Yesteryear
One year ago today: October 5, 2018, the English invented that.
Five years ago today: October 5, 2014, we quit NOVA.
Nine years ago today: October 5, 2010, it kills ants.
Random years ago today: October 5, 2006, alternate blog titles.

           The robot club strikes again. My earlier plans to cut into the pipe were just that, plans. When I got under the floorboards to clear the path, there it was. A fat juicy stub of the correct diameter that I had installed a few months ago and forgot. And, in the right location to deliver instant hot water to the new bathroom and kitchen faucets (when installed) so I won’t need a recirculation pump. Yep, a solid 3/4” feed pipe. Now, I’m only three days behind schedule. The joists are now fitted but not bolted into place yet, as when I opened the bolt drawer, I have a mixture of sizes where I thought I had settled on heavy duty 5/8”. Methinks some hardware from the dismantled Mark I camper got co-mingled.

           A box gets the headline today. How come? This box embodies a lot of what I’ve learned that’s not in the materials. Listen up. Build the box first, worry about the lid later. Why? Because you will lose fewer of the small parts and accessories in the meanwhile. Make the box visibly double the size (volume) of that idiot-designed plastic carton it came in. That was designed for shipping. Where possible, make one dimension inside the box long enough to accept an electric drill with bit installed. No, not the one you are storing, the one you are using to build the box.

           See the dividers inside the box? No, you don’t. Don’t add dividers until you’ve used the tool a while. Put real handles on the outside of the box, not cutouts. Like I said, small parts. Leave room for some cheap related tools, like the stubby screwdrivers shown here. Don’t forget the wall wart (recharger), which eventually gets a compartment since there is no way to keep them untangled. Modern man can land on Mars but not design a cable that does not tangle. All lumber is 3/4” so these boxes are sturdy, crushproof, and droppable. Another invisible positive is that it was built from scratch in an hour. BOD, box on demand you might say.
           The boxes still don’t have the desired box joints. Using a router to cut them has been troublesome, so wait for that table saw. This time, it won’t be long. I’m still making errors on keeping the boxes exactly square and the hardware never follows the instructions on the Internet videos. If you look close at today’s box, the handles are not mirror images. They were positioned with the same template, yet the one on the left is higher up the side. Not a big deal in this case, but a good instance of the type of subtle mistake that eventually has to be learned around. Did I say that right?

           When I stand back and look, one hell of a lot of work has gone into this house. And it was worth every penny and moment. Maybe I like to live like this? Taking a closer look under the bathroom floor, experience said to add new instead of repairing. I ran a new set of concrete blocks and a still plate under the toi . . , er I mean, closet and am fastening in the first new joist. Actually, a half-joist, since I using two 8-footers instead of 18s. It allows for a slight “pivot” at the centerline where that proves needed. A quarter or half inch ignored over that length can save a bundle of time working the 30-ton jack. I may get energetic and take some photos.

           Let me say again, this is great exercise. The work is for a man in his 20s, so I’m glad I can even go the distance at a fraction of the speed. It’s not just putting in a plank. You have to dig the pit, work the level, lever in the boards, often needing to be cut in place. But hiring some help is not an option. I also pulled the electric wires back into the building from the old laundry location to the new, knocking down the wasp nests for good measure. I’m down in the pit mostly, but remember I told you how I left the floor panels loose for access. Good move.

           Here’s a picture of the new sill plate resting on pylons a foot inside the house. I’m pointing to the plate, as you see, there is an air gap under the old joist. This will pinch shut when I raise the flooring under the tub. This floor repair will dominate my blogging until it is complete. Got to have a working bathroom, y’know. For now, I must rip up, then replace the temp flooring each day I work on it. I was going to go downtown, my Saturday rule says always go out on Saturday night. It keeps you from becoming housebound like some people I know. No names, Harry. Yes, the living-like-Harry guy, who doesn’t mind being ribbed.
           Please, gang, the blessing of the pets is a ceremony, not a conversion. The Reb & I are non-denominational. Some say there is no such thing, but think of ceremony as entertainment-lite for me. Horoscopes are also a form of belief, and you know what I’ve said about that. Don’t remember? Oh, allow me to repeat. “I don’t much believe in horoscopes. But I know a lot of sexy women who do.”
Picture of the day.
Swarovski Face Fountain.
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           I’ve got the car hood up and I think Ford has switched to metric bolts. Guess which set I can’t find? It’s the thermostat, once I got the lid up I could detect the characteristic aroma. Maybe I’ll just run it on water and top it up for a while until the floor is done. JZ took exception to me calling it a fat-arse toilet for a moment, then decided yeah okay. I have no idea why he so much objected to the existing unit since it’s the same design as his place. But then, his relatives likely have the newest of things so I’m soon to fit in a model with “chair height” and “elongated bowl” There, that’s the end of our crapper convo for today.

           By now I’ve picked my favorites out of the new band list and they get all my attention. True, a good musician would play sets, not favorites, but that was before I found out the band was not booked solid this season. My original purpose was to find a duo partner to hit the cowgirl circuit. Odd, I thought I would have a ton of competition. Instead there is a lack of interest in duos that doesn’t make sense. Nashville is made for duos. Probably some element of the local trade I haven’t learned yet, but I would not be surprised to find that consistent guitar player attitude of wanting to front a full band. Duos mean sharing and that is not a guitarist trait.

           By nightfall I’d put in enough hours. It was a day where the effort did not show. Take this photo. Here is a lot of work. The new joist is on the left, the old stud in the center, and a new block of treated 2x4” on a nut and washer to cinch them together with a six-inch bolt. Better than new. Ignore the “meet Roxy” message on some of these snaps. I forgot to turn off one of the switches. I managed to jam one of my new Wal*Mart hand drills. I’m concerned since it is the same problem as my other drill, but different make and model. Am I mistreating these tools?
           I’ve decided to cut out a big section of the plumbing I put in. It was planned to put the laundry room in a different location. It means what you’ve seen so far and all that work is about to get trashed. I like plastic in this situation. My loss in materials will be around twenty bucks. The cost of having a plumber do the work is unthinkable. This slows me down a few days, but once I get the bathroom drains done, I can lay down temp flooring that can be continued any time later.

ADDENDUM
           In the end, I did not go out but spent the time playing bass. My challenge this year is to take a serious tab at learning at least some form of harmony singing. I’ve done it before by my method of memorizing the scale tones. That won’t do for stage work, nor was I able to play bass at the same time. It’s enough to carry the melody and I can barely manage singing to the recordings. Hand me the bass and I get thrown every time, whether I’m singing either part. For now, old Beatles’ tunes work best and I’m restricted to two-part accompaniment at most.
           In unrelated news, I’ve discovered a way that I can tilt the planned shed roof in the opposite direction that makes it edge-on to the drones. The only angle it can be seen from between the trees would present a sliver-thin view to that part of the sky. I buried the concrete years ago, so it looks by now like it has been there forever. I am testing camouflage so let me give this a try.

Last Laugh