Haven't gotten much done on projects for the last couple weeks.
We've been having snow off and on for that time, and that tends to slow down our production.
Crys did get the trees planted somewhere in there. There's a legendary account of her battle with the mud monster but I'll leave it to her to relate it. I'm pretty sure I couldn't do it justice.
I spent a lot of time working to get power back on in Evergreen and back down in the valley. That included 2 days of being up at Summitville Mine along with some snow shoeing and a fair amount of wicked driving. Finally, today is a bit quieter. Only one call out so far today. It's kinda windy so we're not what you'd call pumped to get outside and lean into the wind.
Crys is working on her Phat Fiber boxes and I'm cooking and cleaning. It's a good spring day.
Saturday, April 23, 2016
Sunday, April 3, 2016
A step at a time
The dome green house is still relaxing a bit before we spend time altering it's shape to fit what we wish it to be.
Today I worked on the solar shed roof in prep for the new panels. That meant cutting out the terribly ill advised raised port hole for pulling the pump rod on the well and replacing it with a flat and water repellent roof. That and replacing the shingles where the original satellite dishes were. Did you know that when they move the dishes they leave the old mounts in place?
Do you wonder why?
I'll tell you.
It's because they use some kinda crazy stickum that removed the shingles if you try to remove the mount.
Fuck that. I replaced the shingles.
Perhaps in a weekend or two I'll get to work on placing the new rails for the new solar panels. That'll be fun.
Today I worked on the solar shed roof in prep for the new panels. That meant cutting out the terribly ill advised raised port hole for pulling the pump rod on the well and replacing it with a flat and water repellent roof. That and replacing the shingles where the original satellite dishes were. Did you know that when they move the dishes they leave the old mounts in place?
Do you wonder why?
I'll tell you.
It's because they use some kinda crazy stickum that removed the shingles if you try to remove the mount.
Fuck that. I replaced the shingles.
Perhaps in a weekend or two I'll get to work on placing the new rails for the new solar panels. That'll be fun.
Saturday, March 26, 2016
Snowy day schedule
It's a snowy day schedule here at Gypsy's Rest.
That means it's a lot like an art movie. We talk slowly, we move around slowly, music plays in the background. It's supposed to snow all day. So we ran the generator (Genny) this morning to top off the batteries, and we're sitting in bed with coffee and internet (laptops and using the personal hotspot on the iphone) while we watch the snow come down and hear the wood stove tic from time to time as logs move around.
Hopefully I won't get called out to work.
We're doing a little shopping and planning. Our rock climbers are back this spring, although not today :D. I'm hunting up a gas grill for them to use and trying to think up a shaded seating option. I originally thought about one of those charcoal park grills for up by the rock, but it gets so dry the charcoal would be a fire danger we're not willing to bear. We'll probably use the little 2 burner gas grill we keep down by the creek. It's a little rough from having been blown off the deck a couple times and hammered back to something close to normal with a hammer. (Thanks art school). For the shaded seating what I have to avoid is making too big a project for myself. I'm thinking of using the poles I have laying around. I'll dig a hold and set up 2 of them straight up, then angle another 2 up to those from a few feet away. Then I can cover it with whatever I can find handy. They're good kids and I'm betting they'll help out if I'm doing the heavy parts while they're here. It'll make a nice spot for them to rest up between climbs and a shady place for their dogs.
Oh and we're thinking of getting some more pans from Le Creuset for our cook pan pile. Stainless steel this time.
So far the solar panels are staying mostly clear from the little bit of weak sun they're getting. We'll see how that goes.
That means it's a lot like an art movie. We talk slowly, we move around slowly, music plays in the background. It's supposed to snow all day. So we ran the generator (Genny) this morning to top off the batteries, and we're sitting in bed with coffee and internet (laptops and using the personal hotspot on the iphone) while we watch the snow come down and hear the wood stove tic from time to time as logs move around.
Hopefully I won't get called out to work.
We're doing a little shopping and planning. Our rock climbers are back this spring, although not today :D. I'm hunting up a gas grill for them to use and trying to think up a shaded seating option. I originally thought about one of those charcoal park grills for up by the rock, but it gets so dry the charcoal would be a fire danger we're not willing to bear. We'll probably use the little 2 burner gas grill we keep down by the creek. It's a little rough from having been blown off the deck a couple times and hammered back to something close to normal with a hammer. (Thanks art school). For the shaded seating what I have to avoid is making too big a project for myself. I'm thinking of using the poles I have laying around. I'll dig a hold and set up 2 of them straight up, then angle another 2 up to those from a few feet away. Then I can cover it with whatever I can find handy. They're good kids and I'm betting they'll help out if I'm doing the heavy parts while they're here. It'll make a nice spot for them to rest up between climbs and a shady place for their dogs.
Oh and we're thinking of getting some more pans from Le Creuset for our cook pan pile. Stainless steel this time.
So far the solar panels are staying mostly clear from the little bit of weak sun they're getting. We'll see how that goes.
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Framing done on the dome.
Saturday, March 5, 2016
Invisible invested hours
One of the things that never shows in a project is the hours and hours invested in research and prep to even get started on a job.
Our current solar upgrade has materials on site but nothing actually installed yet. I spent at least 40 hours on research and development to ensure that I have the correct stuff and that all of it will play well together. It took about a day to get everything on site from the place I bought all the solar stuff. We've just spent at least 4 hours working through all the customer service issues to get the 2 satellite dishes moved from their current spots on the roof to make room for the new panels without shading.
(Shading is BAD m'K?)
It'll take a day to do a bit of reconstruction to clear a roof obstruction.
After alla that? We'll actually get to start putting some of the damned stuff up. That'll be 24 new 260 watt panels, 8.8 KW in new inverters and a whopping huge assed 100 amp charge controller.
Of course to put the new stuff up we have to take the old stuff down. We'll do that in stages. Stage 1 will be swapping out the old inverter/charge controller for the new one. That's a day at least. Then we'll swap out the solar panel combiner box. Probably a half day. Then I can set up the new rails as much as possible before changing panels. The panels will be another day. They have to get done in a day or we don't get to shower.
As opposed to common beliefs held by some of our friends, I do like to shower.
SO that's the job plan. I'm sure it'll come off without a hitch. :D
AND pigs can fly.
Our current solar upgrade has materials on site but nothing actually installed yet. I spent at least 40 hours on research and development to ensure that I have the correct stuff and that all of it will play well together. It took about a day to get everything on site from the place I bought all the solar stuff. We've just spent at least 4 hours working through all the customer service issues to get the 2 satellite dishes moved from their current spots on the roof to make room for the new panels without shading.
(Shading is BAD m'K?)
It'll take a day to do a bit of reconstruction to clear a roof obstruction.
After alla that? We'll actually get to start putting some of the damned stuff up. That'll be 24 new 260 watt panels, 8.8 KW in new inverters and a whopping huge assed 100 amp charge controller.
Of course to put the new stuff up we have to take the old stuff down. We'll do that in stages. Stage 1 will be swapping out the old inverter/charge controller for the new one. That's a day at least. Then we'll swap out the solar panel combiner box. Probably a half day. Then I can set up the new rails as much as possible before changing panels. The panels will be another day. They have to get done in a day or we don't get to shower.
As opposed to common beliefs held by some of our friends, I do like to shower.
SO that's the job plan. I'm sure it'll come off without a hitch. :D
AND pigs can fly.
Sunday, February 28, 2016
It's getting towards Spring.
The first mountain blue bird showed up here last week. That usually means we'll be getting toward spring and outdoor projects and growing things soon.
Almost all the solar upgrade materials are here and on site. That project will happen in 3 stages so that we're not out of power for too long :D.
Nearly all the snow is melted from the geo dome project site, once the mud is gone I'll get out there and start framing it up with the 2X4's and hubs.
Once the frost is out of the ground we'll work on framing in the forms for our glass-a-gama kiln for pottery and glass blowing. With what ever concrete comes extra on the truck (always order a full truck, anything else is a waste) we hope to make a nice concrete parking pad on one end of the house so visitors need not slop through the mud.
Today? It's still a bit chilly and overcast, so we're just chilling in the house. That makes it easy to do a bit more research on the orchard I'd like to get going. I found a lovely blog from someone at our same altitude and such. It had great recommendations on trees and all that stuff. I'd love to leave an orchard behind when I leave the planet. :D
Thus far, the new phase of our work and home life is working out really well.
Almost all the solar upgrade materials are here and on site. That project will happen in 3 stages so that we're not out of power for too long :D.
Nearly all the snow is melted from the geo dome project site, once the mud is gone I'll get out there and start framing it up with the 2X4's and hubs.
Once the frost is out of the ground we'll work on framing in the forms for our glass-a-gama kiln for pottery and glass blowing. With what ever concrete comes extra on the truck (always order a full truck, anything else is a waste) we hope to make a nice concrete parking pad on one end of the house so visitors need not slop through the mud.
Today? It's still a bit chilly and overcast, so we're just chilling in the house. That makes it easy to do a bit more research on the orchard I'd like to get going. I found a lovely blog from someone at our same altitude and such. It had great recommendations on trees and all that stuff. I'd love to leave an orchard behind when I leave the planet. :D
Thus far, the new phase of our work and home life is working out really well.
Friday, January 29, 2016
An historic day
Today was Crys' last day at her day job in Alamosa at Adams State University.
We worked long and hard to pay off debt and got to a place where she can quit that job and just work at the 2 or 3 part time jobs that she loves.
Me? I got another 3 years 9 months and 26 days. But who's counting :D ?
We worked long and hard to pay off debt and got to a place where she can quit that job and just work at the 2 or 3 part time jobs that she loves.
Me? I got another 3 years 9 months and 26 days. But who's counting :D ?
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