Wednesday, July 1, 2015

July is here. Holy Hell!

I can't believe it's July already! My first date for completion of the bus was January 1st but that's been slipping ever since. I swore it'd be done by July 1st but it now looks like being August sometime.

If you've been following my progress via Facebook then you'll notice my Facebook profile has vanished. I had nothing to do with that disappearing act. I had a note that popped up last week asking if I am human. I confirmed that I was. Yesterday I was denied access to my Facebook account unless I send Facebook a copy of my drivers license, social security card etc. Basically, all the stuff an identity thief or a marketer would love to have. Needless to say, I declined their request and it seems Facebook has retaliated by closing my account.

Do I open another account under a new name, say Sponge Blob or Captain Underpanties? Do I just say f* it and f* Facebook and carry on without Facebook? I asked friends if they followed my bus progress via Facebook - which was all I ever published on Facebook and most did not. I had a few Facebook friends that were so much into auto posting of jokes, recipes etc that I just had to stop following their posts. I think Facebook is more of a nice idea than something of any practical value.

Between blog postings, you can also follow and sometimes interact with me via Twitter.

Today I spent the first part of the day cleaning the kitchen/dinette area ready for painting. I also put some 1\2 inch dowel into the 1\2 inch hole I drilled in the door to the cockpit. That hole was intended for a lock but the lock was too thick. The easiest way to enlarge the hole was either to order a larger twist drill or put dowel in and redrill with a cheaper flat drill. Needless to say, this is the option I chose and as soon as the glue has dried I'll be doing that!

One of the pieces of 2x4 that I'd put in the front closet has a nasty twisting warp on one end. It will have to become cross members. Fortunately I did buy an extra piece of 2x4 yesterday. It needs to dry so its lying flat in the bedroom while I complete the dinette/kitchenette.

As you can see, I've started painting the dinette. I used a roller so I covered most of it fairly quickly. Even so, I developed a raging headache from the heat. I had to complete the first coat in 3 separate trips to the bus, coming into the house to cool down every 30 minutes.
There are corners and places that could not be reached with the roller. The drawer slide mount proved to be the problem I thought it would be hence my decision to paint the kitchenette before I install drawers.

The ceiling got a coat of paint from one side of the bus to the other. In fact, I had to stop when I ran out of Glidden Primer & Sealer. I used 3/4 of a gallon! The next stage will be to put white topcoat on the dinette. Then I will fill in the gaps where the primer didn't work, using a brush. Fortunately, I have another gallon of white primer as well so in theory I should be able to complete painting the kitchenette and dinette.

Sadly, I could not paint the kitchenette today as the counter is in use. When the dinette has topcoat, I'll transfer things from the kitchenette to stand on newspaper on top of the dinette. There are several areas in the dinette that would benefit from some latex caulk. I'll have to get on with that!

The summer in South Carolina is pure Hell for working outside. It's meant for lying on the sofa while eating bon bons! I'm sure that's what God intended anyway! Either that or this really is Hell and we've been really wicked in a past existence.

Painting the dinette is really a sign of progress! In April, the dinette didn't exist. After completing the kitchenette which could take a while what with all the drawers I'll need to build, I'll do the bathroom. The front closet will take next to no time.

Finally today I dragged the other fridge door toward the bus where with the gentle persuasion of my angle grinder and a crowbar, it gave up enough steel to complete filling in the other half of a missing window.

I had to give up for the day after this because the heat had me thoroughly exhausted. I just about made it into the house!

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