Good morning

[travelaround]

What an education this thread is today! I can just imagine all the homeless people in Seattle running around with bras on their faces. Wow, life just got weirder.

 

[maki2]

What an education this thread is today! I can just imagine all the homeless people in Seattle running around with bras on their faces. Wow, life just got weirder.

Well some of the women in my neighborhood are involved in a project sewing up face mask for the homeless. I have no ideal why that is since it has been stated over and over in the Covid 19 informatioin that only certain types of high end filtration mask are effective in preventing breathing in the micro droplets.  But maybe it is just to get them to cover their faces when they cough or sneeze?  I don't know, I can't figure them out. Mostly I think they just want to believe they are saving the world with their own two hands when really the best way to do that is stay at home and sit on your hands instead of putting them all over something a homeless person will put on their face and then think it will protect them. But I am not going to tell my opinion to those women who are posting saying that they need some 1/4" elastic donated to them for the project. They need something to do with their time, they are bored out of their gourds with staying at home.

Fortunately I had paying work to do today, so off to the post office to drop my package into the box where I don't have to touch anything or get out of my car either. It is packaged in plastic that can be wiped off with sanitizer solution before opening. Just my normal packaging method to keep water damage during transit to a minimum. Sometimes it can get soaked just walking out to my car.

 

[crofter]

If this is all getting you down, here is a song to sing, tune of Gilbert & Sullivan.   ~crofter

[font=Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Sing to Gilbert & Sullivan.
By Eliza Rubenstein

I am the very model of effective social distancing!
I listen to the experts on the topic of resistance-ing;
I know that brunch and yoga class aren’t nearly as imperative
As doing what I can to change the nation’s viral narrative.

I’m very well acquainted, too, with living solitarily
And confident that everyone can do it temporarily:
Go take a walk, or ride a bike, or dig into an unread book;
Avoid the bars and restaurants and carry out, or learn to cook.

There’s lots of stuff to watch online while keeping safe from sinus ills
(In this case, it’s far better to enjoy your Netflix MINUS chills)!
Adopt a pet, compose a ballad, write some earnest doggerel,
And help demolish (sensored)  before our next event inaugural.

Pandemics are alarming, but they aren’t insurmountable
If everybody pitches in to hold ourselves accountable.
In short, please do your part to practice prudent co-existence-ing,
And be the very model of effective social distancing![/font][/font]

 

[Qxxx]

A while back, there were people who seemed to have premonitions ... eg Georgie.

https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=23592&pid=470246#pid470246

 

[crofter]

Please don't let there be a panic on that stuff.    ~crofter

 

[Qxxx]

Don't worry, those of us of a male persuasion are unlucky to start panic buying those sort of items.

 

[maki2]

I think a lot of males would rather risk catching Covid 19 than be seen wearing a Kotex on their face.

But they don't seem to mind at all having their face up close and personal to a bra cup

and now back to our regular programming...the weather..or not

 

[travelaround]

The weather is bright and sunny in Northern California today. Yesterday I cleared off the back porch of all the "treasures" the former residents here left me. Today the cat, Morgan, gave me the evil eye through the kitchen window as she slowly realized Mary isn't coming back, and I'm here to stay. I love having a completely empty back porch. Next I'll start washing the wood down and eventually get it all painted. I'm so not up to the task, but something must be done. A friend offered me five gallons of pink outdoor paint.

 

[maki2]

A friend offered me five gallons of pink outdoor paint.

It is easy enough to turn that pink paint into a nice tan color if you wanted to. Red is one of the 3 colors that create brown. But you are an artist so you know that

Of course if you like pink that works too.

 

[maki2]

At least I got some virtual but much needed work done on my build today.  I needed to get the wood parts for my cabinets designed to the correct sizes so I know what size to cut the door and drawer pieces. This afternoon I did the ones the 3D CAD model of the cabinet that houses the sink and stove.  The panels in the doors are a Phiffertext, wovIen mesh vinyl fabric. That mesh material is quite attractive and super strong too. The open areas of the weave will let the inside of the cabinets stay dry, and have air movement to help prevent mold and musty odors. I still need to design the doors for the cabinet opposite it that holds the fridge and toilet and the same for the cabinet that supports the bed. Maybe I will get a start on it this evening but if not tomorrow for sure.

Trying to get just the right balance of sizes of the framing pieces using standard sized wood in 1x2 and 1x3 material worked out OK. Having the wheel well inside of this cabinet limits where the openings of the cabinet doors and what their sizes are. But I feel pleased with it now, I think it will be easy on my eyes in such a small space. Having wheeled vehicles we all end up having to work designs around fitting things over those wheel wells.

At least I was not in total solitary confinement today, my workshop mate and the dog were here for a few hours.

 

[travelaround]

Glad you're still able to make progress on your project, Maki. I looked up the Phiffertext fabric... pricey but interesting with all the colors. Right now my van has insulation but no paneling. Still stuck there. I'm no expert at this like you are - I'm taking untrained baby steps. Also have my entire mobile home to work on. Yesterday it was the kitchen. One small project at a time.

Weather: seems a bit overcast here right now. Rain is expected.

 

[VanFan]

Well some of the women in my neighborhood are involved in a project sewing up face mask for the homeless. I have no ideal why...

Our local chapter of the American Sewing Guild (ASG) is working with a major hospital chain to address their stated need for masks.  A prototype has been provided to them for analysis.  There is some concern about the adequacy of tightly woven cotton, and they will let us know what concessions may be made, or whether we will be limited to their provided materials.  There appears to be a shortage of elastic--possibly as seamstresses copy every YouTube pattern in an effort to--as you say--feel empowered.  The hospital finds fabric ties to be fine.

Our goal is to meet the need rather than burden them with useless items.  Apparently, basic masks are being used over the N25's to prolong their life, as well as on patients to reduce health care workers' exposure.

I am coming to you fever free for the first day in close to two weeks, and feeling like my (admittedly old) self again!

Stay well.  Stay happy!

 

[crofter]

... fever free for the first day in close to two weeks....

We are so glad to hear you are on the mend vanfan. If you or your friend were actually diagnosed and feel comfortable sharing, I would love to hear about your experience. 

82 degrees and sunny in southern AZ.
   -crofter

 

[maki2]

As to the mesh for my door panels, I had been thinking about that Pfiffertex type of material for sometime. I can purchase it by the yard locally from Seattle Fabrics but was in no hurry for it. One day, on a visit to Goodwill, I found 6' x 5' piece of it for $15.00, the color and weave was just right for my needs.  pencil in photo for size reference.


Got the door frame designs done for the cabinet on the opposite side done, The lower right area houses the pull out toilet and the upper left area houses the pull out 12v fridge. Below the fridge is the wheel well and there is just enough space in front of the wheel well for storing 5  -1 gallon jugs of drinking water.  Some decent sized drawers as well. The cabinet is 36" high.

 

[travelaround]

Cool project, Maki. I wish I felt myself capable of doing something like that inside my van.

VanFan - what happened? I'm glad you're recovering.

Rain here. Nice for the forest trees. I'm so grateful to have a nice warm mobile home to spend the day in. I will edit another video for my art/creativity YouTube channel. I decided to save art for my retirement years (after kids grown and on their own) and that plan is working out nicely. I'm no great artist but am learning new things all the time. This year I'm enrolled in an acrylic painting class. I've used acrylics for many years, but now hope to get some practice making realistic scenes rather than my normal flat figures doing imaginary things. I consider myself a folk artist, but am willing to try to learn to be more than that. I figure I'll always just be me, though. There's a project coming up... called the "100 Day Project" that starts on April 7. I've decided to do story illustration for my 100 days. It is really one of the main reasons I've been pushing myself to learn more art skills - I have written stories I'd like to illustrate and publish.

 

[maki2]

travelaround  I can only do it because I wanted to learn how to do it or needed to do it. That is how it always is, either someone makes you do it or you just do it because you really want to learn how or you must learn how in order to make a dream come true.  You don't fit into those criteria as regards doing a van build so you will go for the make it do approach which in my opinion is the sane and sensible approach. Both of which seem to be something I struggle with when it comes to projects

At the age of 70 this year I still put myself in the way of learning all kinds of new things when I have the inclination to learn them. Of course I can't do everything I would like to learn given I have a bad back and small budget

This evening I will be running a laser cutter to make some kits I sell. I have customers for it but I had thought I was out of the cardstock that is no longer available. But when sorting some things out today I came across several packages of the right stuff. I designed the kits because I have access to a laser cutter so I wanted to see what I could do with it. There is even a chapel in this grouping. I should put myself in the way of learning more about doing 3D printing while I am still in Seattle at home base as there is a 3D printer here. Lots of fun stuff to do here. I am sometimes restless but never bored.

 

[travelaround]

Very pretty set, Maki! Glad you found the cardstock you needed. Congrats on training yourself to do the build. Yes, I am making do for now. Love sleeping in my van but otherwise, maybe uninspired. So many other things to do that I feel overwhelmed with possible projects. I'm at the point where if I can do one small thing daily I feel like I'm building toward a better life.

 

[travelaround]

Another beautiful but cold morning in a Northern California river valley. Plans for today include making small steps for income tax preparation, and reading books.

 

[crofter]

70 degrees and sunny in southern AZ. Being retired means you don't have to have plans. I may meander into the realm of playing with drip irrigation on this site. 
   -crofter

 

[B and C]

This site has drip irrigation? Whoda thunk it?