Friday – 8/20/20201
Worked on the gates. When I built them, I was one slat short. I purchased one more slat when I arrived on Wednesday and when I went to put it in place, it was wider than the space. This meant that I needed to either cut it down, which would make it smaller than all the others and possibly stand out – or reposition all the other slats to make room for it. I removed the other slats on one gate and repositioned them to have just a little less space between the slats. The last one now fits.
I went into Naalehu to the Post Office. I picked up one parcel that had three orders from Amazon that were packaged together. Four solar lights, a 500 watt pure sine wave inverter, and a mosquito net for the bed.
I installed one solar light on the gate
And one each on two trees down the pathway to the shed.
Saturday 8/21/2021
I have long wanted to have some kind of structure under which to fix my meals. Something that was more sturdy that just a tarp. Something that I did not have to put up and take down each time I came. At the Punaluu Bake Shop in Naalehu, they have two open gazebos under which they have picnic benches where people can sit and eat their baked goods. I have thought that some type of a gazebo would be just the thing.
I have toyed with where to locate this outdoor kitchen gazebo, and finally decided to place it halfway between the shed at the bottom of the property and the deck up on the knoll.
Today, I measured out as well as I could the locations for the footings. I tried to put up strings outlining the edges to make sure it was square, but this is difficult to do alone. Nonetheless, I think I am somewhat close, so I dug the footings for the four corner posts. I installed another solar light on the gate.
Sunday 8/22/2021
Removed the tin siding from one side of the shed. I had installed it so that the leading edge was pointing out. I need the leading edge pointing in. Reinstalled the tin siding on one side with the leading edge pointing in. I used the last of the 2 x 4’s for bracing in the walls to nail the tin siding to.
As Michael Douglas said in the movie “Romancing the Stone” – “I may not be cheap, but I can be had!” I saw a sign on a gate down around the corner from my place that said: 2 – 12 volt solar RV batteries – $50 each with a phone number. I called the number and agreed to meet the seller on Sunday. Picked up the two batteries.
It turns out that one holds a charge of 12 volts, while the other only charges to 11.4 Volts. Obviously, I’ve been had!
Monday – 8/23/2021
Removed the siding from another side of the shed and turned it around so that the leading edge is pointing in. Went into Naalehu and turned in the paperwork for a PO Box
PO Box 1123 Naalehu, Hawaii 96772
At 2 PM, I took a shower using my water bottles laid out in the sun. The water was scalding hot! Only used 4 bottles.
Hauled water from over at the transfer station.
Tuesday – 8/24/2021
Removed the horizontal tin on the south side of the shed. Cut it to size and installed it vertically, with the leading edge turned in. Cut two 2 x 6 bird board blocks and installed them.
Went to Kau Auto Repair for the annual safety inspection on the car. I could not have the current registration slip – only the temporary one – but John said he could still do the inspection. Twenty six dollars please.
He stood in front of the car and had me roll up the driver’s window. Then roll it down. Turn on the headlights, then the high beams. Left turn signal, right turn signal, windshield wipers. He took a picture using his tablet of the front of the car with the headlights on. Then he had me turn the steering wheel all the way to the left.
He then went to the back of the car and had me turn on the left turn signal, the right turn signal, push the brake pedal, then put the car in reverse (to turn on the back-up lights). He took a picture of the back of the car with the back-up lights on. He went into the office. He came out with a notice that I had passed everything except for having the current registration paper. I had thirty days to return with the current registration and I would not need to pay the $26 again. I told him that I was going to Kona on Thursday and I would stop in at MVD and get a copy of my registration. He replied, “If you need to go to MVD, you’re fucked!”
Wednesday – 8/25/2021
Checked the PO Box. Looking for another package from Amazon. Not here yet.
Built the last door needed for the shed. Then took a shower in the late afternoon, around 5 PM. Water was still slightly warm, used 4 bottles, and it felt great!
I ooked up the one good battery to my other two. Now my solar battery bank has three batteries.
Tomorrow I need to go to Kona and pick up Alanah from the airport. Also, I have my delivery coming from Home Depot. Gonna be interesting.
To be continued . . .
TTFN
TropicalCastaway 