A day ahead of schedule, the hose adapter for our IBC tote arrived in yesterday’s mail. Deb picked it up at the post office, and not long after she brought it Home, I took it outside for a quick test-fit.
Perfect.
This morning’s task, then, was to finish setting up the IBC. (Everything but filling it with water, that is.) I applied Teflon tape to the adapter, threaded the spigot onto the cap, and installed the assembly on the tank drain.
I topped off the business end of the spigot with a brass quick-release. I’ll talk more about those fittings one of these days, but for now I’ll just say that they’re high on my personal list of favorite things.
With that done, I dragged the IBC tote to its semi-permanent location in front of the camper and leveled it with blocks of pressure-treated 2×4 lumber. I got it perfectly level side-to-side but gave it a quarter-bubble pitch toward the drain valve.
The last step in preparing our IBC for service was to add a cover that’ll shield the tank from UV rays (and thus discourage the growth of algae in our fresh-water supply). The one we bought is made specifically to fit a 275-gallon IBC tote.
The cover seems very well thought-out. A full-height zipper provides access to the front of the tank, including the drain, and a Velcro-secured panel covers the fill port. There’s a strap with a Fastex buckle at each corner and a drawstring at the hem.
I like the color. Sorta matches the cabin roof.
We’ll have to see how well it holds up to sun and wind. It’ll definitely get plenty of both.
I expect to spread out the filling of the tank over two or three days, to give our well time to recover. That’ll begin soon.
The heat goes on, of course. I was able to work in the shade while tending to the IBC, but that doesn’t mean I was comfortable — by 10am the temperature was 90°F, with a heat index of 101°F. I ducked into the air-conditioned cabin and did a little work in there.
Tomorrow’s forecast calls for storms in the morning, which should keep the mercury in the 70s ’til noon or so. We’ll take the temporary relief, and the rain.
I was reading yesterday about historic American heat waves and the death toll left in their wake. The one in 1988, for example, claimed as many as 17,000 lives.
One particular statistic stood out to me — for every four people who die due to widespread extreme heat, three are age 65 or older.
I turn 67 a week from today.
When the temperature climbs into the 90s, there’s simply no way for me to “gut it out.” I’m not in full possession of a young, resilient body anymore. I maintain my inherent toughness, but within limits imposed by the years.
Passing the time these hot afternoons and evenings hasn’t involved streaming videos — our MiFi is on the fritz, and we have no Internet service.
A replacement SIM card is on the way.
In the meantime, I compose blog posts, edit photos and check e-mail on my phone. When it’s time to upload to WordPress, I activate my phone’s “hotspot” feature. It’s a little cumbersome, but it works.
There’s no boredom. We have our peace.
Deb sent me a photo this morning. Shortly after she arrived at work, she captured this strange-looking and very large insect clinging to the brick wall outside.
And when I say, “very large,” I’m not kidding — the brickwork conveys a sense of how big it is. (Five inches? More?) As Deb described it, “the size of a small bird.”
My Seek app identified the creature as an Eastern Dobsonfly (Corydalus cornutus). The large mandibles — those scimitar-like “horns” — reveal that this one’s a male.
Deb’s boss called it by its common name — “hellgrammite.” They hang out and breed near moving water. (Crooked Creek and Shawnee Town Branch are nearby.) We’re not likely to see them on The Mountain.
Take care of yourselves, Patriots. Stay calm. Stay sharp. Stay free.
#WiseUp #LibertyOrDeath #Ungovernable
#LetsGoBrandon #FJB