The first e-mail I saw yesterday morning — and I won’t say how godawful early that was — came from The Art of Manliness. Ironically, it was an infographic entitled, “How to Take a Military Shower.”
See, I’ve been taking “combat showers” for the better part of the last four years. The irony was that yesterday’s events began to bring my combat showering to an end.
I had to run to town before the day’s work would get underway. Again, it was stupid early. It was also foggy. And yet the brief Flippin trip was a joy unto itself.
The fog seemed to give large features, like Hall Mountain, greater prominence, but the scale was balanced by how very accessible this landscape is. That’s one of the things I love most about Ozarkansas.
My plumber-neighbor showed up around 8am. We had the kitchen sink all hooked up by 9am. Then came a trip to Miller Hardware for more plumbing and propane supplies.
It wasn’t long after we got back to The Mountain that the shower fixture was done and tested. At that point, we turned our attention to the water heater.
We installed the gas lines, connected a 30-pound tank and checked for leaks. I think it was right around 3pm that I stood at the kitchen sink and ran wonderfully hot water over my hands.
That, my friends, was a moment. After all this time, with the ups and downs of willing this dream to life, the cabin now has hot and cold running water.
Here’s what’s next:
- Build the shower surround — cement board first, then corrugated galvanized steel. When that’s finished, I can live 100% in the cabin.
- Swap orifices in the kitchen stove — natural gas out, liquid propane in. I believe I can handle that.
- Connect the kitchen stove to propane –– that’ll be a prefabricated line, not a custom one like the water heater got. That, too, should be within my abilities.
- Insulate the walls — triple-digit summer heat is comin’, and I want to make the space as comfortable as possible.
- Build simple shelters for the water heater and the propane tanks — to protect them in cold weather.
And then I’ll stop, at least for a while, and assess. Even during the hottest months, I’ll need to devote some measure of effort to preparing for winter.
Skirting would be nice, if I can afford it.
Right now, though, it’s time to celebrate a milestone. Perseverance has paid off. I stuck with it and battled through setbacks. I’m damned proud of that.
And here I am. Life is good.
Take care of yourselves, Patriots. Stay calm. Stay sharp. Stay free.
#WiseUp #LibertyOrDeath #Ungovernable