Regular readers are aware that almost two weeks ago my older brother sent me a complete kit for retrofitting the Lair with 12-volt lighting, for those occasions when battery power is a problem and it might be expedient to shut down the inverter.
Really regular readers will be shocked and aghast to learn that I installed the whole thing today, having applied no more than nominal procrastination. 🙂
I even made a few improvements. Part of the reason I didn’t put it in immediately is that I wanted to actually hide the wires, so I got some wire channel from last week’s trip to Lowe’s. So that’s in. I wanted a lamp in the loft, so I extended the whole matter. Also, rather than hang yet another ugly bare bulb in the main living area, I did something a bit appalling…
Of all the possessions I’ve lost, sold or thrown away over the decades, I’ve hung on to this old brass lamp since I was in high school. It’s just sort of a thing I lug around, I don’t know why. For the past few years it has been my low-wattage area light, and today I decided that it can continue to be that, it just won’t be connected to the inverter anymore. Since I last rewired it in the late seventies, the lamp cord was a bit light-duty for 12 volts so I rewired it again with heavier gauge cord and gave it a new and better socket just because I had one.
Then I threaded wire through a whole bunch of swag chain and put up a nice hanging lamp in the loft.
Finally…
Yay, at last, and other exclamations! The Lair finally has an indoor voltage readout. I’ve wanted one of these forever: Even bought one once, but it didn’t work with my setup. Now here it is. Big brother even gave it an on/off switch, a nice frugal touch.
Much time was spent painting wire channel and drilling, trenching and laying conduit between the cabin and the powershed, so I can claim to have actually done a serious project all in one day – except for the parts big brother did for me.
Awesome, while it may be a little thing to some I think what you have done is amazing. It reminds me of a saying we had when I was in the military…
“We have been doing so much for so long with so little we can now do anything with nothing.”
Good job Joel.
Absolutely good job. Remarkable job. Wow! And what an improvement to your life and your comfort. Just in time for winter, too.
Winter reminds me…about the book???
The book! Yes. I sent it out to the guy who’s going to format it for Amazon just a few days ago. There may be news on the book shortly.
It’s been ready to go for weeks, to be honest, but I had an attack of “This is such narcissistic, self-indulgent tripe” that I nearly called the whole thing off. Now I’m sort of committed.
Hmmmm, maybe you’ll find that readers love you most when you are at the height of your narcissistic, self-indulgent self. The book would be perfect if you included a large Dove bar with each one. Maybe it’s not too late to incorporate a little pocket in the inside cover for one or two. Or a scratch and sniff strip of Evan or Jack. Only for paper copies of course.