USMC Jacket Update

Finished the main part of the project.  All that's left is the fine detail work with thin black thread.

I added some patches to my sleeve - a subdued Southern battle flag, a patch that says: Infidel; a Gadson yellow flag, and a POW flag. 

I'm calling that my Freedom of Speech sleeve

USMC Jacket progress

coming along fairly well

Cat Tractors, blisters, heat and chicken wire

every inch of me hurts. Got the cat enclosure ready for paint and chicken wire.  I pushed my body too far. May not do the chicken wire tomorrow. 

Okay, no blasting my un-professional wood project. I haven't done a lot of things on this size with wood.  The bracing is making it pretty sturdy. We'll paint and then wrap the wire.  The door will then be attached and we'll cut out the doorway to match the door (of course). It's hot here and I may have lost 5lbs or so from the heat (LOL). I am drinking a lot of water and eating some chips for the salt content.

There was a lot of sawing (by hand) but you might notice some of the braces are jagged. I was using what I had at hand and I used door shims for the bracers, whacking off the narrow ends.

I REALLY overdid today. The palm of my hand may blister and I currently can't lift my glass of tea (unsweetened) very easily.

I know the cat enclosure looks all redneck but I think it'll work, besides, I am from the South and inherited Grandpa's inventive mind.  Not planning this thing beyond the measurements for the frame - things had to be caught on the fly as I built it.

Henry county is on alert because of a rabid raccoon and maybe a rabid fox. That's just north of us.  With the enclosure the cats can be outside (a couple at a time) and be safe but still get out in the sun and on the grass.  I'm going to put a piece of plywood over one end for shade too.

 you can see the frame where the door will go

I'll attach the door after we wrap the wire.

Cat "tractor"

Why a moveable chicken coop is called a chicken tractor I don't know yet.  I've started a cat tractor so we can let the cats out on the grass and out into the sun.

 lumber - 2x2x8 - (7)

The saw had a broken blade so I went with the classic hand saw. Fortunately pine isn't hard to saw through.  

Pre-drilled holes for the screws

 26" legs/corners (4)
cross beams (4)
door frame (4)
long sides (4) 8'
wood screws
wood nails
small pieces of wood as corner bracing (16)
chicken wire
hinges (2)
door handle (1)

sides - 8' - the side bars are placed back far enough on the long poles to screw the legs on

I didn't take wood shop in school so this will be a little primitive looking but hopefully it'll work

instead of using nails we're using wood screws.  That is NOT easy to do.  Four corners and four legs - ugh

first part of the frame - need the bottom frame and the bracing and then I'll do a support beam on one side and then the door.

To do the support/reinforce the frame I grabbed what was available. I didn't want to use a thick piece of wood so I went with door shims, breaking off the excess.  So far it works. :)  I used small wood nails.

Then I took a break and went to Home Depot for some curtain rod solutions for the living room and didn't beat the rain back. When I got home it was lightly raining - then it opened up. No more work on the frame today. 

Plants and more Plants

 Lemon balm

marigolds (annuals, I know - we have them every year ever since I was 5 yrs old), roses and the flag

mint (I need to hand weed)

 Does anyone know what this is?

 rosemary, roses, soap wort

 soapwort and roses

strawberries

Gardening stuff and Sukkot planning

Got up early and hit Big Lots shortly after they opened. Fortunately, we live in the South, there was only 1 or 2 shoppers that early on a Sunday morning. 

I now have a nice potting table (complete with faucet and small sink), the height is perfect and it's a good thick plastic. Yay! I've been wanting something to make into a potting table to help my back.

Also got two "zero gravity" lawn chair things. Might help the back and let me sit outside more. 

A real find - bamboo curtains - 48x72" for $3 apiece.  Jackie thought I was going insane, she hates the things inside the house and they can quickly become a pain in the tail.  Then I said two words: "Sukkah booth"

We're planning on replacing the wooden frame she built years ago when we first got here with PVC pipes and the curtains will be the sides of my walls. I'll pick up some bamboo fencing for the roof = no more drooping branches on my head, no more bugs dangling at eye level by day 4. 

Jacket Progress