Poverty Is Not an Accident

Poverty Is Not an Accident
Nelson Mandela

Tuesday, January 04, 2011

after 3 days, I've flushed the toilet

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Ok, here's how to flush a frozen toilet: OPEN it, tank and commode, to let in warm air from the space heater you're going to set on high, 2 inches from the commode. Put a large immersion coil in the tank, just as soon as you can break ice. From now on, keep coil in tank & keep tank full, for future occasions. When water in tank is hot, gently, partially, flush hot water into commode. Within an hour or so, commode should be thawed, and you can flush. Refill tank immediately, allow water to heat, flush toilet again. KEEP TANK FULL! Unplug immersion coil, but leave it in the tank! Make sure it's not touching any gaskets or parts that could melt or burn when heated.

I'm not using propane anymore, except for stove and oven. I also took my hot plate & toaster oven out of the house, set them in the sun and sprayed them with oven cleaner. At about 3pm, the warmest part of the day, I will hose them off, dry them over night in the bath room and begin using them until I put that last propane bottle on.

This guy did have stuff stowed that I need: jacks, anti-sway, stablizers, etc. I found the sewer cap. And I found a pressure nozzle, for a garden hose. Normally, it's used to flush sediment out of water heaters. I won't be HEATING my tank, but using passive solar, so won't really need it, as I won't be COOKING water, as it's designed. Instead, the pressure nozzle will greatly help me remove crud and oven cleaner from the little appliances I'm cleaning.

At daylight, I fed the goats and stole their space heater, for the toilet. I came back in here and, while it was not as cold as outside or in the bigger house, my fingers tingled; I could see my breath and I had to lift Dog up into the bed, because she was frantically miserable. She's outside in the sun now, chasing invisible bunnies, or something.

Last summer, when the well stopped, I'd put out a sign: Help. No water or air. A couple helped me get the swamp cooler running (after I'd patched the well) and they brought me a portable heat pump. It works as either refrigerated air or heater. It's handy, but it's huge and an energy hog.

So, after breakfast from the microwave, I dragged that bitch in here. It must weigh seventy-five pounds. It's on casters, but I had to drag it down rickety steps and through goat heads, dirt, rocks and goat poop. I had to LIFT it over the bed, sneak around it and drag it through the hall to put in the back room.

Last time I was at any real stores, I bought a HEAVY gauge, utility, grounded, extension cord, fifty feet for fifty bucks. Seeing how well the trailer is running on a standard cord, I sort of felt stupid for buying it, but I'm glad I have it now.

I ran the cord through a small trap door on the back of the trailer: access to a tools compartment I plan to use later as a pet door. I stuffed old carpet samples and sofa cushions in the space, to insulate, and wired the door shut.

I plugged in the heater and set the thermostat to the lowest temperature, 61f. It ran for fifteen minutes, the blower fan came on (designed to keep heater from overheating), and stopped. It is over sixty-one degrees in here, thanks to sun coming through the windows. It's 1pm. it took five hours to warm this place. There's still an inch of ice in the dish pan I brought in from the house last night.

The heater is on a dedicated circuit. NOTHING else in the house is running on it. It'll blow circuits, otherwise. It's completely opposite the house from the outlet running the trailer.

I have all the parts for the solar panel now. I'm not doing it today. I'm exhausted. But I really believe, if I'm careful (don't run coffee pot, toaster oven & space heater, microwave or space heater together with anything else), I can run the trailer on the solar panel, and only use household 110 ac for than heater/air conditioner.

It's big. I'd rather not use up the room. But it works dependably, as long as it gets enough amperage. 

Tonight and tomorrow, I'll just use the microwave, until the electric appliances are clean and dry.

I think reading my blog once an hour for four hours, and reading old posts for an hour at a time, may be a little excessive. It's starting to creep me out. I know nothing about you. You didn't offer to "friend" me, though we met on FaceBook. You know all about my life from years ago, and I know nothing about you. I appreciate your thoughtfulness in sending me some things I really need and can't access. But this is very one-sided and I feel like I'm under investigation. I have too many things to worry about right now, as it is. Your behavior is indicating obsession, and I don't need some crazed woman showing up here, demanding my devotion in gratitude for a box of stuff sent across country UPS, pulling a gun if I don't comply. You know where I live. You're scaring me. I'll let you know when the package arrives. You gave me the tracking number, so you'll know, too. You don't have to haunt my blog constantly and I'm worried about how much you know about me. Please back off.

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