The New Wheelbarrow; or, the Perils of a Too-Small Car

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A few weeks ago, we had two cords of wood dumped onto our lawn -- potential energy to provide our winter heat.  Two cords is is big pile and it takes some effort to move.  We started in, piling it into our rickety wheelbarrow, and stacking it.  Until the off-balance wheelbarrow, which we bought second-hand at a garage sale, got a flat.  And not just a flat, but the flat after the flat after the flat that we already fixed.  So, we decided it was time to purchase a new wheelbarrow.

We went to box store #1.  Didn't find what we were looking for.  We went to box store #2.  Found what we were looking for.  Bought it, unreasonably excited to have a new wheelbarrow.

And we couldn't fit it in the car.

We both drive small, economy cars -- we try to be as efficient as possible.  But there was no way that wheelbarrow was going to fit in either of those cars.
A quandary.
Option: we decided to buy online.
Which we couldn't, without paying a huge shipping fee.

Option: get a wheelbarrow that's not assembled yet.
All the wheelbarrows, upon arriving at the store, are immediately put together.
And they can't be disassembled, because the people at the store use a fancy machine to make sure the bolts are too tight to remove.

Option: rent a truck and drive it home.
Really?  We have cars.  Why can't we get an unassembled wheelbarrow?!  We don't even need the box.
Plus, renting a truck for a wheelbarrow ....

Option: find a friend to pick it up for us.
Unfortunately, none of them with big enough vehicles were around at the time.

Option: go somewhere else and try again.
And so we did.  A locally own smaller-box store.  They had what we wanted, assembled, but were more than happy to take the time to disassemble their wheelbarrow, so we could fit it in our car and take it home.
And now, despite having too-small cars, we have a new wheelbarrow.  Soon we will also have marvelous stacks of wood, seasoning in our back yard, readying for the cold of winter.  With this heat potential, I can almost look forward to winter.

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Post-vacation Garden

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After being gone for ten days, I returned to a garden overcome with weeds (crabgrass, going to seed!).  So today, despite the withering heat and humidity, I weeded.  And I weeded some more.  Then I took a little time to admire the actual plants in the garden -- the squash plant that ate Hadley, a multitude of green tomatoes in the tomato jungle, a couple of tiny little figs, and an eggplant.  I also did a little potato digging -- my first potato harvest!
We finally got a little rain,and August is good.  Now I wait for the ripening to begin.

 

 

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Replacing Basement Windows

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Our basement windows were a mess.  They were a mess when we bought our house -- rusted open, rusted closed, providing poor insulation and protection from the weather.  They were single pane, old glass, steel frame and casing in concrete, and original to the house.  But it gets better -- within the last couple of years, they have had holes broken into them, leaving the basement drafty, damp, and buggier than usual. They were just lovely.

So I decided it was time to replace them. I've never done windows before, but I have wanted to, and basement windows seemed the perfect place to start.  First I watched a few YouTube videos on replacing basement windows.  The videos, of course, make it seem so easy.   I made my list of tools and supplies (windows, concrete mix, professional caulking, and foam insulation), made measurements, and got started.

Part 1: Removing the old window from its frame.
This was much simpler than it seemed it would be.  There was a single metal hinge on the window that easily slid up and out of the frame.

Part 2: Removing the frame/casing.
After realizing that the frame was steel and embedded in the concrete and understanding that I would need to rent a reciprocating saw in order to tear it out, I decided to forego this step and place the new windows without removing the frame.

Part 3: Preparing the new windows for insertion.
Crazily enough, the part I had the hardest time with was removing the glass from the new windows (Project Source Tilting Vinyl Windows from Lowe's) so I could easily work with the window frame without breaking the window.  I finally discovered the clip on the inside of the window hinge that needed to be snapped open to unlock it -- a small screwdriver was the perfect tool for the job.

Part 4: Inserting the new windows.
I fit the new windows flush against the old steel frame.  I had to fill some extra space with concrete (the new windows were slightly smaller than the space I was fitting them into).  Then I sealed the window with caulk and filled the gaps with insulation.  Since my basement is not a finished basement, a little mess around the windows isn't a big problem (though the windows I did after this one are a little neater).

Part 5: Replace the glass and screen into the window.
Reinserting the screen was tricky, since I had to fit it through the old steel frame and then into the new vinyl frame, but I discovered the trick, and the screens all went in.  Then I put in the glass, which, because the windows are so close to the drop ceiling, was more difficult that it should have been.

I removed the stickers, washed the glass and frames, and shazam -- I had 3 new basement windows!  I still have two windows left to replace, but I think I have the swing it now.  (Maybe someday I'll even put trim around them.)
Each window took about a day, but not a solid day -- there was lots of free time because of all the drying that needed doing.
We are very happy with the new windows so far.  The basement is quieter and less drafty, and the screens protect from random rocks breaking the glass and from bugs getting in when the windows are open (and they do actually open now).  Plus, I saved a bunch of money by doing the work myself!  Now it's time to get new covers for those window wells (which I will also have to make, since I have yet to find any in a store that actually fit).

Replacing basement windows soon?  Good luck!

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Quick Crate Storage Ottomans

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We needed ottomans.  And after a couple years of half-hearted, periodic searching for inexpensive ottomans online, I decided it was time to make some.

For each ottoman, I purchased/needed:

• 1 12x18x9.5 crate
• 1 package (4) of gliders
• 1 package (2) of hinges
• 1 piece of high density 1-inch foam
• medium loft batting
• fabric, home decorating or outdoor (>1/2 yard)
• a piece of wood, approx. 12x18inches
• tools (staple gun, drill/screwdriver, hammer, scissors)

I started by drilling 4 small holes in the bottom of the crate and hammering in the gliders.

Then I cut the foam to fit the piece of wood, and the batting to tuck around the foam and the wood (this is for the lid).

 

I stapled the batting to the underside of the wood, and then added the fabric.  I turned the edges of the fabric around the batting and stapled it to the piece of wood.  (For cleaner looking edges, you can glue down a piece of ribbon.)

The final step was to secure the hinges to the underside of the lid and the inside of the crate.  This might be a touch tricky, because the crate and lid are not at the same level on the table, but I found that some pieces of 2x4 were sufficient to bring the crate even to the lid.

Not counting shopping time, each ottoman took about 45 minutes (which included intermittent time entertaining the dog).  I figure the cost at about $30 each (the crates and the foam being the biggest expenses), and I have some batting and fabric leftover (hopefully enough to make a matching pillow) that I can use for a future project.

 

I might decide to stain or paint them eventually, but in the meantime, they are perfectly serviceable.  Also, if we should decide to change the colours of our living room, they can recovered pretty easily, probably even without taking the hinges off.

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Fix it, Mend it, Make it Better

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I was really hoping this post would be a great how-to for fixing a sprung couch.  But when I opened up the bottom of the couch last week to fix the springs, they were all in order.  I realized that the problems with our couch, though caused in part by the pulling of the springs, are more about the frame (which was constructed with staples!), and fixing that is going to take a lot more work than I had time, tools, or strength for that day.

But I love fixing things.  If you fix something, and fix it yourself, you don't have to pay someone else to do it for you, don't have to buy a new one, and don't have to throw out the old one.  More skills, less waste, more satisfaction, less money.

Three things I've actually fixed in the last few months:


Kitchen faucet, spraying water sideways.
CLRed the aerator.  Otherwise, because the faucet is so old (and small), I probably would have had to purchase and replace the whole faucet setup.

Toilet, running.
Replaced the rubber gasket.  This toilet is no longer wasting water!

Vacuum, not vacuuming.
This I do pretty regularly -- clean out EVERYTHING.  Take apart, rinse, clean, and dry.  This 9-year-old cheap vacuum is still pulling up the dog hair from the carpet.

Have something that's not working right? or something that's broken?  Try fixing it before you throw it out and get a new one.  Don't know where to start?  Search it up online -- there are lots of great fix-it sites out there and a lot of great fix-it videos, too.  Learn something new and have fun!

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Today in 5 Pictures: June 19

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Clementine is feeling broody.

Working on removing more burning bushes -- hopefully making way for more berry plants and fewer allergies.

Mabel loves scratching through the planters.

Peas!  (They were advertised as bush, but are behaving more like vine.)

Colourful lettuce assortment.

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