Window Return

Finishing touches

The windows were a problem. The walls are so thick that I had to make window sills and returns 10" wide. Because the texture of the walls is thick and uneven each cut was custom and sometimes three or four fits. They look great though with the stars.

Last week of April

This trip was one of putting together all of the little things we have been overlooking for so long. The flowers were Barbs' idea. They do dress up the place (even if the flowers are plastic, for now) don't you think. The stripped pole at the back of picture has the whole town guessing. We saw one of the neighbors slowly drive by and have a closer look. I'll tell them someday that it's the center of the sprial stairs that go up to the roof/sundeck. Just a few more things to finish on the inside and we will start furnishing.

Making a home

Kitchen

Porch Light

A week at the bunker

We spent a whole week working on the finishing touches. Well we did run up to Alamogordo to see the kids Tuesday, but we did a lot of work too. Take a look at that picture below. It is all the same color and the tile roof really shows up well. The pole standing on the concrete pad is the basis of the spiral stairs that will go up to the roof/sun deck.
We also hung the cabinets in the kitchen and built a pantry to contain the water heater. Above you will see the way the entry was finished and the porch light installed. We also built a wall of cabinets in the bath room. The best part was a hot shower each day when the work was done.

Painting is Done!

Easter update

Went to the bunker this week end and observed our own Easter services. Barbara fell out the door of the parts trailer. She said it didn't hurt "that bad". I wasn't there to see it, good thing too, I was drilling the holes in the slab for the water heater. She staggered into the bunker cussing , and spitting, covered with dirt and weeds looking like a 50's movie swamp monster. I could tell that I had to tread lightly. The only thing really hurt was her pride and she got over that pretty quick. The good news is that the water heater works great and even without the solar panels it heats very fast and should be super efficient.
All of the electrical is done and works like it should. We even have a porch light to welcome us home after an evening out. Next trip will be a whole week and should just about button everything up. If the wind cooperates the paint will go on outside, the cabinets will be anchored and the counter top will be formed (trying concrete) and the inside paint will start. Getting close.

Finished Project

Well not really. I have had some help from photoshop but this is how it will look when I AM finished. We call the addition the taco bell tower. It will be a big room with 6 foot windows on three sides and the kitchen across the other side. I will form a large patio in front of the bunker and have spiral stairs to the roof for a sun deck. For now we will settle for having the bunker finished and liveable.

Back in country

Ojinaga turned out to be an interesting trip. No chairs or tables but we did have the steak. The town of Presidio is very small and not very prosperous. From the hiway you could see a pawl of dust rising over both towns. Ojinaga was twice as large and, it too, was not very properous. As border towns go it was about average.
I was over the border before I knew it and with a truck full of tools I was not very comfortable. I wasn't too woried about theft and such but how I would explain all of the stuff coming back to the US. Needn't have worried, I could have been your usual terrorist and not have raised an eybrow.
Nice diversion though and the trip was worth it. Stopped at the Hotel Piassno in Marfa for that margarita on the way back. Got back to the bunker about sundown and had a relaxing evening.

Trip to Ojinaga

Things are staring to come together. Some additional electrical this weekend and the water heater will go in. If we have enough time Sat we plan to drive down to a little border town called Ojinaga across the Rio Grande from Presidio, Texas. We want to furnish the bunker in rough, primitive Spanish style.You have seen all the trucks headed North with furniture to sell at roadside stands with "that" look. Anyhow we shall see and in the meantime have a big margarita and a steak. If we find the stuff we're looking for we will go back another time with a trailer and bring a load back.

House cleaning

Went back this weekend and ran the service wire from the main breaker to the breaker box inside. That done, I re-connected the few circuts I had inside and we have electricity. The new trailer has built in shelves and bins. We spent all day sunday taking stuff from the bunker to the trailer. When we finished we had a clean living room and a bedroom. Now the cabinets and a litte more wiring and viola.

New Trailer

Made a quick trip (800 miles RT) to the panhandle to save 3K on a trailer. The trip went well and next weekend we will go out to the bunker and begin to remove supplies and tools and store them in the trailer. We are getting ready to make it a home.
I will finish the electrical while we are there and install the air handler for heat, I'll do the AC next summer if we need it. We have discovered that heat or cold really doesn't matter that much because of the concrete walls. What concerns me is moisture. The AC will handle that in the summer but what am I going to do in the winter. There are plans for a whole house vent but without heat exchangers I will lose a lot of heat with the moisture.

WATER HEATER

The water heater has arrived. It is backward in operation but will fill the bill. It is a 40 gal. tank that has a coil of corrigated and finned copper inside. The water in the outer tank is to be heated with a 5500 watt element or outside source (solar panels) and the heat is transfered to the coil which takes cold supply water and gives hot water at the faucet. Hooking the system to the solar panels will be straight forward and will be a unpressurized system (a small 12V pump will run from a photovoltaic panel) and at night the system will shut down to keep the water from cooling. On cloudy days or for a lot of hot water the electric element will take over.

Re-think the plan.

The work of the past two years has been heavy so I think it's time to re-assess the plan. The original time line included an addition to the west side of the bunker this spring and completion in the summer or 2006. So far there hasen't been time to really enjoy it.
The bunker itself now has water, sewer and electricity so I think it's time to make it a home and finish all of the little things that need to be done. I bought a nearly new refrigerator this week and some oak chairs and I need to finish the kitchen cabinets so for the next few trips we can work on finishing up.

Winter Morning Fog

Yippie!!! LET THERE BE LIGHT

Got a call today from the electric company. The box that I installed met their stringent codes and a meter would be installed as soon as I provided them with the providers work order. Never mind that the installer wouldn't be there without some sort of instruction from the provider. I have a feeling that we may go around and around like that tiger from long ago that turned into butter. (you have to be 60+ to know that one)
Later in the day I got a call that the meter was installed and all was well but that I should still try and get the paper work right.
BUT I HAVE ELECTRICITY!!!

Problem in Paradise

I've been operating everything at the bunker with a curious bunch of extention cords and jumpers from the temporary power pole. I spent a lot of time and put up a very expensive service drop called an all-in-one made by Square-D. I would run a jumper from the temporary to the drop and have almost all I needed for working in the bunker. When I finally called the electric service provider to move the meter and get rid of the temp they responded the same day. Then the problems began. The installer hadn't seen that type of breaker box (remember this is a Square D) and wouldn't swap the service. After checking with his boss it seems that the problem was not with the box itself but the meter socket. I needed "other than a ring type receptical", no problem, but then he called out a specific brand. This is a well known brand but in the city they haven't used this brand (no known reason) for years and I had to check with all of the suppliers to finaly find one. The one I found required me to size up the service and install a new breaker box. I moved the box into the bunker (the old/new one was outside) and this required me to drill a 4" hole through 24' of concrete. After drilling several hours in the cold I had the pleasure of trying to bend 3/0 wire to make two 90 degree turns. I gave up after I hit myself in the face with the free end. Next trip.
I still have to get the power company to put in the meter.

Service Box