Tightening Up the Pool

The stock tank pool has served us well. It's pretty much every day that the children spend time in the pool, just having it around cools us all off. Sticking my legs in usually is plenty for me, even when it's really hot. But since we hooked it up, we've attached the pool to the pump and filter using plumbers putty.

I originally planned to use copper pipes or something at some point, but if we were going to use real pipes, we probably should have done that first. I don't think retrofitting would do the trick on this one, but we decided to use something like a plastic weld, plumbers glue.


This big bottle of PVC and ABS plastic cement was about six dollars, and I'm hoping this will be a permanent solution. When we dump out the pool in the winter, we'll unhook it from the pump, and the hoses will dangle off the tank.


After taking off the plumbers putty, this is what the whole set up looks like. The plastic fitting is bolted through the tank and a neoprene gasket. The tube attached to the fitting with a compression strap thing, but that doesn't keep it water tight by itself. There's no water on top right there, so it's not leaking.


To keep the fitting and tube together better, we screwed a hole into both and bolted it. It's two more holes to patch up, but the connection is much sturdier. This top connection is more prone to being tripped on by little children.


Now for the cement. If we were picky, I could have taped off the side. I could have even cut out a shape in the tape, to have a perfect little circle of blue around the connection. Or a star shape!


Every five or ten minutes, another layer of cement goes on. We used this in particular instead of a plastic weld or epoxy because it can be used in the presence of water, and quick(ish) drying.


That should do it. When it's time to drain the pool, we'll do the lower connection. I'll keep an eye on the connection, but I think this will be a mostly permanent solution. The drips on the side will peel off, but hopefully the main application will be sturdy enough to keep all that water in.

This Moment

Summer Rhythm

A month into the summer break, and we've fallen into a nice rhythm. Working, playing in the backyard, reading, eating, errands, it's all been fine. One thing that is helping us along is our summer weekly schedule.

The days naturally evolved to an extent, we usually clean on Sundays, usually bake on Mondays. I fit in everything else where it makes sense for the week, and now we've got a very workable weekly plan. We've got to clean up the yard on Tuesdays, the farmers market is on Wednesday, we're close to the library anyway on Thursdays, and Friday and Saturday are for preparing, tidying, and laundrying, for deep cleaning on Sunday.


I started with a completely hand drawn version, but I'm not used to drawing anymore. Get me to a computer! I laid out the lines and text on the computer, and drew in a few little illustrations for fun. The schedule itself it working quite well for us, having a concrete task for the day gives us some structure, and most everything is kept up with. Not so bad having a tidy house and fresh bread and all that in the bargain as well. And it's not like I don't do laundry everyday (oh my, do I do laundry), but the labeled days give us time to catch up on those tasks.

Gather Around the Table :: June week 5

It's only/already the end of June, and the beginning of July. My goodness. I've been a bit busier than usual, and get caught up in work until I start noticing how dark it's getting outside. Dinner has been at 9pm more often than not this week. 9pm! Then I stay up too late, wake up late, and eat late. Not usually horrible, until we have a early morning appointment and we all suffer. But dinners have been restorative and relaxed, we all gather around the table for fresh local food, made with love. Even if it's late at night.

Image: Elena Amsterdam

Wednesday: Filet of Beef au Poivre with Asparagus

I've only had a filet to myself once, at our old favorite fancy French restaurant. I usually like a bite or two, so I typically just get one extra for the children and I to share, if that. But this is the first time we've gotten filet mignon from the meat CSA. Gimme some of that. I used my faithful recipe from Ina Garten's Barefoot in Paris, which has sauce made with beef broth, brandy, and butter. I haven't had asparagus in a long time either, and the kids loved it.


Thursday: Tacos

I thought I was all set up for tacos, but I didn't find any beans in the pantry. No beans?! No one complained (except me), and it was nice to have a quick dinner that only required a little stove top cooking. With all the tomatoes and lettuce and sour cream, it was kind of a light, refreshing dinner. There is plenty of tortillas and taco shells left, though, so I'll grab some beans and some cerveza to have taco night again next week.

Image: Laura Flowers

Friday: Mini Italian Meatloaf

A family favorite. We've made this recipe many times, it's pretty quick and easy, and uses quite a bit of our stock of ground beef. I respect a meatloaf recipe that only includes a tiny bit of ketchup, and that little bit is mixed with red wine. An upscale meatloaf, if you will. I can grab a loaf of sourdough, steam some carrots, and have a big dinner in 45 minutes or so. This is especially tasty when the husband and children make it. Seriously, I never enjoy the taste as much when I make it. They go easier on the onions than I do, and are a bit more particular about measurements and all that.


There was a whole bunch of lettuce at the farmers market, but I also picked up a couple of varieties of zucchini, including little light round ones. The kids like the different ones. Oh, and some beets, we love beets. The children and I make the trip to the farmers market together, and Z and I plan Wednesday dinners from what we end up with there.

This Moment

First of the Tomato Harvest

The first little tomato was ceremoniously eaten by Bean this morning. The second tomato was eaten shortly thereafter, plucked right from the base of the plant. We only have four tomato plants so far this year, but there are a number of green ones growing. There is room for a couple more, but I'm out of cages to support them. Maybe the next project will be to rig up some tomato cages with bamboo poles.


I'm more of a plant it and see if it lives kind of gardener, not so much a plant coddler. But this vegetables book is giving me all kinds of ideas.


I'm still not planning on doing soil prep, or paying too terribly much attention to sun or shade requirements, but the three year crop rotation suggested is doable. In my three raised beds, I can rotate legumes and fruiting vegetables, brassicas, and root vegetables in each bed.


In the rest of the border, where I don't have room for fruit trees, I'd like to fit in some perennial vegetables. I've already got some artichoke plants in there, but they've still got a year or two until we get any artichokes. It would be fun to see some asparagus and rhubarb poking up between the flowers and herbs.


I love the rosemary and lavender we have, and the mint is pleasantly invasive. I plant basil when it starts showing up at the nurseries and grocery stores, but perennial is the name of the game as far as I'm concerned. I have one little thyme plant I just found at the farmers market, and I've almost picked it clean for a few dinner's worth of seasoning. More thyme is in order, some oregano, and I'd love a bay tree.

Even though it's a bit late in the year, I think we still have plenty of time for planting. I have some plans and a little room, I would love to be able to have a plentiful harvest this year, even from our little yard.

Frugal Alternatives :: Glasses

I was a bit skeptical about ordering glasses online, but after spending more than $150 on a pair at the optometrist's office, I was ready to try out an alternative for prescription glasses.

Since we recently got insurance covering vision (love that!), I've gotten everyone in for a check up, even though I wasn't particularly concerned about the childrens' vision. Z had one slightly nearsighted eye, and I wanted her outfitted with a pair of eyeglasses. That was back when I didn't look at the prices on things quite so much. It's was still quite and investment, and after the sticker shot, and my constant paranoia about her losing or breaking her expensive glasses, I wanted her to have a spare set.


I sent in her prescription along with the order for a pair from GlassesUSA. For as little as $18, they have completely sufficient frames, and includes the lenses in the price. Z picked a pair of plain plastic frames, and we got out of there for $30. Not too shabby.


Z wears these everyday, and I keep an affordable pair from GlassesUSA as a spare, and they are completely satisfactory. They'll give you 10% off if you order and use the coupon code 'refer,' knock a couple bucks off a new pair.

Thrift Score :: Teak Desk

Alright, so this isn't exactly a thrift store find, but it was a fortuitous hand me down find. My in laws were consolidating some offices, and this gorgeous Danish teak desk was up for grabs. I'll take it!


This was the Waldorf Modern headquarters yesterday morning. My desk usually isn't this messy, but I took this photo after we had already begun clearing out the area. The carpet squares were half dismantled, and there used to be a giant computer on the right. No room for any of that if we wanted to fit in a six foot long desk.


That desk was also a hand me down, a vertical grain fir desk top laid over a couple of file cabinets. This was always meant to be a temporary solution until I scored a mid century metal desk, Mad Men secretary desk style. The old desk served its purpose, but I wasn't sad to see it go.


Now this is more like it! I usually don't like glass. At all. The idea of a glass top was almost a deal breaker for me, before I got a good look at the whole package. It's still not my favorite thing in the world, but I knew I could cover it with something, maybe a layer of wool felt or a large desk blotter of some sort. Picked up a new rug from Tar-zhay as well.


The teak is gorgeous, I even like the imperfections and the little bit of water damage there. I can always sand that off real quick if I wanted to later. My in laws bought this at Scandinavian Designs in San Francisco in the early 80s. The only markings on it say 'Made in Denmark.' Score!


And look at this finger joining. I love the simple lines of the desk, it's nice and leggy, too. I don't have the keys for it, but the drawers lock from the inside of the leg recess. So clever, it doesn't have a big keyhole on the front, they are tucked in inconspicuously but still easily reachable.


This is probably the nicest piece of furniture we have in the house now. This desk is the real thing, solid wood and thick glass, traditionally crafted and sturdy as all hell. Besides a couple of tables, chairs, and our couches, most of the rest of our furniture is the cheap stuff. We love all the cheapie pieces too, but it's so nice to have this beautiful, heirloom worthy desk.


I'm also sharing this post through Apron Thrift Girl's Thrift Share Monday.