The Bed Design

Yesterday Peter worked from sunup to sundown on Olive, literally; 7:30am until 7:30pm. The first four hours were spent doing PAINSTAKING work with an artist's paintbrush around all the tiny cracks and crevices that were still yellow. Now I love painting, both as an artist on canvas and slapping the stuff on a house or wall. But painting the tiny little delicate trim crap that requires a focused and patient touch drives me BATTY. 'Course, Peter and I figured that out long ago, so I am delegated the large expanses and he does the stuff I can't easily reach (ceilings, for example) and the trim work. That said, he's been doing far more than just those two items on THIS job. He's been working his butt off, no question about it. I can't say enough about the effort Peter has been putting forth on this project. Simply amazing dedication to getting me out the door. :-)

Once he finished the paint job, he started jumping around in the driveway like the child of the Punk Era he is...had there been a mosh pit, he would have flung his large self bodily into it, I have NO doubt.

After swilling a gallon of skim milk to cool off (I'm serious...this household goes through a solid two gallons a day in the summer...and I drink very little of that since discovering the joys of water), Peter started pulling out the tools and materials needed to build the bed platforms.

Here's the way the bed will work when complete... The bed and its trundle sit atop a 12Hx80Wx42D platform that straddles the right (looking aft) wheel well. Directly across the "aisle" is another wheel-straddling platform, this one 12Hx80Wx24D. When the trundle is pulled out, it rests on the opposing platform. Both platforms have storage underneath, with the deeper (the one with the bed) allowing access at the end for placing long items, such as a screened shelter, walking sticks, etc. We've noodled access to the lower chambers, and come up with a number of different strategies, all with an eye to ease of use by this middle-aged lady. When not in use as a bed support, the smaller platform will sport a seating cushion its entire length and thus serve as additional seating. The cushion lifts to reveal hatch access to the storage area. As much as I would like a hatch on the bed side, there's simply no way to accomplish that since the bed lives there 24x7. I haven't seen anyone else using a system such as this, and I honestly don't why but for the fact no one has thought of it. Seems like a great way to deal with the inevitability of the wheel wells, and to allow for what amounts to a king-sized bed in a twin-sized space. Pretty slick, all in all. At least on paper. We'll see how the reality turns out, and I'll be sure to let you know.

While Peter worked in the 100 hundred degree temps, I worked on the house, waxing all the floors (and most of our 3900sf is hard-surfaced rather than carpeted), vacuuming the area rugs thoroughly, and doing yet more touch-up paint work. Never in my LIFE have I been this clean...my mother would be SO proud.

When I could stand to emerge from the environs of the cool, dark house, I went out the bus to discuss whatever needed discussing with Peter, and to see if I could help in any way, bringing him apple juice and a bottle that contains a cooling device for liquids. While out there I came up with a couple of very important solutions to problems I've been worrying for weeks.

First a reasonable (well, we'll SEE) solution to the curtain/shade problem. I have a couple of those somewhat cheesy bamboo beach mats in my collection of Stuff (caps included for sarcastic intent), and it occured to me that cut in half, each would provide the perfect roll-up shade for two windows. That said, I need 8 more and some applied energy. Still have to acquire velcro with which to create holding straps, too, but at least I'm no longer completely stymied by the problem of window coverings.



Second, I was rooting around in the garage - a much emptier place since the Garage Sale and the ensuing two visits of The Salvation Army truck - and my eye fell on a strange item I have repeatedly and steadfastly refused to allow Peter to pitch (MUCH to his continuing dismay and disgust, btw). My dear old (92 at the time) dad made a jerry-rigged swing-up desk-ish thing to make using computer a little easier, and when he moved in with me, it came along. Basically, it was two 3x2 pieces of heavy plywood he had cut, stained, varnished, and hinged together to attach to his desk. I saw this odd bit of what my friend Golda called (brace yourself...she was old-school Southern) "Ethiopian Engineering" leaning up against the wall of wood in the garage, and it struck me to see if that piece would somehow fit as the platform I had long planned for the front of the bus. Said platform is to be used as a place to anchor a seat for a passenger, when one is along for my various adventures. I measured, Peter cut the two inches off one side and the two inch wedge off another corner, and voila! I had a perfect platform in place! VERY exciting to have that problem solved, and to have used a piece of my dad's work that NO ONE but dad and I could see as useful. Peter just stood and shook his head, stunned that I actually managed to find a use for something he would have long since pitched in the bin. He gave me big kudos for reuse of material, and I just jumped around and crowed and cawed like the Old Raven I am.



By the end of the day, Peter had created a lovely platform for the bed and was ready for me to throw a coat of polyurethane down just to give the wood a protective finish. More than that, he was SERIOUSLY ready to stop for the day. He was hot clear through, something I don't intend to allow to happen again, though he's very smart about consuming plenty of liquids, thank goodness. Not healthy to get so overheated...