Water system is a-go!

Yesterday we could have showered in the front yard, with hot water. Don't worry, we didn't, but check it out:

The whole unit hangs on the side of the van, and the clear hoses connect using "quick connects" into the side of the van. Adam cut a hole in the van, and added the little "quick connect portal" (it has a little door and locks). One hose connects to the sink inside and the other connects to the pump/water tank. 

To take a shower, all you do is make sure the pump is powered up (there is a switch inside the van), connect the hoses, and turn the valve to release water. As long as the pump has power, it keeps the system pressurized, so you just have to open the shower valve or the sink inside, and the pump automatically comes on to push water out. The water heater automatically comes on when water moves through it, so all you have to do is adjust the dials to change the temperature. All three dials control heat, just in various ways (amount of water flowing through the heater, amount of gas/flame, and number of flames [it has lines of flames, kind of like our gas bbq, where you can turn on a center line of flame, or just have the outside flame on]).

Pretend shower..

We will also just have a hose that connects to the water tank/pump system so if you just need to rinse something off outside of the van, you can do that without the water heater out. Also, the heater will eventually be stored in another "portal"under the van--Adam will cut another hole in the side of the van and install a long rectangular hatch so the heater will just slide inside for storage.

Inside of the van, we've got hot water too:

This is the pump under the sink (the shower connects into this system) and the sink. It all works, hot and cold! And this is automatic, as long as the pump has power, it keeps it pressurized so there is no need to turn switches to get hot water; just turn on the faucet like you're at home.

And, the bumper is getting closer to being done:

Tire is on!

Swings out!

Adam ordered a bike rack which will attach to the bumper, for extra bikes. The integrated bike rack isn't done yet, but it will hold 2 bikes mounted directly on the tire swing out arm. Pretty sweet...

Dude!

This weekend I made strawberry freezer jam! We had won a silent auction earlier this year at the local Yolo Resource Conservation District dinner, and got two certificates to a local farm. One was for 1 gallon of you-pick strawberries (the other is for a box of tomatoes later this summer). On Friday I picked the berries, and yesterday I made jam as well as a strawberry clafouti. You might want to know what a clafouti is (unless you're my mom, who introduced me to clafouti!). Here are pictures:

Jam! I even caved in a bought plastic Ball brand containers for storing the jam in the freezer. The sqaure one is what we're eating now. I had it on an english muffin and some homemade cran-raisin-walnut bread this morning!

Clafouti is like a custardy dessert where you first put prepared fruit in a dish, then pour an egg-y batter over it; then bake for almost an hour. It's light and great served with ice cream!!

And of course today is Mother's day! I visited my mom on Friday and brought her and my dad lunch of iced tea, two kinds of sandwiches, salad fresh from our garden, and special dessert. They were so great and helped me with some wedding crafty projects that afternoon (I had the day off). Happy Mother's Day, mom! Today they are on the coast for a mini-vacation.

Hope everyone has a good week. Until next time...