Out Tacky Tarps

When we first established 'Ourgunyah', I strung up a piece of silver tarp to keep the rain off the front of the van. 
Talk about construction by dodgy brothers.

Yesterday in the shed we came across the awning that came off the caravan, which sparked an AHH-HA moment.
Out with the tacky tarp and up with the much larger waterproof canvas.

WHAT?
You STILL think it looks tacky?

Clearly you have no appreciation of the finer points of scrounging and humpy building.

Solar TV

Yep the wording is correct, we now have solar TV.

We mothballed the little set that you had to squint at and lean forward on the couch to see and installed in it's place the big-ass digital screen!

Woooooah! it sure is BIG. Took a while to get used to it. We have 11 high definition digital channels all received through some little rabbit ears. Alas can only receive ABC on analogue and no ABC2/3 or News. Probably need a taller outdoor antenna.
All these channels just means more crap to sift through.
Ya gotta love the mute control.

You Light Up My Life

One of the benefits of civilisation we most missed was a big fridge full of goodies.
The caravan had a tiny little gas absorbtion job which was somewhat limiting. When the temperature went above 28 degrees it started to struggle and the temperature climbed. 
Stocking it was an exercise in micro-insertion. 
Meat was purchased purely on the basis of what would fit, packed in little baggies, vigorously flattened as much as possible, and stacked into freezer. Everything else was also purchased on a fit-it-in basis, jambed into fridge, door slammed shut and the clip put on. I also shopped twice a week.
With part of the power system operational, we started our big fridge on Thursday night and then on Friday I went to town!
My shopping list was worded thus:-
fruit/vegies - lotsa
meat - lotsa
dairy - lotsa
frozen - lotsa
and . . . 
icecream!

 Now all we have to do is resist the temptation to stand with the door open - just admiring.

We have POWERRRRRRRR

Finally . . . .

Insert image of mature age feral granny jumping up and down, clapping and squeeling - eeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

Then . . . 

hoiking t-shirt up over head and running around with arms outstretched and wisely aborting the magnificent knee slide she had planned when she remembered the ground is stony.
.

Not quite the 'full monty' - only one array is wired in but we have 3kw to call on after the batteries are fully charged.

First silent night in 6 months. 

Local wildlife will be pleased.

Introducing . . . .

Our 10kw solar power system

It is a ground mounted system, because

1. There is no house to mount it on

and

2. It would not fit on the roof anyway.

For the curious it will produce up to 10kw of power every hour during daylight from 54 185w panels. At night power will be supplied by 12 220amp hour batteries.

We are so excited that all the racks and panels are finally installed - waited sooo long.

All we are waiting on is the sparky to come and connect it all up!

What's This?

And this?

And this?

Well you will have to come back in a few days . . . . aaaalllll will be revealed!

Another Weather Motivated Civilisation Advance

Our original shower was Alfresco until a week of cold winds.

Civilisation Advance #1
We hastily erected a room enclosure leanto from some sheets of tin. Didn't look flash but kept the wind off.
Next came the torrential rain. The roof leaked. In fact it was wetter inside the shower than outside. Wet towels and clothing prompted. . .

Civilisation Advance #2
This is the latest advance in the shower and it is
LUG-ZURY I TELL YA

BEHOLD!!

A totally frameless glass shower screen!


We have the ritziest shower in a 50k radius!