The gas lines hang on a hook off the steep net. So I don't stumble about them or tread a leak. If you want to go smart, go primitive. The elementary problems you have to solve inspire wonderfull practical solutions. Thus I just discovered that I can put the metal lid of my cooker on top of my gas heater. That will get hot and I can put a stone on it that gathers warmth, or even several stones in succession! To put under my chair or between my feet. Or a kettle of water.
Ha, a draft hole, how shall I close that? The cardboard of a dialysis box provides. And then fold it so it fits exactly. Just for fun, because tomorrow I'll really take care of that.

I'm preparing my tent for the winter. No bother with rent snags. So on the meadow. And to do this the least irresponsible my tent must be equipped with the savviest finds. How the frame works together I have revealed in Dolphin Address 27  2012.

When I returned from Holland my tent was a shambles, all four hinges broken. But like Berlin rose from its ashes, I could do that too. So I strengthened the hinges with metal strips. Inserted new bolts with longer pins into the pipes. Wound rope around the torn ends of the PVC pipes, topped with a ring, sawn of from a connection part. Didn't trust its strength, so around those a hose clamp.

My cooker sits on two upside-down stacked fish trays and then on top of the inside of a third. My kitchen shelf rests upon a barrel with rainwater and a bucket of seawater, which also serves as as 'refresherator'. My milk lasts a lot longer now. The hothouse effect of the tent is most welcome to me and for the rising sea level, ach, that happens mostly twice a day here.

I would much prefer to park the hind side of the van before the entrance of the tent, but then the opening doors are in the way. But I can drive the van along the front of the tent and enter through the slide door on starboard. Then I do have more shelter.

In the corner my faithful garbage bin with the recycled monofin as a lid. Actually the entire tent is built around it. That bin is heritage material!
And I'm sitting at my pallet table. The surface is covered with cardboard. At one side fastened at my outside table, on the inside two legs of PVC pipe secured with long pins inside. Solid as a rock and it better be, as I want to sculpt on it.
Above the table I have mounted the steel pipe, that Sean Callagy dived for at Doolin this summer, on the frame, suspended on long pins. Originally meant to spread the pressure of the wind from the sea side. But meanwhile I found that I can stick my ledlamp with magnet onto it in every suitable position and across the entire length. Also I can dangle all kind of things from it, from electric cables to laundry.

Details aplenty, from wood screws with washers to prevent the cloth from ripping to a sawn off length of pipe under my residual purpose crate, so I can shove it out and under the table without a hitch.

And why should I not have electricity in here! In the van I have connected a multiple socket to my 12 Volt cable. From there a cord runs to my halogen lamp above the pallet table, which apart from light also spreads a pleasant head warmth.
En why not broadband! So another 12 V cord that feeds the aerial and a cable for the computer. Facebook, here I come!

From Holland I took a gas heater this summer. It nicely warms the tent. When I don't drive, I can generate electricity by from time to time letting the engine idle, with as by-product warmth. Thus I have two havens for when the temp drops below zero. Worst case scenario I'll put the heater in the van with a window down.

Inside the tent I want to make another tent. Then I have air isolation and I can make the inside draft free. One thing, though. The tent must be rapidly flattenable. That still is a bit of a job, but there are just two stakes and I will have to put a few things, like the kitchen shelf and the cooker on the ground. And then I hinge it flat. But not before a screaming storm.

But for now I have a cosy shelter and it will only look and smell better once I have spread a bale of straw on the ground. This afternoon there was a cold wind, but then Willem appeared and a bit later Mary. Can't take in more, but there's always room for a good time.