Hello, and welcome back to the saga of the True Crew: Part Two. It's been awhile since I've posted anything new about the bus, but in trying to compile a new Skoolie School post, I learned that Nathaniel's done many more little jobs than I realized. Anyway, there's at least one - possibly two - new tutorials in the works this next month or two. I had hoped to have another one up by now, but they are more time-consuming to write than I plan for sometimes. Everyday life kinda precludes writing about our bus in detail more often than not.
But lots of work has been done! I say that just as much to myself, because when I sat down to begin finding photos for another tutorial, I was a little surprised just how many photos we have of this bus. When I go into the yard, I usually bring the camera to document whatever I haven't yet documented; Nate captures the work he's doing as he does it. And I've had the distinct pleasure of my good friend Aubri Porter taking pictures for me to use gratis. It was she who took that swell shot that is the basis of my new banner up there. When I use her work, you'll know it for several reasons.
1) It's way better than anything I post of my own
2) Her nifty watermark.
3) The asterisk denoting credit where credit is due.
Check out more of Aubri's work on her website's photoblog.
But returning to all these photos I have, I've decided that to maintain more of a consistent presence on this blog, I'll post not-yet-seen images of what's been going on inside our dear bus. We are (well, Nate is) much farther along in deconstructing the interior than my one measly little tutorial would have you believe. I'll be posting shots of different things going on in and around the bus and our home as we continue to work towards our goal. These are in addition to forthcoming Skoolie School tutorials, which will take longer and are less reflective of where we are currently at in our total renovation.
And let me stress that: this is going to be a Total Renovation, with capital letters. I read a blog recently about a kid growing up in a bus in a hippie commune back in the day. Honestly, the whole childhood experience the writer described sounded rather bleak and inhospitable to me, but she seemed to remember it fondly. In any case, her writing was enjoyable as she described it from her 3, 4 and 5 year old perspective. But that bus was essentially in the state that I describe our bus being in at the end of my last tutorial (seats removed, but not much else) They didn't change much other than to build some beds and cabinets inside. No power, no decent insulation, no real rehabilitation of a bus into a house. It sounded cold and creaky and dark and miserable to me.
But Lord willing, our bus is going to be comfortable and snug, but breezy and bright. It will have comfortable seating and bedding, and a sound, airtight body. We want a good flow between rooms when it's opened up, and comfortable-while-small private rooms with natural light when they're closed off. I want bright colors and interesting textures, to create a space that is at once busy and calm. A great place to relax and unwind, a real, tiny Home.
I've been adding "Lord willing" to most of my descriptions of the hopeful future of our bus. It all comes down to a few verses I read in the book of James - I don't remember how I found them. Now if you don't buy into this Bible stuff, just hang with me for a second. There's a kernel of truth here I think many of us can agree on. Anyway, here's the passage:
Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; whereas you do no know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that." But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
James 4:13-16
Basically what I got from this is that all our plans for this bus are just that: Plans. They haven't actually happened yet, and until they do, anything I say about them is speculation for the future. Our plans may change. I believe the Lord will sustain us no matter where our future takes us, but even though we are actively pursuing a homesteading lifestyle by taking this step, we can't predict where we end up. It's all in God's hands.
But I think what most of us would agree to, is that it's obnoxious when somebody brags about their plans as though they've already happened, when in reality they're miles away from accomplishing their goals. So I try not to give too much credence to our future plans, because I don't want to boast about something we haven't done yet. Not that I want to boast when it's done, mind you - nobody likes a braggart. But I think it will be more interesting for you to see it as it unfolds than to just hear me talk about how I want it to happen, and more enjoyable whenever we finally unveil the finished product.
So anyway. This was all kind of to say that I'll be posting lots of different pics of our bus. It's not a tutorial per se, but the captions are pretty informational, anyway. Except for my kids' initials; those are faked to help maintain their privacy. But whatever. Enjoy the show!
 |
| Nathaniel and R, our oldest daughter |
 |
| The eponymous True Family (minus one), working and playing on the bus |
 |
| Nathaniel and the open emergency escape hatch... |
 |
| ...And through the emergency escape hatch |
 |
| Nathaniel examines the exterior fuse box |
 |
| Man, that's a lot of fuses and wires. Glad he can learn the electrical side of things, because I think I'd be rather hopeless at it. I look at this and I'm instantly overwhelmed, haha! |
 |
| Nathaniel checks out the battery storage, behind the front driver's side wheel, and below the fuse box. We may eventually add more batteries to create a solar power bank here, possibly moving these engine batteries elsewhere. |
 |
| The ghost of our bus's past as a Krapf Coach. Heehee... |
 |
| We've been collecting pallets to use for framing and furniture in the bus. Free pallets aren't too hard to find if you keep your eyes peeled when you're driving around. |
 |
| Aubri's son and our middle daughter, M, frolic in the bus. Notice the watermark, and the asterisk.* |
 |
| Windows* |
 |
| Don't let the pigeons drive the bus!* |
 |
| Rear view mirror* |
 |
| Taping out where certain things in our floor plan will go. Thanks for the idea, Pinterest! |
 |
| The biggest snowfall of the winter, and it happened in March. Thank God spring is finally here for real. Not fake, like March pretends to be spring. You don't fool me, March. I'm onto you. |
So there's a little taste of what's been going on behind the scenes around these parts this past winter. Stay tuned for those tutorials...someday...
And til next time:
What led Leelee to suddenly purge her kitchen cupboards of over half of her dishes?
What does she plan to do with the things she's getting rid of?
And why is she writing in a large, bold font?
Tune in again soon to follow the continuing melodrama of the
True Family, In:
Operation Big House, Tiny Kitchen
Part I
