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"my man in the desert"

as it is too cold to go down and work on our own off-grid project in wimberley.  and we have some medium sized home projects to complete (INDOORS) here at austinmodhouse, I will share another blog I have been reading.... the field lab

 I should preface by admitting I have romantic notions of life in the desert.  one of my favorite family camping trips was the mojave desert.  I loved all the space, the rocks, the bright stars at night, the cactus.  I didn't care for the nightly wind that tried to carry us away and had us scouring the scrub for our belongings the next morning...  (pics from that trip)

 mojave camp

anyhow, I ocasionally check the listings for parcels of land out near big bend nat'l/state parks.  5,10,20 and 40 acre lots in terlingua are often listed on ebay for very affordable amounts (starting at less than $2k).  so then I discover this guy who is trying to build a sustainable home out there all by himself, complete with a greenhouse being made from four used shipping containers.  it has been an entertaining read so far

 http://thefieldlab.blogspot.com/

what has been most amusing to me is the live cam he has up at http://www.stickam.com/thefieldlab

John Wells can often be observed basking in the sun, enjoying a smoke and a beer while listening to NPR.  or having a long idle gaze at his project, figuring his next cut and weld move, compiling a mental list of tasks.  he even has the regular monday night feed from the local happy hour.  it was very strange having that bar experience from a non-participatory vantage point.  I could hear the guys at the table discuss the bill, who was paying cash etc.  a stranger walked up and asked "is that the new HP mini?".  a great deal of idle bar chatter streaming into my kitchen while I enjoyed my own michelada and prepared dinner. 

but I just about died laughing when.... 

so, "my man in the desert", as I have taken to refering to this guy when I tell kat what he has been up to, is streaming from the starlight theatre.  what goes in must come out and after a few margaritas, it was time for a potty break.  we go along for the ride via streaming stickam.  we see the path to the WC and we are placed on the sink, facing the wall, the microphone transmits the familiar sounds of spent margaritas being vacated from the human vessel.  then, a knock at the door, "THUD-THUD-THUD".  our man in can responds in a falsetto voice "who is it?  I'm taking a shower".  pure comedy from the desert.

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