People say that nothing marks the passage of time better than a child. And while that may be true, BIF marks the passage of time with hurricane season. Lasting June 1 – November 30, a full six months of our lives rotates around the weather. Normally, while I take a gander at the hurricane map once a week or so I don’t normally start to worry until the start of August or when the bay water gets above 90 degrees. This year mother nature is throwing us for a loop by send a hurricane at the start of the season. The very first day of the season to be exact. Luckily the hurricane spaghetti map doesn’t seem to crazy and according to the smart people at NOAA the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season will be “near-normal”.

Tropical depression number two (number two!) veered off towards Florida and the Texas gulf coast was saved. As always, BIF really could have used this little tropical depression to drop some much needed rain. Tropical depressions good, hurricanes bad. It is a very tight rope we coastal livers live.

This year has been very good in the rain department. Not too much at one time, not too long between rain showers. The grass is green even at the start of the dog days of summer, the natives are all vibrant green and blooming, and the mosquitoes are abundant. Here it is the end of August and much to the predictions of NOAA it has been a very slow hurricane season as we are just now at hurricane nine. This storm was not large, strong, or formed at its eye but the leading edge was massive. A hurricane headed towards the Texas coast line in August. Been there. Done that.

Precautions were taken. All the windows were boarded up in the Dwelling, the Work Box and the Shop Box had their window hatched closed, and everything else was prepped and ready to leave at a moments notice. Nothing happened expect some rain and very little wind. Yeah, more mosquitos and baking heat.

Taking advantage of the windows being bored up and the dwelling closed off, the Planner quickly made some rain brows to divert the water away from over the windows and doors. All of the other buildings have 1″ or 1-1/2″ angle iron along the entire perimeter forcing the water to stand and then drain into the water collection pipe. The Dwelling will not have angle as it will eventually have an entire over roof collecting the majority of the rain. Until then the rain pours over the windows and doors and they are not designed for that amount of water. Even stick frame homes have eve and window ledges for just such reasons.

Angle rain brows extending two inches past the edge of the windows and door were fully welded into place and immediately painted. Twice.

Taking advantage of the welder being out and on the roof, the Planner quickly put together the solar grid inlets. The parts have been in the Shop Box for close to six months but the opportunity to install never passed. Dragging out all the gear for welding onto of the boxes is daunting. Especially for a job that took just a few short minutes. Hole saws, reciprocating saws, welder, rods, grinders x3, air compressor, extension cords, safety gear, paint, brushes. This does not take into account the mis measurement of the hole being 1 inch too big resulting in a patch having to be made before the second inlet could be installed. Oops.

Both were installed above the utility room on the very first uprise corrugation. Both are on the south end of the box with one the east edge (the middle) and one on the west edge (the outer edge). They too were welded into place and painted twice. The Planner has not worked out the solar panel and its directional alignment yet. He talks about it all the time as the goal is for the dwelling, AC included, to be completely off the grid. This is a step for future needs but easily done since he was already on the roof. Started as the sun came up and done before lunch. Very productive.