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2/21/2024
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I was outside working on my latest thing I'm not supposed 
to do when I got a call that my daughter was sick and 
needed to be picked up from day care, so there was a delay 
in implementation that stretched into days (daughter wasn't 
terribly ill, doctor just had asked for two days out as a 
precaution, and then we hit the weekend, yadda yadda). 

What was I making that I have now finally deployed? A 
little platform/seat that is now placed at the end of a 
muddy side-trail at a park. I am not the one who made the 
trail, but I am sure it was not authorized by the 
powers-that-be.  The park is in my neighborhood, less than 
1000 steps away - closer to 1,500 to get to the side trail.

The side-trail goes down, relatively sharply (relative the 
non-mountainous Flatland that is the Great Plains). It 
opens up to give a view of a pond, technically a reservoir 
on a large complex owned by the state; there are state 
facilities about a mile or so away on the complex.  Where 
city park meets state land, there are fences and barbed 
wire. I'm not the one who cut the barbed wire for this 
section, and I don't think I would have the guts to do it, 
but I'm glad it's cut because the view is opened. 

The day I discovered the trail, it was still wet from rain 
and the clay was slick and nasty -- deeply red, and 
staining. That day I found some rocks of cobble size 
(bigger than a pebble, smaller than a stone) and pushed 
them into clay where they sunk in easily enough. This has 
really helped with the grip going up and down. 

That first day there was also a flattish stone (urbanite, 
with a good amount of lichen growing on it) that I rolled 
into place where I could step on it and not have my feet 
stuck in the mire. I hatched plans for the place.

On my second trip, I measure it out to be 14-by-12 inches 
in its longest dimensions. Also, I took some sticks and 
laid out where I could put my seat and measured that to 
23-by-19.

...

I have come to use power tools more and more as I find 
there are more things to do than I have time to do them 
(childless was just a different life). I made all my cuts 
with a jigsaw. I drilled every hole, including the later 
counter sinks with my electric drill, and I used power 
(hand) sander to on two of the boards that were a little 
rough. I want to point out that because I only have one 
power drill, I often use a hand screw driver rather than 
change the bits out from drilling to driving. 

The seat has no back, which is not only a product of 
laziness but also leaving the set up as open as possible to 
get in and use in multiple configurations. It is simply a 
platform of three cuts of two-by-four as the ribs, and 
salvaged pallet wood laid the other direction. 

I had concerns about the wood being in direct contact with 
the ground, as I don't want it delay the rate that it rots 
away. I had thought about cutting out a plastic sheet and 
laying it underneath, but I am glad I procrastinating that 
because when I was walking my little piece to its location 
I noticed enough flat (enough) rocks to place as feet at 
the four corners. 

...

On testing it out, I found the rock I had rolled in front 
could be used as a way to prop my feet. The set up also was 
nice for lotus-style sitting. However, if I tried to bring 
another object, such as a cup and place it on the stone, 
there was no way to make it work without getting my feet in 
a bunch of clay.  The solution for now has been to get some 
leaves and lay them down as a mat, using sticks to weigh it 
down better. 

The location is now going to be in a state of gradual, 
passive improvement. If I see any cobble on the way, I will 
pick a handful up and place it where it is most helpful. As 
I cut out plants that are in the way in the view, they will 
get dropped on the mat. 

Will the location be destroyed by vandals or government 
barbarians? Time will tell, but for now it is a fun place 
to sit and watch birds.

==

This piece is hereby in the public domain. 
Do what you want with it.