Heat Stroke Evasion Series Part 1: They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To

Productivity is at an all-time high.
In the past two weekends, I have done more than I usually do in three months - possibly even longer.
The temperatures are on the rise, so Sean and I decided to take a look at all the projects we've been planning that can reduce our cooling bills or that require outdoor work so we can finish them up before going outside for more than five minutes can suck all the moisture from one's body.


Remember learning about interchangeable parts in elementary school? I recall thinking how inefficient life was back in ye old days of yore. 
I don't know when exactly, but it appears that at some point builders got the brilliant idea of making windows a standard size so people could enjoy the convenience of buying pre-made draperies and shades.
After measuring all the windows we wanted to install new coverings on, we discovered that our house was built before this landmark moment in home-building history.
We did find that the house does have a couple of standard-size windows, and finding roman shades Sean liked that were in our price range felt like winning the lottery. That is until Sean tried to install them.
It was a twist on a previous lesson learned: Plaster walls are pretty, but they suck.
I now know not to even look at the walls while holding a nail and hammer unless I'm interested in causing a home-improvement project. The new twist in this lesson has me now measuring the width of our windows at four different spots.
The standard-size window in Sean's office is 36 inches wide at the bottom and 34 inches wide at the top.
The plaster at the top is thicker than the bottom. Yay.
Now I had two roman shades to tailor for Sean's office.
I started tweaking the shades before Christmas and forgot they existed until it started heating up and picked them back up. 

They are a nice heavy, thermal lined canvas that have noticeably made Sean's office cooler during the day - results that have really inspired me to select fabric so I can make curtains for the rest of the freakishly-sized windows in the house.