My House These Days

It's lovely to wake up in.

The work remaining to be completed consists of, but is not limited to:

• building the chopping block into a table/island on wheels with a sliding shelf for compost and a lower shelf for mixing bowls
• putting on the second and last gutter
• doing the copper soldering on the sink plumbing
• attaching faucet securely
• finishing counter top behind and to the right of sink
• making the coved trim pieces on the router table
• installing trim where needed
• building thin shelf for translucent dishes behind sink
• rigging the mechanism for lifting the roof
• finish screwing down the roof (should have been done already)
• finish little chunk of exterior siding that I can't really reach right now (should have been done already)
• put up last piece of metal corner trim
• cut small upper metal pieces to finish all corner trim
• make door! in kitchen area that will lead to outdoor bathroom
• make door for storage area

So today is Sunday, our day of rest on trailer #2. I might get a few things crossed off this list, unless the river gets me first.

3 Long Days, the 4th Will Be the Longest

I've put in three long days of work on my house. It's a lot of work. Building a house takes a lot of attention to details and systems thinking that is stimulating. Even though this house is small, it still incorporates most attributes of a home ten times its square footage. Because it is small, decisions... how wide the loft opening is, where to place a food storage shelf, how many inches to have to the right of the sink, how much storage space to put under an island chopping block that will also function as a dining table and therefore want legroom ...like these are ongoing and condensed. Basically I'm trying to say: buiding a house is a lot of work.

These days I'm working on bringing my house closer to completion. Amy & I are taking a break on trailer #2, to begin work up again on the 24th of June. It's nice to put all my energy back into my trailer. Finishing the sink, plumbing, cutting marble, baseboard, roof on top of window push-out in the kitchen, trim around window push-out in the kitchen, other trim, trim, and trim, sanding chopping block and other sanding, deciding on if any/kind of wood finishing oils...

So begins the 4th day of work since returning from Portland. Salute the sun, on this longest day of the year.

The diamond blade to cut the...

marble, or granite?

The router to cut the...

groves for the shelf for the mason jars.

And Howard's Wax & Feed (beeswax and orange oil) for the wood.

Then, after cutting down the carpet to size, I built a shelf into the storage space, the right size for storing milk crates.

Then I rinsed and steel brushed some old barn wood for making a temporary cover to my storage area. When I move out and rent this house I will screw off this area that will store my stuff. When I return I hope to one day make two sliding doors that can be lifted out of their tracks so as to give easy access to things below.

I also decided to move the opening in the loft, which took a little grunt work.

I also finally cut the roof and finished the part over the pushed out window in the kitchen. But like this photo, the amount of work I've done begins to blur after so many hours dedicated to the same small space. It can be lovely, when rather than tuning into all that still needs some attention, I'm able to find a relaxed poise and enjoy all that I have already put together.

Help from DAnielle

making the day so much better. Thank you for helping me get the ceiling orange-oiled & bees waxed.

Moved oven/stove in.

Did fire show for mom. (Propane in the face, unintentional.)

Rearranging floor.

First meal in the house.

Taping along studs to prepare for inside wall, still unknown.

Pigtails and other electrical guesses.