Blog Has Moved

I have run out of storage space for photos on this site so I have had to start a second site that I have titled 'The Bruised Man - Part 2' and it can be found at:

http://walchy-damagedbutnotbrokenpart2.blogspot.ca/

In case you are wondering, this site will remain open as an archive but all new material will be on the new site.

Before Winter

Apologies for not posting last weekend. I am continuing to work seven days a week in an effort to get as much done as possible before winter hits. Today has been no different with a five hour round trip to Kalispell to pick up the final sidelight for the front door and some lattice work to cover the deck foundations. Then back up to the cabin to take advantage of the mild temperatures to stain the wood I put on the garage door panels during the week and to fit the sidelight. There were the usual delays to speak to visitors down from Calgary for the weekend but, I did manage to do most of what I wanted to get done today.

I am afraid it is going to be a bit of a photo shop this week but I am sure you don't mind. The shots are more or less in chronological order rather than by subject so if it all seems a bit disjointed please forgive me.

Two weekends ago I went down to pick up the new prow windows that I have had to buy to replace the ones ordered by my contractor that turned out to be 10 inches too short. My friend Ron gave me a hand putting them in (thank you Ron) but the trim will have to wait until other, higher priority, stuff is done. Now don't you think that looks much better than having a 10 inch log on the bottom of each centre window on the second level.

I suspended myself with a rope from the overhanging beam and put up the underlay on the Kitchen Gable - lots of fun doing that! The two windows are for Bedroom 2 and the main bathroom.

A significant part of the last two weeks has been trying to coordinate sub-contractors for the roof and the digging for the septic and the electrical connection, which should be going in on Monday and Tuesday of this coming week. In preparation for that I spent a few hard hours digging to find the take ups for the telephone and the electrical cables. I managed to find the telephone cable pipeline and hope that the electricity one is close by.

I thought I would give you a better idea of how the trailer fits into  the workshop end of the garage. All my tools are still in the trailer and will remain in there until I can secure the garage and house. Getting the garage doors on is my next priority after the roof, septic and electrical connection.

I also had to correct some errors in the framing done earlier in the year as I am getting close to asking the inspector to come out and do the framing inspection, which will leave me free to get on with other internal stuff like insulating the roof, plumbing and wiring.

The first of the two septic tanks. I was hoping these would go in during the week before last but, my sub-contractor was delayed by his previous job and personal problems.

By close of play Friday both tanks were in. Next week I hope they will be connected up and the soak away field will be dug and laid. I suspect it will be more that a week before he is finished.

I want wooden garage doors but, solid wood ones were far too expensive so, I have bought cheaper standard metal insulated doors and am putting a wood front on them. Each door is 8' x 12' and has four panels.

Today the temperature was unexpectedly mild and so I raced back from Kalispell to put a coat of stain on the garage door panels I prepared during the week. I thought I was going to have to wait to do this until I have the wood burning stoves in to warm the house up.

I managed to get all four panels of one door done and so I am now ready to install the first door. I hope that Dwayne will be available sometime this week to help me with that. In the background you can see the planks ready to be cut for the second door.

Now, what you have all been waiting for. The roofers have been working for two weeks and have quite a lot of the roof done. It has been slow work because the low temperatures have made the roof icy first thing in the mornings and we have had to wait until mid morning, or even later, for it to be safe to go on the roof.

Most of the tricky bits, such as the dormers and valleys have been done and I expect things to go much quicker this week.

The dodgy valley (you can also just make out the main outflow vent tube below the bathroom window), shed dormer and ... 

... most of the front of the house have yet to be done.

Finally, today I managed to put in the second sidelight, which my contractor told me would not fit in. As you can see, it does.

That's it folks for this week. An early night now for me and an early start for another busy week starting tomorrow. Nothing significant comes without hard work.

Sometimes you win …...

Well, a week when more was done than there is to show for it. Quite a few of those over the last few months. Bottom line up front is that I managed to get the water line connected up to the house. What a palaver that all turned out to be. We had to dig a seven feet deep trench, three feet wide, just to bury a 3/4"plastic pipe and at the bottom of it we had to lay 12 inches of sand to protect the pipe from rocks. But it was worth it in the end and I can now cross that little job off the list of things to do.

We started digging at the road end of the line. The place to dig was easily identified because the water pipe was sticking out of the ground so it was just a case of trying to avoid damaging it.

I also cut a smaller trench in the bottom of the main one in order to reduce the amount of sand used. It was easily done using a rake over the rubble in the bottom of the trench loosened by the excavator.

A man sized excavator for the job - honestly I've seen smaller Soviet trench systems than this.

The only real casualties were one tree and some minor damage to the plastic ICF protection, which was easily patched up the next day with some spare protection we still had at the cabins in Galloway.

The pipe was then laid and the sand poured on top. The pipe was then lifted to ensure there was sufficient sand underneath it and backfilling was started before it was all laid, in order to allow the excavator to straddle the trench and get sand into the last bit nearest to the house.

This shot gives you a closer look at things.

By the end of the second day it was all filled in and patched up and ...

… in some parts you would never know we had just dug it all up.

From the road, it just looked like it had been raked over. Note the tree by the log pile that had to be taken out. Fortunately, it was the only one and I cut it up the next day and burned the bows and stump.

I also had two trips down to the States. The first was on Friday to collect the four prow replacement windows and the second was on Saturday to collect the garage doors. Luck would have it that when I came back across the border on Saturday the credit card machine connection was down and so I didn't have to pay any tax on the garage doors. I guess sometimes you win one.

Having cut up the tree that we had to take down I set about trying to find the electricity and phone lines to the lot. I managed to find the phone line pipe but, have not yet found the electricity pipe. I did find the manhole however and so the pipe shouldn't be that difficult.

Next week I am expecting both the roofers and the septic team to come in and do their bits and the following week I hope the electrical connection will be done and the driveway finished. I have also engaged an insulation company to come and put insulation in the roof and garage ceiling and if I can get the last remaining windows in and the garage doors on, that will see me sealed up ready for winter. The fireplace people are on call to install the wood burning stoves as soon as the roof in finished and the insulation is in.

Le chapeau bleu

I suppose as things go I'll have to say that last week wasn't bad. I was by myself again for most of the week and had to work with an injured arm having sprained my left arm lifting heavy timbers myself again. But, I managed to get a few things done including installing the garage side door and the front door, making some steps for getting from the garage to the main cabin level and fitting trim on the outside of the kitchen and garage side doors.

The crowning success of the week came on Thursday when the roofers turned up. I had been expecting them on Monday and then on Wednesday and by Thursday morning I had just about resigned myself to accepting that they weren't going to come this week when they turned up. Much can be forgiven when contractors work hard and get the job done and Sean and his boys did just that. They set to work as soon as they arrived and with only a short break for lunch they worked through until 9 o'clock in the evening to finish the job in the dark.

The roof is now a robin's egg blue colour in its waterproof wrap and makes me glad I didn't choose that colour for the metal. There are one or two small leaks where rain has got through but by and large the house is now waterproof. The metal has been ordered and should arrive towards the end of next week and so I am expecting Sean and his team back the week after to put it on.

The two sets of steps I built for the garage.

They have since been stained to protect them from the wet and dirt.

The garage side door installed and …..

…. trimmed

The front door in place with one side light. Owen didn't think there was enough room for the second side light but there is and I have ordered another. The irritating thing is that it has now cost me $100 more than it would have cost had Owen ordered two side lights when he originally place the order, because there was a sale on then.

In the meantime I have blanked out the space for it to keep the wind and cold air out of the house.

The roofing crew hard at work putting the waterproof layer on.

There were four of them altogether.

Friday morning and the place looked quite different. Don't you just wish you had a roof that colour.

The kitchen door all dressed up in it's trim.

A close up of the roof above the garage but, I also want to show you that I have moved the trailer with all my tools inside the garage.

Can't wait for the forest green metal to go on.

The reason I have moved the trailer into the garage is because on Monday the septic crew are arriving. They will also be digging the trenches for the water supply and the electricity hook up. Next week looks like it will be another busy week. The temperatures are forecast to be quite mild although rain is also forecast. That won't be a bad thing as long as it doesn't rain too much. A small amount will keep the ground soft for digging.

My many good fortunes

Not the best week I have had since I have been here, finding myself working alone on the house once again. It started well enough with driving over three mountain ranges in order to go to pick up the siding for the kitchen gable. In the event it turned out to be only 550 km, rather than the 721 that google maps told me it was going to be. That ensured that I arrived three hours earlier than expected, at about 2.30 pm, so I called the mill owner and asked if there was any chance of loading the wood that afternoon to save me time and the cost of a motel room for the night. He duly obliged and his mill foreman came down and we loaded the trailer up and I was away within an hour. The weather was appalling in both directions, which spoilt the enjoyment of the trip a little but, I managed to get back here by midnight.

Having gained a day on what I thought was going to be a short week, on Monday I drove down to Kalispell in Montana to pick up the last remaining windows (for the basement and the prow) and at the same time to order or, more correctly, to reorder the large prow windows that last week I discovered were too small for the aperture built for them. Having given the subject some thought, and after consultation with the sales rep in Kalispell, I have ordered two smaller windows for each aperture. The smaller windows will be easier to fit and the sizes that I have ordered will ensure that the symmetry of the window layout for the prow is maintained.

So far so good. On Tuesday I took the windows out to the cabin and fitted them. I was expecting help but, Dwayne didn't show and there was no help from Kevin who was late back from the weekend due to illness, so I got on with it by myself. I finished early but when I tried to start the car the starter motor wouldn't turn over. My first instinct was that the battery was flat but, on closer inspection all the battery indicators were normal and there was an unusual red caption on the dash board. On second thoughts therefore I thought it must be the starter motor/solenoid. Tex came out to help and came to the same conclusion so I organised a recovery to the Jeep garage in Cranbrook. Next day I called the garage only to learn that is was in fact a cell in the battery that had died and the battery couldn't put out enough power to start the engine. All in all it cost over $500 to get me back on the road, which was less than I was expecting but, it stung like a frozen lash nevertheless. Tex kindly drove me into town to pick the car up and I took him out to lunch at our favourite Chinese Takeway in the Mall, to thank him.

Thursday and Friday the weather turned, with the temperature falling and rain soaking the house inside and out - all a bit depressing. I was by myself again with Dwayne still failing to show for work but I managed to put the trim on the windows of the basement and the lower half of the prow and did some landscaping to tidy up under the decking. Friday morning I received a call from Western Building 'Center' in Eureka to inform me that the barn door for the kitchen had arrived so, on Saturday I went down to pick it up, brought it back and by late afternoon it was fitted.

The siding that I collected from Keremeos on the far side of Osoyoos, which is wine country. This will go up once the roof is on, in order to make sure there is a water tight seal underneath it at the interface. 

All windows now fitted, with the exception of the infamous large prow openings, which I have sheeted to keep the weather out. It is hoped that it will only be three to four weeks before the new windows are available.

Honest, I am not receiving a commission for advertising Jeld Wen windows. It is just that it is best to leave the plastic protection on for as long as I can.

I am quite pleased with the trim. I have cut them from old weathered grey planks; ripping them down to 4 1/2 inches on my bench saw; planing them to get all the rough grey wood off the show side with my bench planer, then; cutting them to size and staining them before fitting.

I wasn't going to bother to show you a close up of the basement windows again but, when I saw this one with a reflection of me taking the photo I thought it may amuse a few. Note, I am still in my old green army fatigues, which are wearing a little thin and won't last much longer.

The kitchen door complete with door handle. 

A bit closer - still has to be stained, which I will do this week - given the weather. If you look carefully, you should just be able to make out the line above the door handle where the door splits  in order to allow the top half to open separately.

Talking of the weather, we have had our first dusting of snow. It is still too warm for it to settle at the lower levels but, the tops of the highest mountains have a light covering - which may or may not last until the coming of winter. The wet weather this week, and a few other disappointments, has served to dampen moral a bit and at times the size and task ahead has seemed a little daunting. But, I am neither complaining nor asking for sympathy or help. I'm just saying how it is. I know that there are those that want to know and these pages are more than just a record of progress. They are also my story. Before I started this, I knew it was going to be challenging and that it would have it's low, as well as its high, moments. The challenges are what, in the end, will define this experience and many, I expect greater ones, lie in wait for me. I guess I am of an age when many of us seek to do things that we didn't get a chance to do earlier in life or try something new or maybe just to tie off a few loose ends. There is always a price to pay of course but, we do have a choice and many would be happy just to have the chance to do what I am doing here and so and I am grateful for my many good fortunes.

Zoom boom bananza

I am posting early this week because tomorrow, Sunday, I am driving over 700 kms to pick up the log siding for the wall on the kitchen gable. If I don't do it myself it could be weeks before my contractor will get it done. Of course, I will bill him for the cost of collecting it, which will still probably be a saving for him. So, I am pushed for time this week having only just got in from working on the cabin

When Kevin and Marvin, the roof framers, finished on Wednesday Marvin kindly raised me up in the basket on the end of the zoom boom (see shadow) to take some photos of their handy work.

They did an outstanding job, and are a shining example that other contractors might wish to emulate. I took them out for a meal to thank them and sent them a copy of the photos that I took.

I also wrote to their boss, "Rich the Framer," to thank him for their services and offered to recommend him and his team to any future prospective clients.

The wood burning stove people also came along and installed chimneys for the two stoves that will go into the room above the garage and the main cabin great room.

The porch was also completed and all that remains here is to stain the timber frames and board the underside, which can wait.

I am particularly pleased with the way the main roof lines have integrated with the covered deck roof.

While I was up in the basket I took a photo of my neighbours' houses. This is the one to my right as you look at the lake and …. 

this one to the north or left as you look at the lake.

The rest of the week was taken up with fitting windows and doors on the upper level, for which the use of the zoom boom was very handy.

I even managed to get the trim on all of them, which was a real bonus, and ...

... to fit the French windows to the prow and trim them both as well.

The only real disappointment of the week was to discover, when we tried to fit them, that the two largest windows in the house in the prow are 10 inches too short. After much debate about options I have decided that the only viable one is to reorder the windows to the correct size. My contractor is obviously not happy with this but in the end it his responsibility to get it right in the first place.

It will be nice to see the small decks outside the bedrooms and the main deck furniture finished. It is hoped some if not all of this can be achieved next week.

The weather continues to hold and so while I was aloft I also took some photos of the lake and the surrounding countryside. This shot looking down the lake.

The view directly in front of my place.

Finally, just off to the north.That is it for this week. I'll try to write something a little more interesting next week if I have the time.