That's Not a Shed, That's a Cabin

Well, sort of. It's a cabin for now, temporarily. And damn is it going to be nice!

This weekend was P-R-O-D-U-C-T-I-V-E. I feel amazing, while simultaneously feeling incredibly sore. My body's going to hurt tomorrow and Chris said his will too. Chris was the hero of the weekend, taking the lead on most projects and hanging from the most precarious spots. He's gotten pretty good at walking on a 45 degree roof by now.

We arrived early Saturday morning, and unfortunately had to bring the wood up to the site from the landing. That took about 30 minutes as it was probably close to 500 lbs. of lumber. We got set up and went right to work, wasting no time. We struggled getting the ridge beam right, but finally were happy with things and moved onto the rafters. There were about 8 cuts to make per rafter and about 20 rafters, so the cutting, measuring, and organizing took us about an hour. Oh, and it was raining. Yep, raining. Wasn't it supposed to be sunny with a o% chance of rain? Hmmmm. But it wasn't that bad and it didn't slow us down. By the time we got half the rafters hung, it was too dark to work. So dark we couldn't even see the nails we were trying to hit. So, we called it a day, drove to the Tavern in Wilmington and had some dinner. They have some of the tastiest fries I've ever had and after a full day of work, they hit the spot.

We set the alarm early for Sunday, woke up early and started work. It was cold this morning. Like 35 degree cold. We worked to stay warm basically. But, there was some satisfaction in knowing last night was probably our last night in the tent. Goodbye tent, hello cabin! We quickly put on the rest of the rafters and the overhang before we went to get breakfast and some more nails. We got back and went right back at it, cutting plywood and attaching it to the roof. That was a little harrowing, clinging to a 45 degree roof, hammering away. But we were safe, did things, right and got it done. We also were able to frame the space above the walls up to the ridge beam.

We left tired, but with smiles on our face. We're very close to being winter-ready with the temp. cabin (Mini-Cabs) as I started calling it. Two more day trips and we should be ready. Things to do include: shingles, plywood the top framing part, fascia and soffit board, create the door lock, and install the steel door. Hopefully two days will get it done. I feel confident.

All in all, very rewarding weekend. The whole experience has been amazing and just seems to get better and better. I can't wait to share it with my family and others. All this and we're only one year deep in owning the land. We rule!

The Doors

Chris was able to get some work done to the shed this weekend. The barn doors were built and installed and they look great. The side door/ steel door was put in place but still needs to be locked in. A few more things need to be done to the doors, but hey, it's progress.

Next weekend, we set our goals high and both of us will be there with hopes of getting up the ridge beam and ceiling joists. Right now the forecast is looking good, but we've been down this road before.

Fingers crossed.

One Step Closer

Chris went up for the day today and was able to get the plywood up on the walls. He was also able to get the second layer on top of the framing. It was an INCREDIBLY gorgeous New England day and everything went well. Luckily, he had a friend with him for the heavy lifting.

Two weeks from today we'll be back up together working on the roofing. I'm not sure we can get it all done, but we're getting closer and closer. Fingers crossed for continued good weather.

The Tent's Days are Numbered

Luckily, Chris brought his friend Geoff up for the weekend. We needed him as some of the work involved heavy lifting and there's no way just Chris and I could have done it. Needless to say, a lot of work got done this weekend, despite the constant rain. Enough with the rain already!

Saturday was spent working on insulation and spray foam for the flooring. We had to get more insulation from the lumber yard, which set us back on time, but allowed us to see Lisa and get a big cup of coffee for a much-needed energy boost. With that done, we were able to attach the plywood to the floor. It was nice to be able to stand on the shed for the first time, even if it was in the pouring rain. We were also able to get the back and side walls framed Saturday before the rain became too much and darkness was coming and the tent still needed to be set up.

By dinner, we were tired....and wet. So we decided to head into Wilmington and go to our favorite "tavern/ inn" for dinner. It was amazing as usual, even though we sat directly beneath the stereo speakers and HEAVY metal was blaring all night long. Aren't Vermonters supposed to be more laid back??? On the way home, the car thermometer read 44 degrees and we were all a little cold so when we got back to the site we all bundled up for the night. We had a fire in the fire pit but it wasn't long before the rain was too much for us and we headed to the tent. Chris said he woke up in the middle of the night and it was pouring. Luckily, we stayed dry.

Sunday morning was dry so we did what we could to get work done. The other two walls were framed, breakfast was cooked, and we all worked together to get as much done as possible. It wasn't long before the rain returned, and this time it rained pretty hard and didn't stop. But, once you're wet, you're wet, so we just plowed forward....dripping from head to toe. There were definitely a few times we each sank ankle deep into the mud. In fact, we had to stop building a few different times to cover the mud with downed limbs because we just couldn't walk through the mud without sinking too deep. What a mess.

When we left Sunday afternoon, we were all tired, but happy with our work, especially given the weather. We're due for some perfect days in VT after our last few trips. Next up, Chris plans to head back in a week or two to add the plywood to the walls and install the barn doors and the steel entry door. We're getting closer. Then, a final push and a long weekend and we might be able to get a roof over our heads by Thanksgiving. After that, it's just finish work.

The tent's days are numbered.

The Shed--It's So Happening

Up for the day to start work on the shed. Yep, that's right, actual construction here folks, not just "talk" of construction. It's a damn good feeling. We stopped at Home Depot along the way to pick up some crushed stone and cement blocks for the foundation and had the rest of the needed wood delivered earlier in the day. Oh, by the way, it has rained for the past week and showered off and on today too. Why wouldn't it?

When we got there, we split up-I prepped the foundation and Chris started work on assembling the floor/ joists. Work went quick and before long the floor was ready for action. The leveling of the cement blocks however, took longer. It felt like every time we got one side level, the other side needed to be leveled again. And again...and again. You get the idea. Finally, we got it close enough and said, "Eh, after all, it's just a shed, right?" We also attached some strapping to the bottom of the joists so we can push down 2" rigid board for insulation next weekend.

We didn't have the muscle to lift the finished floor onto the skids (even after a delicious General Store sandwich and a 24 oz. beer for lunch) but next weekend Chris may bring a couple of his friends along, so progress may come even quicker. Or slower, depending on how things play out.

The plan for next weekend is to put up the walls, finish the floor, add the barn doors and steel door, and get things ready for the roof rafters. We should actually get this thing "winterized" before snowfall.

I must say, it's pretty damn satisfying building something with your own hands and watching it take shape right in front of you. Seeing a project through from pencil and paper to the actual real world is very gratifying. Progress is happening.

The damage from Hurricane Irene is still very noticeable and there was lots of road work happening, even on a Saturday. The race to get things done before winter is on. But the new work looks great and I think things are moving in a positive direction.

Come on Irene

Hurricane Irene definitely left her mark on Southern Vermont. Luckily, our land was spared for the most part. We had some serious erosion on the driveway--actually, one culvert overflowed and the run-off ran down the driveway, slowly eating away at the driveway culvert. Other than that though, no trees were down and the damage minimal.

We did however, see a lot of destruction. It was sad, but also hopeful at the same time. Wilmington was in bad shape, and orange cones covering huge sinkholes along the road were the norm. I've never seen anything like it. But, Lisa, our coffee lady friend gave us a lot of heart-warming stories of the community pulling together. She's bringing free coffee for all the recovery workers every day. Volunteers are countless and I guess money is pouring in for people to rebuild. Vermont is awesome!

This definitely puts a twist to our cabin build process. Hopefully, we can still have a foundation dug and poured this fall, but a lot needs to happen for that to occur. I'm not even sure the people who need to get to our land can even get there due to road closures and bridges being washed away. Our street needs work done to it and so does our driveway and I can't imagine we're on the top of anyones "to-do" list. We'll see what happens, but pulling this off would be pretty sweet. Fingers crossed.

Oh, and Chris got a new dog-Birch. He was a rescue from Georgia. He's part Golden part Lab and he's a great dog! Next trip up is later this month when we take our dad to the land for the first time. Too bad he didn't see it two weeks ago when it was looking sweet. Unfortunately, all our hard work has been "washed" away....literally.

As Promised

Incredibly productive weekend. And we didn't get rained on, so we finally caught a break there.

Saturday we spread about 10 yards of wood chips and about 4 yards of crushed stone. That was tiring but it looks great. For those of you who don't know how much 10 yards of wood chips and 4 yards of stone is...it's a ton! Just ask my blisters. We also bought some used antiques from down the road (red wooden patio table and chairs and a small bench). Of course we haggled until we got the owner of the antique shop on the phone and then we haggled some more. Needless to say, we didn't end up paying much for what we got. At the flea market on Saturday there was a guy selling 10 week old Siberian Huskies. They were pretty damn cute and for a minute I actually thought Chris was going to get one. In the end, logic prevailed. He didn't leave empty handed though; he did buy a beautiful pair of work gloves for $1. And so did I. Score.

Sunday we spent gathering wood for the bonfire next weekend at the end of the summer bash. We gathered quite a bit of wood from the trees we had taken down a few months back. We also did some trail work, rode the ATV, ate blackberries and roped off the entrance. You'll see.

Lisa, our local coffee lady friend told us it was going to be a beautiful fall and a snowy winter with warm temps. She had this whole theory behind it about the colors on the caterpillars and also the fact that her dog's stomach is still shedding like crazy. Kind of kooky, but also kind of awesome and brilliant. Vermont.

There's talk of a poured foundation now for the eventual cabin (you know, the one that we keep talking about but not building) and also of the shed getting started. Seriously, we're really going to do it this fall. I'm actually not kidding.

Kind of sad that it was my last visit this summer with just Chris. It's back to school for me in just a few weeks. It has been a great summer. Fall should be beautiful up there and the work won't stop here. Lots to do.

Oh, and Chris bought a crapload of fireworks.

Don't Give Up on Us

So, it has been a while since we've posted or even gone to the land, but that doesn't mean the plan has changed.

Chris and I are going up this weekend in preparation for an end-of-summer bash. Chris thinks we'll end up with close to 50 people. It should be fun. Tents everywhere, games, drinks, bonfire, a pig-roast, ATV, and lots of fun.

This weekend Chris and I will get things ready for the party. More tiki-torches, wood-chipping, more stone for the driveway, trail work, prepare the bonfire, and other loose odds and ends. Right now the weather doesn't look great for this weekend, but that should be no surprise for us (we haven't had the greatest luck with Mother Nature this summer....she owes us next year).

Look for updates next weekend.