So Much Rain!!!

Four amazing days in Vermont. Originally, the plan for this weekend was to auger the post holes and pour concrete. However, when we arrived Friday night, things were wet. Very wet. So wet that we immediately had to change plans for the weekend. We also had to find a camping site in the pouring rain and set up the tent in the pitch black. Awesome.

Camping in VT is fun. Camping in VT in the rain is not horrible, but not the greatest either. Once you're wet though, you're wet, so you don't care so much. But we made the best of it and were rewarded Sunday and Monday with amazing weather, crystal clear stars on Sunday night and a gorgeous sunset over the mountains. I don't think I've ever seen stars so bright as I did this weekend. We had to go to NH for a trip to Walmart (where we bought Tiki Torches) and bought some fireworks as well--how can you not when they're two-for-one? Ahhh, New Hampshire. It would be a crime not to stop. Needless to say, we lit off a bunch of fireworks Saturday night. It was fun.

We also got a bunch of things done and, damn, we actually ate pretty darn good too. Saturday morning we spent clearing the Look-Out spot, leveling it, and building rock stairs. It came out amazing and we moved the grill there and built a small firepit. The rest of the weekend was pretty much spent there. Sunday we built a wood storage shed and also rented a wood splitter and began splitting about 1 1/2 cords of wood. We'll need it eventually. We also leveled and bulked up the driveway trench. Monday we split more wood and stacked it all. We also met with Todd, our tree guy, who is going to come back for some more water re-direction work for us. In a project where all we want is dry weather, he told us this was "the wettest year ever in Vermont." Lucky us. Today we also laid out the cabin in a spot we're very happy with and will probably use as the final layout. We also bought some crushed stone for the driveway to help with water and wetness. Crushed stone is heavy by the way. Very heavy. Just ask my forearms.

Friday night we drove to Wilmington and ate at The Vermont House Tavern. It was pouring out, but we didn't care, because the place was so cool. We met and talked with Charley, the owner. Nice guy.....of course. We went back to Wilmington to Dot's for breakfast on Saturday. Also amazing. The rest of the weekend we pretty much just spent grilling a bevy of meats (man-food, as Chris called it) from the General Store. Damn, I love me a General Store and the one we go to is the quintessential general store. We also visited the "Coffehouse" on the corner of RT 9 and RT 100 about 12 times...so much in fact that we are already on a first name basis with Lisa, the owner, and already get the "local discount".

It wasn't what we originally were hoping for (cough cough, thanks weather) but in the end things ended up great. We got to get a lot of work done that we wouldn't usually get the chance to do. And, our street was very busy and we now have met just about everyone on the street. It's amazing how relaxed a few days away can make you feel. Driving home, Chris and I wished we could have stayed a few more days.

Next trip is in two weeks where we'll try to get the holes and concrete done again. Hopefully it stays dry. I never could have imagined to have the fun I'm having on this project. It's amazing to build something from nothing and to do it with my family. Awesome experience so far.

I'm off to spend the next 45 minutes checking myself for ticks. Fingers crossed.

To Auger or Not to Auger. That is the question.

Just got back from a long day. I was up at 4:45 this AM and out the door by 5 AM in hopes of getting to the land by 7:15. There's like 5 people on the highways at 5 AM on a Sunday, huh? Chris spent the night there Saturday, and it ended up raining all night so he slept in his truck. I found this out after unsuccessfully searching for him for 5 minutes and he suddenly opened his car door and nearly fell out. Today was going to be the day we used the auger to drill the pier holes, but we ended up not doing it. We started to but then realized we needed to have more trees removed and more grading done. It's easier done now then it will be with the piers in place. With the new trees removed, we will have more space for the cabin and it will be safer from falling limbs. Though frustrating to not keep schedule, in the end it will be best.

So, we spent the day mapping out some new space and returning the auger machine to Brattleboro. We definitely stopped along the way for some ice cream at the Chelsea Diner--it's becoming our tradition. Their Butter Pecan is just about the best ice cream I have EVER eaten, even on a cold rainy day. I also drank about 5 cups of coffee today--yikes. Oh yeah, we also ate just about an entire bag of Cape Cod BBQ chips. Every time we're at the land, we seem to pound an entire bag no problem. I'm starting to think that The Cape Cod Potato Chip Company is sponsoring our cabin.

The coolest part of the day was picking a handful of wildflowers from the meadow across the street. We left the flowers in the tree at the lookout spot. Hopefully they will be there when I go back next week with Amanda and Sadie. We're going up Friday morning and we're going to camp out Friday night. It will be Sadie's first night camping. We'll meet Todd, our tree guy, on Saturday and go over the work that needs to be done by him. Chris and I will do a three day trip at the end of the month to auger, and get the concrete done.

Grading, Trenching, and ATV'ing

What a weekend. Our first overnight to get things done and what a successful and amazing weekend. Todd (our local tree guy) had cleared the building site for us on Friday so when we got there at 8:15 Saturday A.M., things were looking great. Todd met up with us and finished the grading and then helped us a little with some trenching along the driveway for water and also some water re-direction in another spot. It all seemed to work immediately. We made a last chance run to the store for food and bought some adirondack chairs for the lookout spot. Then, we returned to the site, got the bonfire going and set up the tent and got settled in. We spent the rest of the day tending to the bonfire (it was pretty big, probably close to 10X10 feet) and throwing in more deadwood as we found it. Chris set up the grill we bought and I set up some deer netting around the blueberry bushes, which are still doing well.

On Sunday, we got up early, had another fire for some new wood we had collected and then left to see Cab (our uncle) in Chester to pick up the ATV. We stopped at the Putney Diner for some breakfast along the way. We stayed in Chester for an hour or so and returned home, picking up more food for the day. Once we got back, we took turns driving the ATV all over our land and the surrounding trails. It was a lot of fun. We cut down a few more trees and set up a bonfire for the next trip up.

Next trip is in two weeks. We'll be digging the concrete pier holes for the sonotubes and filling them with concrete. Should be our toughest and most intensive trip yet. Things are looking great though. It was amazing to spend a night there. We sat in the adirondack chairs and looked up at the stars in total darkness around 11PM Saturday night. Incredible. Packing up to leave was sad because it was such a great two days, but more fun is soon to come.

Chris Goes It Alone

Quick trip to Vermont for Chris with the hope of burning the big brush pile. Unfortunately, the wood was too wet from all the rain we've had recently. He was able to burn a smaller pile though. Lots of water all over the land and the brook at the road was flowing (see picture) but none at the building site. We've got plans for water redirection as well. We're both going up next weekend for a full weekend (Memorial Day). Hopefully the land gets graded, we can burn the brush pile, and there may even be an ATV we're getting!!!!

Trail Clearing and Relaxing

Chris, Amanda and I went up to the land today. Even though we had heard there might be showers, the weather was perfect! Sunny and 60's. Amanda and I did some trail clearing while Chris cut up the tree we had cut down last time up. Chris nailed up the building permit in a symbolic moment for us. More work was done to the front lookout post and a trail was made to connect that spot to the cabin site. Chris had built a small bird house at home so before we left he and I stood on his truck and nailed it about 15ft. up one of the trees along the driveway entry. It looks great! We also had a small brush fire while we were there--three more to go.

Building Site Prep: 4/16/2011

Today we got a lot of work done on the building site. We cut down a few trees, did some brushwork, cleared some walking trails on the property, planted blueberry bushes, did some clearing to the lookout spot by the road, and even saw some moose scat! We met with a guy who is going to cut down a big pine for us and grade the building site to make it more level for the concrete piers. Next step is burning the brush piles in a week or two.