As a bagpiper, I play many gigs. Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homel...ess man. He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper’s cemetery in the back country. As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost and, being a typical man, I didn’t stop for directions.

I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone and the hearse was nowhere in sight. There were only the diggers and crew left and they were eating lunch.

I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late. I went to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place. I didn’t know what else to do, so I started to play.

The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around. I played out my heart and soul for this man with no family and friends. I played like I’ve never played before for this homeless man.

And as I played ‘Amazing Grace,’ the workers began to weep. They wept, I wept, we all wept together. When I finished I packed up my bagpipes and started for my car. Though my head hung low, my heart was full.

As I opened the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say, “I never seen nothin’ like that before and I’ve been putting in septic tanks for twenty years.”

Apparently, I’m still lost… It’s a man thing.

I couldn't resist posting this here.  Can hardly wait to see what I don't know when building the cabin.

Jim Streeter

Well, I'm checking the weather report, hoping for an early spring thaw.  Here's what I found today.

This Afternoon High: 17°F

Mostly sunny, with a high near 17. Wind chill values as low as -2. North wind around 16 mph



Brrrrr. . . . This picture was taken about 15 minutes away from our cabin site.

Jim Streeter, 1:00 P.M, Feb. 26th, 2013.

Is this a bathroom counter top or not?

We ventured up to Salt Lake City today to check out some granite counter top materials and wound up buying two.  We didn't really need two more, but we couldn't resist.  I think if I cut the back edge down this would make a fabulous bathroom counter with a clear vessel sink sitting on top of it.

Cheri also picked out a slab that is 6 feet by 16 inches that will make a beautiful side table behind the couch that will eventually be situated in the center of the great room.  I'll post a picture of it in the next day or so when I get it unloaded.

Bye for now, Jim & Cheri.

A View Like No Other - More Windows

We found these at Habitat for Humanity today and since our design is requiring a center column support right down the front of the cabin, the single arched center window we had in mind won't work.  We had to buy them for the very top of the cabin up in the vaulted ceiling area.  These should make for a spectacular view from the loft down the valley.  You can see my chicken scratch idea for these windows in the previous Blog insert on the front view of the plans.

The windows have been installed but the paper brochure had never been removed, so they are essentially new.  Here's what the info sheet said.  I guess it's good stuff. . . .

We are still sitting indoors waiting for spring.  It's the end of February, snow everywhere and we have cabin fever.

Bye for now,

Jim & Cheri Streeter

The Computer is Mightier Than the Sword!

OK, so we got the first revision of the cabin drawings on Saturday.  There's lots to change, but it is a good start.  Here is the front view, main level floor plan and the basement floor plan.

The hand drawn sketches are the way it's "maybe" going to be.

The bathroom is going to be a bit bigger.

The plan is to maybe have our kids families stay in the apartment or we can rent out the main and stay down here for a weekend if we want the income when we are retired.

Tell us what you think, the loft, with bathroom is coming next.  And then the revisions. . .

Bye for now, Jim Streeter

PLANS!!!

Ok... so, I didn't go to the architect's appointment today... just couldn't do it... and I was at the point this morning where I was so frustrated and angry and annoyed that I was going to tell Jim to bag the whole project, sell the land, sell the house here in Provo and we'll move to California... I'm sick of the architect, and sick of getting nowhere and sick of the cold and sick of the snow...  Havin' a day...

So, Jim goes to the architect's appointment by himself.. He just got home, and amazingly enough, HE HAS PLANS!  Actual architectural plans!  All printed out, not just on the computer.... ACTUAL PLANS!

And they look amazing.  There's the nice big kitchen, and lots of closet space, and a great room, and a big dining room, and a bay window, and transoms and lots of stuff that I wanted. ACTUAL PLANS!!!

So, this guy redeemed himself...

Actually, I think this guy doesn't like me... he really likes Jim because Jim appeals to his organized, engineering/architectural side... And, I'm just an annoyance, like a little mosquito flying around... I realize I'm a tough ticket to work with, but, I think by not going, this guy got rid of me, and plans can move forward.

...frustrated, but moving forward..

Cheri