TRUSSES?

So, Jim messages me from Quebec today...wants me to buy some trusses...

Trusses?  I don't have a clue what trusses are, but I guess that's to par for me...He tells me where to call, what to tell them... and he's asking questions back and forth... I finally just say to him, "Jim, really?"  His response was, "Cheri, really?"

Well, 30 minutes later, I am the proud owner of 22 trusses.

I get to drive the F-450 tomorrow (you know, that beast that I need a stepping stool to get into)... with a trailer pulled behind... pick up the trussses and drive them home.....  They are in Goshen, Utah, which is about 45 minutes away...

Really, Jim?

Cheri

WHILE THE CAT'S AWAY, THE MOUSE DOESN'T GET TO PLAY....

I thought that while Jim was away, I would be free to do this and that.... Um... I must have forgotten who I was married to!

Last night, Jim had me calling people, lining up equipment and "stuff" to start the build!  I had to call some guy in Salt Lake last night... to ask about 3 dirt compactors.. Do, I know a single thing about dirt compactors?  Um... First of all, I didn't even know they existed, let alone the fact that we needed them!  I'm making this call on my cell, and Jim is listening on the land line, "Um, I'm interested in your dirt compactor?" And, I heard Jim on the other line telling me what to ask this guy...  Comical to say the least!  The guy must have thought I was a total nut!

Still waiting for the snow to go away..... and then, it'll be regular trips to Hatch, Utah.

If anybody out there is really bored on a weekend, let me know - do we have a job for you!

Giggle.

Cheri

DEER ANTLER LIGHTS?!!!!!

We had a really productive weekend!  In some respects, I'm really excited.  In other respects, I'm just shaking my head..

We were out on Saturday and we found a ceiling fan/light fixture that is made of deer antlers... yes, deer antlers.  This is not something I particularly pictured in my cabin, but Jim has always said he thought they were amazing looking. We found a light fixture with the ceiling fan, and it wasn't too bad, so I agreed....  I can't believe I just said that.  Jim thinks that it will look amazing in the upstairs loft.

We also bought 50 J bolts (concrete anchors) for the frame of the cabin.  Got a really good price on them so we bought them and put them in our storage building.  The storage building is stuffed to the gills right now - but, the closer it gets to breaking ground, which should be in about a month, the more exciting it gets.

About a week ago, Jim found me a soap holder for the claw foot bathtub in the loft.  It is really interesting looking - made of brass and hooks over the side of the tub.  I had never seen one before in my life, so this was really exciting. I am really trying to decide what I want to do to finish the claw foot bathtub.  I saw a picture of one of these old time bathtubs, and the outside had been painted black, and the white ceramic inside of the tub is left pristine.  It really looked nice.  I always wanted to keep the outside of the tub in it's old fashioned look... but, now, I'm rethinking.  I was thinking that I'll leave the inside of the tub as it is, paint the outside of the tub black, and have the feet of the tub brass.  With the brass soap holder, I think it would look amazing.

Tonight, Jim and I drove to Taylorsville to get the Anniversary gift I got for him.  I am always looking for something amazing, and interesting and memorable for my Jim.  I found a lady in Taylorsville that was selling an old fashioned radio.  It's absolutely amazing looking.  It stands about 4 feet tall, the cover is made of wood, and it would fit in perfectly with the antique look I was wanting for the cabin.  We drove up, picked her up, Jim is ecstatic, and tucked her away in our house until the cabin is finished.   This little lady does not belong in a storage building - she needs love and attention.  We are thrilled for this edition.  Jim and I think she is absolutely elegant and beautiful.

Isn't she gorgeous?

Cheri

I think these two additions are fabulous.  The radio is a floor model Zenith tube type made around 1930 and it sounds amazing.  When you turn dials it crackles just like it should. 

Right now I have a tendency to focus on the construction activities.  I went and bought a new battery for the backhoe yesterday.  Not half as much fun as decorating stuff.  Cheri is going to make great decisions that I don't think I have the capacity to make.

Hang on, it's going to get crazy this summer.  Jim

TYVEK!

We picked up Tyvek for the cabin yesterday...  three big rolls shoved in the back of my truck...( Don't know what Tyvek is... well, I was going to pull an Eldon, and say, "Google it!")  It's a material that you wrap your house with - water resistance, but breathable.

Actually, what we bought isn't exactly Tyvek - A contractor in Salt Lake bought all this house wrap stuff, and wanted to market it as an upgrade to what they were using.  This stuff is blue and it is manufactured in Canada!!!  Well, the whole upsell idea fell short and they just wanted to sell it.  It's amazing, so we bought it.

Our storage buildings are full to the brim now... thank goodness we're about to start the build!

On a side note - our realtor called today, and the guy who owns the property next to our three lots wants to sell us a 4th piece of property...  Decisions, decisions, decisions...

Cheri

And we bought scaffolding today!  With a 17 foot vaulted ceiling, there's no other way to get up there.  I'm going to be like Michelangelo!

Jim

How is it possible that there's so much to do to get ready.

Well, the plans got accepted by the architectural committee.  The head guy even said he really, really liked the plans and that it was going to be an awesome cabin.

We also got the OK to place a Conex (steel cargo container) on the building site to store construction stuff in while we build.

Cheri and I put together a project plan.  I'll post a JPG of it when it's finished but for now it looks kind of like this;  Prepare backhoe for transport to Manzanita, fix broken light on trailer, get trailer registered in Utah, finish building the dump actuator for making the F450 a dump truck, get the last of the logs moved down to Provo, terrace the site for construction, dig up the road for the power company to lay in the power, set the temporary power pole, and it goes on and on.  There's hundreds of "little" things to do.

We think we'll rent concrete forms, learn how to place the rebar, and pour the footings and foundation ourselves with some hourly day help.  But then we're going to have the concrete walls and framing contracted out to save time.

We've also been given a little reprieve, the architectural committee said we didn't have to have the structure up and enclosed in one calender year.  So if for some reason we don't get it all up by fall, we can cover it up and return in the spring to finish the outer structure.

TIMPANOGOS HARLEY DAVIDSON STORE

So, Jim and I went on our exciting "date" Saturday - One Man Band, Lehi, Utah... with the septic system designer... Well, at least it was supposed to be at One Man Band in Lehi... We get there, and wait and wait, and wait... and then have something to eat, and wait a little longer... Then the dude calls and says that it was such a beautiful day that he and his biker buddies decided to go to a ride... huh?

We reschedule the meeting for 30 minutes later, at Timpanogos Harley Davidson in Orem...  I was like, "the Harley Shop?"... Yep, that's what he said...

We go to the Harley Shop, and this biker dude and his biker wife walk in, completely in leathers, and yep, he's the septic system designer.  Gave us the information we needed to send him, told us what we needed to do, told us what he was going to do... and we're good for another chapter in cabin building...

He actually was a really mainstream guy... very nice, wife was really nice.... I was really surprised. 

Cheri

EXCITING DATE!

So, Jim calls me this afternoon at work... asks me what we are doing tomorrow afternoon.  I tell him that I really don't have anything planned -I am expecting something kinda fun for the two of us to do!  He then tells me that we have an appointment tomorrow, at 2 with the guy who is going to design our septic system...

Not quite the exciting date I had planned..

Cheri