Yay, White Oak!

Jason got his wood in last week to do his board and batting walls of the shed-ma-hall. Why white oak and not pressure treated pine? Cheaper (60 cents a board foot, no chemicals, and it is somewhat naturally rot resistant.

Picked my first potatoes. We ate some for lunch today. Yum! To know they came from my backyard gives me much pleasure. And now, to know how simple they are to produce, I will definitely grow them every year... In fact, I believe I have time to go at it again. I just need to prepare a spot for them. We already put in the sweet potatoes... I put cucumbers where the white potatoes were... and I want to plant more green beans... Yikes, my brain is starting to overload... My energies are not up for what my mind would like to do yet, so I must constantly remind myself that it is okay to take it easy and enjoy some slow time with Zachary.

So Zach and I have started going outside in the mornings. He naps in his jogger, and I piddle around in the garden... And each day is a new day.

Blue Roof

Well, I haven't been home lately, but I did happen to stop by my house on my way up North. So, Jason got the blue metal roof on! This shed is HUGE! When we get back home, he'll order the wood for the board and batten walls. He thinks he'll be "bug tight" in a month (even if it's plastic windows).

A Manic Monday Welcomes the Shed-ma-hall!

Well, I'm not yet in Manic Mode, but I should be. I pack to go to The Farm for a month. I'll leave this coming Sunday.

Jason is in Manic Mode, however. Even since last week. He prepared for his Barn Raising, and that happened on Saturday. What a day! We didn't have the turnout that we were hoping for (probably because it was a holiday weekend), but family and a couple good friends did help, and what a job they accomplished!

The goal was to raise 3 beam-frames. Each are quite heavy, and could not be easily lifted by the amount of guys we had, so Plan A was attempted and failed (the Jetta lift technique managed to lift the Jetta, not the frame). Plan B was to rent an Ultra Forklift and it worked! Straps were tied to the frame and lifted with the forklift. Pretty Cool! (Actually it was hot and sunny--J got a nice sunburn.)

Everyone worked from 9am to ~3pm. For lunch I served spaghetti and meatballs, since we only had 4 extra guys to feed, along with a fresh picked salad (my sister picked), steamed kale and carrots (which no one was interested in trying). For dessert, a birthday cake, since literally everyone but 3 people had their birthdays in March and April! My Dad's being April Fool's, I try to surprise him a bit each year.

The guys were happy and exhausted after work Saturday. Especially Jason. It is a major start to getting this workshed done. The slab has been waiting since our wedding 2005. Originally, Jason planned on a strawbale structure, but because he needs a workshop sooner, he decided on timberframes. He can, if he chooses, in the future, switch to strawbale, I think. Also, he is considering solar power on the roof, but that will be a fun project in the future, too. For the meantime, he'll be busy building his "Shed-ma-hall" (18' at the peak, 27' square area)... then our new front porch... then a new roof on the house...

Homemade Spice shelves Make Space, and a Renewed passion for the Power Drill

Last weekend, after being prompted by Jason to get my stuff off the floor, I decided to devote a whole day to a slow paced carpentry lesson, which seemed to help me forget my nausea. I pretty much had the boards cut to size, the quarter-round measured, and Jason was there to guide me along the way. Both shelves are serving to clear up some cabinet space. The shelf to the left holds all my spices, and the shelf to the right holds all my teas and mugs. In this process I ended up weeding out my cabinets of miscellaneous jars (now donated to Jason's future shed), and plastic tupperware, which I am scheming to get completely out of my house (they are so awkward to store.)

All in all, I am very happy with this project and feel encouraged to get on that built-in bookshelf that I've been dreaming about. It shouldn't take too long, especially with my new power drill skills, and it will immediately clear up another big section of space--a freestanding bookshelf which will be also donated to Jason's future shed.

Speaking of the shed, Jason got his plans revised and renewed. He also got his beam joints in the mail the other day. So now all he needs to do is pick up his beams that have been cut and are waiting on him at the saw mill. Then we'll see some action! I cannot wait, because not only will he have a kickin' workshop, we'll have loads more space in our utility room, which has been housing misc. tools, garden supplies, and such that currently won't fit into the cluttered 6'x 10' workshop. Yes, I have an agenda with that space, but only to improve the functioning of the household. The small workshop will house primarily gardening stuff; the utility room will be a better laundry room and hold our bicycling gear. This house is in a constant shifting cycle, especially with the seasons, so more organized, the easier, period.

The Inside of my Home, in a Sketch

The compost toilette seems to be working out better than expected. There is no offensive scent (but we are sure to keep the lid shut, too.) Jason has been emptying it and he says it is not so gross. He does wash the bucket out with the hose before returning it to the bathroom, as well as replenishing the other bucket with peat moss.

I cleaned under the sofa today, and made some designs to build a second sofa, that will double as storage. Also made some table/bench designs that will be used as storage also. The foremost project is the bookshelf that I will attach the the wall next to the futon sofa. I've got a lot of projects brewing and I can't wait to get going.

My objective is to utilize space and create an environment that is conducive to our lifestyle. Oh, and look good too.

We tend to read, study, research, and create in the living room. It also is our entertainment center, dining (esp. in the summer), fireplace, piano, ingoing/outgoing mail, and entrance.

Our "dining room" gets alot of traffic because it is the main exit to the back porch/backyard. It holds another bookshelf of all my cookbooks, and some gardening supplies, and a few cookwares. This is an awkward space. In the winter we move the dining table to this room to free up the fireplace area.

The main bedroom is used for sleeping, dressing, and reading.

The guest bedroom is currently my craft room, and junk room, which I need to organize and sift out.

The "sun room" is our office, exercise room, pantry, and some more junk. The utility room holds bike gear, garden stuff, some tools, laundry room, and another exit to the backyard walking by the hot tub.

The kitchen is the kitchen... another mess to organize, and in the future renovate.

The bathroom is the bathroom... a future room to renovate in my dreams.

As for outside, Jason will be finally building his shed! I can't wait! We already have the concrete slab poured (2 years old now), and it is begging for a roof and some walls. More to come on this, as this will be a momentous project! I'm hoping for him to finish this for my Christmas gift, but we will see. I know you have to plan for problems to arise when building so, I will not be surprised if he finishes in the Spring.