No progress, just visiting weekend.

Not too much going on during the week, just getting paperwork aligned for the mortgage.  

The weather in Keene was supposed to suck for the weekend (bitter cold and windy) so I decided to visit Tim in Rhode Island.  It wasn't great, but it was much nicer.  I spent most of Saturday tending a fire.  It was mostly pine, so I was burning it hot and fast.  While I didn't get the tractor rim glowing orange, even after not feeding it for a few hours it was still very much aglow when I was stirring it.

We burned about half the pile, so roughly the equivalent of this, and I did most of it in the last few hours.  Somebody did call the fire department on us (most of it was pine and had snow on it, so there was a fair bit of smoke), but it was a non-issue.  

I am curious what it is about my shoes that cats like.  Aunt's and Uncles cats do the same thing.  My shoes got very molested by Tim's cats (especially Fiona, the one in the picture).  They even stick their whole head inside them.  

It was a nice relaxing weekend.  The weather in Rhode Island was a lot milder than Keene, and chef Tim was cooking.  He is enjoying his retirement, working on projects, getting things cleaned up at the new house down there.

A little bit of cap work. Acrylic sucks.

I spent Saturday helping Stefan paint and do plumbing.  I lent him my power painter and whatnot in case he wants to use it.  

When I got home Saturday night, it turns out the sheet of acrylic I pulled out blew off the cap (I had left it on top).  I didn't see it when I was coming home and ran it over.  Ugh.  So I am now short on acrylic.  I still managed to get one piece out of it, but I don't have enough for the back window anymore.  

Sunday was not as nice as I originally thought.  It was warmer than Saturday, but the wind was howling most of the day.  I still convinced myself to go out and do a bit with the cap.  I got the acrylic cut for the windows and got a couple of bolts in each hinge installed.  I didn't have enough to put them all in, but have been finishing that up on my lunch break at work.

Some of the corners were pretty yucky, but oh well.  I am really beginning to think acrylic was the wrong material.  It seems to be too brittle and fragile.  I cracked another piece that I will need to replace when I took them out of my truck last night.  I went with acrylic for cost, but maybe lexan would have been worth the extra.

I also met with the guy who installs the homes on the property last week.  Apparently he is the same guy who installed the double wide on the slab that my tiny home is on.  Because the septic is very much in the way now, I might need some extra site work done.  I will reach out and get a quote for that hopefully this week.  

I also did some poking around on where I can put the carport.  I might have to find a way to leave it up by the shed while the home is being installed.  The road up there is not 12' wide though.  The installer guy said the area down by the road he will need to swing the front end of his truck around so I am not even certain that I can leave the house down there.  It should be mobile by then though, so if I have to move it when he delivers the home, it isn't a big deal.  

Snow coverage is down to barely 50%, maybe even less.  The banks, the drain field, and some of the deep shaded areas are all that is left at this point.  

Winter projects:

• Knock down the dead knotweed. 
• Winterize equipment.  Fire up the generator

• Get the building permit.
• Complete detailed house plans.
• Get contractors in place.  
• Get the plan/schedule in place. 
  
• Design future method of travel.  Consider building the prototype.
  
• Shed floor.
• Shed windows.
• Fix generator box.  Decide/do something about power center.
  
• Clear/mark walking trails.

Another short update.

It has really felt like spring the last few days, but I have unfortunately been stuck working longer days. My lot is starting to clear though.  Keene is better than half bare at this point.  Considering it was over 40 when I left this morning and we are getting rain tonight, I expect a lot more clearing the next couple of days.  

Not too much other news.  I got the first round of paperwork for the mortgage done, and now I am on the second so that is in progress.  It is nice that if I get out on time it isn't completely dark when I get home now.  

Another domino down.

My meeting with the town was last night about the building permit.  For once, everything went smoothly.  The new selectman actually kind of knew what they were talking about when I handed in the paperwork (and they actually filled in the missing pieces from my file).  They handed the packet around, and each of them signed it.  Only a couple of minor questions.  So that was refreshing.  

I worked remotely in the afternoon yesterday after my truck went in.  They once again failed to fix the seat, though they claim they know what is wrong with it this time, and they have ordered a new spring kit for it.  

While I was waiting for the selectman meeting, I found a use for my stove and fixed the tractor flood light.  It just needed the magnets put back in place and the bottom glued back on.  Some of the cooling fins are bent, but I don't think it will be a problem.  

I have the building permit.  I still need to get a hold of the bank and set up that meeting, and then get moving with FineLine Homes.  Given the lead times, I really need to have all that in motion by the end of the month. 

Winter projects:

• Knock down the dead knotweed. 
• Winterize equipment.  Fire up the generator

• Get the building permit.
• Complete detailed house plans.
• Get contractors in place.  
• Get the plan/schedule in place. 
  
• Design future method of travel.  Consider building the prototype.
  
• Shed floor.
• Shed windows.
• Fix generator box.  Decide/do something about power center.
  
• Clear/mark walking trails.

Really nice but not productive weekend.

It was really nice this weekend, though I didn't really get much done.  On the house front, I got the Customer Verification List signed on the home and sent back.  That is basically the confirmed quote and bill of materials for the house.  Turns out the house got cheaper again too which is nice (this was quoted as 120k compared to the 129k).  I also got to the bank, grabbed their construction loan packet as their loan officer was running out the door, they seemed to think everything was going to be quick and easy, and I already did most of the work that they needed.  She didn't think I would need to put anything down for the mortgage either, since I am taking out a 150k mortgage on a place that she expects to be valued at 300k, but until things get finalized and assessed she couldn't say for sure.  That would be nice, since it means I can spend my down payment money on something like a heat pump.  I will be having a meeting with her later in the week to try to kick start that process.  I looked through the paperwork on Saturday, and I noticed there was no credit application in there, which struck me as odd.

Saturday I was really lazy.  It was pretty nice out, but I didn't really do much.  I did get out and enjoy it a bit, but I mostly napped and puttered around, got my chores done, and so on.  

Sunday was fabulous.  I looked at Otter Brook Dam, but none of that had been cleared yet and the parking lot was still full despite that.  Instead I went out for a while and walked the rail trail for a bit.  It was pretty much completely clear, though I had my creepers with me anyways.  I didn't need them.

Apparently someone was feeding birds that haven't migrated back with their coconuts yet. 

It looks like someone abandoned a bicycle on the trail.  That was kind of odd.  It is a really nice bike too.  The chain was just starting to rust, but a little chain cleaner and oil would be all it needed. 

After I got back from that (I also had to hit the grocery store for stuff for my Super Bowl party dish) I got a little bit of work done.  I confirmed that my carport is 12' exterior dimensions.  I might pick up a couple of boards later this week to try out lifting it.  I am hoping that I can just lift the carport as is with my tractor, just put one board across in the front and lift with the bucket, and another across the back and lift it with the rear, and then just drive with it.  I think it is too heavy (my hydraulic lift is only rated at 700lbs on my tractor), but I at least want to try it.  

I did get a little bit of cap work done, but not much.  I got the cap opened up today to test the hinge work I did last weekend.  I will need to add handles or something to lift it with at some point but otherwise it went well.  My only concern is that it can twist a bit more than I like.  I hope that will get better when the lifters are installed and the frame is clamped down to the truck though.  

For the windows I decided to just turn the board instead of adding a filler board.  I did get that done.  

I was going to install the front window, but realized that I didn't have enough gasket left.  Oops.  I knew one roll wasn't enough, I just never ordered a second one.  I will get that ordered today.  

Things are moving along nicely on the home front, and while cap progress has largely stalled, we have been treated to some almost spring-like weather (take that stupid woodchuck) so I am not worried about being able to cut the acrylic.  My snow has melted down significantly, and large swaths of my driveway are bare.  The yard is well under a foot at this point too, and we are supposed to hit 50's by the end of the week (and more rain) so it looks like the ground will be clearing before too long.  I am not sure I am ready to set up the portable garage thing yet to clear stuff out, but I will certainly consider it.  It came from Harbor Freight though, and it is still early enough we are likely to get another big snowstorm.  Then I have to start packing up the carport and house.  My truck goes in for its first servicing today and round two on fixing the seat.  

Winter projects:

• Knock down the dead knotweed. 
• Winterize equipment.  Fire up the generator

• Get the building permit.
• Complete detailed house plans.
• Get contractors in place.  
• Get the plan/schedule in place. 
  
• Design future method of travel.  Consider building the prototype.
  
• Shed floor.
• Shed windows.
• Fix generator box.  Decide/do something about power center.
  
• Clear/mark walking trails.

Last of the quotes are in.

Not too much to report, I haven't done much work this week.  I did get a picture of the latches though.  I think they will be strong enough to keep it closed while bouncing down the road (memories of Pennsylvania spring to mind) but they are rated for 330lbs hold strength.  I doubt that they would even come close to that, but with one on each side they should be enough.  

The only other news is that I have all the quotes now.  The quote for the site work came in lower than I expected, only about $18k.  That brings the total to $153,165.  The house is $129,665, the electrical and plumbing is $5,500, and the $18k for the site work.  I will start visiting banks this week, and get the ball rolling.

The last quote was the only remaining task for the contractor task.  I have the building permit filled out, and will be dropping it off tomorrow.  I also intend to go visit FineLine homes on Friday to get on the schedule.

Winter projects:

• Knock down the dead knotweed. 
• Winterize equipment.  Fire up the generator

• Get the building permit.
• Complete detailed house plans.
• Get contractors in place.  
• Get the plan/schedule in place. 
  
• Design future method of travel.  Consider building the prototype.
  
• Shed floor.
• Shed windows.
• Fix generator box.  Decide/do something about power center.
  
• Clear/mark walking trails.

Arctic weekend.

Thursday was pretty busy.  I met with the site work guy.  He didn't seem to think that the proximity to the rock shelf would be a problem and said everything was a pretty typical install from his perspective.  He said I would have to move the carport over to the rock wall, but that isn't a problem.  I am just glad I don't have to move it all the way down the hill so he has an area to work.  He did think that it would be difficult to actually get the house up there, so I expect to get a call from the company that moves the homes soonish.  I got the final quote for the 24401 (the one with the hook) built as a 28' wide instead of a 24' wide, and it isn't much more, so I will do that I think.  I also got the quote from the electrical/plumbing guy so I just need the site work quote.  

I intentionally didn't do anything Friday evening, I even did my shopping on Thursday so I wouldn't have to go out in the cold (it was already below zero when I got home Friday, and I got home early).  When I woke up Saturday morning, it was a nice frosty -21 (the weather station in Sullivan apparently froze and died, but the Nelson station was still reporting).  Surprisingly the heat didn't have any problems.  I turned the main space heater back up to high, and I ran the backup over by the bed on low since the main one points the other way and it was chilly in that end of the house.  

The washer water pipes were frozen (which I expected, they typically freeze when it gets to -5 or -10).  One thing I didn't expect though was apparently it was so cold that my propane wouldn't make go, so I had no hot water either.  Apparently error code 12 is no propane.  Which is a little confusing because the default temperature setting is 120.

Even the stove looked pretty anemic.  That is my power burner on high.  

I did go out and get a pizza though.  My truck started, but it was almost up to zero at that point.  My truck crossed 10,000 miles this weekend.

Sunday was still a little chilly, but the temperatures were back up to normal; it was mostly the wind on Sunday that made it feel cold.  My pipes all thawed so I got my chores all done.  I checked in the afternoon, and my hot water and everything was working fine again.  

I pulled out my compressor since the tractor tire was flat again.  I noticed it was really low last time I used it and the TPMS in my truck went off when the temperatures started to drop so I put some in those too.  

I also took out my battery charger and topped everything off.  Even the lawn tractor was fine though, everything went to float immediately.

The next thing on my list was to staple the plastic on the carport back up.  Turns out the bottoms have been torn up quite a bit.

I got most of it re-stapled though.

Using the step ladder was interesting.  It only slid on me once though.

After all that was done, it was time to do some work on the cap.  I got the bolts for the front hinge installed.  I only did every other hole, but I am not too worried.  I  have more bolts if I need them. I apparently forgot to take a picture, but I installed the latches that hold the back down as well.  I will get a picture of that next time.

I finished up the gasketing for the window.  I only did this side Sunday, since the other side is not really accessible.  I grabbed one of the window hinges and it appears that I might need to add some 1x3 to the inside support.  The support is centered at 4', but it looks uncomfortably tight to get overlap on both sides.

I noticed when I was installing the gasket that I apparently borked part of the roof install.  These are layered incorrectly.  Oops.   I will need to either tape it or fix it at some point.

Since I was constantly slipping on ice while I was doing the gasket, I then decided to take one of my iron bars out and break it up.  The ice has been really bad this year with the large amount of precipitation, the constant melting and freezing.  I got the side mostly broken up, at least what is further out than the cap.

I got a lot of the back broken up too, but not all the way to the cap before my arms got tired.  Oh well.  Still better.

I have the building permit paperwork all done (though I do have a couple of questions for the town), so I will be submitting that this week.  All I am waiting for on the contractor task is the last quote.  I don't need it for the building permit, but I obviously need it before I can start getting the mortgage paperwork done.  

Winter projects:

• Knock down the dead knotweed.
• Winterize equipment.  Fire up the generator

• Get the building permit.
• Complete detailed house plans.
• Get contractors in place.  
• Get the plan/schedule in place. 
  
• Design future method of travel.  Consider building the prototype.
  
• Shed floor.
• Shed windows.
• Fix generator box.  Decide/do something about power center.
  
• Clear/mark walking trails.