Short update. Mortgage appeasement complete I hope.

I finally got the last of the paperwork for the mortgage submitted yesterday.  Hopefully there is nothing more.  I got the propane quote, which was a lot more than I expected, but that was the last piece, and was required.  I think I might set up the tanks for removal on May 1st or something.  I can go a few weeks without hot water; I lived in the place for almost a year without it.  I have the camping stove and whatnot as well.  I will need to get the battery pack pretty soon though.  I am still thinking of going with the Jackery, despite the concerns about their inverters having high idle draw.  I haven't found anything conclusive that others are better.  I will probably use a combination of the Jackery and a UPS to keep the fridge running while the Jackery is charging in the morning at work.

As is the way, we are supposed to get another system moving through this weekend.  Ugh.  It is supposed to be mostly rain (mixed on Friday night, but otherwise starting and ending as rain).  Hopefully that will finish eating up my snow, though I think there is still too much left for that.  So I expect to start packing this weekend.  The totes I brought back are on the slab to dry out; it rained on the drive home so they had water in them.

Other than that, I am starting to enumerate everything that I need to do before May 15th, when the site work starts.  It is actually a somewhat scary list, considering a lot of it is still blocked by snow.  I put it roughly in order that it will be done, but a lot of this stuff can be done in parallel.  I put some explanations in as well.

Winter projects:

• Fix the generator.  Again.

• Get the plan/schedule in place. 
• Build prototype cap.
  
• Shed windows.
• Fix generator box.
  
• Clear/mark walking trails.

Before the site work:

• Build prototype cap/camper
• This is the backup living situation in case things go poorly moving the house
• Preliminary packing
• Get the excess stuff out of the house.  This is just filling totes with stuff I don't normally use; getting down to a minimal set of stuff in the house.
• Set up the portable garage
• I need a place to put stuff.  For the preliminary, I will put it in the shed or carport.  This is dependent on snow being gone.
• Pack up carport
• Empty out all the stuff in the carport so it can be moved.  Easily movable lawn equipment should be all that remains after this.
• Empty slab
• Get the grill, storage bin, clothesline, bug zapper, and other junk off the slab.  
• Remove skirting
• Store for Dad
• Replace tires on tiny home trailer
• The tires on it look bad.  Really really bad.  I am surprised they still hold air.
• Cut down trees at bottom of hill
• They will need these removed to get the house up there.
• Flatten parking spot.
• The house will be going here.  There is still a small pile of rocksthere.
• Move carport
• I guess I will put it in the front yard somewhere...  Not sure where yet
• Acquire the missing truck camper pieces
• Battery Backup
• Fridge
• Kitchenette

• Get a 2 5/16 ball for my truck
• To tow the house.  
• Get rid of unneeded appliances
• The new house comes with a stove and fridge, which are likely better than what I have currently.
• If I have a buyer for the tankless water heater, this is where I would sell it.  The new house comes with a water heater.
• Finish packing up house
• This is the more detailed packing
• Move house to parking spot.  Plug septic.
• Fix generator again.
• This is the backup plan for electric in case the Jackery is insufficient

Back from Kentucky

Nothing too much has been happening.  I went down to KY for the March birthdays and my Dad's retirement.  I got to try some new snacks and stuff.  The Stewarts shamrock shake is actually pretty good.  Some of the other stuff I tried wasn't as good (like the blueberry oat milk from Dollar Tree).  

The picture is crap, but we weren't the only ones with wind and storm damage.  Most of the trip down was littered with stuff, like this sign that broke in half in PA.  

While there, I cleaned out my sisters computer, but otherwise didn't have too much going on.  She blew up another video card.  I helped them clean out some totes so that I could take them back and use them to pack up the tiny home.  We saw an interesting looking lizard on the shed when I went to clean them.

I got to watch the sunset on the way home.  

In a bit of relief, I was not buried in snow when I got home.  It was in the 60s and sunny while I was down there, I even broke out my shorts.  I am just happy I didn't come home to another foot of snow.  

In total, the trip was just under 2000 miles.  I averaged just under 22mpg on the way down, and almost 23 on the way back according to the computer.  The average for the whole trip was 22.3mpg.  It is a little optimistic, but is within a mpg.  Not bad considering I was driving faster than normal.  On the way down I also ran the truck a lot when I was working on Friday to keep my laptop charged and the plug in cooler frozen.

I met the assessor today and showed her the place.  Another check box from the bank.  I also had one of the two quotes I was missing waiting for me when I got back.  I am just waiting on the one from the propane company.

Boring working weekend.

I didn't really do anything over the weekend.  I ended up working pretty much a full day on Saturday, but at least it was assembling racks and stuff, pretty low stress, and I brought in my bluetooth speaker and all that so I had some music running.  I didn't do much on Sunday either, just chores and laziness.

Now that the contract is finalized, I did get the final drawing for the home. There were a couple minor differences from what I was expecting; they are giving me two extra feet of countertop which I wasn't expecting, and they are extending the master closet instead of the utility room.  A few of the other rooms were seemingly a few inches different in width from the original drawing, but nothing I care about.  I also selected where I wanted the cable drops (I picked one in the living room and one in the master bedroom), and I put the hose off the utility room.  I prefer it on the front, but that wasn't an option.  I can always put a splitter on it and run one underneath the house to get something on the front

Otherwise not too much is going on.  I will be preparing for a trip south this coming weekend.  We have another system coming through, but this one is supposed to be rain, not snow.  Hopefully it stays that way.  

Power is back. The hopefully last big check is paid.

I paid the deposit on the house yesterday (a nice fat almost $14k check), so I think that is all wrapped up from FineLine's perspective.  I am a little curious how normal people would make this work; the bank won't pay the deposit because they need the contract to go to closing.  That makes sense.  The housing company won't write up a contract and build a $120k home until they have a deposit.  That also makes sense.  But they are also directly at odds with each other.  Fortunately I have plenty of cash to pay it, but normal people would have to use their cash for down payment; they don't have the built in equity I do to use as the down payment.

The bank is still making me do some running around.  They require something for final grade (the finishing work and landscaping after the crews are gone); they wouldn't accept that I have a tractor and will just take care of it.  So I am thinking of writing up my own quote with a couple loads of dirt, a few bags of grass seed, and so on just to shut them up, even if I don't end up using any of it.  They also required a propane quote, so I have a site visit scheduled Friday to take care of that.  They didn't like my electric and plumbing being on the same quote (since it is the same guy) so I have to get a separated quote for those, which I wish they had told me three weeks ago when I uploaded the original quote.  The hope is that this is the end of the bank stuff.  I understand now why GCs make so much money, this is a manufactured home, so there is only a couple of people to deal with, and it has been a giant headache. Normally the GC would take care of all this stuff and the seemingly endless paperwork.

It was mid 40s and sunny all day again, so the snow settled quite a bit yesterday.  The carport is almost able to shed its snow.  It is supposed rain today (I really hope it is rain and not snow), which should finish taking care of it.  

I noticed something last night when I was scooping up snow to melt for water; my hose spicket got damaged.  That is clearly bent over, likely from the massive amount of snow falling off the house.  At one point towards the end of the storm, when I was letting the snowblower cool off so I could put more oil in it, there was a thunderous snow slide-off event that literally shook the whole house.  I bet it was that one.  I am a bit surprised the spicket bent instead of just getting ripped off, it is only plastic strapping and the skirting that is holding it in place.

Melting snow for the toilet.

I think maybe the propane heater just needed run some to burn off some crud.  It has been continually running longer, and completely ran out a propane cylinder last night.  

It started working properly though just in time for my power to come back on.  I was putting my coat on to go to work when it came back.  I did take some time to make sure all my plumbing worked, I ran enough water to kick on the well pump to make sure the line from the well wasn't frozen since the heat tapes haven't been running.  Everything seemed okay, though I didn't look under the house for leaks since I can't get to it.  One thing that struck me when it came on is just how much noise there is in my house.  The last couple days have been completely silent.

I have missed a ton of time this week, so I will probably work tomorrow or maybe Sunday.  Tomorrow is supposed to be nice, so maybe I will do that and have good proximity to all the trails in town.  I can't get to the cap to work on it anyways, that part of the slab hasn't been cleared.

Looking at my checklist, I modified the generator one to fix it instead.  With the house contract and deposit done, I think it is safe to mark that one off.  At this point all that is left on the new house stuff is appeasing the bank's pencil pushers.

Winter projects:

• Fix the generator.  Again.

• Get the plan/schedule in place. 
• Build prototype cap.
  
• Shed windows.
• Fix generator box.
  
• Clear/mark walking trails.

There was a reason that firing up the generator was on the pre-winter checklist...

In an unusual turn of events, it was warmer and sunnier yesterday than it was supposed to be.  For which I am thankful.  I ended up not clearing the driveway again, and it is only about 4-5" thick now, which I can drive over without issue (at least until I pack it all into ice).  It was pretty breezy too.  

I got some more pictures of the carnage on my way home.  I left work a little early.  If they don't like it, too bad.

This is one of the poles that was broken. 

The house stayed warmer than I expected, likely due to the sun and warmer than expected temps.  It was still over 50 when I got home.  

I apparently forgot to put out the candle before I left.  Oops.  There was no fire danger; formica is really hard to light, and I lit the candle in a metal jar cap.  It just means I had to find another way to light the place last night.  

That wasn't a problem.  This is the magnetic portable flood light I frequently keep in the truck, and have used to work on projects in the carport and shed at night.  It is more than adequate.

I noticed when I got home that the carport hadn't finished shedding snow.  Turns out that is because in the middle, it can't.  The pile is up to the roof, and that is holding the snow on the roof.

I took another picture of the roof as I was snowshoeing up to the shed.  Melting down a few inches was actually a huge help in getting up there.  When I had started to go up in the morning, I was sinking at the limit of how far I could lift my leg.  I went up to grab my propane buddy heater I got from Heather (which it turned out was in the carport, not the shed for reasons I have forgotten) and my generator cord.  

As I was headed up, I also got a good look at the tree that came down.  It was just a little guy made to look bigger because of the snow.  No worries.

I met with success.  I had actually gone to both Harbor Freight and Home Depot at lunch thinking I would just by another one (they aren't that expensive) but both of them were completely sold out of everything related to generators (which to be honest, isn't that surprising).

After that it was time to dig out my generator plug.  The snow up against the side of the house is deeper than the outlet.  The tractor made quick work of it though.  

Then it was time to pull out the generator.  I really kind of wish I had installed this first.  That thing was friggin' heavy.  I ended up just dragging it to the tractor and strapping it in the bucket.  

And after all that...  The generator would not start.  This is why it was on the checklist.  I just cleaned the carbs and replaced the petcock valve and whatnot in it this spring, and completely ran all the gas out of it so it would be fine when I actually needed it.  Still nope.  I heaved on it until my hand split and my back hurt.  

By that point the temperature in the house was starting to fall, and I only saw two options: the power center, which would buy me a day if I didn't use any heat (my space heater draws 1kW on medium, and the battery bank is only 6kWh if I run them to 100% duty cycle, which isn't good for the batteries), and moving the stuff from my fridge and then just doing the minimum amount of heating to keep pipes from freezing.  The problem with the power center though is it would have to be inside since I don't have the cap on my truck (and it isn't enclosed yet), and it is enormous and really heavy; that is why I am replacing it.  So instead, I opted to just make a run into work and use my portable cooler as a freezer and our drink cooler at work (who does have power) as my fridge temporarily.  So I set up my little propane heater pointing towards the utility room, and took off to work.  

Unfortunately that heater doesn't seem to stay lit.  It tripped off after a few minutes.  I eventually got it to run for longer (around 20 minutes), but it doesn't do it consistently.  As a result, it was quite chilly this morning.  There was even dew on my TV, and it was 43.  

So I fired up my stovetop and added some BTUs.  Actually a lot of BTUs.  My stove puts out I think 35k BTU (9k for the two normal, 12k for the power burner, and 5k for the simmer).  For reference, my 1500W space heater is 5115 BTU.  Yes, my stove needs to be washed.  This works better than using the pots with water in them.  The water is to protect the pot, but it is creating humidity issues.  This doesn't leave any thermal mass though.

I got it up to 62 before I left this morning.  Should be good to last until I get home.  

I need to do some running around today for the bank and house stuff.  They are still texting me that my power will be back on Friday, though their outage website says today.  The sooner the better.  I am still making progress on the house front, I will be dropping off the deposit today hopefully.  My dad recommended trying to start it with some ether, I might try that today if my power isn't on when I get home. 

Snow is back with a vengeance.

Before I get to the snow, I did get a few other things done before it started.  I got the tire fixed for the lawn tractor.  I got a tube put in it.  

Then the snow started.  I just wanted to thank Fedex for putting a paper mailer out when it was snowing and/or raining all day.  I had to open it in the sink.

It had my park pass for the year though, which thankfully can get wet safely.  

Then came the snow.  And more snow.  With a side of snow.  And lastly for dessert some snow.  I didn't measure it with a tape measure, but when I started the final clearing we were up to 32", and it looked like I drove over about 8" this morning; the bottom of my truck dragged in a few spots.

This was taken during the second clearing.  I ended up clearing three times yesterday, and will need to do another tonight when I get home.  The inlet on my snowblower is about 24" tall, and there was only a couple of inches left before the storm started.  That was before the third clearing, which was another almost foot, and then the 8" overnight.

I ended up stopping the third clearing when I got to a portion that I hadn't been actively clearing, the turn around spot.  I ended up jamming up the snowblower and killing it running it into snow that went directly into the chute, and I haven't able to clear it out enough to not stall.  Oops.  I tried to finish it with the tractor, but my bucket doesn't raise enough, so how I clear it is still a TBD.  For now, I have to back out the entire length of my driveway.

As I ran out of daylight, I took a look around.  I lost a tree up near the shed, but I can't get up there to see if it hit the shed.  

I was a little worried about how much snow was on the roofs.  The carport held up for the most part, though the metal is clearly flexing at the edge of the overhang.  This was taken before the last 8" fell, but the structure is looking good.  

I ended up raking some off the house.  My power went on and off throughout the day, and the heat from the house is why it sheds snow so well.  There is no heat without power though.  I also found out that my UPS for my computer has a toasted battery in it.  

Because I ended up doing it multiple times, all my heavy gear got wet.  Very wet.  By the end of the third clearing, the only thing dry were my feet courtesy of the mickeys.  Everything else had completely soaked through.  I tried to dry some of the stuff on the fan before I lost power again.

I lost power for good between midnight and 1AM this morning.  I woke up around 4AM, slightly chilly.  I had to grab another blanket.  

I decided to get an early start despite being tired though.  I tried to walk up to the shed to get my generator cord and the little propane heater I have.  I didn't get far before I said screw it, I will buy another cord.  Even with snowshoes on I was sinking several feet.  When one of the snowshoes fell off, I still sank up to my knees in the compacted part.  The tractor does make a pretty good portable flood light though.

Since I didn't have power nor could I get the generator hooked up, I used an alternative method for warmth and light.  I still had the weird mushroom shaped candle that Pat gave me, and I just boiled a some water on the stove to put out some heat.  The benefit of a gas stove; all you need is a match to light it.  It at least got it up to 60 before I went in to work.  It isn't supposed to be horribly cold today, so I am hopeful that I won't have problems with pipes freezing.  

On the drive in, most of the roads weren't bad once I got out of Sullivan.  I saw literally dozens of trees down on the lines though, and I even saw a few power poles that were literally snapped in half.  I am guessing it might be a while before my power is restored.  This was one of the spots where the trees had ripped the wires off the poles.  

I will probably be cleaning this up for the rest of the week.  I will at least need to get my snowblower running again so I can snowblow the driveway again.  Then take the tractor and finish the areas that the snowblower won't do.  

Mother nature tried, but failed to stop me this weekend.

Things are progressing on the house front.  The contract is signed, I just need to digitize it and send everything to the bank, and I should be good on the paperwork.  I also chose my colors.  The outside is a darker beige than I wanted, but there weren't a ton of options.  Vinyl siding is easy to change down the road if I don't like it, though it would have to be really bad for me to consider changing it.  The interior is a lighter carpet, slightly darker linoleum wood print, and a hickory finish for the cabinets.  The countertops have a light granite-like formica finish on them.  

Friday was pretty nice, and I took off early from work since I have been working long days the last couple of weeks.  I took advantage of the nice weather to clear off the cap, and get the windows and stuff pulled out so they could dry and melt off.

Saturday started off aggravating.  The forecast said a 10% chance of snow showers Friday night, no accumulation.  I woke up to about 3" and still coming down.  While I am mildly curious why nothing accumulated on the slab (historically it doesn't melt any better than the rest of the driveway) the whole thing was still mildly annoying.  

So I went out and ran my errands and stuff on Saturday.  It mostly all melted Saturday, and finished melting off Sunday morning.  Sunday morning I started off by eating my birthday "cake".  Ok, not really a cake, but was still good.

While I waited for the frost and stuff to melt off, I prepped the snowblower.  Refilled the oil, filled up the gas, and checked the air in the tractor tire that occasionally goes flat.  We are supposed to get another major storm tonight and tomorrow.  Because we really needed another 18-24" of snow.  Sigh.  Sometimes I think mother nature is really trying to convince me to move south.  

Despite the surprise snow on Saturday, I did get some work on the cap done.  It felt nice to work on it again.  The main task Sunday was installing windows.  It turns out that the foam blocks I got from Dad for spacing the batteries in the power center were perfect for holding the window and raising it a little.  

I got both of the windows installed on the house side.

I went to install the latches, and realized that I don't have a large enough drill bit.  Oops.  For now I just taped them shut.  

I got all the gasketing for the front installed, and went to install the acrylic, and realized that I mis-measured something.  It looks to be one board length too wide, though I am not sure how that happened; I built the frame and then measured that to cut the acrylic.  Another oops.  At least this one is easily correctable.

After that it was time to go get my free birthday pizza.  Luhao made me some cookies too which are really good.

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.