Time for plan B. My tractor is a wimp.

It was a bit of a toasty weekend, I was thankful for the extra day off.  Saturday was mostly spent getting the carport ready.  I got the side braces installed. 

I also got the rest of the brackets installed.  

Even though the last one isn't attached in this picture, I got the cross supports installed as well.  That took me into Sunday morning.

That was fun.  Most of them were attached using 4" decking screws, but I wanted to use a grade 8 bolt for the one in the front since it would be taking the brunt of the lifting force.  Apparently my 3/8" drill bit wasn't long enough to go through all three boards.  I had to go dig out my spade bits which was just barely long enough.  

After I got the last one installed, it was time to do a test lift.  Turns out my tractor can't lift it.

So the rest of Sunday was spent coming up with a plan B and plan C.  Originally I thought I might just rent an excavator, but the mini-ones available at Ace and Home depot can't outlift my tractor (which admittedly surprised me).  So I ended up with plan B is to put industrial casters on it and then drag it that way.  I have a couple sets on order for it.  Plan C is I see if I can borrow my Aunt's equipment trailer, and just jack it up and put it on that.  It won't really fit  (her equipment trailer is 8x16, the carport is 12x20), but it should be close enough to move it to the front yard.  

After that disappointment, I turned my attention back towards the house.  I came up with a list of things to do before moving the house (the list is part of the checklist below).  I also decided it was past time to pull out the portable toilet and make sure I understand its workings.  It is a very simple device; it didn't take long.  It is a bit smaller than I was expecting, but will do the job.  The hand pump on it was a bit stiff, but everything worked with no leaks.  I also got all my flash drives loaded up.

Memorial day was mostly just more house emptying.  Most of what is left in the house at this point is food.  I packed everything else in the bathroom, and most of my remaining dishes.  I am fully switched over to disposable stuff at this point.  I am down to just what I would have in the truck camper.  I tried to take one of the photo sphere thingies on my phone, but it came out horrendous (way to go google...), so I also took a short video.  

The portable garage is looking quite full.  

I am also at the point where I am comparing a couple of different living situations.  It is pretty clear at this point that I won't have the cap complete.  This means I have to find a solution for the fridge at least.  I am currently weighing two different options.  I am leaning towards the first one.

The first is to just bring the fridge into work.  That would allow me to run just what I need off the Jackery.  It also ties me to work for dinner (perhaps not a problem), but also means that I have microwave only.  Work would get very upset if I brought propane in the building, and I imagine they wouldn't look too kindly on me running a stove in the parking lot.  This does however mean that if I leave for a weekend or something, I can do so without worry; the fridge will be fine.  

The other is to put everything in the back seat of the truck.  This will be cramped, and my ability to cook will be limited to pretty much nice days only (but I can use the stove).  It also means that I have to recharge the Jackery every day, since everything will be running off it.  This means that if I go out to visit Aunt for a weekend, I would still have to bring it in and charge it every day, maybe every other day.  This also means that the fridge will be off for a couple of hours every day, which doesn't bode well for its contents (I have already noticed that things like milk don't last as long in the mini-fridge with it plugged in full time).  It also means that the truck will be completely packed like a sardine can for the foreseeable future.  

Before the site work:

• Build prototype cap/camper (or at least move it)
• Empty slab.  Get the grill, storage bin, clothesline, bug zapper, and other junk off the slab.  
• Replace tires on tiny home trailer
• Determine where to and move carport
• Double up the studs
• Wall Bracing
• Install skids
• Install cross members
• Drag to new location
• Build kitchenette for the truck camper

• Get rid of unneeded appliances (propane, stove, fridge, water heater)
• Stove
• Fridge
• Dishwasher
• Water Heater
• Finish prepping/moving the house
• Pack Totes
• Pack Food
• Remove washer
• Remove TV
• Fill a 5 gallon bucket with water
• Bleach the drains
• Drain the hot water heater and pressure tank.
• Cut off drain line and plug/cap it.  
• Cut supply lines and cap them.
• Temporarily move futon, laptop, fridge, microwave, stove, etc.
• Disconnect electric for carport and shed.  
• Fill up tires
• Disconnect the electric
• Remove the blocking.  
• Attach to truck and move house to parking spot
• Refill traps from bucket.  
• Fix generator again.

More carport stuff

The big task yesterday was trying to get the carport ready to move.  I got the nailer out and loaded.  It seems to work just fine.  They did make a couple of changes; this one is a lot easier to load.  It is a little smaller too, though it is still about an half inch too long to fit in a stud bay.  It sinks them a bit better than the old one, which isn't too surprising.  

Not sure how I feel about the claws on the tip instead of the rubber.  For a framing nailer though, it isn't a big deal.

All the studs are nailed in.  

Most of them have brackets installed as well to anchor them into the top and bottom plates.

The only ones that don't have brackets yet are the ones behind the tractor.  It was late at this point, so I figured I would punt it.

I did a little bit more packing and cleaning before going to bed.  The TV stand is now ready to go up.

I will finish up the studs tonight hopefully, though I typically do my shopping on Friday night.  I have a three day weekend that looks dry though (albeit hot) so if I don't do it tonight it isn't a big deal.  I did hear back from FineLine homes (I actually did yesterday, but didn't read the email before I posted).  The house is scheduled to complete the second week of June, then it is just delivery.  They are manufactured in PA I am pretty sure, so I am guessing it will take about a week for delivery.  Dad can correct me if I am wrong, but I think one day to plan and get the permits and stuff since it is a wide load, maybe a day or two to find an available crew, and then two days of driving from PA to Sullivan.  So third to fourth week of June.

Before the site work:

• Build prototype cap/camper
• Empty slab.  Get the grill, storage bin, clothesline, bug zapper, and other junk off the slab.  
• Replace tires on tiny home trailer
• Determine where to and move carport
• Double up the studs
• Wall Bracing
• Install skids
• Install cross members
• Drag to new location
• Build kitchenette for the truck camper

• Get rid of unneeded appliances (propane, stove, fridge, water heater)
• Stove
• Fridge
• Dishwasher
• Water Heater
• Finish packing up house
• Move house to parking spot.  Plug septic.
• Fix generator again.

Reinforcements have arrived.

Yesterday was all about reinforcements.  I went home at lunch and grabbed my new glasses.  

After work, I made a trip to Harbor Freight.  This is the cheaper version of the one I had.  The main difference being that this one only supports 21° nails, whereas my old one could be converted to a few different types.  I never once used anything but 21° in it though; they are the most common.  

I think I might have finally gotten through to the pinhead bird that was constantly building a nest in the carport.  Every morning and night I would chase him out and knock down his nest.  The last two days he hasn't tried to rebuild it.  Interestingly though, I have seen bees building nests in the carport this year, which they haven't since it was built.  

The other thing I finished up last night was the data transfer from the old NAS to the new one.  The new one is a bit smaller, which was expected since it only holds half the drives.

Once that was finished, I also got the entertainment center pulled out so I can finish cleaning it off and cleaning it.  

I am not quite ready to pack away the TV just yet, but it will be soon.  So for now I just put it on my folding table.  

No major updates on the checklist.  Now that I have the nailer I will be working on the carport again.  I am very much looking forward to the long weekend though.  

Before the site work:

• Build prototype cap/camper
• Empty slab.  Get the grill, storage bin, clothesline, bug zapper, and other junk off the slab.  
• Replace tires on tiny home trailer
• Determine where to and move carport
• Double up the studs
• Wall Bracing
• Install skids
• Install cross members
• Drag to new location
• Build kitchenette for the truck camper

• Get rid of unneeded appliances (propane, stove, fridge, water heater)
• Stove
• Fridge
• Dishwasher
• Water Heater
• Finish packing up house
• Move house to parking spot.  Plug septic.
• Fix generator again.

Looks like it is time for a new nailer.

Mostly because I have forgotten to post this the last couple of days, the speeds on the new NAS seem to be fine, it can fully saturate the gigabit wired link.  The transfers should be done in the next day or two.

That said, spinning drives still stink at small files.  No real news here though.  It won't actually take three years.

I ran into another minor small fridge issue last night.  I was using ranch as a dip for some jalapeno poppers, and pulled out my new bottle.  Turns out the new bottle doesn't fit in the fridge except in the big shelf (where the milk is in the door), so instead I refilled the old bottle which fits in the door shelves.

After dinner I sheared off the bolts trying to disassemble the nail gun (they had rusted up pretty bad), so it looks like I will be making a shopping trip today anyways.  

Instead I pulled some stuff out of the house.  The deacon's chair is now out and another tote.  I still have enough space for the remaining totes on top of the deacons' chair and miter saw stand at the ends of my fingers.

I have been going out for long walks at lunch lately.  Apparently my new insoles don't work terribly well.  Both socks yesterday got torn up.  

I don't know what kind of spider this is, but he needs to step up his bug reduction efforts.

No major updates on the checklist.  It will be nice to have a long weekend though.  

Before the site work:

• Build prototype cap/camper
• Empty slab.  Get the grill, storage bin, clothesline, bug zapper, and other junk off the slab.  
• Replace tires on tiny home trailer
• Determine where to and move carport
• Double up the studs
• Wall Bracing
• Install skids
• Install cross members
• Drag to new location
• Build kitchenette for the truck camper

• Get rid of unneeded appliances (propane, stove, fridge, water heater)
• Stove
• Fridge
• Dishwasher
• Water Heater
• Finish packing up house
• Move house to parking spot.  Plug septic.
• Fix generator again.

Out of propane, short update.

I had a change of plans when I got home yesterday.  I ran out of propane cooking dinner, so my pasta side was a bit runny and the noodles were "extra al dente".  I thought I had extras in the shed alongside the propane heater, but I was wrong.  Turns out the heater leaks a little bit as well, since that was empty too.  So my planned Wednesday shopping trip to get more totes and stuff got moved to last night.  I was quite surprised that Home Depot doesn't carry the 1 lb cylinders anymore, but Target had some (I had to go to Target for the totes anyways). 

I didn't do much after I got home, but I did get the deacon's chair cleaned off and ready to move.  The stuff underneath is going up with it.

For those curious, I happened to see this on my way to the gym today.  This is the kind of thing I was planning to build for the kitchenette (without the hutch and wheels).  They are aluminum, lightweight, and strong.  I had debated using this kind of material for the structure on the cap as well.  

I didn't make any progress on the carport, but I did pick up some grade 8 bolts while I was at Home Depot.  I hope to do some more work on it tonight, even if I have to nail them in manually.

Before the site work:

• Build prototype cap/camper
• Empty slab.  Get the grill, storage bin, clothesline, bug zapper, and other junk off the slab.  
• Replace tires on tiny home trailer
• Determine where to and move carport
• Double up the studs
• Wall Bracing
• Install skids
• Install cross members
• Drag to new location
• Build kitchenette for the truck camper

• Get rid of unneeded appliances (propane, stove, fridge, water heater)
• Stove
• Fridge
• Dishwasher
• Water Heater
• Finish packing up house
• Move house to parking spot.  Plug septic.
• Fix generator again.

Not much work, but some important progress.

I was pretty lazy this weekend.  All I really accomplished on Friday was getting the new NAS assembled  and set up.  The hardware install was really quick and painless, a whopping 2 minutes, most of which was getting the hard drives out of their borderline shrink wrapped anti-static bags.  The software setup took a bit longer.  The webUI on the Synology wasn't very good until I updated the firmware (all laggy and made you think it had crashed), but got better after the update.  I borrowed a router from work since I wasn't able to locate mine.  It should have been in the LAN tote with all my ethernet cables, but it wasn't.  This borrow might become long term if I tossed it.  

Saturday rained most of the day, so I didn't do much but go to Breezy's birthday party.  It really poured Saturday night though; when I woke up Sunday, the bed of my truck was full and the creek was overflowing.  My yard was just starting to dry out.  Couldn't have that.  I spent a good chunk of Saturday evening and Sunday morning beginning the mass transfer from one NAS to the other.  As of this writing, my pictures are transferred, and my movie collection is in the verify stage.  

Sunday afternoon though, I got a call from the site work guy, and he said he wanted to start June 6th.  He works directly for FineLine (the office number on his business card is FineLine's number), so I sent out a query this morning to see if there is an update on the delivery date.  Hopefully I will hear something today, but he mentioned previously he wanted 2 weeks before the house got there, so it would seem that the house is trending a bit more towards late June than mid June, but still on track.  

That call finally motivated me to get off my bum and do something, so I started working on the carport.  I got all the studs cut.  

Most of the doubling up of the studs are installed.

I didn't finish because unfortunately it appears that I broke my nail gun.  It jammed up really bad and I can't even pry the nails out with a screwdriver.  I will either have to disassemble it and try to fix it, or it might be time to replace it.  That nail gun was a cheapy from Harbor Freight around 7 years ago, it doesn't owe me anything.  It built the shed, house, carport, and all the other various projects along the way.  For a $70 dollar framing nailer, that is good.  If it is easily fixable, I will do it, but if I have to disassemble more than just the slide on it, it probably isn't worth the time.  

After that, I pulled out the last two totes I had in the shed.  These are my really old but heavy duty ones.

I got all my glassware packed.  I already had a bunch of plates and stuff packed in it.  I only pulled out service for 6 when I set up the kitchen in the tiny home, but Mom gave me something like service for 16, so I still had a bunch of plates and bowls and stuff packed.  At this point, I will be largely switching to disposable stuff, so I will need to buy some disposable bowls (I already had paper plates).

I am curious if anyone knows what these are.  They only come out at night, they are large (about the size of my thumb), kind of looks like a roach or something.  Whatever they are, there are a ton of them this year.  There have been a ton of bugs in general this year.  Even with that freeze, I am still getting chewed on more than normal, and it did take out a lot of the black flies.  

At this point, I will need to move the carport next weekend, and the house the weekend after.  All things considered, I shouldn't need to rush anything to be able to do that.  I should have enough time during the week to finish up the carport and then I have a whole extra week to finish the house packing; get things like the TV and whatnot out.  I don't think I will be able to fit everything else in the house into one tote, so I will likely have to pick up another couple.  At this point, I don't think things like fixing the generator are going to happen in time (not sure about building the kitchenette for the camper either), so I might be going into the move without a plan B which I don't like, but it just means I can't let plan A fail.  Plan A is to move the house and live in it.  Plan B was in case something bad happened to the house when it was moved (it isn't tied to the frame exceptionally well) and was to live in the camper in the back of the truck for a month.  I don't really have a Plan C, maybe set up the cot in the shed?  And I guess Plan D would be couch surfing/live in a hotel or something for a month. 

Before the site work:

• Build prototype cap/camper
• Empty slab.  Get the grill, storage bin, clothesline, bug zapper, and other junk off the slab.  
• Replace tires on tiny home trailer
• Determine where to and move carport
• Double up the studs
• Wall Bracing
• Install skids
• Install cross members
• Drag to new location
• Build kitchenette for the truck camper

• Get rid of unneeded appliances (propane, stove, fridge, water heater)
• Stove
• Fridge
• Dishwasher
• Water Heater
• Finish packing up house
• Move house to parking spot.  Plug septic.
• Fix generator again.

Tires all done. Time for a new NAS.

It was really nice Tuesday.  I took a couple of pictures while I was out wandering at lunch.  

I had intended to start working on the carport Tuesday night, but I happened to notice this and decided to fix this instead.  Turns out my NAS (network attached storage) has a bad drive.  I have enough drives and whatnot around to fix this one, but I don't have a way to back it up to build the new array, so I ended up buying a new NAS (most of the cost of a NAS is the drives anyways).  Courtesy of the size of drives these days, I went down to a 2 disk mirror.  It is smaller, less noisy, less heat, and I still have the drive redundancy I want.  I am getting a capacity upgrade to 22TB too, even though I don't really need it (but will start using it again once I get internet).

I didn't have a ton of time left after doing a little research and getting the new parts on order (it should be here tonight).  I did get my heater pulled out though.  Fortunately I remembered exactly which tote it was in and where exactly that tote was.  

Yesterday I picked up the last tire for the house and got it installed when I got home.  It was kind of chilly out so there were no bugs which was nice.  This tire wasn't flat, but wasn't anywhere near the pressure it is supposed to be at.  This presented a problem, because I couldn't pop the bolts; the tire was off the ground.  I ended up knocking out the front support and lowering the trailer all the way down on it.  But the last tire is installed.  

We had a freeze last night.  Hopefully the bugs are all dead; it wasn't a light freeze where it got barely cold enough to frost, this was way down into the 20s (Nelson was reporting 24° when I woke up).  The more mosquitos (which had started to come out) and black flies that don't survive it the better.  Sadly though, it also marks the end of our abnormally low humidity.  We had been seeing southwest levels of humidity (<20%).  

One other note, I made some mozzarella sticks with dinner last night, and ran the toaster oven off the Jackery.  My toaster oven draws 1330W apparently.  A 7 minute bake at 450­° drained the battery 5%.  It will do it, but I will have to watch out for consumption if I am going more than an overnight on battery.  It also has 0 standby draw which is nice.  

With the tires done, the cap and the carport are the next biggest things still remaining.  Still no update from the power company.  I might reach out to see if there is an updated delivery date for the house soon, it is less than a month away at this point.  

Before the site work:

• Build prototype cap/camper
• Empty slab.  Get the grill, storage bin, clothesline, bug zapper, and other junk off the slab.  
• Replace tires on tiny home trailer
• Determine where to and move carport
• Build kitchenette for the truck camper

• Get rid of unneeded appliances (propane, stove, fridge, water heater)
• Stove
• Fridge
• Dishwasher
• Water Heater
• Finish packing up house
• Move house to parking spot.  Plug septic.
• Fix generator again.

Short update, another piece out

I couldn't stay awake at work yesterday, so I left a bit early and took a nap.  I did some errands at lunch though, made a run to the dump, dropped off the last wheel for the house.  I unfortunately noobed up when I was loading my truck for the dump though and forgot to grab the box for the microwave.  D'oh!

Other than that, I didn't do too much.  I did get the pantry out.  All that is left is a decision on the entertainment center, and maybe the deacon's chair.  There really isn't anything else until I actually move the place (whereupon the futon, dishwasher, and washing machine will come out).  

I also went and picked up some super glue and fixed my glasses.  I have a new pair on the way, they have gone up though and are 20 dollars now.  

The weather has been weird last night and this morning.  Kind of a haze, but it isn't humid.  I tried to get a picture of the sun this morning on my way in.  It was the same way last night.  

I am not ready to mark the final packing as complete, even though there really isn't much left in the place.  I really need to finish up the cap and decide how I am going to handle all that.  I let the electrician know that the poles are there so he can install the meter board and socket and all that.  Not sure if he is going to wait for the guide wire and all that to be done first.  I haven't seen the tree company there in several days now, so I assume they are done with all that they are going to do. 

Before the site work:

• Build prototype cap/camper
• Empty slab.  Get the grill, storage bin, clothesline, bug zapper, and other junk off the slab.  
• Replace tires on tiny home trailer
• Determine where to and move carport
• Build kitchenette for the truck camper

• Get rid of unneeded appliances (propane, stove, fridge, water heater)
• Stove
• Fridge
• Dishwasher
• Water Heater
• Finish packing up house
• Move house to parking spot.  Plug septic.
• Fix generator again.