Work Day on the Cabin

We decided it was do or die time to get the cabin in the dry.  We scored big time on the plywood and need to get the rest of the cabin dried in.
We have been blessed with beautiful weather and we have to get this done.  I have spent every day off for the last week doing nothing but working on this to get it done and this is where we stand.

The front needs framed in for a window since my wife finally decided where she wanted the window and door so the first step was to get the window framed in.  We have had this window for probably 5 years.  It is an energy efficient dual pain low e window which has been sitting in the basement for some time.  We originally planned to use it on our house but it didn't fit the plans in the end.  Most of my time was spent framing the window in.  It takes some time to do it right and I wanted it to set in the wall and look somewhat symmetrical as we only have one big window on the front in addition to the door.

Jennifer had to run to town to pick up the girls from school.  Prior to her leaving I got the window framed in and three pieces of plywood sheathed across the front.  I went to cut out the hole for the window and in the process broke my blade for the reciprocating saw.  Unfortunately we don't have the best cell phone service at the cabin.  I can usually walk around the property or at least get up on the ladder and get service but not today.  I wasn't able to get ahold of her to pick up another blade.  Bummer.

We managed to get most of both gable ends sheathed, we lack just a small triangular space on each end which I had planned on using the scrap from cuttinng out the window and door openings.  Since I broke the blade and daylight was running out we were not able to complete the dry in.

The picture to the right was taken inside the cabin looking out the front window.  It is going to be such a nice view with the berry rows stretching out in front of the cabin and once we clear an area around the creek it will be even more so.

Once the girls made it back out they decided we needed a bonfire for some s'mores.  We had a couple of brush piles in need of burning so I just considered it multitasking.  In the future we plan to do less burning and more composting and maybe even "lasagna gardening."  For those who do not know what that is just type it into google and you will learn all you ever wanted to know.  We just had have so much to get rid of we wanted to just get it done and decided to burn.

It's hard to believe that spring is just around the corner.  We have not had much winter, we even saw a mosquito and a baby grass hopper today!  I wanted to get the cabin dried in this week and get the house wrap on because next week it is supposed to be very cold and there are several chances for snow and ice.  It is frustrating to be held up by a simple broken blade for a saw.  I could have driven back to town and picked up a new one but with the way gas prices are going back up we are all going to have to try to start limiting our driving.  Once the cabin is completely in the dry I plan on going over to our house and finishing a the small details so that we can get it on the market and get it sold.  Once we sell it we will be able to begin building out forever home. 



 We had the opportunity to meet our neighbors recently and they plan on moving up in the spring to start building.  We are planning on sharing the cost of running electricity so then we will have power on site.  We will use the cabin for rest and relaxation while we build the house.  After that the cabin will be a neat place to just hang out for the kids. 



I have always been intrigued by old barns with their copulas on top.  These were actually a functional part of the barn in keeping them ventilated.  There is a similar method which may be used to help naturally ventilate a home.  I am thinking of building a "solar chimney" on the cabin.  It will be approximately 6 feet by 6 feet and on the side above the loft.  It will have windows on each side, at least two functional.  I think I will have a ladder from the loft up into the chimney and build in some book cases.  On the other side I am going to build a bench you can lay on and it will make a nice place to hang out and read and we can see how well it helps with ventilation.  You open the windows on the bottom floor and open the windows in the solar chimney.  As the air in the home warms it rises and exits the solar chimney drawing fresh air into the windows at the bottom.  If it works we have a plan we like for our home which has one incorporated.  If not it will still be a neat place to get away. 

I performed some stress relief by putting a lot of holes into a milk jug with my pistol.  I have a conference all weekend so I will not be able to do anymore work on the cabin until the week of the 12th of the month.  At least we managed to get most of the sheathing on.  It will be there when I get back to finish up.