Cabin update ....

The  original plan, if you can call what we're doing "planned", didn't call for any kind of foundation for the cabin. I had intended to just put it up on piers, but because Lorrie was convinced all the critters would take up residence under the place I added a sort of foundation to the structure. That was my task this past weekend. What I did was to wrap the 4x6  post with 2x6's. Then put down a plastic vapor barrier and finally cover that with limestone. I also put limestone around the perimeter. Short of hiring a security guard or installing video surveillance, I think I've got things covered.  At the very least the boss is happy and that's all I care about. Here's a shot of where we stand now:

You can see the little outhouse in the background. While I was busy  varmint proofing the cabin Lorrie gave the outhouse a new coat of  wood stain.

I took another shot of it after she finished painting it. We've been using this cedar toner. I can't believe how it makes the wood glow, especially in the evening sun:

I'm now at a point on the construction where we really need to decide what we're going to build. We've manage to narrow things down a bit more in the last week or so. We've decided on building something with a shed roof. At first we were going to build one with a 12/12 gable, but then decided against. We kept being drawn to a simple shed type of structure with lots of windows. Here's some examples of what we like:

Lorrie likes the light wood on the walls and a darker wood on the floors. Kind of like the one below...ours obviously would not be on this grand of a scale.

This last one is more like what we think we might end up with. I kind of like what they did with the windows over the slider doors. I also noticed he didn't have any varmint protection under his structure...Ha!

One of the other big problems is getting all the doors/windows and the associated costs. I was dreading trying to find something because I know what we like and  more importantly I knew just what it would cost. But by a fluke, I was talking to a fellow today who turned me onto this place that sells special order windows/doors that people never pick up or just return. I drove over to the place this evening to just check it out. I figured they would have  old white vinyl windows and we  don't want white. What I found was three big buildings FULL of all kinds of brand new BEAUTIFUL doors and windows. The lady showed me some taupe sliders they just got in. These sliders were 6 feet wide and 8 feet tall. They had beautiful circle tops and trapezoids. 6 foot long already mulled windows. Unreal it was. She wanted $200 for the 8 foot tall sliders. $125 for ANY mulled windows units and $60 for ANY single window. I'm guessing they had a couple thousand windows.  I found windows 7 foot tall with double pane low e glass. Needless to say we'll be buying windows this week.  Then I'll know my rough openings and I can finally start framing. I still have to figure out the slope of the roof. I know there's a sweet spot that looks right.

One last thing...as I was making trips this past weekend back and forth to the point, I would pass this patch of raspberries. One of the berries was just about perfect but every time I was walking by I would have my hands full of something and couldn't pick it. I was finishing up work late Monday (Memorial day) and was spreading the last of the limestone when my daughter Jessica showed up, she had been out with some friends. First thing Jessica told me was that she picked the most perfect raspberry at the entrance to the lane.

 I took a picture of the patch, minus the berry, as her and I walked back to the house late in the evening.

:-)

Little Cabin at the point....

Well...we  broke ground...let's just hope the ground doesn't break us, physically or financially. I don't know why it is I always seem to be building something...but I always am. This winter's project was a new closet for Lorrie and I, his/hers sorta thing. Lorrie said she wanted to have the lights come on when she opened the closet door..so I learned a little about motion detector switches with that project. I actually found the same sort of switches that we saw at Quinta Jabali. Pretty kewl that I was able to find them at one our local stores. Next project was new lights for the kitchen. Then spring came and we finally got to spend more time outdoors. Landscaping...and getting things in order outside.

We always spend lots of time outside and try to get over to "the point" whenever we have some free time. We had a stretch of absolutely beautiful weather here that lasted for nearly 2 weeks. 60 degree nights with highs in the mid 70's. Lorrie and I took advantage of the nice weather and spent a lot of time over at the point. On about 9:30pm or so each night one of would say "I wish we had a little cabin over here." Well..it was said enough this year (we've talked for many years about putting a cabin on the back park of our property) that is is finally happening. As is the case so many times, I begin something and forget to grab the camera to capture the process. We spent a couple weeks trying to decide exactly where to put the structure, never mind what  it's  going to look like. For what ever reason one day I just decided to get on with it. I grabbed the chain saw and headed to the point. In a short amount of time I had a nook cut out for the cabin. I wish I had taken some pictures of it before I cleared the area out, but it never happened. I did however begin taking shots when I was laying out the footprint for the structure:

Difficult to tell from the picture..but this will overlook a ravine and a saddle where deer cross every evening.

Here I've begun setting the posts and beams.

Lorrie was right there with me, while I dug all those holes for the posts.

That's a gin-tonic she's got there...."Where's mine?"

I happened to notice this little guy watching me work away. I moved him out of the construction zone.

For now all of the post and beams are set. The footprint for our little place will be 12' x 20". Don't ask us what it's gonna look like, we haven't decided yet. We're leaning towards simple clean lines..but that's about as far as we've gotten.

:-)