It’s a good thing June only has 30 days. It gives me an excuse for not getting much done since I last posted. If I had just ONE more day!!!
It has been slow going. My main helper broke his shoulder in a mountain biking wreck so has been out of commission. He is getting better but I think it still hurts more than he lets on. I have recruited another friend who just loves to work and gets up at a more reasonable hour than most. 4:30 in the AM. He came up last weekend and we knocked out a good bit of siding.
My first choice was metal panels. I went to the local lumber yard to get the estimate. A month later I was still waiting on the estimate, I was told that bigger projects kept coming in and bumping me down the wait list. I went to another lumber yard in the bigger town up the road a bit and 3 days later, I had an estimate in hand. I don’t remember asking for the panels to be coated in 18 karat gold. It was way over my budget. I asked the lady to estimate a Hardiplank solution. The next day, I had another estimate in hand. An estimate that was way under my budget and that never happens. I ordered it right than and there.
Hardi plank is not a one person job. The thin 12 foot long boards snap if if they get picked up wrong (I picked up a few of them wrong before I learned that lesson). The fist two rows have to be put up level and aligned to the studs before I can use these VERY helpful clamps that act as extra hands. Somehow I was able to get three sides started myself using hands, elbows and my head to hold them in place. When all was said and done, it took me a week to get four rows up by myself. With my friend’s help, I was able to get the first floor of three sides covered in 2 days.
Just high work left to do. But the chance of experiencing gravity’s affect on these old bones pushed me to renting a pretty cool lift. I am still getting used to it. It is pretty bouncy when it gets extended. It is still slow progress. It moves at a snail’s pace. Then things will get done. Next month’s blog post will hopefully include pictures of a fully weatherproof cabin. Time will tell and fingers crossed.
My mini garden has been ransacked by a squirrel or possibly something bigger. Maybe even a vampire since the garlic plants were untouched. I bought some tomato plants from Costco and they immediately whithered and had their leaves nibbled to the stems. Two of them are making a valiant attempt to rise above adversity. So not my year to go Vegan. Supposedly the Irish Spring keeps the rodents away.
I messed up last fall and didn’t fully winterize the trailer plumbing. Specifically, I forgot to empty the hot water tank. The water froze over the winter and cracked the seals and sprayed water all over when I tried to take a shower. I had to replace the heater and replumb the system. So $800 later, I can be presentable again, should an opportunity arise to be presentable.
So I end June cleaner and busier than when I started. July is looking even busier and cleaner so am excited to see what I can get done when I have 31 days to work with.
Another local inspector checking my work. Wondering why it’s taking so long, I am sure.
