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YIPPEE Volume 38
October 2007


October is Over. Quack, Quack.

Ducks were not spotted onsite in October. Not even Unlimited Ducks; zero Team YIPPEE this month. Many other creatures, seen and heard, continue to wander Yippee-Land, but no ducks so far.

Quack, quack?
Yup. Quack. Quack, quack.

First, though: Hip-hip-hooray!

Oddity's over. As far as Octobers go, this one was not too bad. Possibly, the spell has been broken. Or, maybe C+C have vastly improved their skills at Coping With Unusual And Stressful. The main point is, "Whew! That's over with." October's odd scheduling had Chris away more than usual, but not more than one week at a time; extra coordination and creativity meant Chris attended two different weddings and the chores that Cassandra can't do (mail, shopping, laundry, etc) still got done. Cass' Construction Constraints were more difficult to accommodate and site work suffered.

Cassandra worked Solo, more than usual; Sadly, as she was unable to attend her friends' weddings; and Sans Solitude too, what with all the barking dogs, gunshots, logging equipment, shouting people, planes, jets, etcetera. Chris hardly noticed, barely onsite, even when he was home. He was back at the house an extra day each weekend in the latter half of the month: to do corner moulding work, setting the saw blades a-smokin', and for the routine, but rather happily happening on a rainy day, recycling run.

"Quack, quack?"
"Yup. My feet are cold, too."
"Brrrr. You know what we need?"
"No, what?"
"Quack quack quack."
"Oh, I see. Sure, let's do it."
"I'll get the reflectix. You get us some socks"...

Some time later...
One C said to the other C, "Quack, quack!", and saw that it was good, and slid around the yurt floor. The other C hopped up and down, and has yet to quack at all. Quack!

Yup. Quack. Quack, quack. This particular utterance, peculiar to Chris, is egged on by reflectix boot sock footies, whether he is looking at a picture of the footies, putting them on his feet, or seeing them on Cassandra's feet. Pieces of foot shaped reflectix were cut, covered in masking tape and slipped into boot socks as an insulating sole. These quack-inspiring footies are left by the MLA door for C+C to wear over existing socks, while walking on the, as yet, unheated yurt floors.

Strategies for warmth.

Layers. Long underwear. Run around. Deck races. Turn on the tunes and hop. Sawing sure keeps a body moving and warm. Soup menus haven't begun yet; dishwashing is kept to a minimum since the running water is not back to fully functioning. But, thermoses with coffee and tea are now normal items in Cassandra's daily packing list.

Don't forget to pack the headlamp!

At the start of October, the sun was entirely off the deck by 3:30PM. At the close, by 2:30PM, and darkness descended by 6PM, requiring headlamps for continued work. Distressingly, daylight "savings" time hadn't even switched yet. Yuck.

Q: Were any tasks checked off in October?

A: Yes! One. Via headlamp, no less! In the last, dark, task hours of October, Cassandra finished "Construct Walls - 20' yurt". Whew! C+C really should have broken their tasks out into smaller chunks. This one task took 389.25 hrs, or 48.65625 days: aside from a huge learning curve for Cassandra, it included framing, wallboards, a brace (these are free standing walls), various oddities, and the moulding. Like many tasks, it also held a hearty dose of cutting by hand; battery operated power saws are available, but after Cass suffered the falling accident in January, solo saw operation was deemed off-limits. The task "Construct Walls - 30' yurt" has yet to begin; so was separated into more reasonable subtasks. Meanwhile, applying finish to the completed 20' walls has commenced. Yippee!

Q: Will C+C have at least one coat of finish on the walls inside the 20' yurt, before the air is too cold to apply finish?

A: Yikes! Winter air? Cold? No! Too much to do!

Q: What October day was the nicest for C+C?

A: Hmm... Well, during 10/14, their single day together that weekend, under overcast and gloomy skies, there was quite a nice time being creative together, as C+C lugged and positioned rocks to form part of the Utility Shed groundscaping. Later that week, Cassandra glimpsed an "Ahhhh..." kind of niceness during an enjoyable spell of solitude: a kind of beautiful peaceful lack of engines, a serene secluded setting that C+C thought would be standard, living on their land.

No Lady, she is Bugged!

Attacked by Ladybugs and Bees, Cassandra's not likely a lady, but sure is bugged! Yes, by ladybugs. They zoom right in and go straight for Cassandra. Hundreds of ladybugs, and many bees too. To Chris, she is a flower of course, but don't the bees know she's the wrong species for them?

Chris tamps, tamps, tamps!

Unhindered by insects, suffering no aversion to tamping, Chris and Stampy (the tamper) compact the dirt, shoveled and raked into shape by Cassandra, to complete groundscaping for the Utility Shed, South Side Stairs footings area, a newly created step for Woody Walkway and an improved step there, too.

The End of October Run-down...

or Run-around...
or Run-in-place...
or Stand-still...
but don't get too cold...
and check out this task progress summary:

  • So close, but so cold... 20' yurt bracing is fifteen minutes shy of completion; if only the air temps were warmer on the last weekend of October, the cut bracing ends could have been sealed.
  • So close, but forgot a part... After the North Side Stairs' landscape cloth and gravel were done, Cass, psyched to finish, checked this task off. Chris reminded her that stair nose was still needed. Later though, he forgot to remind himself, and the stairs are still lacking a nose at month's end.
  • So close, but need more wire... More time, too. Chris almost got the electrical rough-in done for the 20' yurt.
  • Wow, two people!... Cassandra did the prep work for Woody Walkway's new step, but Chris helped for the actual installation; she is still amazed at how much faster and easier this task went with two people. Wow!
  • Looks pretty cool... After the Utility Shed groundscape was mostly worked out, Cass got the beams and joists roughly in place, up on scrap stacks, squared and leveled. The pipes were uncovered, aligned with the building and buried again. And, if Chris does say so himself, the C+C rock work looks fabulous!
  • Rocking the bridge... Two more concrete footings, for supporting the South Side Stairs Bridge, went in rather quickly. A mere foot or two down, the footings are anchored to rocks deemed immovable by Chris. A beam was built and sits with the joists, awaiting posts and hardware for assembly.
  • Smoke the saw blades and put that on your walls!... Chris created corner moulding amidst smoking blades. Onsite, more smoke before a good ol' fashioned chisel did the trick, chipping out the final bits. Aided by Harriott, he finished up some heavier duty sanding needed in the small closet. Cass continued sanding by hand, installed numerous parts and, in the end, the 20' walls task was checked off! Whew!
  • Race against the cold... Armed with masking tape, brush, and headlamp, Cassandra started applying wall finish. Top aspen and mouldings are done, and the closet wallboards begun. Although this is the same finish as is on the floor, there's drastically different attire now; if only the memory of being overheated back then could help offset the current reality of required layers.
  • Continuing... One whole tree. Granted, it wasn't the most massive tree. Steve and Chris had chopped it down; Cassandra disassembled it, entirely herself. Most other trees she's worked on had a bit cut here and some cut there, or someone else finished the thicker trunk. Taking this tree apart was only one small portion of her continuing work by the Power House: cutting, clearing, clean-up, sorting, sawing and stacking.
  • Ghetto us some... El cheapo insulation? The Power House has all its sheet metal on the underside, blocking installed, and sits collecting leaves. Um... well, the next step IS insulation.
  • Practice that scowl!... Chris' I-Hate-Mice Scowl shouldn't have anything to do with Ghetto Us Some Water, but it did. Down at the brook, during filling of the water tank for GUSW, a mouse crawled out of the Vermoose's rear quarterpanel to investigate. As Chris unleashed his fearsome Scowl, the mouse ducked back in; a life saving choice; Chris was amidst a frustrating task and he finds mice annoying!
  • Water, water, where-o-where... Ghetto Us Some Water! Throughout October, water from Poocham was hauled uphill in 5-gallon jugs; doesn't count as site work, but sure takes a lot of energy. The temporary water source, a 75-gallon rain barrel, was purchased, carted up with MicroMoose, positioned above the Utility Shed, and connected to Park Ave's cold-water supply line in lieu of the reservoir. One trip from the brook, similar to those in September, filled the water tank which then filled the barrel. Afterwards, C+C flushed and played with valves to get water flowing again. Frugal use of rain barrel water commenced. Toward the end of October, the reservoir level began rising, and the barrel was refilled from there. Chris' hauling from Poocham may end soon! Yippee!

"Gimme YPP"!

Always looking for more time and efficiency, C+C revamped an existing procedure, creating YPP in the process: YIPPEE Phonepics Pick. For the past year and a half, Cassandra's phone-camera site pictures have been emailed to Chris from her phone, the only onsite internet access. Chris enjoyed seeing things back at YIPPEE-Land. But, with Unicel's s-l-o-w 9.6kbps and various phone limitations, management of phonepics was a time-consumer on both sides. The new procedure: pics are transferred to the OQO via Bluetooth, copied onto a flash drive and handed to Chris weekly, during Friday's regular task packaging. Beforehand, C+C enjoy reviewing the week's pics, and choosing two for the YPP. Subscribers get a glimpse of goings on in an email containing simply the two pics.

Quack quack quack!
(That's all folks!)


 

Photos


October Journal

10/01/07 - Monday

Notes:

  • Chris discovers a leaky water jug, in the back of the Xterra. The cargo bay carpet and second row seats are soaked.

288.08 Split and stack firewood

  • Chris continues stacking.
  • time: 1.75 hrs

306.01 Cass tasks...

  • time: 1.25 hrs

213.05 Deck: stairs (north side)

  • Getting the landscape cloth and gravel down.
  • time: 1.25 hrs

213.36 Site Cleanup

  • Cass blows...leaves off deck.
  • time: 15 mi

213.12 Utility Shed built

  • C&C work on groundscaping
  • time: 2 hrs

213.52 South side stairs

  • Chris works on fooings
  • time: 0.5 hrs

10/02/07 - Tuesday

Notes:

  • another supposedly sunny gorgeous day.
  • well, actually, later on in the day it was! Too bad the sun is unvailable by 3:30pm to get much.
  • Cass finally got the splinter, which C+C had tried removing, ejected out of her thumb. Whew! Much better.

213.17 Construct walls 20'

  • work on mouling for do-it-closet, last almost hour all by headlamp
  • Time: 2hrs

213.52 Construct south side stairs

  • worked on footing holes until another large rock spanning width
  • Time: 0.75hrs

213.74 Utility Shed: shape ground and lay gravel

  • digging/raking based on yesterday's reviews.
  • Time: 1hrs

213.12 Utility shed built

  • Built up other beam and marked for joist placement, found a container and walked down to PH to get nails.
  • Time: 1.25hrs

10/03/07 - Wednesday

Notes:

  • cloudy and grey. And buggy, darn it! Its october already, die off you nasty little buggers.

213.12 Utility shed built

  • got supplies together to do step, and realized no screws. Put supplies back.
  • got ready to install joist hangers and saw they look like 2x6 not 2x8. IM'd with Chris and discovered they are dual, just install lower. After figured all out, began and got middle 4 on each beam in place (ends on hold per chris).
  • Built the 2 double joists, except ends (also on hold per chris)
  • Time: 2hrs

213.74 Utility Shed: shape ground and lay gravel

  • digging raking ground work. Needs tamping.
  • Time: 1hrs

213.17 Construct walls 20'

  • mitre used -first time in a long while- to cut 2x4 parts for switch half-wall.
  • obtained ratchet strap from PH area and got the half wall frame built, including wrangling with a stuck nail.
  • Time: 1.5hrs

288.09 cut and store downed trees

  • more work at PH area, since had to walk down for a ratchet strap, and to do fire/water at PA.
  • got the in-progress pile from last week all sorted cut and stacked. Cut another small tree down. started working on the really large tree, clearing out a mess in the way at the bottom. Walked up trunk w/intention of gathering cut limbs but they were
  • Time: 1hr

10/04/07 - Thursday

Notes:

  • grrr grrr grrr. 85F and sunny. If not camping etc... maybe would be more psyched. but had to heat water so a fire built, 95 inside yurt. still 80 at 6pm. yesterday, had on long underwear. ugh. Cass late start from park ave tasks.
  • attack of the lady bugs! attack of the lady bugs! cass has stains on her shirt to prove it. they were flying into her face, on clothing, skin, hair, argh argh. between these and a few pesky skeeters, cass wears bugshirt to do outdoor tasks, and even o

288.09 cut and store downed trees

  • more work at PH area, cutting, dragging, stacking, carrying, stacking: tree from yesterday, a couple branches located yesterday -after cleared out so could reach, started doing my own bucking/limbing on the large tree.
  • Time: 1hrs

213.17 Construct walls 20'

  • cut wallboards to length and nailed into half wall for back.
  • tweaking of aspen pc for do-it closet, including 1/4" rip cut trim, and finally install.
  • Time: 2.5hrs

213.36 site cleanup

  • since chore day tomorrow, used leaf blower x2: cleared deck and lower part of park ave while doing deck batt almost dead so tried doing under/beside deck...coming back out, whacked head really badly. ouch ouch ouch. not bleeding but really hurts and su
  • Time: 0.75hrs

10/05/07 - Friday

213.36 site cleanup

  • cass continues perfecting the art of leaf blowing
  • Time: 0.5hrs

213.12 Utility shed built

  • figured out the new nail-inside joist hangers and got all nailed in after trip down to PH to refill bottle.
  • While under attack from the ladybugs, ack ack ack!!!! Finally put bug shirt on.
  • After call to chris and instruction, nails in from the back done. Ready to install once ground work done.
  • During nailing, must have been vibrating deck too much... One double joist fell off deck. Uh-oh. Retrieved it after all done, and seems banged up but fine. (kinda like cass' head which still hurts badly)
  • Time: 2.75hrs

288.09 cut and store downed trees

  • more work on large downed tree, taking apart
  • Time: 1hrs

213.56 construct yurt entry awnings

  • measuring and marking 2x4s.
  • Don't have template for angle parts anymore, so trying to recreate.
  • Time: 1.25hrs

288.08 Split and stack firewood

  • time: 0.75 hrs

10/06/07 - Saturday

Notes:

  • Oh, no...the Horrible Stinky!

288.08 Split and stack firewood

  • Chris continues
  • time: 45 min

275.04 Materials Transport

  • Chris and the microMoose go at it with a load of stuff.
  • time: 15min

213.56 construct yurt entry awnings

  • 2*4s are cut
  • Time: 0.25 hrs

213.74 Utility Shed: shape ground and lay gravel

  • Chris tamps
  • time: 0.25 hrs

213.09 Electrical rough-in

  • Chris runs wire for closet light
  • time: 0.5 hrs

213.17 construct walls 20'

  • review closet and half-wall
  • Time: 0.75 hrs

306.01 Cass Tasks...

  • time: 30 min

213.52 South side stairs

  • C&C works on fooings
  • time: 0.25 hrs

213.05 deck: stairs (north side)

  • C&C work on rock and gravel bed
  • time: 0.5 hrs

679.99 Structural Integrity Testing: stair platform:

  • The paltform is rock solid
  • time: :n/a

213.50 construct power house

  • C&C finish installing sheet metal amd work on posts.
  • time: 3.0 hrs

288.09 Cut and store downed trees

  • Cass does more @ the PH
  • time: 1.75 hrs

10/07/07 - Sunday

852.22 Ghetto Us Some Water

  • Chris hauls the 75 gallon rainbarrel and accessories up to the MLA. After disconnecting the spring line from the cold water supply line at the Utility Shed he connects the rainbarrel as the temporary water source in prep for later filling.
  • Cass hides out in the yurt while Chris makes another water filling run.
  • Chris' water run is fraught with little annoyances: the discharge hose comes apart, spraying cold water on the hot pump engine; a mouse crawls out of the rear quarterpanel to investigate the filling, then ducks back in when it spies Chris with an I-Hat
  • After a few attempts at flushing and opeming various faucets, water doth flow again to Park Ave. Yippee!
  • time: 4.75 hrs

213.09 Electrical rough-in

  • Chris drills a different set of holes and, with Cass assistance, re-runs wire for closet light
  • time: 0.5 hrs

213.17 construct walls 20'

  • Cass cuts a funky part for the half wall.
  • Chris alters and attaches switch box to half wall
  • Time: 1.25 hrs

213.56 construct yurt entry awnings

  • Cass marks some boards, sands some boards, and cuts some boards.
  • time: 1.25 hrs

742.00 JaBoStH

  • Cass does.
  • time: 0.25 hrs

213.50 construct power house

  • C&C position posts, then install some blocking.
  • time: 1.0 hr

288.08 Split and stack firewood

  • Chris continues
  • time: 30 min

288.09 Cut and store downed trees

  • Cass does more @ the PH
  • time: 0.25 hrs

10/08/07 - Monday

Notes:

  • Daily Camp YIPPEE figurin-out of heat and water continues, with a tad bit more ease. Back to having running water, albeit in strong conservation mode and with some scary air-in-the-line noises.
  • Rainy and cold. Grey. Cass tries to brave the cold all morning but finally gives in and builds a fire before packing up for site work. Ew. Fire. But warming.

213.05 Deck: stairs (north side)

  • cass removes fallen leaves, dumps and shovels out gravel, spreads all around, positions another rock or two and voila! Done!
  • Time: 0.5hrs

213.17 Construct walls 20'

  • Last wallboard is sanded and in place! aspen pc on bottom open edge in closet. More work on moulding: do-it floor and doorways.
  • Time: 3.75hrs

10/09/07 - Tuesday

Notes:

  • Another fun day of guesswork and prepping at camp yippee.
  • Ended up being sunny for a bit, cool all day, cloudy and rainy.
  • Fire in AM before going up top, half pan water on for shower, no fire in eve (was too hot last night and didn't sleep well), lukewarm shower because wood wasn't truly caught, but not so awful.
  • Coffee made in AM again today (now that have water to use and for cleaning up), but thermos not so good and it was only so-so warm later on. Prob should get improved thermoses before really cold and need warmth even more. Today, adding layers worked ok

213.74 US: shape ground and lay gravel

  • digging and figuring
  • Time: 1.25hrs

213.36 site cleanup

  • in s+s screenhouse, wet well-used papers dried and tossed, wet rags picked up.
  • Time: 0.25hrs

213.56 construct yurt entry awnings

  • sanded 2x4 cut other day.
  • Looked 2x8s over and realized they won't really work without mega sanding.
  • was going to stain today but concerned it might rain later - and, it did!
  • Time: 0.25hrs

213.17 construct walls - 20' yurt

  • sides and top for half-wall selected, marked and hand-cut.
  • Moulding finagling for the entry door. Sucks and not happy about it but is done.
  • Moulding for doit closet door marked and cut, ironically they may fit best of any. wallboards clamped and nailed in tighter to improve fit.
  • started on other mouldings but was getting too dark to see well.
  • Time: 4hrs

10/10/07 - Wednesday

Notes:

  • Cold and rainy. No questions, had to do a fire. Unfortunately, wood didn't cooperate.
  • Connie reports that there's snow forecast up in St J area. Ack!

213.17 construct walls - 20' yurt

  • cass remembers to pack the headlamp to keep working past dusk.
  • Coping saw is down at PH, and its raining, so a couple tasks on hold.
  • working all be hand with a makeshift setup is frustrating.
  • lots of moulding work. Closet nearing finish, and only task left will be half-wall.
  • Time: 5.5hrs

10/11/07 - Thursday

Notes:

  • Colder and still foggy rainy and dismal. Unfortunately, again, wood didn't cooperate with fire making. Cold Cass.

213.17 construct walls - 20' yurt

  • Remembered to bring up headlamp again. Stopped and got coping saw from PH tools bin.
  • Moulding work done in closet. Started on connector moulding.
  • Time: 5.25hrs

10/12/07 - Friday

Notes:

  • Weird scheduling continues. Cass continues solo site day. C+C have a decent phone connection finally.
  • Yet another dark dreary rainy and cold day.

213.17 construct walls - 20' yurt

  • continued connector moulding work, shaving down one side, cutting and sanding and installing.
  • Cut some boards for half wall, had to plane to shave and be a more even cut for better fit.
  • Time: 3.25hrs

10/13/07 - Saturday

Notes:

  • Weird scheduling continues. Cass continues solo site day. But todayis sunny! Woohoo! Sunshine and clear. Cold but sunny.

213.17 construct walls - 20' yurt

  • worked on attaching half wall boards until realized nails are gonna show.
  • Argh. Wait til review w/chris
  • Time: 1.75hrs

213.36 site cleanup

  • cleaned out wet stuff from sealing screenhouse which apparently leaked all week during rains. Doh.
  • Time: 0.25hrs

213.74 Utility Shed: shape ground and lay gravel

  • got out level and worked on digging, shaping etc
  • Time: 1hrs

303.16 Repairs Woody Walkway

  • work digging and level to shape for tamping in prep for step install
  • Time: 0.5hrs

10/14/07 - Sunday

Notes:

  • Cass and a deer play a slow game of Chicken. Cass wins when the deer gives up.

288.08 Split and stack firewood

  • Chris continues
  • time: 2.25 hrs

306.01 Cass Tasks...

  • Cass has a big list.
  • During this task C&C had an idea of buying a trailer aand parking it down at the lower clearing, so they could ditch the rental house. Hmmmm...
  • time: 0.5 hrs

213.74 Utility Shed: Shape ground and lay gravel

Yea. C&C have some fun building a rock wall as part of the drainage plan.

  • Later, they prep for setting platform frame in place.
  • time: 3.5 hrs

303.16 Repairs: Woody Walkway

  • C&C lay in a step that Cass had started on earlier in the week.
  • time: 1 hr

213.17 construct walls 20'

  • C&C review work in progress. Chris sees the DI closet in near complete state.
  • Time: 0.75 hrs

213.56 Construct yurt entry awnings

  • C&C discuss affixing awning, decide to hold off as it isn't going to be simple.
  • Chris cuts boards for second awning frame.
  • time: 45 min

306.02 Test Cass on tools...

  • Cass can use the mini Xpower unit. Yea.
  • time: 15 min

852.22 Ghetto us some water

  • Chris adds a bit to the rainbarrel by wishing-well-bucket method from the spring
  • time: 15 min

10/15/07 - Monday

Notes:

  • C+C only had one day together this past weekend (yesterday) and it was fun working together. Cass bummed to be back to working solo again... Solo. Such a weight!
  • Cold still. Yucky fire tasks seem to be here to stay.yucky yuck. But at least skies cleared up and was warm in sun midday.

213.36 site cleanup

  • leaf blowing to clear park ave, on main drive, cleared deck.
  • also some tools and stuff put away.
  • Time: 0.75hrs

213.12 US built

  • leveled and squared beams and end joists.
  • Time: 0.5hrs

213.74 US: shape ground and lay gravel

  • marked edge of beam on ground for pipe repositioning. Digging. Hit wood of some sort, gotta ask chris.
  • Time: 0.75hrs

213.56 Construct yurt entry awnings

  • sanded one cut part. Got thinking about yesterdays work and didn't continue. Brought parts inside so they will stay dry. Cleaned up scraps from chris' cutting yest.
  • Time: 0.25hrs

213.52 construct south side stairs

  • got supplies together, cleaned some sealing stuff, stained the beam parts
  • Time: 1hrs

213.17 construct walls 20'

  • moulding work, difficult cutting, sanding, fitting, etc. attempting to decide if the smaller half-of-90degree will be alright or should we do otherwise. Cut a part from door casing to see if larger moulding would be better. Two parts are ready to ins
  • Time: 1.25hrs

213.50 construct PH

  • measured and marked for a couple blockings, ended up installing only one. Caulk (supposed to put under the blocking) behaving weird, not going on right. stopped.
  • Time: 0.5hrs

288.08 cut and store downed trees

  • cleanup from mike's time continues near PH, off to right. Started another brush pile.
  • Time: 0.5hrs

10/16/07 - Tuesday

288.08 cut and store downed trees

  • took apart almost a whole tree by PH.
  • Cass discovers that slalom-ing uphill is just as effective...as she hauls MicroMoose up to get kindling from the tree taken apart in summer by the GIPPEE.
  • Time: 2.25hrs

213.50 construct PH

  • tried caulk again, seems to work.
  • Time: n/a, 5mins

213.17 construct walls 20'

  • nailed in top board for half wall. tests and figured out molding. selected, marked and cut face boards -to be installed after electric.
  • Time: 2.5hrs

303.16 Repairs Woody Walkway

  • raked off leaves, did borax and gravel on step
  • Time: 0.5hrs

213.52 construct south side stairs

  • watershielded beams
  • Time: 0.5hrs

213.06 Deck railing

  • watershielded the two stained posts
  • that we done while ago
  • Time: 0.25hrs

213.74 US shape ground and lay gravel

  • dug a bit more to take better pic. Sent to chris and he says yes, is ok to keep digging and remove that wood.
  • Time: 0.25hrs

10/17/07 - Wednesday

Notes:

  • What a difference! Without incessantly barking dogs... And, when the logging equipment is quiet, and no generators, no jets or planes, wow. Is the kind of quiet peaceful place we thought we were getting! Nice! Only lasted a few minutes at a time, but n

288.08 cut and store downed trees

  • finished taking apart tree at PH, did more cleanup, and finished storing kindling transported yesterday
  • Time: 2hrs

213.52 construct south side stairs

  • built beam, took apart scraps on rock
  • Time: 0.5hrs

213.17 construct walls 20'

  • sanding walls with bughat on, seemed like might help but was hard to see...grr.
  • Time: 1hrs

213.36 site cleanup

  • brought leaf rake down and thought would work ok for cleaning up around PH, but not really. Will have to bring blower down.
  • Time: 0.25hrs

213.50 construct PH

  • blocking work
  • Time: 2hrs

10/18/07 - Thursday

213.50 construct PH

  • blocking work
  • Time: 1.25hrs

213.36 site cleanup

  • leafs outta ph ditches, a bit of misc up at mla
  • Time: 0.5hrs

213.17 construct walls 20'

  • installed connector moulding since chris said yes go ahead. Coated back of halfwall (and a few sample boards at same time), repositioned stock/scraps to make space for it to sit inside to cure. Cut sample for moulding on halfwall.
  • Time: 1.25hrs

213.74 US shape ground and lay gravel

  • removed wood block and dug more. Pipes inside frame now.
  • Time: 0.75hrs

10/19/07 - Friday

Notes:

  • Cass falters.

288.08 Split and stack firewood

  • time: 30 min

213.52 Construct South-side Stairs

  • time: 1 hr

852.22 Ghetto us some water

  • time: 30 min

742.00 JaBoStH

  • time: 15 min

10/20/07 - Saturday

213.36 Site Cleanup

  • Chris rakes some leaves out of the driveway.
  • Later, he initiates pre-winter cleanup, starting to store stuff that won't be used again this year
  • time: 0.75 hrs

275.04 Materials Transport

  • Chris moves stuff from LAfNP to MLA. Later, he gets concrete tubes out of shed for footng work.
  • time: 0.75 hrs

213.17 Construct Walls, 20'

  • Chris attempts a simple sanding task, first with a drill add-on, then with a Dremel tool, in hopes of using cordless tools over the genrator. Later, he fires up the generator to fix the shoddy first attempt results.
  • Cass works on sanding and wiping the connector walls. When Chris joins in they work on the half-wall.
  • time: 3.5 hrs.

213.45 Bracing, yurt platforms

  • Chris trims ends under 20'.
  • time: 1 hr.

213.52 Construct South-side Stairs

  • C&C put two bridge footings in.
  • time: 3 hrs

213.74 Utility Shed: shape ground and lay gravel

  • Cass plants clover on rock wall.
  • time: 15 min

306.01 Cass tasks

  • time: 0.75 hrs

213.09 Electrical Rough-in

  • Chris tacks up wire under 20' platform.
  • time: 45 min

10/21/07 - Sunday

213.17 Construct Walls, 20'

  • Chris goes to Poochhell and spends WAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much time making corner molding. Whether or not he did a good job remains to be seen, but at one point the sawblade was smokin'.
  • Cass worked on half-wall while under attack by ladybugs and bees.
  • Chris puts filler in half wall nail holes, then seals over the sides.
  • time: 8.75 hrs

303.16 Repair Woody Walkway

  • Cass continues...
  • time: 0.5 hrs

213.74 Utility Shed: shape ground and lay gravel

  • C&C position pipes and backfill
  • time: 2.75 hrs

852.22 Ghetto us some water

  • Chris demonstrates the wishing well method.
  • time: 15 min

288.08 Split and stack firewood

  • time: 15 min

10/22/07 - Monday

Notes:

  • Ladybugs attack, arghhhhhhhh! Argghhhhh! Everywhere. Up at mla and in wc. Arghhhh! Bees seem to have an affinity for cass too. Damn it. Spending way too much time removing lady bugs from yurt.
  • Warm weather brings out lotsa bugs. Cass finally dons bugshirt after swatting and getting too irritated.

213.74 US: shape ground and lay gravel

  • continues
  • Time: 1.25hrs

213.17 construct walls 20'

  • sanded, wiped and then applied matte coat to half wall, let dry and got back inside for full drying overnight
  • Time: 1hr

288.09 cut and store downed trees

  • got two small downed trees behind yurts done: one hauled off for dead/crap stuff, and other one apart for use in burning
  • Time: 0.75hrs

213.06 deck: railing

  • began marking posts ends for re-cutting the 45
  • Time: 0.5hrs

213.50 construct power house

  • blocking in, except for missing pc and few nails need chris' assistance
  • Time: 1.75hrs

10/23/07 - Tuesday

Notes:

  • cloudy, drizzly.

213.50 construct power house

  • retrieved extra 14.5" blocking, looked thru notes + plans to find out what size was sposd to be, marked for cutting
  • Time: 0.25hrs

213.06 deck: railing

  • marked post ends
  • Time: 0.5hrs

288.09 cut and store downed trees

  • found new use for ratchet straps... used to bundle the kindling pile and carry down to wc.
  • Time: 0.25hrs

213.17 construct walls 20'

  • sanding of walls, the frustrating bevel/groove, including the boards for half wall.
  • Half wall in place, standing and attached.
  • Wiped the recently sanded walls.
  • Time: 2hrs

742.00 JaBoSTH

  • got scraps outta wheelbarrow and turned over. Started raking to do step work, and it began raining, so only 5min really, so time tracked with this.
  • Time: 0.25hrs

213.68 Walls - 20' yurt: apply finish

  • woohoo! Finally getting to this. Used rest of polyureseal in can to work on aspen tops and top moulding.
  • Time: 2hrs

10/24/07 - Wednesday

Notes:

  • rainy cold yuck. Eventually got up to 50f. Very different than yesterday's 70+! Argh.

213.36 site cleanup

  • raking wet leaves off walkway and by deck.
  • Time: 0.25hrs

213.52 construct south side stairs

  • raked leaves away and started digging/shaping ground
  • Time: 0.25hrs

303.16 repairs woody walkway

  • digging, working on 1st step. Had to get a huge rock out. Uncovered something large white...eek, hope not a dangerous fungus type thing. A small tree trunk is in way. Am leaving other large rock for chris to crowbar out
  • Time: 1hrs

213.68 Walls - 20' yurt: apply finish

  • crosswise moldings all done, started doing vertical boards in closet.
  • Time: 4hrs

10/25/07 - Thursday

Notes:

  • cleared up and sunny. Yeah. Cold when sun gone, but still... Nice.

288.09 cut and store downed trees

  • cass takes branches off tree that fell down across park ave, breaks branches down, and moves trunk off to side (is still partly in ground)
  • Time: 0.5hrs

213.50 construct power house

  • hand-sawed the final pc of blocking, coated w/watershield and, later, installed.
  • Time: 0.75hrs

213.52 construct south side stairs

  • cardboard off footings, digging done, more dirt carted over and added, some rock positioning, foot tamping... And, voila... Is ready for chris to tamp.
  • Time: 1.25hrs

213.74 US: shape ground and lay gravel

  • continued digging raking, ready for tamping
  • Time: 0.5hrs

303.16 repairs woody walkway

  • Time: 0.25hrs

213.36 site cleanup

  • cleanup in sealing screenhouse. Leaf blowing to clear deck, and also steep part of woody walkway.
  • Time: 0.75

10/26/07 - Friday

Notes:

  • 'Tis a PAG of a morning.
  • Chris notes the water level in the reservoir is rising.

303.16 Repair Woody Walkway

  • tamp, tamp, tamp
  • time: 0.25 hrs

213.74 Utility Shed: shape ground and lay gravel

  • tamp, tamp, tamp
  • time: 0.5 hrs

213.52 Construct South-side Stairs

  • tamp, tamp, tamp
  • time: 0.25 hrs

852.22 Ghetto us some water

  • time: 0.5 hrs

213.36 site cleanup

  • Chris preps for Saturday's trash/recycling run, then does some leaf-raking.
  • time: 1.0 hrs

306.01 Cass tasks

  • time: 0.25 hrs

325.02 Baking Soda Shrooms

  • time: 0.25 hrs

213.36 site cleanup

  • raked leaves away from north side deck, off woody walkway and woody way path.
  • Time: 0.5hrs

303.16 repairs woody walkway

  • top step shaped a bit more, lightly tamped ala cass - who shouldnt be using the tamper, but wanted to proceed. Borax and gravel down.
  • Time: 0.5hrs

213.74 US: shape ground and lay gravel

  • got dirt pile from up by stairs, corrected slope. Might be good enough.
  • Time: 0.5hrs

213.52 construct south side stairs

  • got clover and light layer gravel down
  • Time: 0.5hrs

288.09 cut and store downed trees

  • since was dry yest, and some sun this morn, and supposed to rain tonight... Got the now presumably dry, and soon to be wet (if nothing done to it), bunch of branches from up top taken apart.
  • worked at PH cleaning up mike's cutting, and all kinds of old stuff, yucky yucky.
  • Time: 1.5hrs

10/27/07 - Saturday

Notes:

  • Chris goes on a mass trash/recycling run
  • Rain pours down on YIPPEEland

275.04 Materials Transport

  • Chris preps IKEA lighting for transport.
  • time: 15 min

742.00 JaBoSTH

  • C&C make reflextix boot-sock inserts to keep their feets warm on the cold floor.
  • time: 30 min

213.68 walls, 20' yurt, apply finish

  • Cass continues...
  • time: 4 hrs

213.09 Electrical Rough-In

  • Chris wires half wall
  • time: 3.75 hrs

213.17 Construct Walls, 20'

  • Chris finishes corner moulding.
  • Cass starts figgerin' out corner moulding install.
  • time: 2.25 hrs

10/28/07 - Sunday

Notes:

  • Chris was up and raring to go at 6:30 am, which turned out to be 7:30 am as his Palm Pilot had automatically adjusted for Daylight Savings based on the old schedule.

213.09 Electrical Rough-In

  • Chris carries IKEA lighting up to the MLA.
  • Then he works on under-platform wiring. And discovers a lack of 14/3 wire. D'oh!
  • Later Chris starts wiring light switches.
  • time: 5.75 hrs

306.01 cass tasks

  • time: 30 min

213.52 Construct South side stairs

  • C&C put joists in place
  • time: 30 min
  • time: 3.75 hrs

213.74 Utility Shed: shape ground and lay gravel

  • C&C work on groundcloth install
  • time: 3 hrs

213.17 Construct Walls, 20'

  • time: 2.25 hrs

213.68 Walls 20' yurt apply finish

  • time: 15 min

288.08 S&S Firewood

  • time: 1/2 hr

10/29/07 - Monday

Notes:

  • morning temps: outside@22F, inside@42F. Cass spends first couple hours working on getting warm. Doesn't take off the second sweatshirt, and add'l heavy pants layer for several hrs.

213.74 US: shape ground and lay gravel

  • emptied several buckets gravel, more rock work, middle section has a good start
  • Time: 1hrs

213.17 construct walls

  • half wall work. Wallboards fit and finagled and on. Bottom moulding cut, fit, finagled and on. Top moulding in progress.
  • Time: 4hrs

213.36 site cleanup

  • leaf blowing and raking
  • Time: 0.5hrs

288.09 cut and store downed trees

  • got some bigger dried branches from pile cut while ago, and carried some cut sections down from up top.
  • more cutting off big tree near PH.
  • Time: 1hrs

10/30/07 - Tuesday

288.09 cut and store downed trees

  • worked at PH, collecting and cutting apart what was cut and let fall last evening(due to it getting dark).
  • Started trying to collect and organize and figure out mess of cutting above US. Grrrr. Aggravating that work done is creating more work!
  • Time: 1hrs

213.17 construct walls

  • two corner moldings up and planing for third started
  • Time: 4hrs

213.74 US: shape ground and lay gravel

  • put all rest of avail gravel down w/anchoring edge rocks
  • Time: 1hrs

213.12 utility shed built

  • got measurements for blocking and marked scraps that were sitting inscreenhouse.
  • Carried some joists over and got in, remembering not to use too much force as platform is precarious on scraps
  • Time: 0.5hrs

10/30/07 - Tuesday

Notes:

288.09 cut and store downed trees

  • worked at PH, collecting and cutting apart what was cut and let fall last evening(due to it getting dark).
  • Started trying to collect and organize and figure out mess of cutting above US. Grrrr. Aggravating that work done is creating more work!
  • Time: 1hrs

213.17 construct walls

  • two corner moldings up and planing for third started
  • Time: 4hrs

213.74 US: shape ground and lay gravel

  • put all rest of avail gravel down w/anchoring edge rocks
  • Time: 1hrs

213.12 utility shed built

  • got measurements for blocking and marked scraps that were sitting inscreenhouse.
  • Carried some joists over and got in, remembering not to use too much force as platform is precarious on scraps
  • Time: 0.5hrs

10/31/07 - Wednesday

288.09 cut and store downed trees

  • kindling pile from PH added to (from up in tree) and hauled down to PA w/ratchet strap help. Got a larger chunk off ground.
  • More work on trees up above US. Grrr.
  • Time: 0.75hrs

213.17 construct walls

  • last corner moulding on.
  • Half wall moulding all on. Sanded and cleaned up. Woohoo.
  • Time: 5.25hrs

213.12 utility shed built

  • more joists in, gotta leave rest for doing with Chris
Project YIPPEE - An Adventure in Safe Living
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