Our version of retirement: Living a childhood dream

Been the summer of the roof
I
Hate
Building
Roofs (rooves?)

Needful things they are
Nothing redeemable though
No beauty
Ugly can happen, however, and rather easily

The aged RV was first
Didn’t care to erect a garage
Not worth the investment
Designed a light web like structure (engineering marvel) of 2x2s to just rest on the beast
Laid metal on that
Plan on nylon rope to hold down what could become a metal sail if the perfect storm happens
Will install soffits in a bit
Heh, the thing now looks like it’s wearing some sorta party hat
for it’s last hurrah
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I hope a tree falls on it so I can look caringly at my woman and helplessly shrug, then hold her in my arms, patting (hiding an evil grin)

Moved on to the well house
I contended with a short hut like structure for two winters
Built it in a rush tween building the second (main) cabin
Of which was a real rush to have a place to live
This winter I will;
stroll inside
switch propane tanks
fire up the genny
draw water
all while standing fully erect (much like modern man)

I’ve come to the conclusion our sea container is gonna be a long living unsightly fixture in my forest haven, so decided to use it for wunna the walls

Anyway, I’m not thrilled with it
But not entirely unhappy, either
Gonna use cedar fencing for board and bat siding
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In a nutshell, this aged critter has toiled most the summer with regard to winter, and with dogged determination to completely rid any forest feng shui I’ve been able to retain up to this point

Next
A ‘thing’ that will keep snow off the truck while mothballed for winter
Maybe a crude A frame ‘roof’ (there’s that word again)
Maybe a hoop affair
Whatever it is, it’s not gonna cost much and will be easily torn down come spring

Tired
Quite tired
And sore
Next summer, a roof for the container

Keep a fire
 

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"Pristine" would describe your pictures best, Gary! Everything looks so clean and inviting. Maybe you just keep your lens clean???? How do you get all your building materials on site?:confused: Be careful not to fall of the "roof"! Can't wait to see more.....but gladly will.
 
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How do you get all your building materials on site?:confused: Be careful not to fall of the "roof"! Can't wait to see more.....but gladly will.


Home Dopey is an inviting 50 mi down the path

I'll post some words/pics on the shop build
of which I did have a close call (reverse swan dive off the roof)

I do plan on local wood, stacked, dried from an Alaskan saw mill for what I'll call our 'house'
Live edge stuff
In my mind it'll be 600 sf or less, with a wrap around (some covered, screened) deck
There'll be one main room
kitchen and chopping island one side
couches and easy chairs the other
and
the bedroom
with huge windows
heck
it'll all have huge windows
anybody see us nekid, well, that'll prolly be their last visit
what has been seen cannot be unseen
 

Just gonna do a little pictorial
maybe some words
Questions/comments always welcome

the shop;

needed a place to put my tools
put up wunna those tent things
it survived the first of winter
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even a fallen tree
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then
deep winter happened
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I engineered the internal structure with anything skinny and long to just git thru winter
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that next spring
the shop
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I enjoy all your photos and posts. Reminds me of my camping days long ago. But not in the winter! :)
Winter
is the most fun
the most challenging
it's not for the faint of heart
hardly (at times) even for us with a crazier appetite (heh heh)
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but
you look at what's needed
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and
git to work

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sometimes it's best to just hunker in...cuddle
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(yes, that's a jeep under there)



sometimes ya have to git out in it
a bit of a mental psych up
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had a tussle with a bear once

once
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Juuust kidding
(cut/paste is my other favorite winter time enjoyment)
 
Cupple things, Gary....were you a builder by trade, before you "retired"? When does Winter show up and settle in? Have you ever played santa Claus? Your pictures are a joy to behold...thanks!
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Cupple things, Gary....were you a builder by trade, before you "retired"? When does Winter show up and settle in? Have you ever played santa Claus? Your pictures are a joy to behold...thanks!
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HAH!

I do considerable cut/paste of my mug various places, and santy has been one from time to time...
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No, just started butchering wood early on with my Handy Andy Tool kit (I so loved that Christmas gift)
I'll talk about that later on
Was able to saw one leg off the kitchen table before they could stop me

Winter will commence in early Nov
Oct is not heard of
Sept has been gracious but temps git into the high twenties eventide



Our main (living) cabin this morn
started a little fire to take the chill off
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Hey Gary, haven't heard from you in awhile....guess you've been a busy beaver. How's your 'tune' about living the off grid life coming along? :confused: Hope all's well!:)
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Gary, I love your sweet cabin with the bamboo. Do you think any low shrubbery would grow around the base?

Now, do you have enough storage for food & medicines? I'd love to see how that's worked out.

How is your phone signal out there?
 
Hey Gary, haven't heard from you in awhile....guess you've been a busy beaver. How's your 'tune' about living the off grid life coming along? :confused: Hope all's well!:)
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I’ve been good
Good and busy
Still time to catch a rise;

They seem to catch me
In my bed shorts and boots
Time is rather fleeting for the good ones
They give you much
Then
They’re gone
Never to be quite the same
It’s a romance
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Gary, I love your sweet cabin with the bamboo. Do you think any low shrubbery would grow around the base?

Now, do you have enough storage for food & medicines? I'd love to see how that's worked out.

How is your phone signal out there?

No bamboo
Please show where you think you see bamboo and I’ll explain
So far, the ‘shubbery’ is wild currents
Tried a shot at Oregon Grape
It’s touch and go
Medicine; Glenmorangie
Food is just 50 mi south
Winter 50 mi is a tad further
And not so often
Hopefully every month
Pushed it once
Got caught
I’m a good driver
A very good driver
However
Nobody
Nobody is even a bad driver in a couple inches of ice
Didn’t realize a colon could actually rip the fabric off a driver’s seat
 
My last project was building a decent well house
Not unhappy with it
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Found the ‘door handle’ in a kindling pile
ripped a flat to fit the door
hit the ends with a dremel flap wheel
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Ahhh, THAT bamboo
Yeah, we needed sumpm to shade the mornin’ sun a bit
The nice thing about those is, one can still see out quite well when they are down
So we leave ‘em down
 
I get a notification from time to time
Some mighty nice remarks, they are
Don’t quite know what to do with ‘em since there seems to not be a place to respond

So
I’ll say it here

Thank you
One remark contained the words ‘you must be proud’
Nada
That feeling has yet to occur

Happy
Yes

Content
Sometimes

Proud?
Too many humbling events during projects for that to happen
And if I’m lucky enough to git thru a project unscathed, there’s always the spectre of a large tree wiping out whatever structure I just built

No, never proud

Thankful
Is a better word

and again, thank you guys for the nice words

 
Congratulations Gary on your adventure into cabin living.
I have lived in my off grid cabin 14 years and also have a Honda for my back up power but also use solar panels and a battery bank to power what little electricity I need. From what you have written I take it you have company there and you are fortunate to find a like minded spirit to share your adventure. I have lived alone for the 14 years with the nearest neighbor being almost two miles down the mountain and town is 65 miles away. I wish all the best in your walk down this new part of your life's road. The photograph is me in front of my cabin with my short wave tower in the background.
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Congratulations Gary on your adventure into cabin living.
I have lived in my off grid cabin 14 years and also have a Honda for my back up power but also use solar panels and a battery bank to power what little electricity I need. From what you have written I take it you have company there and you are fortunate to find a like minded spirit to share your adventure. I have lived alone for the 14 years with the nearest neighbor being almost two miles down the mountain and town is 65 miles away. I wish all the best in your walk down this new part of your life's road. The photograph is me in front of my cabin with my short wave tower in the background.
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Hi Pete

looks like Alaska

How far north?
 


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