This COVID-19 virus is wreaking havoc on so many people’s lives. I am personally ready for the world to go back to normal, to be able to be social again, and to feel zero stress/concern for my in-laws when going to work or just running to the grocery store. It’s crazy how many different aspects of our lives have been altered.
On the bright side however, we have been able to make leaps and bounds on the Cabin with all of Husband’s time off. Last weekend was eight more weekends until the move in date (June 1st), which would’ve made this weekend seven in the countdown. Due to the corona virus however, our two weekend getaways were cancelled! So now we’ve been thrown backwards in time to nine weekends left before the highly anticipated move in date!
This week started out with something I’ve been waiting months for. We put the LOFT in. I can hardly believe it’s already that point in the project. “Already” – pssshh – listen to me minimizing the 16(?) months we’ve been in progress (much to my constant frustration!). Regardless, the loft going in made the whole project finally seem worth all of our ongoing effort.
We had to make sure the logs supporting the loft were all supported all the way down to the concrete and then seal in any gaps between logs before we could build the loft. Once that was done, we just had to put up a bunch of hangers and then hang the joists! After building the loft and putting in the floor joists, we were able to get a few boards of subfloor in all on the same day! Much thanks to the help of Husband and FIL. I definitely would not have been capable of most of the work. I did hammer in a TON of nails, my arm felt like jello by the end of the day. It was such an exciting and momentous accomplishment.
The following day we started off with finishing up the subfloor upstairs (though there aren’t actual stairs to the “upstairs” yet – much to Maverick’s frustration). And then we worked on building the downstairs bathroom walls. This was yet another project that made the Cabin really start to feel live-able. And another project we could do in just one day, with some spare time for Husband to work on his new mountain bike trail down our 3 acre parcel (his new hobby).
After we got the bathroom walls built it was time to put the breaker box in its forever home. We’ve (Husband) had to move it three(?) times throughout this project and have been temporarily wiring and rewiring it in throughout. Now that its home wall was finally built, it finally got to be put to bed and wired in with conduit and everything so we (hopefully) never have to mess with it again!
Once the breaker box had a forever home, we got right to work wiring a few outlets for the future living room so we could continue to use power tools (and have MUSIC) while we work! Now, floors and lofts and framed walls are amazing and all, but outlets. Now there’s a way to make a place feel homey!
So then we moved upstairs and framed in our 1/2 bath walls and closet walls. The loft is going to be a little short for very (very) tall Husband, but we figure it won’t be our forever bedroom as we plan to do an addition to encompass kids in the (near?) future.
The next day I, and I do mean I, installed and wired our first to lights in the Cabin!!! Husband was doing some other mildly important plumbing and water lines up to the loft 1/2 bath. But I got to say, “let there be light!!” (after Husband wired the wire into the breaker box, I’m too chicken for that – yet). I don’t know if you can tell, but I was quite impressed with myself.
So then, I was all confident with my wiring skills, I installed and wired in the downstairs bathroom lights and switch. Which worked perfectly. Of course. And as I was on a roll, we moved upstairs and Husband helped me wire in the closet light and switch, the bathroom light and switch, as well as a fan and switch, and an outlet. Then we put in floor outlets for bedside tables (so we wouldn’t have to put any in the logs upstairs).
We have so much more to do, but most important on the list is definitely finishing the exterior chinking. It’s been raining and cold for months (which is not optimal for the chinking to set), but this week it’s supposed to be warm(ish) and dry!! So we’re going to try to get as far as we can on (finally) drying the place in. So maybe the next post won’t have quite so many pictures. Or maybe there’ll be more of the goats, chickens, ducks, Korben (WHO?!), Maverick, and Oliver. We’ll see! Wish us luck, the chinking project will be a monster of an endeavor.
The Homestead Journey 
Loving the pictures and knowing you are healthy and busy.
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