Lovely Life

Lovely Life

I have been working my tail off on the roof. With the four dedicated days a week I try and work on it, I was able to get the roof rafters in, it all sheathed, the sky lights framed in and cut out, and the whole roof papered... The next step will be metal roofing, flashing sky lights and getting them in. Once I get the roof done I can move on to covering the walls and putting the windows in. How exciting!!! In case any of you wondered who my valentine is this year, it was my house. :) I have been very fortunate to spend time with lovely friends lately, but at the end of the day, when my kids are off visiting their Dad, I am devoting my time attention and love to my home, it's so romantic. 

On Sunday, I had planned to climb a mountain, but instead I hopped a ride with a friend out to the coast. When someone has a dream, sometimes you just go with it... :) The ocean always calls me. It has been so nice to be disconnected lately. Still without a phone for now...

At any rate, I have enjoyed being present with people around me. Working hard on my house, without the distraction of a phone to slow me down and take me off task. I have had very few pictures of the building process in the last few weeks. My Mom has taken a few pictures that I got off her phone, yay! Thanks Mom!

I got the opportunity to get out to Port Townsend twice last week to collect some things for my house... I got a few port holes and a captains wheel for the kids room, some hinges, and some great ideas. We got some of the things at a marine exchange there, it is a store front down in the ship yard area where are the boats are being repaired. People just donate all of the ship stuff to them, and some guys sells the stuff. Nice business, eh? Anyway, the kids had a great time looking around at all the boats in dry dock. One old wooden ship was being repaired, and we watched the guy pound cotton in the cracks with a chisel, and he came and talked to us and educate us on some of the process. It was great, and very educational for the kids. We live in a place with lots and lots of water around, the ocean, the straights, rivers, lakes, canals... and we love boats.

Also, while I was adventuring out at the ocean I stumbled on an abandoned ranger station that had been pretty trashed and had lots of junk laying around. I walked through the house and found a nice camping pot, a few pulleys, a colorful crab trap float and a few round floats. Since it was only a day hike, I tied it all up on some rope and drug it out of there. I thought it would be fun to put a counter weighted pulley system going down from the boys loft with a float.

It is always nice to feel the energy of the ocean. I allowed it to flow through me and cleanse out some stagnant energy. After living away from the ocean back in college for 8 years, I have a lot of gratitude having the ocean so close. I really missed it during that time in my life, even though I lived on a lake.

There is a very rhythmic powerful pull and push that you can enjoy from the ocean, that not too many other things in life can offer. Its an opportunity to reset, to love where you are, and to appreciate the loving kind people around you. I haven't spent a lot of time single in my life, and I must say I am loving it. I have been so fortunate to have partners come and go that I have loved so much, and learned so much from. I also spend a lot of my time mothering and taking care of two sweet little boys. Having weekends free now has allowed time to be me, to work, to build my house, and to do things that really feed my soul. Being in nature, hiking, sitting at the ocean, beach combing, being around people that lift me up are what carry me through a fast paced week. 

Thanks to kind friends that have invited me out to golf, to shows, to dinner and dancing, fund raising events, dedicated songs to me ;);), gone on drives to the ferry with me, attending building expos, love my kids like their own while I work, driving around looking for things for my house, ocean trips, playing darts n pool, and lots of general adventuring... who needs valentines day when you appreciate having wonderful people in your life everyday? Cheers to great friends. And to continuing to work my ass of on this house. It's all coming together.

Getting Underway

We are getting started people. I am using this quarter inch ply wood to line the bottom of my trailer to hold up my insulation and water tubes... and it must be painted to protect it from the elements. So, here we are painting. Nick and Gibson both helped out, they are my 4 and 8 year old sons. Gibson used the paint brush to gob paint on the knots, and Nick and I rolled. It was a very enjoyable after dinner activity. And in the background you see all of the windows we have acquired for our tiny house build. A LOT of windows. I think our home will be primarily windows. I hope our neighbors are okay with nudity. LOL Or, I guess we can make some curtains.
I was in the process of planning where my windows would go in my house and ended up getting bored and parascoping. Do any of you know what that is? It is rather interesting. You basically allow people to watch what you are doing. I was talking about the tiny house for a while, then I made some earrings, and made some new friends.
I must admit... While I have this looming project I have been having fun at every opportunity! I must buckle down and build this house!!
Here is a picture of what I did on my Saturday night instead of building my house......

I attended a Scotch dinner and then went and partied with my friend in Seattle...in my defense, it was his birthday! Anyway, Ive got to get to the grind. The more excited I get about it, the easier it is to put my social life aside and build. But, because of the way I plan to build this house, my social life is somewhat important. I need to network and talk to others that have built things, and discuss the best possible way to do what I am doing. There are so many ways to build a tiny house. My take is to gather as many useful things around the community that I can, and make due with that and whatever else I can find from the Habitat store and the Around again Store... So far I am doing quite well! 

As always I am very grateful to those that offer help and supplies and emotional support! And morning snuggles. ;) My friend and family have been tremendous so far, and I know it will only get better the deeper we get into this project. 

I am keeping my sites on the finished product. And the ability to go and travel and have a home base. And a place to call our own. And a lifestyle that fits with our being. I can't wait!! In the meantime, we are having a blast camped out in my parents basement. Send us good energy as you read this. And if you live far away, I want to come visit you, as soon as this house is built. Experiences instead of things, thats what Im teaching my boys.