HooHa Adventures

October at the cabin is vibrant and colorful. Temperatures are cool, but still comfortable. A perfect time to work on getting the electricity to the cabin.

We dug a trench from the electrical panel in the shed, about 140 feet, to bury wire in conduit to the panel inside the cabin.

From the inside, the wire and conduit was directed through the crawl space and up through the floor to the cabin electrical panel. (It helps to have a budding electrician in the family!!) We hooked up one breaker and outlet and some string lights to test.

Then we ran all the wires, light switches, outlets throughout the interior. We added a back porch light for ambiance.

We had some work commitments, so headed home late Saturday. Returned 5 days later to finish up some details and close everything up for winter.

We had a short list: install temporary lights where ceiling fans, vanity lights and dining room chandelier will eventually live; install dimmer switches, vent fans and create drywall backers.

We also needed to frame up a small closet in the guest room, frame a taller wall for a proper stair railing, and caulk the tops of some of the windows

The entire house was cleaned and arranged and all necessary materials put away and taken home. We disassembled the scaffolding, readying the place for the first snowfall.

Last, but not least, we winterized the camper for another season. It’s been a nice way to work on the cabin while staying close.

As the last of the autumn leaves fall, we say goodbye for another year. Hopefully next fall, we will be able to stay in the cabin, and maybe look forward to enjoying some winter adventures! Hooha!! J&M

Since the last post, progress was made on the concrete garage pad. A local contractor did a superb job setting the foundation for our future attached garage.

We headed up for the long weekend with the intention of getting some siding done. With just two of us, and Rocky, the plan included scaffolding and communication.

Before setting up scaffolding, we had to remove some lower siding from the front to install a ledger board to attach the future front porch to the front of the house. With the concrete garage pad, we also had a change of plans to do a full covered porch.

Scaffolding assembled and we were siding, as long as the weather would let us.

When it rained, we went indoors. We installed a pocket door for the downstairs bathroom/laundry room to maximize space and allow a shower as well.

We framed the second floor, creating a large bathroom, and two bedrooms: one large primary bedroom and a smaller guest bedroom. The original plan was for three bedrooms, but once we framed the space, we thought that we would love both sunrise and sunset views.

When the sun came out, we sided. One of us had the job of climbing on the scaffolding, the other executed the precision cuts. (Take a guess who did each job… )

We had the added challenge of adding headers for the front porch roof. These treated 12 foot 2x8s were heavy, requiring two of us on scaffolding to hold and install. The first went well. The second slipped as we were leaning, crunching J’s left thumb. Ouch!!! After a night’s sleep, we decided to install braces to give ourselves leverage when putting up the higher header.

Our final day was mostly dry, which allowed us to use up all the full pieces of fiber cement siding. 2/3 of the exterior cabin complete!!

We cleaned up the site, packed up our tools, and headed back to our lives. It was a very good weekend. Next trip, hopefully electrical, and any further siding will need a cherry picker rental to reach the peaks. Hooha!! J+M

Week 4 began with getting the roof finished with soffits and fascia. The original idea was to have grey soffits to match the roof, but due to supply shortages, we opted to match the soffits to the trim color.

Before more help arrived, siding was started solo, meaning, as far as J could reach.

One purchase that proved to be essential was a pair of Gecko Gauges. These are designed for fiber cement board siding installation to help set the boards perfectly on each row, and acts as an extra set of hands when nailing full 12 foot pieces.

With help arriving, we quickly got to work back to the siding. One to cut, one to install and one to operate the telehandler.

We run a tight ship, but all crews need breaks. We had an opportunity to do a bit of biking as well as some kayaking and fishing at McComb Lake down the road.

By the end of the Saturday, we had accomplished our goal of completing one full side.

With friend leaving Sunday morning, that left time to paint doors, install hardware and contemplate house colors.

After locking up, we cleaned the site and closed up camp. Telehandler was picked up. The concrete for the attached garage pad will be poured when the weather is drier, later this month. Second floor framing and more siding will be attacked in the next few visits this fall.

In one month, we removed and reinstalled subfloor, framed a whole house exterior and first floor interior, installed roof, soffits and fascia, built stairs, installed windows and doors, arranged concrete contractor for garage pad, and sided 1 and 1/2 sides with fiber cement siding. All of this was made possible by extreme planning, reviewing construction methods, project management, budgeting, and the invaluable help of family and a handful of good friends. Time to go home for a rest!!! Hooha!! J + M

After the handoff, there was some time for fun. Almost daily bike rides, exploring the beautiful groomed trails in the area, helped balance the work load.

Working with a friend who could handle heavy equipment made putting windows in quite easy.

Doors were then put in.

Roofers arrived and sheeting went up

In order to have concrete pad poured for attached garage, a couple of stumps needed to be removed.

While we had the excavator, we decided to move some boulders as well.

All in all, a very productive week, sprinkled with a bit of fun. Next week, goals are to get roof completed, concrete pad started or scheduled, second floor framing and siding started. A few days alone, then will be joined by another friend as well as M to help tie loose ends and get to a good stopping point. Hooha!!

Each morning, we start the day with percolated coffee, listening to the local FM station with a happy selection of pop music and weather every 10 minutes. “Chance of showers” it says. Time to get the cabin ready to roof.

With the roofers coming a week early to install the metal roof, the final item on the ‘to do’ list is to transfer all the framing lumber to the second floor.

With a good part of the afternoon ahead of us, we enjoyed a bike ride, ice cream and yummy dinner. As we retire for the night, we hear rumbling in the distance. “Chance of showers”, we remember. We cover all the saws, get the tools from the second floor and under cover.

At 1:30am, we hear a crash in the distance, along with the sounds of steady rain. J takes the flashlight to the house, expecting to see a bear or deer crashing around the first floor, knocking over windows. Luckily, all is intact, but an inch of water in the crawl space and everything wet. After going back to bed, thinking the worst was over, we both wake up at 6:30 with continuous rain flooding our new construction.

With barely a sip of coffee to fuel us, we go into save mode, gathering up soaked screw boxes, random tools and getting them into the dry shed. We assess our option, and get crucial lumber into the empty trailer. We look at the tarps we took off the original foundation and decide we have enough to cover the trusses. For today’s fun activity, we decide to go up in a metal basket above the roof, on wet trusses with a wet vinyl tarps, and get the cabin dried in.

With that excitement over, we wait for the changing of the guard, as most of us go home to jobs and responsibilities and J staying put with a little help from his friends. Stay tuned…

With the first week behind us, we needed to focus on the details. With the trusses in place, we could cut the windows out of the Force Shield OSB, making it look less like an artistic grey cube, and more like a cabin in the woods.

Next, we had to clean the site, move lumber piles and dig a trench to the new location for the propane tank.

Unless we wanted to climb up and down ladders, the stairs were next. At $40 per 2×12, measure 4 times, cut once.

Lastly, all seams were taped and windows prepped.

Progressing nicely, slightly ahead of schedule, with the help of family and a couple friends. Teamwork makes the dream work. Hooha!! J&M

On Day 1, 3 of us travelled to the cabin site, loaded up with tools and supplies. Upon arriving, we set up camp in an RV which would serve as our home base.

Day 2 served as tearing off the punky subfloor and setting up tools. Day 3 was Delivery Day: all the lumber, and telehandler to facilitate the build.

Subfloor was replaced and walls framed.

Second story building started on Day 5, with the help of heavy equipment and friends.

More troops arrived to the site on Day 6, just in time to nourish the hungry builders.

Trusses were the plan on Day 7. This required using the telehandler, ropes and a good deal of prayer.

After a very long, and hardworking day by all, we had all trusses up without a trip to the ER.

It has been a very productive first week of cabin building! Dreams + hard work + patience = THIS!! Hooha!!

After several years of fits and starts, we finally decided to build that cabin. We got the process started in 2017 by clearing out trees, and then in 2018, building the foundation.

After 2 years of weather, despite tarping and covering the subfloor, this year, all of it had to be removed.

The cabin planning has been a meticulous process. Prior to committing to a diy project such as this, every detail must be considered.

To choose to build in 2021 meant to swallow a triple increase in lumber prices. Lumber was ordered early, as were trusses, with costs much higher than anticipated when the planning began. We chose a start date to spend 4 weeks building in July 2021. Lumber was ordered from local sources and delivered to the site during the first couple of days. Windows and doors were ordered from home, and transported. Headers were built at home to save space in the trailer.

With all the preparations in place, the building can begin!! Hooha!! J&M

2020. Unprecedented times. When we posted last, at the beginning of March, we had just had our trailer stolen from our driveway. At the time, it seemed like a significant event, one that would perhaps define 2020 for us. Within 2 weeks from that post, the world would never be the same.

School went remote. We cancelled patients and for the first time in my 24 years of practicing as a physical therapist, I did not treat more than a handful of patients for 6-8 weeks. Jeff was temporarily shuttered from handyman work as people were nervous of the unknown. Essential travel only was encouraged. The roads were eerily quiet. We made meals at home and baked sourdough bread.

We learned to use Zoom and Teams for meetings and collaboration. High school via Zoom became ‘normal’. The teachers did a great job and learning actually continued. At work, we completed projects in record time: projects that would not have been addressed without a pandemic break in regularly scheduled programming. Projects that will help us grow and flourish. We needed to give the field a break from the plants for it to regenerate the soil for future crops. Projects at home were addressed.

It has been a strange spring. But with warmer temperatures, the world began to bloom and life got back to a new normal. Work resumed with masks. Churches opened back in person with social distancing. Shops started to open, and many stayed closed, possibly for good. People continue to choose carryout over dine in. Walmart and Kroger are no longer 24 hours. We smile at one another under three layers of cotton fabric. Hooha 2020. Hooha.

It has been a long time since we wrote a blog. Frankly, life got in the way and plans changed. In the last post, we were starting to build our cabin.

Last summer, we checked on the foundation, retarped, checked the sump and called it good. So, what happened?

Firstly, we took a little trip with friends.

We had an 8th grade graduation trip to Cedar Point.

And we managed to find time to move into a little ‘project house’.

When you move into a Fixer Upper, focus changes. Cash flowing a house project requires perseverance. S#%t happens. Sometimes you think you will just need to paint a room, and then it becomes a big project full of squirrel nests.

Sometimes a Facebook marketplace bargain door turns into a porch project, and more building permits.

Each step of the process has it’s own challenges. This week, someone decided to help themselves to our trailer, which was just sitting in the driveway.

Why they would choose our locked trailer, from our driveway, in the middle of the day is baffling. It now just makes us have to pause, redirect efforts, deal with insurance and rearrange previously made plans. S#%t happens.

The cabin will happen. Just not today, and probably not this year. And more s#%t WILL happen, but, we’ve got this.