Deck Roof, broken leg, packrat

Charles working on the roof over part of the deck.

First section out of three almost finished.

Deck and first section of roof finished.

So, just when we were going good on the deck, we had some really strange luck. First, Charles stepped wrong a board while working on the roof over the deck and fell off the deck onto the ground, putting out a couple of rib ends and getting a bit scratched and bruised. Then his leg got broken while cutting firewood with some friends when a large 3' round they rolled down the hill took a wierd bounce up into the trailer where he had jumped to get out of its way and he ended up in surgery with a tibial plateau fracture (see photo). A couple of weeks later we rolled our car while on the way home from a friend's house up in the mountains (luckily our gaurdian angels were on duty, and we only got a few cuts and bruises, amazingly). So the "three bad luck" incidents have happened and we shouldn't be having any more. In the meantime, Charles has been unable to halp me with the house, so we have been extremely grateful with all the family members and friends who have shown up to help us. Thanks, guys (and gals)!!!!

Charles' scar after six weeks.

Charles couldn't make it up the stairs for several weeks, so we set up a bed downstairs for him.

Trimming one of the trees that my sister Carol and I peeled with drawknives to use as poles around the deck. Carol watching as Charles' sister Darcie and her husband Bill (who came all the way from Utah to help us) secure one of the poles. Darcie and Bill putting up the floor joists for the upper deck. One day my brother Paul came over and helped me put up the roof joists for the upper deck rooms so I could begin work on the roof.

So, one night we were awakened in the middle of the night by some of the keys on the piano downstairs playing (kinda freaky, actually). So the next morning I went down and opened up the front panel, and out jumped this big ol' packrat! She had carted off some of the tomatoes, cucumbers, and apples that we had stored downstairs (where it is cooler) and stored them inside the piano, and had pulled out some of the fiberglass insulation we had in the walls and began making a nest. We borrowed a live rat trap from a friend and were eventually able to catch her. I have a soft heart when it comes to animals and didn't want to kill her, so I took her for a ride 30 miles away up in the mountains and let her go.

Freedom! Putting away our winter's supply of firewood takes an awful lot of time!

Downstairs floor

We got some rough cut wood from a local mill owner, then planed it to use on our floor. Kyle is helping Charles here.

Phillip and I routing some wood planks. The routing bit broke, so we decided to use the routed wood for some of the walls and just used the plain planed wood for the floor. Phillip and Shawn routing.

Shawn helped level the dirt floor, and Phillip and Kyle helped place the plastic vapor barrier.

We used sawdust/wood shavings from the planed wood as insulation underneath part of the floor.

The floor is coming along nicely.

deck

Time to take down the "woodshed yurt," since it's empty, we don't need it since it's summer, we're building a new woodshed somewhere else, and we're going to build a "wrap-around" deck around the yurt right there.

Shawn, Joe, and Trazer folding up the lattice-work wall.

Starting on the first layer of the floor for the upper deck.

Charles nailing down the floor boards on the deck.

Me, trimming the edges.

We read on the internet about a man who used sheets painted with latex paint for a waterproof roof for his shed, and thought we'd try it out on our walls. Looks pretty funky befoe being painted.

Charles, painting the second coat.

Starting on the floor on the lower deck.

The floor is coming along.

more inside photos

Wall insulation

Ceiling insulation

Icicles outside the window

"Door" to keep the cold downstairs

Bedroom, bathroom wall (we use a sawdust toilet)

Bedroom, a few months later

Kitchen cabinet poles going up

Shelves going in

Shelves in use

More shelves added (lights hooked up now)

Charles napping

Entryway Dining table, storage on left

Bookcase

Solar batteries, removable panel

Solar batteries attached to inverter

Yurt -- no more photos for a few.

So . . . . I've misplaced my camera! (Again!) My sister, Laura, has an extra one she says she will lend me, but until then I won't be able to post any more photos. We have finished the insulation (crumpled newspaper in plastic bags) in the upstairs, and have the upstairs carpet down, and when I get a chance I'll post more photos.