Roof: Complete

Just in time for our June monsoons, the roofing on our house is complete, and we can welcome all of the moisture that Mother Nature can throw at us.  Back tracking just a little bit, I'll share some pictures from last fall, as we completed the insulation and tar paper that kept the house dry this winter.

Insulation panels were unloaded from the semi truck they arrived on, down the road from our property.  Jerry brought his bobcat, and Tanner had his truck and trailer ready.

Jerry, on the east deck roof on a snowy day.

Jerry and Charlie, ready for insulation panels.

Jerry; east roof nearly complete

Onto the dormers...

Roofing in between snow storms

We are grateful that the tar paper held up nicely this winter, and kept the inside of the house dry.  We were anxious to get the roofing complete this spring, being that we aren't the gambling type.

SPRING 2013

With sunshine and blue skies, Jerry and Kyle returned to start on fascia and trim to prepare for roofing.  Since our roofing insulation is 12 inches thick, the fascia is the trim to cover the insulation panels between the underside of the eave, and the roofing.  I didn't realize how unfinished the roof looked until this step was complete, and I'm amazed at how finished it looks.  Being a very visual human being, I can more clearly envision the overall appearance of our home.

Tanner and Kyle on the Genie lift, getting the knee brace in place.

                                                      

After many a discussion on what color our roof should be, we decided on forest green.  It will blend into our forest nicely, and it sure looks sharp.

All of the roofing panels loaded onto Tanner's trailer.

Fascia complete.

Panels on the dormer roofs.

Lifting panels onto the roof

In between rain showers, it all slowly came together.  The metal sheeting was beyond slippery with any kind of moisture or frost on it, so we did have a little bit of delay due to small snow and rain showers.

Complete roof, looking south.

Roof complete.

We are thrilled with the results of our finished roof, and glad to have that step behind us.  Let the spring rains resume!  Cheers!

Everybody poops!

The last patches of snow have melted to reveal tufts of Beargrass, and hasty piles of debris that accompanies a construction race against winter weather.  When we finished construction last winter, our last order of business was the roofing insulation and the tar paper which successfully kept the house dry through the winter and spring thaw.  We've slowly been cleaning up the piles, taking them to the dump, and at the same time, embarked on more destruction with the installation of the septic system.  Jardy, with Rocky Mountain Excavating, returned to dig the pit for the septic tank, and the drain field. 

Preparing  for the tank location, alongside another pile of scraps...

A trench was dug from the first floor of the house, east to the tank location.

Moose and I were watching from a safe location

 While Jardy dug the pit for the septic tank, Tanner was busy running Wall-E.  The view above shows where the drain field will be placed, to the left of the driveway.

Jardy, at the bottom of the pit; his dog, Mac, doesn't get too far from his, or the machine's side.

The truck arrived to deliver the septic tank.  I am always amazed at the skill of the drivers as they maneuver their giant trucks up our driveway in reverse.  It's definitely worth seeing!

 

Getting the tank lowered into place.





Meanwhile, we needed to continue with much more annihilation of our property in preparing the drain field. 
Our requirements for our septic design called for the drain field to have four trenches, three feet wide and 75 feet long.  Some drain fields vary in size due to drainage in the soil and slope of the landscape.  Ours seemed huge enough, as we had to take out quite a bit of vegetation and some really nice trees.  It was certainly a mournful situation to take down a happy, healthy tree, for the purpose of our septic system.  Oh well, I guess shit happens.

Once the trenches were the perfect dimensions, they were filled with rock, for the purpose of draining.

 Pipe was secured throughout the trench and drain field.

 Testing it all out.  We have our own Bellagio fountain!  If only I could get the streams to sway to Frank Sinatra...
Our inspection passed with flying colors, and we took a sigh of relief to have one inspection under our belts.  The trenches were then covered with more rock, and fabric to be back-filled.



 Now that we have declared a good portion of our property a disaster area, we look forward to sunny days ahead, cleaning up debris and cautiously helping to rehabilitate the marred ground which we've destroyed.  Spring truly is here, although as I write this, we are having our very own snow day, and white is accumulating everywhere.  I think I'll focus on nicer weather.... Cheers!

Valley view, sans snow

New Addition

After a long-awaited return to construction and progress on our building project, we have been busy getting tools, machinery and appliances ready for phase two of our exodus in home building.  Tanner returned from another successful Antarctic season, ready to tackle the task of beginning the years arrangements for construction.  The first order of business, was one that Tanner had spent a lot of time thinking about while he was out on the ice.  We had no way of clearing snow from our property, and this greatly concerned him, being that he isn't home when the majority of our snow falls in the winter.  This year, we had our neighbor take care of our plowing, and he did a great job; however, we wanted to be self-sufficient in this chore of home-ownership.  Tanner had researched various options, and decided on a walk-behind Bobcat, that would have different attachments for snow blower, scoop bucket, and forks for moving various earth and items in the construction and landscaping process, as well as annual snow removal.

Meet Wall-E, the newest member of our family; with the snow blower attachment

Scooping snow out of the way to move some tools...

Testing the snow blower

Adding forks to move machinery

Needless to say, Wall-E has come in handy in the construction process, but as we bought it used, Tanner spent quite a bit of time getting it cleaned and in optimum repair for use on our property.  Currently, it's as good as new, with all new fluids, and completely clean, ready for all we can throw at it for projects this year.  It's first chore was to move Tanner's joiner from the yurt to the house, so that Tanner could continue getting all of the tools ready for framing in walls for the house.

All of the saws, joiner, and planer, needed a little bit of TLC, and they were ready for action.

While Tanner was getting his arsenal of tools ready for the next phase of building, I was enjoying the other concern that filled his thoughts while thinking of our home while on the ice sheet in Antarctica...

 Yep, I've got my very own washing machine, and dryer!  No more trips to the laundromat for this girl.  I couldn't be more happy about it.  Our new set of twins live in the warm room of the yurt, in the 'basement', and they have made life so much easier, as anyone who has ever had to do all of their primary washing at the cleaners can attest to.

With all of our new added luxuries to the yurt we have had a few hurdles to overcome in our day to day yurt life.  We briefly had our hot water heater completely die on us.  We were able to get it replaced, and only had to make do without it for a few days.  The compost toilet has been giving us some grief.  Tanner was advised, by another manufacturer of composting toilets, that the SunMar toilet didn't really compost, and we are finding out first-hand that he was right.  We have been trying to figure the science behind what will make all of the waste break down properly, and we haven't found the magic formula yet.   That being said, do not purchase a SunMar composting toilet!  If you must do a composting system, go with a Phoenix, otherwise, go for the old-fashioned pit toilet:  it's much better that dealing with it first-hand, literally.

Overall, as spring nips at our heals, and the lovely blanket of snow reveals a lot of mud, and all of the construction mess that was left from last fall, I look back at our winter in the yurt as an incredibly comfortable one.  Winter 2013 in Montana was impossibly mild, and when we predicted the looks of our firewood pile this last fall, we were sure that we would be cutting more wood when Tanner returned in February.  As it turned out, we didn't even get through a cord of wood by that time, and we are looking comfortable for the remainder of spring with the original pile.  The yurt stayed comfortably warm, and I'm glad I spent so much of my free time insulating it this fall!  Here's to an early start on firewood for next year, and welcoming sunshine for spring!
Cheers!

Tranquil January

With 2013 underway and in full swing, I have enjoyed nearly an entire month of solitude and peacefulness at our home.  December was full of deadlines and preparations for not only our house, which we wanted to have dried-in before winter hit in full force, but also for Tanner's absence in the month of January this year.  When Tanner isn't completely immersed in building our house, and helping to care for our yurt, he travels to Antarctica, and places like it, to drill ice core samples for scientific research.  When he isn't working in the field, he designs, engineers, and helps maintain new and existing drills used for such work.  Tanner loves his work and enjoys traveling to such a special place, for such interesting projects.



This being said, I have been left to hold down the yurt while he is away this year.  Compared to most years, this has been a short season, and as busy as our year has been, we have anticipated a shorter absence.  Some have asked why we wouldn't want to live in the yurt for a longer period of time than one year; take our time building the house.  Well, the fact that I run the show solo while Tanner is away, would be the main reason why.  Tanner and I both, were looking forward to a month or so away from the frenzy of construction on the house, anxious for some time to reflect, relax, and maybe even do some playing in the snow.

Our barometer, showing a storm's arrival

Buddy, Chilko, and Moose, on our ski in the woods

Winter arrived in full force, and my free time was soon gobbled up by shoveling snow, hauling firewood, raking snow from shed roofs on the house and the roof of the yurt, building fires, and thankfully, skiing with the dogs for dual exercise and therapy sessions.  Mind you, this is all on top of regular chores, including laundry at the laundromat, and cleaning up after three very large dogs.  This also means, ladies and gentlemen, that all spiders have been killed by yours truly.  Just in case I had a moment to plan anything too relaxing or extra curricular, a whole garden of issues have sprouted up over the last couple of weeks, which have called my attention, including but not limited to, a fender bender with my neighbor, a clogged shower drain, and a nasty flu bug that has been trying to wear down my immune system.

Moose and Chilko

As I look back on all of these things that have filled my last four weeks to the brim, I am exhausted, but also so proud of myself.  I dealt with all of these things.  By myself.  I won't deny that I had my fair share of phone calls to family, and from Tanner, in which I needed a pep talk and a lot of encouragement; but I'm so thankful for those who were there to offer advise and help.  I dealt with said neighbor, and the insurance company for my (very minor) accident.  I grabbed a coat hanger, my leatherman, and a bucket, and showed that shower drain who was boss.  I've been staying in, getting lots of rest, fighting this head-cold tooth and nail.  All the while, I've been soaking up all of the grandeur around me, and reminding myself how wonderful things really are.

January Sunrise

January Sunset

Having five other years under my belt, this solitude comes as second nature to me anymore.  I'm sure, for those who don't know me personally, you might suspect that this get-your-hands-dirty kind of work comes as second nature to me.  I do believe, however, that I've pushed myself to be as resourceful as I can be, and most times, I surprise myself.  I don't know if my way of live makes my own career an unlikely one, but I love it as equally as Tanner loves his.  I work as a hair stylist.  I make people look pretty.  I change how people look, how they feel about themselves, and encourage them to be the best that they can be.  It's fitting, because I know first hand what can be accomplished with a little encouragement.  (Stubbornness helps too)  I laugh at how my activities change so dramatically from morning to evening when I start out my day giving someone highlights and a haircut, and in the evening I'm getting built-up goo out of the shower drain.  Many hats I wear.  I don't think I'd want it any other way.