It's come to this . . .

It appears I have bitten off more than I can chew in re: this project.  Hard to admit, but the cabin really needs someone carpentarily inclined in order to do this as cheaply as I do so love to do things.  Plus, family circumstances may make it so that I am not living close enough to spend as much time working on it as I would like.
Sigh.
So, this post concerns all you Craigslist responders out there, whom I have directed to this blog to learn more about the cabin, and while I can't tell you much more than is already here, I can give a May and June update, with photos.

The chimney was finished, after much kicking and screaming (on both our parts) and it is now ready to have a metal pipe put in it.  We kept telling Mike to use rounder rocks but he liked the look of flat and would not be moved.  After a year or so the color will be the same on the mortar, and it does have a nice square look to it.  Barney would keel over.  As Mike can attest, he wasn't the greatest mason.  But that's all taken care of now!

Ev has gone the way of the buffalo, after he pulled out his micrometer one too many times and insisted that I keep to the highest reconstruction standards known to man.  It was useless to convince him that I was not financing the reconstruction of Monticello, so my bank account and he parted company.  But not before receiving a structure that could withstand a tank attack.  Just what I need.

The new boys, Joe and Rick, insisted on covering the building in felt roof paper to protect it until I could side it, which was a good idea because we have had some wicked rainstorms.  In the photo above you see that it has covered the front windows as well, which is good because those are just holes.  My plan is to rebuild those windows myself, which I think I can do!  Unless I sell it before then.
As you can tell I have been experimenting with trim paint--all doors, windows and trim will be dark sage green, which will go with either painted clapboards or what I'd really like which is cedar shakes.
But like I said, I'm already past my budget for 2013, so things are moving slowly.

Back window and door looks good though!

 

I left the old shakes on the back for protection.  and the left hand side is where the 8x8 addiion will be (for the 5x8 bathroom and 3' of extended kitchen area)  so I didn't do that window.  The rest of the front will be an 8' covered porch. You can see the loft skylight on top--so far, no leaks!

 

Things are growing back again after all my clearing, but the front yard has grass instead of poison ivy and the side yard could be cleared off, I've just gotten too lazy.  Plus, that's where the septic will go and I haven't tackled that yet either--have to get all my ammo together and send to health dept.  Town officials do not believe I need an engineered drawing and neither do I, but it's gonna require a lot of begging.  Maybe next week . . .

 

This was taken at the north boundary by the hiking trail.

Inside also is loooking dapper . . .

 

Rick and Joe insulated the floor and stuck in the quarter-round windows which are just so cute!

Good sized loft--finally!

The next step is for me (yes me) to install channels betwee each rafter so that R&J can put the last piece of soffit up.  Then I will re-install the front windows, bring some chairs over, and have a nice bonfire and picnic for all my friends who've helped me get this far.

 

More pond and vegetation photos next time.

 

 

Look what came up this May!

Yes, I'm behind on posting--been trying to get my real house ready for spring . . . so tomorrow I will post the updated cabin photos.  You will not recognize it!

But today . . . today we have spring.
Last fall I planted some white tet a tete daffodils and grape hyacinths under the laurel in front.
Look at what happened!

And these tulips . . .well, tulips were good this spring but I have never seen anything like these babies--right by the nearest oak tree.  I guess the area is mole-free . . . for now.

Mr Turtle came out to sun himself on a fallen log in the pond . . .

and here's the view from the outfall, looking towards the old railroad overpass that is now the greenway.

I feel that this blog will soon come to a close.  Will post final photos of all the rest I have done, plus some lovely shots of the pond all leafed out.  But unless a miracle happens, I think the entry in months to come will read "For Sale . . . "