Tight seal

 tonight I tried to take advantage of the "warmer" weather by caulking. This little exercise made me realize two things...In 40 degree weather the space heater helps the caulking job along by warming up it up to an effortless application, and also....Boy would I have done a better job at fitting things together more exactly!

 Sometimes in my rush to get it enclosed and tired and coldness I ended up doing something just good enough instead of really good. And I see where it will cost me now.

Notes for the future.

The doors are in!

Can I just say...,WOW!!!! Fucking wow!
This is the most real that any of this has felt....roof totally on and now structure totally enclosed.

Accomplished my goals pre-thanksgiving trip and bday....to get I all enclosed before i leave and tomorrow I leave!

Had to add the end blocks to where the new Joist location is that made room for the boat hatch...

...then had to add the end pieces to box it in. Finally zipped down the loft roof and put the ice shield on it and Harper it up for the winter.

Dave stopped by to help me install the doors and it was surprisingly simply! Great design by Anderson for sure. It’s will be temporary as I will take them out again when the boat goes in the water just to make sure the structure doesn’t damage them.

Looking forward to a week off...but then again, now the fun really begins! Getting the windows installed and doing the decorative trim I have in mind are really gonna be places this project will shine for me!

Looking forward to the next phase!

Dear diary

Yesterday an article came out in the Newburyport news on me and my little floating home. Inspired by Dawn after she helped me out framing to pay me back for helping her with a catering job. I loved the article and that she focused on my desire to connect to nature and learn. It got many positive responses and an outpouring of congratulations. It made me bold and excited and feel like I'm on the right path to unknown amazing destinations!

 This is living in your element…

This is being on MY right path!

And I feel no pressure, I'm learning tons and able to fix things and know what to worry about and what not to (most things).

In fact yesterday I had issues with the ice and water shield for the roof and was able to just solve it on my own with confidence. I also was able fix the joists in the roof to get it ready for the boat hatch.

I have more people interested in helping out now and giving me pointers, and I take it all in stride. Grateful for everything and any offers. I see this a a tool to help me build community too. Funny how I had planned earlier this year to live in a regenerative community someday planning this build as my way to gaining the knowledge and skills necessary for me to make a contribution...and yet it feels like I’m creating that community right here, right now.

I see first hand now the myriad of benefits following your heart leads to...things unimaginable...things we limit ourselves with because ..well,that’s what everyone does and what everyone is raised to do.

Hard to break out of it...but a vision certainly helps!

And boy do I have a BIG vision in a tiny package!

Breaking News

Breaking News - Article about my build!

I was interviewed by Carol Finegold last week about my tiny floating home and was just informed that

It should be online tonight or tomorrow, and in the print edition of the Newburyport Current on Friday morning. http://newburyport.wickedlocal.com/

keep your eyes peeled

-----
Hey it's online !!!
Read all about it here
http://newburyport.wickedlocal.com/news/20171114/dream-small-amesbury-mom-building-floating-tiny-house

Watch the entire building process....

I've decided to post the link to my google photos album of the work being done...often pics will be uploaded there automatically before I have time to create a blog entry.

ENJOY

My floating home album

She floats! (On air)

A video montage of the first test for my craftsman-ship!

Raising the roof

The last loft wall was finishes by an elf this morning and then I managed to finish the main roof today.

Wow is it really starting to shape up. And it seems I'm close to making my goal of getting it enclosed before cold/snow comes. Yeah...Also got help installing the door frame today which means the door can go in soon and them it will really be close to enclosed!

Also got lots of visitors today...Lots of opinions and advice...Which I'm always happy to take!

Best of all Erin stopped by to chat ...It's fun having the pioneer woman at the marina here...Hard to believe it was in Feb that I helped her hammer up some interior paneling and now here it is Nov and I'm building my own!

It really is amazing when you have a dream/vision of something to watch it take shape with focused daily/weekly action. Anything really IS possible ...We just need to ACT!

Lofty dreams

The slow day today was "heightened" by building the loft walls.

For such small walls...22 inches to be exact....They were the most complicated to build. Making sure the header and the window fit within the space with proper support took some figuring out....But we did it!

(Got more help from Dave my carpenter mentor friend)
After a few lessons in the importance of measuring three time nailing once (wink wink) we managed to get them together and nailed into place by sunset!

Today even more than before I’m learning how important accurate measurements are. And what things are okay to fudge and what things  must be exact!

On the side...

Got most of the T1-11 siding on today! It's really starting to look like something  now!

I'm so happy today! 😁

The guys admiring my work

Nice to have an extra set of hands putting these up.

Did this wall by myself...

And she’s looking more real everyday!

Roofing it

Fixed some flashing issues yesterday and managed to get three roof joists up before dark. Today, with some help from my cute little shadow, we managed to get all the joists /rafters up to where the loft will be!

Yeah....Tomorrow I'll build the loft walls and them with some extra hands Friday the siding will finally go up!

wall to wall done

Yeah got all the walls done today!!!

Well all of the base walls...loft will be later...

Gorgeous weather and friends (thanks Dawn, Dave and Carlo!) helping all day! What a great life!

And of course there were plenty of screw ups today...including this! I noticed the header in the wrong orientation as I left tonight! LOL...live and learn!

Walls are finally going up!

It was a landmark day today finally able to build the HIUSE part of my dreams!

It feels like a long time of dreaming, planning and preparing just to get to this phase and suddenly it feels like it will happen so fast!

Had a friend help this morning with the first wall, then I did the second wall by myself! Another friend helped me out them up and now...I can see it all happening right before my eyes!

Here are some pics so you can too!

The waiting game ends...the skeleton will be ready before Halloween!

I've been waiting on the Marina for almost three weeks and I've had enough!

It is time

to get the building GOING!

I've spent the time to finally go back to the drawing board with my new dimension (10' x 20') and did a general layout of the walls and roof. 

After a brief consultation with my knowledgeable carpenter friend...I will update the plans tonight and lay out the wood into their wall sections tomorrow ready for assembly on Sat! I can hardly believe I will have the walls and roof skeleton done this weekend!

All the warping that happened earlier was beautifully fixed with my care in placing six jacks spread out strategically under the structure. 

I gave up on trying to float test it, just can't wait for the marina any longer....besides I (and many others) are convinced it will float just fine!

I've ordered straps from the lumberyard that they use to bundle the wood piles I've been ordering, they have been fantastic at helping me find solutions to issues coming up and supplying me with the resources (at a reasonable rate too!). Jackson Lumber....I love you guys, man!

Plenty to do....and I'm so happy I'll be completing my goal to have this enclosed before the cold weather arrives (and what a birthday gift to myself that will be!)! yeah!

Fixing my Failures

Today was a somber day and a day of excitement.

Friday the 13th...unlucky or lucky?

Trying to fix my self-imposed warping failure I was able to dump 6,000 lbs of water onto the raft and soak it for the day.

Hoping the soaking will soften up the wood enough to allow me to jack it up this afternoon in hopes to straighten it all out. Crossing my fingers.

Luckily, to distract myself from stressing over it...I took a road trip 2+ hours north to Vermont to pick up my dream sliding glass doors!

A total steal at a mere $300 I will have almost one entire wall (12 ft sliders) made of glass in my home!

i'm so stoked!

Wall to wall

All filled ready to go

I'm chomping at the bit to get this thing in the water and tested so I can start the walls.

I arranged for the float test on a Monday (last week) and Sunday I filled up barrels to the half float capacity.

Then it rained and they put me off. Then the boat hauler hurt his ankle and I'm still waiting.

And now...In a cup stable moment online ...I confess....I didn't think about the consequences and now I may have set myself back further.

Two days of rain and all that weight improperly distributed caused some.massive warping of the entire frame.

Tomorrow I will have to dump the barrels, soak the deck and try my hardest to level it off to see if it will flatten back out.

Shit...I'm such a fucking novice....

Subfloor

I finally got the subfloor and deck done with help from two friends...And a nail gun! Yeah some big time progresses being made now!