Building our own home has made me turn a discerning eye towards structure and space, curious about everything between the inside and outside walls, process, and design. It's been 8 months plus since I've posted last, and progress has been fast, fast, and then slow. The top picture on the left was taken. February 17th of 2017. Our freshly graded pad, looking towards our undecided homesite location. The bottom picture was taken November 1st, 2017.
With no internet at home, I often excuse myself from regular blog posting. Even in these last few months of daily internet access, writing it all down has felt overwhelming. Documenting our journey on Instagram (which auto-posts to Facebook) has been easier. I've often thought about coming back to this space to write more in depth about our progress, but taking quick snapshots feels more true to how our process has been: whirlwindish and an endless series of constantly changing decisions, expanding with our skills and vision. In this time we have:
-built a driveway and laid gravel
-selected our homesite
-dug footers, mixed concrete and poured footers all by hand (all David!)
-constructed post and beam foundation for 16' x 16' footprint
-laid frame and joists for the first floor subfloor
-put down subflooring for the first floor
-built and raised all the first floor walls with wall jacks
-repeated the process for the second floor with a cutout for stairs
-put the roof on
-installed all the windows
-built the utility room with 8' x 10" footprint
-added a set of stairs off the utility room
-drilled a well
-framed the bathroom
-wired for electric
-plumbed the house
The thrill of visually seeing all our hard work manifest physically, and the sharp contrast of the setbacks, tears, conflicts, and pure realness of the process of owner-building and small space living are beyond intense. With bringing Calla back home full time, it has often been difficult to carve space for the vital conversations needed to plan, nurture and breathe. Subconsciously, I think we knew we needed to fashion our own space, get a bit of distance. Consistently with all the big dreams we've ever pursued, we put intentions out into the world, and our community stepped up. We had so many friends and neighbors offer their home for house sitting to us at various times.
I remember the first day, perhaps some day in early October, when I went to shower (pour over method), and the normally soothing autumn breeze had just enough bite while under water to remind me of colder days coming. I knew that showering at our place then was no longer an option. We made do at others who opened their homes to us until Calla and I started living out of our suitcase in November, visiting family, with hot showers all along the way. Even though we're building and cultivating these roots, we still seem to always be in transition. I guess this is the greater reminder of life's constant. Keeping us on our toes. Always evolving.
A seemingly long stretch of travel visiting family, and various house sitting gigs are coming to a close, and tomorrow Calla and I are heading home, or to "the mud pit," as Calla commonly refers to it now. We've lovingly watched over a dog, chickens, a greenhouse, houseplants. Tended wood stoves, water pipes, 2 sweet kitties, and 2 rabbits. I've gleaned awesome ideas for our new place someday from these inspiring spaces. During the last few weeks I've been offered 3 more house sitting projects, but have turned them all down, craving being back in one place of familiarity and comfort. Getting some space has been healthy. I feel I can come back with a new appreciation for all we've done and see a clearer path to where we're going.
