Tuesday, October 21st 2003
Already 3 weeks since we've moved; time flies, things are falling into place and $$$ fly away as quickly as dead leaves. Hopefully everything will calm down over the winter into a period of thinking and planning.
To start, we got the tools needed to clear the site where the house will go. We have a used container to store the reclaimed building materials, a used ATV in good condition, a chain-saw and hooks and chains to fell the trees and pile the logs. We discover tools we didn't suspect existed. Do you know what is a "cant hook"? Steve gave us his old Lee Valley catalogue and we gaped for hours at all the tools we'll need next summer. They have all kinds of useful, interesting gadgets. For now we ordered 2 reference books and a scratch pad for drawing the plans.
The long week-end last week allowed us to do a lot, the weather was splendid and Alain's brother and sister where very helpful. Saturday, Andre cut holes with a blow-torch into the sides of the container for ventilation. Sunday, Genevieve took topographical measurements so we can figure the gradient of the slope. Monday, Jean-François, Caroline and the children came for the gorgeous fall colours.
We also worked towards separating the lots and registering our private road in order to get the building permits. The land-surveyor prepared all the plans that we took to the municipality this morning. Within 2 weeks it should all be sent to the provincial government and get back about 2 months later. After that we'll see if we want to name the road: we thought of "Escargot street". It's a play on words in French and English: ES-Cargo.
Outdoors again, Alain had to move logs that had been left close to the main road by the previous owner after someone took off with a few of them last week. Now that treated lumber is being phased out due to it's toxicity, eastern white-cedar has become more valuable and is now disappearing by magic! It got us started on a inventory of the available logs to be potentially used for the roof. We also have to look at the trees to be felled and decide if we turn them into planks before winter sets in.
Speaking of winter, last night we had over 6 inches of snow and it didn't melt much today. Tomorrow it will all be frozen and impossible to shovel…