Spring and getting ready for next year

Up until this year, Bob has split the 5-10 cords of wood that we use every year by hand.  In preparation for log house living, we picked up a mobile self powered 22 ton hydraulic splitter. There is no turning back now!  Time to break from house construction to get firewood lined up for next season.

Early May brings Internet by satellite

High speed internet is a challenge when you are far from land lines and cell towers, so here is Catherine slugging with a swede hoe finishing the trench to the post for the TV and Internet satellites. We are not taking any chances with frost heave, so it is a 16 foot 6X6 pressure treated post that is buried 8 feet in the ground and secured with a deadman to prevent twisting. John helped by doing the tricky backhoe work for the main trench and post hole, Catherine just does the finishing touches. Normally you'd put the satellite dishes on the house, but that did not seem to fit the log house "look".

Framing starts

April and May see Bob starting to frame the first two rooms, a bedroom bathroom combination in the basement. Initially we plan to use it as a place to shower and watch TV or access the internet while we stay at the trailer on site. See on the right at the end is the main electrical panel that was put in last fall and the temporary insulation/vapor barrier that we had in the basement ceiling (first floor's joists) so that we could keep the basement heated through last winter. This came out in April because we'll be insulating the gable ends, gables and ceiling to heat the whole house this coming heating season.

Another rest spot - basement cabana

Here is a little cabana that we created at the lower level (walk out basement) door. This is to give the impression that we need for a spot in the shade and out of the heat. That notion is quite an illusion this year because the weather has been unbelievably cold and wet.

Sun and Muskoka chairs - April 29

We put the two red Muskoka chairs on the front porch for rest breaks but there are not many of those as things are busy April to August with getting the Maple Grove Road house sale closed (April 15), Catherine is back at work in May, June and July for a bit, then a flurry of initial prep work to set up to live at Bunny & John's, the trailer/log house AND barn - we are officially homeless and vagrant for a while.

Snow persists at April 10

Catherine shows how much snow is still at the barn on April 10, Bob asks just why is it that we wanted to come back north again. We ponder this but carry on....

You can see our 4WD Case backhoe in the background. It has been invaluable so far in the house building and we use it to handle the big round bales of hay for the horses.

Horses out in their new home in April

Note the snow, which in 2009 persisted until mid April. Here are the horses their first day out, April 10. Mago looks on while the girls munch happily. The horses love their new paddock which is full of trees, branches and interesting things to look at and do. The barn is first class with big box stalls for the horses and a nice "custom" little stall for Princess.

Horses travel north April 9

Mago, Angie, Belle and Princess travelled north in STYLE in a 15 horse air ride van with BWD Horse transport. They had excellent care from Jason during their trip and arrived less tired than I was following with George (the cat...) in my truck. Frank and Elaine arrived in time to help with unloading at Chantal's barn, where the "herd" will be resident until we get our barn built.

Furniture moves April 6-7, 2009

Moving van day loading day was April 7 and we had to get the van "unstuck" to proceed. Jim Blakely arrived on the snow plow and opened the path up to help Chadwicks to pull the van out. A divine message of some sort????