Painting Party

Thanks to Kate and Alex for killing the painting today!

Painted siding - ready for installation!

Siding

Sunset over SoCal from the bridge wing - Feb 2015

I spent the last two weeks out at sea. I learned a lot about navigation, anti-terrorism tactics, and engineering damage control. It was a whirlwind of a trip but a great deal of fun to be out on the water. Happy belated valentines day!

The start of my siding has been a bit terrifying. I picked out my siding from home depot after much consideration. I had initially wanted to use cedar siding to make the house look like your sterotypical tiny house. Once price became a factor I settled on a composit siding that looks like wood. The drive back to the farm was an adventure.

Siding in route to the farm - very slowly...

Porch Stain

Mike, the Tumbleweed driver, suggested getting the porch weatherproofed first - so that was the project I tackled today!

Successes:
- big brush for fast application on large surfaces
- washing deck in the morning so that the sun dried it out by afternoon
- figuring out how the well water worked and how to attach a hose to the valve.
- getting my car unpacked while the first round of stain dried
- getting 90% of the stain on the wood (10% on me...)

Not so much successes:
- going to home depot with no list
- great large paint brush too big for stain can opening
- the space under the trailer is tiny (about 2 feet), making the washing and staining process under the porch more exciting.
- Lots of drips.
- toilet, I advise having a toilet plan before you commit to an all day building project.

A shout out to my friends and family back home in Iowa. Thank you so much for all of the kind words of encouragement. No matter where the Navy takes me I will always be an Iowan!

Arrival

Finally, right after the sun went down, my barn raiser pulled onto the ranch. Mike from Tumbleweed drove out from Colorado towing my trailer. It was suppose to arrive this morning but due to many crazy happenings (including a flat tire) it was a bit late.

Thank you to the San Diego Tiny House Enthusiasts for having a BBQ with my while I waiting anxiously and to Kate, Alex, and Ashley for all of the moral support!

A Start and an End

Today was the end of another apartment, but the start of my tiny house dream. I finally finished packing my (now) old apartment and the trailer gets here on Saturday 7 February!!

Finally empty apartment - good bye south park!

The plan for this weekend is to install all of the electrical wiring and plumbing. I decided they were the best projects to start with because the walls will be completely open and bare. I am using consultants to create the plans, make a shopping list, and inspect once I finish installing. It will hopefully be the best of both worlds - being able to learn/do it myself and still having a professional look over the work (I don't want my house to burn down due to bad wiring).

Please let me know if you want to come take a look! I will start hosting BBQs on the weekend and small working parties.

Happy February!!!!!