We hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving! When we last updated you, we had applied the first coat of mud to all the drywall and performed a temporary winterization on the camper in anticipation of plummeting temperatures. With Thanksgiving weekend approaching, we took the opportunity to visit friends, savor delicious food, and indulge in some much-needed rest and relaxation. It was truly a fantastic getaway! Spending time with Christy, Wes, and Judy was a joy, especially since Judy always prepares an incredible spread that could easily feed ten, even though there were just five of us. If anyone left hungry, that’s on them! As our visit wrapped up, Judy kindly packed us a heavy to-go bag, which we carefully stowed in a cooler with ice before bidding our farewells and heading to Tom & Theresa's house.
We relaxed for the evening. The next day and a half were spent exploring all the amazing accomplishments they’ve achieved over the past four years. They've transformed a wooded, overgrown plot with a mobile home into something truly remarkable, with even more plans on the horizon. While our primary goal was to reconnect with friends, we also aimed to learn, daydream, and soak in the beauty of nature. We sampled fresh goat's milk, and let me tell you, it was incredible! The goat's milk we had previously tasted left a bad aftertaste, and now we understand why: it must be consumed within three days of milking, and the billies need to be kept away. Now we’re even considering getting goats ourselves! While we could get some today, we need to plan accordingly, as bringing home livestock requires careful preparation to avoid stressing ourselves and the animals. For now, our focus remains on our home. Cat had the chance to shop at their farmstand, which was a treat! We even visited a Rural King for the first time. Theresa generously sent us home with seeds and plants. As our visit came to an end, we felt rejuvenated, even though we were reluctant to leave. Winter is fast approaching, and we have much to accomplish.
After a good night’s sleep, we hoped to start fresh and strong the following morning, but the universe had other plans. While we won’t bore you with all the daily details, we experienced both successes and setbacks. Our cabin has two heating options: a diesel heater and a wood stove. Initially, we used the diesel heater to warm the cabin, which worked well until it began smoking excessively outside. Rick had to disassemble and clean it. Next, we turned to the wood stove, which performed admirably for a few days before it too started to smoke and smolder. So, we reverted to the recently repaired diesel heater. Meanwhile, we conducted some research and identified the issue with the wood stove, which is now functioning beautifully. The diesel heater is our backup, but it started smoking again, necessitating another cleaning. The problem with modern products is that they often lack clear operating instructions, leading us to suspect operator error in both cases. We’re determined to master these heating solutions eventually. The good news is that regardless of which method we use, we only need to run it briefly; the insulation and reflectix are doing a fantastic job of retaining heat, which makes us very happy.
Throughout this process, we continued sanding and mudding the drywall, but we needed heat to work effectively; it was too cold otherwise, and the mud took forever to dry. If we ever build again, drywall finishing will definitely be off the list—we both loathe it! Just when you think you’ve finished mudding and sanding, you inevitably discover spots you missed. We found a few! After cleaning the cabin from top to bottom, we finally broke out the paint and brushes. Cat absolutely loves the colors we chose. We applied a coat of paint, only to find more missed spots that required mudding. Those were addressed, and we added a second coat of paint. To be honest, a third coat would have been ideal, but we decided to hold off until spring. With all the construction still ahead, we knew we’d have to fix gouges and scratches later, plus we wanted to see where our cabinets would be positioned. We were eager to settle into the cabin.
During the drying periods for the mud and paint, we tackled other projects. Rick primarily focused on fixing issues, while Cat added new plants to our food forest, including walking onions, garlic, and more strawberries. I can’t wait to see how it all flourishes in the spring! Cat also ran the chipper to mulch everything, and the only remaining task is to line the area with logs. The next side project was planting flower bulbs in front of the property, so when you enter the driveway, the house numbers and bulb garden will be on your left. We both edged it with logs, and Cat tilled and lined the flower bed on the right with logs. There’s still a bit more work to do, and in the spring, we plan to scatter more pollinator seeds.
The best news of all is...we got to move into our cabin on 12/15. All four of us were so happy to have room to spread out. No it is not done, but we can function and that is all that matters. We even got to decorate for Christmas.
Remember Small Steps Gets You Miles
Rick & Cat
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