A Gear Shift of Epic Proportions

Ah, poor me!  Once again, my plans are waylaid by issues.  New wheeze:  the FIRST building on the site built by me will be...wait for it...a 12x10 guest house with a 10x10 deck.  Conventional post/beam on concrete pier footers.

Ergo, the pix attached show the footers dug this day by moi.

Also, a large cache of free wood from Craigslist is welcomed!  It's on the site, too.

My xmas gifts included almost $200 worth of gift cards to the big box DIY stores, so that helps tremendously.

More as we see the day approaching,

p.s. The pic of the open pathway is a clearing for a future disc golf hole!  Barry gets naming rights!

Here I Raise My Ebenezer--Whatever That Is

There is, on this rock outcropping, enough space so I can build my house literally on the rock.  Look closely at the second picture and you'll see a small stack of stones--that marks about the middle of where the house will be.

I shall drill holes and put rebar in the rock, seal it, and then pour a concrete foundation in a 2'x4" form around the perimeter with reinforcement in the form.  Once that sets up and the forms are removed, I can place my 2' tall by 8' long by 9" thick slip forms on the foundation and begin building the house.

Also, the local Craigslist(tm) allowed me to get 15 bags of cement that I can use once the stone laying commences.

Meanwhile, look at the view towards the north behind my house site.  On the other side of the trees to the right in that photo is my sister's house--actually you can SEE the house (white house wrap and black roof felt can be seen through the trees).  Her house will be finished in January, 2010.  That's probably when I'll get started.

Sid, my middle brother, is promising to come soon and help me drive stakes into the rock so we can layout the corners and start drilling the rebar.

From his mouth to God's ear.