Monday, June 15, 2009

A New Bird Changes My Plans.

So I was just about ready with the camper, all I needed was a truck to back under it. I was thinking about cleaning out old red where she sat so that I would'nt interupt too much of the robins life with the eggs and all. I wanted to just quickly borrow the truck and back it under the camper real quick, then I was going to return it to the mother robin. I thought I would just lift that tailgate a bit and have quick peak first.
Well, I guess we'll go to plan "B".

I was real busy the last few days. I have been camping out at the acerage most of time. Thought I would come home tonight as I do have business in town. I have been working till about 10pm every night, but I am so cozy in my camper most of time, that I forget to get a real early start on things.

I know that all this waiting around for permits and all that, seems kinda stupid to alot of people out there. Thats all I can do. I have been told by many people in the past that this is the way it is. I have been told to apply early, because it takes along time. But with me, it was a quick decision. If I could do it all over again, I would do all the things that I am doing right now, and then apply for the permits in the fall. I did'nt decide to start with things until I realized that we could be pretty slow at work. So far, so good, with the slow at work thing, I hope it stays that way for awhile. So far, the other driver has been keeping up. With my luck, it will speed right up about the time they approve things. lol. I sure do hope not. If I were to take a leave of absence, it could be a leave, period. There is alot of drivers out there looking for a job. Of all the things that seem to give me any anxiety, it is usually that stupid cell phone, when it rings. What ever happens, happens I guess.

I do have the building spot all cleaned up, and kinda ready for action. The only problem, is that I will be the one supplying all that action, or most of it anyway, and I am not real experienced at it all. I have been doing alot of research. I have an idea, but, all the little things that need to be done just right. My foundation, all the drain pipes and how they go to the septic tank, wiring, the mound. I sometimes wonder if I'm too close to the bush line. I guess they'll let me know if I am. One thing that I am confident in, is that my little 16x24 foot shack, will not be too small. At least thats what I am thinking now. lol. I am actually gaining space. Outdoor space. Who needs inside space when you got all that privacy outside. And then I also have a little garage. I guess I don't have that where I live right now. I am actually gaining space.

The price of permits here in Alberta, is the way she goes. You gotta live with it, or move into a den with a grizzly bear. It is a small worry for me. That is just the way it is. It is a one time thing, until you go to add on, build something else on your propery or something. If you don't mention it, there could be fines. If things ar'nt up to code, it could have to come down possibly. I did put alot of thought into how I was going to live on my chuck of land, and do things totally different from what I am doing now, but the more I researched things, the more I learned that you just can't go and do any old thing that you want. I am sure that there are alot of new lessons coming my way also. I know that when it is all over, I will be alot smarter. Maybe not alot happier, but alot smarter for sure.

Well, here it is, pushing 2:00 am on my clock again. Better get off here for now.

12 comments:

  1. Hey Mark! Great baby bird picture!!! That's cool!
    I'm thinking you're lucky to be in Alberta...here you need someone with a specific licence to do every little thing. Sometimes you can hire a licenced guy to just sign-off on each job before the inspector arrives! My Dad just built another little house (1200 sq ft)and all the permits and fees totalled $30 000.
    Have a great day!
    Cath

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  2. It is a crying shame for the cost of those permits. I guess I'll just stay in my camper on my land. Or build what I want and take my chances.

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  3. You are doing everything you can do and that is all you can do. I too went on to build my lil shack without any prior knowledge. Lucky for me though, I dont need any permits of any kind. It will be a good learning experience. And when it is all said and done you'll be just as cozy if not cozier in your little cabin. Enjoy the ride. ~jen

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  4. Great picture of the baby bird Mark. :)
    You're getting a lot done. Think about where you were this time last year, sometimes it's hard to see what has been accomplished when you're right in the thick of things.
    Just think, next year at this time we might be watching you plant a garden....in between quadding and canoeing weekends. lol
    Looks and sounds great Mark. :)

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  5. Yea those permits, you know in Northern Ontario you can buy land in a unorganized township where pretty much anything goes, interesting eh.

    Economy is really tanking here in Ontario, sounds like you guys are feeling it too.
    Guy phoned me the other day for some welding work to be done on his truck, I told him to come by after work, he said he was done work now, 1000 am.
    Shame

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  6. Cath: Ya, thats the first baby bird I ever seen that young I think. I did'nt look at him that long, just long enough to snap a shot. Now watch the little bugger come and eat my whole garden next summer, after all I did for him. lol. Here, I can do my own work, providing I am the owner of the property, and I am not selling it within a year. Otherwise, I would need the pros to step in. $30,000. hola! that sure seems like a lot of money for permits and stuff.

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  7. Hey Tony. I was kinda putting some serious thought into staying in an RV on the property, but I wanted to do the solar power thing, and I think the generator would be doing alot of overtime in our -40 C/F winters. If it was'nt for the cold temps here, there would definatley be alot more feasible options. When I stay out there in my RV now, it is wonderful, I could live there for ever in the summer time.

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  8. Jen. Thanks for that. "Enjoy the ride". That should be what it is all about. Sometimes I think that, but yet I kinda get myself all hyped and hurried anyway. I will enjoy it from here. At least I will try.

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  9. Jeanie, the baby bird aint no chicken, but it will have feathers some day. I guess you could say that the robins are my chicken for now.
    I like your look on things canoeing and quadding, that all sounds great to me.

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  10. Coal, that sounds good, Northern Ontario, and ruleless land. I have looked at land there on the computer before. There is something about Ontario that I like, even though I have never been there. Someday, I might have to venture east and check things out.

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  11. Heh Frug, 4 6 volt deep cycle batteries to run your rv, a Honda inverter type genset to recharge via a couple of 55 amp Iota converters. Run the genny approx 4 hours a day, about 3 bucks in fuel, that will recharge your batteries enough to run your rv in very cold weather for over 24 hours. Thats the system that I run with now, cost effective and works great.

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  12. Thats really good to know Coal. After today, I'm thinking about something like that. I'm sure I would add some batteries and throw in some solar panels with that also though. Ya just never know.

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