Tuesday, November 15, 2011

My life. November update.

I appologize that I hav'nt been on here much lately. Just incase anyone is so curiously waiting for an update. There really has'nt been much to blog about lately. The summer is gone and I'm still not in the house. But hey, thats ok. With me it is anyway. Whats the panick, I'm already living the dream. I have now lived totally off grid for 2 years as of Oct 25, and I am just coming into the 3rd winter of living in the shack. I'm kinda starting to feel like Richard Proenneke. Not quite though, he did'nt have an interenet connection.
Anyway, I really did'nt get a whole lot more accomplished on the house project since my last post. I have been fairly busy at work. I have had time off, but you just don't feel very ambitious after all the work at times. I have always worked the busy times, and holiday, play or do my own thing in the slow times. Gotta grab it when it is there. I do have plans in the near future to be pretty much done with bustin my ass working my life away. I'll always do a little here and there, once in awhile probably, but I would really like to be more of an independent homesteader type guy. I have big hopes and dreams. I've practicly got it all planned out. I just hope it goes kinda like it is all planned. That's kinda weird just saying something like that, because usually my plan is to have no plan. You know, just kinda go with the flow, but I do have a plan. I am starting to get real eager to get into the house for now though.
I am trying to get at heating. The above picture is the pad I built for my 1000 gallon propane tank that should be coming tomorrow, (Nov 16 2010) The last couple times I filled my 100 pound tanks for the shack I noticed that propane is cheaper now than it has been all summer. I'm thinking I want to buy propane now, before it goes up. That being said, I wonder if it will drop more for some unknown reason. Like maybe the double dip recession that you sometimes hear about possibly happening. I suppose it could, but I think I will take a chance on it anyway. It will probably cost me somewhere in the area of $2200.oo CAD to fill the tank, but I'll know more when I see the bill I guess.
I managed to smuggle some prime firewood home one day. We had a hoe sitting out on a job that was pretty close to an old log deck that people were bucking up and taking home. I threw a few scoops on the lowboy and brought it home. I don't think they were planning on salvaging this stuff anymore. I was told to help myself, so I did.
I went auction saling and picked up a turtle tank to haul water in. I'm not hauling water yet, but when I do, this will be handy to just leave in the pickup at times. Whenever I happen to be going by the water station, I'll just bring a load home.
Then my boss had these big ones. I can't remember, but I think they are 4500 hundred liters or more. It costed me a big bottle of vodka for both of them. My plan for these is for summer storage of water for general yard use. Livestock, garden, fire fighting or whaterver. Sometimes the creek runs and sometimes it is just a trikle, but when it is running, I will fill these for dryer times and convenience. I suppose I could use one for hauling to the cistern. Two of these full would probably fill the cistern. The cistern is about 3500 gallons.
Oh ya, by the way it snowed here and it is pretty cold, I think winter has arrived. Today I finally shut off the fridge in the RV. Seems things in the fridge were freezing and things in the freezer where thawing, so I guess it is time.
I purchased a wood stove awhile back, but it had to be ordered in. It's not here yet. After I purchased it, I realized that you can't hook combustion air right to the stove from ouside. Something I kinda wanted in a woodstove, but oh well, I'll bring in some outside air another way I guess. I'm also wondering if I should have got a bit smaller one. Sometimes I get thinking the little house is a mansion. I know it will seem like one when I compare it to the shack anyway.
I will try to be on here more often. We sometimes do have a bit of a slow down this time of year, before the real winter work starts up, so I might concentrate on getting some heat in the house soon. Thanks for not deleting me from your friends list for being absent for so long. We'll talk to ya in a bit.


 
Disclaimer--IMPORTANT


This is a personal blog, mainly for my own use. I am building a house with my own two hands, but I am learning alot of things as I go. I do not claim to know what I am doing, or if anything I do is even close to being done correctly or safely. So please, if you are planning on using any of my ideas or methods for your own use, please get professional advice before actually following through with your actions. I will not be held responsible for any injuries or damages of any kind caused by information or comments from this blog.


17 comments:

  1. Water tanks are cool - you can never have enough water.

    Your snow - ah, my roots are calling... Sometimes I crave a really heavy snow day. In the wrong country now, though LOL But, yeah - reckon sorting out winter warmth is right up there with water for summer.

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  2. Dani, I've always been keeping my eye open for a tank like these, and two is better than one. The price was pretty good too. They will be handy. You know, I would'nt mind the snow either, but I gotta work in that stuff. I guess it is precipitation and one should be quite happy to get it no matter what form it is in. I did'nt think it should snow in South Africa, but I can't remember which country you came from, I do think I may have read it somewhere, but I can't remember. Might have to refresh my memory.

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  3. Woohoo! You know, we went with the size of stove the stove man suggested, and it's too small. Should have gone with the gut and brought home the mid-sized one. You can always open a window if it gets too hot! Did you get one you could cook on top of? Ours is a Vermont Casting, but it's a newfangled one, and the top doesn't get hot enough to boil water. The next place will have something a bit more to the self-sustaining side. Luckily, there's a fireplace in this house, and am able to cook over it -- when need be.

    Nothing like reaching for the dream, and seeing it with your eyes open!! Sounds like you're getting closer and closer to realizing it…. and for that, congratulations! :)

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  4. Hello Lynnanne. I'm not so sure if the stove will be cookable or not. I'm thinking it will probably keep things hot, but I'll bet it won't boil water. I will find out sometime though. Here is a link to it.

    http://www.woodlanddirect.com/Wood-Stove-and-Accessories/Wood-Stoves-Medium-1500-2000-sqft/Drolet-Classic-High-Efficiency-EPA-Wood-Stove.

    It's nothing special, and I paid alot less than the price listed on that page, but I'm thiking it will probably warm me up. I hav'nt really had a whole lot to do with wood stoves, but I hope I did ok.

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  5. Lynnanne, I just tried that link in the last comment, and it did'nt seem to work. Just search "Drolet Classic epa 2000 stove". That might get you there.

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  6. Sounds like the same setup as ours, with the baffle… looks like a nice stove! I'm not familiar with the brand. I think you mentioned some time ago that you'd be putting one in the basement -- is that where it's going?

    My off-grid friends in Montana had a 425 gallon water tank in their attic. They'd fill it from the creek. If you want, send me your email and I'll send you some pictures of their setup (or if you're on facebook, send me your name and I'll post more there). I made a powerpoint presentation out of the photos from the trip…. they had it set up pretty nice. It's for sale now, and I'd move there in a heartbeat if I had the cash… :)

    I'm thinking after you get your place finished, you should invite all your "friends" up for a long weekend to see the place. lol I'm actually planning on being in Canada in 2013…. work related, but it'll be the first time in the snowy north! Can't wait.

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  7. Nice to see you online again, buddy! Those tanks are certainly looking good!

    Time is coming to start slowing down and enjoy the fruits of your labor!

    Good to see you again!

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  8. I really like that you are always on the lookout for a deal. Congrats on the wood and water tanks! I have lived in Texas so long the snow pictures remind me of my frigid past. Stay warm.

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  9. Hello Hermit. Its nice to see you are still at it. At least you still have the shack to tie you over. You guys still have much snow while we are still seeing 80 degree weather. We've had a few cold fronts...some even reaching the 30's but then its back to normal.
    Good to see you Hermit.

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  10. Lynnanne, the stove is going to go in the basement. I may be larger than I need, but I guess I can always light smaller fires. I would love to see pictures of your friends setup. email adress is (lonesomenorth40@yahoo.ca). That system is good for a gravity feed system. I think I'll have a couple larger pressure tanks in the basement so I can turn the pump on when the sun is shining and use the pressured water at night. How much are they asking for the place? Just curious.

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  11. Thanks for the vist Jim. Those tanks will definately be kinda handy around in in the near future. I agree with ya, that it is just about time to start enjoying. Not quite yet, but I know sometime soon it will come. Good to see you again Jim.

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  12. Hello Frann. I have actually been looking for deals for alot of years. I've been an auction hound probably since my teens. So about 100 years ago. Since starting to build my house though alot of times, waiting for real good deals are over ruled by lack of time. Sometimes I just buy without even looking at price. I can just tell that you're really missing the cold norther climate. If I were all set up, it would'nt even bother me, but it is kinad miserable at times to get things done at times.

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  13. Hello Jen, good to see you too. The trusty old shack sure is a handy little gadget, although it does get a little nippy in here at times. I've survived 2 winters in here now, so maybe one more won't kill me. Thanks for the visit Jen.

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  14. I heard through the grapevine they're asking around $80k. But, it's on state land…. so it's leased (but reasonable). They've put in a septic system, so have laundry and bathroom, built a nice pole barn, have an outhouse, and are about 25 miles from town (Plains). I'm heading out to fly an eagle (in rehab), so will send the pix later on today. Have a great one!

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  15. Thanks for the pictures Lynnanne. Very interesting. Nice place they have.

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  16. Thanks for catching us up on your life and projects. Inspirations will stike again and you will once again making great progress.

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  17. Thanks "Tossing Pebbles", I totally agree with you. Just pretty darned busy here lately.

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