A-Siding We Will Go, A-Siding We Will Go

The weather is holding, all be it very windy, so Jim has decided to get started on the siding. We are using HardiPlank in "Mountain Sage" which is cement board and the dust is quite nasty thus the whole Hallowe'en get-up. Oh and the dust is created when it is cut with the circular saw. The white trim is also a variety of HardiPlank. We are hoping to never have to paint again.














If the weather turns ugly, Jim has started putting on the floor level and can sand it in preparation for the vinyl flooring to go down. I like the idea that he always has something to do and won't be idle when I'm not around.

Vacation's Over...Time to Crack The Whip!

Jim has put the first coat of paint on the loft and finished the livingroom, diningroom, hallways, 2 bedrooms, a bathroom and the kitchen. Although, from the pictures, they all look the same colour, they aren't. The diningroom is quite dark, the loft, bedrooms and bathroom are quite light and the hallways and livingroom are in the middle. By the way, all the boxes are our kitchen cupboards. That was how he entertained himself on Saturday and Sunday but today, Monday, Jim started on the verandah at the front of the house.

The Farrell's Take a Vacation

We went on Vacation! Yes, I broke down and let Jim take a little break from the house construction. We left on Aug 8 and drove down the Icefields parkway that joins Banff national Park to Jasper to Brother David's (and Lynda's) summer home in Windemere, BC.

On the way, this cute, little bear (no we weren't dumb enough to get out of the car to take the photo) crossed in front of the car.

We could only spend a couple of days with them as we then headed off to Portland, OR with Bob for 4 days. We visited with long lost relatives (Jacqueline and Marilyn) and saw the Columbia River which starts out life close to Windemere as a very small river and ends up quite a significant size by the time it reaches Portland.

We're Getting Ready For Flooring

Jim has the sub-floor down in the bathroom, kitchen, laundryroom and hallway by the garage door. Once the holes, created by the staples that hold the sub-floor down, are filled he will lay the vinyl flooring.

The great paint debate is about to turn ugly. I was told to pick out a colour palette for the house and then Jim would paint the rooms accordingly. Jim only really likes beige. I chose green. The diningroom is pictured here and, unfortunately, the camera doesn't do justice to the colour. It's a muted green. He has also painted one of the bedrooms a pale green. The bedroom looks nice but the diningroom is a little blander than I would like.

Fog and Wind

In between the horrendous heat we had fog. Luckily, I didn't have to go to work until later that morning as it was impossible to see far enough to drive. But the fog didn't last long as the wind storm we had last Saturday blew it and everything else, away. 120 km/hr winds hit from the west and managed to blow down a little of the poly and insulation in the sunroom. No it wasn't a tornado but was more likely plow winds. It was +32C on Saturday and withing 1/2 hour the temperature dropped to +16C, the wind blew and the rain fell. We were lucky that this was the only destruction we suffered.

OK, Ninja Boy...

The fight is on! Ninja Jim versus sweet, charming Kathleen...or his bathroom versus mine. I want all to know that I am not squeamish about running between the trailer and the house in my pj's. I don't want to use his bathroom because it's mungy.

He has a bathtub that has never been cleaned out. There's no toilet, sink or even flooring...just grungy , old plywood for a floor with a canvas tarp as a bathmat.


I, on the other hand, have a very convenient bathroom with all the amenities. Yes, Yes, it's tiny and, without proper water conservation practices, you run out of hot water but it's NOT mungy.

Weather report

If you believe the ads, Canada has only 2 seasons...winter and July. It must be July because the canola is in bloom (ah-choo!) and it's +33 C. We remember the -33C very well but at least you can dress for it. You can only get down to skin for the hot weather and it doesn't help much. We have no air conditioning in the trailer, this year. When we no longer need it to live in, it's getting retro-fitted with it. It's just too toasty for these old farts. We continue to be very dry with what little rain falls evapourating almost immediately.

I have been questioned about the tomatoes growing in the house. Yes, it's an experiment but not with grow lights, etc. I am trying to grow tomatoes in the sunroom right through the fall and into winter. If I put them outside, by the end of August they will freeze. Remember that winter and July thing?