Virtual Tiny House Conference

Event announcement:

Gregor Folouk hosts a blog called Towards a Better Tinyhouse that I check out regularly.  Greg has shared some very valuable information but he has decided to take sharing to the next level and host a virtual event in the form of an online conference for people interested in chatting about Tiny House subjects.  Greg's conference will have a number of chat rooms that will have a predefined topic for discussion as well as some open forum areas for individuals to share personal experiences and stories as well as ask general questions of those who already have experience in the Tiny House arena.

We got our cow

Well, actually, he's a steer now, but let's not talk about that, OK.  Makes me a little, ah-hum, uncomfortable. Anyway, "Chuck" will be living with us for about a year, but we haven't told him what happens after that because we don't want to upset him.  He may have an aversion to the freezer but that will be his destination none the less.  It's another way that we've discovered to be green and get a great price on beef.  This way, we eliminate all the Styrofoam packaging and plastic wrap as well as seriously cut our grocery bill for meat by more than half.  We did this two years ago but made a major mistake in calculations when we failed to get a replacement for the last calve that we feed up for slaughter.  So, we are out of freezer beef and buying regularly from the grocery store.  We won't make that mistake again.  I've only just made it in from the barn where we were making Chuck comfortable and getting a place ready for another load of alfalfa hay that we are buying from our next door neighbor.  You see, we don't have enough land to raise our own hay crop and carrying livestock as well but our neighbor grows a major crop of hay each year to sell to everyone around here.  By buying our hay locally, it's uses less gas to put into the supply chain and we help support someone that we know as a neighbor and friend.  It's a pretty good arrangement.  Thanks for stopping by.  Let's get out there and make a a great day.

"Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without."

Taking liberties...

I debated about posting the following information because while I believe in referencing other blogs through the obvious employment of links I was not sure I wanted to reference something from so very long ago.  The post to which I am referring is from December of 2007 and was originally included as content on a Tiny House blog that I found while researching related links for building information.  I've taken the liberty to borrow the concept from Kevin and recirculate it here.

Now here's something you don't see everyday...

I was reading my daily email from Mother Earth News when I came across a reference to a book that may be of interest to many involved in Tiny Houses.

This book is titled Holy Shit, Managing Manure to Save Mankind by Gene Logsdon.  I looked this book up at Amazon.com and it is available from them as well.  It looks like it could be pretty good and a direct reference for those of us interested in maintaining a Tiny House off the grid, without connections to the giant utility companies.  You might want to check it out...

Thanks again for stopping by.  Let's get out there and make it a great day!

Windows

I went to pick up the free windows offered by a friend and found that I may not be able to use them.  Sadly, the casement was not included and I am not secure enough in my woodworking skills to be able to rebuild the window case/frame.  I bet that windows could prove to be one of the most expensive parts of a Tiny House.  I intend to investigate this more this morning but I would welcome any comments about this problem because I am still feeling afraid of these windows but also wishing that I could use them.  They include the wood frames around the panes as well as the spring loaded aluminum side tracks as the opening/closing mechanism.

Raining again

I feel like Eeyore from Winnie-the-Pooh because I feel like complaining about the weather, even when I know it will have no real effect and only make me sound like a whiner.  It wasn't supposed rain so I put one of the dogs in the outside kennel for the day.  She smell like wet blanket when we get home.  Yuck.  But she did ask to stay outside, so I'm blaming her, cause I can and she can't really defend herself.  Anyway, we are supposed to pick up our free windows today.  THAT will be no fun in the rain either.  So, this is my real reason for being critical or whiny, or whatever...BLAH!

I can still hope the sun will shine this afternoon.  I haven't checked the radar so it may.  OK, I accept full responsibility for my actions because I didn't check the radar before I made any of the above decisions..."stinkin' dummy rain...oh, well, I guess I'll just be wet, no one cares anyway..." (That's my best impersonation of Eeyore)


So, let's get out there and make is a wet and soggy great day!  And thanks for stopping by.

I've been offline

I contracted a viral infection that knocked me off my feet for a few days but I'm back.  I probably could have managed to only be out for one day if I would have taken better care of myself but I pushed ahead when I should have laid down and taken it easy.  Maybe some day I'll learn, but maybe not...

Anyway, I have an appointment to collect a load of used windows being donated by a friend who is remodeling their house.  This includes an excellent 32" exterior door with a window.  I think this is a rare find because most doors, particularly exterior doors tend to be wider, say about 36" and may be hard to fit into the end of a Tiny House or cabin.  This 32" model should be a perfect fit and I'm pretty excited to have scored it.  I'll see if I can get some pictures when I get them home.  Of course, I would have already had these treasures at home and safely stored away if I had been able to get out this last weekend to get them.  So, I missed my first chance and am feeling pretty lucky that my friends have been so accommodating as to hold on to these supplies for me.  Many places would have disposed of them if you're not on time to collect the pieces being offered.  I feel blessed with good friends like these.

Hey, thanks for stopping by.  Let's get out there and make it a great day!