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Cowracer
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# Posted: 11 Oct 2016 09:33am - Edited by: Cowracer
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Got any "first night in your cabin" stories?
I just realized that exactly 1 year ago today was the first night I stayed overnight in our cabin. We had the upstairs pretty much done, but the downstairs was still very much 'under construction'.
I stayed by myself that night and I remember laying in bed a very long time before sleep came, just listening to the sounds the cabin made and generally enjoying the feeling of accomplishment at having built it from the ground up.
I also remember waking up in the middle of the night freezing my tail off because I forgot to turn the heater on before I went to bed. I also remember thinking that having the bathroom "non-functional" would not be a big deal. It was.
In the morning, I used my remote control to turn on the coffeepot, and laid in bed all cozy and warm, smelling the coffee going downstairs. It was at that exact moment that I realized that all the hard work and expense was so worth it.
So what was your 'first night' like?
Tim
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hueyjazz
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# Posted: 11 Oct 2016 12:19pm
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Wasn't my first night but my first day. I'm pretty deep in the woods but there's a few cabins scattered around me. So I'm seeing all these cars going to the cabin North of me with dogs. Being a long time dog guy I go up there to see what's going on.
It was a search and rescue team and the dogs were cadaver dogs! Cadaver dogs???? Whose missing???
Turns out the cousin of the cabin owner is a team leader and they use our woods for practice. He puts body parts out in the woods and the dogs find them.
I've become very good friends with the cabin owner since then. His wife never ever comes to the cabin because it doesn't have running water or a furnace. The standing joke is the dogs come out to look for his wife.
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SE Ohio
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# Posted: 11 Oct 2016 04:32pm - Edited by: SE Ohio
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Our first night we had a bonfire, and after dark we heard nearby coyotes howl. Our oldest boy declared "I'm tired, I'm going to bed!" This was followed by our other two saying "Me too! Wait for me!" They never volunteer to turn in. Thanks to the coyotes, we got uninterrupted quality time!
In the morning, I used my elbow to start the coffeemaker. Actually I nudged my wife, it being her turn to make coffee... 
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gsreimers
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# Posted: 11 Oct 2016 07:13pm
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First night in the cabin was quite an improvement as we spent most of the summer in tents while construction was going on. Now we're enclosed and have a stove for heat but I will say it is at least 50%darker on the nights I'm up there alone than it is when I have some company.
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silverwaterlady
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# Posted: 11 Oct 2016 07:55pm
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The first meal and the first night in the cabin were 35 years in the making for my DH. He grew up in the area moved south and bought property on the island in 1972.
We met in the summer of 1982 ,he took me home that winter and I fell in love.
We have family near our cabin and over the years we told them of our hopes and dreams of building a log cabin.
So it was that our nephew his wife and our son and his wife baked a turkey complete with all the trimmings and my SIL baked a apple pie. This was the first meal at our cabin complete with a "welcome home" banner and housewarming gifts.
We slept like babies that night.
Being full of food,love,happiness and a sense of accomplishment that our dreams had finally come to fruition.
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Eddy G
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# Posted: 12 Oct 2016 10:04am
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We passed papers on our property just a few days after Xmas last year Dec. 29 to be exact....We road up and christened the place that night but didn't stay the night.
We had been looking at and negotiating the property since Sept so we where really excited (kind of naïve) about the whole process.
We have bought and sold "homes" before but this was very different.
This was/is an investment in our families future...
The plan is to make this place for our children's children's children can pass on to their children and beyond....Where generations can come get away from the world and spend time together in nature.
The place hadn't been lived in for a 2 to 3 years and little before that so it was in pretty rough shape.
The only source of heat was the then cracked and brittle fireplace but my wife and I went up new years eve to take advantage of the long weekend and get to work...
So we packed up what we needed (or thought we needed) set up camp in the cabin...
COLD? it was bitter bitter cold that night, temps well below freezing. Maybe the teens to low twenties.
The wood burned in the fire place as fast as we could put it in and drew cold from every open hole, crack and crevice...The place had little to no insulation, open holes in the floor (under the carpets), broken windows, etc...
It was a tough night to say the least but we bundled up and stayed close to the fire best we could.
We really learned a lot that weekend. What we had gotten ourselves into, what we needed to prioritize.
As bad as it could have been (and it was pretty bad) we weren't discouraged...
Since then we've gutted the place out....right down to the studs and floor joists.....It still has a long way to go but it light years from where it started at....A lot of insulation has been added and the new wood stove is being installed next week so at least we'll be warm (or warmer) this winter.....
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KelVarnsen
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# Posted: 12 Oct 2016 11:37am
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Eddy G your post really sums up my experience as a cottage owner. I bought my cottage a little over a year ago. Everything you said in your post almost exactly parallels my thoughts and experiences. Especially "It still has a long way to go but it light years from where it started at..."
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Eddy G
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# Posted: 12 Oct 2016 12:13pm
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To be completely honest it was a really hard winter and by the summer I was running out of steam....God bless my wife, she's been with me every step of the way and if not for her I don't think I'd be 1/2 as far as we are.
At some point she sat me down and convinced me to take a break every now and then to enjoy the things we already had...Just take a walk in the woods, sit on the dock and have beer...Fish a little, even if it's just a few minutes here and there.....
It's made a big difference ........
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bldginsp
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# Posted: 12 Oct 2016 10:56pm
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I had my first night in my cabin just a few weeks ago. This year framed it up and got a roof on it, but I've still been staying in the tent trailer cause I don't want to stay in a construction site, but did sleep the last night there. It was uneventful, very quiet behind double pane windows. But I did feel a sense of accomplishment, finally having a real building to stay in. It's a good feeling.
It ain't much but it's home
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DRR
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# Posted: 12 Oct 2016 11:01pm
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Ain't much? your place looks great!
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Bigred292
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# Posted: 13 Oct 2016 10:04am
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I finally realized my dream and got my cabin in May .
I visited the place once to look at it and fell in love with it.
I bought it on the spot.
Closed on it 4 days later, longest 4 days of my life. Closing day was unusually cold and rainy. After doing all paperwork I went to dinner with the seller.
After dinner I got back to cabin for my first night.
Walked in and discovered 3 roof leaks and after 5 minutes the 12v system crashed- no lights with a leaky roof.
At least the woodstove worked
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JasonB
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# Posted: 19 Jan 2017 08:50am
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My first night in my cabin is coming pretty quickly... Perhaps next weekend. Just a crude overnighting log cabin with a small wood stove.
I can't wait. I've still to install the second half of the rafters, tar paper the roof, get a start on chinking the worst gaps, and move some basic amenities into the place (cooking stuff, a couple chairs, a small table, lantern... The basics). With a little luck, the roof and chinking will be good enough by the end of this coming weekend, and we'll move some gear out during night-hikes over the coming week.
Gods, I can't wait.
J
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Cowracer
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# Posted: 19 Jan 2017 10:29am
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Quoting: JasonB Gods, I can't wait
Typo, or Discworld fan? LOL
Tim
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JasonB
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# Posted: 19 Jan 2017 10:34am
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LOL, not a typo...
J
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Lolo
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# Posted: 3 Feb 2019 01:08am - Edited by: Lolo
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Just bought this little off grid dry cabin in October, have not spent a night in it yet, but hopefully by March I will !
cabin
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after some tree trimming
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beachman
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# Posted: 3 Feb 2019 08:36am
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OK. Several years ago but we have an older camp that we had been using for years. Over 70 yrs old now, the place was nice but rustic. We were in the process of building a newer place - off grid too. The mosquitoes were unbearable at the old place and although the new place wasn't ready, we started sleeping there for some relief from the bugs.
Funny, but last spring, the bugs came down the chimney and the hot water heater vent and drove us nuts. I had to put screens on the vents to keep them out. After that, everything was fine.
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paulz
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# Posted: 3 Feb 2019 10:45am
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Quoting: bldginsp But I did feel a sense of accomplishment, finally having a real building to stay in. It's a good feeling.
That was my experience. Just lying there looking at the ceiling and marveling that I actually built this thing myself. Hope it doesn't collapse! Only previous experience was backyard sheds.
Say, has bldginsp been around? Haven't seen any posts. Couldn't have done it without his, and all of your advice.
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IdabelLake
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# Posted: 2 Nov 2021 10:21am
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Eddy G
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Alaskajohn
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# Posted: 2 Nov 2021 12:08pm
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Heck, that was a long time ago. I am sure we celebrated with a glass of champagne and a fire in the fire pit. I doubt I was any more amazed than I am each night today at our cabin turned home.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 2 Nov 2021 01:16pm
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We had a very pleasant evening walk then sit outside for the sunset, some old games on the table inside. And most of the night 'entertained' by the little Red/Pine Squirrels scratching/digging/scurrying in the ceiling and walls.
The next morning was very nice and we were still enthused!
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Tim_Ohio
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# Posted: 2 Nov 2021 01:20pm
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I had my best friend along, my grandson.
I never had a better time in my life.
Tim
marshmellows
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marshmellows2
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Aklogcabin
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# Posted: 3 Nov 2021 10:38am
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Great going Tim, take one make one at its best
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