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MJW
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# Posted: 18 Jun 2013 06:56pm
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Another project crossed off the list today...
Got the water tank system completed.
2 - 300 gallon water tanks, 1 - 3/4 HP shallow well pump, 20 ft of PVC, 30 ft of underground burial electrical wire, a 15 amp breaker, one electrical outlet & a couple of elbows and shut offs later, we are done.
This set up will allow us to only run the monster generator about once a week for an hour or so to fill the 2 tanks instead of at least 1 hour a day for water to shower, wash dishes, wash clothes, etc.
The really great news is that the 3/4 hp pump only pulls 4 amps and is easily powered by the one Honda we are using to run the entire house.
Totaling up money spent for the material to get it done and the gas savings on not running the big generator each day, it will all be paid for in about 3 months.
That is a pretty good return on an investment.  
New Water Pump
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Water Tanks & Fill Hoses
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Water Tank Set Up
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MJW
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# Posted: 19 Aug 2013 09:12pm
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After some much needed rest we are back at it. 
Starting on the exterior cabin siding, handrails and porch covers later this week and hopefully the solar system by the first of the month.
The Hondas have been great and super quiet but I am looking forward to how quiet the solar will be.
Still a few more things to get done like spray foam insulation underneath the house and a few other things but we hope to have them wrapped up by the time fall shows it's colors.
I plan on spending alot of time on the porch then. 
Pictures to come as we go...
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MJW
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# Posted: 29 Aug 2013 07:41pm
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Finished up the handrails & fascia yesterday and moving on to the rough cut siding tomorrow followed by the soffit.
Summer is going out with a hell of a bang here. Boy, is it hot!
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porch_rails.png
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MJW
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# Posted: 8 Sep 2013 02:35pm - Edited by: MJW
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Busy week...
Got almost all of the siding up and completed the soffit on one side. Next week we should finish up the soffit, batts, porch covers and the remainder of the siding.
For anyone that has never experienced it...10 to 12 foot long 1 inch thick rough cut siding running anywhere between 6 and 15 inches wide is HEAVY. Hoisting enough of the boards to cover a 20 x 32 cabin will make you feel like a very old man. 
Took down a huge sycamore that was leaning a little too much toward the house, got a bunch of stumps and rocks dug out and brought in the bobcat to contour what was left. This place is starting to look like someone lives here. 
The Leaning Sycamore
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Siding Almost Finished
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Digging Up the Stumps
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Stump Craters
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trollbridge
Member
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# Posted: 9 Sep 2013 10:28am
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Your siding looks great! I know you will really enjoy that nice large deck. Your view is beautiful, too!!!
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MJW
Member
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# Posted: 9 Sep 2013 07:10pm
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Thanks, TB.
Yes, we are looking forward to using the deck this fall. We can't wait to see the colors unfold this fall.
Got one gable end of the place done today, soffit and batts, before the heat got us and are planning on doing the second one tomorrow.
Then only the back side and the porch covers left to do. Figure it will all be wrapped up by the weekend!
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trollbridge
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# Posted: 10 Sep 2013 10:01am
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You work so fast The fall colors will be spectacular off your deck! I think one of the most exciting things is experiencing all 4 seasons in a new home. Enjoy it.
Did your son start kindergarten this year? If so, how does he like it so far?
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MJW
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# Posted: 10 Sep 2013 05:09pm
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Fast? hahaha...I wish. I suppose the one doing the work never thinks it is fast enough, though.
This week has been tough with some of the hottest temps of the year. We are actually taking the next 2 days off and picking up on Friday when the temps are supposed to be 10 degrees cooler.
Still hoping to finish this weekend. 
Matt actually started 1st grade this year. We home-school him so he is a little ahead of most his age (just turned 6). We like to RV alot and incorporating our travels into his schooling is really cool for him. His kindergarten year we traveled to over 15 different states and saw everything from the Atlantic Ocean to Mt Rushmore and alot in between.
Of course he may decide that he wants a more regular school experience as he gets older but for now the flexibility home-schooling gives us and the experiences he gets to have really work for us.
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MJW
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# Posted: 17 Sep 2013 09:40pm
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So we finally finished up the siding & batts last week and got both porch covers done over the weekend.
Got the insulation to get done underneath the house but rain has delayed us for the past 2 days then it is on to insulating and getting interior siding up in the well house / solar shack.
In all of this the wife found time to add a few hanging mums and some other decorative touches.
Now I have just got to get that porch cleaned off.......
Had the backhoe and bobcat back out this past weekend and took down about a dozen trees. Had him drag those to the firewood pile and got about half of them cut up to length so I have the rest of that to get done and split.
Still have to get the material ordered for the solar but there seems to only be so much you can do in a day.  
Front before
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Front After
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Side After
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Bedroom Doors Porch
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silverwaterlady
Member
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# Posted: 17 Sep 2013 09:49pm
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Wow! Very nice.
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MJW
Member
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# Posted: 18 Sep 2013 02:01pm
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Got the porch cleaned off. Hahahaha...
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SFCLYNCH
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# Posted: 18 Sep 2013 02:11pm
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Very Nice.
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grover
Member
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# Posted: 21 Sep 2013 09:12am
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You are quick and you've done a fine job. Did you nail the board and batten to the osb or did you put horizontal nailers on first?
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trollbridge
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# Posted: 21 Sep 2013 07:05pm
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Wow! Nice work....looks beautiful!
Leaves are starting to change here...not too long for you too 
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MJW
Member
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# Posted: 21 Sep 2013 08:27pm
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Quoting: SFCLYNCH Very Nice.
Thanks...we really like it.
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MJW
Member
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# Posted: 21 Sep 2013 08:29pm
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Quoting: grover You are quick and you've done a fine job. Did you nail the board and batten to the osb or did you put horizontal nailers on first?
We screwed the boards down and used a staple gun with 1 1/2 inch staples to attach one side of the batten to the boards. Only stapled one side to allow for shrinkage.
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MJW
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# Posted: 21 Sep 2013 08:31pm
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Quoting: trollbridge Wow! Nice work....looks beautiful! Leaves are starting to change here...not too long for you too
We can't wait.
Have already printed off all the scenic drives in the area and are planning a couple of over-night trips to see them all.
Spent all day today (and it looks like tomorrow) splitting and stacking firewood we have cut over the past few months.
I hope it is enough to last my pyro wife this winter.
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naturelover66
Member
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# Posted: 21 Sep 2013 10:03pm
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Your cabin is so beautiful !!! Great work........ it seems like yesterday you found the property.
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MJW
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# Posted: 22 Sep 2013 09:15pm
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Quoting: naturelover66 Your cabin is so beautiful !!! Great work........ it seems like yesterday you found the property.
Thanks...seems that way to us, too...sometimes. hahaha
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MJW
Member
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# Posted: 22 Sep 2013 09:19pm
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7 cords of wood split and stacked this weekend.
Glad that job is done.
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MJW
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# Posted: 23 Sep 2013 09:03pm
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Ran into this little fella on the way home from town today.
Second time I have seen one of these on the very same road. I never realized there were actual tarantulas in MO.
This one was just slightly smaller than my hand. We could actually see him in the road before we got to him.
I laid a DVD case next to him for a visual comparison.  
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jrbarnard
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# Posted: 24 Sep 2013 07:21am
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Could you take a picture from looking OUT from the deck? You have me curious ;)
simply beautiful pictures
Russ
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MJW
Member
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# Posted: 24 Sep 2013 08:47pm
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Sure, Russ. Here you go!
One from Feb when we started the build and one from today.
View in Winter
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View on Back Deck Today
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jrbarnard
Member
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# Posted: 24 Sep 2013 09:08pm
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That is as beautiful as I imagined.. ty;)
Lucky folks!
Russ
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MJW
Member
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# Posted: 5 Oct 2013 09:23am
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A busy couple of weeks here.
After getting ready for winter I thought I was done for a while....haha.
Had some material left over from installing the siding & batts and porches so we built a small shed for the goats, llamas, etc. we are planning for sometime next year.
While cleaning & clearing the property, we found several strands of old barbed wire from way back when cows were kept here. The wife had an idea to use them for decoration and they really look great on the new siding.
While building the new shed, we discovered a caterpillar of some type we had never seen before. Beautiful and very cartoonish in appearance.
In all of this, we still found a little time to enjoy a couple of campfires and marshmallows.
The high today will only be in the low to mid 60's with the low tonight around 40!
Happy Fall everyone!
The New Shed
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Barbed Wire Wreath
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Cartoon Caterpillar
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Pizza, Campfires & Marshmallows
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trollbridge
Member
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# Posted: 5 Oct 2013 12:21pm
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Wowza!!!! You really have been busy!!!!!! I wonder how much of that wood you will burn thru this winter? Quite the stash!!
AWESOME caterpillar!!!!!!!! I have never seen anything like that either, my 10 year old was amazed also. Thank you for posting a pic of that little fella I bet he has a great sense of humor!
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MJW
Member
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# Posted: 5 Oct 2013 09:17pm
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Well, knowing my wife, I expect to burn well over half of it this winter. She will keep a fire going 24/7 once it drops below 50 degrees. We'll see. 
Yes, that was a very unique caterpillar. Never seen one like that before. Glad you enjoyed seeing it!
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MJW
Member
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# Posted: 10 Oct 2013 03:51pm
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Spent a couple of hours this morning applying Thompson's Water Seal to the house.
Damn...it looks good.
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MJW
Member
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# Posted: 25 Oct 2013 01:23pm
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Got the fence and gate put up at the main road.
Finalizing the order for the solar. That should be the next project. 
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jrbarnard
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# Posted: 25 Oct 2013 03:44pm
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I am jealous.. such a nice place and you have water running! heh.
I have 2550 gallons of water, but the lines willnot be done for two more weeks.. MAYBE tomorrow.. but we will see.
Awesome view!
I also need to add a fence, but I have to dig post holes through caliche... not going to be easy I am sure.
Russ
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