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YIPPEE Volume 33
May 2007


Thirty-One, Thirty-Three and Zero

31 tasks in 31 days!

or, including those two little extra not-really-task tasks, it'd be...

33 tasks for the 33rd volume!

Either way, the good news is that ZERO time was spent on snow related tasks!

...Not that there weren't opportunities for snow, with a few below freezing nights. Daytime weather fluctuated often, and wildly, between chilly 40's, (long-underwear-required) to 90's (even-if-we-took-everything-off-we'd-be-overheated). On those hot days, C+C wish they could afford time to set the woodstove up outside. Why? For heating shower water without heating the inside of the yurt. Last year, the stove was removed during a hot spell; subsequent cold spells were quite chilly inside. This year, the stove remains inside and has been used various times throughout May, although Cass makes a fire as infrequently as possible. Numerous factors have some bearing on the night's shower water temperature: air temperature, sunny vs. cloudy weather, and at the end of the day, whether the hassle of making a fire outweighs the hassle of a cold shower. If Cassandra remembered to filter the water the night before, so it would be room temperature by morning, and the weather is hot and sunny all day, there may be a lukewarm shower. Or, at the very least, warm air inside the yurt can make a cold shower more tolerable. But mostly, there have been cold showers and cool air temps. Chris says Cass has balls. And this is metaphoric of course; he is quite confident she's not a hermaphrodite. Chris generally hasn't had to experience cold showers in a cold yurt. One night, after working late on the floor, C+C were tired and just went for an "as is" shower (versus woodstove or Zodi heating), reminding themselves that "at least its not tap water". Letting out a little scream here and there is also a good diversion strategy, as is imagining being on a hot beach.

Yellow ants, Black ants Black Flies and Horse-Fly Heebie-Jeebies:

May 1st and The Season of the Itch begins with Cass dreading the incessant annoyance and swarming noise, and another summer of wearing way too much clothing to protect against attack, in hot humid conditions. There were some yucky times in May for sure. By month's end, dare we say, the YIPPEE bug control is working? Keep it to yourself and don't clue the black flies or mosquitoes in though; they might return with extra ferociousness. Ants attempted an invasion at the end of the month, and Chris was seriously considering taking action at around midnight in the rain. By the time he arrived home though, Cass had it under control enough that things could wait til morning. Chris witnesses Cass' prowess at killing horse flies; at first amazed and then laughing as she loudly "Eeewwww"s after particularly gutsy kills.

Total task hours in May: 217.50 (and, no, horse fly hunting and killing doesn't count)

20 minutes of "Ahhh..."

Otherwise, a whole lotta LOUD. Between lawn mowing (which can't possibly be lawn mowing because it goes on for most all of the day, and days on end) and logging, and some sort of generator, and planes, jets and helicopters... a whole lotta LOUD going on. Not at all what C+C had expected when purchasing 147 acres, after seemingly thorough investigations. Helicopter flyovers (several) and a military jet flyover had the added component of making Cassandra particularly ill for days and weeks afterward; basically most of May. She had already been quite sick in the beginning of the month due to a manufacturer's alteration to her liquid supplement. On May 30th, after multiple helicopter flyovers and planes that day, and many tears of agony, there came an amazing, incredibly appreciated, 20 minutes of a blissful lack of engine noise.

C and C: connected across the miles, thinking similar thoughts, unbeknownst to one another, consciously, at the time.

The Tasks of May:

1) 213.06 Deck: Railing (5/11, 5/13, 5/18, 5/19) Test to discover that Yes, posts can be cut on-site (versus back at Poocham); Decide on railing and post height, and a 45 degree angle cut for bottoms; Most all posts are marked for that eventual day when Chris will run the generator and cut while Cass is sequestered away elsewhere.

2) 213.09 Electrical Rough-In (5/5, 5/6, 5/11, 5/12, 5/19, 5/21) More work for the 20' wiring with boxes, marking and drilling.

3) 213.16 Connect Yurts (5/6, 5/11, 5/12, 5/13, 5/21) The yurts are connected! The roof don't look too pretty, and some trim may be added to the interior, but... yeah! Yurts are connected.

4) 213.17 Construct Walls - 20' Yurt (5/5, 5/7, 5/8, 5/9, 5/11, 5/15, 5/16, 5/17, 5/18, 5/19, 5/20, 5/21, 5/22, 5/23, 5/24, 5/28, 5/29, 5/30) Wallboards start going up! Beforehand, a bunch of wallboards are marked and cut, including for the starting angle and width. Door face boards are carefully nailed in (though, trim may be chosen instead at a later date). Small closet is plumbed, braced.

5) 213.31 Flooring Finish (5/24, 5/25) Testing of application.

6) 213.36 Site Cleanup (5/2, 5/11, 5/13, 5/17, 5/20, 5/22) Uh... well, this involved... cleanup! Spotted salamander spotted during one such event; Saws and axes hung in woodshed; Shed now stores more stuff; and, there's a walkway traversing the muddy incline to MLA, from driveway to yurts.

7) 213.49 MLA Flooring: Clean and Repair (5/3, 5/19, 5/20, 5/24, 5/25, 5/26, 5/27, 5/28, 5/29, 5/30, 5/31) Those wet and muddy yurt raisings wrecked the floor and test patches showed that cleaning, even with non-chlorine bleach, isn't the solution. "Gotta sand it", Chris says. Many many site-work hours later he says, "Sanding sucks!". No, wait, he was exhausted and frustrated; there was no exclamation point. Before Chris got to the sanding and said that, C+C: put a tarp up over the front of the deck for storing in-yurt-stuff during sanding, relocated everything that was inside the yurts, cleaned the floors (so dirt wouldn't be ground in worse during sanding) on their hands and knees, covered the yurt walls and ceiling, rented a sander which sat unused for a day because they weren't done prep work yet, and then... Chris spent a long day inside sanding with the generator running and Cass sequestered in the Park Ave yurt. Floor was assessed and though Chris is unhappy with the results, it is better. The metal spotting needs to be addressed (separate task), but in the meantime, Cass gets to work cleaning the entire floor again, removing sanding dust.

8) 213.51 Clear trees by Utility shed (5/5) More of downed trees taken apart.

9) 213.52 Construct south side stairs (5/2, 5/3, 5/5, 5/7, 5/9, 5/10, 5/13, 5/17, 5/18) Digging and dirt work done; Clover planted; Cass builds a scrap temp platform and with the aid of her parallel eyeballing powers, positions the platform exactly parallel to deck. Whoa. The real platform frame is also built and ready for attaching to posts.

10) 213.56 Construct yurt entry awnings (5/4, 5/9, 5/10, 5/14, 5/15, 5/16, 5/17, 5/21, 5/22, 5/23, 5/28, 5/29, 5/30) Posts sanded, stained, sealed and cut by hand on the Yippee Mountain Miter, aka Frank. Other parts cut, stained and sealed and ready for assembly.

11) 213.58 Install yurt window awnings (5/8, 5/13, 5/14, 5/22, 5/23) C+C think the manufacturer's window awnings are very poorly designed and set Cass to work on something better. Mock-up was cut, assembled, taken down, adjusted and put back up.

12) 213.59 Install floor support boards mid-span (5/9, 5/10, 5/11, 5/12, 5/15, 5/17, 5/18, 5/19, 5/20, 5/25) Unhappy with the design of 4' spans and 2*6 T+G boards, C+C added this task, wishing that they had come up with something similar prior to floorboard installation last year. But here they are, and so… support 2*4's are sealed, piloted, and screwed in from underneath with some very expensive 2.5" screws. Chris miscalculated, or possibly just never got back to buying, boards. Crappy railing boards reallocated. Boards installed "good enough for purpose of sanding", with additional screws to be added later.

13) 226.34 Reopen GIPPEE (5/5, 5/11) Hot camp shower setup; the Zodi is a nice concept but its poor implementation makes for a grumbly Chris.

14) 275.04 Materials transport (5/3, 5/4, 5/5, 5/11, 5/13, 5/18, 5/19, 5/20) Wallboards, 2*4's, posts, and more materials... transported ala Chris, Xterra and Burly Bob.

15) 279.03 Stain/Seal deck parts (railing posts) (5/4) Posts that have been in storage at Poocham for two years are cleaned in prep for s/s.

16) 288.08 Split and stack firewood (5/6) Chris discovers that mice ate remnants of SIPPEE1. Little buggers (not Chris' exact words).

17) 300.44 Add sediment filtration (5/5) The one task on the construction overview that is completed this month.

18) 303.00 Erosion control (misc) (5/4) Diversion for runoff by south deck so that Chris' wheelbarrow walkway won't get so washed out and muddy.

19) 303.16 Repairs: Woody Walkway (5/1, 5/2, 5/5, 5/7, 5/8, 5/18) Digging and tamping, rebar cut, scraps sealed and fortifying steps made. More work to do eventually. Tamping will at least help prevent erosion until then (there was no tamper last year).

20) 303.20 Fortify and reseed ditches by spring (5/2, 5/4) Done.

21) 305.01 Garlic Spray (5/11) Chris treats bugs to an Italian-flavoured death.

22) 305.03 Mosquito Dunks (5/13)

23) 305.04 Diatomaceous earth (5/13, 5/25)

24) 305.13 Noseeum netting on MLA yurts: windows (5/1) Measured for buying velcro.

25) 305.14 Maintenance @PA: fix screening on door and block any opening (5/5)

26) 306.01 Determine tasks Cass can do during week (5/5, 5/11, 5/19, 5/28) Ongoing coordination and preparations.

27) 311.02 South side stairs: Design and Create materials list (5/3, 5/8)

28) 313.02 Yurt Entry Awnings: Design and create materials list (5/9, 5/15, 5/17, 5/19, 5/21)

29) 320.20 Floor/wood spotting: Investigate problem and how to fix (5/27, 5/28) Chris had hoped that sanding would take care of the spots. On a bad area by the 20' door, he stops after the surrounding wood is getting really light. C+C decide that they should hold off on finishing the floor until oxalic acid is tried. Chris locates plain oxalic acid (Home Depot's had other ingredients making it less likely to be tolerated by Cass).

30) 321.03 Mold kit/test at Poocham (5/11) Chris does the test, packs up and ships off.

31) 324.01 Deck angle add-on: design and create materials list (5/21, 5/23, 5/28)

-and-

32) 678.41 Connector stability testing (5/19) Passed!

33) 999.99 Misc - YIPPEE Benches! (5/24) No rest for the yippee... But, now there are butt resting benches, built from entry awning and deck scraps.


 

Photos


May Journal

05/01/07 - Tuesday

Notes:

  • Buggy-buggy. Itchy-itchy. So much for the joy of being outdoors.

303.16 Repairs: Woody Walkway

  • measured, got 2 scraps. Pounded in two rebars to do a mock up to make sure understood idea. Took these apart. Counted out and marked rebars for chris to cut on weekend. counted and laid out scraps for coating (will do another day). More digging and tam
  • Time: 4.75hrs

305.13 Noseeum netting on MLA yurts: windows

  • measured and sent info to chris for buying velcro
  • Time: 0.25hrs

05/02/07 - Wednesday

303.16 Repairs: Woody Walkway

  • more tamping and digging to fix. Sanded edges of scraps and applied dynoseal.
  • Time: 2.75hrs

213.36 site cleanup

  • vacuum the 20' floor and empty canister. (since the skies turned sunny, cass had charged the vac batt in the morning and carried the vac up top with her. There was just barely enough batt to do the floor.)
  • Time: 0.5hrs

213.52 Construct south side stairs

  • more digging and dirt removal - used for below
  • Time: 0.75hrs

303.20 Fortify and reseed ditches by spring

  • Time: 0.75hrs

05/03/07 - Thursday

Notes:

  • Sunny with a cold wind.

275.04 Materials transport

  • Stupid HD has crappy wood which is fine for structural but not so fine for wallboards. Chris visits both Brattleboro and Keene stores, pocks through selection and comes up four planks short of planned load
  • Xterra driven up to MLA for morning unload
  • time: 1 hr

311.02 South side stairs: Design and Create materials list

  • Time: 0.75hr

213.52 Construct south side stairs

  • took measurements from above, found scraps, cut and built a square foor locating footings. Setup on rock, levelled with other scraps. Awaiting review with Chris to parallel w/deck and dblck design before marking footings
  • Time: 1.75hr

213.49 MLA Flooring: clean and repair

  • tried bleach. nope, gotta sand it.
  • Time: 0.25hr

05/04/07 - Friday

Notes:

  • Chris finally starting to feel better from the virus that has been attempting to keep him down all week.
  • Cass still really sick from the liquid supplement, worse. Couple low flying airplanes cinched it. Very bad afternoon.

275.04 Materials transport

  • Unload wallboards
  • transport 2*4s and sanded posts
  • time: 1.25 hrs

279.03 Stain/Seal deck parts (railing posts)

  • Cleaned posts tht have been in storage @ Poocham for two years, in prep for s/s
  • Was supposed to notch the posts for installation but ran out of time, so stacked them in garage
  • time: 45 min

213.56 Construct yurt entry awnings

  • Sanded posts...sanding sucks
  • time: 1.5 hrs

303.00 Erosion control (misc)

  • Cass made a diversion for runoff by south deck so that Chris' wheelbarrow walkway won't get so washed out and muddy
  • Time: 0.5hrs

303.20 Fortify and reseed ditches by spring

  • Time: 0.75hrs

05/05/07 - Saturday

Notes:

  • Cass claims to have seen yellow ants but cannot substantiate this claim later to Chris.

275.04 Materials transport

  • Unload posts, 2*4s, and other stuff
  • time: 1.75 hrs

213.51 Clear trees by Utility shed

  • Took apart more of the downed trees
  • time: 15 min

226.34 Reopen GIPPEE

  • Chris tweaked shower arm so it doesn't poke into roof
  • Zodi shower arrived, unpacked and ready for hooking up
  • time: 15 min

300.44 Add sediment filtration

  • Installed new filter with sediment cartridge. After numerous attempts to stop leakage the thing stayed dry and worked fine.
  • time: 2.5 hrs

305.14 Maintenance @PA: fix screening on door and block any opening

  • Chris plugged some gaps with weatherstrip
  • time: 15 min

213.36 Site cleanup

  • Chris spots a spotted salamander whilst endeavouring to fold up a giant and soon-to-be-dry tarp.
  • time: 15 min

303.16 Repairs: Woody Walkway

  • Cass prepped for next steps
  • Reviewed. Yes, indeed we did.
  • Chris cuts rebar
  • time: 2 hrs

213.52 Construct Southside Stairs

  • Cass continues digging
  • Reviewed design and footing location.
  • Discovered that Cass has parallel eyeballing powers. Using these powers she was able to put the temporary platform exactly parallel to the deck. Whoa!
  • time: 2.25 hrs

306.01 Determine tasks Cass can do during week

  • 30 min

213.09 Electrical rough in

  • time: 45 min

213.17 Construct walls - 20' yurt

  • Cass marks wallboards for cutting
  • time: 45 min

05/06/07 - Sunday

288.08 Split and stack firewood

  • Mice ate remnants of SIPPEE1. Little buggers.
  • time: 30 min

213.16 Connect the two yurts

  • Chris got a start in the a.m. by uncovering the structure, putting the insulation in the roof and throwing the top cover into position. Then a couple design questions caused him to pause until Cass showed up. When she arrived, Cass considered the con
  • time: 8.5 hrs

213.09 Electrical rough in

  • Chris works to mark wiring runs for drilling
  • time: 30 min

05/07/07- Monday

Notes:

  • Darn black flies! Argh! The Season of the Itch begins...

303.16 Repairs: Woody Walkway

  • Darn rocks! After banging away at rebar until the metal was flattened, cass finally realizes it was not going anywhere due to a huge rock in way. Eventually cass works out rebar and affixing to boards, keeping boards level, and backfilling. The first s
  • Time: 4.25hrs

213.52 Construct south side stairs

  • More digging. Later, Cass takes down her first tree! Granted, it was already leaning and only about 6" diameter...
  • Time: 1hrs

213.17 Construct 20' walls

  • thanks to a low flying plane... In yurt marking wall planks.
  • Time: 0.25hrs

05/08/07- Tuesday

Notes:

  • Today is the start of the bugshirt and bughat horrible life. Yuck yuck. Cass held out as long as possible but the swarming was too awful. Up on deck, in front, was better and no bug attire needed... but staying up there was not going to get the work d
  • Hot too. Temps at 6pm... Yes, after sun down ... 75F and (in yurt) 90F. According to Thermometer Tree, it was 90F up top this afternoon.

311.03 South side stairs: Reallocate onhand materials and create purchase list

  • This task is done for the platform. After that's up, will measure for wallkway and stairs and do this again for those sections.
  • Time: 0.5hrs

213.58 Install yurt window awnings

  • measured and got materials list together. Hope to do a mock up of idea to see if will work.
  • Time: 0.25hrs

303.16 Repairs: Woody Walkway

  • more step work, this time amidst even more buzzing buggers. Had to take 2 little breaks to escape them and cool off
  • Time: 3.25hrs

213.17 Construct 20' walls

  • marking planks
  • Time: 1hrs

05/09/07- Wednesday

Ugh. Very hot overnight, hot in yurts. Hot having to wear pants and socks and boots to work. Cass can't bring herself to don bugshirt and combat the dirt, rocks and black flies today. Does work that can be done out on deck instead.

213.52 Construct south side stairs

  • marked boards we have onhand, cut, sanded, stain and watershield.
  • Time: 1.5hrs

213.59 Install floor support boards mid-span

  • got first coat watershield on top sides
  • Time: 1.25hrs

213.17 Construct 20' walls

  • tested nailing. Marked closet door 2x4, cut and sanded.
  • Time: 0.25hrs

313.02 Yurt Entry Awnings: Design and create materials list

  • took measurements and made sketches to review w/chris on weekend
  • Time: 0.5hrs

213.56 Construct yurt entry awnings

  • began marking + cutting posts. Woohoo. Can hand-cut a douglas fir 4x4.
  • Time: 1.5hrs

05/10/07- Thursday

213.52 Construct south side stairs

  • Platform is ready to go onto posts: made beams, got joists placed, ratcheted and hammered in end joists w/one nail to hold til can be placed on posts. Middle joist fully attached.
  • Time: 2hrs

213.59 Install floor support boards mid-span

  • sealer on other side
  • Time: 0.75hrs

213.56 Construct yurt entry awnings

  • all posts marked, cut (by hand!), edges sanded and restacked
  • Time: 1.75hrs

05/11/07- Friday

Notes:

  • Very Heavy Duty thunderstorm and rains this AM; wake C+C up and Chris pulls covers over his ears its so loud. Later on, ditches and such show evidence of the storm, but no real damage.

213.59 Install floor support boards mid-span

  • second coat on one side
  • Time: 1.5hrs

213.17 Construct walls - 20' yurt

  • worked on nailing in door face boards
  • Time: 1.25hrs

213.16 Connect the two yurts

  • Chris gets sidecover #2 prepped
  • time: 1 hr

213.09 Electrical rough in

  • Chris continues work to mark wiring runs for drilling
  • time: 1 hr

321.03 Mold kit/test at Poocham

  • Chris does the test, packs up and ships off.
  • Time: 30 min

05/12/07

Notes:

  • Cass exercises her vocal power after slamming her finger in the yurt door.

305.01 Garlic Spray

  • Chris treats bugs to an Italian-flavoured death
  • time: 2.5 hrs

213.36 Site Cleanup

  • Chris hangs axes and saws in woodshed 'cuz mice kept shitting on them when they were laid across braces under 20' yurt
  • time: 30 min

213.16 Connect two yurts

  • North side cover installed
  • Refletix installed on both walls
  • Insulation and wallboards installed on north wall
  • time: 3.75 hrs

306.01 Determine tasks Cass can do during week

  • 45 min

213.59 Install floor support boards mid-span

  • Cass finished Watershielding
  • time: 45 min

275.04 Materials transport

  • time: 1 hr

213.09 Electrical rough in

  • Cass removes brackets from electrical boxes and notches stud for another box installation
  • C&C replace a light box with one having more knock-outs
  • time: 45 min

213.06 Deck: railing

  • Chis test-cuts two posts to determine if they can be cut on-site. Yup, they can!
  • C&C check railing height. Too high! Posts will be trimmed accordingly
  • C&C ponder another new idea, adding a 45 degree angle section to the SE corner of the decks near the yurt connector
  • time: 1 hr

226.34 Reopen GIPPEE

  • Chris sets up and tests out the Zodi Hot Tap propane camp shower. Nice concept, poor implementation. Chris grumbles his way to cleanliness.
  • time: 45 min

05/13/07 - Sunday

Notes:

  • Sunny with a cool breeze

305.04 Diatomaceous earth

  • time: 1.5 hrs

305.03 Mosquito Dunks

  • time: 45 min

213.36 Site Cleanup

  • Cass cleans
  • time: 1.25 hrd

213.06 Deck: railing

  • C&C clamp - then watch fall off - then clamp again - the post/railing mock-up. Decide on 32" post height
  • time: 30 min

275.04 Materials Transport

  • time: 30 min

213.16 Connect two yurts

  • Roof installed, with much tape-gooey stickiness and sun-heated vinyl.
  • Interior of South wall completed
  • time: 6.75 hrs

213.52 Construct south side stairs

  • Cass digs dirt. And very big rocks.
  • time: 2.25 hrs

213.58 Install Yurt Window awnings

  • Cass marks boards
  • time: 15 min

05/14/07 - Monday

Notes:

  • Cold morning. Brrr! 31F per Xterra in AM when Chris leaves for work.
  • Sunny at least. And got up in 70's. Lots buggers.

213.58 Install yurt window awnings

  • cut parts and fiddled with hinges/hardware available to get a mock-up started. Used 2x3's since they're cheaper, but not sure we want to use them. Need 2 more hinges to complete mockup.
  • Time: 3.5hrs

213.56 Construct yurt entry awnings

  • staining of posts
  • Time: 2hrs

05/15/07 - Tuesday

213.56 Construct yurt entry awnings

  • posts - and scraps - all stained and drying for watershield coat
  • Time: 2.75hrs

313.02 Yurt Entry Awnings: Design and create materials list

  • measurements taken and drawings made
  • Time: 0.75hrs

213.59 Install floor support boards mid-span

  • measured, marked and piloted 3 boards for trial run this friday
  • Time: 0.5hrs

213.17 Construct 20' walls

  • careful nailing of door frame face boards - p.i.a. - but am doing it
  • Time: 1.5hrs

05/16/07 - Wednesday

Notes:

  • Cass has so much to do in the yurt. Perhaps because of the rains, she stays in yurt doing tasks and gets up to site late. Getting up and back down from MLA is rainy rainy rainy. The black flies aren't out; would be good to get some outdoor tasks done..

213.17 Construct 20' walls

  • more p.i.a. careful nailing of door frame face boards. all are in awaiting chris to set. Cass's ears hurt. Closet door frame positioned so that sound of drilling and hammering Hurts!
  • Time: 2.25hrs

213.56 Construct yurt entry awnings

  • posts - and scraps - have watershield coat on sides
  • Time: 1.5hrs

05/17/07 - Thursday

Notes:

  • Brrr!
  • Another day with Cass having too maany non-building related tasks. Weellllll, every day there's a huge backlog. But she took time to do more today and thus, less site work.

213.56 Construct yurt entry awnings

  • finished coating all
  • Time: 1hrs

213.17 Construct 20' walls

  • finished marking and sorting avail boards
  • Time: 1hrs

213.36 Site cleanup

  • began cleanup and org in prep for this weekend's prep for next weekend's sanding
  • Time: 0.75hrs

213.59 Install floor support boards mid-span

  • marked board ends for alignment so chris will easily line up tomorrow morn
  • Time: n/a, about 5mins

313.02 Yurt Entry Awnings: Design and create materials list

  • calc'd amount of 2*4's needed, in case c+c like design and proceed with having chris purchase those
  • Time: n/a, about 10mins

213.52 Construct south side stairs

  • when hiking up, it seemed like cool weather kept the black flies away. But no such luck while digging and tamping
  • Time: 0.75hrs

05/18/07 - Friday

Notes:

  • Brrr!

275.04 Materials Transport

  • Posts and floor sealer
  • time: 1 hr

213.59 Install floor support boards mid-span

  • time: 45 min

213.17 Construct walls - 20' yurt

  • Time: 15 min

213.52 Construct south side stairs

  • finished dirt work and planted clover
  • Time: 1.25hr

303.16 Repairs: Woody Walkway

  • filling in dirt n tamping around steps (there had been lotsa washout with heavy rains before this could be done)
  • Time: 0.75hrs

213.06 Deck: railing

  • marked a few posts - only a few so we can cut and decide before marking rest
  • Time: 0.5hrs

05/19/07 - Saturday

Notes:

  • Rain...yuck...and long-underwear cold!

275.04 Materials Tranport

  • more stuff to MLA, which the Xterra carried up
  • selected 2*8 for awning frame, which Chris carried up
  • time: 1 hr

213.59 Install floor support boards mid-span

  • Chris started on 30' yurt
  • somehow ended up with way less boards than required. Hmmm.....
  • All on-hand boards are in place. Chris calculated remaining.
  • time: 4.5 hrs

313.02 Yurt Entry Awnings: Design and create materials list

  • C&C worked on plans
  • time: .5 hrs

213.06 Deck: railing

  • C&C finalize post cuts idea, choosing a cool angle bottom.
  • Cass marks a bunch for cutting
  • time: 2.75 hrs

678.41 Connector stability testing

  • Passed!
  • time: 30 min

306.01 Determine tasks Cass can do during week

  • time: 30 min

213.49 MLA Flooring: clean and repair

  • C&C review what needs to go where in prep for resanding yurt floors damaged during yurt raising.
  • time: 45 min

213.17 Construct walls - 20' yurt

  • Plumbed closet walls and braced
  • worked on wallboard install prep
  • Time: 1.25 hrs

213.09 Electrical rough in

  • Chris prepares walls for wire run drilling
  • time: 30 min

05/20/07 - Sunday

Notes:

  • Rainy and sunny and cloudy
  • Military jet flyyover again.

275.04 Materials transport

  • Brought up the old weathebeaten sifter
  • Carried up 2*8 boards
  • Carried up 2*4 boards
  • time: 1.25 hr

213.49 MLA Flooring: clean and repair

  • Chris put up a tarp on the deck for storing in-yurt-stuff during sanding
  • time: 2.25 hrs

213.36 Site Cleanup

  • C&C move some in-yurt-stuff to the Xterra, then Chris transports stuff to the shed, except some bracing boards that went under the 30' yurt
  • Chris built a little walkway to traverse some muddy goo
  • time: 1 hr

213.59 Install floor support boards mid-span

  • C&C reviewed 2*4s that were for railing but look cruddy. They are reallocated fo floor support
  • Cass starts drilling pilot holes, moving under the tarp when rain came
  • Chris continues installing
  • time: 2.75 hrs

213.17 Construct walls - 20' yurt

  • Cass marks out starting boards for cutting.
  • Chris cuts wallboards
  • C&C start installing wallboards
  • Time: 2 hrs

05/21/07 - Monday

324.01 Deck angle add-on: design and create materials list

  • got 45 angle setup, sent pic to chris, made notes
  • Time: 0.5hrs

313.02 Yurt Entry Awnings: Design and create materials list

  • Recalc'd based on C+C review this weekend, and finalized cutting info
  • Time: 0.5hrs

213.56 Construct yurt entry awnings

  • measured awning vinyl, selected and marked boards, hand-cut the 2*4's - including the rounded angle and sanded edges, ready for staining tomorrow
  • Time: 3.5hrs

213.09 Electrical rough-in

  • drilled out most of marked 1/2" holes (drill won't fit into one bay, left for chris w/right angle)
  • Time: 0.5hrs

213.17 Construct 20' walls

  • measured and marked two more starting boards
  • Time: 0.25hrs

213.16 Connect yurts

  • got ladder out and looked up at top as requested by chris, made notes
  • Time: 0.25hr

05/22/07 - Tuesday

213.56 Construct yurt entry awnings

  • at chris' suggestion, cass handcuts the 2*8 straight cuts. Woohoo.
  • Avail boards cleaned, and 1st session of stain done.
  • Time: 2.25hrs
  • 213.58 Install yurt window awnings
  • cut angle part and finished mockup w/hardware bought over wkend. Got it outside and up, finagled and assessed. Notes made for improvements. Left it up to consider thru afternoon. Is not truly stable as is (sides not anchored and mockup used 2*3-so is t
  • Time: 1.5hrs

213.17 Construct 20' walls

  • seem to be getting hang of the wallboards. Had to cut out for an electrical box and OMG what a chore! Took way long to do because was first one, chris didn't show cass how to do, and there were several glitches. But, it is up. Whew.
  • Time: 2.75hrs

213.36 site cleanup

  • used the little vac (batt charged in AM) to cleanup in 20'
  • Time: 0.25hrs

05/23/07 - Wednesday

Notes:

  • What a nasty day regarding airplanes... Cass mega problems, has to go inside numerous times.
  • Hot, humid and buggy.

324.01 Deck angle add-on: design and create materials list

  • setup 45angle at 4 and 5 boards, measured and took pics
  • Time: 0.25hrs

213.56 Construct yurt entry awning

  • finished staining and sealing available parts
  • Time: 1.5hrs

213.58 Install yurt window awnings

  • took down mockup, took apart, made new parts, put that together, put it up, went to find a part to anchor it, it fell down during absence and broke apart, got it back up on deck, fixed it, made some bottom bracing and put it up again (but is stable now
  • Time: 3hrs

213.17 Construct 20' walls

  • more wallboards up, difficult to work out the warping. Hmm.
  • Time: 1.25hrs

05/24/07 - Thursday

Notes:

  • Hot!

213.17 Construct 20' walls

  • another wallboard up while had to be in due to lowflying plane
  • Time: 0.25hrs

213.49 MLA floor: clean and repair

  • prep for this weekend's sanding, cleaning up and removing items
  • Time: 2hrs

213.31 Flooring finish

  • one coat of polyureseal, for test, applied on cleaned off wallboard scraps
  • Time: 0.25hrs

999.99 Misc - YIPPEE Benches!

  • Put together benches, inspired by the entry awning post scraps
  • Time: 1.75hrs

05/25/07 - Friday

  • Notes
  • Sunny, hot and humid

305.04 Diatomaceous earth

  • Time: 15 min

213.49 MLA Flooring: Clean & Repair

  • lots of prep work, including relocation of stuff & floor cleaning
  • time: 10.5 hrs

213.59 Install floor support boards mid-span

  • Install finished, needs additional screws but good enough for purpose of sanding
  • time: 3.25 hrs

213.31 Flooring finish

  • Cass tests application
  • time: 30 min

05/26/07 - Saturday

Notes:

  • "At least its not tap water..." (regarding cold water, but not really cold water, showers by C+C)

213.49 MLA Flooring: Clean & Repair

  • Chris rents sander (which sits unused all day)
  • C&C finish cleaning floor, then put up plastic for rest of day.
  • Chris preps for an early Sunday sanding start
  • time: 11.75 hrs

05/27/07 - Sunday

213.49 MLA Flooring: Clean & Repair

  • Chris says, "Sanding sucks!"
  • time: 12 hrs

320.30 Fix Floor Spotting

  • Chris hopes that the sanding (for 213.49) will also take care of this problem. He uses the hand sander around the rafter supports - wishes later that he'd have thought to take off the brackets as he went. On a bad area by the 20' door, he stops after
  • Time: Included in the 213.49 time

05/28/07 - Monday

Notes:

  • Sunny and pleasant. The horseflies sure enjoyed it until Cass got busy with the 'Shoe of Death' (which, Chris noted with a mild curiosity, leaves victims in a squishy state that gives Cass the heebie-jeebies...so, she's fine with killing but grossed ou

213.49 MLA Flooring: Clean & Repair

  • Chris returns sander and extraneous supplies.
  • C&C took a tour around the sanded floor. Then discussed options for resolving problems that didn't sand out. Then had a cookie (whilst still discussing floor). Then called Home Depot and talked to folks in three different departments. C&C had concluded
  • Cass gets into final cleaning
  • time: 6 hrs

320.20 Floor/wood spotting: Investigate problem and how to fix

  • Chris had hoped that sanding would take care of the spots also. As noted above, the 30' could be acceptable to C+C now, but the 20' is really unacceptable - C+C decide to try the oxalic acid - and that they should hold off on finishing the 30'.
  • Time: Included in the 213.49 time

306.01 Determine tasks Cass can do during week

  • Which is affected by the unfinished floor finishing task
  • time: 15 min

213.56 Construct yurt entry awnings

  • C&C cut some funky angles. Later, Chris makes some notches using a saw at the house.
  • time: 1.5 hrs

213.17 Construct walls - 20' yurt

  • Chris cuts wallboards
  • Cass installs wallboards
  • Time: 2.5 hrs

324.01 Deck angle add-on.

  • time 15 min

05/29/07 - Tuesday

Notes:

  • Exceeded 200 hours for May over the weekend. Unfortunately, some of that time is over budget. Oh well.
  • Today is low humidity and sunny... Figures! A gorgeous day after Chris back at work. Too bad the day sucked for many other reasons.
  • Helicopter low flying in AM. And again in afternoon, when cass uptop, and only place to wait it out is in the connector. Argh. There goes 15mins of sitework time!
  • Operation Kill Black Flies (and Carpenter Ants) continues.

213.56 Construct Yurt Entry Awnings

  • carried up the parts chris cut at house, marked and hand-cut the one pc that needed cut in middle, sanded edges carefully, fit pcs together. Later, setup a mosquito netting on deck, to create a zone for staining and sealing the parts without bugs, and
  • Time: 2.5hrs

213.49 MLA floor: clean and repair

  • had to take vac batt downhill (left it up top yesterday), charge it and then go down and get it. Then, worked more on getting up the sanding dust outta cracks, as instructed. Remembered to bring vac back down tonight, to recharge batt for doing more to
  • Time: 2hrs

213.17 Construct 20' walls

  • more wallboards up
  • Time: 1hrs

05/30/07 - Wednesday

Notes:

  • Another bad helicopter and plane day.
  • Later, at around 3:30PM, there was a wonderful 20minutes of peaceful quiet - a rarity here. No logging or planes, no lawnmowing, generators. It was very noticeably "Ahhhh!", The kind of place we thought we were moving to.
  • C+C have connection across the miles, thinking similar thoughts unbeknownst to one another, consciously, at the time. Today is first time actually thought: at what point do we give up? Could we even do that, how would that work.

213.56 Construct Yurt Entry Awnings

  • got out the stain and supplies, to stain and seal. Didn't do all sides since there is some sealer on already and it is faster not having to wait. So, S+S is all done.
  • Time: 1.5+0.75

213.17 Construct 20' walls

  • starter boards on the long wall weree very problematic
  • Time: 1hr

213.49 MLA floor: clean and repair

  • used vac batt up, only have bit in front of door left to do. Started wiping up sawdust, got about 2/3 of floor cleaned
  • Time: 2.5hrs

05/31/07 - Thursday

Notes:

  • What a day. Cass gets dressed to go up top and work three times, but only actually gets up there once, later in evening.
  • Military jets, thuderstorm, ants...
  • Chris debates getting underneath to take apart chase by headlamp at night. C+C decide best to stick to reg schedule, do that tomorrow. Possibly, Cass' measures during day (tape, essential oils, killing and cleaning) has stopped the ants getting in unt

213.49 MLA floor: clean and repair

  • Rest of 30' floor cleaned up, ready for finishing (unless do spotting fix first)
  • Time: 1.25hrs
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