{"id":154,"date":"2013-08-18T20:05:34","date_gmt":"2013-08-19T02:05:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/smithcrew.ca\/?p=154"},"modified":"2021-02-11T05:13:04","modified_gmt":"2021-02-11T05:13:04","slug":"poverty-acres-and-in-the-beginning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/smithcrew.ca\/wordpress\/2013\/08\/18\/poverty-acres-and-in-the-beginning\/","title":{"rendered":"Poverty Acres….and in the beginning"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>Well it was time to sit down to the desk top computer and dust off my writing skills to update my blog\u2026actually it was brought to my attention that I\u2019ve really dropped the ball on blogging so out of guilt here I am \u2013 hhahahaha.\n

Now its been\u00a08 months since I last wrote \u2013 phew lots has been going on.\u00a0 It seems my life is never really dull \u2013 I mean I have moments of quietness but then something arises and we see some action!\u00a0 So back in November what the hell was I doing?? Oh yes we were planning a new house build \u2013 which we are\u00a0100 days into our build.<\/p>\n

Here is a picture of Povery Acres \u2013 pre anything being done! Just lots of thoughts and dreams \u2013 which some of those are coming true.\u00a0 We\u2019ve had to learn to negotiate with our builder and as well negotiate with each other which has been a great growing period for our marriage. As you can see in the above picture above snow is still covering the ground \u2013 and by the time we move in snow will be covering the ground again.\u00a0Our initial move in date was September 30, 2013 but as we started down this road I was well aware of all the\u00a0variables that played into that date and we now are being told November 1st. I have a target date of being in before Christmas which would be awesome!<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve rented a Cat,\u00a0Rock truck, packer and hired out a Hoe & Operator as well as having a friend that I went to High School with who has a grader, loader & gravel truck. We seemingly built a road & two spots onto which would be built our shop & house. It amazes me how that can all happen \u2013 I don\u2019t have a very clear minds eye so just trusted Clark & his crew and they came through with A\u2019s all around for them!!<\/p>\n

The Builder came in and by the evening of May 10th we had a footing outline of our house\u2026first thing Clark says \u201cI think it\u2019s wrong\u201d \u2013 good grief \u2013 in my mind all I could think \u201cthis is going to be the longest 6 months of my life\u201d \u2013 ahhahah.\u00a0 Of course we got out the tape measure and measured it up \u2013 guess what \u2013 BANG ON! And so the beginning of house building began.\u00a0 That was 100 days ago \u2013 today we are at the drwall mudding & taping stage. The windows are in \u2013 the blow in insulation has been blown in and we are nearing the first coat of paint primer which will happen on August 26 (give or take a day or two). Then the interior finishes will happen and flooring next. It is really interesting to see how it all unfolds and people work together.\u00a0 We have been rather lucky with any crews that have come in \u2013 they have been patient with our questions or quick changes and only had one incident with the siders which was quickly put to rest.<\/p>\n

We have been grateful to have had a friend who needed a housesitter for the summer \u2013 this job is coming to an end though on August 31 and we will move into the shop for the remainder of our homelessness. The shop has been up and is actually housing all of Clark\u2019s shop belongings, and part of our house possessions \u2013 as well as our 2 cats \u2013 Bandit & Tito.\u00a0 We created a living space with front room, kitchen & sleeping areas for Clark, myself, & Cooper. Chloe called first dibs on the camper as her temporary home which is fine by us as she only lives with us during the week. Clark added a room onto the shop which is being converted into a bathroom \u2013 he & his Dad poured the concrete floor yesterday and over\u00a0his \u00a0next 6 days off (starting on Aug 21) we will put a shower, toilet & sink into it and will then be ready for move in. We already have a fridge, freezer & stove ready to see some action and TV\/blueray hooked up for entertainment.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve had an older fellow come in and \u2018witch\u2019 our land to see what water would be like or where\u2019s it located\u00a0\u2013 he claims there is a huge aquaduct right below where we actually wanted the well situated.\u00a0 Walt from Walt\u2019s Waterwell Drilling came in \u2013 the first 200 feet was clay \u2013 and finally bedrock but only for 20 feet until they struck gold with water! We have 15 gallons per minutes which is pretty good \u2013 we\u2019ll never run out that\u2019s for sure!\u00a0 At our farm in Wembley we only had 7 gallons per minute \u2013 ran our house, my parents house & had 50 or so head of cattle and never once ran it dry.\u00a0\u00a0The quality of water has not been tested yet but the neighbor to the North of us said the water isn\u2019t the best (has lots of soda in it) but that was the least of my worries \u2013 as long as it isn\u2019t full of iron!<\/p>\n

Clark wired the shop and trenched in the power to the house which is now running on it\u2019s own instead of having a temporary panel strung out across the yard for the workers. We have no heat yet but should before we move in\u00a0 \u2013 our plumber has been on holidays but will show up to connect the boiler system and get us up & running in that area. Our shop & house will both be heated with in-floor heating \u2013 no conventional furnace at all.<\/p>\n

When the going gets tough I stand in the middle of the acreage and shut my mind off \u2013 all I can hear is cattle moo\u2019ing, birds and the wind \u2013 that is worth all the blood, sweat & tears!! So here\u2019s looking at the next 104 days (if we move in December 1) \u2013 and I promise to try and be better at updating!!\u00a0 Otherwise enjoy the few pictures I\u2019ll post below!<\/p>\n

Cheers,<\/p>\n

Shannon<\/p>\n

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