On Site

Here's our new little home...in early "set up" stage. The crew had to quit work Friday afternoon due to a snowstorm, but they were all back at it this morning at 8 a.m. This was taken just before they all turned up for work.

Mike and I had a great weekend together. I met him at 1130 Saturday morning just as he'd pulled in from work. We climbed a step ladder for a quick tour de house, and then headed into town to buy me...snow boots. One needs snow boots in Lone Butte. Saturday night we had dinner at the Iron Horse with Dori & Gary. Sunday morning we did a tour de fence line, me breaking the trail in my boots, and Mike trudging behind in his lack of snow boots. This morning, after saying good morning to Todd and the crew, we went back into town and bought Mike...snow boots! We are well equipped from the knees down for our first winter that won't consist almost entirely of rain.

This morning at 1130 I kissed my sweety goodbye, and headed south. There were two vehicles upside down in the ditch between 83 Mile and 70 Mile...some folks were in way too much of a hurry. Roads were clear and dry from the Lillooet turnoff to home. Stopped at Ma & Pa's to collect Gilly, and arrived home at 6 pm. Eight more weeks and home will be Lone Butte.

The Eagle has Landed!

That was the message from Mike on my voicemail at work this afternoon. Our home arrrived, and after a few heartstopping moments when they thought the truck was going to go over on its side, all was well again.

This pic was taken just before it arrived; that's Elaine standing exactly where the house now sits. Cliff burned some stump piles this morning, hence the smoke.

I'll have many more pics after the weekend.

Looks like a gorgeous day; I've seen nothing but dense fog since Sunday.

Tomorrow's the Day!

Our little home comes tomorrow! Unfortunately I can't be there to watch.

In recent happenings, Mike and Gary assembled the wellhouse yesterday. We got a woodstove permit. We got a registration number for industrial burning. I bought a spiffy electrolux cannister vacuum for the new place.

And now I have to go to work.

Update

Delivery day for our home is now Wednesday. Apparently the trucking company is squeamish about access. Mike and Cliff are sure it will be no problem. I don't get to be there to watch.
The window hasn't arrived. The washer, dryer and dishwasher haven't arrived. There's not a lot to be excited about at the moment. Who knows when the woodstove will get installed? Bah humbug.

Mike is picking up the wellhouse pieces at Fawn Lake this morning, and I guess that'll be the project for the weekend; assembling and insulating.

I'm here, wishing I were there.

Monday morning

This time next week, our home should be sitting in the above spot. Those wires sticking up out of the ground have been run in underground from the new meter pole that's sitting at the end of the driveway. Apparently Cliff and Bridge Creek Power were busy last week. Hydro hasn't done the transformer yet. Way back behind the wires, you can just make out a post sticking up out of the ground. That's the frost free hydrant beside the well. The wellhouse will sit just to the left.

It snowed a bit last night. The dogs had a great time playing in the snow. Dogs and I came home this morning; we said goodbye to Mike at 6:15 a.m., as he had to go to Ashcroft for orientation. I miss him already. I stopped in at the plant to see the mobile; it's looking good, and will be delivered next Monday. The infamous window has yet to arrive. Pissy comments withheld. Apparently Edmonton time works in a similar fashion to Cariboo time. 

Time to Go...

Mike's departure north was delayed for two days by the statutory holiday, so he doesn't go away until tomorrow morning. We rented a U-haul trailer again today, and have packed up all the bedroom furniture from Jen's former room to use as starter furniture in the new place, as we'll be maintaining two households for two months. We also managed to cram in the loveseat from upstairs, and our old Ikea kitchen table and two chairs, thanks to some creative stuffing. I'm taking the Subaru up in the morning, checking out the property, visiting with Dori & Gary, and then will stop by the plant on the way home Monday morning on my way back down to the coast with the dogs. I'll be keeping the pickup down here, Mike will have the Subaru up there.

We're celebrating our last evening here with dinner at A Kettle of Fish. Mike is busy packing up clothes and things. I'd better go & help. 

It's Happening

Mike starts work in 100 Mile on Monday. He's going to be staying at Dori & Gary's till the mobile is ready to live in, which should be just at the end of the month. He's going up on Friday for a ride along orientation, and then he's ready to start. His last day at his current job is Thursday.

I'm going up on Sunday to see how things are - haven't yet seen the fence, haven't seen the prep work for the house site, haven't been to the plant lately either. I have a day off on Monday, so will come home then. Snow tires are going on the pickup today, and the Subaru is getting a block heater.

Window Woes

Perfect. The living rom window doesn't fit. Despite Sandra ordering a 6x5 window, they delivered a 6'6"x5 window. This is not good. Sandra is in discussions with the manufacturer and with someone else around getting a new window ASAP. We can't defer the delivery date, as the place needs to be ready to hook up to natural gas on the 28th. Things have actually gone very smoothly - there had to be something to cause a bit more stress.

Bridge Creek and Hydro are getting together in the next week or so to run in electricity. Hydro is going to install a transformer on the pole south of our driveway; Bridge will install a meter pole near our driveway, and then install an underground line to the house.

And that's the Inman Road update for November 4.

And here it is . . . Inman Road

A view of Inman Road, looking more or less north from the end of our driveway. This pic was taken in early April 2004. (that's Jen's shoulder on the right). It's a quiet road, just off of Highway 24. The road continues for another couple of miles, and ends up petering out into a trail. We have some wonderful neighbours who would do anything for you. We've met more people from our street and the surrounding area in the past year than we know in our current neighbourhood. And that's another reason we can't wait to move.

We had a moving company come by tonight to give us a free quote on what it would cost to move us. Being the dead of winter and very much the "off" season would equal a sixty percent discount. It seems affordable, and we'll think it over.