What is Small and What is Tiny

This is actually a continuation of the last post.
  Some have said that 120-150 sq ft per person is the boundary between too little, or not enough space in a Tiny House. Upwards of that, 200-400 sq ft is a Small House for 1 person or 2. You can imagine then, that 500 to 1000 sq ft is the about right for the average size family, of 2 adults and 2-3 children.

At present living like I am, it seems that a space of 150 sq ft would be tiny indeed. Adequate for temporary, and perhaps over a short haul (2-3 yrs), but hardly suitable for the long haul (5-10 yrs). That being 10 ft by 15 ft, adding that much again, would bring it up to either 30 ft by 10 ft shotgun house, or a 20 ft by 15 ft eehhhhhhhhh sort of not a shot gun ;-) at 300 sq ft. With a loft arrangement, this would be more than adequate for me.

One hundred and fifty square feet as starter, and outside sauna / shower would be more than adequate for a tiny starter home. By adding on another 150 sq ft would make it feel luxurious ;-) Throw in the possible loft, and I would be rattling around in it for the first year until I had spread out and filled up the corners LOL

Structurally it would be sound to go with the 20 x 15, as it would make ceiling joist placement and center support simple and strong. For a Cordwood house, making it 20 x 15 interior would make exterior dimensions, with walls at 18" , 23 x 18 ft..  This is a bit off from the 4 ft and 8 ft recommended denominators, but with a bit of juggling, it would be fine. Joists would span the 23 ft width, rather than the 18 ft., with the center posts at 12 ft from the outside. Perhaps too much detail for the present but have to start somewhere ;-) (adjusting this to 20 x 16 ft interior, and 24" walls renders a 24 x 20 ft exterior)

Building something like this does take a lot of sketching etc. but that leads to the problem of procrastination. Not knowing the circumstances at the time of initial construction, it is impossible to know what resources (money, trees, used windows, appliances, etc) will be available. It is entirely possible that things will be very tight, and only a shed would be built, or conversely, there would be lots of help and resources, and the full structure could be built in a summer. It is impossible to know. For that reason alone, it is prudent to keep sketching, and cogitating (HEY it is a word ;-) about the possibilities.

So the "Tiny" house option has to be considered as a first step. Or even just the Sauna, for a year as roof over my head, as resources are accumulated. This is the corundum of building your own home, and why Tiny Houses are becoming so popular in parts of the United States, during this Great Recession..

The advantages of going from Tiny to Small, also accrue to the Utility aspect of the building. The smaller the structure the lower cost of Utilities: Solar Heating, Electricity, Plumbing, and so on, and the less likely that one needs to hook into the commercial grid. The alternatives are numerous, from gas / propane stoves, heaters, fueled by a large exterior tank, to Solar and Wind power, or even heated water; The Internet is full of stories and sources for building without inflicting harm on the environment, and in addition adding 21st century amenities from unique and unusual sources. One doesn't need to go back to the 18th or 19th century way of living if one is willing to do due diligence in researching and pulling together ideas for replacing The Grid.
     Below I have added two sketches that I did up. Not that these are final ideas, just place holders. The side view is an ambitious undertaking, as it would require someone with extensive second story expertise to make happen. Something I don't have. A more likely outcome is a low crawl space type loft, about 4-5 ft high at most.

 In the floor plan, I have kept window space to a minimum. To the North I am thinking an attached shed or sauna, combination. Limiting wind entry opportunities to the North and North-West, as this is where we get our coldest winds from. The warmest winds come from the South and South-East.
  Have not included stairs or 'Loo' as I have not decided yet on how big or whether or not to include them. As the Kitchen counter takes up a large amount of space, you can gather that perhaps that will also be a work area as well as for food preparation. Maybe even a bar seating arrangement rather than a table. Still to be worked out.
    On the front, South, side, I have two 6 ft openings, one for a picture window, and the other for a sliding glass door. This with the door on the North side, takes care of the requirements of having two exits. The sizes of the other windows being 5 ft, is for Sun Light and Passive Solar Heat.  

There are a number of ideas percolating in my head, but at the present I am not ready to put them to paper, or electronic storage ;-)

Autumn Winds and Changing Colours Blowing Thru The Mind

A lot has happened since the last post. Seasons have changed and Winter is almost upon us, here in the Northern Hemisphere; and my life has been going through more changes, to suit the seasons ;-)
     I have moved to a room in a basement, with Shower/:Loo, and share the kitchen upstairs with my land lady. There was to be two rooms down here, but a "temporary" accommodation for a local teenage girl was necessary, so now there are three ladies and me sharing the kitchen. Mind Blowing though that is, I am surviving; rent is reasonable, and aside from some wasps that needed removing, has been uneventful LOL
     90% of my "stuff" is still in my daughter's basement, safe for now, and I have begun work on another Mini-Gym, using bungee cord this time. As well as a desk for the computer and writing. There is a narrow 7' shelf that I will be bringing here as well, for storage of this n' that. but for now it is minimalist living at it's best, in a 10 x 15 1/2 ft space.
     Which brings me to this blog. I could be writing about the 22 lbs (210 lbs down to 188 lbs) I have lost since moving out of my daughter's, and getting away from the fat and carbs diet; or having dropped my BP and therefore the pills I had been talking for it; or I could have written about eating without a stove/oven and using hot water to heat the food (other than the occasional use of the Micro-Wave); then again, how about the need for exercise, the atrophying of my right thigh, and what to do about it. But for this post, I'll settle for, What is Tiny and What is Small, with regards to housing...

      I have spent a few days in the past 2 months drawing diagrams of floor plans, trying to come to grips with that question, and HOW to go about building what I feel would be a livable home. The room down here, is Cabin Size, that with a smaller bed (it is a double or a queen, not sure) would be suitable for a few weeks in the Fall or Winter for hunting and fishing, but long term year in year out would be cramped. Even with a loft, though it would be better, it would not lend itself to having people (the kids or friends) over for holidays. And that seems to be the rub as they say; how do I entertain the idea of entertaining in this small space, even if I could fit more chairs and tables? The Space in Scarborough was adequate (kitchen, bedroom, washroom and two closets) and with addition of one room suitable for entertaining short term guests, but no very good for long, without the extra room.
      At the old place, at my ex's. was thinking of this, when I took out the measuring tape (never go anywhere without it ;) and measured the living room, and realized it was 21 feet by 12 feet... with the kitchen, dwn stairs entrance, and part of a bedroom. Did a non-scale drawing and could see the possibilities. Shrink the living room to 12 x 15, and a bathroom at the end, 5 x 12, as the first half to be built. then add the another side to it later, 10x12, for kitchen, and 10 x 12 for a bedroom den... lots of space (24x20) 480 sq ft. for one person to entertain; add guest cottages and it is more than adequate for having family and friends come to stay...
    This isn't the final story on what shape the house may take, but it is getting closer to an understanding of what I will need. A cabin is fine for a hermit, but for a real person, with family and friends, it would hardly be suitable. So back to the drawing board, and more thinking, but I feel that I am one more step closer to knowing...
     Oh, and about the weight, and the Mini-Gym: well, aiming for 185 by the end of October, and the Mini-Gym and desk to be brought over here in two to three weeks.
   

The Dog Days of Summer in Southern Ontario

It has been a wonderful summer, if you like the heat and humidity. WHICH I DON'T!!
Health wise, it has been a blow out summer for me. June my right foot was hurt by falling 2x4 lumber, July it got too hot to walk safely for a retiree ;(, and then August just as it is getting cool, my landlord asks me to be ready to move out by Sept. 1st, NOT Oct. 1st as I had requested, to help me get over the month and a half hump before motels and cottages become available for Winter Rates ;(
   So the first two weeks of the month have been spent trying to find an affordable alternative, that would not ruin my plans for saving $10,000+ for next summer... but I have managed to find something, that I hope will work out. It is not a separate apartment exactly... I share the entrance and the kitchen with the landlord, but have two separate rooms in the basement, with washroom/shower in the bedroom, and it is furnished... oh one other downside, but not really a problem, there is no internet. So I will need to install my Teksavvy equipment, for DSL... not a problem, I HOPE!!
   Move in on Friday, the 23rd, after paying first and last. It is a 1.5 miles from where I live, and I have down sized again this past month, to a slim 25 cu ft, from 100 cu ft in June ;) won't be taking the boxes, just the clothes, food and the computer/desk... should be a slimmed down experience. I am hoping that I can store the boxes here, with the wine that is aging ;-) I'll be visiting here and my brother's often, as well as walking as much as I can between now and Winter. Then it will get interesting.

    How to exercise in small spaces??
My idea at the moment is a bar arrangement, for handling, and steadying myself, while I do crunches, with a back pack. Starting at 10 lbs and working up to 30 lbs. That and weights for arms, should be enough to keep in shape, when I can't walk.
    As you can imagine, with the exercise regime this summer, I have not been able to loose any weight, and have kept a steady 205-10, which is not bad, but not good, when I should be hitting down about 180 by now... very disappointed. Aiming at the moment for below 200 lbs by October/November. Not a specific number, just below. Away from the rich food served here, I should be able to drop to below in a month, and then make some progress from there. Tempted to put a number, but don't think it is a good idea mentally...

    Are there Wombats in Australia?
    Have been following a woman in Australia, who like me is a haphazard blogger. She rides dirt bike, competitively  and she is just getting back in shape for a race. She has some great ideas for diet and I am going to add a few to my regime. I am having chocolate milk (my own mix of cocoa, splenda and milk powder) for breakfast, and sometimes a measuring cup of oatmeal and granola, with more milk powder, if I am going walking. I stop off at McDonald's, where I have the gift card, and have a soda, and chocolate muffin for lunch. For now, I have been walking 6.5 miles (done 3 trips this week, and will do one more) and it seems to be helping the stamina. I have also been using the cane less, and while it slows me down, it hasn't been a problem for balance, or the knee.
    My knee is still not fully usable like the good one, but with exercise it may strengthen to be able to hold my weight going down stairs normally again. Well, that's the hope.

This is NOT an advertisement

How ever, I just did a calculation on the cost of Ancient Grains Flat Bread at Costco vs Sobey's.

Now the same bread is sold at each store. But they are packaged differently, even though the cost is the same, $3.99. Sobey's is packaged 8 rounds to Costco's 15. I use anywhere from 8 and up per week when I have them. They are a nice easy meal. My Costco membership expired in June, and I was not going to renew it, until I was sure I would be near a Costco Store. Now I am having some doubts.

Last night I bought some groceries at Soby's, $47. two bags, not good, but a lot less than I was expecting, by about $15. But here's the crunch. For an average years worth of flat bread, (52x$3.99) it would cost $207.48. Now compare that with Costco at (52x8/15 = 27.73 x $3.99 =) $110.66, that is a savings of $96.82 before membership costs of about $50. Which is still a savings of $46.82, on ONE ITEM alone. When taking into consideration other items, like pills, meat, and condiments, it is probably a good bet, at least compared to Sobey's, Costco is the winner.

Of course that would not include regular super markets, like Food Basic, NoFrills and their sales. They could compare favourably with Costco. But how often, unless your an avid coupon watcher, can you hit the sales. Definitely leaning towards another membership.

Food, FOOOOOD, Glorious Food!!!

ok, a bit over the top I know. But it has been on my mind lately.
How to survive without a kitchen??
What that means, without any stove, microwave, or fire place?
What can be prepared just simply using hot water from the tap?
Can it be sustaining and interesting?

Well, the past two months I have been using powdered milk,
quick cooked oats and Splenda/dark brown sugar, for my breakfast.
Adding the occasional handful of raisins. This was partially a start.

Another treat :-) was Bread and Milk for breakfast. 2 -3 slices of bread,
powdered milk, and a scoop of raisins, and hot water.

Then I began making a drink of Honey, Mint, Ginger, Lemonade and Hot Water .
This in 3 liter bottles, but it began to ferment after 3-4 days. Low Alcohol of course.

But then two weeks ago I got a throat bug.
I began making lemonade, with Brown Sugar, using a plug in kettle.
Again this was limited kitchen facilities.

As for lunches and dinners.
I expanded to include wraps, and using a small Microwave Oven.
Using flat bread from Costco, Ancient Grains (4 dollars gets 15 rounds)
I first began making spreads with margarine and spices or jams.
These were ate cold, no heating up. Variations were endless.
From the usual, peanut butter and jam or honey, to adding Cinnamon
or Cloves. Didn't do this but even heated up apples might have worked.
But then I got a buy on cheese, and grated up a block.
Making Cheese Wraps with salad or frozen mixed veggies.
Heated in the microwave they were great lunches or dinners.

Yesterday, I bought some granola, and a bag of quick cooked oats.
Today I mixed half and half, added a bit of powdered milk and no sugar.
Then the hot water to make breakfast. Decided to try it plain.
Not great but not bad. Think the raisins and a tip of the spoon of sugar
would improve the taste.

Once I had the Microwave Oven in the mix, I began experimenting with Apples.
LARGE Pink Lady apples, cored, and diced with skin, brown sugar, margarine, and quick oats.
Micro waved for 5 minutes, stirred up and eaten hot, with mug of hot lemonade.
Was enough to keep me from nibbling from lunch to 6+ in the evening.

Another drink, was taking raw cocoa powder, splenda and milk powder, and making my
own hot chocolate powder. A couple of spoonful's and hot water from the kettle was all
it took to make a drink to warm up on, during a cold day with the a/c ;-D

It is enough to say, that with a plug in kettle, and microwave oven, a single person
can get by without an kitchen, and in a pinch, even without the microwave.
Between dried stuff, and ready cooked, it is possible to live.
But don't expect to win prizes for culinary greatness ;-)

A Stove / Fireplace to Heat and Cook with

POST 2 A Stove / Fireplace to Heat and Cook with June 25th

I have been thinking about Finnish / Russian Stoves for quite some time. Then last week, http://cordwoodconstruction.wordpress.com/ posted this article on it's blog. It had a picture of a mass storage fire place that looked quite simple to decipher. I went looking about and found more information on them, and a picture of one in the process of being constructed. The Interior Parts were custom made and shipped to site from a factory, and the exterior parts were accessed on site, and gave the finished product it's local character, built by the home builder.
      It was the picture of the Interior Parts that got me really excited. While I had seen some diagrams of various stoves, I had not seen anything like this. Two, 18" flues 2" wide, on either side of a firing hole. They pointed upward of course and had their origin in the firing chamber. This was a pattern that I could understand.
      My brain immediately went into over drive, and I have been thinking of pretty much nothing else since. No drawings as yet, but I have come down to thinking a dome style interior, with flues on either side and up the back, with two cooking levels, one for large pots, and the other at the top, for pizza or cookie trays. and through the back, how about copper tubing with water running through, to a tank, recycling on a small pump.
    I'm still trying to think through the flues construction and whether to have them go straight up over, or to curve over before going up. The latter more complicated, but if done right, the smoke/air inside could be reheated and less smoke and soot go up the chimney. At least that is the idea.
   This is of course very preliminary thinking. So don't get too locked into any ideas yet ;D But the more I think about it the more interesting it becomes. One aspect of this is, that I am thinking more advanced ideas for a first shelter, in that I would build it with Stackwall, and a cob for mortar, with a smallish but effective Fireplace, using clay/non organic sub soil mud. Something our early Neo-Lithic Ancestors would create on the quick and cheap ;D

POST 1 Mini Stone / Clay Fire place-Stove June 17th

First, definitions; Fire place vs Stove

A Fire Place is any open source of fire, with or without a chimney.
A Stove is an enclosed Fire with a heat surface over top, enclosed or not, for cooking on/in.

I know that by the Neolithic people were heating water using pre made containers, by putting rocks from the fire into the water container. Thus heating the water. But I wonder when man or woman (let's not be sexist ;) discovered that by containing the fire, and letting the top rock heat and using it for cooking on?

My idea is to use rocks and clay to form a 3 sided container, with a flat rock on top, and another flat rock for covering the front of the fire... in this way the top rock would heat and serve as the cooking surface.
To move it further a bit, by enclosing the top rock, we get a primitive stove, for baking ;-) how this would be done, would require some experimentation, but I think a thicker base with walls built up over time to cover a wattle frame that would be left in for a period to support the roof of the stove... whether the dome would be capable of self support without the frame is the big question, or if left in, would the wood of the frame deteriorate with the heat being transmitted through the stone and clay...

The other question, is how "mini" would this be ;D I am sure our ancestors did this experimentation a few times in the past, on different continents... what I am proposing doing is nothing new...

    As I think this through, I'll add to this and bump it up... but it does seem a way forward to learning.

from the primitive to the modern survival tech

I came across an article in the Globe and Mail about a means to supply power to off grid back packers.

 http://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/gadgets-and-gear/gadgets/charge-your-device-off-the-grid-with-sherpa-solar-power-kit/article12513769/

with a little bit of luck I stumbled upon the home site of this little wonder, and a world of Solar Powered Energy Support, based in of all places, Brampton, Ontario, stones throw from here.

http://www.solarflash.ca/

Now, not all stuff is cheap, and Solar Energy, while it is getting better, is not for the small of pocket book, or bank account. But for someone who is willing to start small, and work up, like someone who wants to build by stages a Cordwood or Eco-Home, then this is the ticket.

I can see taking this little wizard,

http://www.solarflash.ca/goal-zero-portable-recreational-solar-products/complete-kits/scout-150-expedition-kit/scout-150-expedition-kit/

as a starting point, in a low tech method of keeping in touch, and perhaps having some light not dependent on a fire or candle. (maybe even a one cup coffee maker ;). This would do until a more permanent habitat were created, that might require even two or three such power supplies, when it would be probable that it would be cheaper to upgrade to a more powerful unit.

This unit is for RVs but it does not mean it can't be used on a stationary base. It is 125 Watt, and is capable of powering an RVs electrical system. This is Solar Flash's description, without price. At the bottom is a link to a pdf file from the maker.
  http://www.solarflash.ca/category/off-grid-battery-backup/off-grid-kits/rvboat-kits/

http://www.solarflash.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/HESRV-SolarFlash-spec1.pdf

for a description and price from a company in Manitoba, try this site.

http://www.evolvegreen.ca/catalog/item/6217815/8808063.htm

As can be seen from the brief links above, there is lots of options for power off grid, without going over board. But one thing is abundantly clear from what little I have learned, it is going to be necessary to bone up on some of this tech, so that I can do it myself. From the Solar Flash site, for a full installation for a cottage, (Stove, Fridge, Micro Wave, TV/Entertainment Unit, Pumps etc,) it is 10,000 for materials and half again of that, for installation of a low end 4.5 Kw Solar Power Source!!

http://www.solarflash.ca/category/diy-grid-connect-solar-kits/4-5kw-diy-solar-pv-kit/

No one said Solar Power was going to be cheap "IF YOU WANT THE CITY IN THE COUNTRY"

Survival

Just a late thought on the below blog: if it is not possible in the 2013/14 Winter time frame, perhaps it would work for a 2014/15 time frame, if I have been able to purchase some suitable land... and use this idea as a basis for an initial place to stay until more suitable quarters are built... Saving on Rent and Living Off Grid for the year or so, while the logs are cut, peeled and dried for an small cabin.... Add a little bit of Solar Electric for the few things that need it, like computers, charging cell phone, etc... have to think more on this over the summer ;D

Ok, not sure how to pitch this... but some thoughts on Homeless Camping:

it is going to be low tech to begin with... a normal "homeless" person in Toronto, or Southern Ontario, has only the bare necessities, and is dependent on the city infrastructure to survive. What I am thinking of is a lot less dependent on the City, and more to do with my own wits and ingenuity in a woodland setting... depending on grocery stores and hardware stores purchases, where absolutely necessary... NOT going completely back to the Paleo-Lithic ;D
   A book I read many years ago, on wilderness survival, that actually happened, during the WWII era, detailed a campsite that was a canvas tent, covered by a web of branches, covered by a tarp, and then turf/soil and more branches.... an igloo of branches and soil, with a tent inside... with a small fire for heat...
   This form of survival technology, kept the people alive and secret from the German Military, who were hunting them... this comes to mind now as a way forward... however I am not entirely convinced at this point in my life I can pull it completely off...
    The problem that I see, is that the people involved were armed, and had very little in the way of local wild life to deal with... and when they did, it was mostly for food... some things that I won't have the opportunity to work... so for me the wild life may be a more pressing problem than the need for shelter and food...
     Which leads to the next question, how far from civilization do I care to go... at present I have only a hazy idea of where I might end up come September / October... so if I have any thoughts of living off the land through winter, it will have to be determined by then...
      I don't see there being a problem with the isolation... there will be more than enough to keep me busy... and even more if I want to add extras that won't deal with the immediate point of survival... like doing experimental archeology in the form of say preparing arrows and a bow, or making implements out of wood or stone...
      One piece of experimental archeology that I would like, in this environment, is to determine the size of fire and perhaps a hearth or clay/stone stove that a hunter gather live style might use... these are rare on the records, because they don't survive, but it seems to me that they must have developed something of the sort later on, pre Neolithic... about 10,000 years ago...
      I know from experience that a few candles can keep a closed space 19 ft x 12 ft x 7 ft, relatively warm on a Winter's night... but what size fireplace / stove... Say, a fire chamber 2 ft. x2 ft. x2 ft., within a rock/clay casing, with a chimney pipe of clay rock through the roof... kind of like a mini-Russian / Finnish stove...

is it really 3 weeks

Eh!!! Well, I can claim to be busy... ok, that didn't work :)

The news... LED 40w bulbs are now 15 dollars at Home Depot, but the 75w bulbs are 45 dollars
WHAT is going on here??? We HOPE that there will be a readjustment in price soon...

on the personal front, damaged my right foot, lobbed some 2x4x32 inch wood onto it... big toe is still a bit stiff and sore, but the swelling has gone down... it was one of those accidents you want to forget as soon as possible, but YOUR BODY refuses to let you...

hair cut, and that led to a whole lot of teasing from my friend TG in South Africa... just so happens I got texted by a lady on a dating site, and made the mistake of telling TG!!! The Casanova jokes came out of the woodwork ;) ok, I can take a joke... most days... anyway, didn't last long... the lady and I are heading out on different paths... something that I learned long time ago... people can click, but because of circumstances or their interests long term, they are not going to make it as a couple... Eco-Living was not on this person's life line, summers in NY and winters in the Bahamas, were ;)

ok, back to business...
    have sorted down the material wealth that I have acquired over the years, and it now will fit 3ftx5ftx3ft, and I checked the local Storage Mart, and for a 5x5xY ft locker they charge 92 dollars w/tax included. Not too bad...

On June 10th, I went to Canadian Tire, and bought a WindRiver sleeping bag, good for -10, and spent 4 days at my brother's basement apartment trying it out... it works great, if your in -10 conditions... unfortunately we couldn't simulate that, in Ontario, in June... so it was HOT ;D which augers well for the future...
    but having come up close and personal with the sleeping bag, I came up with some improvements for the future... add a ground sheet cover to the outside via Velcro or sew it on... on the inside, a comforter as a liner would increase the sub zero capability... like perhaps a -20 ;D... thinking either zipper or Velcro attachment, or nothing if it works without....

What I also bought, but didn't try out yet, is a tent and a self inflating air mattress. The Tent is a dome, which they say will take 15 minutes to put up first time, but work down to 5 minutes... was cheap at 30 dollars, but came highly recommended.
 The air mattress has an electric pump inside and needs 4 D cell batteries... this is NOT your swimming hole air mattress...
    I'll be trying both these out the next time I go over to visit the bro.

The wood that landed on my foot was meant for building saw horses, 2, which I completed yesterday, and used them to take the mini-gym I finished last year and now have to ditch, apart. Next step is to build a bed, that I hope to add some gym / exercise capability to... how soon I don't know, as at present it appears that I am on a trajectory to be camping this summer some time.

In Which Case, Worst Case, I'll be doing these updates from my BlackBerry Playbook at McDonald's ;( or Best Case, I'll have a tethered link, and can be blogging from a cell phone, right in my tent!!! OH, JOY!!! Right in the middle of a thunderstorm that is ripping the tent apart ;D

well, it is Father's Day, so in tradition for Father's Day, going to head back to bed for a nap ;)

Alternatives Accomodations for Winter

Just a quickie, but was talking to Zonker, and he was saying that he spent 3 years using Motel Rooms for living in the off season. That would be from October 14th to the May 1st to May 24th period. Seems that they have monthly rates, as well as Daily, and in the Winter will reduce rates for an income ;) haven't talked to much with him about it, but will research some more. While this will do until I get enough for a down payment on a property, once that is accomplished, LIVING ON THE LAND to conserve $$ will be a necessity.
    I did a short search on my Playbook, and found lots of Motels in Ontario, so will have to do some more in depth research for area and prices later in the summer, say about August 15th... in the meantime, will keep you informed ;)
    oh, and right now I am considering activating a cell phone for internet connection. Not fully convinced yet that I need it, but just see what the price is going to be. Moving forward, inch by inch. ;D Now if I could only get moving on the weight loss. I have Plateaued at about 198 to 200, and it is bugging me :\

Thoughts for the "Home Front"

Actually more questions and puzzles than thoughts. Perhaps keep this post for things like that and just update as it develops.

1) Build Out buildings to Live in:
      a) Lean-to concept, minimalist
      b) Sauna (bench would serve as bed, stove, cooking, heating. Would need outhouse brrrrr.
      c) Workshop w/  loft. (ie also tool shed) barn doors, maybe a bit drafty...

2) Build a portion of main building:
      Kitchen, toilet washroom, w/ loft. Two sides cordwood, other two frame, easily taken down, moved, when next part of main building cordwood wall completed. Would easily follow in the bit by bit style more common to eco-building. Roof may be a problem though at the early stage.
      As would how and at what point to build the pad for the foundation. Whether to construct the whole pad, or go step by step?
      
3) Heating came to mind when I was thinking of the pad. The pad and floor would need to be thought out carefully if one wanted to incorporate advanced solar or air flow concepts to the design. Hypercaust came to mind as a possibility, utilizing double glazed windows in the Sun Room to channel hot air through the ceiling, back down a Trombe Wall, and back through the floor to the windows again.
     another idea that came to mind is a Finnish Wood Stove / Oven, it incorporates heat sink storage mass in it's design element, as well as utility for slow release of heat which makes it ideal for baking or slow roast of meat or stews...
     and speaking of cooking, who likes cooking indoors in the summer, how about an outside oven / barbecue made of brick... for that matter, make it part of a forge LOL

4) Water for washing and kitchen also came to mind. Initial thoughts had dwelt on a plastic container, with solar heating to heat the water. Plastic replacing the 50 gallon steel drum. I can see the water system going through several iterations over the course of the life of the project. From primitive, to mechanical, to Sling Shot, as developments in electrical sources advance.

5) Which brings me to Electricity.
    a) None, use candles, oil lamps and fire
    b) Batteries, hand held devices, etc
    c) possibly a gas generator.
    d) Solar Panels, with battery back up storage.
    e) Wind generator, simple system, not mega windmill ;)
   

About the Title of my blog, The Sacred War etc.

I am not all that techy and just noticed that on Dashboard there is a tracker of where viewers come from. To EVERYONE who has ever viewed this blog or my other blogs, THANK YOU FROM THE DEPTHS OF MY SOUL!! I had never imagined that anyone other than perhaps friends and family that I have told about this would ever come by. You are much appreciated.

Now as to why the title:

     I notice there is proportionately almost as many Rus brothers and sisters who have visited as anyone else in the world. You may be surprised that I would know the answer to "Why?" As a former student (at my age, life is more teacher and class room than a physical school) of 20th century history, I am fully aware of the contribution and sacrifice the Soviet Union made during The Great Patriotic War, or Sacred War. 25 million lives and counting. Yes, there are still people who are tallying the numbers.
     My father's ancestral line has a nasty habit of expiring before 70yrs. Dad and Grand dad died at 69, both quiet suddenly. Previously to that, as far back as I have gone, 60 was a high point. When I decided on a blog for my quest to live beyond 70 years of age, it just seemed natural to entitle it "The Sacred War". To which I add, my apologies if some of you that come here, feel that it is an affront to the memory of those that died before they even had a chance to live. I have certainly not meant any disrespect.

Some Pep Rally Talk ;)

Advice to the Class of 2013

 

Elizabeth Warren, Senator for MA.

Never be so faithful to your plan that you are unwilling to consider the unexpected. Never be so faithful to your plan that you are unwilling to entertain the improbable opportunity that comes looking for you. And never be so faithful to your plan that when you hit a bump in the road – or when the bumps hit you – you don’t have the fortitude, grace, and resiliency to rethink and regroup. (SW, Problems are just opportunities to take a different path, the one that you didn’t see or have before.)

 

Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Group

I would urge you to travel, take on new experiences and draw upon those when it comes to making the decisions that will shape your future.

 

Equally, if you spot an opportunity early on and are really excited by it, throw yourself into it with everything you have got. Be ambitious. There probably won't be another time in your life when you have such freedom of opportunity. Grasp it with both hands.

Building of Cordwood (any Eco Friendly) Home

For the Average Owner Builder, resources are the determining factor in how to go about building their dream. A lady, Barbara Ann, on the https://www.facebook.com/cordwoodconstruction page, commented that she couldn't see building one of the "mansions" that were posted by the site owner, Richard Flatau. To which I replied, that most were started small, and expanded over many years, as the owner could afford.

This is something different than the normal person sees house construction in the cities and towns we live in. One month it is an empty lot, and 4-6 weeks later, it is a subdivision of 2-3000 sq ft homes, selling for 100 - 200 thousand dollars, with postage stamp lawns, front and back.

So here is my dream home template. It is an education centre built by Richard and Becky, with friends help; read about it here

 http://www.daycreek.com/dc/html/cordwood_education_center.html

  I have some minor adjustments in mind, like a Salt Box Roof, and 8-6 ft front glassed in Sun Room with tromb wall, running the length of the house, Sling Shot for water purification, Solar panels on the Roof... ;0 ok, not so minor LOL

 

   To be practical, I don't have that kind of "physical or fiscal" resources at my disposal. That is not what I will be starting out with. For some "Starting Small" has taken on the form of an "Out Building" in the same style, ie a sauna, or wood working shop. While others opt for untypical, as in tipis or sheds. Then there are the adventurous, who don't mind living in a project under construction, and will build part of their dream and live in that, ie the basement, the kitchen area, or whatever. The idea is to start with a small structure, that will suffice for a "building office" that one can live in while work is being done on the main structure.

 

So what will I do, the simple answer: "I don't KNOW!!" it all comes down to what is available when I set the first post, dig the first shovel of soil. This is a road that has no map, or GPS. Between me and the future, is a huge unknown chasm.

from my brother's Facebook Pg

 

I can envisage building the Sauna as a test or learning experience in doing Stackwall, or I could take one of Richard's courses, and then come back and start with the Kitchen. There are a few ideas I'm mulling over like that.

 

There are two priorities:

  1) Set aside as much money as I can, in the years ahead. This means taking myself more or less homeless. Not living on the streets. But in the cheapest accommodations that I can find.

 

While at the same time, pursuing priority

  2) Searching out where I want / can build the dream. This means travelling about. Reading on the Internet what other's have done. Visiting their creations, and getting to know the problems and advantages they came across. Meaning "Education in the Art of Owner Builder of Eco Housing". There is no school for this, no classes at college or university. It is all in the heads and experiences of the folks who have decided enough is enough, and went ahead with their dreams.

 

 

 



Some Thoughts on This Anniversary

NB This post starts in the present, but ends up transitioning to an older post, from 18 months ago. So in reality, this covers from 2009 to the present... So for continuity you may want to read the previous post first.

But what has happened in the past 18 months? Well, I finally got onto Ontario Disability Pension, which for one year was a blessing, which I shared with my family, for medical care for 3 cats. More importantly, I kept walking, and from 7 k walks have progressed through 10 k, to 14-15 k on a regular basis, and with the occasional half marathon, of 21 k ;-)

Would like to walk a "REAL" half marathon sometime, and I am aiming for the London UK Marathon ;) optimistic 90% of the time, but realistic too, that it is going be a while to get back to where life is easy; my life has changed, in most ways for the better; though it may be hard to believe that

It is interesting in how life can change in 24 hours. Leaves one breathless, and wondering what is next. Whether it is a good change or ill. It happened the day I busted my knee. Now, this May 24^th weekend, my life’s perspective changed again. I am like a sailboat on a new tack. Heading for a new sighting.

Smriti (Hindi – Memories, was my Dr’s middle name)

  A Sustainable Life, is living debt free, feature rich, while having the time to smell the roses! Like the painting I do, I am a work in progress! In Transition and Growing in Old / New Directions! Re-discovering what is important to me. And this weekend had a revelation from all the time I had spent down sizing. in the past 2 years (and more recently severely continuing that trend, to the point one would think all I wanted was a knap sack and walking stick in life ;D) but I am down to a bit more than a pick up truck of stuff, and in 4 months will have no place to put it and I am not worried, because the revelation: It doesn’t matter!!!

I have sufficient health and income to live without worrying where I am, and I am not tied to a mortgage or anyone. There was a John Denver song along those lines. Sweet Surrender –

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZ2VkWBf0v8

Back in October 19 to March of this year, I came to help my eldest daughter, as she recouped from major surgery. But at the basement rooms, I had been down sized to 1 room, when my son, needed a place to stay, so we had crammed my stuff into one room, until I could get around to sorting it out. But realizing after being away for 5 months, that going back to a one room dungeon was not looking like the best of options, I asked about staying on for a bit with my daughter and her family. I have been here since, but with the realization that it was only temporary. At most a year or so.  Now it is looking like even less than a month. At least until I can get myself together and the weather improves for camping.

The starting post revisited

Actually that title does sound right, when thinking, that building a home begins with one post, one log, one 2x4, and just continues on.

The War Begins
October 23rd 2011

Hello,
I am 63, soon to be 64, and have been fighting a rear guard action for 6 years now, since loosing my last job to "progress". Replaced by a new program. Since then I have had a variety of physical and economic calamities hit me.

First was my heart; stress had been taking a toll on it long before the last day on the job; angina was the leading symptom, bouts of it would hit at inopportune moments, and I would have to resort to a nitro spray. Then 2 years after my last day, I was lifting some paving stones for my brother and his wife, and 2 arteries in the right side of my heart decided enough was enough, and collapsed; within 3 weeks I was in surgery, and rather than open heart, which might have been the only option 20-25 years ago, the surgeon, entered my left wrist with a needle and worked up to my heart, with a wire, and did angioplasty (literally blew up a balloon in my arteries, expanding them) and then inserting two stents, a mesh tube that keeps the arteries open at the collapsed point.

Two years later I was well on my way to normality, running and exercising, playing with my grandson, 5 years old; going back to school to prepare for advanced education at college or university. Then one morning in February, before Sun up, I was running down the darkened driveway, and slipped on a patch of ice no bigger than a turkey platter; landing with all my weight on my knee; dislocating the knee joint, the patella, and ripping the quad muscle (the one in front of your thigh, which lifts your leg below your knee). 1 1/2 months later, surgery to repair the damage, 6 1/2 weeks in hospital, 8 weeks total off the leg, 8 sessions of free physio, and off I go to recover on my own; to say it was a mixed blessing is an understatement.

This past year, I was getting up from the computer, and my knee gave out, and when I fell, I cushioned the fall, by putting out my left hand. The top of the tibia cracked, and I required a cast; it healed, but now there is nerve and muscle damage; if may be Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) we don't know yet. I am using my hand and wrist despite the occasional pain, so I am hopeful.

In the last 2 3/4 years I have gained weight (30+ lbs) and the thigh of the injured leg is partially atrophied; only the fact that I can walk, with a cane for long distances, keeps me going. Until I turn 65 in January of 2013, I am on a limited monthly pension of $680+, and yet manage to keep head above water, without the use of credit (bankruptcy after heart surgery) and a lot of improvisation and careful planning.

Over the years, I have tried various means to recover my health and fitness. I still see the cardiologist, once a year, and keep tabs on my health with my GP. Regular check ins, and yearly physicals. Mentally and Physically, I keep as active as is possible. Walking 7 kl a day, (more on that later) and eating healthy food. I read, and surf the web, maintain my own aged computers, make my own wine and do light wood working projects to make my life easier, as well as bake my own bread and learnt to cook a variety of foods. Did I mention that I am a bachelor ;). Living conditions are not palatial, 2 rooms, with a shared kitchen, bathroom, and laundry. But for now it is enough, better times are coming when my ship comes in.

Today I am starting this blog, because I have had enough. The Status Quo has to give, and get better before the end of the next year. This will be the record of that 14 months and my War.

October 23rd 2011

Signs, Signs, Everywhere theres Signs

Clogging up the scenery, messin' with my mind...
Don't do this, Can't do that, Don't go there...
Can't YOU read the signs???

a little bit of fun from my hazy past... but it does have a deeper meaning to me... oh, about 15 years ago, a friend of mine, Trysha, was telling me about her Yachtee Days. The yacht would be coming into a harbour at night, and to maneuver the channel, they would have to line up the sites (signs ;) before they could proceed... and this has got me thinking about how to proceed with the next few years, and all that has to come together before I even put shovel to earth for the first time... Right now, just starting out, even though I have been thinking of this for decades, there is only a few things that I can think of that need to be done NOW, and I am sure there will be many more.

For NOW, there is:

       1) sort my stuff down to manageable size
       2) arrange for storage over the summer / fall / winter / spring
       3) place to live over the winter
       4) place to live through the summer

and I haven't even begun to include stuff regarding THE CORDWOOD HAVEN!!!

       1) Where do I want to live, Canada / UK
       2)  Where in either of those countries
       3) The design of the house is still in flux
       4) I haven't told anyone yet what I am thinking of doing!!!!

I would say it is like a person who has come out of a forest, to a cliff ledge, over looking an inland sea, with multiple paths to the sea beach below ;) and they are wondering what they need to keep and what they can ditch, before taking the descent...

Is Cordwood for me...

Well, the Simcoe Day Long Weekend (used to be Victoria Day, but that's not politically correct now) is over, and it went with a BANG ;)
   Spent half walking, and half just sitting around reading and exploring the internet. OK, I didn't waste the whole weekend. I did sort through a few recipes when my dau. Michelle asked for a copy of her Uncle Tom's bread recipe ;) one of my JOBS with down sizing is to scan and sort the recipes and a few other papers, then toss the paper, become a paperless office / society of one LOL... I'll get to it soon...
    I walked twice up to Costco and around to the McDonald's and then home, 13 k (8 ish miles)  the balls of my feet were getting sensitive, like they would turn into blisters, so have taken 2 good days off, and now we have 3 days of rain ;( question: how does one toughen up their feet to not blister?? I know my feet back in my teens and twenty's were not soft, and had lots of calluses, but now they are as soft as baby's bottoms ;) well, the only way I know of is to just keep walking, and rest/treat the blisters when they come...

    About the title... I was searching for a free program (which I haven't found a suitable one) that would be better than Paint Shop Pro for drawing out floor plans, when I came upon a couple of sites for Cordwood Construction... There are a lot out there, but two things grabbed my attention... the first site http://www.daycreek.com/ really caught my attention with this post from Harrowsmith, an old back to the land magazine I used to subscribe to back in the 80s before it became commercialized.

http://www.daycreek.com/dc/html/harrowsmith96.htm

This article from 1991, was about a single mom, who decided she could build a house on her Mom's property. Ok, she wasn't without resources ;) she ended up spending 120,000 to build what to me would be a mansion... but that was her choice... and she did cut costs where possible... I was kinda floored that it cost that much... was cordwood really economically feasible for a person on a fixed pension... I began looking around the web site, and found that Jo and Alan Stankevitz, had a wealth of information, and a journal of their own adventures in living the Sustainable Life... but also they had friends and connections in the Cordwood Society... Richard & Becky Flatau of Cordwood Construction Resources in particular, at hmmmmmmm one thing you will notice with surfing Cordwood sites, it is addictive and easily a person can be led astray, lost in thought while reading and looking at the fantastic images and stories ;) ok, this is Richard's site

http://cordwoodconstruction.org/

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED ;D

however back to MY BLOG!! well, I do hope you return LOL...

I was looking at his pictures and then the books he and Alan have written together... quite prolific...
being the frugal cheapskate that I am, I opted to get the cheapest book, to check them out...

Cordwood Shed Plans (FullColor)

Post and Plate structure, gravel foundation, built for $1.00 a square foot, king-post trusses, ingenious ladder pad foundation. Build this first. 24 pages
This is a great way to learn the cordwood masonry technique and work out any mistakes. By Richard Flatau.

http://www.daycreek.com/dc/html/paypal_flatau.htm

 

That description appeared to be just made for me and I ordered the download version (as you know I am downsizing, so an electronic Book Shelf is what I am allowing myself) It came in as an attachment to an e-mail, from Richard, (he later told me he had been doing a workshop, and sent it on his laptop; quick and helpful service, 2 thumbs up ;) I spent Sunday, playing with the floor plans from the book, and the Harrowsmith article ;)

     

click to enlarge for seeing detail

 



 Richard had said that if I had any questions, just ask... well, I had one... he said that he did not recommend the construction technique in this book for habitation... so I asked him, and a quick response came back...
     
Quote>

As to why the cordwood sheds should not be considered for habitation, was because of the pressure treated lumber.   If you were able to sequester the CCA or whatever they use to treat the wood in Ontario, you could certainly live in them.  Some folks have used them for tiny cabins.  

 

So, while I have been still playing with the plan, I have also been thinking about NON-TOXIC material to replace the pressure treated wood... (btw, I hate that word sequester, now that the US Gov't has used it to rip the NASA Budget apart :( but that is OT as a good friend at NasaSpaceFlight.com would say ;)

 

   While the idea of building a full size house, 24x40 is beyond my means, (Physically and Fiscally) I was beginning to come to grips with what I thought was reality... until I hit upon this site;

 

http://www.beingsomewhere.net/

 

   just reading their story, was an inspiration... 5000 pounds a year, and a family... then I began looking more closely at my own situation, and again at Richard's site, where upon I found a picture in his Spring Newsletter, from Michael Fox, of Rockland, Ontario... two things... one the photo was of a Shed/Cabin that proportionally looks to be about what I am wanting to build, and two he mentioned getting the windows at Habitat for Humanity Re-store (???) where recyclable material can be bought ;)

   

Now there are three things from that...

 

1) I am single, and have over twice the income of Simon & Jasmine Dale, in the UK, who have a young family.
 

2) I am physically fit enough to do at least the walls, interior and landscape, if not the roof (know that from exp. getting up on a roof with my knee is not going to happen ;(
 

3) there are options for getting recyclable building material (hmm wonder if AJ, a contractor friend has stuff ;) and believe it or not, there is a Re-store just north of me, on one of my walks, that I hadn't noticed :D guess where I am going next time I go walking LOL

 

To answer the question posed in the title, is cordwood construction for me, or any form of eco-friendly construction: I think the answer has to be a resounding YES!! It will be all in how I hold my tongue, while putting the logs, bales or rocks into the wall...

 

Cheers,

 

Schnee

 

 

Bringing Brother Ass under MY control

May 15th 2013
     It would seem that Christmases are my Waterloo... over the past 3 years I can count on gaining between 10 to 20 lbs over the December-January period of feasting and gluttony. NOT what I had hoped for. I did finish a Mini-Gym, but it wasn't as Mini as I had hoped. At the present time it is in pieces (I have moved into temporary quarters) and I may be able to reconstruct it into a more usable vehicle for exercise, if built around a bed frame ;D

     Walking has become a bit better, as each year I have become stronger, and walk farther and more efficiently. This year the weight is coming off faster and I have hopes of reaching my ideal weight of 165 lbs by September 11th when I see the cardiologist again. Since April 5th I have gone from 212 lbs to 199.

Pills for BP have been decreasing also over the past 3 years, which I take to be a good sign. Two of the major pills have been cut in half and another eliminated altogether. I am keeping track of what the doctor's reports say, and can tell, that there is no major damage or problems on the horizon.

New Beginnings and High Hopes

Ok, so I have been slack in keeping up with this blog. HOWEVER, not is all lost. The past 2 years have been busy with exercise and health related stuff, which I have kept track of, and this past 3 months, I have been even more attentive to keeping track of expenses/savings/health and thoughts on where I am going in the next 5 years. I will get to the past in another blog; for now I want to concentrate on the future. To which, I have been mulling it over for the past 5 months, since going on Gov't Pension.
 
Now past 65, (that magic number when Gov't Pensions kick in, and there is no oversight from nosey bureaucratic types,) my doctor has declared me fit to live at least another 20 years. I am free to make plans, and direct my income as I see fit. Which means more responsibility.

Financially, while growing older on a fixed pension is great for now, at the level of expenses I have. But it begs the question: What happens if those expense rise faster than the COLA on the pension. We all have seen what the past 5 years have done to the investments of the elderly, and to the cost of living. Investment dividends down, cost of living up. WAY UP!!!

How do people end up on the street, who are not alcoholics. They are eligible for at least the bare minimum of the OAP/GIS, so it would seem that with my CPP I am in a Sweet Spot between living independently and not living on the street. Therefore, while I can, it behoves me to protect that income differential, by living as cost effectively as possible. That implies: optimizing savings, implementing income enhancements and arranging daily improvements in economies, in my life as is possible.

Which means living healthier and living a frugally sustainable life style: ie keeping fit, keeping expenses low, while looking toward a future where I am independent of the utility infrastructure, and self sufficient as is reasonable. To be totally independent is difficult as of yet, but it sure is approachable…such as a home with Slingshot (water), Solar Panels (Electric) and Solar Panels/Wood (Heating-Cooking).

 

At present I am down sizing drastically, and expect to have it to a 12'x12' minimum, for living space by summer (June 21st.) (present BDRM 9.5x9.5 ft) ; and I am as comfortable with Rustic Furniture / Accommodations as any pioneer, having grown with and lived that life style to some extent over the years. So a 12'x12' beginner shed/house is not inconceivable for me, with additions as warranted.

The only problem I have in this scenario is how to obtain the land, and in time before I turn 68, as I feel that is the optimum age that I will be able to do this. At present I am reasonably fit and able to do medium heavy work. Sure 40 lb slugging is out of the question, (even in the future) but between 5 and 15 lb for short stretches is going to be manageable and should become easier as I loose weight, get better conditioned.
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http://www.shedworking.co.uk/2013/03/1-in-10-planning-to-build-shed-this.html

QUOTE
   According to Nationwide Building Society nearly half of Brits are planning to spend at least some time this Easter doing DIY. And while 52% are painting/decorating and nearly four in ten are landscaping the garden or doing something to the fence, lawn or patio, a big 9% (ok, nearly 1 in 10) say they'll be putting up a shed or outhouse.
*****************************************************************
This picture shows exactly how I would go about building a 12x12 ft shed. Cordwood Masonry, with rustic fittings and roof. This appears to show an 8x6 ft shed, but it should not be too far off from the view of a larger item. Larger front facing window and an enclosed porch entrance to keep the cold out. Hand built it should be easily affordable at under $2000.00.