Our Tiny (10 x 12) Cabin

[OlJarhead]

How (without a permit)?

Don't need no stinkin' permit -- actually, you don't.  That is, if you want to live in say a trailer which is legal...or various other things.  All the address does is give you an address, then you have to take that to the post office to get a 'postal' address.

[Gary O]

Not so here.
Gotta get a permit to build, and to get a permit to build, ya gotta have a perk test, and on, and on (they just want my money)
Heh, I've been told a couple/three times to just ask the post office.....our post office can barely afford to put the mail in the PO Box. They say to get with 'planning' and even gave me a number to call, and who to talk to. I called.

[rick91351]

Gary do not forget to complain about 911 and your right to vote.....  Get civil upset squeaky wheel gets the grease. 

Compost toilets are not legal there?  How many hippies and homesteaders up and down I-5 still have an outhouse. 

You are correct they want your money and anything else they can get......   

[Gary O]

Years ago, another property, another county, I inquired about composting toilets.
They flat out said, 'no way, no how'.
I checked the regs.
Under federal rule, composting toilets were (and are) very legal, and the feds overrule the state or county.
I will go composting or incinerating toilet, or whatever (other than the archaic, bury, leach, depoopify, that's so predominant at present).
I'm just a bit frustrated at it all, even Chase Bank.
I don't have, nor will I dedicate any time or effort to try to 'fix' things, but choose to stay under the radar as much as possible, play the game (a bit) and do whatever the fook I'm gonna do....without pissing off the neighbors.

We are improving the land, and minding our own business.

The rest be damned

[OlJarhead]

My point being that you aren't building if living in a trailer which IS legal.  So ya tell 'em "I'm going to live in my trailer, and need an address for my land "

Should work...and gee whiz Wally, seems after you got the address you changed yer ol' mind and decided to build after all!

[Gary O]

I gotcha

There's many ways around an obstacle, ain't there

A part of me wants to not be so selfish, and fight/campaign for the betterment of those that come after.
And I may.


Depends how hard they push.........

[rick91351]

The trailer here they will charge you to do so - yep even on our own land. That said it is nothing like permitting and perking and_______.

Us they never did - the old couple that got their home condemned because no permits and were not built to code nor any way to put them to code.  (A neighbor turned them in.) But the guy who this happened to called me and wanted to know what they were charging us to live in our trailer. I told him zero...  OOOPPPSS!  Then he did go into orbit.  But our power was in - our septic tank was in....

Little bit of a reality check however and not being  a 'dooms dayer' or trying not to......  But what is going to happen when all this trillions of dollars of debt never mind that - the welfare state collapses...  never mind that.  A disaster strikes... solar flare - a emp and any combination of above.... The houses being built today are not going to be workable, liveable nor salvageable to live in if the power goes out... if the utilities are gone. Okay the dooms day economy tanks this time for real.  No bail outs - we tried that it did not work. 

So where am I going with this thread drift?  Strangely a eight foot deer fence around my orchard and back to Gary and his small cabin study, Jarhead's place and Mountain Don's and our old - old - old building inspector Myron who sat down up here one time and said about all this crazy building and inspection. There is a code any fence built over six feet has to be inspected.  Myron and I talked and he said you know I am sick of it.  Why do I have to inspect your fence.  What am I to inspect it for?  To me this is not what they were writing this law about.  It is a solid fence that might blow over in a wind.  What you have here is a net to keep critters out. Myron wondered to me that day ..... will they be still requiring him to inspect what ever people will be living in when things go to hell in a hand basket- the cardboard dwellings and dug outs and lean tos. Who is going to tell someone their wood fire is not correct?  Myron was beginning to see the practicality of inspections and codes and enforcement for people just living and surviving.  If people need to live in a dug out a soddy or a card board box.  So be it - there almost needs to be a type of culture allow-ability code if we must codify it.  He went on wondering and talking..... Very well might be small - to very small will be the only way to survive. So should we not be learning how to do that? 

[Gary O]

So far, only Chase hs given me grief in the no street address dept.
I just may cause a stir with my friend, JP Morgan. He's a crook, so he should understand, right?

Speaking of grief;

I've been getting severe back spasms in my lower left area on a regular basis.
Doesn't take much, just a reach out at a low angle and the next thing ya know, I'm writhing on the ground like a newborn rhinoceros.
Went to town yesterday, and noticed in the reflection of a store window that I was listing a bit to port side.
I've seen old codgers walk like that, all bent in more than one direction, elbows extended at 45°, arms flailing like they were cross country skiing with invisible ski poles...just in order to successfully mosey to the car.
So now I'm stretching when these spams occur, arms straight up, like a newly converted born again Rajneeshi.
One shouldn't really do this in a public restroom, I found out.

Speaking of restrooms, I seem to get these spasms at very inopportune times, like say, when proceeding to apply tissue.
I'm a right arm guy, but leaning too far west begets the spasms...not good to scream in a public stall.

However

I've discovered that my left arm is not the mentally challenged appendage I thought it was.
Oh, I know my left forefinger has developed the mental aptitude of an earthworm from the evolutionary process of nasal exploration beginning at around the age of three, to, sayyy, around the age of 66, but up to now my left arm was just happy to find the appropriate sleeve without it's alter ego brother's assistance.

I think I'll use it as the lead arm when using the chainsaw today.....

I'll let ya all know how this turns out....

Keep a fire

[Adam Roby]

...Speaking of grief...

Sounds like nerve pain, maybe sciatica?
I get the same kind of random spasms, normally when standing talking to someone and I lean a certain way.  My whole body jerks and I let out a little yelp, makes people look at you in a strange way, reaching for their phones to call 911.  Then I just say, "I'm fine... just time to sit down is all".
In my case, surgery is in a couple weeks... herniated disc.  Was it you that also had some back surgery? 

[OlJarhead]

When this happens I go to a back cracker -- a young one who does sports med as well as back cracking - and within 1 to 3 visits I'm back to doing what I do without the pinched nerve.

[Gary O]

Was it you that also had some back surgery?

No, never gone under the knife....yet.

But, yeah, thirty or so years ago I dead lifted a small pallet of solid steel and set it on the pallet rack (the forklift was seven paces away, but I had to adjust the forks, s-o-o-o).
Felt and heard a sickening crunch in my lower back.
Didn't tell anyone.
Today...I pay.
I may very well go to a back cracker.
However, two months ago, when we started moving large furniture and all our earthly possessions...twice, I weighed in at a svelte 267 lbs.
Since then, and after falling, bucking, chopping wood, I now tip the scale at 238.
I believe my once bulbous gut has been pulling at my lower back, and this spasm ordeal will abate some when I drop another 20 or so lbs.
I've been in this position before and lost considerable poundage...and the pain.

But

I was ten years younger.

Back then, the doc gave me a muscle relaxant.
I said, 'no, Doc, I'll just suffer through'
He said, 'it's not for you, it's for your wife...so she can get some sleep'
'oh'

Thing is, these spasms have a way of compounding, and if I don't back off the heavy stuff, I end up bein' just one big knot.

We'll see.

Takin' the day off.

If the weight drop don't do it, its yoga, guzzling water, back cracker, and/or surgery.

One thing that does give immediate relief is hanging from one of the rafters in the main cabin.
However, if I'm hangin' there one evening, and the moon begets a bat signal, then I'll know my true calling and don a cape and mask...and cane....or power chair

...and head for the mall.

[rick91351]

Doctor told me one time to spend a year in Hawaii on the beach!  But he said he doubted if the Union Pacific Railroad would like that....   

[Adam Roby]

Gotta beware the "back crackers", depending what the problem is that can actually cause you some serious and permanent damage.  My hernia is rather large, and even simply physio causes too much compression on the nerve.  I had a bit of an episode during the Christmas holidays, and since then 1/3 of my leg has been completely numb.  Doctor does not know for sure if the feeling will ever come back, even after the surgery.  I am sure they (chiropractors) have their place, but you really need a real doctor's advice before doing anything - that's just my opinion.  Losing abilities is not something to take lightly... and it is not something you can "work through" or just "tough it out" cause that usually just leads to more permanent damage that could have been avoided by doing the right thing.

Good luck!

[rick91351]

WOW Adam could not agree more.  But the good crackers usually the ones like Jarhead talked about involved with sports medicine.  Double thumbs up....  Interesting story about a back cracker - Bobby a real good friend of mine that worked for the railroad had a sore neck and back and loosing felling in arms and legs.  Railroad doc sends him to the back cracker.  Back cracker starts running his hands up and down my buddy's back and says you need a doctor not me.  Bobby says a doctor sent me here.  Back cracker says I will not touch you, you have bad bad issues.  He calls the referring doc.  They start screaming at each other.  Bobby says he can hear this doc yelling and cussing over the phone.  Next thing he knows same day he has an appointment with the neck and spine institute.  They fit him in for a MRI like right now.  The spine doc looks at the photos and proclaimed we need to cut on you like right now.  Bobby says he wants another opinion.  They bring in another doc. Doc echos the first even shows him the same spots on the MRI.  With in two days Bobby has a cadaver bone in the neck along with a plate and some screws.  Bobby loves the chiropractor because he really went to bat for him and got him under the proper doctors care.  The good ones are good. They know who to work on and not.  Chiropractic is not quackery.             

[Adam Roby]

Yup, there are good and bad ones in every field, including medicine.  I suppose the best is to find someone who's opinion you can trust, versus those that simply want your money.  My chiro experiences have unfortunately all been bad ones.  My physio therapist on the other hand is the one that told me to stop doing physio... I would have just kept going and paying and causing myself more damage. 

[OlJarhead]

Not meaning to hijack a thread but on the topic of chiropractors I was fortunate as a young man returning from the Gulf.  I went home and as asked to speak at a 'Tri-Services Officers Club dinner' by an older veteran.  He invited me to his office which turned out to be a chiropractors.  We talked a bit and I was pretty sceptical and he told me then:  Like all professions there are good, bad, worse, better and best chiropractors.  We aren't miracle workers and don't fix broken.  What we do is adjust non-aligned bones, joints etc which can (and generally does) alleviate pain, help the joint recover and heal and stay properly aligned.  If it takes a chiropractor more than three visits to do that then it's very possible he's not doing you any favors unless something is really wrong and then you probably need physical therapy or more. 

He was the first to put my damaged shoulder back together.  A shoulder that regular doctors wanted to remove bone from (lop the ends off the collar bone) but has been kept in place over the years by back crackers   To this day it rarely bothers me but if it dislocates again I go see them.

About 12 years ago I began seeing a local guy who is the sports med guy for the local minor league teams.  He's about more than just back cracking and as such has been a great one to see.  He's helped in many areas with solutions to problems that normal docs just want to issue drugs for and when I pinch a nerve in the back I go see him and return to normal activity within 1 to 3 visits.  So many times I know MD's would have prescribed pain killers and muscle relaxers but I've not needed either.

[Gary O]

Not meaning to hijack a thread but 

no hijack, just a maintained stream of info..on topic

thanks OJ

[Gary O]

Some of you may recall our discovery, back in August, of a four tree fall down near the cabin.


Well, today was the day designed to do some pruning, so we'd never have to look at them again.


Good morning


Good afternoon


Good night


I'd settled on the begrudging thought we'd have to contend with that humongous root ball from the four tree fall that we'd discovered from our trip back in August, even though that ball of roots was still leaning favorably towards the hole. We even laughingly discussed a 'root cellar'.
Today's assignment; finish bucking all four.
Towards late afternoon I had about 15 feet left on the last and biggest tree.
Felt a little spring in the log.
I was just happy it hadn't plopped on the ground, and bucking would be waist high.

However

Once I sawed through the next round, and immediately after zipping off the little left over tag...SPROING-G-G-G-G! Up it came....graciously plopping the root ball back into the hole....sorta.



Kind of a weird feeling...chainsaw in hand, ready to zip off another round, but nothing was there.
I hollered to my lady to come see.
Said all she saw was me strolling out of a cloud of pumice.

I guess I could call this day 'the resurrection'


Note; that little Homelite super XL with the little 20" bar has served me well.

It's not a Stihl, or a Husqi, but has had no quit in it...since 1976.

Guess PMs really are important.

T'was a good day.

[rick91351]

I have a old Homelite saw.  Went through a couple bars.  No not that kind the kind that the chain runs on.....  Great saw then one day it puked on me.  Took it in and paced the floor of the saw shop like a daddy in a waiting room.  The owner came out and told me the news, not good - old saw.  Homelite was sold and they cheapened and discontinued the lines and on and on.  In other words she is a goner.  We just can not find parts but I can try....  So I left it at the shop bought a new Echo not a fallers saw but of respectable size.  Like a 24 inch bar and plenty of power starts easy.  One fault I see or two.  It has a stupid little kill switch and I was use to the larger size on the Homelite.  One thing I want is not to be fumbling around with a kill switch.  I want to kill it when the tree is going down and be stepping away. Second is I don't know why all saws are not set up like Stihl to service the chain or tighten the chain.  But the Homelite was lacking there as well.

Then one day Al calls (he owns the saw shop.)  Hey Rick I got your 410 Homelite done.  I broke down in tears and made the two hour drive to the saw shop. Yes yes it is running and running well they found parts.  But yes alas he had to remind me she is an old saw and does not have much life left in her..... Just look at her as a sort of back up saw.  So I only pull it out for special occasions. Then once in a while we sneak off in to the woods together, just her and I and remember times when we were younger and we filled filled pickups and trailers with firewood.  When we fell huge trees not these little pecker poles.  I mean trees...... logs to saw and buck....  Yes those were the days. 

And yes PMs are very important after a day of sawing at our tender age.  The age when it seem it is easier for me just to spend life in the woods bent, over rather than standing because there is a point in there somewhere in the fulcrum for standing that lets just say it really sucks to stand up......the bone on bone in the back.  The arms and hands tingling and vibrating.  Dang this is living.....

Nice bunch of firewood their mate.  Remember keep it dry and it will warm to well.  However I usually wait until like November  - December to cut firewood. Then it season firewood is like meaning like three days or three hours....               

[OlJarhead]

Nothing like a good saw with a sharp chain and plenty of oil and gas

OK, today's Husky's have a nice anti-vibe feature that REALLY takes the bite out of sawing a long time But I've considered an Echo for bigger jobs since the cost is reasonable (about $800 for an 80+cc saw I think at last look).

Great pics.

[Gary O]

Just another of a consecutive series of good days.
Didn't start out that way....

I was gonna cut brush and limbs from the skinnier parts of the tree falls, but my lovely lady suggested a breakfast nook for the front room of the main cabin...where food is cooked....where my lovely lady cooks....

Hooookaaay, why not use a couple three tree rounds and slap some boards on top...presto....nook.

I don't know about any of ya'll, but my chain saw goes where it wants to go (anywhere but straight).
I fiddled with some pretty large rounds at 28 inches long for a couple hours, fell into the root ball hole a couple times, pinched the bar a couple times, and genrly worked up a good sweat before I realized that's not quite what my lovely lady had in mind...

Went to the mental drawing board, sifted thru several episodes of Family Guy and an ancient Romper Room before I got to a vague recollection of an article in a 1967 issue of Mother Earth News, of which my lovely little lady remarked at the time that it sure was cute...

See, I don't need no 'cloud'.
I've got a whole lot more than a puny googolplex filed away in my fog bank, and more cloudy memories than they could ever store.
Anyway, I dedicated the rest of the morning to scrounging enough boards and screws to git 'er done and commenced to create as thought boogers came to the surface.
T'wards midafternoon it became a bit of a race with ol' Sol and it also became more of a challenge in the scrap material department (I will replace the 2x4 in the sawhorse next trip to town).

The table came together rather easy, but the benches, or rather seats, evolved from several disjointed attempts to incorporate a 15° pitch to the back rest, all the while making sure the thing wouldn't wobble apart during our maiden breakfast.....aaaand....to keep it within the weight of the Titanic.
(I must say right here, a well-placed 45° brace here and there really helps in keeping gross tonnage to an acceptable level).
I have a history of building things on site.
In other words, wherever I ended up completing the project that is where the item stayed, since our budget didn't allow expenditures like a crane or earth mover.
At around 7:45 pm I had four screws left to zip into the back rest and I was done...if only my third battery would've had the juice.....
Done at 8 something, or maybe 9 ish.


Anyhoot, my lovely lady is happy with it, and we will have had our inaugural breakfast by the time you read this.



Cheers, all

[Adam Roby]

Very impressive, looks real nice.  Was that area originally designed to house the breakfast nook?  Sure looks like the right spot for it...
Seems you can fill a lot of stuff into a 10x12 area, making me reconsider the trailer for a tiny structure.

[Gary O]

Thanks Adam

....it's no longer 10 x 12.
We added the kitchen to the back, and what we'd considered a mud room to the front, making it a sprawling 200 sf total.


But yeah, the breakfast nook thought was always a consideration.

(sigh), no more breakfast in bed... 

[speedfunk]

Gary ..those table and chairs looks great man!! 

[Gary O]

thanks speed

rather hot today
glad we worked in the early morn and knocked off at noon

cheers