Check out this link about a couple in Ontario who are also building an earthship. They obtained their building permit in September 2009. Their photos are under "Breaking Ground".
http://www.windchasers.ca/
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Coming Soon: New Blog and Webstore!
Chris and I have been working together with a friend to redesign the look of our blog and add a webstore! The new site will have a brand new address and a bright, fresh look. We'll keep this address so that when we go to the new one in a few weeks (?) we can redirect from here.
The webstore will initially feature stainless steel tifiin carriers and composting worms. With a bit of organization I may be selling homemade tiffin carrier bags and other useful fabric products in the short-term. In the long-term we will add other products that support an environmentally aware lifestyle.
The webstore will initially feature stainless steel tifiin carriers and composting worms. With a bit of organization I may be selling homemade tiffin carrier bags and other useful fabric products in the short-term. In the long-term we will add other products that support an environmentally aware lifestyle.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
DIY Hair Colouring
Last Tuesday when I was in Kamloops I stopped by Sally Beauty and picked up everything I need to colour my own hair. I've been talking about doing this for some time, especially since my DIY eye brow waxing has been so successful.
I stopped at Chatters first (it was closer to one of my other errands) but they don't sell hair colouring products, presumeably because there is a salon attached to the store...
The lady at Sally Beauty spent quite a bit of time with me explaining what I needed and how the process worked. I chose the two colours that were closest to what my hair colour is now, which actually mimics the colour of my hair BEFORE the grey set in. We were getting confused about the highlight colour (a blonde) because the saleslady kept talking about it being a two part process and I don't think Crystie (the lady who, before now, has been doing my hair) has ever messed around with the blonde colour any differently. I'm goning to read the packages I've got and perhaps get the blonde colour next time I'm in.
I've enlisted a friend to help me (it's that or get Chris to do it!) and although I think she is worried about wrecking my hair, I'm pretty optimistic it will go well. And, in the end, it's just hair!
To get all the equipment, foils, and the two colours, cost me $51 taxes in. I figure there's 4-5 applications in the tubes, so as long as I don't have to creep back to Crystie for repair work, it should be a great savings.
I stopped at Chatters first (it was closer to one of my other errands) but they don't sell hair colouring products, presumeably because there is a salon attached to the store...
The lady at Sally Beauty spent quite a bit of time with me explaining what I needed and how the process worked. I chose the two colours that were closest to what my hair colour is now, which actually mimics the colour of my hair BEFORE the grey set in. We were getting confused about the highlight colour (a blonde) because the saleslady kept talking about it being a two part process and I don't think Crystie (the lady who, before now, has been doing my hair) has ever messed around with the blonde colour any differently. I'm goning to read the packages I've got and perhaps get the blonde colour next time I'm in.
I've enlisted a friend to help me (it's that or get Chris to do it!) and although I think she is worried about wrecking my hair, I'm pretty optimistic it will go well. And, in the end, it's just hair!
To get all the equipment, foils, and the two colours, cost me $51 taxes in. I figure there's 4-5 applications in the tubes, so as long as I don't have to creep back to Crystie for repair work, it should be a great savings.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Re: Udated Expenses
Whoops! I wasn't thinking. The next expense is the concrete for the bond beam. We will either pour it ourselves (4-5 cubic yards) or have a truck come.
If we pour it ourselves, then we have the cost of the portland cement (about $13 per bag). Presumeably if we pour ourselves then we feel we have enough clean gravel/sand on site to do so (and enough friends with cement mixers!) Each yard of cement takes about 6 bags of portland cement. So we would need roughly 30 bags at $13 for $390. The question is whether we have good soil on site in sufficient quantity to undertake the pour.
If we decide to bring a truck in we have figured out that it would cost us in the neighbourhood of $800+. AND if we brought a truck in, could we unload cement on the far side of the building (the slope of the back wall is such that a truck would have to park way below the level of the bond beam). We would have to factor in gravity, or lack of it, in this case). Another factor in a decision to bring in a truck is to build the forms for the post pads in the house. Any extra concrete we've paid for needs a home...
Our next step in making this decision is to grab a pail of gravel from the best part of the pit and give it a wash to see what kind of organic material is in it.
If we pour it ourselves, then we have the cost of the portland cement (about $13 per bag). Presumeably if we pour ourselves then we feel we have enough clean gravel/sand on site to do so (and enough friends with cement mixers!) Each yard of cement takes about 6 bags of portland cement. So we would need roughly 30 bags at $13 for $390. The question is whether we have good soil on site in sufficient quantity to undertake the pour.
If we decide to bring a truck in we have figured out that it would cost us in the neighbourhood of $800+. AND if we brought a truck in, could we unload cement on the far side of the building (the slope of the back wall is such that a truck would have to park way below the level of the bond beam). We would have to factor in gravity, or lack of it, in this case). Another factor in a decision to bring in a truck is to build the forms for the post pads in the house. Any extra concrete we've paid for needs a home...
Our next step in making this decision is to grab a pail of gravel from the best part of the pit and give it a wash to see what kind of organic material is in it.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Updated Expenses
I've had a few requests to update our expenses. No update, because we haven't paid out any money since the Fall. Granted, we haven't really worked on the house until just recently, but I'm not anticipating any expenses until we get to the roof tin/rollon/living roof, etc.
We hope to take the very worst of our low grade lumber (which is a VERY hard sell) and try to recover 2x6 from it for the decking. If we can't then that will be our next expense, as we will have to buy the rough material. We are using old and recycled materials for the time being, and leftover materials from projects at our previous property...
Isn't that great?
We hope to take the very worst of our low grade lumber (which is a VERY hard sell) and try to recover 2x6 from it for the decking. If we can't then that will be our next expense, as we will have to buy the rough material. We are using old and recycled materials for the time being, and leftover materials from projects at our previous property...
Isn't that great?
Bond Beam started! Grade 11 math required!
Over the last several days, Chris and I have been working on the bond beam. The bond beam needs to be continuous (without joins) along the top of the tire walls. All the weight of the roof will be resting on the bond beam.
Traditionally, earthship bond beams are constructed by making an 8” high wall of mortar and pop cans on each side of the tires (with 8” of space in between for the concrete bond beam). The inside of every second tire will be scooped out (about a gallon’s worth) and the bond beam will fill these holes, securing the tires to the bond beam. The bond beam also serves to fix all the interior walls in place in readiness for the roof beams.
That’s the theory.
We have enough pop cans to do the bond beam in this manner but it would leave us without many to continue on with building planter walls and interior walls ( which use the same method as the side forms of the bond beam).
We have wood. In fact, we have a lot of off-grade machined house logs that we have decided to use. The logs are mostly off grade because of skip on the round face, some wane (missing wood) and too many pin holes to have made the premium house grade of logs we used to sell.
Here’s a photo of the first few pieces in place on the ousdie wall of the kids’ room.
After measuring, we took the log up to the truss saw (cuts angles). Here's Chris setting the angle...
First we check the angle on a test piece before cutting our log.
Traditionally, earthship bond beams are constructed by making an 8” high wall of mortar and pop cans on each side of the tires (with 8” of space in between for the concrete bond beam). The inside of every second tire will be scooped out (about a gallon’s worth) and the bond beam will fill these holes, securing the tires to the bond beam. The bond beam also serves to fix all the interior walls in place in readiness for the roof beams.
That’s the theory.
We have enough pop cans to do the bond beam in this manner but it would leave us without many to continue on with building planter walls and interior walls ( which use the same method as the side forms of the bond beam).
We have wood. In fact, we have a lot of off-grade machined house logs that we have decided to use. The logs are mostly off grade because of skip on the round face, some wane (missing wood) and too many pin holes to have made the premium house grade of logs we used to sell.
Here’s a photo of the first few pieces in place on the ousdie wall of the kids’ room.
Once we needed to turn the corner, we had to measure the angle. We have this handy protractor tool for the job!
After measuring, we took the log up to the truss saw (cuts angles). Here's Chris setting the angle...
We took the log back to the building site only to discover our grade 11 math had failed us! We figured it out right away and redid the piece.
First we check the angle on a test piece before cutting our log.
Here's Chris putting the angle cut on our bond beam "form".
Screwing it to the adjoining piece...
Here's what it looks like so far. Now we have to excavate every second tire...which is difficult now that it is cold again. We tried. I think we will install the outside log and pin them together and wait for some above zero weather to excavate the tires. Worse case scenario if it stays too cold? Start working on the 12" round log beams. They will look beautiful throughout the house!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Overlander Ski Marathon
Today was the annual Overlander Ski Marathon. It's one of the races we target each year for our kids and the club kids to participate in. It's a smaller, local race (held at Stake Lake near Kamloops) that is not part of an organized race series for the kids. However, it's attached to an adult Loppet series taking part at the same time.
Each year we take approximately 10-13 skiers plus a few coach racers and a good handful of parents. This year would have been a big year for the Barriere Outdoor Club (the North Thompson Recreation Society) except that kids were toppling like dominoes to various bugs...Katie and Helen were unable to race (Chris stayed home and further reduced our coach racer numbers). Levi Kempter (6) had an unfortunate bout of projectile vomiting last night and Lauren Tremblay (9) underwent surgery a few weeks ago and presented herself as an animated spectator who will soon be back on the race course! Jacob Peterson was also feeling under the weather! The Smiths were spending a downhill ski weekend at Sun Peaks (gone to the dark side!)
Despite our diminshed numbers the kids were awesome! Several skiers moved up into new age categories, making them the youngest skiers again in their divisions. And they still posted fabulous times! Others became the oldest in their age categories and walked away with placings.
Building a cross country ski racing team became a given several years ago when many of our club skiers were graduating from the “Jackrabbit” program. It was either implement the “Track Attack” program (racing), or send kids on their way at 10 or 11 years with no club program to keep them interested in the sport.
After two years and much training by Chris and me (to a Learn To Train Level) and the upgrading of skills by several other coaches (all graciously funded by our parent organization, The North Thompson Recreation Society) the coaches pulled together a complete ski lesson program under the new provincial standard, the SDP, including a racing component, which Chris and I have been building up ever since.
I am thrilled to say that with a great group of wonderful kids and their parents, we have nudged our way onto the racing scene, with our first BC Cup on the January 9/10 weekend in Kelowna, BC. It, like today, was FABULOUS. Loudspeakers, concessions, starting guns or gates, cow bells, race bibs, hot chocolate, and lots and lots of really good racers!
I was very impressed by the club skiers who waited so patiently for me to cross the finish line today and who cheered me on. To me this is the essence of a racing team. Racing is competition (a good thing) but it’s also patience, learning, goofiness, respect, and the ability to win and lose graciously. In another post, I’ll post some goofy pictures of an informal ski day we spent at Sun Peaks (with no snow at our own trails we went…higher to find some).
For now, in no particular order, some pictures from today’s race. Way to go everyone!
O.K., Blogger put my picture first! I placed last again in my age divison (10k-women 40-49). The last time I raced was two years ago. LAST year I had gained just a bit too much weight to feel able to do a good race, so by this year I had dropped 20 pounds and decided I was back in. I believe that if I am teaching kids to race, than I need to practice what I preach! As such, I know how to teach losing graciously! Personal goals are what matter to me and this year I shaved off a few minutes and finished the race still able to walk!
Each year we take approximately 10-13 skiers plus a few coach racers and a good handful of parents. This year would have been a big year for the Barriere Outdoor Club (the North Thompson Recreation Society) except that kids were toppling like dominoes to various bugs...Katie and Helen were unable to race (Chris stayed home and further reduced our coach racer numbers). Levi Kempter (6) had an unfortunate bout of projectile vomiting last night and Lauren Tremblay (9) underwent surgery a few weeks ago and presented herself as an animated spectator who will soon be back on the race course! Jacob Peterson was also feeling under the weather! The Smiths were spending a downhill ski weekend at Sun Peaks (gone to the dark side!)
Despite our diminshed numbers the kids were awesome! Several skiers moved up into new age categories, making them the youngest skiers again in their divisions. And they still posted fabulous times! Others became the oldest in their age categories and walked away with placings.
Building a cross country ski racing team became a given several years ago when many of our club skiers were graduating from the “Jackrabbit” program. It was either implement the “Track Attack” program (racing), or send kids on their way at 10 or 11 years with no club program to keep them interested in the sport.
After two years and much training by Chris and me (to a Learn To Train Level) and the upgrading of skills by several other coaches (all graciously funded by our parent organization, The North Thompson Recreation Society) the coaches pulled together a complete ski lesson program under the new provincial standard, the SDP, including a racing component, which Chris and I have been building up ever since.
I am thrilled to say that with a great group of wonderful kids and their parents, we have nudged our way onto the racing scene, with our first BC Cup on the January 9/10 weekend in Kelowna, BC. It, like today, was FABULOUS. Loudspeakers, concessions, starting guns or gates, cow bells, race bibs, hot chocolate, and lots and lots of really good racers!
I was very impressed by the club skiers who waited so patiently for me to cross the finish line today and who cheered me on. To me this is the essence of a racing team. Racing is competition (a good thing) but it’s also patience, learning, goofiness, respect, and the ability to win and lose graciously. In another post, I’ll post some goofy pictures of an informal ski day we spent at Sun Peaks (with no snow at our own trails we went…higher to find some).
For now, in no particular order, some pictures from today’s race. Way to go everyone!
O.K., Blogger put my picture first! I placed last again in my age divison (10k-women 40-49). The last time I raced was two years ago. LAST year I had gained just a bit too much weight to feel able to do a good race, so by this year I had dropped 20 pounds and decided I was back in. I believe that if I am teaching kids to race, than I need to practice what I preach! As such, I know how to teach losing graciously! Personal goals are what matter to me and this year I shaved off a few minutes and finished the race still able to walk!
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