Concrete Actions

Straw Bale House Update: The concrete scribing is going well. There is a learning curve and it's just as well we started in a closet. The acid stain has been ordered. Picture is of the master bedroom floor. Doesn't look like much yet, but just you wait!

Over-due house pics.

Straw Bale House Update:

Picture taken from the kitchen into the living room.
The Mason Heater is fully functioning and heats the house, even after the fire has gone out. (about 15c) The house currently looses 2c over night, (16 hours) with the outside temp in the 2-3c range. This should be reduced once the interior plastering is done and the thermal mass is increased. The goal is to have the heater hold a 20c temp with 2 short burns a day.



Picture of the Kitchen. The horizontal boards are for cabinet mounting. Wired for electric stove and plumbed for propane. (wire coiled on floor coming out of the slab is for the island.) The square hole between the windows is a box built to carry a seven inch stove vent. Window returns and sills are in the near future.



The front door entry finishing has been a challenge. Any questionable angles are sorted out with a little extra plaster. All of the door hardware has been installed and we're officially at lock-up. we're still considering side-lights made with bottles, (more on that later.) The green tape around the posts is holding the plastic which will protect the posts from the concrete acid stain....the next big project.

Picture of the dining room french doors. These are actually double doors that swing out onto a patio/bbq area. we rounded the top return with straw to match the other view windows. The dining room will have a nice ocean/mountain view.

I was able to get my hands on some very nice quarter-sawn Douglas Fir (milled on the island) to frame out the seven view windows on the south and west sides of the house. There was just enough left over to top the wrap-around window bench (which will provide tons of extra living room seating and a great cat look-out).

This week the layout for the tile pattern in the concrete floor will be cut and the acid stain ordered. (the designer still working on the colour)

Getting Plastered

The unbelievably warm weather prompted us to venture to the mainland to test drive a few horses. Tara and Clay at Hayburner Haven provided their expertise in how to pick out a horse. We learned that the most important attributes in a horse are: a) it must be able to go. and b) it must be able to stop. (We looked at a few horses that were challenged in one or more of these requirements.) In the end, it was agreed that we must continue our equine education before committing to horsey ownership.

The island is abuzz with firewood cutting chainsaw noises and the cats are growing a thick furry coat.... all signs point to a cold winter. Boo Radley is beginning to think twice before pulling those all-nighters as the night time cooling is now in the 5-6c degree range.

Strawbale House Update: This week we built bins out of bales and plastic to store the mixed lime plaster. It can (and should) be mixed ahead of time and will store indefinitely under the right conditions. Mixing day was Tuesday and we mixed all day. We began the "scratch coat" on Wednesday. It's going quite well. As the learning curve progresses we're getting better and faster.

West Side Story

Last week our local medical clinic was moved to it's new location. It will be renovated and upgraded. The land for the clinic was donated, as was much of the labour and other efforts including the fund-raising.

Watched a great video (sorry, could not embed) but check out this LINK to watch "Home"... available in HD (fullscreen) if you have a good connection

Straw bale house update: More straw baling, screening, sewing, flashing, plaster stops and electrical. The shingling is about two-thirds complete and that in itself deserves a picture of the "west side". There's plans to plaster on the horizon. (Maybe those feature windows could use some framing and glass... materials on site for frames).

Can you spot the upstairs bath fan vent disguised as a shingle?

A Martha Stewart moment. It's fruit fly season, don't ya know. The little buggers drive me nuts. Lee Valley has fruit fly traps... really expensive. So with a little Google assistance I found this helpful hint... A small glass jar with a little apple cider vinegar and a couple of drops of dish soap. Cover with some stretch wrap and poke a couple of holes in it with a pencil. By the next morning your flies are gone.... totally guaranteed or twice your flies back!

Everyone Loves A Parade

It was a gorgeous weekend (last week). We planned a "play-date" with some friends and went to our local golf course. The girls had never golfed before.... it worked out perfectly as we had the course to ourselves. As with all golf courses, there is a certain golf etiquette that must be observed; on the Denman Island course, it is as follows...

- No dress code is in effect. (in fact clothes are optional)
- Tee shots must not intentionally be aimed at sheep.

- Free drop with every shot
- Club rentals are free.
- Drinking on the course is encouraged.
- Green fees are covered by your empties.

We also went to a "Gymkhana" on the island, which is a sort of sports-day for horses. Ash and Kari have been bitten by the horse bug. We've talked for years about buying or leasing a horse... it has reared it's head again, (pun intended). So we're on the lookout for a good all-round trail horse (or two).

Straw Bale House Update: Yay, I got my electrical inspection done last week and it passed with flying colours. We've hired a guy to do the shingle work on the gable ends. He'll start next week. It's work that I like doing, but time is important now that the rains are here. (besides I saved a whack by doing my own electrical). Our goal is to have the house completely buttoned up before it gets too cold to plaster.

This weekend (labour Day) was a different story. The annual Blackberry Festival was eventually rained out, but not before the parade. People showed up by the tens and there was the usual food and games for all to enjoy. Here's some shots of the parade.

What Bugs You?

"What pisses me off, is that more people aren't pissed off" Bill Maher.

Speaking of Bill Maher, If you haven't seen "religulous", I found it online. Check it out with a bowl of popcorn and enjoy.







We've had these bugs on the construction site for two years in a row. I can't say I've seen them anywhere else.... by my standards, this is a huge bug. It sounds somewhat like a helicopter when it fies by.

Honeymoon Sales Tax

I really think the HST could be a good thing. I'm on record saying that the GST was a bone-headed tax to begin with. Why have another separate bureaucratic money grabbing entity when we already had one? I call the HST, the Honeymoon Sales Tax cause once in place you'll never get screwed as often in your whole life. If Gordo had said... "times are tough and this tax will be used to prop up our social system until better times come around", I'd have a whole lot more respect for the man... and I'd shut up and pay up.

A two billion tax shift to give his corporate cronies a break?... I don't think so Gordo.

I signed Bill Tieleman's Facebook HST protest page.... but what I really want, is to rid our government of liars.... Here's my thought process. As a public employee, we're all Gordo's boss. As a boss I don't want my employees to be liars. What I don't get is, he'd proven himself a liar during his last two terms and yet some 46% of BC voters "hired him" in May. Now (some of) those voters are outraged at the current set of lies. They seem somehow surprised. They must be the same voters that canned electoral reform. I'll be asking my MLA, Don McRae if he has the balls to stand up for his constituents, or must he bow to the emperor Gordo... stay tuned.

(Cheesy Travolta video explains the hst)

Hello Mr. Mcrae,My wife and I moved to the Comox Valley three years ago. We are currently building a new home and intend to retire here. Like a lot of other BC'ers, who to vote for in the last Provincial election was a conundrum indeed. I think it's common knowledge that a large number of voters held their nose and voted for "the devil you know". It certainly appears now that some voters would vote otherwise if given the opportunity today. Much of the dissatisfaction (as I'm sure you're aware), stems from the blatant disingenuousness of Mr Campbell. Each BC resident, is in a way, an employer of public servants. Most employers would not put up with employees that habitually lied to them. I fear the writing is on the pink slip for Employee Gordon Campbell. As a constituent of yours, I would like to know your thoughts on the leadership of your party and the direction in which you leader is taking it. If you'll excuse my bluntness I shall ask, will you represent the wishes of your constituents by standing up in the legislature and demanding honesty from everyone there, including the leader of your party? Thanks for your public service.
Regards, Dave.
(I hope this email is not answered "auto responder")

See the following answer....I guess the answer is "No" he won't have the balls to hold Gordo to any kind of ethics.... should we expect any different? As his assistant says: he will "make decisions that he feels will be the best", not what his constituents feel is best, hmmmm. Regardless of your political beliefs, please email your MLA and demand honesty in government. It's the least we can expect.

On behalf of MLA Don McRae, thank you for taking the time to email our office. Don is aware of your email and has asked that I reply on his behalf, as he is in Victoria preparing for the opening of the legislature on August 25, 2009.
When Don made the decision to run for MLA for the Comox Valley he made a commitment to be the best MLA he could be. He is prepared to listen to all of the issues and make decisions that he feels will be the best, not only for the citizens of the Comox Valley, but also for the Province of BC. Don appreciates hearing from constituents such as yourself.
Thank you once again for emailing our office.
Dianne Lineker
Constituency Assistant to
Don McRae, MLA
Comox Valley Constituency
Phone: 250 703 2422
Fax: 250 703 2425