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| taylorcabinet | What a view | 0 | Nov 21 2009, 10:16 AM EST by taylorcabinet | ||||
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Thread started: Nov 21 2009, 10:16 AM EST
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Congrats on your project progress. You have a location that is just beautiful. Know the area well and this time of the year it's just breath taking.
Could we be of help to you? http://taylorcabinetmfg.vpweb.com Anyway the best of luck to you and this project. |
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| DCPOA | POA, Blackberry Wine, and the structural support! | 0 | Oct 31 2009, 3:40 PM EDT by DCPOA | ||||
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Thread started: Oct 31 2009, 3:40 PM EDT
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My walk out Basement looks pretty good huh! I like it too. I actualy LOVE it, the help I needed came when it was time to fill the block walls, my neighbor figured the pour to the yard, there was a few shovel fulls of concrete extra, it was a beautiful thing! This latest trip went well, but so busy, the POA business now takes up more time and is causing me more trouble than I figured, I will respond soon. I have to deal with personal attacks and I dont handle a**-holes too well. The important thinganyway , my tip of the spear so to speak is the house, and as you can see, its coming along, I am gong to have to have an engineer figure the beam(s) that will support the trusses, actually, it will all have to come at once , the beams, the trusses, and the roof, I will have to "Dry it in" or risk warping or weathering my expensive lumber and structure work. For now though, things can wait through the winter months. There was some Blackberry Wine I sampled this trip that was well worth investigating, by the time I though about it I was driving to the Airport, but a local place sells the wine for $20 a gallon, gotta write it down BEFORE the next sampling!
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| DCPOA | Another Year Already? | 0 | Oct 15 2009, 6:31 AM EDT by DCPOA | ||||
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Thread started: Oct 15 2009, 6:31 AM EDT
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It time for the annual POA Meeting up in Deer Crossing a week from today. Thats my property owners assoc in the mountains, I used to laugh at the thought of an actual organization to take $90 a year in dues, now I've been the Webmaster for some time and now Treasurer for the past year, GEEZE! I never will have the patience for politics, the simple action of billing a group of folks once a year becomes rather complicated at times! The President is a pro at it, when he goes, I go! But, here we are at Meeting time again, and after the meeting, well, I have some serious moonshine -tasting scheduled!
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| DCPOA | A teardrop for my Teardrop | 0 | Oct 6 2009, 6:28 PM EDT by DCPOA | ||||
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Thread started: Oct 6 2009, 6:28 PM EDT
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I sold my Teardrop Trailer,the "PEARL". It went to a good home, and will be going cross country with a nice woman who loves to camp, and travel, I already put the cash into the concrete which has filled my foundation walls and will keep me warm and dry for years to come! (I'm already searching for my next camping trailer and it's gonna be even COOLER! Maybe even a small houseboat!)
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| DCPOA | The Pour that Roared! | 0 | Sep 25 2009, 7:49 PM EDT by DCPOA | ||||
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Thread started: Sep 25 2009, 7:49 PM EDT
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The basement walls are now Solid Cement! Let that sink in, Solid Concrete! I get a rush everytime I think about it! The walls were completed yesterday, filled with concrete, around the rebar, the Bondbeam, the verticals, the overwhelming phrase I hear is "Most reinforced basement I have seen in some time" I'll take that, I'll let that roll around in my mouth and slip off my toungue when I say..Brick *********! I love it! I have lived through alot of stories, alot of disasters, alot of folks that said, I never though it would be that bad! So, my basement, my last refuge in the most bad, terrible **** that can occur, it pretty damn tough! I like that part! I know what corner of the world I WILL head for be in when it gets REAL ugly out there (ugly-ER)
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| DCPOA | Burn it down or plant a seed | 0 | Sep 22 2009, 8:17 PM EDT by DCPOA | ||||
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Thread started: Sep 22 2009, 8:17 PM EDT
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Work has been very different lately. With the global economic meltdown I have been very frotunate to still be working and paid nicely. But, times are getting toughter, the budgets are getting tighter, we have had early retirements, layoffs, and people are getting weird, including my boss! I recently had to switch my job resposibilities because another department decided the wanted the one I was doing for the last 10 years, mostly software upgrades, and network set ups. In the last month, I was informed I was to be going back to fixing hardware at different locations, a job I did 10 years ago, and times being what they are, I didn't ***** toooo much, and find myself relearning the Mac and PC world of desktops, laptops, and printers, same customers, same pay, what the hell, right? Well, now my boss is acting very nervous, kinda scared actually, about his job, and for the first time in 13 years, he has retreated to his office most of the time, and today he sorta snapped at me when I asked whats going on, so I am now feeling sorta weird too, like I wanted to swig a bottle of rum, or a case of beer, but, I decided to do something constructive instead, so, I went to Lowes up the street bought a bag of dirt, and I got a tomato plant, and some italian parsley, I even threw some carrot seeds in there to just for good measure, and planted the whole mess, about an $8 trip to Lowes, took all of an hour to do the whole thing. then when I finished, I came inside, washed up had a cold beer and smoked a great Cuban cigar I have been saving, and am feeling just great now, its amazing how smart I have gotten over the years! Cuz there aint a damn thing I can do about my job, or the economy, or my boss acting all schitzy, but,now but look forward to my for tomato to sprout! and snagging a sprig of fresh parsley to chew on.
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| DCPOA | The end of and era, and Todd's Country Store | 0 | Sep 18 2009, 5:38 PM EDT by DCPOA | ||||
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Thread started: Sep 18 2009, 5:38 PM EDT
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I was surprised and saddened to learn the little store near my place in NC has closed its doors for the last time, "Todd's Country Store" in Buffalo Cove, NC is no more, its history is rich and long, lasting through the depression, and sickness, and even passing into the hand of new owners only to have the global economic meltdown drive the last nail into its coffin. A wonderfully sweet woman who was the daughter of the original owners Mary Todd, and her husband Herb used to run a tiny little post office there, the locals sat around the store all years in all weather, inside in the winter near the pot belly stove, all eyes on you as you walked through the door, it scared off alot of folks that didnt know how harmless these folks were, but they enjoyed the nervous looks of the strangers as they crept past them, only to be greeted by Mary and Herb and all the tension evaporated. The same locals will be sorely missing the credit that was run up during many a short paycheck, and free coffee doled out by the gallon! I will miss that place, not near as much as the crowd that passed the day there day after day, but it leave a huge sucking sound in the end, and will never be recreated, I sure hope someone will try though...
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Keyword tags:
A-Frame
basement
blue ridge parkway
Blueridge parkway
bond beam
Boone nc
brick shit-house
cabin
cellar
Culebra Puerto Rico
foundation
integral strength
Jonathan Stark
motherearthnews.com
mountain living
Mountains
natural living
NC
off-grid
rural living
sampson road
Top of the world
Treehugger.com
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| DCPOA | A busy summer winds down | 0 | Aug 31 2009, 8:30 PM EDT by DCPOA | ||||
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Thread started: Aug 31 2009, 8:30 PM EDT
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Its been a busy summer, I got the basement walls built, with my new crew I have been able to get alot more done than ever before. Its expensive, epecially when the crew is fast! my guy Michael is a worker, he has been reliable and honest, I have been fortunate! the next phase will be the slab, it will be expensive and will be dependant on the weather. its coming along well, but I want it to move faster, the situation in Florida seems precarious at best, I continue with the master plan....
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| DCPOA | Today The Walls, Tommorow, the World! | 0 | Aug 21 2009, 9:50 PM EDT by DCPOA | ||||
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Thread started: Aug 21 2009, 9:50 PM EDT
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I set up the inspection for my foundation (Basement walls) today, it passed with Flying Colors. Thanks to Mike and Co. and many Dollars, the project continues. I am glad the extra money spent for the extra rebar will result in the "Strongest Foundation" the inspector had ever seen. I am now an expert in the theory of the "Bond Beam" or an extra course of rebar placed in the notched out 4th and top course of block that acts as a steel collar to strengthen the entire foundation, I like that!
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Keyword tags:
A-Frame
basement
bond beam
brick shit-house
cellar
foundation
integral strength
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| DCPOA | Nuther trip, mo' money! | 1 | Aug 9 2009, 4:41 PM EDT by overby | ||||
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Thread started: Aug 8 2009, 11:17 PM EDT
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Well, made another installment to the A-Frame, whew, fast trip, lots done!
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| DCPOA | Gardening from a distance | 3 | Jul 20 2009, 5:55 PM EDT by sistahmj | ||||
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Thread started: Mar 23 2009, 8:55 AM EDT
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I have tried year after year to plant various fruit and vegatable seeds and seedlings on my visits to my mountain property, to date I I've only been succesful with various Bulbs, (daffodils, glads, stuff like this) and
some small arborvite and cypress trees thats are hanging in there about 2 feet high now, and a small bamboo bushy plant that has survived, all the fruit seedlings and seeds have never produced more than a dried stick or a deer eaten stub on my returns. This will not keep me from trying again. I am growing some various small plants that may or may not survive. I have a small cherry, some plums and a red maple, also a tuft of pampas grass to try this year, my long term goal is to have a full range of fresh food growing there as I retire, which is still 10 nyears off, but I like to plan ahead...I would like to grow fruit trees, timber bamboo, and get a good plot of winter forage for the critters, (not my vegatables food) to grow eventually,
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Keyword tags:
blueberries
cherries
fruit trees
gardening
plums
vegatables
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| DCPOA | The Quest continues..... | 0 | Jul 18 2009, 10:06 AM EDT by DCPOA | ||||
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Thread started: Jul 18 2009, 10:06 AM EDT
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I am building the new Aframe a block at a time, I am almost to the point of completing the walk-out basement walls, I plan on another trip in early August to
put the finishing touches on the walls, rebabar and the inspection prior to pouring the Concrete to reinforce the back supporting walls of the Basement that are cut into the mountain, this will insulate the basement to keep it cooler in the Summer and Warmer in the winter. Sounds like a good place to store wine eh? Thats all part of the plan!!!! |
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| DCPOA | I make another successful trip to the mountain | 1 | Jul 7 2009, 6:59 PM EDT by overby | ||||
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Thread started: Jun 28 2009, 7:10 PM EDT
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Another installment completed in the new mountain house building project, another 500 blocks delivered and placed, final placement for basement windows and doors finalized, (3 doors, 4 windows Yippeeee!) new plumbing installed in cabin, final, Small cabin digital tv box connected, and working great, Bamboo planted along driveway, Cabin bathroom porthole measured out and ready for install, (cant wait!) Upcoming item list calls for headers, final load of Block, washed stone delivery plus rebar installation and inspection. Plus, I was overrun one night by a herd of Raccoons! They had a total house party on, (and under) my porch 2 nights in a row about 2:30 am
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| DCPOA | A trip to the Beach | 0 | May 3 2009, 10:07 AM EDT by DCPOA | ||||
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Thread started: May 3 2009, 10:07 AM EDT
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Had a GREAT trip to the Keys last Week, a great campground in Long Key made for an awesome getaway!
Will put some pics in Photos section |
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| DCPOA | Like playing a country music song Backwards | 1 | Apr 29 2009, 9:28 PM EDT by overby | ||||
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Thread started: Apr 20 2009, 6:19 PM EDT
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Well, sort of... I was stressing this morning. While awaiting the news of an elusive intake manifold for my truck which sat in a lonely back lot of a local auto repair garage for the past week in anticipation of the arrival of merely one of the 200 that were released from the manufacturer which I found was completely across the "Pond"in the United Kingdom, and all of South Florida only receiving 3 of the prized parts, which I was not sure if any would be marked as mine. "The next release is the 30th of April" I was forwarned, which would have screwed me out of the amazing camping trip I'd planned on the 27th where I planned to pull my teardrop trailer about 200 miles to an AWESOME spot on the sand only mere feet from the ocean in Long Key State Park in the Florida Keys, (where just getting a reservation to do just that needs to be made a year in advance) which I personally didnt but thats another story. I called the garage early morning to find the part had JUST arrived and the entire staff of the garage was stupified it REALLY sowed up and went right to work on my yellow ford ranger, and WA-LA! By this writing I have my truck back, I've turned in the rental car, the guys at the garage even gave me a beer to celebrate. Oh, and the rental place even has my favorite sunglasses i a special place to come pick up tomorrow cuz they were under the seat of the rental car! Yippeee-yi-Yo-Ki-yay! If you didn't get the title of this thread, if you play a country music song backwards, you get EVERYTHING you lost in life back, well, I was never hoping to be THAT lucky, but, I got MY TRUCK BACK! I'll savor that ....
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| DCPOA | Ying, Yang, and Me... | 2 | Apr 20 2009, 5:23 PM EDT by sistahmj | ||||
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Thread started: Apr 14 2009, 7:37 PM EDT
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Ahhhh, things can seem too good, I knew it was all moving along a a dagerous clip, so, today, after my smooth as silk trip home, all was perfect in the world, I was ciphering my savings for the next load of block, it was right on the edge of happening, when today, the smell of steam and anti-freeze burst my bubble. Bittersweet as it was happening to me, I thought, I'm , in the city where I can find all I need, not out on the lonely road far from home as I was um, just 3 days ago, my trusty Ford Ranger bleed green and blew steam feeling every bit of its one-hundred and thirty eight THOUSAND miles of hard roads, highways, hood, and mountain paths. I limped gingerly into the little garage down the road from my place that I had mentally noted as the field hospital of choice for my little truck when it began to show signs of mortality, today was the day, we sadly eased into the place and shortly after I was shown the failing parts. The bill, not catastrophic, but a big blow.
The Ranger will rise again to its road warrior ranks, after some major surgery, a short rest and rear back into the battle. I owe her that for getting me home safe only days ago before it showed a wheeze of suffering. Now, the green that is leaking iare the funds from my meager savings to bring my trusty yellow truck back to its full strength, to face the angry masses on the highway of life, but, the blocks, that I was eying for tomorrow may have to wait another day, the Ying has brought me home, the Yang has punctuated the victory, I and rebuilding and I will carry on tomorrow, its only a minor setback, and I have rum in the liquor locker, things could be worse....
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| DCPOA | A Birthday trip to the mountains! | 3 | Apr 14 2009, 11:54 AM EDT by sistahmj | ||||
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Thread started: Mar 31 2009, 10:39 PM EDT
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I'll be headed up to the cabin to continue work on the A-frame next week, I turn 52 on Friday, and dammit, I will build this house before I retire without going in the hole, I'm driving up, with plum, cherry, and red maple trees, well, little ones, I am determined to keep trying to get some food growing up there to eat when the times get tough, and the other times I just wanna eat dinner from my own little patch of dirt in the world! I plan on getting the basement walls up this trip, LC should be oinging me, that always means we're gonna get stuff accomplished! I am going to hire a guy to help us throw up brick, because after last time I will feel like throwing up if I try to do it! (I'm a computer tech, and it shows after I been at that real work for a few hours!
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| DCPOA | The Basement | 1 | Apr 12 2009, 6:45 PM EDT by overby | ||||
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Thread started: Apr 12 2009, 2:44 PM EDT
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Well, that was fast! I arrived to find my four Pallets of block waiting, I looked like it would build about 3 houses, well, about tw walls are now half completed and I need to order more, about $2000 more, so, I will scrimp and save and plan my next delivery. I was happy in retrospect that I hired one block guy because he was just the right one, (and his mixer) for the job, fast and efficient, he was much faster and more knowledgable on the subject, LC agreed he was quicker that we would have been, and my back aint broken allowing me back to work to make more $$$$. The endeavor continues, but I am very pleased with my progress so far, but a nice lotto win would REALLY move things along!!!!! at any rate its awesome to see something rising out of the ground! To this point I have pretty much buried all the latest additions, (Septic, Power, Footer) Nice to see a wall!
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| DCPOA | Four corners are done! | 1 | Mar 9 2009, 3:11 AM EDT by sistahmj | ||||
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Thread started: Mar 2 2009, 8:41 AM EST
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I'm just back from the mountain where my neighber hleped me set the four Corners of my basement. In a stroke of luck the Temps rose from way below freezing to the mis 50's for the few days I was on site! There was still frozen ground I found was undiggable but the big deal was setting the corners up now its just a matter of making cement and putting down block along the guideline.I found more cracked pipes on my return and during the warm spell I was able to saw off the cracked pipes and replae them, as always adding a drain cock wherever an new crack appears, it seems to be working, and no replacing those spots being needed. Also, I have purchased an electric Chainsaw, which seemed to be just the thing for the smaller trees
that were blocking my veiw on the porch, this time of year is perfect to do it since the critters that sting and bite are sleeping in whatever spots they find for the winter. A little step repair on the cabin porch, and some new sheves went up, all in all a pretty productive trip.The weather turned wintery just as it was time to go and I locked the place up, drained all lines and turned off the elertric and gas, should be ready to roll next trip!!!
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| DCPOA | Footer SUCCESFULLY POURED! | 2 | Dec 4 2008, 3:56 PM EST by DCPOA | ||||
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Thread started: Oct 24 2008, 7:06 PM EDT
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Is it possible to be this excited about 10 yards of Concrete?! The Footer was poured yesterday, a bit over 10 yards of the stuff, it was warm so it had plenty of time to set up, about 2 am the rains came but it should be fine. Next is the odering of the Cinder Block,for the basement, and Rebar, by Thanksgiving, these projects get more expensive in each chunk, but I am determined not to let a little global economic meltdown stop me, its a solid plan, I just keep going with each stage, paying as I go, till I'm Finished, OR plan "B" is to march forward right up untill I lose MY job, then I live in whatever I have built so far and wing it from there....living on mountain roots, the occasional wild turkey, and deer meat...any questions?
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