Wednesday, October 20, 2010


We would like to extend a big thank-you to all of those that helped us
build our cabin in 2010. We had two week-long builds and many weekends
of hard labour and fun times. We accomplished a lot this year including:
Knee bracing
Completed framing in guest cabin and main cabin
Installed all windows and some doors
Installed roof on main cabin
Completed the foundations, posts and beam for the deck addition and the stairway
Installed and tested woodstove
Brought water line to cabin and power tower
Cleaned up and burned - good times
Brought septic to main cabin

So a big warm thank-you to all of you that helped in so many ways - we
could not do it without you


Jesse
Matthew
Pere and DeeDee
Sonia
Chris
Nitin
Doug
Sean
Suzanne
Kevin
Rebeccah
Shelly
Jennifer-Lee and Blake
Shahana and Summer
Malcolm
Molly
John
Maddy
Bonnie
Andrew
Frances 

RJ
Jan
Rich 

Bill
Dan 

Kevin, Annie, Simon and Jeremy
Miles

Mike


Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Big Build 2010











Big Build 1 2010
There are only part of the pictures from our 1st big build of 2010 (more photos coming). So amazing! The roof was put on, the water was warm and the company was great.

Many many many thanks to: John, Sean, Suzanne, Doug, Maddy, Jennifer-Lee, Blake, Nitin, Chris, Sonia, Frances, John O, Jan and the good dogs Jasper, Willy, and Ralphie.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Building Bee 1 2010















Hi Builders and Supporters,

We had a great time last weekend with perfect weather and help from
the Lantz family from Trois Rivieres. Thanks Kevin, Annie, Simon and
Jeremy. We installed the chimney for the woodstove, installed many
hurricane ties, painted the first coat on teh guest loft, prepared and
installed knee braces and sorted, planed and sanded the fir that we
milled up for facia boards. We also took final roof dimensions and I
have ordered the roofing material this morning. The crew also enjoyed
ample hammock, disk golf and badminton time with the final score Kevin
and Jeremy 31 to Kevin and Simon 29.


As you are no doubt aware next week is our first "big build" of the
year. We will be heading up Friday evening for 10 days of construction
fun times. There will also be swimming (who will be the first in this
year?), aforementioned disk golf, hammock and badminton as well as
delicious food and selected wines and beers. The testimonials from
past years provide adequate support of the good times had.
Testimonials such as:
"most beautiful construction site in the world"
"food unequalled this side of the lions"
"the dedication to safety on the job site was amazing to see"
"I'm learning so much"
I'm not sure that I have the exact wording for some of these but I
feel that I may have captured the spirit of the feedback that we have
been gathering since the project began back in '07.

Here is the perfect weather forecast for next week:
Tonight Clear. Low 14.
Wednesday Sunny. High 22 except 26 inland. UV index 7 or high.
Wednesday night A few clouds. Low 15.
Thursday A mix of sun and cloud. High 23.
Friday Sunny. Low 15. High 23 except 28 inland.
Saturday Sunny. Low 15. High 23.
Sunday Sunny. Low 14. High 23.
Monday Sunny. Low 14. High 23.

For the 10 days we will hoping to
-put a roof on the main cabin including facia and all flashing
-make and install the remaining knee braces
-install the remaining two posts and deck beam including pouring the
pad foundations for these two posts
-finish the installation of the hurricane ties


- by Kevin, posted by Sonja

Monday, July 19, 2010

Testimonials

Best Hammock Ever!

World's greatest outdoor shower

Ils fait tres beau ici!

Paradise!

Tequila!

Badminton

Saturday, July 10, 2010

7L's and a little luck

I was thinking today about the role of chance, luck and craigslist in the building of our cabin,  I like the fact that we've been guided not only by the 7L ideas but also by chance and opportunity.  Although there are days when I wish we could make a decision without thinking about budgets, there are many more days when I happily search Craigslist and elsewhere for good deals and pleasant surprises. I thought I'd list some of them here:


Craigslist:

  • Toilet+ sink currently in 'toilet shack' (free)
  • Marmoleum for guest cabin
  • stainless steel sink + counter combo
  • counter for kitchen tent (free)
  • French doors
  • BBQ
  • Stove
  • Low-flow toilet for cabin (free b/c no tank lid)
  • Chainsaw Mill


ReStore in Bellingham

  • Fir windows
  • Power tower metal doors (only $6!)


Free from neighbours and friends

  • Posts and beams from trees off a neighbours lot
  • Power tower roof
  • Power tower doors and windows
  • Tool shed
  • Flooring for kitchen shack
  • Corplast for top power tower windows



Others
  • 8 foot high sliding glass doors for guest cabin (Jacks Used Building Supply)
  • Sink for kitchen tent (St Pauls thrift store)

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Back into the swing of hammers and other things

Hard to believe spring is already past and we're officially into summer. Kevin and I approach another season of building a little weary (after our in-town move over the winter) but very eager.  Earlier in the spring we got to have a bonfire and burn some of our scrap wood which had nails or screws in it. Very satisfying on a rainy day. Our goals for this year are to put on the roof, the siding and hopefully complete the interior framing, as well as have a funky good time. This weekend our friend Malcolm will be adding some new elements to the disc golf course.

a blog about 1 cabin and 7 ideas

local / logical / lots of uses / long lasting / low impact / low cost /loveable

Big thanks to everyone!

Help Gambier Island

Gambier Island is facing numerous environmental threats at the moment when we are seeing a rebirth of wildlife. Wolves, whales, owls and more, all around us we see evidence of an eco-system on the rebound. But that resurgence is threatened by plans to allow clear-cutting, develop LNG plants, sink warships.