Snow Progress

Yesterday, Len had a plumbing inspection and PASSED!  Here is our new permit, good for another 18 months, and the paper that shows our inspection results.  Happy day!

  This morning we woke up to about 4" of white fluffy stuff and it continued to come down until about 1pm.  As beautiful as it is, it made the job of moving all the rock into the house just that much more "fun".

Under that snow is a pile of rocks

The box is also full of rocks

I carried in all the rock from the trailer, then Len came to help with the rest which was buried under a foot of snow in the truck box.

Cheap labour

I moved all these rocks one at a time

Len seems able to carry more than one

About half of the total number of rocks for the fireplace.  The rest are waiting to be picked up at the 108 Lumber Yard

This is the plumbing schematic

Meanwhile, Len has been busy working on the cold side of the water system.

The cold manifold on the west side of the house

 Once the rocks were in the house, I had a chance to enjoy the sight of all that snow.  It is just below freezing, so quite pleasant outside.

Heavy snow coming down 

The trees are heavy with snow

More later
Cath

Rock 'n Roll

Len came with me on a business trip to Vancouver and picked up some rock while we were there.  The fellows from 108 Lumber also took a ton (literally).  It was good that we had the help of Phillip Larsen, our friend from Alberta and Chilliwack, to help Len hand bomb all that rock.  Len had greased the trailer bearings before we left but it wasn't enough to keep one of the inside bearings from disintegrating. It must have happened a mile or so before he stopped at the 108  shop. Made a jury rig fix and got it home.  New bearings before the next trip. Today the mason came by to see the rock and make a plan to get busy on the fireplace.  He is away for 3 weeks so we'll have to wait a bit.

This was only 1000 pounds and the trailer is rated at 1900 pounds

Fireplace rock lovingly hand-loaded

 Once back, Len got busy with the venting lines for the plumbing.  Here are a couple of pictures.

Sometimes you have to go back to go forward - insulation and vapour barrier had to go to get plumbing venting in place

Venting for the sink

Meanwhile, Garth's Electric got going on replacing the pole and transformer.  A big job and they will be back next week to finish up.  Then the geo will get turned on.

Garth's team working on the new pole which can be seen with the new transformer

The new pole is a lot taller than the old one you can see here

Also got our hot water heater and water conditioner delivered by Glen from Markey.  A big day.  More pictures when Len gets the equipment in place and wired up.  I spent today working upstairs at the computer - I do what I can!
Cath

Plumbing is coming

So it went from SO cold to really pleasant - just around freezing outside and 18 inside.  That's more like it!

Len is getting ready for an initial inspection of the plumbing and vapour barrier on Monday.  He has all the black drainage pipe run and has started on the pex.  Nice that it is colour-coded red and blue.  He has run most of the red and is waiting for a supply of blue to come into the plumbing store to get going on the cold water.  He has a couple of manifolds to hook all the tubes to when he gets the ok from the inspector.  He says we could have full water service in a matter of weeks.  Weeks?? I think not!  I am thinking days, although I realize there is a bit of gyproc to go up first.  How hard can that be?

Anyway, here is a sample of Len's artistry yet again.

In the garage the pipes and pex has to share space with furnace and in-floor heating parts  When it is done, it will be insulated and covered with vapour barrier

Under the master bathroom.  Just getting started.

Looks messy, but when Len is done with it, it will be beautiful

That's more like it!  The manifold (copper) supplies all the kitchen, powder room and garage loft.  There will be another one for the cold water lines.

Wish I could say I have been really productive, but all I managed to do today is laundry and a bit of baking.  And of course Banjo and I enjoyed a nice long walk in the snow.
Cath

Cold? You call that Cold?

Hiiii Eeevvveerrryy Oonnee (those are my teeth chattering)
We woke up to a record -38C today and our poor little boiler is having a tough time keeping up.  Here is what the thermometer said:

Can you see the 06C (inside) temp?

Banjo all bundled up and cozy

 On a happier note, Len is fine working in cool (cold) temperatures, so he is busy on the plumbing.  It took a couple of  days of planning, trips into consult with the Regional District inspector, Todd and picking up supplies, but the plumbing is officially underway.

Sanitary T's, Y's cleanouts, 45's, 90's and all sorts of plastic

Len putting in a run from the garage loft and powder room

He is bravely carrying on today while I stay upstairs with a heater under the desk so I can do my work on the computer and phone. 

It is supposed to be another deep-freeze tomorrow and then will be warmer.  Sure hope they are right.  Banjo and I are getting a bit of cabin-fever.

Cath

Getting to the end of the line(s)?

So this week the tables were turned and Len went away while I stayed home with Banjo.  Before he left, Len made sure the high places in the garage loft had vapour barrier.

Our electric stapler died so back to the manual one

Looking up the ladder, perched above the stairwell

 I rose to the challenge of completing the plastic before Len got back.

All done in the loft

And she did it all by herself!

Len wasn't home 10 minutes before he got right back at finishing up all the electrical - including wiring for a doorbell, which we realized might come in handy, and cable and garage door openers and CAT5 and.... I think that's it.  He is determined to get it done by the weekend so that plumbing can begin.

Len running cable

Good news, the heating guys were here and got things running well.  Still waiting for Hydro to put in the new transformer, but in the meanwhile we will be warm.  They added a second buffer tank which will pre-heat the domestic water tank to about 85%.  The utility room, which we thought was so large, is getting fuller by the day and will be even more so when they bring the water tank and softener unit.

The new buffer tank 

Tonight we have a band practice, so Len will have to shut it down early.  He is running the last of the cable as I type.

Weather-wise it has been quite pleasant and not too cold.  Very dry for this time of year and although the ground it white, it is pretty skimpy.  More ice than snow.  The weatherman is calling for a chance of snow all weekend and into next week and we could really use it.

Ok, that's it for now. I hope the next installment will show black pipes in place!
Cath

How to start the new year off with a bang

I have a lot of things going on and my greatest worry is getting injured and having to stut down. We started the week off great with a band practice incorporating our new bass player Larry, and another female for harmony, Nathania.  I think we sound pretty good.

 That was Monday as I continued to polish off the shop wiring etc., for inspections. Tuesday Cath was gelling ready to go to Vancouver so into town for laundry.  I finished the shop today, all insulation, tall vapour barrier and all wiring ready for inspections. Wednesday morning and my turn to take Banjo for a stroll.  I was half way down the driveway when my feet slipped out from under me and I landed hard on my shoulder blades and head. I rally aced for a daybutt I don't sef any other prroblems and I am heavily medicated with bac ake stuff.  (Ha ha).

I woke up Thursday feeling slightly better and got a call that the geothermal guys are coming today to install the rest of the equipment.  I am touching up a few last minute electrical items in the house before my inspection on Friday.  Just before the boys arrived the power went out all over the 108 as they are moving a power line away from the airport runway.  I had to dig out my generator so they would have light and for the purge pump that will be used later today.

New blower unit amost connected

 We are still waiting on Hydro as they will be installing a new pole to accept the heavier transformer.  I guess all the lights dimmed in 100 Mile House when we turned on the system last time. Sometimes the progress is agonizingly slow but it is still progress. Feeling better

Len

Happy 2012!

What HAVE we been up to???

Well, we took a nice break to go to the Sunshine Coast (where it was a bit rainy and not too sunny) for Christmas with the Hawkins'.

Since we have been home, Len has finished  putting in the insulation and vapour barrier in the shop.  His goal is to make room for a vehicle or too should the weather turn nasty.

Insulation and wiring behind the workbenches

More drilling

We started at the back and worked forward

The scaffold got Len up close and personal with the ceiling

The airplane back in it's home

As it is, it is very warm here and our little leak in the roof is dripping into the pot quite regularly.

I am off to Victoria for 3 days so it will be exciting to see what Len accomplishes while I am gone.  We are working on getting stone for the fireplace, resolving our chimney issues, and starting plumbing.  Also, we have an inspection or two coming up so want to make sure everything is ready.

Hope you had a good New Year's celebration and are looking forward to a great year.
Cath