Almost There

We've been anxiously awaiting some new pictures, had been told they would come Friday, they didn't come. We figured maybe he meant the next Friday...they didn't come. We did a weekend of cross border shopping looking for a deal on generators and propane fridges (we'll be going back before spring I think to pick up a few things). We came home expecting pictures, still nothing. I had to phone. I interrupted Dale's supper, and 20 minutes later we got the pictures. They pretty much speak for themselves in terms of progress made, needless to say we are so excited!

A bit of snow while framing

A bit dark and blurry, but a better sense of what it will look like

(visualize some windows and a patio door in the center. That's the screen porch to the left.)

A view from the east, just behind the bunkhouse.

A side view from the west. Shingles are on, you can see where our chimney will go.

Here's a bit of perspective for anyone who has seen the bunkhouse.

So the guys are done for the season, they'll be back out once there is an ice road. They have rails on the decks, soffits and facia, windows and doors and inside framing to do. After that, we let 'em go and we're on our own. With the help of a few good friends of course ;)

Old Man and the Sea

Tues was a beautiful day, high of 17 C, unheard of usually here at this time of year (good ole global warming), and Niall and his crew barged over most of the materials for the cabin (except the windows, which never showed up, bit of a problem). They worked hard all day, into the dark, and the following day (Halloween) Niall and the man with the barge (Karl) took a boat back to the island to finish unloading the barge. Unfortunately it was opposite day...5 C, winds at about 170 mph and waves two stories high...the sea was angry that day...

So I hear, anyway, he didn't take the pictures to prove it, and he's been known to tell a fish story or two in his day. Dale is supposed to start swinging his hammer on Monday, Nov. 5. Hopefully the weather cooperates for him. Here is what a cabin worth of materials looks like:

The view from the deck...might need a bit of a trim

The Floor is Up!

The pictures arrived, it's really happening...we have a floor.

The original plan was to finish this part in the fall and then put up the rest once the lake froze over and the winter road could be used. This was felt to be the most cost effective way to get the materials and the contractor out. Then we found out that there is no guarantee that a winter road will even be built, which would leave us having to pay for it...ouch. So the barge is pricey, but it's a fixed cost. We'll be taking everything out next Tuesday, so Dale says he might get the place up before the lake freezes over. Wouldn't that be nice, then we wouldn't lie awake worrying every time the snow started to fall all winter.

Downtime

So, like most projects things came to a bit of a stand still for a few weeks, as with the colder weather the boat has been put away for the season. Meaning, we have no idea what is happening on Dominique Island. And the contractor was MIA for just over a week, appears he was on a hunting trip. So I'm itching to post new pics but have none to speak of. During the week of no contact Niall and I were left wondering if the floor ever did get up. We were assured it had not by our neighbour out there, which in turn prompted a few phone calls to the contractor. We did hear back from him early this week and he had every confidence that the floor would be done by Wednesday. Sure enough, the same neighbour is a pilot and he let us know he flew over Dominique the other day and had a nice aerial view of the rectangle from about 6000 ft. Hooray! And then the contractor (whose name is Dale) called and said he would email a few pics of the floor, so I'm waiting (im)patiently for them to show up.

In the meantime, I've been getting excited about indoor projects for the lake and have been starting myself a used furniture collection. So far we've got a double/single bunk, two twins, a sofa bed and a futon. Enough to sleep a couple families we figure, or host a giant slumber party. We also bought used cabinets for our kitchen which Niall and I are having great debates over. We're trying to decide between crazy-funky and sleek-modern. I don't know, there's so much to think about!

Ugly, stinky cabinets which need TSP and lots of elbow grease

They will be beautiful someday

Someone's homemade futon we got off Used Winnipeg.com, our latest addiction...

I plan to paint and recover at some point.

Less Talk, More Photos

Can you see me now? In the bush with just an axe...let's count how many times we see that red T-shirt before this process is over.

Got a good deal gone, that's a lot of blood, sweat and pehaps a few tears (by me when the beautiful cedar came down)

Does this man look like he knows what's going on?

Bringing in the big guns, no more messing around

Our mud patch, with a side view of the bunkhouse, which will soon be a shed we hope.

Little bit of an intro

Okay, so I've become obsessed with houseblogs as of late, and have so many ideas crammed into my head that I must get them out on paper (?). Well, maybe not paper but if I spill them into cyberspace perhaps I can focus on something else for a bit. So here I go...

In 2000 Niall and I bought about 2 acres of lakefront property on an island in the Lake of the Woods area near Kenora, Ontario. We camped in a tent for one full summer before a bear went through it leaving us homeless (well, this is a second home for us so that's not completely accurate). Needless to say it was time for a bunkhouse so out of shed blueprints we built ourselves a quaint lil' place to call home. Seven years and two babies later, we watched the price of lumber soar and decided, it's time to build. This decision was made in a casual conversation on the way home one weekend. In a flurry of phone calls and some pretty scary meetings we were approved by our dear sweet banker, hired a contractor to build our "shell" and started clearing brush. Time for some photos.

There we have the busy dock, and the worn out shack. The cabin will be built just to the right of this mini cottage.