To Build A House

Josh and Francis are building a house in Idaho. It’s a small cabin with all the right cabin-y things: a field stone hearth, a master bedroom loft, a tall wall with windows for lots of forest scenery and where the light pours in, huge windows for more light and from where you can watch the deer grazing while sitting in the rocker.

The first fire in the stove was actually a bit of a ceremony for Josh and Francis. Elv and Brad and Josh were putting the chimney together, you know,  the last tightenings and so forth when Grandpa Sids came in. We were all trying to help to get the place warmed up soon since it had gotten dark and chilly.

Just about then, Francis came back in the door with her own gathered firewood and kindling saying, “Actually, I wanted to build the first fire myself.”

We all took the hint and stood back to watch and cheer, of course. Somehow when you build your own house, especially when you had no idea that you even knew how to do it, and here you are; certain first things are not for others to do.

Josh and Michael (7)  went outside and shined a flashlight on the chimney top to watch the smoke coming out.

Elv took the train out to Idaho where I already was, to install the off grid electrical system, finish the electrical panel, and to hook up the solar panels. The girls helped with the labeling of the electric panel. 

We figured out that one row of stones per day was all we could do on that so we switched out to insulation chores or washing dishes as needed. One day we ran down to Sand Point to Restore to look for a bank of kitchen drawers. No luck on that, but we found the bathroom vanity and sink.

They’ve been building for six months and in a few weeks, they’ll be able to move in. “Moving in before the snow flies.”

In her own words, here’s Francis.

“We’re so grateful for how many of our friends and family helped us.

• Clark drew up the blue print.
• Brad and Sierra helped with the building all summer long.
• Norvan and Daytan and Small Group from church .
• People from Joshes shop had input. Guys who have lived ten miles out of town up the mountain would find out that we were living off grid and they’d offer input. Josh has a buddy who tells about how years ago when he was trying to get his feet under him, built a cabin on the mountain. He lived without windows in his cabin all the first winter because he couldn’t afford them. This buddy had things to say about how to build a house because he knows off grid construction. These bits and pieces of help have been so interesting.
• When it was framing time, there were several times when Josh and/or I would run over to Grampa Sid and ask, “How do you do this part?” There were a couple of times where Josh sat beside him with a paper and pen while Grandpa would say, “This is how this goes.”
• There was the day when we needed to have our blue print printed. We went over to Norvan’s office where Kate’s husband Paul printed out for us and gave his thoughts.
• Way back last fall when I was playing and playing with the blue print, we went to Jay’s for Thanksgiving dinner. I showed it to Jay who said, “Here, make your roof pitch higher to get more headspace in your loft room and you won’t need a knee wall.” This is why the roof line is the way it is.
• There was also the day I went to our private stash and pulled out $6,500.00 of puppy money from two years ago and bought windows through Jeff Mellinger. “

When I showed this post to Francis, she mentioned that these are not nearly all the people who came and helped. I’m thinking that someday she can sit at the table in her little cabin and write it all down. It’s their story to tell and it’ll be good.

Endnote: They moved in before Thanksgiving.