I am building my first home. Lucky me because it is in the woods! It is an adventure I surely will not forget.

Me with Rory

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Driveway


Here is another pic of the new roadway made for the well truck to access the well site.

Bro fun






Bro came home for Thanksgiving and it was one of the nicest ones I've had in a while. He and I played loggers in the woods for three days. He did all the chain sawing and I did 95% of the clearing.
You can see the last one with the huge root system he is cutting, that is by the swampy area, near the well site. Look to the left and see the long cleared roadway. This is what we were clearing for the well truck to get in.

Final well site


Yes, I have picked it, finally after weeks of torturing myself. I am confident now, that this is the right spot.
It is down by where the stream floods out (near the old goat field).

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Deed

I need to get the deed form at the legal supply place, get two tax forms from the county clerks office, get survey, subdivision through the town, possible title search, pay Ma, and bring signed and notarized deed and the signed (buyer and seller) tax forms back to the county clerks office. I'll have to check and see if there is a filing fee. The county clerks office notifies the assessors office of the purchase.
This is what I will be doing during the cold winter months.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Relief

I finally chose the spot for the well. After careful (too careful) deliberation with myself, dreams, God, the trees, the fairies, snakes, and spiders in the woods, the dowsers, friends, and the well driller it has been decided.
Yeah!!!!!
Drum roll please...The lower spot! That is it. The first intersection of veins June and Betts selected two months ago wins!
Now that I have made the decision the torture is over. At least for this big decision. We'll see about the next one.
The well drillers contract has been sent back to him, signed, so we are getting close.

Bro home, Great Aunt died

Bro came home last night and it actually worked out if you can say death worked out...that Great Aunt passed and the wake was today. The part that worked out is that Ma has him there to keep her company since Great Aunt and Ma were so close.
Ma is sad and it is a comfort to know Bro will keep her active and in good company.
We went out to lunch at the Lebanese Restaurant after the wake today. Bro is taking her out-of-state for the big turkey day.
As for the 'project' Bro is going to clear some trees with his trusty chainsaw. I swear he comes home just so he can use it. He loves the smell of gasoline vapors and grey smoke blowing up his nose.
I marked off, yes, more string in the woods, the areas to clear. 110' x 75' for the leach field and the roadway for the well truck.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Don't forget the junkyard

Bro had a great idea I must act on. He suggested I contact his buddy, the junkyard guy, and ask if he has a culvert! I have been looking on freecycle and re-use-it on the Web but, duh, what about old school? The junkyard is where so many treasures are waiting to be loved.

I mailed Barry, the-well-guy, the signed contract. So baby steps forward.

I erased myself off of whitepages.com today. They have an easy way to take yourself off. After a conversation with Sis, it was decided I need to get my phone number removed from as much as possible before the identity theft bandit is arrested. He is Internet savvy, after all.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Bandit caught

The identity theft bandit in my life has been identified. (Thanks to my detective work and the help of all the many vendors that have been calling my house, and the companies that have been billing to my phone number). The detectives questioned the perp and he admitted to doing it. They let him go and now will arrest him soon. I have changed my phone number, so if you want me you can post here in comments or email me.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Culvert


6", 8", 10", 12", 15", 18", 36" plastic culverts are available for the intermittent stream.
12" = 165.00 15" = 215.00
18" = 319.95
20 foot sections.
Delivered $15.00.
I'm going with the 12". If it ends up there is even a ton more water in the spring we will double it up.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Culvert

Sammy is coming by to check out what Barry wants in terms of culvert and tree felling in order to get his truck in. Cool. Sammy will put in the culvert, etc. I hope this coming week.
I spoke with June this morning, I suppose I was really looking for reassurance of which great spot to put the well. We have two dowsed spots, one up and one down. The one up has a really strong pull on the rods when you walk past the vein, the lower spot sort of floats to a crossed position. There is definitely energy disturbance in both areas, even I feel it with my tiny rods. I must decide without delay, so that we can put the culvert in and dig the well this next week. I am going to go meditate and pray on it on-site tomorrow. Please lead me God.
I am excited because once the well is happening it all becomes so real!
Yikes and Yeah at the same time.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Monday, November 10, 2008

Well pounding ready to start

Barry Berger came out on Sunday (rained Saturday) and it all went great. 
He had a cancellation and said he can start pounding as soon as I am ready! So I won't have to wait until the beginning of next year, as he had first thought. Yeah!
He is going to mail me a contract. I am moving forward. 
He wants 2 grand deposit when he arrives and starts pounding, 2 grand minimum (in case he hits water at 50 feet he can still make his costs, etc. for prep, pounding, set up, etc.), that seems fair, and $75. for shoe that goes around the casing and seals it at the bottom of the casing, plus pump. 
Pump cost is subject to need, ie: half horse power pump or one and a half horse, etc.
He said the well can be any distance from the house (no closer than 25' because if the house needs any pesticide, there is a 25' minimum). He said if the pump can pump 800' up from the earth it can pump hundreds of feet across to a house and up inclines.
The cost break out is $25.00 a foot for pounding depth, $18.00 a foot for casing (40 foot minimum) plus the shoe, plus the pump = total (2 grand minimum). 
In addition, after the home gets erected, Sammy will need to dig the trench for the pipe from well to house, and Barry will come back out, at separate cost, to do hook up at each point.
He was extremely helpful, gave his time, expertise, and advice. He was very clear about everything. Of course, growing up helping his Dad do wells his entire life helps, and the fact he knows all the wells around the property because he dug them, his father dug them, or he has repaired them. 
He said for me to not consider going any further up the side road away from Mom's with the well than the mid way point June found. He said the water was more toward Mom's.
He said most of the people up the Hill had very deep wells (this is what others told me too, and matches up with the dowser that the upper end of the property didn't have anything).
He works with dowsers and is supportive of that ideology.
I need to have the culvert dropped into the intermittent stream in order for him to get his truck in. I also need to get some more trees down (only 2 big ones ) rest are all small.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Well tour

Saturday the well guy, Barry Burger, will be out to look things over. I asked him to come and tell me what terrain and space his truck needs. Truck is 20-22' long, pounder goes up to 40' and when it is lowered it can get under most power lines. Best for him to come and look so that Sammy can clear out any trees that are in the way.
Prices are $18 a foot for casing and I forget $20 or 22 a foot for dig. This guy has a good reputation for being honest and stopping when he hits water. 
I also rode the school bus with him all through school.
I'm going with a pounded well as my research tells me they are the best to let the digger know they hit a vein. 
Drilling can go right past a vein and you may never know.
Oh, and he has a history of working with dowsers.
He isn't available until after the first of the year, but it is worth waiting and having someone I know and trust do the work than to bring a stranger in.
It will give Sammy time to clear the way and for me to finalize the building site which is leaning heavily on the mound. High and dry, and beautiful.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Sand price.

First sand quote: $11.00 a yard. 20 yards per truck. Truck is a 10 wheel dump truck. Price includes delivery, but I forgot to ask if it includes tax. 
The vendor has approved sand and will guarantee it to perk. He also will deliver it to the town.  
I never realized it is like pizza delivery...you know some places won't deliver to your house depending on your neighborhood...like that, some won't deliver that far out.
Did I mention that after the thousands of dollars in sand is spent, that the county comes back out and percs the sand, after the entire sand created leach field is in place? If it fails, the sand has to be removed and new sand brought in. This is why it is important to get a guarantee on the sand.
Who would have thought?

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Beware

I'm having a little identity theft problem over here.  It all has to do with my phone number, not my name, social security number, or address! Anyway, I am a bit tied up with straightening it all out now. The police will be able to take it from here. Hopefully this will be the end of it.