"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." - Robert Heinlein

This is the official record of our big move into the boonies.

Vacation to the property in 2002.

July 29, 2005 - Finally, a pictorial update on our progress. Of course, the pictures are about 2 weeks old, so another update is needed already. The road into the building site now has culverts, so except for some gravel sometime in the future, it's finished.

August 23, 2005 - Same as last time, the pictures are nearly 2 weeks old. We have the floor done, and framed most of the first wall today. Progress has been slower than hoped for but better than feared.

September 4, 2005 - This set goes from box beam to two walls up. We've got more pictures on the way soon.

September 19, 2005 - These pictures are another few weeks along (but still a week or two behind). This update will go from the third wall going up, to our ceiling beam experience, and lastly, the unique centre post that holds the ceiling beam up. Thanks for stopping by. We look forward to your comments so please feel free to leave a note in our diary. The leaves are turning and the days a bit cooler, I'm wondering if we'll make it before the snow flies. Shudder... I have a vision. This 5th wheel covered with pink insulation and saran wrapped...

October 9, 2005 - We may actually be getting somewhere with this building thing. The attic floor goes on, the main floor gets a flood, the dogs go to "jail", history class, Andrew hits a nail with the hammer, I sit and spit(I mean knit), running water-the easy way, and kicking logs. That's this update in a nutshell, hope you enjoy it!

November 13, 2005 - In our fall update we have Jamie our neighbour arriving to move our 5th wheel trailer over to the homesite. The semi trailer arrives & the shed staggers over too. The answer to the question about the water removal item is in the update, see how you did. We put up the clothesline and have a discovery that we don't want to happen again, and a small garden is tilled with much work. More about beavers, and I have a question. If you know, please send a note and I'll pass it on, since there may be a few, "Curious George's" like myself who have to know. Curious George is a series of kids books that I loved and seem to be remembering these days. You'll see the structure of the roof rafters and ladders (overhangs) & finally the south side of the roof prepped for the sheet metal roofing. We'll have one more update before Christmas. We'll show you the inside of our cabin with the wood stove, cooking that buffalo roast, to celebrate moving in. And Jamie has a house warming present for us, stay tuned for this one!

February 25, 2006 - We're finally done another update, and have to plead innocent on missing the before Christmas promise - we didn't actually specify which Christmas the update would be done before :) I had some contract work in Calgary from mid-December that lasted until end of January. Kind of slowed the construction process, and interfered with web site updates as well. We did get moved in the week before we left. And you'll have to continue staying tuned for Jamie's house warming present.

November 7, 2006 - A few pictures to show the snow that we've gotten in the last week and half. Total snowfall is something over 2 feet now.

November 9, 2007 - Here it is a year and a half later, my we were busy! Lots has happened and with this update I hope to recap some of it. With work being a big part of our summer, not a lot was done around the home, but progress has been made. While I worked at the dam this summer, Andrew chipped away at fencing along the driveway, building a pump house, collecting wood for the stove this winter, feeding the animals, working part time with computers and satellite internet installations.

December 18, 2009 - More than two years later, here's an update on what we've been doing. It even includes pictures of the pump house mentioned above that weren't included in that update.

July 11, 2011 - A short article about our custom toilet.