Raise the Roof!

Friday was a beautiful day. Our roofers must have thought so too. They got on our house and really got busy. The shingles were delivered on Thursday, and by Friday night nearly all the roof was done. Only half of the front was left to do, and that was finished Saturday. They sure did hit their window of opportunity because we woke up to snow.

It is really moving along

The back corner...I also installed the patio door on Friday night.

After putting in the patio door on Friday night, we headed up to Island Park. Saturday morning we slid down the hill, played in the powder with the kids and Star, and rode snow-machines. I went with Chris, Jake & Dave on the Lion Head Loop, and to Hebgen Lake. I took along the camera and got some cool images along the way. Hebgen Lake looked really cool, mostly because not too many people had been out that way, you could see one set of tracks out on the frozen lake...I don't think I would push my luck doing the same.

Campsite #21 Picnic Table, Hebgen Lake.

Cement and Windows

The house is coming along great! This week framing continued, rough-in of the plumbing started on the first floor, the basement floor was poured Friday, and Dad and I installed the windows on Saturday. We are really excited! We need to get our roofers and heating contractor started soon, then once the plumbing and electrical are done we can insulate it. I will have the doors hung in a week or two...as soon as we get them.

Looks great with windows doesn't it?

The back of the house. The funny little windows are in our closet and bathroom.

Our basement...with a floor, not just mud!

One month along

Jan 12, 2008--One month after the hole was dug.

Construction on the house has been going for one month now. It has really come a long way. December 12 the hole was dug and the foundation was poured. This last week a lot of framing has gone up. The outside of the house has really taken shape, as well as the interior walls (aside from the basement).

The muddy basement--each step makes your feet heavier.

I spent much of the week working on melting the ground of the basement and getting the water and sewer lines buried. Tonight Jessica's dad and brother helped me get the rest of the trenches filled in and mostly level. We hope to pour on Thursday or Friday. Our windows will be coming on Friday, so I will be installing them on Saturday morning.

Jess and the kids in our back yard--the kids want to keep the dirt mound there.

The plumber came back today and started roughing in the plumbing and even delivered the jetted tub and kids' shower/tub. In the next few weeks should see the plumbing and electrical get very far. Then the insulation and exterior...it sure is exciting!

House Progress

Backfilling the foundation

With everything else that is going on, our house is also progressing. We started about three or four weeks ago, and it is really progressing. The framers we got are great. They started on Christmas Eve...well, they intended to but the lumber wasn't delivered, so they started the day after Christmas. We had to get them a generator, and thankfully dad had a friend that loaned us his and my boss let us use a truck to haul the generator back and forth. They even worked New Years Eve and New Years Day.

Our new house...so far.

With the set backs we were still able to make some progress. As you can see, the walls are up. We should get the trusses done this week, and the roof sheeted. We have the basement windows installed (temporary, so that we can pour the floor through them.) I will be working on thawing out the basement so that we can pour the floor. I've also got the windows ordered and we should have them soon...needless to say, we are very excited.

Shriners

TJ can really get around now...he sometimes even asks to have his foot put on.

TJ is just about grown out of his first prosthetic. He got it back in August, and you know how kids grow. So Wednesday night we drove down and stayed at the Crystal Inn so the kids could swim in the pool. It was a lot of fun. We were letting them stay up a bit later to swim and get worn out with the hope that they would sleep in a bit...nope! TJ was up a lot of the night, then up at 5am, and Topher was up at 6! I was not a happy camper Thursday morning.

TJ loves this car at Shriners...even if it is just pushing his sister around.

We got to Shriner's early so that the kids could play in the cool big playroom before TJ's fitting. Then I took him in for his appointment. We thought he would be fine...but again our notions were wrong. He wanted his mom! So Jess and the kids came down to join us. He was much happier.

TJ thought it was funny to have his leg wrapped in plastic.

I've tot to say that the people who work at Shriners are really great with kids!

The prosthetic tech (I don't think this is his official title) wrapped his stump in plastic wrap then in fiberglass and he has to hold it while it sets up. Then he uses that to make a plastic sleeve to test the fit before he makes the actual prosthetic foot.

Eric making a fiberglass mold

Bla Bla Bla....anyway that was our trip...We will go back in a week or so to get the new one.

New Year Day Photos

On Tuesday, I went photographing with Andy Duncan, a friend from college. He showed me a great place southeast of Rexburg. We took my father-in-law's Saburban (and just about got stuck in the snow...FUN!) It was great to get out and make some images. I haven't seen Andy in a long time and it was great to catch up too. Check out his blog for his images from this trip...I think his are a bit better than mine. I feel that he is a more successful landscape photographer--Go, Andy, Go.

This is the shot we made from the roof of the Saburban

I think that maybe part of the reason I have gotten away from photographing is my lack of spending time with other photographers. I do get with Theo now and again, but I think that one may need several others in which they can work with to share ideas and thoughts with...to feed off each other. These last two little photo trips have been great...I need to go more often.

I thought it would be fun to take our dog, Star, out with us too. She had a blast! She ran and dug in the snow. I was quite suprised in how good she was too. I didn't have to chase her much, and when it was time to go she would get right into the car...we really lucked out with this dog.

The house we are building is really coming along. The walls are all framed and just about ready for the trusses. We should be pouring the basement floor next week (yea a little backward).

We also went down to Shriner's today to get TJ fitted for a new prosthetic. I'll get photos of that and the house posted soon. Things are just a bit crazy.

Return to Photography

I even got out my 4x5 for this trip...I hope there isn't any camera shake (fat chance) from the wind.

On Saturday, I went out photographing with Theo. It was a snowy, windy day...beautiful for photographing...ok so the wind wasn't so great, but it was fun to go out and photograph in the weather.

Theo has been wanting to photograph a dam on the southe side of Idaho Falls, so we explored around there, We couldn't get quite where we wanted to be to photograph the dam, we just need to wait for the river to freeze a little more solid.

We also drove out to New Sweenen school and shot a little. I have been there quite a bit. I really like the old playground toys there.

Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

We are really excited for Christmas! I have a week and a half off work (paid!) for the holiday! So I am trying to figure out what to do. I have a few things here and there to do through the week, but nothing big. I hope to make the time to finally get my website updated...but I am still struggeling with Go Live. I also want to get the brakes done on my Bus...that will take some ambition, the garage is cold this time of year. Then there are some windows I am doing for a friend (if they come in). And there are always the honey-do's and things that I want done that come up (honey-can-I-do's). One thing that I am pretty excited for is on Wednesday night I am taking my family to the Rexburg Temple. The open house starts Saturday, and they are having tours on Wednesday and Thursday for the sub contractors and their families. Maybe I can even get away and photograh for a few hours...give me a call.

We have a hole...and something in it!

This is the view from our back yard...atop a huge pile of dirt

Yep, it has begun. The hole was dug on Wednesday, the footings Thursday, and the basement walls (foundation) was poured today! Sometimes it seemed as if it would never happen, but now it is. We are working on getting bids from framers, electricians, plumbers and other trades. After the framing is up, we will be able to start doing some stuff ourselves, doors, windows, roof, siding....you get the idea. Needless to say, we are very excited.

Jessica and Dad talking with the excavator...they are right in front of what will be our front door.

After the walls set up, they will pour the basement floor...that is if the weather is warm enough...so we've got to pray for mid-30's. I hope that that can get poured next week and then have the holiday to cure...then the framers can do their thing.

Just after pouring the foundation. Jessica just outside the back door of the house.

Thoughts of Elvira

ROADTRIP! Driving down Hwy 93, Summer of '04

OK, before I get nasty comments about the busty 80's 'actress'...Elvira was the name of my '72 Bus! Yesterday, I was looking back through pictures on the computer and came across a bunch of photos of Elvira, the 72 bus.

Sure did take a nice picture

I do miss that one. I am happy with my new bus (I think her name will be Helga), and excited for her potential, but sometimes I get a bit discouraged by her appearance...she's a bit ugly...and I worry that it will be a long time before I can get er painted. I may have to resort to the ol rattle-cans to get by for the coming summer. It will be fun to take the kids camping in Helga like we did in Elvira.

Shouldn't need to take the tent anymore...it's part of the bus!

Rexburg Temple...just about there.

The past 2 weeks I have worked at the Rexburg Temple. We haven't really even worked on our stuff. We have been doing add-on stuff. Just this week alone we were 'loaned out' to a caulking contractor to help out with caulking A LOT of interior stuff. It takes a long time to get a little headway.

It has been an incredible experience working on the Temple. I have had fun, had challenges, and met some nice people in other trades. There are great craftsmen and women putting their skills to work there.

It is also great to be able to see it come together. They are finishing up the murals, and even photographing the interiors for church records and the brochure for the open house.

If you can, make the time to go to the open house (Dec 29-Jan26)

Glass in foot...still

OK, so almost a month ago I got injurted at work right. Well I got the boot sewed up just fine...oh and my foot too. My foot healed up just fine and the stitches came out great. Now the glass entered my foot on the side in the top of the arch, and so that is where the cut and stitches are.

So while it healed I noticed a tightness on the bottom of my foot and it was more tender...in fact, the cut hurt very little. The majority of the aches came from this hardness on the bottom. I just thought that it was damaged tissue or was tight and would heal in time. Well this morning when putting on my boots, I had an INCREDIBLY sharp pain shoot through my arch and up my leg. Then most of the morning and into the afternoon the pain continued ramdomly. So tonight I went back into the community care to get it looked at.

The same doctor that sewed me up before was there again...cool! They took an x-ray, not expecting to see anything as glass will very rarely show up, and there was something there that wasn't suposed to be. So we did a couple more angles, and sure enough there was a piece of SOMETHING there. In the first shot it looked as dense as the bone! Because it was a side shot of it.

OK, so an inch may not seem all that big, but when it is a sharp piece of glass in your foot...it is!

My options were: Amputation...No, just kidding; cut it out there and hope that the huge piece (see photo above) was all that was there; Monday go into a Pediatrist where they have equipment that can see a 3-d image at different depths, to get out all fragments. So, we decided to cut me open and get it out tonight. I don't want to risk breaking it any more, and if need me I can go to a specialist later.

So again I was in pain as the local anastesia went in and I could feel them opening up my foot looking for the glass. Then I heard a distinct tap-tap-tap. I knew that sound! He was very careful not to move it too much as to cut any unnessary tissue or tendons, however he did have to sever one tendon in order to free the piece of glass. But he did manage to get it out intact, and it looked that there were no fragments (cross your fingers!).

A rare photograph

I was going through some of my slides from when I took color photo a few years ago, and found a sweet image. There is not anything phinominal about the quality or subject matter other than it is my two busses. At the time, I owned the red '72 and the green '79 was my friend's. The green one is now mine...and sadly I don't have the red one anymore. I think I was without a bus for about a year and a half. When I had the red, I never thought that I would sell it or that I would end up with the green westy. I was really excited about the slide, I had forgotten about the shot, and wanted to share my discovery with everyone else. Notice that this photo was before the mural was painted, and also before I got the VW for the front of the '72.

What looks better? The spare on the front or without? I am debating on taking the spare tire bracket off and putting on a VW emblem. I want to paint the '79 like the '72...but with green and white. Think it would look good?

"The Cat" and the "Things"

Tonight was our ward's Trunk or Treat activity. We had a potluck dinner (soup and bread), games for the kids, and trunk-or-treating for the kids too...rrright! This year we dressed up our kids as The Cat in The Hat and Thing 1 & Thing 2. Creedance's hair turned out really cool. I was surprised how good TJ was when Jess painted his face. He was even excited to have it done! I thought he would have been kicking and screaming. They had fun, and just think...we get to do it all over again on Wednesday.

Yet another injury

I really need to find better work. Don't get me wrong, I do like working with my hands and building things. But this has got to stop happening!!!

My stitched-up, swollen foot.

We were loading up to take garbage to the dump at work on Thursday, and I stepped on a piece of glass with one foot, and shoved my other foot onto it...accidently of course! Yes I do enjoy hurting myself just to get time off work....I don't think so! Right after doing it, all I could think was "Why can't I just stay not hurt!?!"

I managed to get my boot (which the glass shot right through) and sock off before going to the emergency care center. There was a piece of the glass about the size of a quarter sticking out, I wanted to get some pressure on it, so I pulled it out myself...that bummed Jason...he wanted to pull it out (SICKO!). So the doctor cleaned out all the glass (I HOPE!), sewed me up (8 stitches), and sent me home. Jason got some killer shots with his camera phone in the exam room of them fixing me up, If he can get them off his phone I'll post them.

I was able to borrow some crutches, as I can't stand on the foot at all yet (the cut is on the bottom) and they hurt the pits! I didn't go to work today, and I really hope I don't have to stay home on Monday too. I get really stir-crazy!

She's Alive!

Saturday afternoon, I got all the vaccum system figured out and the westy fired right up! Wahoo! I can't believe how strong this engine runs! There are still a few electrical and heating things to work out, but she's running good and it feels good to have it in. I can't believe that I was able to put an engine into a car and it WORKS! Kinda cool, I think that I need to take her for a cruse today.

My 100th Post!

Lime Steak with Chips

On Friday night we had lime steaks with salsa. I got this from a guy that is working on the Rexburg Temple too. He is a Brazilian guy, doing the finish carpentry, so maybe this is a Brazilian dish??? Anyway, we really like it, and I wanted to show what it looks like. I am still playing with serving ideas. Like maybe with a pasta, or a rice side....anyway you have it you need the fresh lime salsa to dip the steak in. YUM! Jason tried it as a wrap, he liked it that way. I still haven't nailed the amount for spices (Lime and Kosher Salt) for the steak every time, sometimes it is better than others. We've got the Salsa down pretty good (Tomatos, bell peppers, white onion, chives, cilantro, lime juce, & Kosher Salt), the secret is to let it sit overnight (in the fridge), it gets better when all the veggies have soaked together.

Dutch oven Breakfast.

Another one of my favorates. Whenever we go camping with enough other people to validate filling a 10 inch dutch with food. Two weeks ago at the Pocatello Pump, we camped with Milton and Liz, and we made breakfast. A while back I started adding the peppers for looks and smell, then decided that I like the flavor too. It is hash browns & egg topped with cheese, bacon and peppers. There are a lot of variations that can be done with this. Jessica's uncle added pieces of sausage into the poatao & egg mix. It is gooood! But you need at least 6 adults to finish it off, we still had too much.

Topher had a blast and can't wait to camping there again!

Where we were camping (Mink Creek) there was a little stream and a rope swing. Milton was helping Toph and Creedance on it...hung just inches from the water. I am suprised they didn't get more wet than they did. They had a blast!

Progress on the Westy!

Friday night. The new(er) engine on the stand, and my new (sweet!) exhaust below the old nasty stock exhaust.

So today was pretty exciting. Mike Oswald, a fellow VW junkie from Rexburg, came down and helped me switch out my Bus engine. I worked on it last night pulling all the wires and disconnecting the air cleaner and vaccum lines. Then today we got the old one out and the new one in. This was an adventure whereas the floor jack I borrowed from my dad leaks--a lot! We had to keep pumping the arm while trying to shift the engine into place. It looked like 2 monkies..........

Where did the engine go?!? Just before putting in the engine.

We could only get it in and bolted to the transmission, couldn't put the rear cross member on because the engine mounts that are on it were trashed...both pairs. So I got that ordered, and next week I will put them and the exhaust on. After Mike left I worked on new fuel lines (gas on the arms burns a little bit!) and wiring. Now I wish I could remember where ALL those dang vaccum lines go! I can't believe the cluster they are!

New(er) engine on the leaky jack. It's amazing that we got the engine in...at one point I bench pressed it while under the bus, just to get it into place.

I also have a Eberspacher BA6 gas heater coming next week...I have no idea when or how I am going to install that. But when I do...Goodbye to Cold winter drives in the bus...in fact--Hello winter camping! (I hope!) That would be pretty cool!

There will still be a lot of work to do on this bus...which I think her name is Helga (thanks Andy)...Like paint (The mural has to go, sorry), a new pop-top tent (I'm going with a Hemp/Cotton Blend), Wood panneling on all doors and headliner (sweet!)...and I'm sure there will be MANY MANY more things that I want to do with it, but first I have to get it up and running, it will be my daily driver too.

Wish me luck!

Busy Month

So I have intended to post for the last month or so...but have been too busy. A week after the really great ride down Wolverine, Kyle, Dave (Kyle's dad) and I rode it again. That time we rode the trail that Kyle and I attempted when we got really lost. We didn't get lost, but it did get dark much quicker than we thought it would. We rode all of wolverine in the dark. I ended up using my cel phone as a flashlight...that kind of sucked.

I got injured at work again...ouch! I was cutting a 2x4 on the table saw and the cut off piece was kicked back at me and (I think) broke my finger. It swelled up a lot and still hurts. It only took a week for the flap of skin to heal up, but like I said...it still hurts.

That caused problems for the next weekend at the Pocatello Pump. I did have fun climbing and then camping at the Pump. I got a couple of t-shirts and a gift certificate for new climbing shoes. Milton & Liz brought their little camper, and it was great to have to sleep in that night. Maybe next time we will have our westy up and running and we can camp in it.

Over the past 2 1/2 months I have had nose bleeds EVERY DAY. I got a little tired of them, so went to an ear nose throat doctor. He said I had a deviated septum and so On Thursday I got a nose job. I had a long weekend, I spent it being doped up and a little out of it. While I had time on my hands...even though it felt that my hands were detached, Jess and the kids and I went to Divide, Montana to bet the engine for my bus.

Next Saturday, a guy is going to come help me install it. So...I am really excited for that. The bus has sat in the garage for too long. It is time to start cruising in it. Come to think of it, it still needs a name...any suggestions?

Kyle on one of the VERY FEW SHORT climbs on the trail (maybe 200 yards along the 5 miles).

We went for a ride down Wolverine Cr. again this morning. I really like the morning for a crisp ride, however I don’t think that this particular trail is the best for an early ride (we started down it around 7am). The sun glared through the trees making it difficult to see the trail a lot of the time. Other than that it was a good ride.

Rusty and Kyle...

I rode it with Kyle, Rusty (in town for the weekend for his brother, Chaun’s mission farewell), Juan (Rusty’s brother-in-law) and Chaun. They were good company to have. I was able to get a few quick shots, I would like to get a wider lens and spend more time up there and get some action shots of riders coming around the hair-pin turns and off the jumps…there are some good ones. However there are many spots where the later precedes the prior by very few feet. Enjoy—I did!

Chaun...don't know if he will get to do much riding like this on his mission.