Camp Build - Part 2...

The Guest Cabin...

Oh, but first, here is the link for the first 'camp post' in case you missed it and are interested in reading about how it all began...
http://greenappleclogblog.blogspot.ca/2016/11/camp-build-find-and-clear.html

When last I wrote about our camp build project we were at the 'building the biffy' point of the fun... even after Enz and I had vehemently agreed that we were only going to go as far as clearing the land that summer. We had SWORN we would not even THINK about building for at least a couple of years!

Buuuuut..... once the land was cleared we just couldn't justify not using it to it's full and beautiful potential and so instead of buying a trailer, as had been our original plan, we got to work first on the biffy and then on our tiny but cozy guest cabin. Our new plan became to spend a few years staying in the guest cabin to more comfortably enjoy time spent at the lake until we decided we were ready to start building the main cabin. It just made sense not to waste money on a trailer that would need replacing long before a properly built cabin for guests who would later be visiting.

I should first explain that we had already vowed never to build again, at all! Enz and I had both gone to college for architectural design and both love designing and building but it's a LOT of work and a LOT of frustration when we build on our own. Enz knows home construction inside and out so he insists we not only design but also do all of the building ourselves; he knows how to make my demanding designs a reality and between us and his dad helping with the construction we have been fortunate to build  both of our first and second houses as well as now working on our camp. Still, I was hesitant to build and go through the long hours and hassles of all that it entails. Enz has also studied and learned to do all of the electrical work himself which is a really great skill both in economical savings as well as assuring absolute perfection in outlet and lighting plans but it does mean more work time because he is so picky for preciseness. Still, we are slowly getting there...

I was able to help with the structural building of the guest cabin since we started before my health issues hit but I wasn't able to do much but be in the way of the finishing work... Enz always tries to make me feel better about that by reminding me it was my design but I like to get to help with the work, too. Really, that's what teamwork is about though, isn't it?

And so... on to the biffy and guest cabin build...

I have to tell you, though, I do not like biffies. Actually, biffies might be the only thing in the world that I actually and positively HATE... in every sense of that word I generally refuse to use. I don't like the smell, I don't like the bugs, I don't like the lack of privacy, and I especially don't like the terror of worrying that something might be scurrying below! It's... just..... gross....... So, even though we needed a biffy I was not about to have an actual biffy. Enz had all sorts of ideas for how to make the biffy even sightly tolerable for me but I flatly refused any suggestion he offered and demanded a flush-toilet. Without an actual flush toilet in the biffy, I was only a half-hour drive from home when nature called (pun totally intended)... and it only took me a few times of driving home and back to camp before Enz realized I wasn't kidding when I said I would NOT be using a biffy without a properly flushing toilet. He said it couldn't be done. I put an all-stop on the biffy build. He again told me it couldn't be done. He was wrong. And after he had wracked his brain and done research and gone to different places to ask questions, he brought to me a new and acceptabe plan. He could put a flush-toilet in the biffy if I was okay with an RV toilet that would flush into a small holding tank below the biffy and could be pumped out every time the eventual main cabin holding tank or septic field (we didn't know our main cabin options just then) required pumping. This plan made me very happy and I okayed the work to begin again. It really is alllllll about the toilet situation!

The white circle in the centre of the biffy base is the tank lid that calmed my biffy fears. All is now well with the biffy!

So, while framing for the biffy floor pour, I had mentioned to Enz that a even just a tiny guest cabin would probably be a good idea because we could stay in it while building our main cabin, wayyy in the future. I had an idea in my head of how we could make a 10' x 10' cabin work as a guest cabin and again he told me I was being ridiculous and that it couldn't be done. Again, he was wrong. And after he'd thought about it and I had explained my reasoning and vision for this tiny guest house, we started forming for the cozy cabin so we could pour both floors at the same time. Neither of us had any idea that 'tiny houses' were becoming popular and we found ourselves apologizing for how small the space we were building was but everyone was so excited about this cute and tiny cabin we were building. We certainly didn't build so small for the hype we soon found was happening, we were just trying to keep our costs down so we could continue saving for the main cabin build ahead.



My argument was convincing enough to start framing for
BOTH biffy aaaaaaand guest cabin!

My Pa-in-law is a master-class cement finisher and even had a few flower and
leaf inserts on-hand to help pretty the floor before the toilet... My incredible dislike of
flowers is not a secret but other people might enjoy them during their visits
to Biffyville!

Once the floor had cured the building began... We set up a 'pup-tent' for Day to stay
protected from the sun and biting bugs where he could easily
supervise the build from.

It wasn't long before the biffy shell was finished and we were starting on the guest
cabin walls. My mom had even dropped by this day and helped us to lift and
square-up the walls, which made it all even more fun!



My sunshiny Day was really good and patient in his makeshift
playpen but he did ask for company often and this
mama was overjoyed to oblige him!

From our pup-tent, we had a perfect spot to chime in from but still feel like
part of the action when Day needed his cuddle hugs.

We had another pretty sweet view from Day's pup-tent, too!

We made sure to have lots of picnic breaks to get to enjoy at least a little of this busy...
but not supposed to have been so busy summer of building!

We used our rare home-moments to build a picnic table set and a quick campfire
cuddle-bench for Day to get us through until we have more time to find or make more
permanent campfire seating... Day demanded to help with this project.



Day wasn't too sure of his first campfire...

...but once he gave it a true chance (mostly thanks to roasted marshmallows) he
decided it was a pretty good happening. His friend Jasper had come to say hello but
he only stayed for a minute and a marshmallow before he wandered off behind us.

Fall had settled in beautifully...

...and Winter had appeared even faster, it seemed. Luckily, we'd had just enough time to get the building shells closed up
properly; the biffy, the guest cabin and we'd even had time to build the little generator cubby topped by the water tank
which will eventually hold the water for both the toilet and sink in the biffy!



Our part of the lake froze
completely over that first year.

Because I was so excited to get the cabins finished I was happy to welcome
Spring when the ice finally broke.

That winter was a really rough one for us. It was that January (of 2015) when the Peripheral Neuropathy paralyzed my legs and life had suddenly turned from beautiful and exciting into terrifying and just so incredibly difficult. But by the beginning of springtime, after the snow had melted but the air was still brisk with winters ending, things were again looking up! I had slowly worked my way from hospital bed to wheelchair and at this point was still needing a walker even though I wouldn't admit to it... I could walk for little bits with help but it was very painful and frustrating. The time was perfect to start finishing the guest cabin but my body just wasn't able to help at that point. But Day and I didn't let being left out dampen our spirits and we were happy for fresh air naps in the still chilly air as we watched the progress and kept out of the way.


I got really good at hiding my struggles; Enz would help me get safely balanced for pictures and I would make sure to
smile like everything was perfect while he hid my walker out of sight. And then Enz would get Day and I both settled for a
rest before he started cabin work and came to check on us every few minutes... I felt so guilty but we made it work.

And then real Spring came along... and home came our sweet Play!



This was Plays very first trip out to camp... both boys were still a little unsure of all the changes but
boy, oh boy, was my heart overflowing with gratefulness for my two boys!!!

Life had changed quite incredibly in only a matter of months but I was slowly growing stronger and big changes had happened both in life and in building. I missed a LOT of picture opportunities because I just wasn't able to get around and Enz was too busy working to stop and take pictures all the time but we did manage a few later on.

Once the biffy and guest cabin had been finished, that was supposed to have been 'it' for awhile. But Enz decided, once the boys bathroom-break pen and the patio railing had been set,  that we really should start on a shed for storage of tools for building. I wasn't as keen for another project so soon but when he said we could use it as kayak storage, too, well... that's the blue building on the left in the below picture.



Because I couldn't decide on a single siding colour (I didn't want it to be boring) I instead decided on a different
colour foreach cute lil' campy building... I don't know why but it just felt a little more
beachy to me even though Enz was doubtful. I'm pretty stoked with the mix'n'match colour scheme!

It would be awhile before I could actually get out on the rough waters of
Lake Superior but just knowing that my kayak was there and ready when I was
really helped to keep my camp spirits runnin' on HIGH.

Once the outer shed was finished and it was easier to work inside the small guest cabin without so many tools around, we got busy on finishing the inside. Fortunately, the boys were keen to learn and help... at least where the futon was concerned.

Sweetest lil' helpers EVER!!!

We also made sure they had their own comfy camp beds to nap and tell campy ghost stories in.




Enz doesn't believe in smiling when working... but whatever,
he was finishing up the electrical so I was happy to know that the
heat and lights were soon to become reality.

Although they love their own beds, they love the futon more and are even kind
to one another in sharing when I pull it open for them and lay a cool sheet
to help when the summer warmth is just a little too much.



They really do love each other, even if they don't admit to the fact.

All in all, I'm pretty happy with how the guest cabin turned out. It's small but it's  comfortable and once
the main cabin is finished it will really on used for sleeping since days will hopefully be spent visiting and having
fun down by the lake with everyone sharing time together. It's really great to have a safe and cozy spot for the
boys to nap in when the building noise and commotion in the main cabin is a little too much, though.

The tiny vegging area is nice and cozy but I must admit that my absolute favourite part of this schnazzayyy lil' guest cabin is, without doubt, the sleeping loft!

We had first wanted to put a sort of tuck-away ladder that didn't take up too much
room but decided that a sturdier, permanently set ladder was necessary for me to
be able to handle once my legs were able to sort of climb again. Enz was careful to keep
the stair angle at an incline I can now safely manage with open steps that I can wrap my
arms around and through to safely make my way up to the top grab bar.




The ladder leads up to this little landing... All of the windows actually lift up and
completely off to set safely on wall hooks above the windows so they aren't always
sticking out like this; I was just too lazy to take them off this day.
I love the cross breeze that comes through thewindow screens up here! 



We even managed to fit a queen-sized bed of coziness up here... another thing that Enz had assured me could NOT be done.

The guest cabin definitely took a little longer than anticipated thanks to a little bit of life getting in the way but that's okay because it's just helped us to appreciate it even more. It's always such a treat to get to spend time at the lake but it's a little better to get to spend our time there with a little more ease of comfort, especially with our boys who aren't into 'ruffing it'... not even in the slightest!

From this point, we were DEFINITELY waiting a few years before starting work on the main cabin! Until the following weekend came along and we decided it wouldn't hurt to maybe just start forming for the floor... We're not so good at sticking to schedules when it includes having to wait.......

Still to be continued...