Wow! Doesn’t time pass quickly when you are busy with a project you are thoroughly enjoying?
It’s already more than a couple of months since my building crew completed the frame of the house. At almost the same time Moe and the kids’ winter visit came to an end. After seeing them off, I returned to the island, and moved in to the newly finished house.
To say I have been busy is an understatement, but progress has been quick and satisfying.
When I first moved in back in early March I literally had no facilities. The roof had the water collection pipes installed, which directed water down into the tank below the house, but I had to bring that up in buckets to have water inside. I had no electricity, no kitchen, shower, bed, or even doors and windows. I was sleeping in a hammock, and simply working during daylight hours to tey to get as much done as possible.
Each day saw progress, and every small step forward made life a little more comfortable. I had bought a decent-sized 12 volt battery, and along with the wood I had shipped down from Florida to build the house, I had shipped a small solar panel. Once I had these connected, I installed my first lightbulb upstairs. I also connected my water pump, and a tap upstairs added a new level of luxury. A mattress borrowed from my neighbours made my nights more comfortable too.
I needed all sorts of household stuff, and took another trip over to David, where I spent several thousand dollars on all sorts of hardware for plumbing and electrics, as well as for my own mattress and other soft furnishings. I also bought a generator, a bank of 6 volt batteries, and planned on buying a new propane fridge-freezer too. However, I managed to find an almost brand-new one locally at a bargan price, and saved myself almost a thousand bucks there.
With power available from the generator I could return the tiny little thing I had borrowed from my builders, and really get on with construction. Kitchen counters and a couple of sofas added a new level of luxury, as did the installation of my projector and a large screen.
The last part of the puzzle almost fell into my lap when my neighbours told me that they were buying a pallet of 18 solar panels, but would only need ten of them. Did I want to buy the other 8 panels? They were available at a great price, and I could put up double the amount of wattage I had planned for at much the same price.
In David I had bought a 12 foot “swimming pool” – more like a large paddling pool – and so made an area for it at the side of the house, covered by a roof on which the solar panels could be installed. With everything connected, I can now watch movies without having to run the generator. Luxury indeed!
With doors finally installed, a chicken laying eggs, and the delivery of ten more baby chickens, this place is now really beginning to feel like a home.
