Waiting On Parts

Before I get a real water heater, I'm rigging up a solar variety - a very simple one - using a black hose on the roof. Of course this is nothing new. It's done all over the world and makes such sense. Why wouldn't you want to cut pollution and save money by letting the sun heat, or pre-heat your water?

But, I didn't have all the parts I needed. They should be here mid-week and I should have some warmth by next weekend. The first phase is a test. 200 feet of 1/4 inch black irrigation pipe just laying up on the roof. Fed through cold water pressure, it shoots up through the roof, loops through the coil, back down through the roof and straight into the hot water line.  Other tinkering will include trying different lengths and diameter of piping, and placement of the coil including inside a glazed insulated box. 

Later on when I obtain the right electric water heater, I'll use the loop to pre-heat water. 

My New Water Heater

Happens to be of the solar variety.  Gonna hook it up myself.

Another Man Cave Meal

Grrrr...

First Meal

Paleo diet - beef and veggies.

Behold, the Plywood Kitchen.

Small steps forward and back, along with help from friends (thanks so much Lorne and Chris!) and here I am. My kitchen is forming and so close to being usable - in a man cave sense. Just finished the floor. I should have cold water working in the sink today, with warm/hot water from passive solar working by end of next week. Then I'll move on to putting up pantries and figuring out what to do with these plywood counter tops.  Next, maybe some painting and cabinet doors.

34 days to move-in.

Kitchen floor. Done. Almost.

Today, I vow to finish laying down my new kitchen floor! It's taken me about a week. More pics to follow.

The Man Cave Kitchen, Part 1

In order to move into The Hovel, I must have some kind of working kitchen. While I could simply eat out every day, assuming I actually wished to prepare any food at home, I suppose I could get by with a sink, a hot plate, and a camping cooler (been there).

But I actually do want to have a real kitchen because I like to eat and I want to continue evolving my cooking skills. On top of that, the kitchen at the hovel happens to be the nicest room in the house.

So, what are the essential qualities a man cave-ish kitchen should have?

Well,

1. fridge
2. stove 
3. sink
4. places to put kitchen things - cabinets/pantry
5. surface area to work
6. easily cleanable
7. cheap

But there's more.  For me, it must go beyond spartan utilitarianism. It has to also be an interesting, somehow pleasing space to be in.

Put all those together, you're gonna get my kitchen.

The Man Cave Cometh

June 2nd is the DROP DEAD move in date to the hovel - come what may.

Have:

• Roof (leaky)
• electricity
• fridge *
• range *
• some furniture
• cold water in bathroom
• working toilet

Don't have:

• kitchen (but working hard on this)
• hot water
• shower
• internet
• a single clean room 

Kitchen Floor

Hard to believe I'm still working on this, but I am.  Must do something about this floor. I'm resolving to resolve it within the week.

Homown Hell?

So, you want to own the home you live in?  You're not alone, but things are changing rapidly. Big decision and it can be painful to change your mind.  I can't give you any help here except to say that I personally prefer to own my home, which is astonishing considering I don't even live in the home I own - no one does, because as you know, it's an empty wreck (a FH).

But it is interesting to look at what is happening in the U.S.

US homeownership rates

"Homowns" (I made that up just now), are going down, renters are going up.  Here is what a report from Morgan Stanley said recently: “The combination of falling home prices, limited mortgage credit, continued liquidations and better rental options is fundamentally changing the way Americans live…moving the country toward a Rentership Society."

But Freddie Mac seems oblivious.

From freddiemac.com

California, it turns out, has the lowest homeownership rate in the country, save one.  Here's what our neighbors look like:

Homown rate in California, Oregon and Nevada

The hovel is my second home, having sold my first years ago. My perspective is that buying a house and working on it can be pure hell, or it can be wonderful.  For me it's been mostly hell, but on the other hand, I'm not done. The whole story has yet to be told.