Plan Updates

It's been two weeks since my last update so I think it's definitely time for an update.

For those who haven't followed this since the beginning. This ENTIRE journey began less than 5 weeks ago when we signed the papers for the lot. It is crazy to think about since it seems like we are not making progress and time is speeding by. This really is a HUMONGOUS undertaking.

We drove down to the property on Saturday, While driving, I mentioned to Riley that I was again kicking around the idea of building a small home on the property rather than buying an RV. It would end up costing close to the same, but we would have SO much more room! We started talking about it, and it just seemed like a good idea. If we build a small house (700-800sqft) then we would have enough space to live comfortably, that way we would have more time to put all the money necessary together to build the big home that we really want. In the meantime, we could start our gardening next year, get some grass planted and really get up and going to become more self sufficient. \

Here are the new problems now. The county requires a structural engineer to stamp the plans prior to us receiving a permit. Totally fine, we are building with unconventional material so I totally understand. However I have made probably 10 calls to different firms today just trying to get a cost on an engineer stamping plans, not ONE has any experience with straw bale so will not be able to help. I have been trying to contact the county to find out if I can you a pre-stamped plan from an engineer in a neighboring state with extensive straw bale experience, but no one has answered my calls (seriously I called them like every hour with no answer)

IF we can get the plans stamped or use pre-stamped plans, we would be able to go out and get started! building the walls and skeleton of the house would not take long nor cost a great deal of money. The big problem is not only building the house, but then also paying for the septic tank, power and also to have the well dug. The odds of us having ALL the money by November is pretty slim, unless we really budget, but even then, it will be close.

I have recently applied for a new position in my company, if I get one of the many positions they are offering, my pay should increase pretty significantly. If this is the case, I will not stress about getting everything done in time. As some of you who actually know us may already know, Riley is a disabled veteran, he suffers from a number of things, but the most notable in this experience is surprisingly not his back (so far) but his anxiety. Every time there is a hiccup he really stresses out about it. With every hiccup I hear "maybe we shouldn't be doing this." My stress is not simply from trying to make things work, but trying to make every thing work with nothing but an optimistic attitude so that I don't contribute to his stress. I'm sure before 2015 is over I will be sitting in a partially completed little house crying because I couldn't do it all, for one reason or another. I haven't even mentioned to Riley the possibility of staying in our Loft a month or two longer to finish the last few things on the little house, and I don't think either one of us wants to burden family members by staying with them.

I want SO badly for us to be in the little house by Christmas... It may be a small Holiday where we celebrate that like the Jews, our money that should have only lasted until October lasted EIGHT WHOLE WEEKS MORE! Fingers crossed people, fingers crossed.