Tag Archives: building

DINKS on the Farm

June 2007

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Monday, June 4, 2007 – Homeless Farm Owners in Duncan

We are so tired. We both took Friday off work, as official farm owners, to stroll around the property and talk about all our plans. Saturday was a sweaty 8 hours of moving (Discount rentals, by the way, is an exceptional company). Thanks to Brock’s dad and friend Kyle, and two dollies, it was possible, though. Now all our worldly possessions are crammed into Debbie & Randy’s garage — except for our bed, which we are sleeping on in the guest room. We are officially homeless, mooching off the ever-generous McLeods.

Sunday we cleaned. It was a lot of work. We got back to Duncan at 5:30pm and I went straight to bed (post-shower). Brock only managed to stay awake because Debbie & Randy had cooked us a fantastic BBQ steak dinner and Brock can’t resist hot-off-the-grill fantastic BBQ steak dinners.

This morning we both woke up pretty early — 6am — and I ate cold (but yummy!!) steak for breakfast. Brock made us tea. Now I’m off to work and Brock starts his week off work. He has an extensive to-do list, but today is his “do whatever the hell you want” reward day for a weekend of labour. Ironically, I think he’ll choose to clean the shitty wood pallets out of the sheep shed on the farm . . . he’s an odd one. I’d drink wine and watch tv.

Anyhoo, yesterday it hit me that I’ve moved from Victoria to Duncan. Despite periodically hating B.C.’s capital, I have lived there for almost 10 years so I felt about 5 minutes of shock and grief. Then I got excited about the farm again.

Brock and I expect some significant physical changes to happen, now that we’re farmers and actually exerting ourselves daily. We haven’t lost any weight yet (I don’t think), but Brock has a farmer’s tan and his face is all dark now. I’m just zitty. And my back’s sore. Hopefully this is just a transitional phase.

What else to say before I go to work?? We have sent The Final House Plan to my daddy, for his revisions/approval/sketches. Our plan is to build what will eventually be the market (in two or three years) and live in it while we plan out our future home and develop the farm. Brock’s meeting with Tony the Septic Guy tomorrow for a brainstorming session. We need to find an excavator/foundation person/well water person. To get our building permit (this is my job), I need to get a statement of land title and a sanitary permit, and my dad’s house plan sketches.

I’ve realized that essentially we’ve made our non-work lives as busy as our work lives. The same mutlitasking, the same endless list of projects, the same reliance on other departments and people to get the work done. What a couple of masochists we are.

I’m planning out my writing studio and Peter’s Villa. I’m ridiculously excited about building a retirement home for my love bunny.

Newbie farmers.
The foundation for our little house.
DINKS on the Farm

May 2007

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Tuesday, May 1, 2007 – Victoria, BC, Canada (in a condo – BUT WE OWN A FARM!!!!!)

Passed a milestone last night: I cried from all the stress. Brock and I made a list/chart of all the decisions we have to make re: our house, and I was a little overwhelmed by it all. So I called my mom & dad, and dad told me what to do (in-floor heating, powered via wood stove and water heater, concrete floors stamped to make them pretty, etc.).

Our options include:
FLOORING: laminate, hardwood, engineered hardwood, concrete, etc.?
HEATING: wood stove, pellet stove, furnace, etc.?
WATER: on-demand or water heater?
and then we can get to work on the blueprints. Ugh.

Also: I start my new job Monday!!! EEK!!!

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Friday, May 4, 2007 – Victoria, BC, Canada (in a condo – BUT WE OWN A FARM!!!!!)

I’m so excited about the farm. I’m not usually one to regret my decisions (even if I really should), and the farm is no exception. Everytime I see a condo or whatever for $400,000 I think, Why would anyone buy that? Especially when you can get an acreage and a whole new life style instead? I sort of understand that some of you think farming = hell, what with the physical exhaustion and weather-based stress and etc., but I feel more and more that my new life is the right one for me. I suppose we’ll see, once I’m actually a farmer and can’t have my 2 hour naps after work each day . . .

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Sunday, May 6, 2007 – Victoria, BC, Canada (in a condo – BUT WE OWN A FARM!!!!!)

Today Brock is cleaning our apartment. Which is fair, since yesterday I messed it all up by making 3 apple pies (as thanks to my references) and a pumpkin pie (for Brock), and lasagna (which is now in the fridge, waiting to be cooked).

House-wise, I sent Dad Brock’s latest houseplan, discussed geo-thermal heating, and now I’m researching U-Pack. Where the hell is U-Pack in Victoria?? I know it’s out there — I’ve seen the crates in people’s yards. But the only google results I got were American. I suppose I should check the phone book . . . how retro. Brock’s convinced that the best arrangement ever re: storing our crap for June and July (between leaving the penthouse and moving into our new home) is to stick it all at his parents. Poor parents. The very thought of moving our sectional sofa or king-size memory foam mattress (with boxsprings) down from our apt, to Duncan, then into Debbie and Randy’s house and up their stairs to the tv room . . . ugh. What a waste of energy! So I’m committed to making a case for U-Pack. If I can find out how to reach them.

In other news, I start my new job tomorrow!!!! I can’t believe I’ve officially left government employment. I always talked about it, but I suspected that the lure of the Golden Handcuffs might trap me for at least a decade or two. Luckily for me, I met and fell in love with a nutter who wanted a farm . . .

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Tuesday, May 29, 2007 – Victoria, BC, Canada (in a condo – BUT WE OWN A FARM!!!!!)

I’ve been a naughty DINKS On The Farm updater this month. I have no idea why we think we’ll have the “spare time” to actually build & manage a farm . . .

Anyhoo. Things we have accomplished this month include: packing (our condo is a mess of cardboard), we held a garage sale (made $23 and gained a coat rack and bell — I’ll use the bell to call Brock in from the fields for dinner, or something like that), started my new job (the cause of my poor updating — too busy at work!!!), signed the mortgage papers ($300,000), discussed insurance (Banker Nils and I want it, Brock refuses to pay the extra cash), met with our accountant & learned about farm write-offs (yippee!!!!!), got a business GST number, and . . . . lots of other mundane details. It’s freaking exhausting. I’ve been sleeping a lot, whenever I haven’t been commuting on the Malahat or working. We sort of have some vague idea of what needs to be done in order for us to have a home August 1. Here, in case you’re fascinated, is the process:

1. finalize our house plans and where we want to build.
2. get a sanitary permit from the Septic Guy (aka Tony).
3. apply for a “Home Builders Exemption” from some office in Vancouver.
4. wait 10 days until they send us a form. Fill it out and get it notarised.
5. get a statement of land title to show we own the property (June 1).
6. give sanitary permit, land title, Vancouver-office form, and properly-drawn blueprints of our home to the Cowichan Valley Regional District office.
7. Wait for them to say “Okay.”
8. Install a septic field (hi Tony).
9. Excavate and pour the foundation (we still need to find someone to do this).
10. Get my Daddy Bob, Brother Joe & Dylan to build the house.
11. Get hydro and the well hooked up.
12. Move in.
13. Arrange for mail delivery.

Whew. Someone out there (my coworkers for sure) are taking bets as to when we’ll actually be living in the house. My boss has September 1, I have August 1.

Our short-term plans are The Move Up Island. We’ve been packing, as I mentioned, and we take possession of the property June 1. I’ve booked that day off work: we’re going to the farm to sit in lawn chairs, drink champagne and roast smokies on a fire. Saturday is The Move (if we can book a van on the busiest moving weekend of the year). Sunday we’ll clean the apartment, and Monday we’re meeting with Ruth & Neil (the wonderful owners of this beautiful apartment) for the inspection, return of deposit/keys, etc. As of July 5, I am a resident of Duncan.

Not entirely sure how I feel about that yet.

But I’m REALLY excited about our farm.