Building New Coop/Barn...Phase 5 Great Barn Build, OCCUPIED! 3/6/16

[1muttsfan]

Stall mats are best used on a sand base. They will also work under pavers, but those are also set into a sand base. Important that whatever they sit on is well-draining, or you do get moisture issues.

 

[1muttsfan]

I had a client once that had reindeer, when they walk around their dewclaws clack together. So reindeer do indeed go click, click, click.

 

[speckledhen]

The rep for the building co. called. Apparently, they discontinued offering double doors and only offer that roll-up door now. He wasn't aware of the change though doubles are still on his price sheet. So, we are forced to either have them frame an opening for doubles, leave a huge hole and find our own, or just have them install the less than warm roll up and figure something out later, which is what we told them to do. And, I thought since they were calling, we were close to having it installed....wrong. Seems it will be another three weeks or so in addition to the two we've already waited. In fairness, they did say it would be minimum of three, up to six weeks, before installation, but hey, I was hoping it would be sooner than the five or six. Well, guess it won't. Oh, well.

Another disappointment was that I was finally supposed to have seed on my pasture by Tuesday or Wednesday. Still, no seed. And we are going back into a rainy period which will set it back yet again. The guy who has been doing this for the past almost year (yes, YEAR) suddenly lost his job as housing manager for the reservation and they are filing a class action lawsuit against the newly elected chief, who, against all tribal laws, fired about 150 people as soon as he got into office, my guy included, who had about 9 years to retire from the job. So, his life was turned upside down, among all his other dramas he's had since we hired him. I realize we didn't put a time limit on this job but 11 months is a bit excessive. I try to be patient but I really would like something to go my way for a bit, you know? Yes, I'm whining, I'm sorry. I'll stop now. I have to get cracking on cleaning up the house and grounds a bit. My nephew and his wife and some (or all, not sure) of their five kids are coming to visit on Nov 15. They've never been here before, never seen the chickens, etc. But, I'm also feverishly working on some projects in my quilt room, too, while listening to DH practice his violin, er, um fiddle, I should say. He plays bluegrass, not the music I like. Oops, whining again. I'll really stop now.

 

[speckledhen]

You know what happens when you have two weeks of 60-70* highs weather in winter when it should be 20* cooler, right? RAIN. After another week-long monsoon, with roads washing away, my paths washing away, limbs falling, businesses flooded locally, my new barn has one end of the roof that has three leaks, or one leak coming out three places. We saw it earlier and called in a work order, but with the holidays and all the rain, no telling when they'll be out to fix it. And again, I have moisture inside my building.
Can I just say

? My concrete gutters did their jobs, but if the roof leaks and sideways rain pushes water in through slightly cracked windows, well...DH will be making small metal roofed awnings for the windows. He's made them before for vents and for other windows that didn't have overhangs and we have plenty of metal roofing left to cover them with. That way, windows can be left wide open during heavy rains. But the leaking roof brings it all to a halt again. The black plastic is covered with water now, all from condensation. No water coming under walls, just what leaks in three spots on the last part of the roof they completed. Sheesh.


Today, we get a break so we'll try to dry off the floor and open up the building to air out. Today, this is our sunrise. My DH said, "what is that bright yellow stuff on the mountain???" You see the sun coming from the east, spotlighting Watson and Piney mountains above the fog bank, and even the lone cabin out over the old hens' coop, through the three huge oaks I call "The Three Sisters" is glaring from its windows in the morning sun.
I wish the camera could catch the way this really looks to us here. It's amazing, the light-play on the mountainsides. It's one reason I'd hate to have to leave here some day.

For years after we moved here, I did not know this cabin was even up there, not until one sunrise, the rays hit the windows and there it was. I tried to zoom, but my zoom is crappy. Click to make them better.

 

[speckledhen]

We went to Lowe's today to pick up a couple things and I said, hey, let's check out materials for the awnings we want to build. Immediately, I saw these, nothing that Home Depot has, of course, and BINGO! Instant awning! There were light duty and heavy duty. We got 5 heavy duty ones and just have to figure the best way to attach-inside there is a steel framing member directly over each window which they will be screwed into somehow. They will eventually need replacing, but at only $15.95 each, not a big deal, as long as they hold up in heavy winds, us using them for other than their intended use (as we always seem to do)-they are made to be window well covers for ground level basement windows. The light duty ones were $9.98.

Hopefully, high winds won't just rip it off the building, but this is easier than building 5 awnings right now.



We also picked up some Quikcrete to do the last ground gutter since, though it's going to be much cooler, it is supposed to stay dry for the next ten days or so.

 

[aart]

Cool! I love using things for 'other than their intended purpose'.
All you can so is try, put one up and see how it works out....hopefully you have a rip raging storm to test your latest improvements.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I thought it looks really clever, I like making my own stuff if I can pull it off.

 

[robhuncor]

I actually think that is very attractive and the plexiglass makes it much less noticeable than a solid awning would be. It might need to be a little wider and longer but I think it's a great idea. It certainly is a lot nicer looking than some of the jerry-rigged solutions I have around my barns!

 

[aart]

Quote: There ya go!
Being patient and understanding of their scheduling issues can get you better service.....agrees, save the crazy for if service is not up to snuff.

 

[speckledhen]

@1muttsfan we've seen them, never used them, but if we can get the sheets right to the barn with the lawn cart, should be okay.

DH did the second awning, this one painted with Krylon MAXX spray paint in Almond. I got both almond and ivory but this one matches perfectly. Will have to paint the other one when I can. I did do the extension arm of it.