Earle Birney's blog

Last blog?

Submitted by Earle Birney on Wed, 12/29/2010 - 05:09

cant let my last blog be a bunch of boring financial info now can I?

Wish I had time to add more, to thanks more people, to show off some more pics, to blog as well as Matt, to explain what this is all about....

But... the time has come to end this chapter and to turn the page and start the next.  

Thanks mom and dad for coming out to add some finishing touches and seeing me off.

Thanks Bert.  Andy.  Anwar.  Haggs.  EO.  Matt.  Yochum.  Team Israel.  Jo Rakmo.  David.  Tai.  Kev.....  obviously too many of you to thank...

Oh, and Andrea for setting up and administering the site - and not taking down my f*ck post

And for my house warming party

and to home depot (just kiddin...)

to Jeff Miller

of course to GMLC

I guess I want to mostly express my appreciation for this opportunity to do something profound

and for the amazing friends on this trip that got me here

and for the support from family and friends back home

and and and....

and it is time to go.  

it is ok,

the moon rise always follows the sun set

and though I have loved the form this past year has taken

with good practice I know better things are to come

just around the corner, for us all

much love and all the best

 

Earle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

open books policy

Submitted by Earle Birney on Thu, 12/16/2010 - 07:52

hopefully the last edition....

date expenses
29022.76
contractor fee 400
generator 550
design 750 wages
nail gun 50
pad/septic
permit
solar still 240
03/09/10 Lumber / supplies 2508.76
tarp 10
03/16/10 poly 22
post beam hardware 398
03/26/10 rebar and cement block 45
03/21/10 B. 400 wages
03/21/10 Jeff – transpo 700 wages
03/21/10 tools (level, ext cord...) 60
03/31/10 Hardware – floor 21
03/31/10 2x8x10 – floor 121
nails 81
Mortar – pooper 20
Block – pooper 25
04/05/10 apoxy 30
04/05/10 use of rtv 20
04/08/10 800 wages
04/13/10 460 wages
04/13/10 gas 50
04/13/10 wood for wall, roof sheetingposts, etc 1620
04/30/10 570 wages
04/26/10 wood (walls) SL 175
04/24/10 Nails / wood (HD) 39
04/29/10 wood and nails ($55) SL 241
05/02/10 tools 14
05/03/10 trusses 825
05/03/10 stucco paper and wire 108
05/03/10 Stucco and roofing materials (HD) 2440
05/08/10 nails 53
05/09/10 wages 450 wages
05/10/10 windows 690
05/10/10 wood and hardware (beams) 220
05/30/10 2x4, osb, roof nails, winsdow wrap 215
05/30/10 roof stuff (paint frip[ edge flashing 34
05/30/10 osb, 1x6 125
05/30/10 misc 25
05/30/10 rtv 50
05/30/10 gas 45
05/30/10 wages 420 wages
06/10/10 wages 420 wages
06/10/10 stucco stuff 40
06/10/10 doors 250
06/10/10 Wood + misc 170
06/10/10 window wrap, screws 50
06/10/10 tape, flashing, staples (stucco prep) 76
06/18/10 stucco trash bags 100
06/18/10 stucco prep (flashing staples) 35
06/18/10 wages 630 wages
06/18/10 tires 723
07/09/10 electrical 95
07/09/10 drywall 395
07/12/10 electrical 15
07/12/10 lumber 65
07/19/10 insulation 380
plastic and wood 100
07/19/10 Tools 37
07/26/10 wood for deck 362
misc 10
08/30/10 dry wall stuff +paint 105
circ saw 100
drywall 12
drywall 110
mostly drywall and a bit of wood 119
misc 28
plumbing stuff 185
sanded primer 127
Aug wages 120 J
50 E
430 R
100 N
american clay 335
drywall 15
plumbing, wood, paint 190
Oct solar fridge 1260
solar supplies 1175
wages 580 A
140 J
kitchen cabinets 450
deck wood 32
13 wood floor 123
gas 100
13 deck wood 98
7 deck wood and misc 670
18 sander rental + paper 185
9 galv nails 15
19 shower stuff, eurothane 29
30 osb electric room / outhouse 45
stucco (Kev for wood), bathroom 350
gas 55
misc 25
wages 780
November
4 electrical 16
6 shark bite, fittings,etc 127
8 propane 213
4 fittings 80
8 electrical stuff I think 115
8 electrical and fittings 65
15 check valves 28
10 wire, electric 167

total: 29,022.76

 

 

some pics

Submitted by Earle Birney on Thu, 12/16/2010 - 07:45

some pics of where I am at.  Wish I had more pics of all the folk that had helped.

Love you all.  

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The Holy Grail

Submitted by Earle Birney on Sat, 12/11/2010 - 04:39

It's official... I have my certificate of Occupancy!!!  

 

work crew

Submitted by Earle Birney on Wed, 11/24/2010 - 05:23

my illegal work crew - a Mexican, a Canadian, and some child slave labour.  Anything to get the job done!  Nice railing eh?DSCN0172.JPG

amigos

Submitted by Earle Birney on Tue, 11/23/2010 - 02:14

Los artistas!  Gracias amigos!Andy%20%26%20Sylvie_0.jpg

Here is a lame shot of the front railing.  Better ones to come, right Holmes?

oh ya - I phoned in for a final inspection.   I worked, I dont know... 45 of 46 days to get it done before my trip to Mexico and home.  On the day before I had a bit of a list of things to do, but had agreed to put shingles on someone else's roof.  So we finished the roof at sun down and then worked on the cabin using the van headlights.  

Next day the county was meant to be out.  I waited.  And waited.  And waited.  Left crappier and crappier messages.  Finally i tried leaving messages on all ten extensions at the county office to see where they were.  After the fifth, I realized it was Memorial Day!  It wasn't gonna happen.  It was so funny to see all the anxiety vanish.  To see I had been mad at ghosts.  To see the futility of all the rushing.  It needs to wait til I get back.

I called to cancel the inspection but they came out the next day anyways (?).  Matty G took them up there for the inspection.  I failed.  I guess they wanted to see the solar panels up.  If that is the only prob, its cool!

It is hard to be away from DM right now.  Especially after reading Matt's posts.  Feels like this era is ending and I want to soak it all up - even if it is half frozen.  I am looking forward to the final month's insanity, laughs, anxiety, chaos, and tears.  

Much love to y'all

EBrailing.jpg

 

DMU%20Winter%20%2709%20196.jpgDSC_0046.jpg

 

in search of the Holy Grail

Submitted by Earle Birney on Tue, 11/09/2010 - 14:21

sorry no pics.... camera officially died.

I hope to finish up today, call for a final inspection tomorrow and get my C of O thurs before I leave for 3 weeks...

send me some pass your final inspection vibes!

 

Earle

Geshe-la is in the house!

Submitted by Earle Birney on Thu, 11/04/2010 - 06:13

GMR and crew on tour of all the retreat cabins.  A much different blessing then last time he blessed my land....

 

house%20blessing%20with%20GMR.jpg

half a day?

Submitted by Earle Birney on Thu, 10/28/2010 - 06:12

anyone else notice the direct correlation between lending out a tool that you dont think you'll need in the foreseeable future and the time it takes for you to need it?  What, half a day?

Art for People - art auction by Andy and Martine

Submitted by Earle Birney on Sun, 10/17/2010 - 04:16

Some good friends, Andy and Martine, are having an art auction.  They biked down to DM from BC with their two young kids a few years ago.  Their art work is consequently scattered all around the campus.  I think they had such a positive impact on DM while they were here and their ongoing charity work is very inspiring.   I think it is worth having a look at!

http://artforpeople.ca/cms/WHAT-S-NEW.2.0.html

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