The FARM?

The 1967 Airstream Globetrotter has finally found its home amongst the creosote bushes on the Tortoise Crossing property (but currently calling it THE FARM). We are days away from finally getting the official permit for the garage conversion. SO EXCITED! Until then, we are slowly finishing up some things at the Palm Springs house in the master bath and gathering some off the grid supplies for Airstream living.

We have so much planned for the property: greenhouse (pool inside the greenhouse acting as our solar mass), fruit orchard, grey water system, cactus garden, potentially drilling a well…and there will be lots more I am not thinking of right now. Oh yah…and the garage conversion! 2 bed, 1 bath house 🙂

reasons I LOVE JOSHUA TREE

Voids

       I had the hardest time with the layout. The flow of the space just didn’t feel right so I was going back and forth about where to put the door.  Should I actually add on and how much should I add on. The front of the cabin doesn’t allow enough space for the door to be next to the window unless I alter the size. I want to try to keep the window size the same so that was out. Ultimately the side made the most sense. As far as adding on I plan on tearing down the poorly built lean-to patio and rebuilding it.

When I opened up the wall for the door I could not believe how hard it was to remove the 2×4’s. Come to find out each horizontal wood slat had 3 nails in the vertical 2×4. Each 2×4 had 45 nails total. As much as the structure looks like it is going to fall over, that cabin isn’t going anywhere even in a earthquake.

Being that the space is only like 168 square feet inside, the more windows the better. I bought a 4×4′ window for $40 at HD two years back because it didn’t have a screen so I will be installing it next to the door on the east wall.

DEFINED

Two single words that clearly describe The Lake Fire. Pretty scary.

Dump

I had to take the dreaded trip to the dump today and take all the drywall and excess house materials pulled from the cabin.  It really made me rethink my consumption and recycling practices. Not to mention I made a huge mistake and wore flip-flops to the dump.  I can’t say I have ever done something as disgusting before, at least that I can remember. I did not think I was going to have to unload my trash while standing on trash. I was very wrong.  Every time I looked down to watch my step I saw another VHS porn…I think the last was “Full Frontal.”

It is the second day of the Lake Fire and it has been an experience.  It is incredibly smoky in Morongo, Yucca Valley, Landers, and Joshua Tree.  There is ash on everything.

Feels Good

 

We went with the Niagera/Stealth toilet again.  We used the same at our other homestead and our PS house.  They only use 0.8 of a gallon. Love it.

Destruction and Design

I Finally scrapped up the hideous 1990’s sticky tiles. Pulled off drywall from the south and west walls.  K and I finally finalized the layout of the kitchen and bathroom.  After spending the weekend going back and forth about the designs we decided to work with the existing square footage of the original homestead cabin.

Figuring it all out

I am starting to plan out the size for the Greenhouse and whether or not we are really going to expand or keep it simple and small.

I went to the county to find out some info and found out there are some new rules in place since 2012.  You must have a fire letter for inspection for anything over 400 sqft.  Plans now must go through the county rather than staying right here in JT and getting approved.  This process can take up to 3-4wks before they can be approved.You can pay for the  expidited  process but costs up to 50% more.

I cleaned out all the trash out of the cabin. Sprayed bleach on the walls & floor to decrease the potential of any diseases including hantavirus.

Measured the surplus of vintage supplies salvaged from years past in our cargo container:

66″ metal Youngstown by Mullins sink cabinets, 36″ 50’s electric stove, large window from HD new 68.25″x70.5, Large stainless steel sink with counter 53.25″, single sink base for kitchen 26.5″

We are hoping to use the Youngstown kitchen cabinets we bought about a year ago from a lady who practically gave it to us. It would work perfect for the time period of the cabin.

We have LIGHTS!

ELECTRIC IS ON! To my amazement everything is working.

By the end of the week the mess around the cabin should be hauled out thanks to a  couple hundred bucks and a neighbor.

Electric!

It is amazing how easy it is to have the electric turned on when the wires are still hooked up and running to the electric panel and the meter hasn’t been pulled!  When I rehabbed our  cabin 54 it was the very last thing to be turned on. I needed to be “green tagged” by the county inspectors prior to the electric company hooking me up to the grid.  All I had to do this time was call them, give them my name, address,  and they are going to turn it on tomorrow!