Can and Could; Would Chop Wood
Dear Family and Friends,
Instead of writing everything down, we have been busy figuring things out. That means I have just not been posting weekly.
Not that there is nothing going on. We are always doing something. But I am just too tired to post online. Instead, I am looking for advice in tons of forums and professional websites.
Another Change of Plans
The story of our movements. Make a plan. Change a plan. Make a plan. Revise.
What we have managed to do the past two weekends is to get the outdoor program started.
Originally we were thinking, we would start with the house and then do the garden next year. We THOUGHT that is what we would do.
Reality looks completely different. As we wait on the energy consultant to provide feedback concerning reinsulating our attic, we are facing decisions that we thought would be easier. Basic decisions such as ceiling type or flooring for the house are taking on a whole other perspective.
Shopping is not for Wimps
We both thought it would be easier. Thomas does not like to shop… for anything… except electric and motor driven objects. Convincing him that looking at wood and textiles is interesting and exciting is… well… difficult.
I have taken to bribing him with ice-cream, chocolate, french fries and a stop at the playground. What works for 5 year olds should work for a grown man, right? Shows you the type of mom I would have been. Shameless, I tell you… perfectly shameless.
Cultural Exchanges
The reality is, the American is colliding with the German and it is not looking pretty (yet). I know it will get better, but even Thomas is tired of not moving forward.
It doesn’t help that my tastes are looked upon here as “extravagant” and “exotic”.
Thomas is actually doing really good for having a lady with all the unconventional desires of a foreigner.
He (and all Germans) loves oak flooring. I really don’t. I love walnut.
Here, it is an exotic wood costing $200/m2. Uhhhhhhhh…
Carpet and glue is a topic that is now taboo for each of us.
I know that I am a difficult customer. I am working on that.
Until we get some decisions made, we decided to turn our minds and focus our actions on the outdoor spaces.
Cutting to the Chase
Last weekend was finally good weather—Not too hot. Not rainy. Just right.
So Thomas’ parents decided it was time to cut, split and stack wood for us.
His Dad had organized 4 cords of wood from a family friend and they had dropped it off in meter-long logs, complete with a circular saw with rocking table and a wood chopper. This has all been sitting in our carport for over a month now.
The expensive car sleeps under the stars and rain. Priorities.
We just didn’t have a place to put the wood and we did not want to be moving wood left and right as we were figuring things out. But we need wood for the wood stove this winter. Quite the conundrum, I must say.
In preparation, Thomas figured out a construction that would support the wood in the entryway that could be removed in summer or when we figure out a permanent solution we like better.
At 9pm on a Tuesday night, Thomas was finished with the wooden structures and I got out the leftover stain left over from the last time the house was stained. We figured that it really didn’t need to be perfect, so we started applying the stain by the light of the moon, stars and patio.
The stain was finished just as we covered the last board. It ended up looking quite good, if I do say so myself.
I’ll be the first to admit it. I was skeptical. It looked like it would be so bulky and block the entryway. But just like so many other things in renovations, the reality is so much different than what it appears throughout the process.
In 4 hours, Thomas’ parents in tandem managed to cut the 4 cords of wood down, chop it into the right size and stack it “just so”. Thomas and I were not allowed to help. In fact, Thomas was chastised for stacking the wood wrong.
Thomas’ parents have been preparing wood for decades now and have it down pat. They know the most efficient way for them to get the most wood ready and stacked. I never knew there was a science to it. But I have since learned.
I think the woodpile is perfect. It looks like one of those papers scrapers use in the “country chic” style cards and albums.
And now our entryway looks a bit homey, autumny and very very country.
Thomas’ Mom pointed out that she misplaced 4 pieces and the cut-side is not outside and the wood is grey. That woman is the queen of reality Tetris!
I clearly have a lot to learn about the tidy country style.
Like Father Like Son – Practice Makes (almost) Perfect
So to practice, Thomas and I spent 3 hours chopping and stacking the first 7 yards of our cedar hedge logs a week later. We ended up with about 1 ½ cord. Ours still needs to dry, so we did not stack it as close as his parents did, but a) it needs to be that way and b) I don’t think I could have stacked it more efficiently.
Thomas was frustrated that it took so long to cut the branches and stems down, but to me, those cannot be compared. Thomas’ Dad had large tree trunks to cut down. We were cutting down a lot of branches and smaller trunks. Of course it is going to take longer and take more cuts. That is just the way it works.
Despite that fact, we have figured that if we manage to get the same amount of wood on average, we will have 15 cords of wood cut down and stacked by the time we finish eliminating our cedar hedge. That does not count the larger trees we have to remove.
That is quite the number. We could possibly heat the whole house for 3 years with that amount!
We are trying to figure out a good solution to work this out before we need it.
Seeking: Expert Opinion
While Thomas’ parents were slaving away, we were meeting with a second energy consultant. We know we have to submit all paperwork for subsidies before we buy any materials and we wanted some advice. As with any subsidies, 90% depends on the consultant working with you. If they say it will work and will write off on it, than we get the money. It’s that easy. It’s that hard.
The subsidies are 10% of all materials and paid work to install it. That can really add up. So we are accepting that things are going to slow down here until the approval process has gone through.
Fortunately, we found a slightly “alternative” consultant. That is good for us. We know that we do not want to seal our house up in plastic wrap to make it “ultra energy efficient”. Energy efficient is good enough. We also feel strongly that using healthy materials is important to both us and the environment.
The list can contain any upgrade we are planning in the next 36 months. If we don’t do it, we just do not get money. It is a “no lose” situation.
Unless, that is, we do not apply for everything at once and have to keep reapplying. The application does not cost too much, but it does add up.
Working in Our Not-Quite Picturesque Pastoral
After the consultant left and we had had a late lunch, Thomas had the great idea to remove the two stumps in the front of the house right by the patios.
His philosophy: we cannot move forward IN the house, so let’s move forward OUTSIDE the house.
LOVE IT!
So off we went. We changed into our work clothes and grabbed the shovels.
I had pointed out in June that the stump close to the house appeared to be sprouting. We figured that it was dead but perhaps another plant was growing on it.
We figured wrong.
The Elder-Wood
Now that it was later in the year, the leaves pointed to it being an Elderflower tree. So off to Google I went to figure out what was going on.
It was not good.
Elderflower/elderberry is a tree that many plant as a bush. It can grow to be 15 feet and is a shallow rooting tree. According to the resources, it roots at about 1 foot down. No one writes that it has monster roots to rival oak or chestnut (we have both in our yard right next to the house. YAY!).
Elderflower is also very resilient and known for regrowing as long as any roots are in the ground and can reach the sunlight.
The best news was that despite all the information out there, no one had told the elderflower to read up on its rooting habits and act accordingly.
Out came the pick ax, two motor saws, a regular saw, two axes and we attacked those roots in the heavy loamy soil, running into large rocks along the way.
At 10pm we gave up. We had dug a hole around the trunk that could have held a dead body. That is how rumors are started, I’m sure.
Sunday, we started afresh and gotten far enough for Thomas to get out his 10 ton hydraulic jack and a 500kg block and tackle. With all that, we (he) managed to dislodge the trunk that evening. By Tuesday, we (he) had managed to pull it up onto the patio.
Firs are Friends
Friday, we started on the smaller trunk which was no longer identifiable. We started in trepidation. Fortunately, this one had fewer and smaller roots.
The neighbor came over with his tractor and pulley system and helped us pull it out.
We are so happy we have such wonderful neighbors with lots of practical and “fun” tools. I think he had a great time, too. The guys were already making plans for October 1st, when we can take down the trees.
The Results Can Be Seen
The area cleared was only 6 x 8 feet but it feels like 10 x 10 or more.
We can MOVE AROUND THE YARD! This should not be underestimated!
The yard feels a LOT bigger, now! We have a view out of one of our windows which also lets in so much light! It also feels like we are moving forward and getting somewhere. The house is starting to look lived in and ours! (Please ignore the boxes throughout the house.)
We are looking forward to next week!
