So long dusty trail....

I just got the job in Salem, OR! So I'm moving to Salem! I'm super excited! Yay PNW! I'll miss you road, but now I can save money (and vacation days) to travel further :)

What a great week

Church camp was great. It was great after not having been since 2006, to reconnect with friends and make new ones. Now I am back in Seattle, going sailing with a buddy tomorrow then heading over to Port Townsend for the next couple weeks where I will be hiking and helping my buddy with some construction on his cabin. After PT I'm going up to Vancouver BC, to see some old friends I haven't seen in YEARS and hang out more with some of my buddies from camp :)

After a week or so in BC I'll head to Portland and see friends, meet babies, like you do when you go home... high school reunion on the 10th, then drive down to hang out with my brother for a couple days and then off to Colorado! Planning to arrive in Vail around maybe Sept 15th.

My road trip is taking a turn to be less road-trip and now it's more like visiting people back in my home region before I move to a new place. Not so much touristy, more, hanging out with friends :)

Been busy the past few days!

Sorry my postings have been sporadic and somewhat out of order! I'll post a root cellar summary when the project is done so you can see the whole process in one place :)

This is the bond beam before we filled it in with concrete on Sunday:

The bond beam ties the whole structure together.

Vertical rebar comes through the walls into the final course which is turned into a bond beam by cutting half way down the web of each block, knocking the cuts out with a hammer, then laying the block and placing rebar. The chunks of block that were knocked out are then set inside the block wall to keep the concrete fill (preferably corefill) from filling all the other cores. Making a wet concrete mixture and using buckets, we filled all the vertical cores, slid in long rebar then filled the bond beam and inserted anchor bolts and smoothed the top with a trowel. Easy concept, lots of labor. A wheelbarrow full of concrete is not an easy thing to maneuver, especially up a hill!

Monday we took a day off, we were both exhausted working long hot, hard days... those concrete blocks aren't light, that's for sure! I'm now feeling nice and strong... and looking nice and tan.

On Tuesday we placed the drain perforated tile/pipe, filled the floor with soil, attached the top plates and countersunk them to receive the bolts and washers and we installed the 2 side end plates that sit vertically and the east and west joists.

Wednesday we installed the rest of the joists, it went very smoothly and we were done by lunch!

Dan checking out the joists from inside the root cellar before we close up the roof

then we sheathed it in 3/4" foundation grade plywood (like double pressure treated... it won't be rotting any time soon)

A lovely sheathed cap, awaiting dry weather and membrane, insulation and soil

We also got a delivery of the materials for building the shelves, as well as a door that had been taken off of a project that I got for only $25! So I need to build out a rough opening for that then hang the door and install the door knob. It's an aluminum insulated door.


After we finished up yesterday I went to Runnings Fleet Farm store in Hutchinson, MN to get new boots. My steel toe boots died on Tuesday with a split across the sole of the right shoe- the left one has been leaky since January when I'd walk the 2 blocks to the job site and my left foot would be drenched before I even started work. It was time... and here they are! New leather Carharts! I also bought a new flannel shirt I'm very excited about, one is just not enough :)

New boots, I love constructiony things!
It was dangerous walking down the tool aisles :P

Today it's rainy and I'm hoping to get a chance to play some boardgames and drink mojitos as the original plan for that on Tuesday evening was cancelled due to heath issues... so hopefully this afternoon, games will be played and mojitos made and consumed!

Oh and I downloaded an app for my phone that lets me use my own pictures as icons so that's what I've been doing this morning :P For starters I just made a little polaroid sketch and I'm using that for everything... it's fun, so much time-suck potential!

Polaroids!

I also have an update on my travel plans. I got a call from a college friend who started a company in the Colorado Rockies and she's looking for help. So we're talking about me joining her for a trial period and seeing how that works out, so it looks like I might be moving to Colorado for an indefinite period at the end of September!
I will still be spending August in Washington state and hitting up my high school reunion in Portland, OR in the beginning of September. My plans for the fashion classes in Portland is going to go on hold though if I can actually do something in the field of architecture... if things don't work out in CO I can always take those classes at the beginning of next year and if things do work out in CO then I'll be busy there, snowboarding :) I'm just going with the flow. I was thinking though that it's kind of funny... I'd been feeling the call of Colorado so I planned to go through and check it out and then I actually got a call, asking me to come to Colorado with a purpose! Kismet? :)

Could I...?

Could I trade blocks for fields? Public transportation for land/space? Light pollution for more stars than I can comprehend?
The past two days have been filled with awesome people, delicous food, intense and beauttiful weather and hard work. It's been awesome. The community of people in and around the farm and Howard Lake has just blown me away; completely unexpected.
Keeping this in mind (here 3 more weeks) for the bigger picture for sure... not sure how I would make a living out here for one... potentially work as a builder... still want to open Kismet Hostel, so perhaps live here seasonally and live "there" seasonally. I still have exploring to do (Colorado, I'm still coming!). Returning to my Minnesotian roots, something to contemplate.
Main downside so far... mosquitoes!

Volunteering and working for food/housing

I joined the website HelpX yesterday and sent a couple messages. I haven't heard back but it's only been one day :P

HelpX is similar to WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) with more variety in the types of places. There are listings for organic farms as well as backpacking hostels and ranches and several other things, and it it also worldwide.

My plans right now are stretching out more and more. There is a pattern making class at Portland Sewing in Portland, Oregon; I'd like to sign up for starting in mid-September (for 12 weeks). I will be looking for part time work and odd jobs in Portland but I need to wait until I arrive.

I'm also thinking about signing up for the volunteer program at Kripalu center for healthy and yoga. I went to a yoga class today I really enjoyed and I have contemplated signing up for this volunteer opportunity in the past but it hasn't fit into my schedule yet; it just may this time! Kriplau is in Western Massachusetts, so I will need time to get back there so I will apply for the May 1st start date to give me a few months to get there after being in Portland for 3 months.

As long as I can pay for gas, car insurance and my cell phone I should be good! (Food too, but it's possible to find cheap food... or eat less... or work in exchange for food/housing).


I'm off to play Scrabble and drink margaritas with my 2nd Cousin and her neighbor here in Oak Park, IL!

UPDATE (6/23/11): Found a new website for seasonal work CoolWorks, inculding but not limited to: ski resorts, national parks, retreat centers, etc.

Also there is an intentional community in Missouri called Dancing Rabbit which offeres the opportunity to do green building and live in a community. I'm not sure if I will apply there, but it's in the back of my mind. I may just wander for a while following seasonal work, so long as I can make enough money to keep my car running and insured!

From Portland, ME to Burlington, VT

On Sunday, I went to church at the First Unitarian Church in Portland. The topic was "Heart in Place", a very relevant topic to me in my search for a new place to call home. The woman speaking spoke of places that feel like home sometimes a place you visit repeatedly and sometimes a place you have visited once. Being in Vermont again today, in Burlington, is making me realize how at home I feel in Vermont. Either in the hills of rural southern Vermont or in the town of Burlington. I love it here! The talk also reminded me of how I felt when I went to Amsterdam the first time, like I was home. I also felt that way about Brooklyn the first time I got out of the G train stop at Clinton-Washington. I did Brooklyn, maybe Vermont is next and then Amsterdam?

So on Sunday afternoon my friend Ashley flew to Maine to join me for part of my trip. Our first stop was to go to Duck Fat for what had been claimed at "the best fries". They were perfect fries- the ones that were long anyway. my complaint was that there were too many shorties! They also have an interesting selection of dipping sauces, we tried three: Truffle ketchup, sweet & spicy mustard and horseradish mayo. They were served in a paper cone, as is the fashion for Belgian fries (I'm pretty sure...).

Duck Fat fries and dipping sauces in Portland, Maine

After Duck Fat we stopped for ice cream at Beals, a local favorite that wasn't too crowded at first then the line went out the door. The ice cream was all right, the serving sizes generous :) After saying goodbye to Allison, my lovely host who I know from Oregon and hadn't seen in more than 10 years! we headed to Cape Elizabeth to go to the popular Lobster Shack. It was the epitome of the Maine experience. Rocky coast, park benches next to the water, long line, lots of Jersey license plates :P We got a clam cake and a lobster roll to split. I can now say I've had lobster, for sure (I wasn't 100% sure before) and it was ok... I think it needed some butter! (That dollop on top is mayo.)

The Lobster Shack Cape Elizabeth, Maine

After we had our Maine seafood experience, we headed to Burlington. We left at about 8pm, oops! The drive was about 5 hours and we pretty much drove straight through and fell asleep the moment we arrived at Ashley's friends' place.

We woke up this morning around 7:30, and slowly woke up enough by 8:30 to realize were were massively hungry (and Ashley was in desperate need of coffee) so we headed out to a place suggested by our hosts, only to find they weren't open! The next place was also closed so we ended up walking south into downtown and put our names on the 1 hour wait list for Penny Cluse Café. While we waited we wandered down the pedestrian mall of Church street and stopped at Bluebird Coffee Shop, a small freestanding building on Church Street. This guy knew his coffee, and Ashley was impressed enough to trust him to make her coffee. After our coffee we wandered back to the restaurant and finally ate. It was delicious and totally worth the wait! After we ate and walked around a bit we headed back to our hosts' place where the packaging of baked goods was in progress! Feeling that it would have been rude to just sit there and watch as Abby packaged her gluten-free (and super tasty) baked goods, we offered to help. I can now add a little bakery experience, for From the Ground Up Bakery, (though just packaging) to my list of experiences gained on this trip!

Freshly baked and beautifully packaged gluten-free English muffins

After all the items were packaged, labeled and placed in their respective bins for delivery we began to ponder dinner. We all headed over to City Market where I was drooling over the large bulk section and bought lots of food to fill my cooler and have snacks for the trip. We also bought some veggies to grill! We came back home, prepped the veggies then headed to Leddy Park and grilled up a wholelotta veggies. We also had some lentils and quinoa with us which made for a delicious meal. Mmm fire! After we left the park, where the water was so high that the wide swath of beach that is normally there was completely obscured by water, we headed to The Intervale.

(Hard to see but these signs are talking about the beach... that isn't there at the moment!)

The Intervale is a really interesting place and I don't want to botch the history of it by trying to explain it so I will just give you a link... The Intervale!

Now we are winding down to spend the night in Burlington and tomorrow we will head to Montreal, a mere 2 hours away from Burlington!

My Final Jaunt to New York

I just came back from a whirlwind trip up to New York. I drove up yesterday morning stopping in Dover to drop off my sick sewing machine for repair, and to find a button for my step-dad's vest then made it to New York, ate at Bark where my old roommate works (she was in a meeting when I got there but we got to chat briefly) then had dinner and a board game with 3 of my favorite people. Then today, the whole purpose of the trip was realized. I went to the Alexander McQueen "Savage Beauty" show at the Met. (It's up until July 31st, if you are in NYC before then, GO!)

It was unbelievably amazing.

Mind-blowing even.


A little side note about my background. I learned to sew in 4th grade and it's been my hobby ever since. I used to sew a lot in high school, my freshman year of college I was even in the junior fashion show with 3 outfits (I will have to find pictures of that at scan 'em!). It was fun but I decided to study architecture because sewing was my hobby - ie. not something I wanted to turn into a job and therefore, in my mind, suck all the fun out of. I haven't been sewing for a while because I've been too busy (school/work/travel) and/or lived in a place where I didn't have space to set up a table and actually sew.

I also have been feeling lately that my skills have plateaued. My mom and grandma (her mom) taught me to sew and to read patterns. I've also tried my hand at pattern making and draping... but have been getting frustrated with it. I have books on the subject but I just don't learn from books very well- I prefer to learn from a skilled and experienced person. So, I've started researching pattern making and draping classes. I found some in Portland, OR and might decide to stick around there for a little bit and stay with family while I brush up on my skills. I have already sketched some new designs and I'm feeling re-invigorated about fashion design. So what if it's not "my career", and who is to say it won't become some aspect of my professional life. I'm tired of putting sewing, my passion, on the back burner because it "doesn't count" by some standards as something to focus on in this time when I should supposedly be focusing on my "career", whatever that means :P

I recall when I was announcing I was going to school for architecture, many friends were surprised that I wasn't going for fashion design. I wanted to study architecture, I'm glad I did. Architecture school taught me a way to look at the world and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I think it even helps my clothing designs. Now, it's time to up the ante on my sewing skills. When I have a pattern I can make beautiful clothes because my craftsmanship is very good as well as my attention to detail (something that also shone through in model building in school, where I was known for using tweezers to build my models with micro-lumber!) But I feel like I've stagnated in my abilities as a clothing designer/ seamstress because I've been self taught for so long and honestly, that's just not the best way I learn.


Additional side note, I had also hoped to see Forks over Knives in New York as it just came out in NY and LA yesterday, but by the time I was done with the show and had caught up with my buddy and was anticipating the 4.5 hour drive back to DE *and* sitting in a movie theatre (and paying $13) for an hour and a half... I decided I will try to catch it when it's in wide release in another, more affordable theater :) I still really want to see it, but I would also like to finish reading The China Study before I see it. This idea of food as medicine makes sense to me. Eating vegan can be done, it's not easy, and will probably be especially difficult when I'm on the road, but the more I read about it the more I am convinced it's the right thing to do; especially considering my family health history and my own health and energy levels. I have been enjoying the book even though I haven't finished it yet... I will work on that in Vermont :)