A Kick in the Pants

I've been struggling lately to write here.  It isn't that I haven't been working on house things - my Pinterest boards will reveal plumbing research among other things.  I participated in an online tiny house chat (my first - loved it - check out their future chats) about starting a business and/or running it out of your tiny house.  I've been tracking down hardware orders (who knew that speakeasies were custom made?) and coordinating tiny house transport.  I've even drafted a few banners to order to put on the house as it travels.  Tonight I am going to a class at Career Design Associates about starting your own business.  So - decidedly not sitting on my hands.  But for whatever reason, I haven't been in the mood to blog.

I emailed Nina, a fellow tiny houser & truly one of my dearest friends and whined about my lack of motivation.  She replied with this in a nano-second:

Motivation starter

Visualize waking up in your tiny house on a cool morning and knowing that you can enjoy a leisurely morning before your first business call at 9:30 a.m .

What kind of business call is it? 

What do you want to be talking about? 

Where do you want to be?

What steps can you be taking right now to lay ONE OR TWO foundation bricks for that specific day?

It made me think - no, it made me dream.  I closed my eyes and pictured it.  Instant happy. A mental place that I haven't been often since I left the Boulder workshop weekend behind me. A place that I miss. Then I formatted it into a poster and printed it, grateful for her friendship.

The same morning (maybe even in the same email string) we emailed about a writing contest that I am entering.  I sent her a draft to critique.  And I got this back:

 ... It should come off as something that seems inevitable and natural, but definitely needing to sound more of a leap and showcase your bravery.   What you’re doing is something that a lot of people are doing, but you have specific details that make it unique.

For instance, I hit the highlights of your leap to my friend Dawn and her reaction was:

Dawn: I can’t imagine changing EVERYTHING in my life like that. My belongings, my housing, my relationship, my location, my employment. Crazy stuff!  She sounds like a free spirit and go-getter

Me: She's changing everything for her new life path

Dawn: Wow…that is flabbergasting!

Me:This sh*t ain’t for wimps

Dawn: No Kidding!

THAT is the reaction you want. You want people to go “holy sh*t! She is brave, what a leap! What a go-getter!”  

Your story is a good one, do NOT sell yourself short, bare yourself and show your bravery.

I was stunned.  I wrote back, "Wow, really??  You talked about me like that to someone?  Thank you!"

And you can guess what I got back, right?

Of course I talk about you that way.

Look, there are a lot of people in my life that are watching me and saying “wow” to what I’m doing.  

Dawn said, “you should be writing this all down for those that come after you” and I laughed and said that it seemed to be a natural thing….”those that come after” wanting the information as to how we went about it.  I told her that I was considering a blog but hadn’t really committed to it because I know it was a time-suck.  

Then I told her about how you had an amazing blog that was chronicling your journey and how it was empowering others just by example and that you were going to make a business out of it, just not sure how yet. And that’s where I transition into my telling of how MY story is one thing but yours is far more fantastic because of the whole big changeover, where mine is just converting to minimalism and striving for a smaller carbon footprint. YOUR story is a life-flip. 

It. Is. Fan-f*cking-tastic, what you’re doing.

It is NOT for wimps.

The reaction Dawn gave means that I communicated you correctly because it is correct. You are a free-spirit and a go-getter. Your leap is flabbergasting. 

You are a perfect B.A. Norrgard. 

 I sat back in my chair after reading it and tears welled up in my eyes.  She is a best friend.  A life long friend that I just met this year, (at a Four Lights workshop) on this journey.  NINA is another piece of my story.  Everyone should be so fortunate to have someone like her in their corner.  She's got my back. She's just what I needed to remind me this week - today - what a fantastic journey I am on, and how blessed I am to have the freedom and guts to take it on.  I hope that I reflect all of that back onto her journey; I should be so lucky.

Nina - here's to you:

And also:

Thank you.

More Wet Bath Leg Work

Yesterday afternoon I went to two bathroom and kitchen design showrooms.  I had some fantasy that they would know something about wet rooms, and/or have options for the threshold of the wet room.  Ahhhh.  Foolish girl.

The first place was recommended to me by an interior design friend.  The people in the showroom were super nice - but when I said what I was there to discuss I got a totally blank stare.  The woman had never even heard of a wet room. ??

As I waited for a salesperson to help me (which never did happen - I didn't have an appointment) I wandered around.  I have a new thing to be totally overwhelmed with:  faucet and shower fixtures.  Extreme overload. There were literally hundreds of styles and colors!  I am going to need my friend to come with me - he will know how to narrow it down.  I hope.

I looked at the hardware, but mostly my eyes were just glazed over.  I looked at bathroom and kitchen sinks, but nothing grabbed me.  I looked at front porch lights, and found this one that I like (and it is reasonably priced!)

I emailed it to Dave, my stained glass guy and asked if he thought it was too boring.  He replied, "Not by the time we're done with it!"  I'll shop around a little more, but I like it.  And it affixes to the wall, it doesn't hang - which is good for travel.

And I saw this Atlas fan which I adore:

I'll definitely be wanting something like that!  Isn't it gorgeous?  It didn't have a price on it - that's always scary.  I haven't look for it online yet.

The second place I went to was not nearly as nice as the first place, but the sales people were sort of snotty.  I got answers like, "ohhh well WE don't do things like that" and "Oh well ANY plumber can do a wet room."  Really?  And you have experience with that?  Why am I dubious...?   I got raised eye brows and skeptical looks when I said I was my own contractor.  Apparently I don't look the part. Two ladies actually exchanged knowing glances right in front of me!  They would have died if I had shown them what I am building - I should have, just for shock value... lol 

So I guess my next step will be to go to the big box home supply stores and look at their waterproofing materials.  I've ordered a sample from a company online, so that is coming.  I have a decent picture in my head of how I see it all going together, but I'm terrible at sketching things, so I'm procrastinating.  Yesterday I started researching sheet metal supply in Dallas... Ohh to have the power to hit "print" to print the image in my head!  Alas...

Dark Bronze

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a color for the roof and window trim!  The winning color is dark bronze.  I really struggled with the copper option, but after looking at a LOT of copper roofs and awnings that were 1-5 years into patina, I realized that the finish was too dull for me.  I've opted for standing seam metal instead.   Roofing materials and windows are being ordered today!

 Here is a photo of Jay's Gifford with the roof photoshopped brown:

But the front door and window trim is still the colonial red, so for me it's still a bit difficult to visualize.

Here is a color photo of the Gifford with my window trim color chip over the front door, and my roofing color sample set on top of the gable.  It's primitive, but I can sort of see what the color will look like:

 

I plan to stain my front door to match, and "age" it like I did the big Tuscan style cedar dining table I had built in my backyard of my Patricia house.  I beat it up with a heavy chain and a hammer, and then stained it.  It turned out just beautifully.  (You can see a photo of it here.)

I've got to attend to a few remaining related loose details and I can turn my focus to the interior design of the house.  SO EXCITED for the next stage!

I need to speak with my roofer about skylights and order those.

I need to figure out if I have any other roof penetrations that need to get in place.  Mostly what comes to mind is my bathroom exhaust fan...

Another huge step forward - yippee!!

Minnesota Summers