Back and forth

So, as many know, I have been planning an addition to my house. Well... I do believe things will not quite work out as I was hoping. The original plan was to build my "Barnhouse" in the back section of my 56' X 400' lot. (No, that is not a typo.) Well, the city likes single dwelling lots to stay single dwelling, so it would take a lot to get an exception. So I figured a way to make it an addition.

A little more planning, cost estimates, and the very valuable financial mentor's input, and at present time I will be scaling down the addition from the two-story, double the squarefootage, Barnhouse, to a single bedroom.

All in all, I tend to be very optimistic about what I alone can accomplish, and how far I can get money to stretch even when I haven't done this much before. And in fact, have made similar mistakes in the past. (I can have a very selective memory.) I am a little disappointed, but know that this will leave more options open for the future.

In other news... paperwork is proceeding for the teaching certification. I am getting small things done and out of the way on these days off.

I did get a planer and broke it out the other day. I am extremely pleased at how well it works. The mesquite looks incredible planed down. I cannot wait to put some polyurethene on it, and make something useful. And I think I have a new favorite wood - cedar. Barney has a cedar tree I get to mill for him, and I just started it, but am so excited on how it is going to turn out. I ran a small piece of cedar through my planer, and it turned out great. The smell is incredible. I wonder if you can become addicted to sniffing cedar? Hopefully not.

I don't know what it is, but there is something so satisfying taking a tree and cutting it down to useable lumber. Especially trees that would just be burnt anyway. I love it.