Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Away We Go!

We spent several hours last night frantically cleaning/decluttering the Victorian before the realtor's caravan came to see if it was worthy of our asking price. With a few little items we need to address ( broken floor boards on the porch is never good for curb appeal), we past muster and the house goes on the market!

In between cleaning breaks we also managed to do the paperwork for the offer on the new house. Years ago, when we lived in another hundre year old Victorian, I made a movie poster for Rob titled "Mr. Fleming Builds His Eco Dream House." Even then there was the idea that we'd have a super-energy efficient dwelling. If our offer is accepted, Mr. Fleming may get to have his dream house after all.

Friday, May 25, 2007

Holy #@%^! What are we doing?!

So, we want to be off the grid. But converting a hundred year old three story victorian was not an option. Rob has always wanted to build his own house (he's an architect, that's what they do). Of course, with a mortgage and two small kids, camping out on an empty lot wasn't going to go over too well with the grandparents.

"Lets live in a two bedroom shack! Two bedrooms and the necessities are all we need while we construct the zero energy addition. " The sparkle in his eye was too great to ignore. This boy was serious.

Hmm ... moving from a five bedroom victorian to a two bedroom "shack." As a city girl who grew up in a seven bedroom victorian, I'm kinda thinkin' no. But living in a ZEH that Rob created was something we have talked about for years. A hunting I went to find a structure that fit the shack idea, and one that wouldn't make me insane for lack of elbow room.