February 15 - The Campfire Trail - The Legacy Of Building It

February 15, 2024

Day 867 of the Adventure

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Last year, I was going through a time of wondering whatever became of the desire and passion to build things. The thought applied to a lot of things but I was thinking specifically about building houses. Or cabins or tiny homes, really anything you could live in. It felt like it had become a lost art. Or perhaps "skill". I remember growing up, my dad built three of the homes we lived in. I'm planning to ask him why he chose to build next time I see him. He built his first home shortly after he and mom were married and not too long before I was born. I remember him talking about trading either some farm equipment or farm produce for the lumber. I think economics had a lot to do with it. This would have been in 1959 I believe. Moving on from that place, he renovated our next house when I was small. then build the one following that. Years later and a couple of additional moves and we were yet again building. This time I was old enough to help out. I remember it began with my parents purchasing a large lot with an old rickety house on it. It was very small, not much bigger than the cabin that Shelley and I now live in. Maybe somewhere around 500 square feet. The first step was to build a 24x24 garage. After moving our household belongings into the garage, the house was torn down and the start of the new house began where the old one stood. By the end of the summer, we had moved into the unfinished new home and continued working on it. 

I am honestly not sure if my dad had the building skills needed when he started his first house. If not, he obviously gained them along the way. At age thirteen, he was teaching me the basics of home electrical wiring. In fact, my job was to wire the house, mostly. I had not learned to do 220v electrical or wire up the breaker panel but everything else was completed after school and before he got home from work. He checked my work each day and we worked together on it when we were both there. Same was true for roofing, drywall, plumbing and everything else. I was not too fond of insulation, but that was part of it as well. I was even involved in laying cement block foundations as a youngster. I did not appreciate the skills I learned without really even knowing I was learning skills at the time, I suppose. Maybe that's a "Legacy". As I've contemplated this, I feel that somehow we've lost that fire to roll up our sleeves and build a house. Almost like it's something that, by necessity, has faded into the dusty files of "Obsoleteness".

Just as I was feeling like the courage for building a home was nearly lost, a resurgence of DIY Home-builders has resurfaced on my radar. It began with my own kids. To make it even better, they were pushing the boundaries of conventional construction and jumping into "Container Homes". Then, I learned that a couple of friends were digging the foundation for a home they were planning to do themselves. My faith in the pioneering spirit of DIY homebuilding is being restored! More to come! 

Carry On

Adventure Quote:  “If you can show people how to build castles, make sure you do not neglect building and nurturing your own.” ― Suzy Kassem

Base Camp Coffee of the Day: Highlander Grogg (Butterscotch/Rum flavors)

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