On the EDGE, Perfect for Book Writing!

Trevor, a good friend of mine is writing a book.  Getting started was becoming a bit of an issue as there were just too many distractions at home.

I suggested that he camp out up at the Cottage on the EDGE where there are none of the usual distractions...  no telephone, no television, and no internet access.

He took me up on the offer, and by all accounts he is well into cracking the back of the book.

Of course there are other distractions, one of which is that it is just so nice up there.  This video documents one time when he let a beautiful evening distract him.

;-)

The Bunkie on the EDGE

 I really like this picture and thought it was worth sharing with you.

It is a picture of the Bunkie looking up from the stairway down to the lake.  It helps to underline a few things:

• Why we call it the EDGE

• We have not taken down any more trees than we need to build the stairway, the Bunkie, the dock, and in fact, the Cottage.

• It is beautiful on the EDGE

;-)

...and then I rested

Finally!

The construction is done and just about all the little jobs that did not get done in the first pass are done.

I have been dreaming about setting up my hammock for years... 

I finally did that task and took a rest!

And besides no one should work on their birthday!

PS, Yes it is VERY comfortable!
;-)

A Finished Photo...

It occurred to me that I haven't posted a picture of the Cottage now that it is completed. Well... this post is to rectify that oversight.

Here is a picture looking from the side of the cottage --  the lake is towards the left...

And a picture from the front of the cottage...

 ;-)

Thank you, Bill

A dear relative, and friend, Bill Rogers passed away this morning.  After a painful fight with cancer, it is comforting to know that he passed away peacefully in his sleep. 

I, as well as most of his closest loved ones, was fortunate to visit with him one last time over the last few weeks.  While he seemed to be his open and caring self it was clear that he was living through bouts of extreme discomfort.

His illness, impending death and now his death, has quite affected me.  At first I found this to be very disconcerting -- wondering why his death is affecting me so much greater than that of others in my life recently.  At first I thought it was a sudden realization that I too am potentially closer to the end myself, but further introspection tells me I am not at all afraid of death.

Rather... I think that it is the impact that Bill had on my life and how it so changed my life to have known him that has so profoundly affected me.  You see I have come to know that Bill through our long discussions (often over a glass of wine and about anything), his perspective, and nonjudgmental philosophy has opened my mind to possibilities.  He gave me confidence to believe in myself.

In fact the Cottage on the EDGE, was built because Bill, whether he knew it or not, gave me the courage and strength to believe in myself... that I could do it.

Thank You Bill!
 ;-)

Cottages are Medicine... Magic

I can't express how nice it is to have the Cottage finished.  After basically two years of solid work - up to the cottage least every second weekend - through some hard slugging , we have been enjoying the cottage for almost a year now.

Sure there is always things to do, but there is no urgency to them.  If we don't feel very energetic it becomes a totally mental health weekend - it can wait (usually).  It is so great just going up to the cottage to spend the weekend, paddling the canoe, walking the woods, reading a book on the deck, or just sleeping away a warm summer afternoon snuggled in a hammock.

I especially enjoy special times, like last weekend.  It was Lucie's birthday...  she won't let me tell you which one. We woke up late, went for a winter walk, I leisurely cooked dinner and baked her a cake.  Somehow the cake just seemed to taste that much better.

We love having family and friends up - the cottage has a way of making people important again.  Conversations become open and there doesn't seem to be any reason to stop - except when the weekend is over.

Our only disappointment is that we nor our extended family can use the Cottage every weekend or week.  So for that reason we have decided to offer the cottage to people who need the medicine that a Cottage brings to relationships and life in general.  Stay tuned -- details to come.
;-)

Seasons Greeting from the Cottage on the EDGE

From Lucie, I and all the friends and family here at the Cottage on the EDGE, we wish you all the very best of the season and a fantastic New Year...

One Reason Why Cottages Matter

Being a Northern Ontario boy, and now living in the 'City', I have missed the wonders of nature.

And there are many!

Here is one of them -- it is actually really and truly dark at night.  No glow in the distance (except at sunset), it is quiet, and there are so many stars!

My camera doesn't do it justice - take my word for it - it is beautiful!
;-)

Knowing You Have Arrived... Finally a Sign!

A couple of weekends ago the sign for the cottage was erected.  Now it is quite clear when you have arrived!

Previously we didn't even have a street number so our instructions for guests always seemed to include a "well we are the driveway between Number 93 and number 97" somewhere during the directions on how to find the cottage.

Now quests will know they have arrived at the "Cottage on the EDGE" and the partying can begin!

While I needed to purchase two post spikes (my favorite way to dig post holes), and another 4x4 post, the rest of the sign was constructed using scarp lumber left over from construction.  Even the solar-powered sign lights (at the top) were left-over materials from a previous lighting need.
;-)

The Cottage Job List... How close will I come this weekend?

Here is the challenge to myself...

Get the following tasks done by the end of the long weekend:

• Build and extension of the dock to hold the water toys
• Build a boat 'tender' for those toys
• Remove the old dock
• Carry up half of the fire wood on the dock
• Bring all the toys down

I'll tell you how I did on Tuesday...

BTW...  I just love this picuture!  I have the same canoe except it is green!

Help Us, Tell Us... and Win a on-the-EDGE T-shirt!

Although there have been some quiet periods, the Cottage on the EDGE has been live for almost two years now, and we are looking to ways the improve the Blog as well as looking for other services and initiatives that our readers would find useful.

This post is all about asking YOU to help us...

... and for your efforts we will enter you in to a draw for an on-the-EDGE T-shirt.  The contest ends May 31, 2010, but each genuine comment gets a ballot.

We have been experiemnting with a discussion forum and an online store, if you haven't looked at them take a look now, but we are looking for more ideas:

• What topics should we blog on?
• If we were to write and offer an eBook...  what should it be about?
• Would a section on reviewing tools and materials be of use?

We are interested in any and all constructive ideas!

For contest details and rules click here.

So enter a ballot... give us a comment below

;-)

Special Moments with Family

For me a cottage means Family, and this is so very true for the Cottage on the Edge. Every member of my family has contributed to this cottage becoming a reality.  Starting out as a dream, it is now a reality.

This picture captures just one of many moments and memories I treasure during the building of the cottage, many of them with my  sons.  This one captures a moment with my youngest son, Adric, with whom, as with his two brothers, I am so very proud!

To a casual observer this picture may seem simple and plain - to me it is filled with great emotion!
;-)

Nailing into Drywall: A Hard Lesson!

With the final bit of clear caulking the second shower - the one in the basement bathroom is finally complete.

The shower itself was a snap to install. The mistake that I made was not remembering where the cold water supply to the toilet was.

Yep! You got it! When I was securing the shower base to the studs I drove a screw right into the cold water pipe. Took me a while but I finally figured out where all the water was coming from. You see - as is always the case - the leaking water doesn't show up anywhere near the place where the actual leak is. Oh No! It appears somewhere like in the next room -- making you think you have a leak in the foundation wall until you remember that it is -20 Celsius outside and there is just no way that there is any water flowing in from outside - or at least I didn't see any ice cubes...

Well to make a long story short, after ripping out the drywall above the water supply to the toilet I discovered my mistake. After cutting out the perforated pipe and replacing it, then re-plastering and priming and then painting the wall... yes two weeks later (remember I have been only working on weekends) I was able to install the shower.

Went like a charm... except for the leak.

The Lesson Learned:
Always use the wire/pipe guards to shield your wires and pipe that go through studs...

;-)

Happy Birthday to You...

Opps!

Forgot to show you the really nice birthday cake I got for Lucie at Loblaws. Just the right size - it was tasty too!

Related Post:
What Cottages are About!

;-)

What Cottages are About!

Happy Birthday Lucie!

• Celebrating life!

• Enjoying friends and loved ones!

• Quiet times to reflect and recharge!

That is what cottages are all about...

;-)

Thank You to all the Many Hands!

I have gone Animoto crazy... Here is another video created using Animoto...

This one is very special! While it has a very short summary of the "build" it captures all the very special people that helped in the building of the "Cottage on the Edge"!

Enjoy!



;-)

Cottage Tour... a Year Ago... Part 8 of 8

A year ago, just before the plastering of the drywall started, I did an impromptu video walk-through of the cottage. While reviewing the picture album up on Picasa I revisited these video, and wondered why I did not share them back then. So I intend to fix that oversight by uploading them now.

The video comes in eight parts - this is part 8. In this last video we take a last twirl on th emain floor and walk out the front door.

;-)

Cottage Tour... a Year Ago... Part 7 of 8

A year ago, just before the plastering of the drywall started, I did an impromptu video walk-through of the cottage. While reviewing the picture album up on Picasa I revisited these video, and wondered why I did not share them back then. So I intend to fix that oversight by uploading them now.

The video comes in eight parts - this is part 7. In this video we start we retrun up the stairwell to the main floor.

;-)

Cottage Tour... a Year Ago... Part 6 of 8

A year ago, just before the plastering of the drywall started, I did an impromptu video walk-through of the cottage. While reviewing the picture album up on Picasa I revisited these video, and wondered why I did not share them back then. So I intend to fix that oversight by uploading them now.

The video comes in eight parts - this is part 6. In this video we get a tour of the tankless water heater and the rest of the basement.

;-)

Cottage Tour... a Year Ago... Part 5 of 8

A year ago, just before the plastering of the drywall started, I did an impromptu video walk-through of the cottage. While reviewing the picture album up on Picasa I revisited these video, and wondered why I did not share them back then. So I intend to fix that oversight by uploading them now.

The video comes in eight parts - this is part 5. In this video we finish the tour of the Basement.

;-)