You have probably noticed zero blog activity here for quite some time. On February 16th, La's father was killed in a car accident, and, for a time, she lost interest in this project (and pretty much everything else); we both spent a lot of time sitting on the window seat in our sunroom, staring out the window. As you might imagine, although we are both mostly off the window seat, we still spend a good bit of time staring out the window, and La just can't quite bring herself to blog. This project was something that La and her papa were doing together, and for awhile, she couldn't bring herself to stand next to the deck that she and her dad put on the trailer.
However.
The tiny house is progressing, and I have continued to blog for La on the HoneyFern blog. To sum up here, we have miraculous friends who have come to the rescue, and we are looking like this:
You will have to excuse the ladders and other construction debris. To get to this point, we had several 13-hour days, and if I had to move another ladder, my arms might have fallen off. The house is nearly dried in (we still have two triangles by the dormer end to deal with, and a door to add), and we also need to find an egress window and one more window for the dressing room before we can start to side.
And in other incredible news, we found an angel roofer, Kurt Waggoner at Dr. Roof, who is going to put on the metal roofing, gratis. At first, I sort of felt this might be considered cheating a bit, but truly, very few people build a house by themself, and La can't get up on the roof anyway (safety first, plus she is scared of heights like her mama, who braved them anyway to help with the roof. We all need to do something we are scared of once in awhile. Keeps us fresh). So many giving, selfless people in the world.
We are also on pace to keep the project under our projected $5,000 budget, but La Petite has gone quickly through her Indiegogo funds. If you would like to contribute to help finish the project, you can do so via PayPal with the PayPal address suzannah@honeyfern.org. Every little bit helps; $15 buys a sheet of foamular insulation, and $5 buys a can of Great Stuff foam or a 2x6 to hold up the loft. It takes a village.
We aren't giving up, but our completion date has been pushed back to June 15th. Please head on over to HoneyFern's blog to follow our progress, and thank you for your support!
Suzannah
I randomly ended up here tonight and can't even remember the rabbit trail that led me here. But, I couldn't read this without offering sympathy. The completion of this little house will speak volumes for who La is and who her father was to her. Many would have given up after loosing the one who used to be your driving force on the project. And no one would have blamed La if she had. But a woman of fighting spirit continues on and though many lessons will be learned in the building of this house, I think perseverance despite a storm will be a most valuable lesson conquered and learned. Way to go La. I'm sure your father would be so proud!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jenny. I will pass your comment on to La.
ReplyDeleteSuzannah Kolbeck
O no, my heart is breaking. I have been following this for a while and wondered what happened. My sincere and deepest condolences to the entire family. I feel as if I know them a little through this project. May the Lord of all bring His peace into this awful situation.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your condolences, and your support. We both really appreciate it.
DeleteSuzannah
I just linked here from Home Power Magazine, and am devastated to read about the passing of your husband and La's father. I lost my own dad when I was 14, and it changed me forever (how could it not?)
ReplyDeleteThe first year after my dad died, I was in a daze. I honestly don't remember a lot about what happened that year....just that I was in deep grief, and nothing seemed to matter anymore. One of the things that changed in me was my pursuit of math - it was something my dad and I shared, and when he was gone, I lost interest, to the point of changing my career dreams to avoid it.
As a no 43-year-old, I look back on that fateful event and wish that I had not abandoned what I shared with my father. I am only now shifting back into a career that is renewable energy and home design focused....and I wish that it had been my path from the beginning.
Please give La a hug for me, and encourage her not to set aside what she loves because she lost her father and it reminds her of him. Rather, find the courage and love to move forward with this passion, to honor him and to honor her true passion in life.
Thank you for your comments. I cannot tell you how much they mean to us both. Thank you for your continued support, and for following this project.
DeleteI will blog soon on our progress. There is much to report!
Suzannah
I was reading all this story and I was thinking that it's worth to write book about it. First of all, La is one of the strongest girls I've read about. It's hard time now but I believe that she will survive. Hugs and kisses from Lithuania to you. What is more, as long as I got inspired so much by myself, I want to write and article about her to the Lithuanian web about ecology www.grynas.lt. La is the best inspiration for everyone who is dreaming about eco house so this story must be heard. Could you cantact me for the details? My e-mail egle.plytnikaite@gmail.com.
ReplyDeleteTake care.
Lots of love.
Thank you for your comment and your support. I will have La get I touch when she is ready.
DeleteSuzannah (mama)
My condolences from Sweden. Recently I lost a life long friend and the sorrow struck me, that I am not fully over the loss yet, so once again my deepest condolences to you and your daughter.
ReplyDeleteI have been following La's blogg since last October. I am myself planning on building a tiny house and moving towards a simpler life, and are so inspired by your daughters project and her dreams of a sustainable living already in such a young age.
Please give my best regards to La and my best wishes in honoring her father on finishing her tiny house.
/Andreas
I am sorry for your loss; thank you so much for the comment and the support.
DeleteI am so deeply moved by this entire blog, process, and family that words are not coming to me. Thank you, is what I can manage now, but I will be back. Thank you for putting the piece of your lives back together and for sharing them with us.
ReplyDelete