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RickandRandy
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# Posted: 4 Aug 2010 14:35
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Hey Bugs! yes, resurrect.. that's an excellent word! :D.. when we made the first fire and I saw smoke come of out the chimney, it really seemed like the cabin came back to life, so resurrected is a good word. I still can't get over everything you have done on your property in so little time. I'm particularly impressed with your solar setup and dock!
Yes, the heat and humidity out here have been crushing. Has it been the same out in your parts? Regardless it does cool down to some extent at night at the cabin.
No we haven't seen northern lights yet, but I'll definately look for them in the coming weekends. Thanks for the Tip! how do you know all this stuff?
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Xplorer
Member
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# Posted: 5 Aug 2010 16:08
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I also agree...that's one nice looking cabin your making there. I'm interested to hear if you do the spay foam insulation on the roof/ceiling. It's something my wife seems to think would work best on our place. Will we be able to see the northern lights in the states? We are on the NY/ Pa state line. It would be great to see tomorrow night when we get to our place for a long weekend.
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bugs
Member
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# Posted: 6 Aug 2010 17:58
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Hi R2
We are pretty lucky with the flies at shower time. Our yard site always has a breeze going that keeps the bugs reasonably at bay. We usually shower in the hot afternoon when the mosquitoes are not as abundant and our shower location is in the shade at this time so the deerflies/horseflies (Family Tabanidae) don't tend to bother us in the shade.
You can again thank your beautiful stream for the deerflies. The larvae are usually found in moist soil or shallow waters around streams and ponds. Of course you can thank your stream for your black flies too if there are some swiftly flowing areas over rocks (riffles to the aquatics types). And any ponds/bogs/ditches will bring out the best crop of mosquitoes. No-see-ums or biting midges are also aquatic or semiaquatic. Almost all biting flies are aquatic. So blame your bug bites on your wonderful stream and its environs.
I can sympathize with you re the deerflies. We have friends in the Ottawa area we visit and this time of year the deerflies are terrible around their yard and driveway. On another note they have 90 acres with a stack wall house overlooking a beaver pond. Really special place and house.
If you are not familiar with stack wall construction, split logs about 2 feet in length are mortared into a wall so the butt ends stick out both on the outside and the inside. Makes for a very interesting wall inside and out and very deep window sills just like a castle that a person can curl up in, read a book with a beverage of choice and drift away to sleep.
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bugs
Member
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# Posted: 6 Aug 2010 18:06
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R
Forgot re northern lights. The sun seems to have had a couple of major flares over the last few days. These initiate the northern lights with charged particles or something. I have seen some great shots from Denmark on the news. Hope to see some this week up at the place if we get there.
Reason why I picked up on this all was I have an interest in astronomy. I had a little 4.25 inch reflector telescope when I was a kid. Have always been fascinated by the night sky. I hope.... if we can get this land expense under control soon, to get myself an 8 or 10 inch telescope so I can take advantage of the tremendous dark skies we have at the place. But that is down the road away.
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Gary O
Member
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# Posted: 7 Aug 2010 10:53
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Bugs-
Isn't a clear, non-light polluted sky the greatest?!
The wife and I never get over the drama of it all, after barely being able to see even the north star where we currently reside, then a night at the cabin.
One night we both woke up and ventured out, both having to attend to the call of nature (she likes me to go with her in the possible event of meeting up with a big cat). Walking back to the cabin, we doused the flash light and just looked up. Then stayed that way for several mintues, necks bent, mouths agape. Not sure what time of year it was but the moon rose at 11:30p, so we stayed up for it. A grand event.
Didn't really notice the 20° temp (no breeze)
Conversation with a neighbor back at the house the following week;
"What'd you do last Saturday night, Hal?"
"Oh, watched some tube, played cards, drank, you?"
"Wife and I stood outside in our underwear and tennies and watched the moon come up 'round midnight."
"Hal? Where ya goin'?"
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RnR
Member
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# Posted: 16 Aug 2010 15:58
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Yo! changed our handle to RnR cause I think it's catchier. Couldn't use the ampersand character though...
I agree Gary O, I'm still amazed when I am able to see the milky way.
So we were up at the cabin all week, got stuff done, bathed in the creek, drank, ate, we were outside all the time, the sun was out all the time, the biting insects really settled down alot. One evening there was a flurry of dragon flies and we stood in the centre fo them and could see them gobbling up little flies as they buzzed by your ear. Dragonflies are cool. Also rescued a bat.
Anyhoot, thanks for the info Bugs! ya, around here the biting insects are really out to get you no matter where you are it seems. We actually got more moquito bites at a friend's bbq recently than we did one weekend at the cabin. By the way, I read that he perseid meteors are out until August 24, although I haven't really watched for them yet. I also read that the sun is entering an active 11 year cycle, so hopefully more aurora on the way Xplorer. Those doomsday Nostradamus shows on the History and Discovery channels predict huge solar flares that will cripple satellites and electricity networks, hopefully they'll produce awesome auroras too that we can watch from the safety of our remote off-grid cabins.
RnR
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Gary O
Member
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# Posted: 16 Aug 2010 20:51
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Lotsa meteor showers over this way the last few evenings. Yeah, ol' sol is finally astir too, a tad late though. Sky watchers were beginning to wonder..............
Off gridders should delight at those elect net interruptions.
I do like to flick a light on and off, but nature's way of dimming her lights and gloriously shutting 'er down for the evening is not equalled. Kinda slows ya down and heads ya to the hammock........
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larry
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# Posted: 16 Aug 2010 22:42
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oh what a view. the wife and i sat in our lounge chairs till mid-night, it went down to 48 degrees that night. we saw 8 meteors and countless satellites while looking at the northern sky. and the thing i thought was the greatest was no mosquitoes... how screwed up is that?
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RnR
Member
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# Posted: 17 Aug 2010 15:20
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Sounds awesome Larry!
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Gary O
Member
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# Posted: 19 Aug 2010 22:49
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One late summer, back in the 70s, the wife and I had 5 acres next to a gazillion acre tree farm. We hiked over the hill to check on the deer population in the meadow of some three year forest growth. The moon took us by surprise as we crested the knoll. It was huge, and the little valley shown with gleaming wild flowers in the afterglow. ........will never forget.
A few pix of the Oregon coast evening sky in rare cloud break form......
sunset_at_the_shore_.jpg
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sunset_at_the_shore_.jpg
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sunset_at_the_shore_.jpg
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sunset_at_the_shore_.jpg
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RnR
Member
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# Posted: 23 Aug 2010 13:25
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Oregon looks beautiful Gary, thanks for sharing these!
RnR
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MikeOnBike
Member
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# Posted: 23 Aug 2010 14:14 - Edited by: MikeOnBike
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Ahhh, sunset pictures! Here are a couple from our place.
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CabinBuilder
Admin
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# Posted: 23 Aug 2010 16:03
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Wow! That's a stunning view!
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RnR
Member
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# Posted: 23 Aug 2010 16:17
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totally amazing as well, you can almost hear the angels singing "ahhhh"....
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MikeOnBike
Member
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# Posted: 23 Aug 2010 16:42 - Edited by: MikeOnBike
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the angels singing "ahhhh"....
RnR, yes, it is one of those views.
The first one is after a recent range fire. Unfortunately the view is just off our property and not the view my cabin will have, which is this...
...nice but it is a SW view so no sunsets.
The second image I almost missed. I was looking east and noticed the colors changing. I turned around and was almost too dumbstruck to reach for my camera. I think I actually missed the best of it. I love the backlit Mtn. Mahoganies on the ridge.
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Gary O
Member
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# Posted: 23 Aug 2010 21:17
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Quoting: RnR the angels singing "ahhhh"....
Man, MikeOnBike, the composition of your photo, the color, and balance, with such perspective and natural depth is one to be published!
There's a nick name for this type of cloud formation. I believe the sci name is Altocumulus, but the nickname escapes me, help anyone?
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MikeOnBike
Member
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# Posted: 24 Aug 2010 00:33
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Thanks. I think the nickname is sheep or woolpack. Haven't thought about cloud names in quite awhile. That cleared a few cobwebs.
Well I alternate the two as my PC wallpaper until I can capture another someday.
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wildwood
Member
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# Posted: 24 Aug 2010 17:22
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R and R,
You rock. Hope to have something as wonderful in the near future.
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RnR
Member
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# Posted: 22 Sep 2010 21:19
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Thanks Wildwood! keep us updated!
For you stargazers out there, Jupiter is at its closest in long time. Even with a basic telescope you can see its moons. It should be really bright in the generally southern sky. We were out one night and R pointed to a really bright star, and I thought it was way too bright to be a star, I said it might be Jupiter, because I remember about 15 years ago it was really bright as well... lo and behold I was right.. its easy to google info about it. Jupiter will be close and bright for several more months. Look for it and tell your family and friends when you see it, and you'll sound very learned!
RnR
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RnR
Member
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# Posted: 19 Oct 2010 15:35
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Good Day Small-Cabiners! I thought I would just post something since it has been over a month since my last update.
I guess there is no shaking stupid reality and commitments getting in the way of making it out to the cabin sometimes. We didn't go for about 3 weeks in a row due to family stuff, work stuff, and just other commitments. We were there last weekend.
We recently finally cleaned out the screened-in porch, which has been a workshop pretty much ever since we got the cabin. I moved in some wicker chairs and had my coffee there in the morning for the first time EVER last week. I had been waiting a year for that! It was sweet. We moved leftover 2x4's, window frames and other various and sundry things to a temporary storage shed til next summer when we will decide what to do with it. Whatever is not going to be used, will be let go. This is part of my "no junk" policy. R built an amazing firewood/sheft organizer, photos to follow.
A friend came to visit and asked if we would ever consider renting it out. We pondered the idea once but are fearful renters may wreck it, and I asked why he asked that, and he said friends of his in another city, a big city, asked if we rented it out after he told them about it. I said "did you overly embellish the place when you described it?" because I never really thought that the cabin is the kind of place people would want to rent because I always thought it was too rustic for most , but he said absolutely not, he just described it as it is to these urbanites, and they immediately asked if it was available for a weekend. I guess if they were friends of friends it might be OK.
Would any of you rent out your cabins? if not, why? if so, would it have to be under specific circumstances?
RnR
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bugs
Member
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# Posted: 19 Oct 2010 16:07
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Hey RnR
Always nice to sit in a porch with morning coffee.
To quote a field of dreams..... If you build/resurrect it they will come!!! I can imagine other people on the forum have people lined up to visit their posher cabins. Thankfully we don't. I think we had 6 visitors this year.
I am of the opinion that no one except very close friends (to do research)and the land renter are allowed on the property without us being there. We have kept it quiet as much as we can (well I guess posting things on a forum is not keeping it too quiet) so the various local birders (twitchers), naturalists etc don't know about it. We even have a distorted map on our alter website so people cannot find us without a lot of work on our part.
The shed, mice excepted !!!, is for us only to stay in. People who visit and want to stay over night can tent. We have tent pads ready. But most people once the place is described veer away from it. Which for us is great. It is our hide away.
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RnR
Member
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# Posted: 19 Oct 2010 16:57
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Hey Bugs! good point... how private do you want your place to stay... and do you want people you barely know touching all your stuff...
It seems as though you may appreciate morning coffee as much as I do...
RnR
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Xplorer
Member
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# Posted: 20 Oct 2010 14:15
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We try to share (invite people over) but the only person that ever shows up is my next door neighbor from up there. He likes my beer-lol.
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RnR
Member
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# Posted: 1 Nov 2010 10:33
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We decided it was time to replace the chimney stack because we know its not done right and its looking in bad shape and so its been sorta worrysome and lately we were getting lots of smoke in the cabin when the fireplace door was open. We decided to do it right and replace the single-wall stuff outdoors with the correct double-wall insulated stuff.
R took down the outdoor pipping and to our horror the elbow section was 2/3 full of ash. No freaking wonder we got smoke! We will have to replace pretty much everything, as we can't re-use the "through the wall" pipe because it doesn't match up with the new piping. We are going to buy a kit at the hardware store that sells for about $300 which includes all the necessary parts (through the wall pipe, T connector, brackets, cap) except for the actual outdoor chimney pipes, which you buy separately according to the length you need. It is not going to be cheap but if you're gonna do it you might as well do it right, plus the new pipes are nice and shiny! R is optimistic that this can be done in a day. I hope so, winter is coming, and there is already snow on the ground at the cabin.
If anyone has to do this job the company the makes the piples often puts out good information and diagrams along with its product, and the kit is a good option as well because you don't have to buy everything separately, and if you add up the cost of all the parts its more advantageous to buy the kit.
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bugs
Member
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# Posted: 1 Nov 2010 11:46
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Hi RnR
Bet you were glad you found that mess in the stove pipe before something nasty happened.
Noticed on the weather channel that Ottawa area got a taste of winter yesterday. We had ours a week ago but now it is a melting mess with +10c. But sure as taxes winter is a coming.
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RnR
Member
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# Posted: 1 Nov 2010 12:01
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Hi Bugs, yes, thanks, I was initially going to just clean the pipes as an immediate temporary measure, I had already bought a wire brush and and the extension rod, but R felt it was time to replace everything and asked me to just leave him in charge of it. The wire brush and rod will come in handy in the future anyway for maintenance.
Oh yes, sure as taxes, and I have a feeling that this winter will be a long and cold one, since we're more than due, and the temperature isn't going up much in the coming days. Do you feel the same way about your area? do you feel winter in your bones yet?
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RnR
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# Posted: 8 Nov 2010 11:10
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Good Day fellow cabiners.
R successfully replaced the chimney stack. As I mentioned before, to our horror the old one was not the appropriate material and was full of soot. We bought the appropriate outdoor chimney pipes at a local large-surface hardware store. We started wit the "kit" for a through-the-wall installation which included the part that goes through the wall, the outside elbow with the bottom cleanout feature, brackets, and a roof cap, and then bought sufficient lengths of pipe to go up past the peak of the roof and the proper skirting that goes around the piple on the roof.
These insulated pipes are designed to fit close to the outside wall. We were fortunate that there was just enough space on the eave of the roof to allow the pipe to fit through, otherwise extra framing would have been necessary.
We were really fortunate in that we found mature knowledgeable person at the hardware store to get good advice. R explained the old setup to him and he just shook his head in disapproval.
These materials are not inexpensive, but they should last forever, and I strongly recommend using the right stuff for safety and longevity. Kits are the most cost-effective way to get the required parts if they are available to you.
We made our first fire with this new pipe and were amazed at the better draw up the chimney. No more smoke issues. It's also nice to know everything is clean and works the way it should and will not have to be redone in our lifetime.
starting point, take down the old stuff
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build framing inside the wall to secure "through the wall" pipe
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start stacking the lengths
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RnR
Member
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# Posted: 8 Nov 2010 11:50
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Hi again, I thought I should share our new indoor shower set up. I am really happy with how it is working. Instead of using an upside down umbrella I found a decorative wall plate at Homesense for $19.99. It is about 20 to 24 inches accross, and is much sturdier. You can find them in decor stores, Just get one that is at least as large as your shoulders, or whatever other widest part of your body, and attach 3 separate chains (I counted 12 links each) at 3 equi-distaint points onto the ring, with the other end of the chains attached to a centre link, and then hang from the centre link on a beam or to the ceiling by way of a hook. The shower curtain attaches to it with just regular shower curtain hooks or loops. Make sure it is at the right height to allow the curtain to be at least a few inches into utility big. The large utility bin is widely available in hardware stores and garden centres.
The camp shower bag is hung up high and works like a charm. Also found some cheeful shower curtains for $5.99 at a dollar store. You will need two shower curtains because one is not enough to go all the way around, and you want some overlap at the opening to keep the water in. I used material shower curtains made of polyester because I don't like the smell of vinyl and it gets damaged in the cold. Also, the material curtains can be laundered. Metail chain is also required. I got white chain.
this is how it works: At my first opportunity getting to the cabin I fill a big pot with stream water and sit it on the woodstove for a supply of hot water. The water usually reaches boiling point. I fetch a pail of cold water at the stream, and fill half the bag with cold and half with hot to get a comfortable temperature. Climb up and hang the bag from a sturdy hook from hardware store that attaches with two screws right into the 2x4. get into the stall and enjoy a hot shower. When done, empty the water manually outdoors and rinse. There is enough water in that bag for 2 to 3 people to shower. I bought soap bars at the drug store that are 100% vegetable based. One bar is actually shampoo.
It is not perfect, it is a tight fit in there, but considering you can have a refreshing shower without any plumbing I think its pretty darn outstanding.
supplies:
metal chain: $5.00
studry hook: $1.69
round metal decorative piece: $20.00
plastic bin: $10.00
Shower curtains: 6.00 each= $12.00
Shower curtain hooks: $1.00
shower bag: about $10.00
Total cost: appr. $60.00
shower, full view.
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metal wall decoration. $19.99
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plastic bin
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shower bag up high
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RnR
Member
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# Posted: 15 Nov 2010 15:53
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We learned something else about the chimney install: heat resistant caulking comes in different colours, but any Red caulking is always the heat resistant kind. So when you caulk the seams outside on the chimney stack you should use the red coloured heat-resistant caulking if your chimney is going to be inspected, since inspectors know right away that it is the heat resistant kind. That's IF you ever do get it inspected, so if there is such a chance, use the red stuff.
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Gary O
Member
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# Posted: 15 Nov 2010 20:27
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Quoting: RnR That's IF you ever do get it inspected, so if there is such a chance, use the red stuff.
Good info R&R
Appreciate it
Now to remember...........
Gary O'
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