I’m not generating as much material for the site as I intended. There is a lot of work going on, like the addition and development of services to the site. If you call or email for service tech support, you’re probably hearing names like Joe (another Joe), Rich and Mike, all people working on the site and contributing new ideas; nice bunch to work with.
I’ve been a little preoccupied with the construction of a home in Maine and, as is the way with these types of projects, the farther along they get, the more tending they require. In this situation, we’ve been pretty lucky with progress on an effort managed from 3,000 miles away. We interviewed a lot of builders, we did a lot of research on construction and we checked a lot of local references. We also solicited the help of a friends local to the area in Maine, who help with communications and take a lot of pictures when we are unable to physically be there. The key, however, had been an experienced, quality builder who would put the house together correctly even if we never showed up.
What you see peeking out at the end of the yet to be paved driveway a garage door. After so many years of living in California with either side neighbors no more than 10 feet away, frontage 30 feet from 4 lanes of rush hour traffic, this as close as my wife and I want to be to seeing anyone.
The house is relatively small, it’s just the two of us and occasionally visiting family, but enough room to expand firearm related activities without having the anti-gun crowd sitting on the door step. Outside of some exceptionally good engineered materials, we tried to use a lot of natural wood and stone in the construction, in hopes of leaving behind overpriced California cracker box construction living. 2″x6″ framing; 13.5″ engineered floor joists, R36 insulation, double insulated glass true lite windows, full dry basement – things we couldn’t get for three times the price in the SF Bay area.
The house looks a little sparse in this picture, the wrap around farmer’s porch isn’t on as yet, and some of the window openings aren’t framed but, generally, we have the makings of a farm house. The house was designed with $39 3D Home Architect software package, reviewed by a designer to look for approaches that defied the laws of physics, cleaned up by the general contractor and, at the last minute, flipped horizontally to fit the lot.
There was a little dynamite involved in the excavation and, tried as I might, they wouldn’t let me assist in that part of the project. I figured a few boxes of Pyrodex pellets, strategically placed, would be enough to fracture some of those foundation occupying boulders. I have no idea how they leveled the lot, originally we found mountain goats with friction burns caused by involuntarily sliding down the side of the hill.
The house is single floor with the exception of a master bedroom and bath which, depending if we got it right or not, has a wonderful view of the distant mountains and lakes, or the single biggest and ugliest tree in New England.
The ceilings are high, short people tend to spec that way, but it will also feel open, not confining, not cramped. The dormers are actually just sources of light for rooms below and are located high on the ceilings. There is a large window in the master bath from which I can frighten the wildlife after a morning shower, and not have to be concerned with frightening neighbors.
This is the front wall of the study, before the half round window is added; again with a high ceiling. My wife thought, if I had a place that was quiet and filled with books, any books, I might eventually learn something.
So what does this all of this have to do with guns? Well, everything, it’s as much about guns, as guns are about guns, which isn’t really very much. Both are about freedom, freedom of expression, freedom to be an individual, freedom to be not like everyone else, freedom for true diversity, freedom to be a private person, freedom to live as you choose.
Hopefully, in the not to distant future, I’ll be able to spend as much time as I like on Real Guns, working from the privacy of my own home, free from the grind of California intrusive politics, free to live in a place where people are noted and appreciated for their difference, rather than being forced to pretend we are all hammered from the same boring pattern.
Thanks
Joe
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