The BIG Project (Part I)

Before Erin and I even signed the papers to lease our house, the landlord and I talked adamantly about one very specific, very important project. The animal shelter in the back pasture was more than just an eyesore, it was a hazard. If people were meant to live in it, there would be so much caution tape wrapped around the thing that it would look like a giant, life-threatening Christmas present.  After we noticed our horses exploring the inside, boards went up immediately to block access. One wrong move and they could have been seriously injured.

~Before~

In fact, while my dad pounded the first three nails in the back of the shelter, the header at the front...

This:

Went tumbling down without warning and almost hit my stepdad. It would have been a serious, possibly fatal blow. Those two boards, having been tied together, must have weighed at least 200 pounds. Thank goodness it was only a near miss!


Other injuries were not avoided, and every single one happened to my dad. He got a splinter, he was pestered and bit by flies, he was zapped by the electric fence, his jaw was dinged by a falling board, and he stepped on a nail. Lady luck gave him the stink eye that day.

Here's how the shelter progressed via slide show:

If you want it to restart, hit the "F5" key on your keyboard.

You may notice that the roof looks a little warped.  That's because the foundation isn't square,and the walls are a little off.  If the landlord and I had it our way, we'd redo every last inch, but there is a budget we must stick to.

So far, we are on track to having the shelter complete before the heavy winds and rains hit. Now our horses and goats have ample shade to fend off the heat.  Next task; installing the shingles.

More updates to come as we progress!