Week Five: The Little House On the Hilltop Project

HIGHLIGHTS: Moving on to School of Architecture. Wasco County Chat. Lotto. More Rammed Earth Thinking. Pricing. Fan Holds Strong. Still Serious: To Do List.

COUNTDOWN: 38 WEEKS

Short and sweet and still not yet back on a Sunday posting schedule. Sorry again. Week five of The Little House On the Hilltop (TLHOTH) project is over; here’s what’s happened:

It’s been another tough week. Sam’s changed his waking up from 7 am to 5 am essentially overnight. Argh. And the immensity of the entire project: vineyard, wine, Little House, our OWN little house, budget, etc. is beginning to wear on me AGAIN, like an old bathrobe. Comfortable, yes, in that I know this is what it is, yet lacking a vitality and freshness somehow. I think it’s a sleep issue.

C’mon School of Architecture! Spoke (as was on my To Do List) to my geology contact who passed me to the Dean of Architecture. Awaiting a reply. If this doesn’t pan out here, I’ll move on to University #2.

Wasco County High, Level Needs-orado. Spoke to Benjamin in the Planning Department (again, as was on my To Do List), a very kind guy, who told me what I needed to do to move forward, which is to send them a high level business plan of our proposed use of our property, other than the vineyard. That’s at the minimum what kind of timelines we’re looking at. We of course have a business plan, from when we were dog-and-ponying our endeavor around to investors who were all looking for the next big thing. Suffice it to say, we weren’t it. Not a known name, not a known hillside, even if it were in the Columbia Valley AVA. But even if we were that crazy make-the-investor-10-times-her/his-investment-in-2-years kind of company, we wouldn’t want to sell our place once we made everyone lots of money.

No, our plan was always to thoughtfully develop the hilltop: winery, tasting room mainly, and then a house further down the hillside once we could afford it. A studio where I could write and draw would also be divine. And a yoga something or other. I digress. Our property is in essence a wonderful mile-long hill that’s one-quarter mile wide. One side faces south, the other north. Looks right out on Mt. Hood and the Gorge. It is a lovely spot.

Here, Kitty, Kitty! Bought my Powerball ticket—late—but glad I missed Saturday’s drawing because nobody won. So I bought two to make up for it because now there’s more in the kitty! (How do you like that way of thinking? Exactly. It’s the blonde in me.)

Rammed Earth Ruminations. What about a series of rammed earth workshops with some affiliated someone that culminates in a Rammed Earth Raising (of some structure)? Must look into this, too.

Building Options Pricing. This was on my list, but I must admit I didn’t get far. Located some rammed earth pricings but the bottom line was it had all to do with the site and the size and blah blah blah. I’ll keep working on it.

Our #1 Fan Bolsters TLHOTH Project. Really. Through his encouragement and kind words and ideas, his ongoing support means a great deal to us. Thank you, Andrew.

Keeping LaMonica (that’s me) Moving: Another To Do List.

• Make voice contact with the Dean of Architecture
• Put together the high level plan for Wasco County Development
• Talk to some qualified rammed earth builders for pricing and workshops
• Buy another lottery ticket
• Buck up and smile more
• Get some sleep