Caught.

There should be a photo here of a municipal official wandering around our yard without having announced his arrival. He helped himself to walking on my still curing concrete walkway, and snooped about without even knocking on the door first.

Of course, trespass laws do not apply to by-law enforcement officers.

There's no point in being quiet about it anymore.
We didn't apply for a building permit to make the schoolhouse legal.
The by-law enforcer came by today and has seen everything.

Now all of you good citizens out there who think I should have toed the line to begin with, can carry on following bureaucratic rules and regulations.
I refuse to jump through hoops for the sake of satisfying the inane desires of a bloated and misdirected civil bureaucracy.


I understand that rules need to be made to keep your neighbour from building on your property,
but applying regulation in shotgun fashion with no discretion fosters an enforcement system that is a loyal tool of authority.

My only offence is not filling out the paperwork, and the paperwork,
and the paperwork.
The fee is minimal; that wasn't my reason.
I don't want the supervision.
We don't conform, and neither does our lifestyle.
So whenever we don't meet the criteria for normal people living normal lives,
we find ourselves at odds with the establishment.


We certainly have not filed for every permit out there for everything that we do.
I understand the importance of our safety, our clean drinking water, our effective sewage system, the sensitive nature of our creek and wetlands.
I know where the property lines are even though there is no formal survey.
In fact, the requirements of the building permit include providing a site survey of the property lines and building locations.
I could make it all up and there would be no reference to prove me wrong.


Now I will have to draw up a site plan.
I will also need to draw a building plan.
Why?
Even though the official was here, everything needs to be on file.


It is a great deal of time and money wasted on nothing.
And don't give me the old slippery slope argument.
That has already happened, but in the direction of a runaway civil oversight system that behaves like a school hall prefect.


Who is developing renewable energy for the municipality?
Who is implementing a food production strategy?
Who is working to eliminate poverty?
No one.
They're too busy handing out tickets for dogs with no licence,
neighbours who like loud music,
and smoky outdoor boilers,
God help us if they ever try to enforce the lawn care by-laws here.


I am not upset that I didn't get a permit in the first place.
I am not upset that I got caught.
What disturbs me is that someone felt it was their civic duty to ensure that we conform to the letter of the law.
Ask me if there is anything that I am afraid of and I will tell you that it is those people.
Those people who are the mindless foot soldiers of the state;
willing to do it's bidding without pause for thought.


All I want is a little schoolhouse.
All they want is for me to conform.









 

Mixing Cement

Cement is an incredible chemical soup that we always take for granted.
It's grey and usually lifeless.
It supports us everywhere, yet is ubiquitously known for being drab, boring, and carries the stigma of cold urban infrastructure.
There is a calculated reason that it has been restricted in Gaza.
Cement builds structure like no other material.

A little tip if you live in snow country...or rain country too.
Never build doorways or other entrances where a roof sheds snow or water.
So when building our schoolhouse, the entrance needed to be placed at the gable end of the building.
One step further; we used the woodshed as the entrance to fend of the elements before reaching the door.


Today's project needed materials, but all of them were leftovers.
Some cement, pressure treated lumber, off-cuts of styrofoam insulation, steel re-bar, and a piece of plywood.
All of these materials are based from toxic chemicals.
I suffer through their use, but am at a loss for natural alternatives.
Cedar and stone would suffice had I not the waste from other jobs.
But there is no equivalent in nature for concrete...
...other than hot lava!
(Which, by the way, I do not possess the appropriate safety gear for.)

The ramp to the door is a form made of a sheet of plywood and a frame.
The wood only holds the cement until it dries.
I used steel bars to both strengthen the cement mix and join the ramp to the building.
The bars go right through the wood into the end joist.
The concrete is heavy and needs as much support as possible.
Once it cures, it provides much of it's own support.

Cement mixing instructions are on the bag.
Ready-mix only needs water, but they skimp on the important parts.
Mix your own if you can.
Get a cement truck if it's over a cubic yard.
Many people rent a power float to finish the concrete.
I use a piece of wood on a stick.
Keep it simple.
Look up instructions on floating concrete online.
They say to bring the 'cream to the top' which is a euphemism for drawing the cement paste to the surface, but if you get carried away, the surface will flake off after it dries.
Also, working the surface too much allows the mix to settle out so the stone will sink to the bottom.
It's better to a have the aggregate evenly distributed.

Chicken tracks look great if you have no OCD.
Myself, I had to wait until chicken bedtime so I could repair the surface.
When the weather is dry and warm, you won't have much time.
The damp and cool air gave me a second chance to make things right.
Yes, I know.
The chicken tracks look pretty cool.
But they also kicked dirt on the walkway, and pooped on it too.
It needed to be smoothed out again.

You can probably tell that Kira thinks it's funny when I indulge myself.
Perhaps you can see your reflection in the carefully smoothed concrete.
Yes it's smooth.
So smooth.
I'm sorry...
..what were we talking about?



 
 
 

Lochlin Esker & Wetlands, by Kira

 
 

Esker: a winding, narrow ridge of gravel and
sand deposited by a stream flowing within (englacial)
or under (subglacial) a retreating glacial sheet.

What a fun day! The kids and I spent the day at Lochlin Esker & Wetlands.
We enjoyed a day hiking with a few other homeschool families through four different kinds of wetlands.
Black spruce treed bog
Fen
Mixed Treed Bog
Open marsh

And walked along the esker's ridge!

Irene led us along boardwalks and trails, teaching us about the wetland, esker and the flora and fauna that live and grow within it.

This beautiful property is owned by the Wright family.
Don Wright warmly welcomed our crew and gave us an introduction to this special wetland.


If you would like to visit the Lochlin Esker & Wetland you can email Don at feneskerwright@gmail.com


Such a wonderful day!
Thank-you Don Wright for sharing this special land with us.
Irene Heaven it was a wonderfully guided trip. We look forward to coming back!