Hello from Australia! :)

[ElizabethBinary]

Hello! My name is, surprisingly, Elizabeth, and I live in the suburbs of Australia. I am a 23 year old model and nutrition student. Studying nutrition has made me even more headstrong about the quality of my foods. I was before, but now that I actually DO know what's in food, my horrifications have made me even healthier.

I bought the book from this site a month or so ago and in some frantic cleaning phase managed to push it under the bed and forget about it until two nights ago, when I was cleaning again and rediscovered it. The same day my fiancee and I had an argument about how to build a chicken pen! He's a farm boy and has been all his life and wanted to make a metal one, but we don't have a decent welder at home. I've welded a duck pen before, but that was back up on his parent's farm as a gift for Mother (I call her Mother too, you can't NOT with her!). But lo and behold, I found step by step instructions for a cheap wooden one!!

Today my housemate and I are going to a regarbage place that sells old thrown out things people don't want anymore. They have a large collection of wood and I have a couple different types of saws. I'm sure you see where this is going. I am excited to be building my chook pen this afternoon and picking up my two pre-paid Australorps tomorrow morning. They're only 3 months old, so who knows when they'll lay, but I am excited.

For the most part, compared to most of my friends, I am a fairly self-sufficient person. Growing up in the city all my life (I'm from Mexico originally) I found it a challenge to adjust to the suburbs (SUVs and soccer games *sigh*) but have taken firm hold of my newfound backyard (never had one before!) and my ability to make something out of nothing and create a home. My fiancee, who is a welder by trade (and we don't have a decent welder at home, wtf??) is quite proud of my ability to build and design new items for the house. It wasn't out of necessesity, we surely make enough.. but it was about pride, hard work, custom pieces of furniture and strength, none of which you can get from store-bought packaged furniture.

OH dear this is turning into an awesomely long intro, but I guess the short version is HI and I hope I have enough information to help others here and I hope to learn a lot from the community as well!! I am looking forward to reading all the things I can do from home to improve my quality of life and the life of the world around me.

Thank you for allowing me on these boards, I promise I will be good. :)

[red]

welcome

[ElizabethBinary]

Thanks!!

Oooh not to randomly update my own post but the flooring guy is here (we had a flood and I don't own) and he said I could use his saws for my project!!! :D His is MASSIVE. Should make quick work of the chook pen! WOOHO.

[Milims]

Hi there and welcome!

[Green Aura]

Hi, welcome to Ish and good luck with the flooring man's massive......I'll get my coat

[Wombat]

Hey Liz!

Welcome to the site!

You may also be interested in Aussies Living Simply!

Nev

[ElizabethBinary]

Thanks for the advice. I don't think I live simply but I'll check it out!! :)

Yes! That's exactly how I got the carpenter to let me use his saw. "My.. what a big tool you have there. It's so large and shiny. Can you show me how to use it and can I use it tonight?"

[Millymollymandy]

Is it done then? Hi and welcome Elizabeth and it's great to hear from people finding out about this site from the book on the other side of the world!

[old tree man]

hello

[ElizabethBinary]

AGH! I read the angle wrong. It said 'measure a 30 degree angle and cut'... so I set the mitre saw to 30... and I put them together and.. GOT A HEXAGON. O_O I spent twenty minutes trying to figure out what I did wrong... wrong angle. The mitre saw only goes to 55 though, not 60... well, it HAS the number 60 but the saw won't click over.

I have to wait until the morning to ask the carpenter how to knock it that last 5 degrees I need.

Thank GOODNESS I cut too little instead of too much, eh?

Also, couldn't find plywood at the recycle reuse shop so I am using corrogated iron as the sides and sourcing a piece of plywood for the floor and nesting boxes from the local hardware store.

I have managed to make this ENTIRE PEN for... wait for it... $37 AUD. Like... 20 pounds? 'cause the iron is free from my fiancee's workshop (scraps from trucks he builds) and all the wood was recycled and even the hooks, string, and HINGES (fifty cents each baby.. or .28 pounds) was recycled.

I am muy proud of myself today.

Sorry for boasting but it's been a long day and this is my first huge proect since I took woodshop in highschool. Like riding a bike though!!!!

[spitfire]

hello from california and welcome

[oldfella]

My goodness do you REALLY clean your house every month or so, cos in our house we would not have found the " BIBLE" hang on, looking in the dairy, yep as I thought, 7.30am till 7.45am, July 10th 2010, anyway Welcome and well done with chicken shed,

[spider8]

Hello Liz and good luck with the chicken house, good for you for having a go.
Please post a pic when it's done .

[ElizabethBinary]

My goodness do you REALLY clean your house every month or so, cos in our house we would not have found the " BIBLE" hang on, looking in the dairy, yep as I thought, 7.30am till 7.45am, July 10th 2010, anyway Welcome and well done with chicken shed,

LOL! 15 minutes of cleaning once a year, eh? Awesome! :)

I'll post photos of the chook pen when it's done!

Until then, here's a photo of me with the handyman's massive tool - that my fiancee is jealous of for some reason. I just don't understand. Why would he be upset I was playing with a man's tools that were bigger than his?

And yes, that's my motorbike and helmet, too. I'd just gotten back from a ride!

[MuddyWitch]

Welcome to ISH

Methinks you'll fit in 'round here really well!

MW