Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Something unusual about me

You know how you always get asked that as an ice breaker?

Some people just bang right on it. They can always think of something. They can turn their tongue inside out  or they were downhill skiing national champions in college.

Me? I end up sitting there trying to come up with something unusual that isn’t down right odd (certain food combinations) or too much information (no on needs to know about my underwear) and I usually end up muttering something about Tudor England, the subject of my Master’s.

Which always makes people who do know me in real life roll their eyes and exclaim something like “Jesus Stacey! That’s it? That’s all you can come up with? What about your house?”

Which. um. yeah…my house.  But see, it’s *my* house & it’s normal to me. It’s just my house you know. Yeah it’s sort of out in the middle of nowhere but apart from that, it’s a house. I never give it much thought unless prompted to do so.

But ok, it is odd.  This is the back view.

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and side views

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and the front view

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It’s an underground home. Also known as earth bermed or earth sheltered. It was build by hippies, who we firmly believe were stoned most of the time (and you would too if you ever tried to find a stud or understand the wiring in this house), in 1978. We bought it in 1997 from the second owners.

I suppose it is unusual, but after 13 years it’s just my house.

I only remember it’s unusual when I get notes from the boys’ teachers asking why they claim we only have one window in the whole house or when I try to give directions to people who never have been here “If you see a house from the driveway you are in the wrong place. You will not see the house from the driveway or anywhere else. Ever.”

That metal tower sticking up in the first photo is a 75 foot eyesore that brings me my internet.

So I love that eyesore & there is nothing odd or unusual about it. It’s WONDERFUL! Though granted, many people are not blessed to have such a wonderful eyesore on their roof.

The building in the background of the top photo is the barn. Though really it’s not a barn, it’s a two story shed DH uses for his projects but it looks barn like.

We do mow our roof. Its sod over about 12 inches of dirt, over a gigantic pond liner, over plywood, over massively over engineered trusses & supports. Technically you can drive a small car over my roof.

No one will ever attempt that in my lifetime however.

Sometimes DH feels ballsy & drives the Kubota tractor over it to mow but usually he drags out the 20 year old barely functioning push mower for that.

No one wants to have that conversation with the homeowners insurance people.

“Your roof collapsed why?

“The Kubota fell in it”

“The Kubota? You mean there was a tractor on your roof?”

”Yeah.”

“How did the tractor get there?”

“We drove it up the side of course. How else?”

“And you did this why?”

“To mow the roof. Why else drive the tractor on it?”

“Hey Sam!!! Lunatic on line one!! You have GOT to hear this!”

And just TRY reporting stray goats on your roof to animal control.

So yeah, that is something unusual about me.

It always generates questions so please leave any you have in the comments and I’ll try to answer them later this week. Tomorrow I’ll share the interior and some of it’s peculiarities.

17 comments:

Ruth said...

I love your house! We have a program on TV here called Grand Designs ~ your house would fit right in!

Helena said...

Fabulous, and somehow I'm not suprised. Know what you mean about things other people think of as 'strange' are normal when they are how you live daily. did you know tha tthe parliament building in Australia also has grass over its roof?

Cheri said...

I'm game. With windows on only one side of the house (or maybe two, I couldn't tell for sure) is it dark inside? Or do you still get lots of light?

Lizziemade said...

So you're troglodytes (well almost)... I remember some of your winter-time posts last year / early this year, with photos of the roof covered (buried!) in snow etc and you talked about the tractor etc then (esp. when the car was stuck on the drive).
I think it's a seriously cool house, though I daresay it has its problems, like any other unusual design of home. Is it easy to keep it warm, since you have so much "insulation material" making up the majority of the outside walls?

I love the mention of notes from the teacher, because they can't believe there really is only one window in your house! Do you have any of those Sun-pipes to bring in extra light through the roof?

Great post, Stacey!

SciFi Dad said...

You live in a hill?

The engineering concepts are probably similar to how we used to build snow forts in the plowed piles at the end of our street when we were kids.

humel said...

Wow Stacey, I love your house!! Thanks for sharing that unusual fact with us! I can't think of a single question to ask though lol - not very inspired today! - so I shall look forward with interest to seeing everyone else's questions and your answers to them :-)

Rinda1961 said...

Love that you're posting these. I rememberr gasping when I read your hilarious post about refinancing offers and "your house" was the punch line. Very cool to see more of it.
Rinda

Carrie said...

How cool! And funny trying to explain it!

Jean Has Been Shopping said...

You mow your roof?!! Yes, that really should come up in conversations. You oddness story trumped mine. I just have cross-dressing, whore toes.

Kai said...

Stacey, how COOL is this? I so want to see the inside! What made you decided to buy it... after all it certainly isn't a "normal" abode. But SO cool... and yeah, definitely put that in your memory banks for the next icebreaker... carry the three photos above to "prove" it! Can't wait to see more!!

Helena said...

Oh my gosh. This is amazing. You mow your roof?

LosingBrownies said...

I totally want to know what the inside looks like!

Sara Strand said...

So what is the plan if it rains a lot? I mean- water would seep in, right? I have never heard of such a thing and I'm fascinated. :)

Notblessedmama said...

i love your house too. but i would be very scared in it. it's just the way am.

Sandra said...

I would have loved to have seen some interior pics! That is very cool....so sorry the previous owners were possibly stoned... : )

Nancy@ifevolution said...

Definately different. Very cool though!!

ridgely johnson said...

Now I have an answer when someone asks me where I would like to visit for the day ;-) the absolute best has to be the teachers from school- I know that made it to the teacher's lounge as well (I'm going to share it with my little sister who teaches 3rd grade) ;-)