In the beginning there was a bus...

So, why a yurt?

Well, Good question. As much as I like to answer this question with, "Because it's awesome!" (Which it is) the actual reasoning behind my husband and I's decision to build and live in a yurt is somewhat more detailed.

About a year ago my husband and started looking into alternative housing. We live in Vancouver and we loved our tiny one bedroom, and at 750$ a month we were hesitant to let go of such a great little place at such a great Vancouver price. Even after our son was born we held onto the little place. Afterall babies don't take up all that much room.

Well, one baby doesn't. But when we got pregnant with our next little munchkin we knew we would have to move. The problem was anything with enough room in a safe neighbourhood in Vancuver was way out of our single income budget. And because my husband's job as an electrical apprentice kept us a hair above the poverty line I am was eligibile for disablility even though it is because of my health that I don't work.

On top of that our first ultrasound showed that were pregnant with twins. We lost the smaller of the twins early on but our soon-to-be family of four was going to require some changes.

We talked about tiny houses, yurts, earth ships and school buses. Originally the tiny house on wheels stood out as we drew out plan after plan for a house that accomodated my needs as a mom with fibromyalgia and had enough space for all of us.

Now, "enough space" is a very relative term. My husband and I have both always been more comfortable in small spaces while around us ou families keep seeking out more and more living space. There's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to occupy more space, it's just not our style. But through this process of researching alternative housing we have developed a whole new appreciation for small spaces and efficient living. For me it has become a passion, perhaps even an obsession.

While in the midst of planning out our tiny house on wheels and scouring Craigslist for flat deck trailers we suddenly found a bus. Up till then none of the medium length buses had fit within our price range, and passionate though we were about tiny spaces we weren't sure we could make short bus work for us. There was one catch though: the bus was registered in Ontario, not here in BC.

Excited as we were we shrugged that off, handed Nick 2500$ cash drove home and named our new guy Mr. Bunbury. But of course, that romance didn't last.

To be continued...