Not getting along with my mother in law ,I decided to build a retreat on my acerage , I have an old self contained camper , with shower ,stove ,toilet ,hot water ,and fridge, and furnace too .
I built this cabin from logs and am installing all the luxuries from my old camper , which is then going to the dump . I'm surrounded by trees, and my garden is just 50 feet away .
Being in Canada , I may not reside the whole winter in it ,but I don't see any real reason I couldn't . I often go skiing and snowshoeing in -23 weather ,and I'm moving my furnace from the camper into my cabin too.  
I laid a waterproof tarp on the roof logs and as I dug a bigger garden I put the sod ontop of the roof , the tarp insures it's rain proof . I grew radishes on the roof last year ,put now just let nature take it's coarse .
Being a senior ,I find this like a second childhood  adventure .  

Part of the problem in the house was my inlaw didn't approve of my building a motorcycle in my downstairs retreat .

Hi Neil;  That's just great ! Nice little cabin you got there.  Go ahead and put your furnace in and then read up about rocket mass heaters.  Specifically small, brick bell- batch box's , or Matt Walker's  tiny house heater.  Not rocket science to build but a little metal work and some clay and brick work .  Would keep your little hideaway nice and warm with hardly any wood at all.   keep that beautiful scooter nice and warm as well.  Your mother inlaw obviously just doesn't appreciate the finer things in life.

I built this cabin from logs and am installing all the luxuries from my old camper....      ... shower ,stove ,toilet ,hot water ,and fridge, and furnace too .

 Considering that I had none of those things in my cabin where I lived like a king, I think you will do great.  Hardly roughing it.  Sounds' like smoothing it!  Great to get your own space sorted out nice and comfy.

Where about's in Canada, approximately, are you, Neal?

Thomas, that image, that i've seen you post before, always makes me smile.  :)

What a great hideout!
A fun, positive  solution to your domestic difficulties.

I used to store gelignite in the fridge until the mother in law discovered what it was.

MY own house as well.
But she never discovered the 200 L of methanol motorcycle racing fuel I stored also!!

Roberto , I'm in Calgary Alberta

The rest of Calgary could stand to look as cool as your hideout. :)