ONE FINE DAY

JANUARY 25: We have made a little progress this week!

Earlier in the week Frank finished Row 2, and brought up the logs for Row 3. This row requires lots of work. We need to cut out for the outlets, and get the logs ready for the windows. It will take a lot of work, and this row will be a slow one.


Saturday was beautiful. We even worked without a coat in the afternoon! We were able to get half of Row 3 up.

We also positioned a new tarp. With over 1 inch of rain, that one kept that part dry. Alas! Now the other side is letting water in.

FINALLY!

JANUARY 18: The imposable happened! The snow stopped! (Around last Tuesday or Wednesday) The weather warmed! (Into the low 40's) We had been waiting for this day. I cleared off the deck. The basement had stayed fairly dry. Thursday we pulled the tarps away from the edges, and brought all the rest of the logs for Row One onto the deck. We laid them out and planned all our outlets and switches. We cut one badly warped corner post into pieces, and set them where the corner posts would go. Days are still short. We need to start cleaning up the work sight soon after 4:00 P.M.

Friday we drilled and laid the rest of Row One. We also set a couple more corner posts. Saturday morning we were back at the sight. We set the remainder of the corner posts. By now we had a system, and were able to set the last one in 20 minutes--a far cry from the first one that took us a couple hours. As we work, we find good ways to do things. Frank says that by the time we finish, we will know how to do it. We also brought all the logs for Row Two and set them on the deck in proper sequence. John came out to help in the afternoon. Frank set the door bucks. The three of us drilled all the holes for the electric wires, and attached 2/3 of Row Two. Here you see the last pole being set into place.















Rain fell Sunday. Monday was still wet. We decided to work on tarps. We (mostly Frank) restrung our rope and repositioned the nails so that we could continue to use them as the logs go up. We worked it so that the low edges would come to the doorways, giving us more chance to channel any water off the deck and out the doors. We also decided to purchase a new tarp to replace the badly damaged one. Frank ordered it.



Earlier in the week Frank had put together our "Parcel Pod", a small building for our packages when the driveway is snow covered or icy. Left is a picture of it. Right, shows the "Stinky Station" for our garbage to wait for the collectors, and right shows the "Parcel Pod."

GROWING

JANUARY 12: We are still having cold and snowy weather. Even if we think a day will not bring snow, it does anyway. There has again been no work on the house. One thing is noteworthy.

Kali! When she first joined the family, she was smaller than Daisy. Two months later--take a peek at the difference!

Sunday we woke up to a beautiful display of frost on the trees.

We keep checking the long range weather. It looks like we might be able to work on the house toward the end of this week into next week.

WELCOME TO 2010

January 6: It started snowing about December 19, and it has been cold and snowing almost everyday since. We are usually receiving more snow than they are forecasting. I want to share with you the beauty of our place.

Can you see our house among the trees? (left)

And the compost bin Frank made? (right)

And the fun that is had here.

This was part of that first big snow in December.

Frank and I went to Ohio earlier this week for my Uncle's funeral. Here is a picture of my Aunt Evelyn and her four boys: Jay, Roger, Dorin, and Ed. The other picture is of Aunt Evelyn with Mom. Mom now has four living siblings, and three living in-laws.

On our return today, we found this snow sculpture on Johnya's garage roof.