Himself's Bright Idea

Himself, a couple of weeks ago, happened to think of the 12-Volt lights that were in the houseboat. Since we only use the boat for a playhouse now (the Grandbabes, that is), he removed the lights and the wiring and took them to III. Saturday morning we got up in good time and headed to III to get a little work done. We thought to try out the new propane wall furnace too, as the low temperatures were to be in the 30s.

You can see the result of Himself's industry in the photo above. (You can also see the skelton of my new kitchen counter to the right of the stove. I will have a 5' long counter when I decide what to use for my counter top -- then there won't be a mess sitting around like you see in this picture!)

The kitchen corner of the cabin was dark, even in the day time so when he asked me where to put the first light, I knew just where -- over the stove/sink. It was done -- and it is good. The second light was put above the kitchen table and again, it is good. We can have one on or both.

Saturday evening, after the cold and dark drove us inside, I was able to sit and read at the table. Himself, having gotten up about two hours earlier than me and after lots of fresh air and exercise, hit the sack and sawed logs. When I gave up for the day, I turned on the wall furnace and snuggled in. The furnace, on low, was plenty and Himself didn't have to get up and feed the fire.

We, at III, are living the good life!

Here is the wall furnace. It is powered by propane. In our snug little cabin, the pilot light alone furnishes heat! This may be one of my favorite conveniences only because Himself can't rest just using the woodstove as he worries and stays awake to feed the fire. He didn't have to get up once to stoke the fire this Saturday night!

Now, a little white beadboard paneling and an insulated floor and we could live here here around! Well, and some good gravel in the driveway . . .

"After" Kitchen

well, darn! You are just going to have to wait for the "after" kitchen photo.

"Before" Kitchen

A Place for Everything

and everything in its place. Yep, that is my motto. I want that at III. Himself is funny and says things like "we'll be sleeping outside in a tent". Ha, Ha. No need for a tent. Don't we have a wonderful 4-poster bed? And we don't even have to move things off of it, fold it out or make it up. There it is. Ready. Organized.

All I ask for my kitchen is organization! When I cook now, I move the picnic basket from the top of the woodstove, to the floor, to a chair. I move the dishpan from the stove top to the sink to the woodstove. I sit the hot frying pan on the hearth and move the coffee pot from the stove to the sink top to the mouse proof metal box. I go out to the front porch to get the refrigerated things out of the cooler. I just want to be able to put things in one place and not keep moving them! My new kitchen cupboard will help me get to where I am going. It will have two shelves, about 5-foot long and a counter top! Right now, I have a 9-1/2" counter top -- between the propane cook stove and the kitchen sink. Now, that 9-1/2" is more than I did have and I am not complaining -- but add another 5 foot to that and I will think I am in hillbilly heaven! (The cupboard is built of 2X4s, after all.)

Himself's new propane refrigerator will be inside the cabin, connected to the propane tank, and soon the kitchen will be laid out and organized!

Last time down, we finished insulating, we cleaned, baited wee little creatures and re-arranged the furniture. The cabin at III beckons! And if the weather holds, we will answer the call!

PS: himself just received his new "farm tough" chainsaw . . . and it WILL need field tested -- soon!

ANOTHER YEAR GOING BY(E)

We have made it to III on Oct 13, 2007, but only to work this time. We are doing the final push on insulation, and I am installing a propane wall furnace, that will hopefully take the chill off when we don't really need the woodburning stove, and also, will keep us warm enough that I don't have to get up every 3-4 hours during the nite to keep the stove fired up when it is really cold.
One great thing about III is that from early September on thru the fall, no mowing is required, which allows me plenty of time to get winterizing chores done, mowers and 4-wheeler readied for winter, and generally just a break from mowing.
The timber is changing everytime we get to III. It is amazing how it changes from week to week.
The new bridge trail will require a jog, as the section that goes up over a protruding tree root is causing some concern. We will find a new route that will bypass that section this fall.
Girl is revamping the kitchen and building a new storage cabinet. Before long, we will be staying outside in a tent as the little cabin is fast filling with storage cabinets and the like. Things keep coming, but nothing leaves.
This winter we will see if we can get into III after there is snow on the ground. We will be going onto our fourth season, and have yet to see what it looks like with snow. We have plenty of firewood, and with the new furnace we should be in good shape.
And for my birthday, #60, I might add, I will have rec'd a propane powered refrigerator/cooler, which will aleviate the necessity for hauling what seems to be tons of ice. It can also run from a 12 volt battery or electricity, which we don't have.
I do need to get a new chain saw, as my old Poulon is finally starting to wear out. Its about 15 yrs old and has cut down far more trees than it was intended for. Anyway it has been retired to II where it will live out the remainder of its life. The new saw will be an extra heavy duty one.
I have trees to cut.
Boi