That was the week that was

Well, where did last week go to? It went by so quickly that it seemed to be over before it had hardly begun and I don't seem to have that much to show for it. The work this week has mostly been about the repetitive process of caulking the log joints and chinks and applying the final UV protection coat to the outside of the cabin. Not that I haven't enjoyed the work. There is a quiet satisfaction in doing a job well and on more than one occasion I mused what else I might be doing if not this. Flying some desk somewhere maybe or staring at a computer screen in an office worrying about the next deadline. Not that there is anything wrong with any of those, it is just that at the moment I prefer to be working out of doors sharing my day with birds of feather and critters with four legs rather than with birds of the fetter and critters with two legs.

To try to make the enormous amount of work to do less daunting, I have broken down the task of staining the cabin into smaller portions that, I give myself daily as goals to achieve. I have also got better and quicker at doing it as I have progressed, especially doing the caulking. The one thing that has slowed me down, however, is that I have been working alone and continuously going up and down the scaffolding and in particular moving it, has been both time consuming and hard work. And, I don't suppose it is surprising that, if you work outside, the weather should always be pretty forefront in your mind and your scribblings. The long awaited summer has finally arrived and temperatures have soared into the 30s, reaching 36 c on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The latter was a long day and, if I am honest, I over did it and paid the price. I set myself the goal of finishing the front of the house and stubbornly refused to quit when I should have. But, it was important to me to reach my goal and I worked on until after 1930 hours making it a twelve hour day in the sun, with virtually no breaks other than for drinks.

I was very pleased, not to say grateful, therefore to accept an omelette from Tex when I got back to the accommodation cabins and afterwards I had a shower and went straight to bed with a mouthful of pain killers and anti-inflamatories. It was a difficult night. I didn't stop sweating until about three in the morning and put a towel underneath me to stop the sheets from getting soaked. I also had to lie stretched out for fear of cramp in my thighs if I bent my legs. The two and a half litres of fluid I took in before going to bed never came out where it normally does, only through the skin.

The North Gable completely finished (stained, caulked and UV coat applied). You can't really see it on the photograph with the early morning sun on it but, the finish is a bit like an egg glaze and the colour, despite the photo, is even all over.

The garage front finished.

The front of the house as well.

Some examples of the caulking - exterior corner seal before final coat applied.

Two logs joint - before final coat applied.

Upward facing chink.  This shot also gives you a good idea of the final finish covering the log and the caulking.

Caulking and staining wasn't the only work this week and on Thursday, Kyle (remember him) and I put up the dividing wall between the garage and the main cabin.

One of the posts that supports the garage ceiling is incorporated into the wall and won't be seen. The utility area will consist, from left to right as we see it from the garage, of a walk in pantry, counter sunk fridge recess, laundry area, passageway to the garage and two piece bath room with access from the main cabin. Tex and I need to put the plumbing in before we put the floor down. This will have to wait until the caulking and staining is finished and may be iterrupted or further delayed when the roof panels arrive.

All in all it has not been a bad week. Owen (my contractor) has been down in the States all week and won't be back until Wednesday and therefore there is no news yet on the roof SIPs that should be ready soon. The factory phoned during the week to ask for some more measurements, which we sent them, so presumably they are in the process of cutting the panels.

My robins have built a new nest and are now sitting on another three bright blue eggs. I am fairly sure that they are the same pair as before, because they have been very territorial and chased off any other birds showing an interest in my property. The lake has been full for a couple of weeks now and it is higher than it was last year. Many are saying that it is the highest it has every been but, I wouldn't know. Like many of you, we have had a considerable amount of rain this year so it could be true. Ron, my friend on the top of the hill, has been evicted from the house he was house sitting in and on Friday I helped him load up and move his skidoos. I am expecting him to come to work for Owen in about a week's time.  With good weather forecast for the foreseeable future I am hopeful that we will get much done in the next few days and weeks.

Finally, today I had a visitor who came along to inspect the garage.