So, all of the siding for the clerestory area is finished! Now, I just have a little bit left to install on the east end gable and it will all be done! Yay! Of course, I still have to get up there and finished painting everything but that's not too big a deal. I do have a little roof trim to finish up there actually. That's embarrassing that I have let that go so long but....whadya gonna do? Just the best you can I guess. And I have a couple of little decorative touches I want to install but that shouldn't take too much. At any rate, I am getting closer to finished overall and that is the main thing. You just have to keep plugging away at all the little things. 
After I finished caulking the newly installed siding I took a break from that to split some firewood. The caulking would need time to cure anyway before I can paint it so I went on to something else that is much needed. Capt. Jack has been chomping at the bit to split some wood on a large scale so we broke out all the mauls and axes and such and worked until evening on that project. This stack is probably 10 feet long and is barely even a decent start to how much wood I need, but you got to start somewhere. I've got plenty of trees that were felled last year or so that are ready for splitting, so it is just a matter of summoning the gumption to do it. It looks like I will be laid off for a while anyway so I should have plenty of time. I still think a mechanical splitter will be a good idea for the future. My back is just not what it used to be.Oh, for an update! Capt. Jack finally prevailed over the mice. He had used peanut butter, as a couple of you suggested, but these wily mice were able to lick the traps clean (twice even!) without springing them. I could tell Capt. Jack was becoming a little frustrated. How embarrassing for a former Marine to be outsmarted by two little mice! Ever determined though, he resorted to more drastic measures. He finally wired an almond to each trigger of the traps. The mice would have to really to some serious maneuvering to get the prize off this time and sure enough, they tripped them. Capt. Jack was gracious in his victory however, giving the mice warriors their due praise for a good battle. He saluted their courage and ingenuity. He has however, now proclaimed himself Capt. Jack the Great White Mouser so I don't know how long I'm going to have to suffer through that.
Well, I know I have not had any interesting house posts in some time and I hope to remedy that soon. Ya'll bear with me. I have so many projects going on it's hard to concentrate on one but I am trying to finally knock some stuff out completely. I have taken some time lately, as ya'll know to get out and have some fun and enjoy life a little, and I really have enjoyed myself. It has been really nice but I really need to buckle down now and finish some things. I have really been putting some serious thought into work too. Do I really want to go back to construction? Can my back take it really? So, we'll see. I have so enjoyed the past few weeks and am really feeling it is time to just work for me, instead of 'the man', as it were. I really need to get things together here at home. Get the garden really producing, some animals and my art going again. I mean, with everything paid for and not really having any bills, I should be able to work at what I want. That was the whole point in doing this anyway! Or at least that's what I thought.
10 comments:
It must be nice to be just about done with all your siding. I hav'nt even started mine yet, and probably won't until next summer, unless that plan changes. your house is looking good Annie. I'm just wondering though, who needs a mechanical splitter when you have a Captain Jack?
I think your idea of working for yourself is a good one! After all, life is too short to always be working for someone else, don't you think?
Hey, if it feels good to ya...go for it!
Hey Mark! yes, it is VERY nice. I think having that doen will really make me feel like I'm getting somewhere.
As far as Jack as the woodsplitter...lol! well, I'm afraid his enthusiasm may wane after about the 2nd cord.
Hey Jim! that's what I'm thinking...especially lately. :)
Well, I'm not sure how I got the nickname of Capt. Jack. In long form it should be, 'Capt.Jack, Great White Hunter. [specialy: Mice].
Those were real educated Mice. Mice Einsteins, I think. And, dexterious. They were able to lick clean three different traps of all the peanut butter bait. Twice! And never tripped any of the traps!
And, the first one bagged, managed to ear half an almond before the boom fell. I do sulute them as worthy opponents.
The novelty of wood spliting goes away quickly. Though, with persistance, you could get a nice set of shoulders. Or, a really good heart attack. Its all to a good cause. Annie warns me that wood burns away fast. She may yet have to fabricate the automated wood splitter thats been talked about.
about all for now....I have to check some traps...
That is a modest wood pile indeed. Get at it. I have been doing wood myself these days. I need 20 or 30 times more wood than you have.
I miss my friend Dave who used to load up his walker and help me pile the wood. He kept me company with him being the "trucker" while I was the "logger".
We all have little unfinished corners not only in our houses but also in our lives.
Hey Jack! I'm hoping for the shoulders!
Hey Philip! yeah, I got a long way to go! lol!
I think the moniker of Capt Jack will have to go. I'm thinking maybe Jack the Mouser or Mouser Jack or just not use my own name and comment with something like 'Rodent Randy' Will appreicate any suggestions. Winner, if any, gets a high 5.
Writing this while Mythbusters is on. They are doing a duck tape show. How strong is the stuff?
Ans: very.
They are about to do the part of the show where they try to cure a hole in their boat.
I can testify from first hand, that this will work. In my kayaking days all kayakers carried a sponge and a roll of duck tape. I often used this stuff to tape up my boat to get on down the river. Once, on section 4 of the Chatooga, I saw a canoe broken in half at a rapid named crack in the rock. The crack is part of the infamous 5 falls area of 4. People pooled their rolls and taped the canoe back together. It went on down the section, and accross the lake to the takeout. At that point, the canoe was cut in half for transport.
Its amazing what all duck tape can be used for. Including taping duck work.
No more mice snared this day. The two may have been the extent of their group.
About it for now...
You don't like Capt. Jack?! Let's see, what do I call you around the house...? old turd? aggravating shit? heehee!!
Sounds like you have a plan, Annie, and if working for yourself is what you want to do, then go for it. Congrats to Capt Jack on his successful mouse trapping.
Hey Beatrice! thanks! well, I'm not sure if I actually have a plan or not but I am working on one! lol!
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