The Log House Project

[retired1]

Scotty; You might want to consider electric heat, for temporary heat. I had 300gal. LP put in today at $2.89 per gallon. On the 8th. it was $1.69 per gallon for the rental house.

[NancysToy]

We have considered electric as a temp. There are plusses and minuses. Electric is only a little more expensive than propane right now, but it would take 2-4 5500 watt heaters to do the job, even with the 20,000 BTU fireplace running. I could use the electric heaters later in the barn, but it isn't my first choice. I would have to buy them, the builder isn't interested, but he would be willing to pay for a propane furnace to keep for this purpose if we could find one. The other difficulty with the electrics is that they can't be fed through the ducts, so it is hard to locate them conveniently (we need to work on the walls and ceilings) and it is hard to distribute the heat throughout the house real well. Good news and bad on the electric service. We put in a 320 amp service, but only put in one 200 amp panel for right now. The geothermal is required to have electric supplemental coils, so we are near our capacity for installed electric equipment...meaning that any electric heater couldn't be installed permanently unless we add an additional 200 amp panel. Still wrestling with this one...right now the stinky kerosene torpedo heater is our only answer. It is fine to provide some heat, but won't dry out the house so we can do woodwork. Stay tuned.....

[NancysToy]

If I read these posts correctly, and I may not, why not put a temporary wood burner in for the construction heat.
Scraps could be used as fuel.

Tight codes and building permits would not prohibit it, but they would stretch it out too long...and the insurance man would have a fit! That's one of the reasons we changed from a wood burning fireplace to gas.

[NancysToy]

Hi, gang. Sorry for the lack of pictures or reports. We have been busy all week, but I was too tired or busy to even snap any new pictures.

Wednesday the insulators were back and they sprayed cellulose to fill the remaining cavity of the 2x6 walls. The combination should bring us up to R-30 for the walls, including the basement walkout wall. I provided a kerosene torpedo heater, so they had enough warmth for spraying, which is done with water to wet the cellulose. Unfortunately, there is no regular heat yet, so everything is frozen and will have to thaw and dry before we can put up the blueboard on the walls. I got them started, then left. I don't have the same protective gear they do to be around the spraying operation. It was starting to snow when I left. When they finished, they took down the plastic, foamed around the windows and doors, and cleaned up. It was my birthday, so I took the afternoon off.

Overnight we had snow. Although there was only an inch when I left home, but there was eight inches in Allegan. That puts us over seven feet for the season, which is barely half way through. I had just started to shovel my way in when the insulators showed up to finish the batts in the garage. I shoveled while they insulated...about four hours worth of each. I really wish my snowblower could be in two places at once. With no security at the job site, though, it is best it stays home. If I could load it on the truck by myself, I would certainly use it. The wind began to blow hard about lunch time, just as I was finishing. The weather report wasn't very promising, either. The basement floor is a skating rink. They had to run the water for their spraying operation, when their tank froze in the frigid temperatures. They drained the tank onto the basement floor instead of out the door through a hose. I'll have to heat it to be able to vacuum it up.

Friday I finished my shoveling. It was minus 4 when I got there, with stiff winds and wind chills around 30 below. No fun shoveling. Sometimes the snow just flew back in my face. I did a little bit of shoveling and some other things, running the heater while I worked. I never got enough heat in the place to do much good. When the ceiling wallboard is installed and the ceiling insulation is blown, next week, we should do better. I bought an electric heater, which I will use in the garage later, but I didn't have the time or a breaker to install it temporarily in the house...maybe Sunday. The builder said they have located a temporary furnace. We'll have that in by the end of the next week...if I can secure a tank and some propane. The propane tank won't be a waste, we needed it for cooking, the fireplace, and the generator anyway. Lots of slide-offs and jacknifed trucks on the way home. The roads were fairly good, so I expect it was the wind. I saw several drivers overcorrect when hit by the wind gusts. Add in that the blowing snow makes the road disappear, and it would be easy to overcorrect...especially if you were going too fast.

I'm headed back tomorrow. We had snow and drifting overnight and through the day today. Another few inches expected tonight, 5" tomorrow, and 5" more Monday, followed by snow and frigid temperatures through at least Wednesday. I expect I'll be busy. Nancy made me some lemon bread for my birthday. I seldom eat stuff like that, but I'm having no trouble working it off. I shoveled and blew 3" of snow and some pretty good drifts here today. Hopefully I can take the blower to the new house tomorrow, with my son's help, and get things taken care of there without the excessive manual labor. The piles are getting pretty high and hard to heave the snow over. Thank goodness it hasn't been heavy. The electrician has some work to do Monday, and the board hangers should show up soon to do the lids. I need to keep good access for them. Very inconvenient when it is 55 miles away over treacherous roads.

[NancysToy]

We had 12" or so of snow since my last visit Friday. Lots of drifts...some up to my chest and armpits. When it finally stopped after lunch, with today's 4" dose, I drove to Allegan and started to shovel things out. I was about halfway done when the neighbor came over with his tractor and loader bucket to help out. He had been widening the private street so the guy who plows it had some room to push the snow. It was a big relief to have mine pushed back, too. Unfortunately I was at the other end shoveling, and the neighbor headed into uncharted territory and found my well. He broke the top adapter for sure...not sure whether there is any additional damage. I should have staked the well, but it was in the middle of nowhere and I didn't think we would end up anywhere near it, with the dumpster on one side and a huge snow pile on the other. Murphy lives!

We haven't been able to install the last door yet, between the garage and house. The wind has been blowing through, despite my hanging a piece of plastic over it, and having the garage door openings closed with tarps. The door is too heavy to handle by myself, or even with one more person, or I'd install it. It is a 135 pound fire door. I hung a moving blanket over the opening today. That doesn't blow in the wind as much. There won't be as much air movement once we get the ceilings up and insulated, but for now the ceilings are open to the soffit and roof vents.

It was a little warmer this afternoon...it made it into the 20s for the first time in over a week. Unfortunately it is supposed to nose dive tomorrow, and stay there several days, with single digit highs, lows at or below zero, and wind chills around 40 below. I sure am getting sick of winter!

[Magdave]

I can't even imagine doing what you are doing. Unbelievable weather and you are still going like the energizer bunny. Kudo's to you and Nancy and hope you do not see a winter like this for a long time in your wonderful new home. Stay warm and don't get hurt.

[Phil]

I know the snow is no fun Scotty, but from a Texan... Sure is pretty


Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad 7.5 using Tapatalk HD

[gypsy_100]

I can't even imagine doing what you are doing. Unbelievable weather and you are still going like the energizer bunny. Kudo's to you and Nancy and hope you do not see a winter like this for a long time in your wonderful new home. Stay warm and don't get hurt.

[NancysToy]

Thoughts on Winter:

1. Individual snowflakes are quite beautiful...millions of them together, not so much.
2. You can't get cabin fever when you are busy shoveling...but you can go nuts just the same.
3. Double digit snowfalls are remarkable when they happen once in a while, but every couple of days gets a bit old.

OK, that's off my chest. Still tired of shoveling. We have had nearly a foot more snow this week, and several days of severe drifting. I haven't shoveled the deck since last week, and it shows in the pic below. I carved my way through the armpit high drifts to the back garage door, finally. Same through those as high as my crotch, blocking the front porch. That made the 30" variety in the driveway look quite tame. The neighbor carved a single path into the 8" we got Monday, and the drifts that came Tuesday. That helped my shoveling Wednesday, but it took me five hard hours, and I didn't get done. Thursday I finished in a couple of hours more, so I was able to do some carpentry. I installed some remaining fire blocking, and then took my kerosene torpedo heater apart to see why it gave up the ghost. I found one blade broken off the fan, and wedged in the housing. Out of service until I get a new fan. I found one on eBay. Of course by the time I get it I won't need it. After I left yesterday they snuck in and fixed the broken well...and the builder dropped off the temporary furnace and a condensate pump.

Today I shoveled for a couple of hours before my builder and electrician showed up. The snow had drifted in during the night, although we only had an inch of new snow. The drifts in front of the porch were to my knees...and very firm. The builder and I set the furnace in place to get ready, and the electrician wired it up temporarily. Then he wired the garage for an electric heater I bought. We need to hang the wallboard before I can install the heater, though. The furnace will be piped Monday, and the propane is due Tuesday. That one ticks me off. I got a price quote and an OK before the last bad storm hit...and the temperatures hit the cellar. I couldn't schedule until we found a furnace, though. When I called back to schedule, they kept dodging me. Finally, a week later I got them pinned down. Of course all new customer discounts were cancelled during that week, and the price rose considerably. I'd be more indignant, but the price is still a couple of dollars below what some other suppliers are charging now...and several aren't taking new customers, won't fill non-critical uses, or have cancelled deliveries due to lack of propane. I'll be glad when the geothermal can finally be installed...about July when the snow finally melts, at this rate.

Before lunch I got a call from Lowe's. They said they had a truck coming my way, and would I like them to throw my walk-in shower panels on the truck? I was ecstatic! I have been trying to figure out how I would be able to pick up the monster, solid-surface panels and base. They weigh a lot and are very fragile in the cold. The roads have been too treacherous to tow a trailer. I was ever so glad have them delivered 55 miles to my door (for free) and for the two strapping young men that unloaded them and carried them in. We will still have to wrestle them into the house, but it is a relief to have them safely on site. The base alone weighs 260 pounds! While I waited for the delivery I assisted the electrician and I put up some OSB baffles the insulators wanted in the attic.

I have hated to lose this entire week. Hopefully things will turn around soon. They expect to start hanging the blueboard for the ceilings next week, and maybe the walls, too. I'm not sure when the insulators will be back, but it could be late next week. Between that and the temporary heat, we should be able to start plaster soon. I hope so...we are falling way behind.

[Cavman]

I can't imagine shoveling all that snow all those times over and over. I couldn't do it. My back starts to hurt thinking of it.
I hope the weather turns around soon for y'all. At least 20°-30° warmer.

[NancysToy]

Residents of the South usually can't fathom why we stay here during the winter. This morning the weatherman said that January was the 6th snowiest on record...following the 7th snowiest December. We had 1" of snow yesterday evening, and it is snowing now with a promise of 4"-6" more. Wednesday looks like even more of the same. At this rate February may be near the top of the charts, too. I keep track when I shovel, and Battle Creek has had 63" so far, since our first snow in October, while Allegan has seen 111". I moved 37" here in January, and 68" at the new house. Either would have been sufficient alone. No wonder I am tired! Michigan license plates used to exclaim "Winter Wonderland". The wonder is why we stay here and how the heck we survive. Our only solace seems to be that the UP gets twice the snow we do. This winter my only regret has been that I haven't had time to snowshoe or cross-country ski...too busy shoveling. From the Winter Wonderland, this is Scotty, signing off.....

[Rando]

Our younger son lives in Maui and wants us to retire there. Our other son lives in a Gilbert, AZ a suburb of Phoenix and thinks we should retire there. What's a Michigander who is eligible to retire and fed up with snow and cold going to do? Choices, choices!

[Jeriatric]

"Scotty, signing off....." Snow shovel In hand!

[NancysToy]

Our younger son lives in Maui and wants us to retire there. Our other son lives in a Gilbert, AZ a suburb of Phoenix and thinks we should retire there. What's a Michigander who is eligible to retire and fed up with snow and cold going to do? Choices, choices!

Don't do what we did! The need to be near family and our love of the Lake Michigan shore caused us to choose Michigan. This winter has made us ponder the errors of our ways. I'd choose AZ, but I like trees and forests so the West is not on our list. Hawaii is a long swim...I don't fly commercial. I guess Michigan will just have to do. Send us a card from wherever you decide to land...LOL.

[Pennyrick]

Scotty, I have been sharing some of your weather experiences with my wife Penny, and that brings back some memories. Having lived in three provinces and ten states before we settled in Georgia we've seen our share of weather.

Penny was raised in Owen Sound, Ontario and one winter we took the snowmobiles out to her family's home and found the snow had drifted just under the tops of the telephone poles and we had to dig tunnels into the door so we could get inside. We did our share of shoveling in Winnipeg and Windsor and then moved (north) from Windsor to Drayton Plains, Michigan where we encountered snowfall not unlike what she experienced up on Georgian Bay.

We lived on a circular street that opened on both ends to a main highway and the neighbors would ask either me or my wife to drive their cars out to the main road for them. As much as we would advise them to "imagine you have an egg under your foot" they would always over accelerate or over brake and get stuck. Growing up in Canada's snowbelt we learned how to drive in deep snow or on ice (with rear wheel drive, no less!).

There is no way I could do what you have been doing with a shovel. We did find that the three inches we got in our area this week could be handled well with leaf blowers. I managed to blow the lane and found that the air coming out of the leaf blower actually melted some of the ice.

[NancysToy]

There's what we could do with all that hot air from Washington.....use it to melt the snow. I know what you mean about people who don't understand how to drive in the snow. I have driven out a few neighbors myself. I still drive a rear wheel drive truck. People seem to have lost sight of some simple principles of winter driving...go slowly, start gently, and don't follow too closely.

Today it snowed all day. We're at about 6" of wet snow, and still going. I prefer to wait until the storm plays out to shovel, so I put on my warm clothes, including the Mickey Mouse boots, and went to watch the cardboard sled races at a winter fest here. One of our fellow BMW club members was racing today. I hope you enjoy his ride as much as we did.



The races were a nice break from the day-after-day shoveling, although when I came home I had to blow and shovel the driveway. My son can't help tomorrow, but he helped me load up the blower to take to the other house tomorrow. I'll find a convenient snowbank to unload it. I have a cable lock to secure it until I have some help to reload.

[SNOOPY]

You have any fire hydrants near your new house?


.

[NancysToy]

More snow Saturday! This time it was 5"-6" of heavy, wet stuff. I blew out the house in Battle Creek Saturday evening after it quit, then my son helped me load the snowblower onto my truck. Sunday I headed over to Allegan...solo. I managed to unload the blower by backing up to a snowbank. I guess all that piled up snow is good for something. I couldn't reload that way, so the blower remains at the new house for now. The guy who plows the street has been using my meadow to pile some snow...partly so he won't block my driveway when he plows the cul-de-sac (our driveway is right at the end), and partly because the cul-de-sac is getting smaller and smaller as he runs out of places to put snow. The entire circle is surrounded by piles that are over my head. When he plowed Sunday morning he pushed a path all the way to the house. That saved me some blowing, and allowed me to back up to a snowbank near the house to unload. It still took me over two hours to blow the place out. He made a path, but the snow he plowed was still in the driveway between the banks.

This morning we dropped off my truck at a frame shop for some suspension work and an alignment, then proceeded to the property. I shoveled a lot of the morning. The deck had two feet of packed snow piled on it, and the snow was against the windows and doors. I had run out of time and stamina too many times, and it had piled up. I managed to carve a four foot wide path the length of the deck, next to the house. Tedious work, cutting blocks of snow and carrying them to one end of the 66' deck to drop below. Too bad somebody didn't need to make some igloos. The snow is perfect for that, and I would sell it cheap.

The HVAC guys showed up to run some gas and vent piping and hook up the temporary propane furnace. Tomorrow when the propane tank is delivered we should have heat. They also brought a bunch of ductwork and the geothermal HVAC unit. Was that thing heavy! It took five of us to wrestle it into the house and slide it down the stairs to the basement. I had no idea they were that much heavier than a standard furnace. We left after lunch, so I don't know how far they got with their installation, but it is all for show anyway, as we can't bore for the loops until after the Spring thaw. The temporary furnace will allow us to finish the interior work, however.

The plasterers did not show up Friday with the wallboard, as scheduled, nor did they show by 2 PM today. I'm not too thrilled about that because they were supposed to be hanging the ceilings today and tomorrow, but we still have a couple of things to do above the ceilings so it is probably for the best. The insulators were supposed to be back late this week to do the ceilings, but that will now more likely be next week. Delay after delay is starting to get on my nerves.

The truck needed some time-consuming work, so they didn't call to say it was done. I hope it is done by tomorrow AM. I have to meet the propane guy at the property, and Nancy has a PT appointment here. She will have to drop me off in Kalamazoo first thing in the morning, then come back to Battle Creek for her appointment. Hopefully I will have transportation to the project.

Our daughter gave us a good scare today. She is pregnant, and due any day. They intend to induce labor if she hasn't delivered by her doctor's appointment Friday. Nancy got a cell phone call from her today, but the cell service was spotty so it just showed as a missed call. Stephanie left no message, and when Nancy called back repeatedly she got no answer. Like all mothers, she feared the worst, so she figured Stephanie was headed to the hospital and left her cell phone behind in the excitement. Don't ask my how this is logical as one's first assumption, I am a man and I'm certain I couldn't dream up such a scenario in my wildest dreams. Anyway, it turned out Steph was just on the phone, so could not answer. She did get a good lecture on leaving messages from my wife, though.

Tomorrow should be another busy day. It's nice to see progress again. It could be even busier if Steph goes into labor.

[NancysToy]

Things finally got moving today. My truck wasn't done being repaired, so I had to take Nancy to PT this morning. As luck would have it, the propane service man called to ask if he could come in the morning, instead of keeping our afternoon appointment. I had the builder meet him there. We didn't land until about 11 AM. By then the heat was on, the torpedo heaters running, and it was nice inside the house...compared to the single digits outside.

The wallboard hangers were there hanging blueboard. They apparently unloaded board in the dark last night or this morning. They made decent headway once I got out of their way. I had to install some bulkheads for the insulation and put up a piece of firewall between the garage attic and the house attic, that we missed when we did the common wall. I took some time lapse video, but the board hangers moved from room to room so fast I missed them, so I only got Nancy and I cleaning up. I put together a slide show instead. It is nice to see the interior work underway.



I lost my temper with the builder and the HVAC contractor today. I feel bad about it, but I have been asking them about some ductwork that needed to be run and the chimney needing to be moved for weeks. These needed to be done before they put up the ceilings. They stiil had done nothing, and then they tried to pedal some quick fixes that were unacceptable...including leaving the chimney pipe not centered either way in the chase. I strongly expressed my displeasure to the builder, and I actually cussed at the contractor when he tried out that "Good enough" crap on me. I then went to work on the bulkheads and ignored them for a while. It was shameful, but it appears to have worked. They were hustling to find acceptable work-arounds and materials, and get things squared away for tomorrow. There was no need for this, but maybe they learned a lesson. I did this kind of work for most of my career, and I understand what needs to be done, and when. This could all have been avoided if they had bothered to listen two months ago...or every week since.

The wallboard will take a few days. I have to get the garage door casings in place tomorrow, before they board the garage. Hopefully I can stay ahead of them. Shoveling will also probably be in order, as we expect 3"-5" of snow tonight. two thirds of the deck still needs to be shoveled too (or is that cut into igloo blocks).

I got my truck back from the frame shop this afternoon. They had to put in lower ball joints and inner & outer tie-rod ends, then put in a caster/camber kit and align it. Suspension problems sneak up on you most of the time. They happen gradually and you don't notice them until they get pretty bad. It is amazing how nicely the truck handles again. Just like new! I really waited too long. I did check the suspension about a year ago, but I should have checked again. It took some uneven tire wear, viration, and some noise to clue me in. I was going to buy a platform lift for the new barn, but I may reconsider and get a scissors lift so I can do things like suspension work. On the other hand, I hate suspension work, so having the frame shop do it was worth the $845.

[bruiser]

Sometimes you just can't help yourself when piles up. You reach the end of that fine thread and it just snaps. Especially when you have to repeat something over and over and... Been there, done that. Lets hope they do it right. An offcenter flue pipe would sure scare me. Being a former firefighter, I've seen my share of chimney fires. Are you using a double or triple wall pipe?

[NancysToy]

Sometimes you just can't help yourself when piles up. You reach the end of that fine thread and it just snaps. Especially when you have to repeat something over and over and... Been there, done that. Lets hope they do it right. An offcenter flue pipe would sure scare me. Being a former firefighter, I've seen my share of chimney fires. Are you using a double or triple wall pipe?

Double wall pipe, and it is a gas fireplace so it only has a 1" clearance requirement, in a fairly large chase. Bringing it up 6" from one side and a foot from the other, and a foot from one end and three from the other was just ugly (and hard to make a proper chase cap for), especially with a square chimney cap instead of the typical "mushroom".

Don't get me started on the dryer duct, either. I am still angry about that one, and it cost me $150 in parts this morning to get the stuff to make it right. Unfortunately last night and this morning's snows were mean. I slid off the driveway into a snowbank just backing out to the street, and the highways N, S, E & W were all closed getting out of town by the time I left Menard's, so I just came home and shoveled the drive. Nancy made it to the grocery and home, but the neighbor took an hour just to drive downtown and back. Hopefully the contractors won't show today, so I can catch up this afternoon and tomorrow.

[NancysToy]

I apologize for the sporadic reports lately. First, I have been busier than a young boy chasing snakes. It has been an insane week...made more so by the never-ending snow. Rather than being an armchair supervisor, I have had to be quite active, especially with our carpenter gone. I am also the grounds maintenance man, laborer, clean-up crew, and jack of all trades. I am used to having Nancy's help, but she is recovering from surgery, and has been busy tending our daughter. I have had precious little time to take videos or pictures. Having our first grandchild arrive midweek was an added distraction. Like I said...busy week!

More snow to clean up. Wednesday's storm shut off most highways leading to and from the city, so I waited it out until after lunch to go over and blow 6" out of the driveway so the crews could get in to work Thursday. While I was doing that our daughter went into labor and Nancy headed to the hospital with her. I'm glad the roads were better by the time they left...they were horrid after lunch.

Thursday I hacked my way through a log so we could run a dryer vent. It still angers me that the contractor neglected it, and then moved it, requiring alternate materials and a lot of work, but at least we got it done. They also got the chimney moved and the range hood vent fabricated and run at long last. I guess my hissy fit accomplished what it needed to do. They got a lot of the heating ducts run, but the use of that system is still a few months off, since we need the ground loops for the geothermal unit and can't deal with that until Spring. Meanwhile we got the propane delivery that was suppossed to happen Wednesday but didn't, so the temporary furnace is doing its job. It just pumps out into the basement and we move the air around with fans, but it is drying things out and warming them up. It has improved as we finished the ceilings, and finally the ceiling insulation.

Today they continued with hanging wallboard. They got the ceilings done yesterday. Most of the walls are hung now, except the top foot of them all, one side of the stairwell, and the supporting wall in the basement. We weren't going to finish that, but we need the structural sheathing to stiffen the wall. The garage remains to be done...probably next week. They likely will tape and mud next week, too...then start to plaster. I kept busy caulking the top plates ahead of them, and then fabricating and installing casings for the garage doors. They are needed before the wallboard, and are necessary for the garage door installation thereafter. The insulation crew came and blew the attic insulation. We now have R-60 ceilings, R-30 walls, and R-12.5 basement walls. It should hold the heat.



We got 3" of snow yesterday and another inch last night, but I didn't shovel, I was too busy. I'll blow it out Sunday, after it finishes snowing tomorrow. We are already above average for the season, and have more snow on the ground than anytime since 1979. That was due to a big snowstorm, but this is just day after day of snow. It snowed 22 days in January alone. I'm not sure I have seen that kind of accumulation from repeated snowfalls in my lifetime. There are many of you who are sharing this relentless winter this year. Hang tough...we will ride our Spyders again some day.

[Magdave]

I apologize for the sporadic reports lately. First, I have been busier than a young boy chasing snakes. It has been an insane week...made more so by the never-ending snow. Rather than being an armchair supervisor, I have had to be quite active, especially with our carpenter gone. I am also the grounds maintenance man, laborer, clean-up crew, and jack of all trades. I am used to having Nancy's help, but she is recovering from surgery, and has been busy tending our daughter. I have had precious little time to take videos or pictures. Having our first grandchild arrive midweek was an added distraction. Like I said...busy week!

More snow to clean up. Wednesday's storm shut off most highways leading to and from the city, so I waited it out until after lunch to go over and blow 6" out of the driveway so the crews could get in to work Thursday. While I was doing that our daughter went into labor and Nancy headed to the hospital with her. I'm glad the roads were better by the time they left...they were horrid after lunch.

Thursday I hacked my way through a log so we could run a dryer vent. It still angers me that the contractor neglected it, and then moved it, requiring alternate materials and a lot of work, but at least we got it done. They also got the chimney moved and the range hood vent fabricated and run at long last. I guess my hissy fit accomplished what it needed to do. They got a lot of the heating ducts run, but the use of that system is still a few months off, since we need the ground loops for the geothermal unit and can't deal with that until Spring. Meanwhile we got the propane delivery that was suppossed to happen Wednesday but didn't, so the temporary furnace is doing its job. It just pumps out into the basement and we move the air around with fans, but it is drying things out and warming them up. It has improved as we finished the ceilings, and finally the ceiling insulation.

Today they continued with hanging wallboard. They got the ceilings done yesterday. Most of the walls are hung now, except the top foot of them all, one side of the stairwell, and the supporting wall in the basement. We weren't going to finish that, but we need the structural sheathing to stiffen the wall. The garage remains to be done...probably next week. They likely will tape and mud next week, too...then start to plaster. I kept busy caulking the top plates ahead of them, and then fabricating and installing casings for the garage doors. They are needed before the wallboard, and are necessary for the garage door installation thereafter. The insulation crew came and blew the attic insulation. We now have R-60 ceilings, R-30 walls, and R-12.5 basement walls. It should hold the heat.



We got 3" of snow yesterday and another inch last night, but I didn't shovel, I was too busy. I'll blow it out Sunday, after it finishes snowing tomorrow. We are already above average for the season, and have more snow on the ground than anytime since 1979. That was due to a big snowstorm, but this is just day after day of snow. It snowed 22 days in January alone. I'm not sure I have seen that kind of accumulation from repeated snowfalls in my lifetime. There are many of you who are sharing this relentless winter this year. Hang tough...we will ride our Spyders again some day.

You are having way too much fun. I wish I had the energy to even think about what you do in one day. I bet you won't know what to do when it is all over ? Oh...ride

[dancogan]

...While I was doing that our daughter went into labor and Nancy headed to the hospital with her. I'm glad the roads were better by the time they left...

And a big congrats to Grandpa Scotty and Grandma Nancy!

[MarkLawson]

I pray that God will shower His RICHEST BLESSINGS on your new grandbaby!