Five years.
That’s how long we’ve been married, as of today. It was a pretty normal day for the most part. Relaxing morning, Liz and my mother went clothes shopping for Luke this afternoon in Cool springs, then my parents came and babysat Luke while we went out to dinner. Southern Tre steakhouse in downtown Columbia. More on it at a later date. Short version – not impressed. We did have a nice walk around downtown while we waited on our table though.
The porch ends – for now.
I got a fairly early start this morning and went by the lumber yard for a few boards. Then I started on the porch rafters. I had cut my template yesterday, which helped speed up the process. I had most of them installed before I needed a couple more boards. I returned to the lumberyard (thankfully only about five minutes away) for them. Kenneth arrived just after I did, and we kept rolling. The last rafter and sub-fascia went up pretty quickly. The OSB decking was a bit of a pain, but he got it up and partially fastened. We also attached the ledger boards for the back deck and set the cedar trim out to dry. All in all it was a very productive day. After dropping all the tools off at the storage unit and going by the bank I returned to the cottage for a very late lunch/early dinner. I hit the road and stopped at Lowe’s in Tullahoma for an oven for our apartment, then raced to get home before Luke went to bed. I barely made it. We read a book and then Liz put him down. It was overall a pretty good week.
The porch begins.
I drove back up here early this morning and got to work after a pit stop at the Goat Market. A little before noon my new helper arrived. His name is Kenneth, and I met him when I bought a military trailer from him a few months back. He lives in Tracy City and is available to help most afternoons. So we were able to maneuver the big 6x6s and then add the band. The decking went on pretty quickly. Around 3:30 I started to get a throbbing headache and Kenneth had to leave at four since the lights on his truck are kind of finnicky. So I wrapped up about 4:15. I spent the next three hours on the couch under a warm blanket, getting up only to throw up several times (although nothing actually came out). Around 7:30 I was feeling pretty much back to normal, so I went to Piggly Wiggly for some supplies. The rest of the evening has been pretty low key. I hope to get a good night’s sleep.
Cutting boards, coming home.
It was cold this morning, but not miserable. I took the flatbed trailer and lumber to the site. Unfortunately the frozen and slick ground prevented me from making it all the way up the driveway, but I got close enough. I sorted through a lot of junky boards in order to get the good ones for the window trim. I was at a bit of a stopping point, so I headed home and arrived just before dinner. It was great to see Liz and Luke. I’ll leave early in the morning to return to the Mountain.
Snow and spending.
There was about half an inch of snow on the ground this morning. After going to the Goat Market I headed down the Mountain. First stop was Harbor Freight in Tullahoma where I bought a bunch of small tools. Next was Lowe’s, where I spent the big bucks on appliances and other materials, including paint. I went to Home Depot and bought plumbing and electrical fixtures. Next I stopped at the Co-op and bought a metal bin that I’ll use to burn scrap wood in. The final stop was Bargain Hunt, where I bought a hat, slippers, and some long underwear.
Driving, organizing, accounting.
I loaded a few more things on the trailer this morning and hit the road. In Monteagle I stopped by the storage unit and picked up a bunch of stuff. Back at the cottage I spent a few hours organizing everything. It was tedious, but needed to be done. Now I will be a lot more efficient. After dark I started going through my receipts. Trying to see where all the money has gone! Tonight will be cold but not as bad as tomorrow night.
Getting blessed.
Luke woke up at the crack again this morning and was ready for action. I headed to Kroger for some groceries and resisted the urge to buy any tasty treats. We made it to the Episcopal church for a second time. It was nice, and Luke received a blessing during communion. This afternoon Luke had an early nap and then we played a lot. We also made a little activity board for him, featuring little things from Home Depot. I hope he will enjoy it.
Pretty good Friday.
This morning I poured footers for the front porch, hauled trash to the dump, and loaded a bunch of leftover and scrap wood onto the flatbed trailer. There is a lot of good wood left over, and I am excited for the possibilities of building things with it. After lunch I walked to the military vehicle museum next door to the cottage. They have some pretty cool items. I would like to return soon but they might be closing for the season. After cleaning the cottage I hit the road and arrived home around 3:30. The drive was uneventful. I spent the afternoon bringing in stuff from the garage, working on the computer, and playing with Luke.
Wet and cold.
I ran a bunch of errands this morning, then prepared dinner in the slow cooker. I miss cooking and need to get a new slow cooker for the cottage. Around the middle of the day I drove up to Franklin to pay the framers. I read to Luke a lot this afternoon and played with him. After dinner and Luke’s bed time I returned to Monteagle.
