...Shiney Hiney?

 

We start this week with a mama deer... She had decided to grace our jacuzzi with her presence... and, with that,  let us hear her baby crying for her... uhuh... it was the middle of the day, and mama deer was hungry.  While we could hear baby deer calling for mama, she was stuffing her face with fresh leaves... and, baby just had to wait...  priorities...

Friday was Grandparent's Day, and Jim and I were invited to have lunch at Treeside Acadamy with Coy.  Coy was excited beyond belief!  We were just thrilled we were invited.  Coy picked out the menu and Jim and I showed up at the school... with a bouquet of balloons and lunch!  He was beside himself..

Lunch couldn't have been more fun!  Just ask Coy!

And, treats for dessert were definitely a highlight!  After we had lunch, Coy had to take me around and introduce me to all his friends, and teachers.  That was absolutely fun!

And, Friday, I got a high five from my son, Brad and the grandkids from Alaska!    It was a wonderful Grandparent's Day!

I learned that Miss Mahayla was going to her first dance on Friday night.  When did she grow up?.. She used to be my tiny Chickaphant, and now she's a young lady...  Oh My Goodness!

On Thursday night, before we set sail for the cabin, Jim told me that we needed to purchase some "shiney hiney"... I didn't have a clue what he was talking about, BUT, Home Depot did not have it... but, we needed it.  I had written it in my book the week before (I write everything we need to take back to the cabin for the next weekend, in a book and we refer to it all the time....).. So we go to Home Depot, but, no shiney hiney..  Jim said that he thought he had some at home but didn't want to use it, but... it wasn't quite what he wanted, but it would do...  He said that the stuff he needed had to be bent on one side for attaching siding... And, he would have to bend it by hand with just pliers.... I'm still not figuring out the shiney hiney thing... and, Jim would just smile and not explain...

Earlier in the week, I had planned a little surprise for Jim... A couple of months ago, a friend of ours was selling a box and pan brake... it's a machine that bends sheet metal...  It was in California and we were having a devil of a time trying to get it back to Utah.  It's super heavy, and we just couldn't seem to find anybody to transport it.  In talking to Ben, he agreed to take a quick trip to California, pick up the brake and bring it back to Utah, put it in the Conex and it would be a surprise for Jim.  22 hours later, the brake was in the Conex and we were waiting for a stubborn, unknowing Jim to go to the Conex and discover it.  Ben and Kelly took a little detour to the ocean to cool off a little bit from the 105+ temperatures in California but, many thanks to the two of them for helping!!!

Finally, Jim discovered the little gift, and after telling Ben and I that we were sneaky, and conniving and several other phrases, he thought it was an amazing gift.  He told me that I really was the "project manager" and I effectively solved the problem...   And, he was immediately going to take the "shiney hiney" and use the brake to bend the edge...  It turns out, it's not called "shiney hiney" it's actually called "shiney 90".   Um... It's a piece of metal flashing that has a 90 degree angle bent in it... And, Jim just let me keep calling it.. shiney hiney.. I think my hearing has a problem, because I am almost positive he called it.. shiney hiney....  Uhuh.... Thanks, Jim.....

A couple of weeks ago, we had ONE chipmunk in the cabin, and I caught it, disconnected it's tail accidentally and put the little critter back outside..  Well a week later, another chipmunk appeared in the cabin.  I bought some live traps set them on the main floor and in he loft. When we got back this past weekend, there was this little guy in the loft trap.  Ben took him down the hill and released him... BUT, on Sunday afternoon as we were sitting in the livingroom, out walks a third chipmunk or maybe the second one returned, .. Seriously.. Don't you guys get the idea you are not wanted or invited?  So, we reset the traps with peanut butter and hopefully, this guy will be gone in a week.  We don't have a clue where they are coming in, but we are determined to get rid of them!

I've started working from the cabin on the weekends.  It started over the long weekend.  I was at month end at work, and my workload during that time is so intense, I dare not take time off.  But, the IT guy at my work installed all my programs on my laptop and this was the first time I actually did a month end, at the cabin, on my laptop.  It works fantastically well. The only problem was.... I initially had my work station set up on the island, and I didn't have a chair tall enough.  So, I put a box on the chair, and a pillow over top the box and sat on that for a few hours.  The only problem was...my butt fell asleep, which in itself was a weird feeling, but month end got completed perfectly.  (I took the Thursday and Friday off work, which gave Jim and Ben the extra days to work on the cabin, instead of waiting for me.. It was perfect!)  And, Jim offered to help me with my butt!  Giggle.

The work continues on the deck.  The guys are starting the 2nd side of the deck... it's a slow process, but it really looks beautiful.  Jim counted the number of screws that were going into the deck with just these few boards, and the number was 297.  A whole lot of screws go into making the deck really secure. 

Here's the final product at the end of the day!  Nine boards, eleven floor joists, and 297 screws.

We have been replacing the tyvek that the original contractor put up.  It was such a poor job that it failed county building inspection for quality of product AND application.  We weren't particularly happy with this guy...  We've had this happen a couple of times... subcontractors come up, do a crappy job, and when the inspector comes and fails their work, they ghost us and don't fix their work.  This is exactly what happened with the tyvek.. So, the tyvek is being replaced... It's kind of a tricky job because it's really high up... Once we get the inspection done, we can get the siding put on and we'll be one step closer to getting our four way completed.  See why we needed the deck finished first?

We have to rip off the crappy stuff (the white stuff) and replace it with the good stuff (green stuff) (Made in Canada!).  

It looks so much better now.  

And, here's Jim working, working, working...

And, here's the big announcement this week... WE GOT THE JACUZZI WORKING!!!  I was so excited, I skyped with a whole lot of people...  And, took several people on a skype tour of the cabin.  It really was exciting.  When you read the blog, you see bits and pieces.  When you skype you see how each piece fits in with the others and it's really amazing.  So, if you got a skype call on Sunday, you were one of the few...  But, if you want a skype tour, let me know and I'll set you up!!!

With the propane line in, we needed to cover up the trench that was dug to run the line in... It's been so rainy out, and the trench kept filling with water, and it was a little difficult to get the backhoe in there to fill the hole because of the mud.  Jim finally got a part of the trench covered this past weekend..!

And, I'm attempting to grow some plants on the slope above the jacuzzi.. I've planted some Quaking Aspens, Forsythia, Russian sage, Roses and Blanket flowers.  We wrapped the trees because I know the deer really like the aspens... After the first night, the forsythia were snacked on, so Ben and his son wrapped them with chicken wire and hopefully that will protect them a little... Fortunately, the deer couldn't get to the aspens!

These are the blanket flowers.  The guy I bought the plants from said that if I cut all the little dead blossoms off, they will bloom like crazy, and sure enough, they did!

Here's my forsythia BEFORE the chicken wire... All these plants are supposed to be deer resistant, but apparently, nobody told the deer.

The Russian sage is so pretty - and apparently, the deer don't like either the taste or the smell.. I don't care as long as they don't eat it. I think Russian sage sort of looks like Texas Bluebonnets...  So pretty.

Jim dug the holes for the trees and the plants, and Ben did the actual planting.  I am hoping we have the plants adequately protected and they'll survive.

On that note, I'd say we had a really productive weekend.

Until next time, the adventure continues,

Love, Jim and Cheri