This week begins with the story of.... a fish. I was out and about last Saturday, and I saw this piece of art, and I was debating whether to purchase it or not... I thought Jim would like it for the cabin, but, wasn't sure if I would actually like it. Well, I gave in, and decided that Jim would probably really like it. When he came home from the cabin on Sunday, I presented it to him, and he... yep.. loved it. He said it was a large mouth bass, and it was a Canadian kind of thing... I don't know one fish from the other... except sushi, tuna and salmon.. I can tell the difference between them. We were driving in the car a couple of days later, and I told Jim he needs to take it to the cabin next time he goes, and I said something like, "Make sure you take that Big A$$ed fish with you" and Jim kind of looked at me funny... and then I realized what I had said, and tried to retract... and the next line that came out was, "Big mouthed fish", and I figured that wasn't right either because Jim started laughing (and Jim doesn't really laugh or smile) a lot so, I then really tried to correct and called it a large brass fish... for the life of me, I couldn't get the words out... So, it's going to stay as the "big A$$ed fish"... Jim did take it to the cabin, and hung it above our bed.... Nope, I can tell you this... it's not going to stay above my bed. Not happening... ever... no matter what it's called...
Something has gone afoul with part of the deck. We used two different kinds of deck sealant, and the kind we really liked went all funky. We still don't know what it is.. It all mottled, but it just wipes off. We are going to clean it, and sand it all down, and refinish it...
It all happened one weekend, and we're still trying to figure it out...
Last Thursday Jim had a little booboo happen to his truck on the way down south. The top edge of the tail gate blew off somewhere between Provo and Panguitch. We bought this truck when we started on the cabin project, and it's been through the mill. It's had it's share of booboos... and lots and lots of miles put on it. Like 260,000 plus, Jim says he's going to find a replacement tail gate... Just looks sad.
We got to the point of having the county inspector come to see if we could finally pass the water test on the main level shower... You have to plug the drain, and fill the bottom part of the shower with water, and then leave it for 2 hours minimum to see if it's going to leak... We had someone else put in the original shower, and it failed the inspection - twice. the contractor finally ghosted us.. So, we had to chisel out the cement base, and redo the whole thing. The inspector came last Friday and guess what?..... WE PASSED! So, I called the guy who is going to do the ceramic tile work in the shower, and he'll be coming in October... I'm stoked...
No leaks!!!
Next - Jim and Ben put the security light under the balcony this past weekend... We usually leave Provo after work, so with the 3 hour drive, we arrive at the cabin in the dark. Without the outside security light, making it over to the bridge to get to the deck is sometimes a little tricky... So, I am thrilled this light has been installed...
And, I think it looks pretty.
With the furnace about to be installed, we'll be able to stay at the cabin during the colder months and I've been struggling trying to keep non perishables in a really small cupboard. Not all the kitchen cupboards are in so we have a little food storage problem. There is an area that is going to be a pantry, but it was being used primarily for storing "stuff". So, Jim, the sweetheart, cleaned it out and put some shelves in there... just to keep his wife happy... I was absolutely thrilled! I am so sure I'll be able to fill it up in no time! I'm really good in the shopping department.
The ceiling fan in the great room was hooked up this past weekend... and.. it works!! The upstairs and the loft get really hot in the summer sometimes, so I am hoping we'll get some air movement with this baby... It's about 8 1/2 feet across and has eight blades. And, hey.. maybe I can get the scaffolding out of the living room now! I don't know how I'm going to handle a cabin without scaffolding...
Jim is still working on getting all the electrical completed. When Ross the building inspector was out on Friday, he walked through the rest of the cabin and gave Jim some idea of how to put in certain elements for the electrical inspection... This first outlet is outside on the deck has been done wrong... and...Although it's on a GFCI circuit, it can't be connected into the kitchen circuit. It has to be on its own CFCI circuit. One outlet . . . . Gr...
...and, this one is in the kitchen...is just for the kitchen.
Jim's singing, "This little green light of mine, I'm gonna make it shine".
Ross also told Jim that the old building code says that you don't have to have sheetrock on the ceiling after you put the insulation in and before you put up the tongue and groove knotty pine... which is amazing. We have that tall cathedral ceiling and putting that stuff up would have been a nightmare...
We had a little Sheriff's Department issue this past week... A couple of guys broke into a cabin just down the hill from us... rifled through all their personal belongings, tried to steal their Jeep, a trailer and their side by side ATV.. but, our other neighbors across from them, saw flash lights flashing inside the cabin at 2:00 in the morning and called the sheriff's department. It took a while to apprehend at least one of the burglars, but they did it in Page, Arizona. Thank goodness for good neighbors! It was after that incident, we could see our other neighbors checking out our cabin doors and windows making sure our cabin was secure. And, thank goodness for door cams and security cameras... We could see people through the cameras and it was kind of nice. One of our neighbors was up on our deck checking the door.. whilst walking around with his AR-15... The funny part was when he gave us a thumbs up that we could see via the door camera... Made us laugh... We are so thankful we are being taken care of... and, hope our neighbors down the hill can recover what they lost, and replace it if not, along with their sense of security...
Jim loves clouds and he always sends me beautiful pictures of clouds. I think they're beautiful.
These next couple of pictures, however, I do not believe are clouds. We have "controlled" burns going on again. I don't know why they call them controlled burns, because they are always out of control.
Southern Utah gets so hot and dry during the summer time, it seems there is always something burning... scares the snot out of me.
The next phase of the shower was started. We have to put an extra water barrier system in to make doubly sure that nothing leaks. We are using what they call the Kerdi system. You have to put corner pieces in with Thinset mortar, and then...
..install sheets of it on the floor...
..and up the walls... And, then the ceramic tile are installed in place. I am learning there is a whole lot that goes on behind the scenes with this process... and Ben is learning a lot too!
And, this is pretty exciting. Jim is putting in the granite countertop and vessel sink in the main floor bathroom. I love the look of the vessel sinks... Not a whole lot of people like them, but I do. I have this clear green sink for this bathroom, and a green trans-lucent leaf patterned sink for the loft bathroom. I just think they look elegant and interesting. Jim still has to drill the hole through the granite for the drain so the water can escape, but we are one step closer.
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I am trying really hard to be patient through this process, but my excitement is really getting to me. I feel Jim is burning out after going down to work every weekend. We were laying in bed this morning, and I told Jim that it'll be nice to take a couple of days off and just relax and just be calm. He agreed. I think he needs the emotional break, as well as the physical break. He has so many projects going on at work, I think psychologically, he needs a little time to relax... He says he wants to wake up in the morning, at the cabin... and, not think about working on some project... just chill...
With that, the adventure continues...
Love, Jim and Cheri
"When you build, build with hands, head and heart".
