NOVEMBER, 2002 WE HAVE HEAT!

NOVEMBER 6, 2002. WEDNESDAY 

After more than a year, we have finally settled the insurance claim and received our money. $22,000 settlement, 1/3 to the lawyer.  Not quite 13k for me. More than enough to pay off all the bills and money left for a well in Missouri and some serious work on the house.  So Jason and I are on our way tomorrow to spend a week working on the house.  Too late to dig a well and run pipe so we will hold that off until spring.  We are gonna go install the fireplaces, close up all the soffits, as well as caulk and insulate so that what we have done is warm and habitable.  Hopefully the weather will cooperate.  Jon and Levi plan to join us on Sunday for 3 days, just long enough to raise the posts and beams, and maybe the rafters for the great room. Jason and I went today and bought another fireplace and all the components for two complete chimneys. Jason has done this all before and said it should go really quick. Let's hope so. Heat would be a Good Thing.

NOVEMBER 7, 2002, THURSDAY

Packed the truck and headed out of town by 10 a.m. Uneventful trip, down in 5.5 hours.  Stopped at Wal-Mart for provisions.  They are building a Sutherland Home Improvement store and lumberyard next to the "Stage" store. Yay, cheap lumber!n But the big surprise is that they have renamed Twin Bridges. It is now called EVERGREEN and they elected a sheriff.  Sounds like the boys at the Ranch have lost some control. Arrived at Dusk.  House looks like we have only been gone a week and not months. Quick dust and a sweep and the house was clean.  Jeff and Adriana came over for a quick hello.  Adriana has a new donkey named Jericho.  I will have to go see him tomorrow. Kerosene heater was acting up, so it was a bit chilly, but we managed.  Sausage and bubble and squeak for supper.  Snug in bed by 11:30.  Tomorrow we install the dining room fireplace and close up the soffits.       

  Jason setting the chimney flue      

NOVEMBER 8, 2002, FRIDAY

A really fine morning. Got up early and did the housework.  Jason and I started to assemble the dining room fireplace chimney and it turned out to be fairly simple.  Within two hours, the chimney was completely installed and it tested fine.  We will try lighting a small fire tonight, but the fireplace has to be broken in slowly.  Went into town for lunch and to purchase more lumber.  Jason is gonna build soffits for the front and install freize blocks at the back.  That way we can install an arbor trellis later, but still block air flow.  Went to T.H. Rogers and bought lumber for soffit and trimming out the fireplaces, and more luan for paneling Jon's room and the dining room.  Also lumber to frame the upper bunk in the small bedroom.  Adriana and Jeff came over about 4 pm with a bit of bad news.  Our neighbor, Bud, died in his sleep last night and Betty found him this morning.  Tomorrow would have been his 78th birthday.  Poor Betty is really upset and Adriana is going to sit up with her until her sister arrives.  Such a shame, he was a good neighbor and helped us out when we first came.  I told Jeff and Adriana about Angie buying Lot A and Jeff says he hopes she's not disappointed as the road up there is in awful shape.  Adriana told me that Bill's Farm Store has a cook stove for sale.  Not a big one, but the short camp style, but it has 6 burners and an oven. It costs $395 but might be just the thing for the kitchen.  Maybe we will go look tomorrow.  Jason finished the front soffits and they look great!  Also cut down on the cold air inside.  Built a small fire in the dining room.  Worked fine, but wood a bit wet.  Early to bed.

  NOVEMBER 9, 2002, SATURDAY

Slept like a baby and another beautiful morning.  Adriana up all night with poor Betty.  Jason got right to work on the freize blocks and was done in about an hour and a half.  I started trimming out the dining room fireplace and its going to look so good!  Jason got started on Jon's fireplace and we laid it out so we wouldn't have to cut any purlins.  It's not quite centered, but looks fine.  Jason had it all framed and installed by 3,so we went into town to look at the cook stove.  Well its just perfect, too cute for words.  I think I'm gonna buy one.  Unfortunately, it has to be assembled and requires a deal of free space to operate safely.  I might have to re-plan that end of the kitchen.  I'm going to consult with Jeff about the mechanics of installation and on Monday, I will take Jon to see it.  It's the perfect height for me.  The stove top is about level with my lap, so I could see what I'm cooking. The oven is small and so is the firebox, but the salesman says it really heats up.  We will see, but I think I will buy it.  Home by dusk and we had chicken pasta soup for supper with salad and garlic bread.  We finished up the fireplace in Jon's Room, except for the panel trim.  It really looks great, although the foot of the bed is only about 3.5 feet from the fire.  We will have to be careful, small fires only.  We put Jon's room back together and spent a quiet night.  Paid Jason for his work through today.  Worth every Penny.  And so to Bed.

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