~~~

This is Dan with the new stove installed and the homemade grate he fashioned from an old iron bed.

I started to clean out the kitchen cabinets, scrubbing them out good and Dan put in some new shelves so they were more useful.  Then we set them up as an island in the kitchen to separate the working area from the eating space near the stove.  Then we built a low shelf on the back side toward the kitchen as a work surface for me. It’s right next to the cook-stove, but hidden by the island.  Put a temporary plywood top on the island and I will tile it later on this week. 

A late supper of  kielbasa, boiled potatoes and kraut.  It was barely 45F. outside, but the house was nice and warm with just the stove going.  It burns very little wood to a very fine ash.  No waste at all.

After supper, I got Dan to paper-line the new shelves and I finally unpacked all my china and glassware and moved all the groceries and food into the old long counter cabinets and freed up the brown pantry cupboard.  Dan and I sat around the stove talking and reading until late, warm and comfortable and so to bed.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2007

A cold, cold morning about 40F, but sunny.  Dan had forgotten to bank the stove, so it was out , but the logs all burned completely to fine ash.  Dan got up and relit the stove and we went out for a quick walk in the sun, while the house warmed up.  Karen called while I was making breakfast to say Mom was back in ICU.  Her legs had improved and they were going to send her home, but last night, she suddenly went quiet and unresponsive and  they thought she might have had a stroke, but her vitals were fine though she was extremely dehydrated, tongue cracked.  So now it’s the other extreme, so they got her fluids up and she improved a good deal, but they are keeping her until she stabilizes.  I hate to think of her this way, so weak and low, after such a lively robust life.  I pray she finds some peace and comfort soon, either with us or with God.  A nice breakfast next to the stove and Dan went to work on the gable and I did more kitchen work.  Levi called to let me know Karen had called there.  He says Jay has moved in with his boss, but left a check for $100.  Levi was in good spirits and I told him about all the changes in the house.

(continued)