Catching Up...

Well, as it turned out, I still have no idea of internet connectivity in Southside Virginia. I never had the time to turn on the computer!

Since time has moved on, I'll forego the day-by-day diary (can't remember it all anyway) and just do highlights of my trip.

Flight down: In spite of Melissa's instructions on the new security rules, I screwed up and they confiscated my new can of shaving cream and my new big tube of toothpaste. Yes, you can bring on aerosol cans, but they can't be larger than 1.5 ounces. Lots of turbulence on the flight from thunderstorms. Northwest no longer gives you even those little stingy bags of pretzels with your beverage. Seats are closer and narrower resulting in less leg and hip room.

I toured the construction site. Took some "before" photos during this weekend and will post, but you will have to click on them. The light from the window messed me up (unfortunately, I was too busy the last day to take the "after" pictures, but Lu said she'd send one to me. Thursday night, I helped with the evening chores, met all the new animals and said "howdy" to the old ones. We made a supplies list, hooked up the horse trailer and went to Home Depot (45 minutes away).

Ate dinner first, my choice of restaurants. They rattled off a bunch of names I didn't recognize, except for Applebee's. They had eaten at one someplace else, I like the one near my home, so I went with that. It was awful! I had the shrimp and spinach salad, and the shrimp was burned black on one side! Both Sadie and Luanne got the Parmesan-crusted tilapia and both said it wasn't as good as they had in the other Applebee's. Sadie left a third of hers uneaten, so I asked to try a bite. The underside was also burned black!

Anyway, we were in Home Depot until 9:15 PM (and they close at 9:00), they spent over $500 on supplies and the Home Depot staff helped us load all the wood (maybe so they could go home?). We got home after 10:00 PM and went to bed.

The ToDo list? We have to take out a smaller, rotted window, rotted beams and outside boards, frame everything, make a larger window opening in the middle where the new sink will go, cover the outside with 3/4 inch OSB plywood and then Tyveck, frame out a 6 inch ledge above the lower base cabinets, insulate the wall, put 3/4 inch OSB plywood on the inside of the walls (they are nailing old bead board wood up on the walls later. These are the boards Luanne and our grandson Joe pulled out of an old house last year), then hang the upper cabinets, set the lower cabinets, make the one extra base cabinet they still need, make the end of the cabinet run for the dishwasher (its on the far left of the base cabinets) cut and install 3/4 pressboard for a counter top (new one will be stone and coming much later) cut out and install the sink. Oh, and lower the chandelier in the dining room, time permitting. Sounds simple right?

Well, I have to start remembering I am not 25 anymore and budget my time better. We worked like dogs! In the absence of bourbon, I had to switch back to pain pills just to function. I was okay if I kept moving, but if I stopped and sat down, I could barely get back up again. As they say in the South, we worked from "cain't see to cain't see."

Food was homemade oatmeal with raisins and nuts for breakfast, a ham or turkey and cheese sandwich for lunch and dinner Friday night was a very good crockpot roast (they ate the veggies). Saturday night we went over to see Sadie's daughter, Stacey and her husband, James (they live on the farm as well, just down the lane, in the original plantation home) and their new baby Rachel (who got the duck) and had pizza and salad. Sunday night was left over roast beef, veggies and coleslaw made with Italian dressing rather than coleslaw dressing (not bad, BTW).

I did try the goat milk and was amazed. I only had it once before at a homesteading friend's house and that tasted, well, "goaty." This tasted just like regular milk. As Lu explained, it's all in how you handle it. After meticulously brushing and washing the goat's udder, then milking, the milk goes in the freezer for twenty minutes, then into the regular refrigerator.

How far did we get? Well, I was just routing out the face of the new cabinet when Luanne said it was time to leave for the airport. But the new wall is built, the new window in, everything is insulated, the upper cabinets in and two base cabinets are set. If I had taken one more day, it would have been all done, dammit!

What's left? They have to assemble the face of the cabinet, stain it and then attach it. Then set it and the last cabinet in place, make the one end where the dishwasher goes and then cut and install the temporary counter top. Then cut out for the sink and install that and they will be in business.

Damage done? I got one sliver and a wicked inch-long blister on the inside of my thumb from using the Sawzall during demolition (they were kind enough to buy me leather gloves, but I didn't always wear them). And, of course, a very sore body...

All in all, a very productive vacation! I wished I had taken off one more day and had finished up everything, but I know we got a lot further than I thought we would when I walked into the kitchen the first day!

Footnote: Everybody ooh-ed and ah-ed over the duck, EXCEPT for Rachel, who burped...