The view from the outhouse
Monday August 30, 2021
Greetings from Silty Slough, Alaska US of A
6am and 43 degrees as I make my morning pilgrimage to the outhouse. Yes I was in my underwear and slippers. The river has fallen more overnight so I will need to cross the slough in the buggy to pick up Roger and Cory. They will park their boat on the river side of the island. Kari moved our boat over there yesterday. I usually ask how their morning commute went.
Let’s pick up the saga on….
Sunday July 18
Cory and I checked the outside wall framing making sure it is square and plumb and started the plywood sheeting or sheathing depending on who you talk to. We decided to glue and nail it to add some shear strength to the frame in case of another big quack. That’s my term for earthquake.
Monday July 19
Continued sheeting. Looks pretty good.
Tuesday July 20
We are headed to town today to take Thorian back home. He has had a great time this summer and we enjoyed having him with us.
Wednesday July 21
We have been running around like crazy shopping for supplies. Time for a good meal and a drink at the Palmer City Ale House. I can’t remember much happening in town after that.
Thursday July 22
Kari and I headed back up river to the cabin with needed supplies.
Friday July 23
Cory, Kari, and I finished sheeting the first floor walls. We had run out of Liquid Nails but picked up a couple cases in town. Prices are high and stores are out of a lot of basic items. Thanks Joe you moron.
Saturday July 24
We started setting the second floor joists. We are out of 2 x 10 so we will spend the next few days cutting more dead spruce trees, dragging them to the mill, and milling them into lumber. Roger and his grandsons completed their project and are here now running the mill.
Friday July 30
We have enough floor joists to finish the second floor.
Saturday July 31
Cory and I started the 1 1/8” plywood decking for the second floor today. Got about 2/3 finished.
Sunday August 1
The crew has the day off so I finished the decking. It took me a while but I’m old.
Monday August 2
We shot the grade on the post and cut them off. 10 x 10 beams will set on top of the posts after we frame the outside walls.
Tuesday August 3
Today we built the second floor exterior walls. They had to be stood up and wiggled in between the posts to set on the outside.
Wednesday August 4
Today we built the important end wall that faces the mountains. It has 7 windows and a door to go out onto the deck. Everything has to be perfectly spaced so the woman will sign off on it. I hadn’t planned to put windows in the truss above. It was reserved for dead animal mounts. After I look at it we may want windows.
Thursday August 5
It is back to planing beams today. The ones that set on top of the posts. We had to build a scaffold crane to lift them up. Two beams set today.
Friday August 6
Today we have 2 24 foot long beams to plane and get up on top of the beams we set yesterday. Tomorrow we are going to take the big plunge and cut a hole in the cabin roof and slide them in.
Saturday August 7
We marked out two 2 foot square holes on the roof metal and Cory cut it out. Then he and Roger cut on through the ceiling. I sure hope the engineer is right on this one. We are no longer just participants we are fully committed. We slid the first beam into the hole and across the cabin ceiling. It wasn’t easy but we didn’t break anything. The engineer aka yours truly, didn’t account for the 45 degree cut on the end of the beam so we were about a foot short of connecting with the beams that we set and fastened down yesterday. I couldn’t find any 12” caulk so we will unbolt them and slide them together later.
The beams in the cabin look really good. Like they have always been there, not just some remodel hack. Cory and Roger covered the holes and beams with visqueen and duct tape. We will check it out tonight if the forecast for rain is correct. The one hole is right over where Kari sleeps.
That’s enough for today. The crew is on the way. I need to check the river to see which side of the island they will park on and arrange for their buggy ride. Wish I could just call Uber.
Sorry I have been to busy to talk about the spineless worm that cheated his way into the White House. Haven heard from any of his supporters. I guess they to are laying low with Joe.
Stay safe and healthy and if anyone knows a good carpenter send them up.
Thank you Lord for your many blessings.
I’ll be in touch
Blue skies!!!
The View from the Outhouse 