Weekly Update: 5.3.25
It was a drippy, rainy week. Several days were so wet, we didn't even try to go outside. Instead, the weather gave us the gift of slowing us down a bit. When we would usually be rushing ahead to accomplish the next task, we spent time organizing, strategizing, and planning. We drank more coffee than normal, and we found ourselves brainstorming decorating ideas while sorting tools and storage rooms. I spent a couple hours filling our calendar with a projected schedule. Lord willing, if we work hard, we will finish what we need this month.
One thing we discussed was our need for actual dishes. We've been eating off of plastic dishes since moving out here, but most of our bowls and some of our plates have gotten too worn out to use anymore. Now that we have a normal sink and a table in our house, there is no reason we have to keep being uncivilized.
Once we ordered dishes, we thought we'd better get a storage solution for them figured out. We went ahead and planned the open shelving for our kitchen. We are picking up at least some of the lumber today in Bolivar.
We are also picking up wood for a kennel gate. Last Saturday, we started siding the west end of the house so that our brother Jeremiah can set up a dog run. His and Bonnie-Jean's German Shepherd puppies are growing bigger every day, and they are already climbing out of their nesting box.
The bunkhouse will act as one side of the dog run, with two other sides made up of cedar fencing. The final side will be a double gate that will eventually open out into a grassy area. After pricing metal gates at several stores, we decided to make our own using lumber and a horse panel.
We had to do a little figuring when we started our exterior siding. We are using six-foot cedar fence pickets, which are smaller than standard boards. Smaller boards mean more seams than regular siding. We experimented with different looks, and chose a pattern we like.
When the weather allowed us to work outside, our other major project was sanding our flooring. We love the way our DIY plywood plank flooring is turning out, but it is very time consuming. After some discussion, we ordered another orbital sander. Grace finally got to try out the new sander on Friday -- and so far, she loves it.
Inside, I helped my dad work on the shower on one afternoon. We installed the metal flashing and some flashing tape that will go under the corrugated metal.
Grace and I also spent a day working on bathroom components. We stained our DIY vanities, and we continued sanding our cedar planks for the shower wall. We will coat both in spar urethane, which was delivered from Lowe's last night.
Bonnie-Jean and our sister-in-law Erin have been prepping and painting trim. In our hurry to get moved in, we haven't installed trim in most of our rooms yet. It's exciting to see some of the rooms looking a little more finished.
It was too wet to work in the garden this week, but we did transplant the rest of our seedlings into larger cups or pots. They are growing so big, they are really starting to get out of hand.
After so many weeks rushing, it feels good to have a plan going forward. Of course, we know our agenda will have to flex, as weather and set-backs are a part of life. Still, we feel good about where we are and what is coming next. This weekend, we even have a little fun planned -- several activities we have been putting off for months due to lack of time. The weather is supposed to be beautiful -- sunny but cool. All the rain has left our woods unfurling into deeper greens each day. Songbirds and quail sing in the morning and frogs and crickets at night. The world feels alive, energizing us to accept the challenges of the coming weeks. The April showers were lovely, but I'm so glad it's May.
